[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 77 (Friday, April 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20869-20870]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-8129]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 050412101-5101-01; I.D. 041205B]


Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program

AGENCY: Office of Education and Sustainable Development (OESD), Office 
of the Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (USEC), 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of program guidelines.

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SUMMARY: NOAA provides notice of the availability of Ernest F. Hollings 
scholarship awards for FY 2005. The Ernest F. Hollings scholarship 
program was established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 
2005. The Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program will provide selected 
undergraduate applicants with opportunities to increase recognition of 
and disciplined study in oceanic and atmospheric studies. There is no 
guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for 
all qualified applicants.

DATES: Applications for the Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program will 
be available on April 22, 2005. Completed applications must be received 
by 5 p.m. e.d.t. May 23, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Applications for the Earnest F. Hollings scholarship program 
will be available through ORISE at http://www.orau.gov/noaa/HollingsScholarship. If an applicant does not have Internet access, 
hardcopy applications can be requested by contacting NOAA/Hollings 
Scholarship, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, P.O. Box 
117, MS 36, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117; telephone: 865-576-3424.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NOAA/Hollings Scholarship, Oak Ridge 
Institute for Science and Education, telephone: 865-576-3424 or NOAA/
OESD at [email protected] or 202-482-3384.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    The Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program was established through 
the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447). The 
purposes of the program include: (1) To increase undergraduate training 
in oceanic and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education 
and foster multidisciplinary training opportunities; (2) to increase 
public understanding and support for stewardship of the ocean and 
atmosphere and improve environmental literacy; (3) to recruit and 
prepare students for public service careers with the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration and other natural resource and science 
agencies at the Federal, state and local levels of government; and (4) 
to recruit and prepare students for careers as teachers and educators 
in oceanic and atmospheric science and to improve scientific and 
environmental education in the United States.
    Hollings scholarship program will provide selected undergraduate 
applicants with awards that include academic assistance (up to a 
maximum of $8,000) for full-time study during the 9-month academic 
year; a 10-week, full-time internship position ($650/week) during the 
summer at a NOAA or partner facility; and, if reappointed, academic 
assistance (up to a maximum of $8,000) for full-time study during a 
second 9-month academic year. The internship between first and second 
years of award provides ``hands-on'' multi-disciplinary educational 
training experience involving Scholars in NOAA-related scientific, 
research, technological, policy, management, and education activities. 
Awards will also include a housing subsidy for scholars who do not 
reside at home during the summer internship and travel expenses for 
attendance and participation at a Hollings scholarship program 
conference at the completion of the internship.
    The Hollings Scholarship program will consider applications from 
all eligible students including those that have received scholarship 
awards from other NOAA undergraduate scholarship programs. If selected 
as Hollings scholars, the program awards to students that have received 
awards from other NOAA undergraduate scholarship program will be 
adjusted based on the benefits of that other award for all years in 
which the award periods of the scholarship programs overlap. The total 
benefits during the coinciding award periods from the combined NOAA 
undergraduate scholarship programs in each award category (i.e., 
academic assistance, internship, housing subsidy, and travel expenses) 
shall not exceed the maximum benefits allowed under the Hollings 
program unless this level of support is provided in whole under the 
other NOAA scholarship award. The Hollings scholarship program 
internship requirement will also be waived if the scholar is obligated 
to a summer internship through a previous award from another NOAA 
undergraduate scholarship program.

Authority

    The Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program is 
established by Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration the under authority of the Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447).

Congressionally Identified Awards and Projects (CFDA) CDFA, 11.469

Funding Availability

    Approximately $3.9 million will be available for the award of 
approximately 110 two-year scholarships. There is no guarantee that 
sufficient funds will be available to provide scholarships for all 
qualified students.

Eligibility

    Any undergraduate student may apply who is a U.S. citizen, is a 
rising sophomore enrolled or planning to matriculate as a junior-level, 
full-time student in Fall 2005 in an accredited college or university 
within the United States or U.S. Territories; demonstrates a cumulative 
3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent on other 
identified scale) in all completed undergraduate courses and in the 
major field of study; and has declared a major in a discipline area 
that is related to oceanic and atmospheric science, research, 
technology, and education,

[[Page 20870]]

and supportive of the purposes of NOAA's program's and mission.
    Related discipline areas of study can include: Biological, life, 
and agricultural sciences; physical sciences; mathematics; engineering; 
computer and information sciences; social and behavioral sciences; and 
teacher education.
    The Hollings Scholarship program will consider applications from 
all students that meet the above eligibility requirements including 
those that have received scholarship awards from other NOAA 
undergraduate scholarship programs. If selected as Hollings scholars, 
the program awards to students that have received awards from other 
NOAA undergraduate scholarship program will be adjusted based on the 
benefits of that other award for all years in which the award periods 
of the scholarship programs overlap. The total benefits during the 
coinciding award periods from the combined NOAA undergraduate 
scholarship programs in each award category (i.e., academic assistance, 
internship, housing subsidy, and travel expenses) shall not exceed the 
maximum benefits allowed under the Hollings program unless this level 
of support is provided in whole under the other NOAA scholarship award. 
The Hollings scholarship program internship requirement will also be 
waived if the scholar is obligated to a summer internship through a 
previous award from another NOAA undergraduate scholarship program.

Evaluation Criteria

    Application will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
    1. Academic record (30%).
    2. Education plan and statement of career interest of student 
(30%).
    3. Recommendations and/or endorsements (reference forms) of student 
(20%).
    4. Additional relevant experience related to diversity of 
education; extracurricular activities; honors and awards; non-academic 
and volunteer work; interpersonal, written, and oral communications 
skills (20%).

Selection Process

    An initial administrative review of applications is conducted to 
determine compliance with requirements and completeness of 
applications. Only complete applications in compliance with the 
requirement will be considered for review. Applications identified as 
incomplete or not in compliance with the requirements will be 
destroyed. Applicants will be notified as to the disposition of their 
applications. A panel of at least three persons will individually 
review and rate applications based on the evaluation criteria. A 
numerical ranking will be assigned to each application based on the 
average of the panelist's ratings. The Selecting Official, the Director 
of the Office of Education and Sustainable Development, will award in 
rank order unless the application is justified to be selected out of 
rank order based on one or more of the selection factors.

Selection Factors

    In determining final awards, the selecting official reserves the 
right to consider the following selection factors:
    1. Distribution of funds:
    a. Across academic disciplines.
    b. By types of institutions.
    c. Geographically.
    2. Availability of funds.
    3. Program-specific objectives.

Repayment Requirement

    An individual receiving a scholarship under this program shall be 
required to repay the full amount of the scholarship to the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration if it is determined that the 
individual, in obtaining or using the scholarship, engaged in 
fraudulent conduct or failed to comply with any term or condition of 
the scholarship.

Cost Sharing Requirements

    There are no cost-sharing requirements.

Intergovernmental Review

    Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of federal programs.''

Limitation of Liability

    In no event will NOAA or the Department of Commerce be responsible 
for proposal preparation costs if this program is cancelled because of 
other agency priorities. Publication of this notice does not oblige 
NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. 
Applicants are hereby given notice that funding for the Fiscal Year 
2005 program is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2005 
appropriations.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    As defined in sections 5.05 and Administrative or Programmatic 
Functions of NAO 216-6, 6.03.c.3, this is an undergraduate scholarship 
and internship program for which there are no cumulative effects. Thus, 
it has been categorically excluded from the need to prepare an 
Environmental Assessment.

DOC 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 December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) are applicable to this 
notice.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This notice announces an undergraduate scholarship and internship 
program and does not contain collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, no person is required to, nor shall a 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 comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical 
requirements for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

    Dated: April 12, 2005.
George E. White,
Deputy Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, U.S. Department of 
Commerce.
[FR Doc. 05-8129 Filed 4-21-05; 8:45 am]
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