[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 230 (Monday, December 1, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67260-67266]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-29850]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Innovative Grants To Support Increased Safety Belt Use Rates

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

ACTION: Announcement of grants to support innovative and effective 
projects designed to increase safety belt use rates.

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SUMMARY: NHTSA announces the fifth year of a grant program under 
Section 1403 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century 
(TEA-21) to provide funding to States for innovative projects to 
increase safety belt use rates. Consistent with prior years, the goal 
of this program is to increase safety belt use rates across the Nation 
in order to reduce the deaths, injuries, and societal costs that result 
from motor vehicle crashes. Award of funds will be based on criteria 
specified in this Notice. This Notice solicits applications from the 
States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, through their 
Governors' Representatives for Highway Safety, for funds to be made 
available in fiscal year (FY) 2004. Detailed application instructions 
are provided in the Application Procedure and the Application Contents 
and Grant Criteria sections of this Notice.

DATES: Applications must be received by the appropriate NHTSA Regional 
Office, on or before January 14, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Each State must submit its application to the appropriate 
NHTSA Regional Office, to the attention of the Regional Administrator, 
on or before January 14, 2004. Addresses of the ten Regional Offices 
are listed in Appendix A.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions relating to this grant 
program should be directed to Janice Hartwill-Miller, Occupant 
Protection Division (NTI-112), Office of Impaired Driving and Occupant 
Protection, NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5118, Washington, DC 
20590, by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at 
(202) 366-2684. For legal

[[Page 67261]]

issues, contact John Donaldson, Office of Chief Counsel, NCC-113, 
NHTSA, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Room 5219, Washington, DC 20590, by 
phone at (202) 366-1834. Interested applicants are advised that no 
separate application package exists beyond the contents of this 
announcement.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), Pub. 
L. 105-178, was signed into law on June 9, 1998. Section 1403 of TEA-21 
contains a safety incentive grant program based on safety belt usage 
rates in the States. Under this program, funds are allocated each 
fiscal year to States that exceed the national average safety belt use 
rate or that improve their State safety belt use rate, based on certain 
required determinations and findings. Section 1403 provides that any 
funds remaining unallocated in a fiscal year after determinations and 
findings related to safety belt use rates have been made are to be used 
to ``make allocations to States to carry out innovative projects to 
promote increased safety belt use rates.'' The authorization for this 
program under TEA-21 expired at the end of fiscal year 2003. However, 
on September 30, 2003, Congress enacted the Surface Transportation 
Extension Act of 2003, Pub. L. 108-88, extending the authorization for 
the program for an additional five months. As of the date of 
publication of this Notice, appropriations for the full five month 
period were not in place. Today's Notice solicits applications for 
funds that are expected to become available in FY 2004 under this 
extension provision.
    TEA-21 imposes several requirements under the innovative projects 
funding provision. Specifically, to be eligible to receive an 
allocation, a State must develop a plan for innovative projects to 
promote increased safety belt use rates statewide and submit the plan 
to the Secretary of Transportation (by delegation, to NHTSA). NHTSA was 
directed to establish criteria governing the selection of State plans 
for allocations of grant funds and was further directed to ``ensure, to 
the maximum extent practicable, demographic and geographic diversity 
and a diversity of safety belt use rates among the States selected for 
allocations.'' Finally, subject to the availability of funds, TEA-21 
provides that the amount of each grant under a State plan should not be 
less than $100,000.
    In the following sections, the agency describes the application and 
award procedures for receipt of funds under this program for FY 2004. 
This description includes the requirements regarding contents of a 
State's proposal and the elements, procedures and criteria the agency 
will use to determine which proposals are eligible for award and the 
amount of each award. Applicants should note that awards are subject to 
the availability of funds, and Congress has not yet appropriated 
sufficient funds for this program.
    These application and award procedures are built upon the 
experience of the past several years. They are designed to make the 
process as streamlined as possible, and at the same time, to ensure 
that programs with the maximum potential for impact receive adequate 
funding to significantly increase safety belt usage. This year, the 
Application Procedure section further simplifies what States are 
required to address under the Applications Contents and Grants Criteria 
Section. The award criteria have been designed to support States 
proposing to carry out intensified, statewide programs of high-
visibility enforcement of their safety belt laws. The Application 
Procedure has been especially streamlined for States that followed the 
high-visibility enforcement model in May 2003, and converted at least 1 
percent of their non-belt users to users. Experience from many States 
has shown that such programs can substantially increase safety belt use 
rates in a very short period of time and such gains can be sustained.

Objective of This Grant Program

    The objective of this grant program is to increase statewide safety 
belt use rates by supporting strategies and activities with the 
greatest potential for impact.
    To be considered for an award under this program in FY 2004, the 
State must conduct a program of high-visibility enforcement of its 
safety belt law. Further, the proposed program must focus on the 
national Buckle Up America/Click It or Ticket mobilization, spanning 
the period from Monday, May 10 through Sunday, June 6, 2004. The 
State's participation in that 4-week mobilization must include all of 
the following elements:
    [sbull] Earned media (press events, news conferences, etc.) 
spanning the entire 4-week period;
    [sbull] A paid media campaign, from Monday, May 17 through Sunday, 
May 30, featuring broadcast advertisements delivering the Click It or 
Ticket message, or other equally clear enforcement focused message that 
NHTSA explicitly approves;
    [sbull] Intensified enforcement activities (e.g., safety belt 
checkpoints, enforcement zones, saturation patrols) spanning the period 
from Monday, May 24 through Sunday, June 6, and involving the 
participation of law enforcement agencies serving at least 85 percent 
of the State's population.
    [sbull] Pre- and post-mobilization observational surveys of safety 
belt use.
    The post-mobilization observational survey must be a full statewide 
survey conforming to NHTSA's Uniform Criteria for State Observational 
Surveys of Seat Belt Use, (23 CFR part 1340) (the ``Uniform 
Criteria''), for which data collection must begin on or shortly after 
Monday, June 7 and must conclude no later than July 11, 2004. The pre-
mobilization observational survey may be either a full statewide survey 
or a sub-sample survey derived from the full survey design. Data 
collection for the pre-mobilization observational survey must begin no 
earlier than April 1 and conclude no later than May 9, 2004.
    Unlike previous years, NHTSA does not intend to sponsor a national 
safety belt mobilization in November 2004.
    NHTSA will consider awarding a Section 157 Innovative grant to a 
State whose application consists solely of a proposal to participate in 
the May 10-June 6 national mobilization as detailed above. However, 
States are strongly encouraged to include a proposal for an additional 
program of high-visibility enforcement of the safety belt law during FY 
2004, subsequent to the May 10-June 6 mobilization. NHTSA intends to 
permit considerable latitude to the States in choosing the timing and 
nature of any additional high-visibility enforcement program conducted 
subsequent to the May 10-June 6 mobilization. Non-exhaustive examples 
of the kinds of additional high-visibility enforcement programs that 
NHTSA likely would approve in a State plan include:
    [sbull] A mobilization (e.g., around Labor Day, 2004), similar to 
the May 10-June 6 mobilization.
    [sbull] Two one-week periods of stepped up safety belt enforcement, 
separated by some interval of time (e.g., one in mid-July, another in 
late August).
    [sbull] A sustained enforcement program, spanning two consecutive 
months (e.g., mid-July through mid-September); this could be achieved, 
for example, by scheduling each participating law enforcement agency to 
conduct one or two weeks of stepped up enforcement during that 
interval, and rotating the schedule so that in any given week the 
program would be underway in significant portions of the State.

[[Page 67262]]

    If a State elects to propose an additional high-visibility 
enforcement program in FY 2004 subsequent to the May 10-June 6 
mobilization, NHTSA would consider a program that is integrated with 
some other traffic safety enforcement initiative (e.g., impaired 
driving). However, Section 157 Innovative grant funds may be used only 
to support the safety belt elements of an integrated campaign.
    In order to be considered for funding, a proposed additional high-
visibility enforcement program must at least have a strong earned media 
component to deliver the Click It or Ticket message, or other equally 
clear enforcement focused message that NHTSA explicitly approves. NHTSA 
recommends that States also include a paid media component, but will 
consider funding additional high-visibility enforcement programs that 
are not supported by paid media.
    Apart from the required pre- and post-mobilization observational 
surveys of safety belt use (preceding and following the May 10-June 6 
mobilization), no evaluation activities are required of the States for 
the FY 2004 Section 157 Innovative grants. However, NHTSA will consider 
funding additional evaluation activities (e.g., telephone or Motor 
Vehicle Department surveys of public attitudes and awareness), should 
States propose them.
    A State submitting a proposal designed to increase safety belt use 
in only a limited number of jurisdictions within the State; or a 
proposal that lacks a commitment to the May 10-June 6, 2004 
mobilization; or a proposal that lacks paid media support for that 
mobilization; or a proposal to employ a message other than Click It or 
Ticket or some equally clear enforcement focused message that NHTSA 
explicitly approves; or a proposal that lacks a commitment to 
conducting a full, statewide, Uniform-Criteria-compliant observational 
survey of safety belt use following the May 10-June 6, 2004 
mobilization; or a proposal that lacks a commitment to conducting 
either a full statewide observational survey or a sub-sample survey 
derived from the full survey design prior to that mobilization will not 
be eligible for a grant award.
    As a condition of award, States must agree to provide the results 
of their own pre- and post-mobilization observational surveys to NHTSA, 
within the prescribed deadlines, to facilitate NHTSA's overall 
evaluation of the effectiveness of the FY 2004 grant program. NHTSA 
will share the results of its telephone surveys with the States. These 
data will provide information regarding the extent to which the public 
was aware of the enforcement, PI&E, and outreach efforts in each State, 
thus assisting statewide evaluation efforts. States may also propose to 
conduct additional evaluation activities (e.g. conducting motorist 
surveys at DMVs or licensing centers). NHTSA will aid the States in 
such efforts wherever possible, such as by tabulating and analyzing the 
results of motorist/DMV surveys.

Award of Funds and Funding Levels

    In FY 2004, the decision to award a Section 157 Innovative Grant to 
a State will be based on the determination that the activities planned 
have potential to make a significant impact on safety belt use.
    To maximize the potential for impact, it is anticipated that no 
State will receive a grant award of less than $250,000, subject to the 
availability of funds. This $250,000 minimum was derived based on 
experience gained by the agency over the past 4 years of this 
Innovative Grant program. It reflects the agency's estimate of the 
minimum resources needed, in smaller or less populated States, to 
implement an effective statewide safety belt program that includes 
intensive enforcement and media, appropriate outreach, and pre- and 
post-mobilization observational surveys.
    We expect that some States will receive more than this minimum 
amount. When developing their proposals, States are encouraged to 
consider their level of effort and budget in FY 2003.
    To the extent that the agency determines that activities proposed 
in a State's plan do not have substantial impact potential, these 
activities will not be recommended for funding.

Allowable Uses of Federal Funds

    In FY 2004, the Section 157 Innovative Grants funds will be tracked 
in a fashion similar to other highway safety grants through the Grant 
Tracking System. Funds provided to a State under this grant program 
shall be used to carry out the approved activities described in the 
State's application for which the grant is awarded. In addition, 
allowable uses of Federal funds shall be governed by 49 CFR Part 18--
Department of Transportation Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments and 
the cost principles contained in OMB Circular A-87.

Eligibility Requirements

    Only the 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, 
through their Governors' Representatives for Highway Safety, will be 
eligible to receive funding under this grant program.

Application Procedures

    Each applicant must submit one original and two copies of its 
application to the appropriate NHTSA Regional Office (see Appendix A), 
to the attention of the Regional Administrator. Applications must be 
typed on one side of the page only and adhere to the requirements of 
the Application Contents and Grant Criteria Section below. Appendix B 
provides checklists to facilitate the preparation of the proposals. 
Only applications submitted by a State's Governor's Representative for 
Highway Safety and received in the appropriate NHTSA Regional Office on 
or before January 14, 2004 will be considered.

Application Options

    In order to streamline this year's application and award process, 
simplified application options are available to most States.
    Option A (Replication): Any State that received a Section 157 
Innovative grant in FY 2003 and that converted at least one percent of 
its 2002 non-belt users into belt users in 2003 (based upon 
observational surveys conforming to the Uniform Criteria) may submit in 
lieu of a full application, the information required under the 
Application Contents and Grant Criteria section, Application Option A--
Replication. Option A is available only to the 36 States listed in 
Appendix C, Option A.
    Option B (Enhancement): Any State that received a Section 157 
Innovative grant in FY 2003 may submit an application limited to the 
information required under the Application Contents and Grant Criteria 
section, Application Option B--Enhancement. Option B is available to 45 
States, as indicated in Appendix C, Option B. Please note, however, 
that Option B primarily is intended for the nine States specifically 
named in Appendix C, Option B. Those States followed the high-
visibility enforcement model in May 2003, but did not convert at least 
1 percent of their non-belt users to users. Those nine States need to 
enhance their activities for the May 2004 mobilization to produce 
greater positive impact.
    Option C (Complete Application): Any State may submit a complete 
application, including an Introduction, a detailed Program Plan, and 
all required checklists, certifications and budgetary information, as 
specified under the Application Contents and Grant Criteria section, 
Application Option C--Complete Application.

[[Page 67263]]

Please note that any State that did not receive a Section 157 
Innovative grant in FY 2003 must follow Option C.

Application Contents and Grant Criteria

1. Application Option A--Replication

    A State that applies for a Section 157 Innovative grant in FY 2004 
under Application Option A shall submit an application consisting of 
the following:
    [sbull] The completed Option A checklist (in Appendix B), with a 
checkmark in the ``check if included'' column for every item.
    [sbull] The Appendix C certifications, signed by the Governor's 
Representative for Highway Safety, with a checkmark on item (A) and on 
each of the items (i) through (v), and (vii) and (viii).
    [sbull] (Optional) Detailed plans (if any) for conducting 
additional high-visibility enforcement of the State's safety belt law 
in fiscal year 2004, subsequent to the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] (Optional) Any evaluation activities the State proposes to 
carry out, beyond the observational surveys conducted before and after 
the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] The proposed budget for the State's FY 2004 Section 157 
Innovative grant, using the Appendix D format.

2. Application Option B--Enhancement

    A State that applies for a Section 157 Innovative grant in FY 2004 
under Application Option B shall submit an application consisting of 
the following:
    [sbull] The completed Option B checklist (in Appendix B), with a 
checkmark in the ``check if included'' column for every item.
    [sbull] The Appendix C certifications, signed by the Governor's 
Representative for Highway Safety, with a checkmark on item (B) and on 
each of the items (i) through (v) and (vii) and (viii).
    [sbull] Descriptions of enhancements to the State's May 2003 
mobilization activities that the State plans to implement for the May 
2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] (Optional) Detailed plans (if any) for conducting 
additional high-visibility enforcement of the State's safety belt law 
in fiscal year 2004, subsequent to the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] (Optional) Any evaluation activities the State proposes to 
carry out, beyond the observational surveys conducted before and after 
the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] The proposed budget for the State's FY 2004 Section 157 
Innovative grant, using the Appendix D format.

3. Application Option C--Complete

    A State that applies for a Section 157 Innovative grant in FY 2004 
under Application Option C shall submit a complete application, 
consisting of:
    [sbull] The completed Option C checklist (in Appendix B), with a 
checkmark in the ``check if included'' column for every item.
    [sbull] The Appendix C certifications, signed by the Governor's 
Representative for Highway Safety, with a checkmark on item ( C) and on 
each of the items (i) through (v) and (vii) and (viii).
    [sbull] An Introduction, discussing the State's current safety belt 
use rate and recent trends; the goal for increasing use rate in 2004; 
the State's geographic and demographic population distribution and any 
other unique characteristics relevant to the State's plans to increase 
belt use (e.g., ethnic sub-populations, variations in use rate by 
vehicle type); and any available information pertinent to recent 
progress or lack of progress in increasing belt use.
    [sbull] A detailed Program Plan for the May 2004 mobilization, 
describing how the State intends to recruit law enforcement 
participation in the mobilization and how much of the State's 
population will be served by participating law enforcement agencies; 
how the mobilization will be publicized; the messaging (e.g., Click It 
or Ticket) the State intends to employ in the publicity; and the kinds 
of enforcement activities (e.g., checkpoints, saturation patrols) it 
plans to employ for the mobilization.
    [sbull] (Optional) Detailed plans (if any) for conducting 
additional high-visibility enforcement of the State's safety belt law 
in fiscal year 2004, subsequent to the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] (Optional) Any evaluation activities the State proposes to 
carry out, beyond the observational surveys conducted before and after 
the May 2004 mobilization.
    [sbull] The proposed budget for the State's FY 2004 Section 157 
Innovative grant, using the Appendix D format.
    4. Budget: Under all three options, the Budget section of the 
State's application must include information on Section 157 Innovative 
grant funds remaining from prior fiscal years, and how much of those 
prior year funds will be allocated to support the FY 2004 program. 
States are reminded that all remaining FY 2001 Section 157 Innovative 
funds must be obligated by the end of FY 2004 (September 30, 2004).
    Reporting Requirements and Deliverables: Each grant recipient will 
be responsible for providing the following reports:
    1. Quarterly Reports--The quarterly reports should include a 
summary of enforcement and other activities and accomplishments for the 
preceeding period, significant problems encountered or anticipated, a 
brief itemization of expenditures made during the 3-month reporting 
period, and proposed activities for the upcoming reporting period. Many 
States will continue to spend funds awarded during the previous years 
of this Section 157 Innovative Grant program. NHTSA does not intend 
that States submit separate Quarterly Reports for the various funding 
years. Activities carried out during a reporting period under all four 
years of funding should be documented in the same report. However, the 
State should include a tabulation of the amount of funds expended 
during the reporting period from each year. Also, during the first two 
years, a number of States modified their grants to change from 
Quarterly to Monthly reporting. Those States should continue to submit 
Monthly Reports during the fifth year, at least until all previous year 
funds have been spent. Any decisions and actions required in the 
upcoming program period should be included in the report.
    2. Final Report--A Final Report that includes a summary of the 
impact of the year-long (CY 2004) program. It should include a complete 
description of the innovative projects conducted, including partners, 
overall program implementation, evaluation methodology and findings 
from the program evaluation, if any. 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 grantee shall submit three copies of the Final 
Report to the Regional Office within fifteen months following grant 
award.

Application Review Procedures

    All applications will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee to 
ensure that the application meets all of the requirements contained in 
this notice, including the requirements contained in the Application 
Contents and Grant Criteria section of the Notice. This evaluation 
process may include submission of technical or program questions from 
the evaluation committee to the applicants. In addition, the Evaluation 
Committee will determine whether the activities and identified 
resources included in the proposals have potential to make a 
significant impact on safety belt use. To the extent that the 
Evaluation Committee determines that proposed

[[Page 67264]]

activities will not have substantial impact potential, such activities 
will not be recommended for funding.
    More specifically, the Evaluation Committee's review will assess: 
(a) The comprehensiveness, intensity, feasibility, and potential impact 
of the proposed approach (where Option A or B is elected, the Committee 
may rely on documentation from the previous year for assessment); (b) 
the extent to which adequate funding (from a variety of sources) has 
been identified to carry out the proposed program elements; and (c) the 
extent to which the funds requested in the grant proposal are allocated 
to the required program elements and not to activities with less 
potential for impact. Activities within any proposal that are 
determined by the evaluation team not to have significant potential for 
increasing safety belt usage in the State will not be approved for 
funding.
    It is anticipated that awards will be made in February 2004.

Marilena Amoni,
Associate Administrator for Program Development and Delivery.

Appendix A--NHTSA Regional Offices

Region I (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT), Volpe National Transportation 
Systems Center, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Code 903, Cambridge, MA 
02142
Region II (NJ, NY, PR), 222 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 204, White 
Plains, NY 10605
Region III (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV), 10 South Howard Street, Suite 
6700, Baltimore, MD 21201
Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN), Atlanta Federal Center 
61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 17T30, Atlanta, GA 30303
Region V (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI), 19900 Governors Drive, Suite 201, 
Olympia Fields, IL 60461
Region VI (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX), 819 Taylor Street, Room 8A38, Fort 
Worth, TX 76102-6177
Region VII (IA, KS, MO, NE), 901 Locust Street, Room 466, Kansas 
City, MO 64106
Region VIII (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY), 555 Zang Street, Room 430, 
Lakewood, CO 80228
Region IX (AZ, CA, HI, NV), 201 Mission Street, Suite 2230, San 
Francisco, CA 94105
Region X (AK, ID, OR, WA), 3140 Jackson Federal Building 915 Second 
Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174

Appendix B--Application Checklist for Application Option A--Replication

State:-----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Element                             Check if included                       Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Option A Checklist..................  .......................................  Include a checkmark in the
                                                                                   ``check if included'' column
                                                                                   for every item?
2. Appendix C Certifications...........  .......................................  Place a checkmark on
                                                                                   application Option A? Place a
                                                                                   checkmark on all items
                                                                                   appropriate, (i) through
                                                                                   (viii)? Signature from
                                                                                   Governor's Highway Safety
                                                                                   Representative for
                                                                                   certification of all checked
                                                                                   items?
3. Additional High-Visibility            .......................................  Describe a credible plan for
 Enforcement Program subsequent to May                                             carrying out a Subsequent
 10-June 6 Mobilization (Optional).                                                Stepped Up Enforcement
                                                                                   program supported by (at
                                                                                   least) earned media?
4. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Detail all cost elements and
                                                                                   the total proposed cost,
                                                                                   following the format in
                                                                                   Appendix D?
5. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Include information on
                                                                                   remaining grant funds from
                                                                                   Section 157 Innovative, and
                                                                                   how they will be applied to
                                                                                   the FY 2004 program?
6. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Identify the share of the
                                                                                   total proposed cost that will
                                                                                   be allocated to the May 2004
                                                                                   Mobilization and each of its
                                                                                   major sub-elements (earned
                                                                                   media, paid media,
                                                                                   intensified enforcement and
                                                                                   safety belt observational
                                                                                   surveys)?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix B--Application Checklist for Application Option B--Enhancement

State:-----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Element                             Check if included                       Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. May Mobilization Enhancements.......  .......................................  Describe a credible plan for
                                                                                   enhancing the State's May
                                                                                   2003 Mobilization activities
                                                                                   in May 2004?
2. Option B Checklist..................  .......................................  Include a checkmark in ``check
                                                                                   if included'' column for
                                                                                   every item?
3. Appendix C Certifications...........  .......................................  Place a checkmark on
                                                                                   application option B? Place a
                                                                                   checkmark on all items
                                                                                   appropriate, (i) through
                                                                                   (viii)? Signature from
                                                                                   Governor's Highway Safety
                                                                                   Representative for
                                                                                   certification of all checked
                                                                                   items?
4. Additional High-Visibility            .......................................  Describe a credible plan for
 Enforcement Program subsequent to May                                             carrying out a Subsequent
 10-June 6 Mobilization (Optional).                                                Stepped Up Enforcement
                                                                                   program supported by (at
                                                                                   least) earned media?
5. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Detail all cost elements and
                                                                                   the total proposed cost,
                                                                                   following the format in
                                                                                   Appendix D?
6. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Include information on
                                                                                   remaining grant funds from
                                                                                   Section 157 Innovative, and
                                                                                   how they will be applied to
                                                                                   the FY 2004 program?
7. Appendix D Budget...................  .......................................  Identify the share of the
                                                                                   total proposed cost that will
                                                                                   be allocated to the May 2004
                                                                                   Mobilization and each of its
                                                                                   major sub-elements (earned
                                                                                   media, paid media,
                                                                                   intensified enforcement and
                                                                                   safety belt observational
                                                                                   surveys)?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix B--Application Checklist for Application Option C--Complete

State:

[[Page 67265]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                Element                             Check if included                       Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1a. Introduction......................  .......................................  Describe the State's
                                                                                   geographic and demographic
                                                                                   population distribution and
                                                                                   other unique characteristics
                                                                                   relevant to State's plan?
 1b. Introduction......................  .......................................  Describe the State's current
                                                                                   use rate and recent trends,
                                                                                   and discuss factors
                                                                                   contributing to recent
                                                                                   progress or lack of progress?
 1c. Introduction......................  .......................................  Specify a realistic goal for
                                                                                   increasing safety belt use in
                                                                                   2004?
 2. Option C Checklist.................  .......................................  Include a checkmark in the
                                                                                   ``check if included'' column
                                                                                   for every item?
 3. Appendix C Certifications..........  .......................................  Place a checkmark on
                                                                                   application option C? Place a
                                                                                   checkmark on all items
                                                                                   appropriate, (i) through
                                                                                   (viii) Signature from
                                                                                   Governor's Highway Safety
                                                                                   Representative for
                                                                                   certification of all checked
                                                                                   items?
 4. May Mobilization Program Plan......  .......................................  Describe a credible plan for
                                                                                   carrying out the May 10-June
                                                                                   6 Mobilization, including
                                                                                   enforcement, earned and paid
                                                                                   media and observational
                                                                                   surveys?
 5. Additional High-Visibility           .......................................  Describe a credible plan for
 Enforcement program subsequent to the                                             carrying out a Subsequent
 May 10-June 6 Mobilization (Optional).                                            Stepped Up Enforcement
                                                                                   program supported by (at
                                                                                   least) earned media?
 6. Appendix D Budget..................  .......................................  Detail all cost elements and
                                                                                   the total proposed cost,
                                                                                   following the format in
                                                                                   Appendix D?
 7. Appendix D Budget..................  .......................................  Include information on
                                                                                   remaining grant funds from
                                                                                   Section 157 Innovative, and
                                                                                   how they will be applied to
                                                                                   the FY 2004 program?
 8. Appendix D Budget..................  .......................................  Identify the share of the
                                                                                   total proposed cost that will
                                                                                   be allocated to the May 2004
                                                                                   Mobilization and each of its
                                                                                   major sub-elements (earned
                                                                                   media, paid media,
                                                                                   intensified enforcement and
                                                                                   safety belt observational
                                                                                   surveys)?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Appendix C--Certifications

    The State must select only one Option: Please place a check mark 
in the blank space next to the selected option.
    Option (A) ------ State is submitting a Replication Application 
and plans to replicate its May, 2003 Mobilization in May, 2004.
    Only the States of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, 
Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, 
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, 
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, 
Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode 
Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington 
and West Virginia may choose this option, as their May, 2003 
Mobilizations converted at least one percent of the 2002 non-belt 
users into users.
    Option (B) ------ State is submitting an Enhancement Application 
and will include a description of its plans to modify or enhance the 
May, 2004 Mobilization, over its approach to the May, 2003 
Mobilization.
    Any State listed in item (A) above may choose Option (B). Also, 
the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Mississippi, 
North Dakota, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico and Vermont may choose 
Option (B).
    Option (C) ------ State is submitting a Complete Application in 
FY 2004.
    Any State may elect to submit a complete application. The States 
of Kansas, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, South Dakota, Wisconsin and 
Wyoming must submit complete applications because those States did 
not receive a Section 157 Innovative grant in FY 2003.
    The State must certify to the following items (i) through (v), 
and (vii) and (viii). The State may certify to item (vi). Please 
place a check mark in the space next to each selected item.
    (i) ------ The State will use the funds awarded under this grant 
program exclusively to implement a statewide safety belt program in 
accordance with the requirements of Section 157(b) of Pub. L. 105-
178 (TEA-21), as extended by the Surface Transportation Extension 
Act of 2003, Pub. L. 108-88.
    (ii) ------ The State will administer the funds in accordance 
with 49 CFR part 18 and OMB Circular A-87.
    (iii) The State will conduct a statewide Mobilization of high-
visibility enforcement of its safety belt law from Monday, May 10 
through Sunday, June 6, 2004. The Mobilization will include earned 
media (press events, news conferences, etc.) spanning the entire 4-
week period; a paid media campaign, from Monday, May 17 through 
Sunday, May 30, featuring broadcast advertisements delivering the 
Click It or Ticket message, or other equally clear enforcement 
focused message that NHTSA explicitly approves; intensified 
enforcement activities (e.g., safety belt checkpoints, enforcement 
zones, saturation patrols) spanning the period from Monday, May 24 
through Sunday, June 6, and involving the participation of local law 
enforcement agencies serving at least 85 percent of the State's 
population.
    (iv) ------ The State will conduct pre- and post-mobilization 
observational surveys of safety belt use. The post-mobilization 
observational survey will be a full statewide survey conforming to 
the Uniform Criteria, for which data collection will begin on or 
shortly after Monday, June 7 and will conclude no later than July 
11, 2004. The pre-mobilization observational survey will be either a 
full statewide survey or a sub-sample survey derived from the full 
survey design; data collection for the pre-observational survey will 
begin no earlier than Thursday, April 1, and conclude no later than 
Sunday, May 9.
    (v) ------ The State will provide pre- and post-mobilization 
observational survey data on safety belt use for the May, 2004 
Mobilization within one month following the collection of the data.
    (vi) ------ (Optional) The State will conduct an additional 
program of high-visibility enforcement of its safety belt law at one 
or more time periods during FY 2004, subsequent to the May 10--June 
6 mobilization.
    (vii) ------ The State will provide to the NHTSA Regional 
Administrator, no later than 15 months after the grant award, a 
report of activities carried out with grant funds and 
accomplishments to date.
    (viii) ------ The State will comply with all applicable laws and 
regulations, financial and programmatic requirements.
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Governor's Highway Safety Representative
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[FR Doc. 03-29850 Filed 11-28-03; 8:45 am]
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