[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 132 (Monday, July 12, 2004)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41763-41768]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15779]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 132 / Monday, July 12, 2004 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 41763]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

7 CFR Part 3402

RIN 0524-AA30


Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and 
Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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

SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) proposes to revise administrative provisions for the 
Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship 
Grants Program. The revisions would relax constraints that are causing 
grantees to return unexpended funds to CSREES and provide support to 
the training of students awarded Fellowships from grants of the 
Program.

DATES: Submit comments on or before August 11, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted by first-class mail to: 
Policy and Program Liaison Staff, Office of Extramural Programs, USDA-
CSREES, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 2299, 1400 Independence 
Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-2299. Electronic comments should be 
submitted via e-mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey L. Gilmore, Ph.D.; Director, 
Higher Education Programs; phone: (202) 720-1973; fax: (202) 720-2030; 
e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 30, 1994, CSREES published in 
the Federal Register (59 FR 68072-68078) a final rule on the 
Administrative Provisions (7 CFR part 3402) for the Food and 
Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants 
Program.
    The current rule (7 CFR part 3402) requires that grantees refund 
all unexpended money to the Agency, if (1) Fellows are not appointed 
within 15 months of the effective date of the grant; or (2) Fellowships 
are prematurely terminated. The Agency uses refunded money to provide 
Fellows with supplemental grants for international travel and thesis/
dissertation travel. Numerous stakeholders have expressed 
dissatisfaction with the requirement to refund unexpended grant funds. 
CSREES has concluded that the Fellowship Program's purpose would be 
better served by extending the amount of time for Fellowship 
appointment and permitting grantees to recruit and train replacement 
Fellows.
    The existing rule requires that (1) new Graduate Fellows are newly 
recruited; and (2) have a strong interest in preparing for careers as 
food or agricultural scientists or professionals. Project Directors 
have indicated that the recruitment restriction limits their ability to 
gauge whether new Fellows have the requisite interest. To give Project 
Directors more time to interact with potential Graduate Fellows before 
recruiting them into the Program, the proposed rule would allow them to 
appoint students who have completed less than two semesters of full-
time study as new Graduate Fellows.
    Under the existing rule, a grantee may award a Fellowship to a 
student enrolled as a master's or doctoral degree candidate, but a 
grantee is prohibited from awarding a Fellowship to a postdoctoral 
candidate. Because of the new and multidisciplinary expertise required 
of the next generation of food and agricultural scientists, 
stakeholders and CSREES have concluded that postdoctoral training is an 
integral part of their preparation.
    During the period of support, the existing rule restricts Fellows 
from accepting employment from their sponsoring institution or any 
other agency. Grantees have complained that this unfairly prohibits 
Fellows from participating in assistantships or other employment 
opportunities that include, as compensation, tuition waivers. At the 
discretion of sponsoring institutions, the proposed rule would allow 
Fellows to accept additional supplemental employment that positively 
contributes to their training or research and provides eligibility for 
tuition waivers.
    The Agency proposes revising the existing rule for the Food and 
Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program 
at 7 CFR part 3402 to address these problems. The proposed rule would 
allow grantees up to 18 months after award to appoint Fellows, and 
permit the recruitment and training of replacement Fellows under 
certain circumstances. The proposed rule would permit grantees to 
appoint as new Graduate Fellows students who have completed less than 
two semesters of full-time study. It would also permit the Agency to 
fund postdoctoral Fellows preparing for a career in agricultural 
research, teaching or extension. Finally, the proposed rule would 
authorize Fellows, at the discretion of their institutions, to accept 
additional supplemental employment that would contribute to their 
training or research and provide eligibility for tuition waivers (e.g., 
full or partial tuition waivers provided with research or teaching 
assignments).
    CSREES is soliciting public comments regarding this proposed rule 
and will consider and address such comments in subsequent rulemaking on 
this subject. Comments should be submitted as provided for in the 
ADDRESSES and DATES portions of this proposed rule.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995--Information Collection

    Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), the collection of information requirements 
contained in this Proposed Rule have been approved (OMB Approval No. 
0524-0039).

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 3402

    Administrative practice and procedure, Colleges and universities, 
Educational study programs, Grant programs--agriculture, scholarships 
and fellowships.
    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service proposes to revise 7 CFR 
part 3402 to read as set forth below:

[[Page 41764]]

PART 3402--FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE 
AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM

Subpart A--General Introduction
Sec.
3402.1 Applicability of regulations.
3402.2 Definitions
3402.3 Institutional eligibility.
Subpart B--Program Description
3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National 
Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants Program support.
3402.5 Overview of National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral 
Fellowship Grants Program.
3402.6 Overview of the special international study and/or thesis/
dissertation research travel allowance.
3402.7 Fellowship appointments.
3402.8 Fellowship activities.
3402.9 Financial provisions.
Subpart C--Preparation of an Application
3402.10 Application package.
3402.11 Proposal cover page.
3402.12 Project summary.
3402.13 National need narrative.
3402.14 Budget and budget narrative.
3402.15 Faculty vitae.
3402.16 Appendix.
Subpart D--Submission and Evaluation of an Application
3402.17 Where to submit an application.
3402.18 Evaluation criteria.
Subpart E--Supplementary Information
3402.19 Terms and conditions of grant awards.
3402.20 Other Federal statutes and regulations that apply.
3402.21 Confidential aspects of applications and awards.
3402.22 Access to peer review information.
3402.23 Documentation of progress on funded projects.
3402.24 Evaluation of program.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 3316.

Subpart A--General Introduction


Sec.  3402.1  Applicability of regulations.

    (a) The regulations of this part apply to competitive grants 
awarded under the provisions of section 1417(b)(6) of the National 
Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as 
amended, 7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(6). The Act designates the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) as the lead Federal agency for agricultural 
research, extension, and teaching in the food and agricultural 
sciences. Section 1417(b)(6) authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, 
who has delegated the authority to the Cooperative State Research, 
Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), to make competitive grants 
to land-grant colleges and universities, colleges and universities 
having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to 
carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, and to other 
colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out 
the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, to administer and 
conduct graduate and postdoctoral fellowship programs to help meet the 
Nation's needs for development of scientific and professional expertise 
in the food and agricultural sciences. The Graduate Fellowships are 
intended to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete 
graduate degrees in the areas of food and agricultural sciences 
designated by CSREES through the Office of Higher Education Programs 
(HEP) as national needs. The postdoctoral Fellowships are intended to 
provide additional mentoring and training to outstanding USDA Graduate 
Fellows who completed their doctoral degrees no more than five (5) 
years before they begin the postdoctoral Fellowships.
    (b) The regulations of this part do not apply to grants awarded by 
the Department of Agriculture under any other authority.


Sec.  3402.2  Definitions.

As used in this part:

    Citizen or national of the United States means (1) A citizen or 
native resident of a State; or, (2) A person defined in the Immigration 
and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22), who, though not a citizen of 
the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States.
    College and university means an educational institution in any 
State which (1) Admits as regular students only persons having a 
certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, 
or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, (2) Is legally 
authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond 
secondary education, (3) Provides an educational program for which a 
bachelor's degree or any other higher degree is awarded, (4) Is a 
public or other nonprofit institution, and (5) Is accredited by a 
nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.
    Food and agricultural sciences means basic, applied, and 
developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in the food, 
agricultural, renewable natural resources, forestry, and physical and 
social sciences in the broadest sense of these terms including but not 
limited to research, extension and teaching activities concerned with 
the production, processing, marketing, distribution, conservation, 
consumption, research, and development of food and agriculturally 
related products and services, inclusive of programs in agriculture, 
natural resources, aquaculture, forestry, veterinary medicine, home 
economics, rural development, and closely allied fields.
    Graduate degree means a master's or doctoral degree.
    State means any one of the fifty States, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, 
the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall 
Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Virgin Islands of the United 
States, and the District of Columbia.
    Teaching activities means formal classroom instruction, laboratory 
instruction, and practicum experience specific to the food and 
agricultural sciences and matters relating thereto conducted by 
colleges and universities offering baccalaureate or higher degrees.


Sec.  3402.3  Institutional eligibility.

    Applications may be submitted by land-grant colleges and 
universities, by colleges and universities having significant minority 
enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of 
food and agricultural sciences, and by other colleges and universities 
having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and 
agricultural sciences. All applicants must be institutions that confer 
a graduate degree in at least one area of the food and agricultural 
sciences targeted for National Needs Fellowships, that have a 
significant on-going commitment to the food and agricultural sciences 
generally, and that have a significant ongoing commitment to the 
specific subject area for which a grant application is made. It is the 
objective to award grants to colleges and universities which have 
notable teaching and research competencies in the food and agricultural 
sciences. The Graduate Fellowships are specifically intended to support 
programs that encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete a 
graduate degree at such institutions in an area of the food and 
agricultural sciences for which there is a national need for the 
development of scientific and professional expertise. The postdoctoral 
Fellowships are designed to support academic programs that provide 
additional training and mentoring to USDA Graduate Fellows and have 
notable teaching and research competencies in the CSREES designated 
national need areas. Institutions which

[[Page 41765]]

currently have excellent programs of graduate study and training in the 
food and agricultural sciences dealing with targeted national needs are 
particularly encouraged to apply for all National Needs Fellowships.

Subpart B--Program Description


Sec.  3402.4  Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for 
National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants Program 
support.

    Areas of the food and agricultural sciences, including 
multidisciplinary studies, appropriate for Fellowship grant 
applications are those in which developing shortages of expertise have 
been determined and targeted by HEP for National Needs Graduate and 
Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants Program support. When funds are 
available and HEP determines that a new competition is warranted, the 
specific areas and funds per area will be identified in a funding 
opportunity announcement announcing the program and soliciting program 
applications.


Sec.  3402.5  Overview of National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral 
Fellowship Grants Program.

    (a) The program will provide funds for a limited number of grants 
to support graduate student stipends and cost-of-education 
institutional allowances. These grants will be awarded competitively to 
eligible institutions. In order to encourage the development of special 
activities that are expected to contribute to Fellows' advanced degree 
objectives, the program will also provide competitive, special 
international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances 
for a limited number of USDA Graduate Fellows. To encourage academic 
institutions to provide additional training/mentoring to outstanding 
USDA Graduate Fellows who have completed their doctoral degrees, the 
program will also provide postdoctoral Fellowship grants to a limited 
number of USDA Graduate Fellows.
    (b) Based on the amount of funds appropriated in any fiscal year, 
HEP will determine:
    (1) Whether new competitions for graduate Fellowships, postdoctoral 
Fellowships, and/or special international study or thesis/dissertation 
research travel allowances will be held during that fiscal year;
    (2) The degree level(s) to be supported--master's, doctoral and/or 
postdoctoral;
    (3) The proportion of appropriations to be targeted for Fellowship 
stipends for each respective degree level supported;
    (4) The proportion of appropriations to be targeted for the cost-
of-education institutional allowances for each respective degree level 
supported;
    (5) The proportion of appropriations to be targeted for the special 
international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances 
for each respective degree level supported;
    (6) The allowable stipend amount for each respective degree level 
supported, the cost-of-education institutional allowance for each 
respective degree level supported, and the maximum funds available for 
each special international study or thesis/dissertation research travel 
allowance for each respective degree level supported;
    (7) The activities for which the cost-of-education allowance may be 
used for awards made in that year; and
    (8) The maximum total funds that may be awarded to an institution 
under the program in a given fiscal year.
    (c) HEP will also determine:
    (1) The maximum number of national needs areas for which funding 
may be requested in a single application;
    (2) The degree levels for which funding may be requested in a 
single application;
    (3) The minimum and maximum number of fellowships for which an 
institution may apply in a single application; and
    (4) The limits on the total number of applications that can be 
submitted by an institution, college, school, or other administrative 
unit.
    (d) These determinations will be published as a part of the 
solicitation, which will be available at http://www.grants.gov.


Sec.  3402.6  Overview of the special international study and/or 
thesis/dissertation research travel allowance.

    (a) For each USDA Graduate Fellow who desires to be considered for 
a special international study or thesis/dissertation research travel 
allowance, the Project Director must apply to HEP for a supplemental 
grant in accordance with instructions published in the solicitation.
    Postdoctoral Fellows are not eligible to receive the special 
international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance. 
Each application must include a ``Proposal Cover Page'' (Form CSREES-
2002), ``Project Summary'' (Form CSREES-2003), ``Budget'' (Form CSREES-
2004) and National Environmental Policy Act Exclusions Form (Form 
CSREES-2006).
    (1) To provide HEP with sufficient information upon which to 
evaluate the merits of the requests for a special international study 
or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance, each application for 
a supplemental grant must contain a narrative which provides the 
following:
    (i) The specific destination(s) and duration of the travel;
    (ii) The specific study or thesis/dissertation research activities 
in which the Fellow will be engaged;
    (iii) How the international experience will contribute to the 
Fellow's program of study;
    (iv) A budget narrative specifying and justifying the dollar amount 
requested for the travel;
    (v) Summary credentials of the faculty or other professionals with 
whom the Fellow will be working during the international experience 
(summary credentials must not exceed three pages per person);
    (vi) A letter from the dean of the Fellow's college or equivalent 
administrative unit supporting the Fellow's travel request and 
certifying that the travel experience will not jeopardize the Fellow's 
satisfactory progress toward degree completion; and
    (vii) A letter from the fellowship grant Project Director 
certifying the Fellow's eligibility, the accuracy of the Fellow's 
travel request, and the relevance of the travel to the Fellow's 
advanced degree objectives.
    (2) The narrative portion of the application must not exceed the 
page limitation included in the program solicitation.
    (b) All complete requests will be evaluated by professional staff 
from USDA or other Federal agencies, as appropriate. Evaluation 
criteria will be published in the solicitation. HEP will award grants 
in accordance with evaluation criteria and to the extent possible based 
on availability of funds.
    (c) Any current Fellow with sufficient time to complete the 
international experience before the termination date of the grant under 
which he/she is supported is eligible for a special international study 
or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance. Before the 
international study or thesis/dissertation research travel may 
commence, a Fellow must have completed one academic year of full-time 
study, as defined by the institution, under the Fellowship appointment 
and arrangements must have been formalized for the Fellow to study and/
or conduct research in the foreign location(s).


Sec.  3402.7  Fellowship appointments.

    (a)(1) Fellows must be identified and Fellowships must be awarded 
within 18

[[Page 41766]]

months of the effective date of a grant. Institutions failing to meet 
this deadline will be required to refund monies associated with any 
unawarded Fellowship(s). Graduate Fellowship appointments may be held 
only by persons who enroll and pursue full-time study in a graduate 
degree program in the national need area and at the degree level 
supported by the grant. Postdoctoral Fellowship appointments may be 
held only by persons who pursue full-time traineeship in research, 
teaching or extension in the national need area and are supervised by 
the mentor indicated in the grant application.
    (2) It will be the responsibility of the grantee institution to 
award fellowships to students of superior academic ability.
    (3) Graduate Fellows:
    (i) must be appointed before completing two semesters or equivalent 
hours of full-time study, as defined by the institution, or immediately 
after passing of candidacy/qualifying examinations, whichever is later;
    (ii) must be citizens or nationals of the United States as 
determined in accordance with Federal law; and
    (iii) must have strong interest, as judged by the institution, in 
pursuing a degree in a targeted national need area and in preparing for 
a career as a food or agricultural scientist or professional.
    (4) Postdoctoral Fellows:
    (i) must have been USDA Graduate Fellows who successfully completed 
their doctoral degrees in areas of the food and agricultural sciences 
designated by CSREES as national need areas;
    (ii) must not have obtained their doctoral degrees more than five 
years prior to beginning their postdoctoral Fellowships;
    (iii) must have strong interest, as judged by the institution, in 
preparing for a career in agricultural research, teaching or extension.
    (5)(i) A doctoral level Graduate Fellow who maintains satisfactory 
progress in his or her course of study is eligible for support for a 
maximum of 36 months within a 42-month period. A master(s level Fellow 
who maintains satisfactory progress in his or her course of study is 
eligible for support for a maximum of 24 months during a 30-month 
period. A postdoctoral Fellow who achieves his or her training 
objectives is eligible for support for a maximum of 36 months during a 
60-month period. It is the intent of this program that Graduate Fellows 
pursue full-time uninterrupted study or thesis/dissertation research, 
including time spent pursuing USDA-funded special international study 
or thesis/dissertation research activities.
    (ii) Postdoctoral Fellowship appointments may be held only by 
persons who pursue full-time traineeship in research, teaching, or 
extension in the national need area and are supervised by the mentor 
indicated in the grant application. However, during the period of 
support, USDA Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows are permitted, at the 
discretion of their institutions, to accept additional supplemental 
employment that would positively contribute to their training or 
research and provide eligibility for tuition waivers (e.g., full or 
partial tuition waivers with research or teaching assignments).
    (iii) For graduate Fellows requiring additional time to complete a 
degree, it is expected that the institution will endeavor to continue 
supporting individuals originally appointed to Fellowships through such 
other institutional means as teaching assistantships and research 
assistantships. For postdoctoral Fellows who terminate the Fellowships 
prematurely, the institution must return all unexpended monies to USDA. 
For USDA Graduate Fellows who complete the program of study early (less 
than 24 months for master's degree or 36 months for doctoral degree) or 
terminate their Fellowships prematurely, the institution may use any 
unexpended monies, within the time remaining on the project grant, to 
support pursuit of a doctoral degree in a discipline in the food and 
agricultural sciences by a master's degree level Fellow at the grantee 
institution; or a replacement Graduate Fellow. Where less than one 
semester/quarter remains before the expiration date of the Graduate 
Fellowship grant, the institution must refund any unexpended monies to 
the granting agency. Such funds cannot be used to increase the annual 
stipend amounts for current USDA Graduate or Postdoctoral Fellows.
    (b) Within the framework of the regulations in this part, all 
decisions with respect to the appointment of Fellows will be made by 
the institution. However, institutions are urged to take maximum 
advantage of opportunities for awarding Fellowships to members of 
underrepresented groups at the graduate and postdoctoral level in the 
food and agricultural sciences, particularly minorities and women. 
Throughout a USDA Graduate Fellow's tenure, the institution should 
satisfy itself that the Fellow is making satisfactory academic 
progress, and carrying out, or planning to carry out, national needs 
related research. If an institution finds it necessary to terminate 
support of a USDA Graduate Fellow or a postdoctoral Fellow for 
insufficient progress or by decision on the part of the Fellow, the 
Fellow may no longer receive funds from the active grant. However, 
termination does not automatically disqualify a Fellow from receiving 
future grant support under this program. If a graduate or postdoctoral 
Fellow finds it necessary to interrupt his or her program of study 
because of health, personal reasons, or outside employment, the 
institution must reserve the funds for the purpose of allowing the 
Fellow to resume funded training any time within a six (6) month 
period. However, a USDA Graduate or Postdoctoral Fellow who finds it 
necessary to interrupt his/her program of training more than one time 
cannot exceed a total of six (6) months' cumulative leave status 
without forfeiting eligibility. For a USDA Graduate Fellowship 
terminated because of insufficient progress, by decision on the part of 
the Fellow, or reserved due to an interrupted program but not resumed 
within the required time period, the institution may use any unexpended 
monies to support, within the time remaining on the project grant, and 
subject to the limitations above, a replacement Fellow at the same 
master's or doctoral levels. For postdoctoral Fellowships terminated 
because of insufficient progress, by decision on the part of the 
Fellow, or reserved due to an interrupted program but not resumed 
within the required time period, the institution must return all the 
unexpended monies to CSREES.
    (c) Only Fellows enrolled in master's programs of study may be 
supported under master's Fellowships grant. Master's degree level 
Fellows who complete their degree early may be supported under master's 
Fellowship grants, if they are enrolled in Ph.D. programs in areas of 
the food and agricultural sciences designated as national need areas. 
Only Fellows enrolled in doctoral programs of study may be supported 
under doctoral degree Fellowships grants. Only USDA Graduate Fellows 
who have completed their doctoral degrees may be supported under 
postdoctoral Fellowship grants.


Sec.  3402.8  Fellowship activities.

    A USDA Graduate Fellow shall be enrolled as a full-time graduate 
student, as defined by the institution, at all times during the tenure 
of the Fellowship in the national need area and at the degree level 
supported by the grant. This includes the time used for special 
international study or thesis/dissertation research, if the 
international

[[Page 41767]]

travel is funded through a special international study or thesis/
dissertation research travel allowance under this grant program. 
However, the normal requirement for formal registration during part of 
this tenure may be waived if permitted by the policy of the Fellowship 
institution, provided that the Graduate Fellow is making satisfactory 
progress toward degree completion and remains engaged in appropriate 
full-time Fellowship activities such as thesis/dissertation research. 
Postdoctoral Fellowship appointments may be held only by persons who 
pursue full-time traineeship in research, teaching, or extension in the 
national need area and are supervised by the mentor indicated in the 
grant application. Graduate and postdoctoral Fellows in academic 
institutions are not entitled to vacations as such. They are entitled 
to the short normal student holidays observed by the institution. The 
time between academic semesters or quarters is to be utilized as an 
active part of the grant period. During the period of support, USDA 
Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellows are permitted, at the discretion of 
their institutions, to accept additional supplemental employment that 
would positively contribute to their training or research and provide 
eligibility for tuition waivers (e.g., full or partial tuition waivers 
provided with research or teaching assignments). A Fellow may accept 
from any other entity a grant supporting the Fellow's research costs.


Sec.  3402.9  Financial provisions.

    An institution may elect to apply the cost-of-education/training 
institutional allowance to a Fellow's tuition, fees and laboratory 
expenses and to defray other program expenses (e.g., recruitment, 
travel, publications, or salaries of project personnel), unless stated 
otherwise in the solicitation. Tuition and fees are the responsibility 
of the Fellow unless an institution elects to use its cost-of-education 
institutional allowance for this purpose or elects to pay such costs 
out of non-USDA monies. No dependency allowances are provided to any 
USDA Graduate or Postdoctoral Fellows. Stipend payments and special 
international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances 
may be made to Fellows by the institution, in accordance with standard 
institutional procedures for graduate and postdoctoral fellowships and 
assistantships.

Subpart C--Preparation of an Application


Sec.  3402.10  Application package.

    Applications will be available at http://www.grants.gov and through 
the CSREES Web site. An application package will be made available to 
any potential grant applicant upon request. This package will include 
all necessary forms and instructions to apply for a grant under this 
program.


Sec.  3402.11  Proposal cover page.

    The Proposal Cover Page, Form CSREES-2002, must be completed in its 
entirety, including all authorizing signatures. One copy of each grant 
application must contain the original pen-and-ink signatures, or 
approved electronic equivalent, of:
    (a) The Project Director(s); and
    (b) The Authorized Organizational Representative for the 
institution.


Sec.  3402.12  Project summary.

    Using the Project Summary, Form CSREES-2003, applicants must 
summarize the proposed graduate program of study and/or the academic 
and research strengths of the institution in the national need area for 
which funding is requested. To the extent possible, applicants should 
emphasize the uniqueness of the proposed program of training. The 
summary should not include any reference to the specific number of 
fellowships requested. The information on Form CSREES-2003 will be used 
in assigning the most appropriate panelists to review an application. 
If an application is supported, this Form may be used in program 
publications.


Sec.  3402.13  National need narrative.

    HEP will determine the composition of the narrative for each 
competition, including page limits, font size, the number and the order 
of sections, and other supporting information that may be required. 
Detailed instructions for preparing the narrative will be published in 
the solicitation.


Sec.  3402.14  Budget and budget narrative.

    Applicants must prepare the Budget, Form CSREES-2004, and a budget 
narrative identifying all costs associated with the application. 
Instructions for completing the Budget are provided with the form.


Sec.  3402.15  Faculty vitae.

    This section should include a Summary Vita, no more than 2 pages 
excluding publications listing, for each faculty member contributing 
significantly to institutional competence at the level of graduate 
study for the national need area addressed in the application. 
Applicants should arrange the faculty vitae with the Project 
Director(s) first, followed by the remaining faculty, in alphabetical 
order.


Sec.  3402.16  Appendix.

    Any additional supporting information deemed essential to enhancing 
the application should be included in an Appendix and referenced in the 
national need narrative.

Subpart D--Submission and Evaluation of an Application


Sec.  3402.17  Where to submit an application.

    The solicitation will indicate the date for submission of 
applications and the number of application copies required to apply for 
a grant. In addition, the solicitation will provide the address to 
which the application, the required number of accompanying duplicate 
copies, and any other required forms and materials should be sent.


Sec.  3402.18  Evaluation criteria.

    Applications addressing a particular national need area at a 
particular Fellowship level (master's, doctoral or postdoctoral) will 
be evaluated in competition with other applications addressing the same 
national need area at the same level. Both USDA internal staff and the 
panelists will evaluate applications on the basis of the criteria 
published in the solicitation.

Subpart E--Supplementary Information


Sec.  3402.19  Terms and conditions of grant awards.

    Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the awarding 
official shall make project grants to those responsible, eligible 
applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious according to 
evaluation criteria stated in the solicitation. The beginning of the 
project period shall be no later than September 30 of the Federal 
fiscal year in which the project is approved for support. All funds 
granted under this part shall be expended solely for the purpose for 
which the funds are granted in accordance with the approved application 
and budget, the regulations of this part, the terms and conditions of 
the award, the applicable Federal cost principles, and the Department's 
assistance regulations (parts 3015 and 3019 of 7 CFR).

[[Page 41768]]

Sec.  3402.20  Other Federal statutes and regulations that apply.

    Several Federal statutes and regulations apply to grant 
applications considered for review and to grants awarded under this 
program. These include, but are not limited to:

    7 CFR part 1, subpart A--USDA implementation of the Freedom of 
Information Act.
    7 CFR part 3--USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-129 
regarding debt collection.
    7 CFR part 15, subpart A--USDA implementation of Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.
    7 CFR part 331 and 9 CFR part 121--USDA implementation of the 
Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002.
    7 CFR part 3015, or any successor rule--USDA Uniform Federal 
Assistance Regulations, as amended, implementing OMB directives 
(i.e., Circular Nos. A-21 and A-122) and incorporating provisions of 
31 U.S.C. 6301-6308 (formerly the Federal Grant and Cooperative 
Agreement Act of 1977, Pub. L. 95-224), as well as general policy 
requirements applicable to recipients of Departmental financial 
assistance.
    7 CFR part 3017--USDA implementation of Governmentwide Debarment 
and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for 
Drug-Free Workplace (Grants).
    7 CFR part 3018--USDA implementation of New Restrictions on 
Lobbying. Imposes prohibitions and requirements for disclosure and 
certification related to lobbying on recipients of Federal 
contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and loans.
    7 CFR part 3019--USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-110, 
Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements 
with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other 
Nonprofit Organizations.
    7 CFR part 3052--USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-133, 
Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-profit Organizations.
    7 CFR part 3407--CSREES implementation of the National 
Environmental Policy Act.
    29 U.S.C. 794, section 504--Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and 7 
CFR part 15b (USDA implementation of statute), prohibiting 
discrimination based upon physical or mental handicap in Federally 
assisted programs.
    35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.--Bayh-Dole Act, controlling allocation of 
rights to inventions made by employees of small business firms and 
domestic nonprofit organizations, including universities, in 
Federally assisted programs (implementing regulations are contained 
in 37 CFR part 401).


Sec.  3402.21  Confidential aspects of applications and awards.

    When an application results in a grant, the application and 
supporting information become part of the record of CSREES 
transactions, and available to the public upon specific request. 
Information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, 
privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the 
extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant 
wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary 
should be clearly marked within the application. The original copy of 
an application that does not result in a grant will be retained by the 
Agency for a period of one year. Other copies will be destroyed. Such 
an application will be released only with the consent of the applicant 
or to the extent required by law. An application may be withdrawn at 
any time prior to the final action thereon.


Sec.  3402.22  Access to peer review information.

    After final decisions have been announced, HEP will, upon request, 
inform the PD of the reasons for its decision on an application. 
Verbatim copies of summary reviews, not including the identity of the 
reviewers, will be made available to respective PDs upon specific 
request.


Sec.  3402.23  Documentation of progress on funded projects.

    (a) Fellowships/Scholarships Entry/Exit Forms (Form CSREES-2010) 
are available from CSREES upon request. Upon request by HEP, Project 
Directors awarded Graduate Fellowships (excluding supplemental 
international and postdoctoral) grants under the program shall complete 
and submit this form.
    (1) Appointment Information shall be submitted to HEP within 3 
months of appointment of a Fellow;
    (2) The Project Director shall submit an annual update of each 
Fellow's progress to HEP by September 30 each year. Additional progress 
reports may be needed to assess continuing progress of Fellows 
supported by any special international study or thesis/dissertation 
research allowance and/or institutional adherence to program 
guidelines.
    (3) Exit Information shall be completed and submitted to HEP by the 
Project Director for each Fellow supported by a grant as soon as a 
Fellow either: graduates; is officially terminated from the Fellowship 
or the academic program due to unsatisfactory academic progress; or 
voluntarily withdraws from the Fellowship or the academic program. If a 
Fellow has not completed all degree requirements at the end of the 
five-year grant duration, HEP may request a preliminary exit report. In 
such a case, a final exit report shall be required at a later date. 
When a final exit report for each Fellow supported by a grant has been 
accepted by HEP, the grantee institution will have satisfied the 
requirement of a final performance report for the grant. Additional 
follow-up reports to track Fellows' career patterns may be requested.
    (b) All grantees (supplemental international, graduate, and 
postdoctoral) shall submit initial project information and annual and 
summary reports to CSREES' Current Research Information System (CRIS). 
The CRIS database contains narrative project information, progress/
impact statements, and final technical reports that are made available 
to the public. For applications recommended for funding, instructions 
on preparation and submission of project documentation will be provided 
to the applicant by the agency contact. Documentation must be submitted 
to CRIS before CSREES funds will be released. Project reports will be 
requested by the CRIS office when required. For more information about 
CRIS, visit http://cris.csrees.usda.gov.


Sec.  3402.24  Evaluation of program.

    Grantees should be aware that HEP may, as a part of its own program 
evaluation activities, carry out in-depth evaluations of assisted 
activities through independent third parties. Thus, grantees should be 
prepared to cooperate with evaluators retained by HEP to analyze both 
the institutional context and the impact of any supported project.

    Done in Washington, DC, this 7th day of June, 2004.
Colien Hefferan,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 04-15779 Filed 7-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P