[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73737-73738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23992]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

[Docket No. 051128311-5311-01]


Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related 
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Pub. L. 109-108, the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S. 
Department of Commerce, announces the solicitation of applications for 
planning and construction grants for public telecommunications 
facilities under the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program 
(PTFP). The PTFP assists, through matching grants, in the planning and 
construction of public telecommunications facilities in order to: (1) 
Extend delivery of services to as many citizens as possible by the most 
cost-effective means, including use of broadcast and non-broadcast 
technologies; (2) increase public telecommunications services and 
facilities available to, operated by, and controlled by minorities and 
women; (3) strengthen the capability of existing public television and 
radio stations to provide public telecommunications services to the 
public.

DATES: Applications must be received prior to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time (Closing Time), February 7, 2006 (Closing Date). Applications 
submitted by facsimile or electronic means are not acceptable. If an 
application is received after the Closing Date due to (1) carrier 
error, when the carrier accepted the package with a guarantee for 
delivery by the Closing Date and Closing Time, (2) significant weather 
delays or natural disasters, or (3) delays due to national security 
issues, NTIA will, upon receipt of proper documentation, consider the 
application as having been received by the deadline. NTIA will not 
accept applications posted on the Closing Date or later and received 
after this deadline.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed 
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to PTFP at the 
following address (please note the new room number): NTIA/PTFP, Room H-
4096, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained 
electronically via the Internet (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public 
Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482-5802; fax: (202) 482-2156. 
Information about the PTFP can also be obtained electronically via the 
Internet (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    The full funding opportunity announcement for the PTFP FY 2006 
grant cycle is available through www.Grants.gov or by contacting the 
PTFP office at the address noted above.

Funding Availability

    The Congress has appropriated $20 million for FY 2006 PTFP awards. 
For FY 2005, NTIA awarded $21.2 million in PTFP funds to 123 projects, 
including 73 radio awards, 39 television awards and 11 nonbroadcast 
awards. The radio awards ranged from $9,255 to $451,848. The television 
awards ranged from $11,298 to $927,937. The nonbroadcast awards ranged 
from $30,495 to $440,000.

Statutory and Regulatory Authority

    The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program is authorized by 
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 390-393, 397-
399(b). The PTFP operates pursuant to rules (1996 Rules) which were 
published on November 8, 1996 (61 FR 57966). Copies of the 1996 Rules 
(15 CFR Part 2301) are posted on the NTIA Internet site at 
www.ntia.doc.gov/Rules/currentrules.htm and NTIA will make printed 
copies available to applicants upon request.

Supplemental Policies

    The following supplemental policies will also be in effect:
    (A) Applicants may file emergency applications at any time.
    (B) Applicants may file requests for Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) authorizations with the FCC after the PTFP Closing 
Date. Grant applicants for Ku-band satellite uplinks may submit FCC 
applications after a PTFP award is made. NTIA may accept FCC 
authorizations that are in the name of an organization other than the 
PTFP applicant.
    (C) PTFP applicants are not required to submit copies of their PTFP 
applications to the FCC, nor are they required to submit copies of the 
FCC transmittal cover letters as part of their PTFP applications. PTFP 
applicants for distance learning projects must notify the state 
telecommunications agencies in the states in which they are located but 
are not required to notify every state telecommunications agency in a 
potential service area.
    (D) For digital television conversion projects, NTIA has created 
two new Subpriorities in the Broadcast Other category.
    (E) For digital radio conversion projects, NTIA has created a new 
Subpriority in the Broadcast Other category.
    Catalog of Domestic Federal Assistance: 11.550, Public 
Telecommunications Facilities Program.

Eligibility

    To apply for and receive a PTFP Construction Grant or Planning 
Grant, an applicant must be: (a) A public or noncommercial educational 
broadcast station; (b) a noncommercial telecommunications entity; (c) a 
system of public telecommunications entities; (d) a non-profit 
foundation, corporation, institution, or association organized 
primarily for educational or cultural purposes; or (e) a state, local, 
or Indian tribal government (or agency thereof), or a political or 
special purpose subdivision of a state.

Evaluation and Selection Process

    See 15 CFR 2301.16 for a description of the Technical Evaluation 
and 15 CFR 2301.18 for the Selection Process.

Evaluation Criteria

    See 15 CFR 2301.17 for a full description of the Evaluation 
Criteria. The six evaluation criteria are (1) Applicant Qualifications, 
(2) Financial Qualifications, (3) Project Objectives, (4) Urgency, (5) 
Technical Qualifications (construction applicants only) or Planning 
Qualifications (planning applicants only), and (6) Special 
Consideration.

Funding Priorities and Selection Factors

    See 15 CFR 2301.4 and the supplemental policies above for a 
description of the PTFP Priorities and 15 CFR 2301.18 for the Selection 
Factors.

Cost Sharing Requirements

    PTFP requires cost sharing. By statute, PTFP cannot fund a 
construction project for more than 75% of the eligible project

[[Page 73738]]

costs. NTIA has established a policy of funding most new public 
broadcasting station activation projects at a 75% federal share, and 
most other television, radio and nonbroadcast projects at a 50% federal 
share. NTIA can fund planning applications up to 100% of the eligible 
project costs, but has established a policy of funding planning 
applications at a 75% share. Any applicant can request federal funding 
greater than PTFP's policy, up to the statutory maximum, and provide 
justification for the request.

Intergovernmental Review

    PTFP applications are subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' if the state in which 
the applicant organization is located participates in the process. 
Usually submission to the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) needs to 
be only the first two pages of the PTFP application form, but 
applicants should contact their own SPOC offices to find out about and 
comply with its requirements. The names and addresses of the SPOC 
offices are listed on the PTFP website and at the Office of Management 
and Budget's home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

Universal Identifier

    All applicants (nonprofit, state, local government, universities, 
and tribal organizations) will be required to provide a Dun and 
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the 
application process. See the October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66177) and April 
8, 2003 (68 FR 17000) Federal Register notices for additional 
information. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by 
calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line 1-866-705-5711 
or via the Internet (www.dunandbradstreet.com).

The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification of Requirements 
for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) is applicable to this 
solicitation.

Limitation of Liability

    In no event will the Department of Commerce be responsible for 
proposal preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or 
is cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this 
announcement does not obligate the agency to award any specific project 
or to obligate any available funds.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of the 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that 
collection displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) control number. The PTFP application form has been cleared under 
OMB Control No. 0660-0003.

Executive Order 13132

    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 opportunity for public comment are not required by 
the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this rule 
concerning 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 of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information 
Applications.
[FR Doc. 05-23992 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P