[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14838-14839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4320]



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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 050412101-6061-02]


Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship Program

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

ACTION: Notice of Scholarship Opportunity.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces the Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program for 
FY 2006, and sets forth eligibility criteria and selection guidelines 
for the program. The Ernest F. Hollings scholarship program was 
established through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (Pub. L. 
108-447). This Scholarship Program will provide undergraduate 
applicants selected for the program with scholarships to study oceanic 
and atmospheric science, research, technology, and education. There is 
no guarantee that funds will be available to make awards to all 
qualified applicants.
    The Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship Program will be administered 
with the assistance of the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge Institute 
for Science and Education (ORISE).

DATES: Applications for the Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship will be 
available from ORISE on or about March 17, 2006. Completed applications 
must be received by 5 p.m. eastern standard time, 30 days after release 
of this notification.

ADDRESSES: Applications for the Ernest 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 may be requested by contacting NOAA/Hollings 
Scholarship, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, P.O. Box 
117, MS 36, Attn: Pai Moua, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117; Telephone: 865-
241-8240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: NOAA/Hollings Scholarship, Oak Ridge 
Institute for Science and Education, Telephone: 865-241-6704 or 301-
713-9437 x125.

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 to foster multidisciplinary training opportunities; (2) to increase 
public understanding and support for stewardship of the ocean and 
atmosphere and to 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 and tribal 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.
    The Hollings Scholarship Program will provide successful 
undergraduate applicants with awards that include academic assistance 
(up to a maximum of $8,000 per year) 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 affiliated 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 the first and second years of the award provides the Scholars 
with ``hands-on''/practical educational training experience in NOAA-
related scientific, research, technology, policy, management, and 
education activities. Awards will also include travel expenses to 
attend a mandatory Hollings Scholarship Program orientation, 
conferences where students present a paper or poster, and a housing 
subsidy for scholars who do not reside at home during the summer 
internship.

Authority

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

Funding Availability

    Approximately $3.5 million will be available for the award of a 
maximum of 100 two-year scholarships. There is no guarantee that funds 
will be available to provide scholarships for all qualified students.

Eligibility

    Any undergraduate student who is a U.S. citizen; enrolled as a 
full-time student in the Fall 2006 as a junior, at an accredited 
college or university within the United States or U.S. Territories; 
possesses at least 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 their major field of study; and has 
declared a major in a NOAA-related discipline, including, but not 
limited to, oceanic, environmental, and atmospheric sciences, 
mathematics, engineering, remote sensing technology, marine policy, 
physical and social sciences including, geography, physics, hydrology, 
meteorology, oceanography or teacher education that support NOAA's 
programs and mission may apply to this notification.
    The Hollings Scholarship Program will consider applications from 
all students that meet the above eligibility requirements.

Evaluation Criteria

    Application will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
    1. Relevant coursework (30%).
    2. Education plan and statement of career interest (40%).
    3. Recommendations and/or endorsements (reference forms) (20%).
    4. Additional relevant experience related to diversity of 
education; extracurricular activities; honors and awards; non-academic 
and volunteer work; written and oral communications skills (10%).

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 
requirements will be considered for review. Applications identified as 
incomplete or not in compliance with the requirements will be 
destroyed. All applications that meet the requirements and are complete 
will be evaluated and scored individually in accordance with the 
assigned weights of the evaluation criteria by an independent peer 
review panel. A numerical ranking will be assigned to each application 
based on the average of the panelist's ratings. The Program Officer 
will conduct a review of the rank order and make recommendations to the 
Selecting Official based on the panel ratings and the selection factors 
listed below. The Selecting Official, the Director of NOAA Education, 
will

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consider merit reviews and recommendations and award in rank order 
unless the application is justified to be selected out of rank order 
based on one or more of the following selection factors:

Selection Factors

    In determining final awards, the selecting official reserves the 
right to consider the following selection factors:
1. Availability of funds.
2. Balance/distribution of funds:
    a. Geographically.
    b. By type of institutions.
    c. Across academic disciplines.
3. Program-specific objectives.
4. Degree in scientific area and type of degree sought.

Repayment Requirement

    A Hollings Scholarship recipient shall be require 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 
2006 program is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2006 
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.

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 Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship 
application form has been approved under OMB Control No. 1910-5125.

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: March 20, 2006.
George E. White,
Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Oceans and Atmosphere, U.S. Department 
of Commerce.
[FR Doc. E6-4320 Filed 3-23-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P