[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4117-4118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1783]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No.: 040113014-4014-01]


NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative, FY 2004 Program 
Announcement

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: NOAA publishes this notice to solicit extramural research 
proposals under NOAA's new Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHH). 
The OHH is a competitive suite of programs designed to address the 
increasingly important role of the oceans on human health. From 
increased harmful algal blooms to beach closures, from infectious 
diseases to marine toxins and pathogens, from seafood safety and 
testing to sentinel species, and from drug discovery to 
pharmaceuticals, this new initiative is designed to build on the 
existing work throughout NOAA to enhance NOAA's expertise in the oceans 
and human health arena through partnerships across NOAA, with other 
Federal and State agencies, and with academia and the private sector. 
This funding opportunity is intended to engage the non-federal research 
community in interdisciplinary research combining the physical science, 
biological science, medical and public health communities in (1) taking 
an ecosystems approach to understanding and predicting the pathways 
through which ocean processes affect human health, or (2) promoting the 
ecologically sound discovery and use of marine organisms and bioactive 
agents for human health benefit. Building on NOAA's strengths in 
assessment, prediction, and exploration, research should be structured 
to provide useful information for public health and natural resource 
policy and decision-making on issues at the interface of ocean 
processes and human health outcomes related to NOAA's mission. 
Interested applicants should refer to the full text of the Federal 
Funding Opportunity (FFO) for further criteria and submission details. 
The FFO is available at the addresses listed below in the section on 
Electronic Access. This solicitation announces approximately $3.0 
Million available from FY03 appropriation for research projects funded 
under this OHH external, peer-reviewed, grants program. Pending FY04 
appropriation and internal policy decisions, an additional $3.0-$4.0 
Million may be available to supplement funds for awards made under this 
solicitation. Interested applicants should read the Federal Funding 
Opportunity for complete requirements. See section below on electronic 
access for web addresses.

DATES: Letters of Intent (LOI) should be received by 5 p.m. eastern 
time February 27, 2004. Full Proposals must be received at NOAA's 
Office of Global Programs by 5 p.m. eastern time April 23, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Full Proposals must be submitted to: Office of Global 
Programs (OGP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 1100 
Wayne Avenue, Suite 1210, Silver Spring, MD 20910-5603. Letters of 
Intent should be submitted by e-mail to [email protected].
    General Information Contact: Diane S. Brown, Grants Manager (see 
ADDRESSES), phone at 301-427-2089, ext. 107, fax to 301-427-2222, or e-
mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Electronic Access: Applicants should read the full text of the 
funding opportunity announcement, which can be accessed at OGP's Web 
site: http://www.ogp.noaa.gov or the central NOAA site: http://
www.ofa.noaa.gov/[sim]amd/SOLINDEX.HTML. This announcement will also be 
available through Grants.gov at http://www.Grants.gov. The standard 
NOAA application kit is available on the OGP Web site at: http://www.opg.noaa.gov/grants/appkit.htm.
    Funding Availability: Based on the approved OHH spending plan, this 
solicitation announces approximately $3.0 Million available from FY03 
appropriation for research projects funded under this OHH external, 
peer-reviewed, grants program. Pending FY04 appropriation and internal 
policy decisions, an additional $3.0-$4.0 Million may be available to 
supplement funds for awards made under this FFO. We anticipate that the 
cost of most funded projects will fall between $50,000 and $250,000 per 
year. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined 
in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA 
representatives. Proposals may be for up to a three-year period. It is 
anticipated that the funding instrument for most of the extramural

[[Page 4118]]

awards will be a grant; however, in some cases, if NOAA will be 
substantially involved in the implementation of the project, the 
funding instrument may be a cooperative agreement. Neither NOAA nor the 
Department of Commerce is responsible for proposal preparation costs if 
this program is not funded for whatever reason. Publication of this 
announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to 
obligate any available funds.

    Statutory Authority: 49 U.S.C. 44720 (b); 33 U.S.C. 883d; 15 
U.S.C. 2904; 15 U.S.C. 2931-2934.

    CFDA: 11.460--Special Oceanic and Atmospheric Projects
    Eligibility: Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
education, hospitals, other nonprofits, commercial organizations, 
foreign governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, State, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this notice.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: This program does not require matching 
share.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    Evaluation and Selection Procedures: NOAA published its first 
omnibus notice announcing the availability of grant funds for both 
projects and fellowships/scholarship/internships for Fiscal Year 2004 
in the Federal Register on June 30, 2003 (68 FR 38678). The evaluation 
criteria and selection procedures contained in the June 30, 2003 
omnibus notice are applicable to this solicitation. For a copy of the 
June 30, 2003 omnibus notice please go to: http://www/ofa.noaa.gov/
[sim]amd/SOLINDEX.HTML.
    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: The Department of Commerce Pre-Award 
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
contained in the Federal Register notice of October 1, 2002 (67 FR 
49917), as amended by the Federal Register notice published on October 
30, 2002 (67 FR 66109), are applicable to this solicitation.
    Paperwork Reduction Act: This document contains collection-of-
information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 
The use of Standard Forms 424 and 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346, have 
been approved by OMB under the respective control numbers 0348-0043, 
0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any 
other provision of 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 PRA unless 
that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control 
number.
    Executive Order 12866: This notice has been determined to be not 
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    Executive Order 13132 (Federalism): It has been determined that 
this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as 
that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
    Administrative Procedure Act/ Regulatory Flexibility Act: 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 U.S.C. 553(a). Because 
notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

    Dated: January 23, 2004.
Richard D. Rosen,
Assistant Administrator, Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 04-1783 Filed 1-27-04; 8:45 am]
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