[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15171-15173]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4378]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 030602141-6075-36; I.D. 061505A]
RIN 0648-ZB55


Availability of Grant Funds for Fiscal Year 2006

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

ACTION: Notice; availability of grant funds.

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

SUMMARY: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has 
published two omnibus notices announcing an availability of grant funds 
for Fiscal Year 2006. The purpose of those notices was to provide the 
general public with a consolidated source of program and application 
information related to NOAA's competitive grant offerings. In those 
announcements, it was noted that additional program initiatives 
unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may be 
announced later in the year. This is such an announcement, for grant 
funding opportunities now being offered by programs within the NOAA 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Applicants must comply with 
all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity 
announcements for each project competition in this announcement.

DATES: Applications must be received by the date and time indicated 
under each program listing in the APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION 
INFORMATION section of the Full Announcement for each program.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the addresses listed in 
the APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION section of the Full 
Announcement for each program. This Federal Register notice may be 
found at the Grants.gov Web site, http://www.grants.gov, and the NOAA 
Web site at http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/funding.shtml.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For a copy of the full funding 
opportunity announcement and/or application kit, access it at 
Grants.gov, via NOAA's Web site, or by contacting the person listed as 
the information contact under each program.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NOAA published its first omnibus notice 
announcing the availability of grant funds for both projects and 
fellowships/ scholarships/internships for Fiscal Year 2006 in the 
Federal Register on June 30, 2005 (70 FR 37766), and its second on 
December 20, 2005 (70 FR 76253). The evaluation criteria and selection 
procedures contained in those notices are applicable to this 
solicitation. For a copy of these omnibus notices, please go to: http:/
/www.Grants.gov or http://www.ago.noaa.gov/grants/funding.shtml. 
Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the full 
funding opportunity announcements for each project competition in this 
announcement. This omnibus notice describes funding opportunities for 
the following NOAA discretionary grant programs:

List of NOAA Project Competitions

    Detailed information is found elsewhere in this notice.

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

    1. Aquatic Invasive Species Program/National Sea Grant College 
Program
    2. National Sea Grant College Program/Climate Program Office

Electronic Access

    As has been the case since October 1, 2004, applicants can access, 
download and submit electronic grant applications for NOAA Programs 
through the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.Grants.gov. These 
announcements will also be available at the NOAA Web site or by 
contacting the program official identified below. However, applicants 
without Internet access may still submit hard copies of their 
applications. The closing dates for applications filed through 
Grants.gov are the same as for the paper submissions noted in this 
announcement. For applicants filing through Grants.gov, NOAA strongly 
recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to 
begin the application process. Registration may take up to 10 business 
days.
    Getting started with Grants.gov is easy. Go to http://
www.Grants.gov. There are two key features on the site: Find Grant 
Opportunities and Apply for Grants. Everything else on the site is 
designed to support these two features and your use of them. While you 
can begin searching for grant opportunities for which you would like to 
apply immediately, it is recommended that you complete the remaining 
Get Started steps sooner rather than later, so that when you find an 
opportunity for which you would like to apply, you are ready to go.

[[Page 15172]]

Get Started Step 1B Find Grant Opportunity for Which You Would Like To 
Apply

    Start your search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities 
and register to receive automatic e-mail notifications of new grant 
opportunities or any modifications to grant opportunities as they are 
posted to the site by clicking the Find Grant Opportunities tab at the 
top of the page.

Get Started Step 2B Register With Central Contractor Registry (CCR)

    Your organization will also need to be registered with Central 
Contractor Registry. You can register with them online. This will take 
about 30 minutes. You should receive your CCR registration within three 
business days. Important: You must have a DUNS number from Dun & 
Bradstreet before you register with CCR. Many organizations already 
have a DUNS number. To determine if your organization already has a 
DUNS number or to obtain a DUNS number, contact Dun & Bradstreet at 1-
866-705-5711. This will take about 10 minutes and is free of charge. Be 
sure to complete the Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic 
Business Primary Point of Contact fields during the CCR registration 
process. These are mandatory fields that are required when submitting 
grant applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started Step 3B Register With the Credential Provider

    You must register with a Credential Provider to receive a username 
and password. This will be required to securely submit your grant 
application.

Get Started Step 4B Register With Grants.gov

    The final step in the Get Started process is to register with 
Grants.gov. This will be required to submit grant applications on 
behalf of your organization. After you have completed the registration 
process, you will receive e-mail notification confirming that you are 
able to submit applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started Step 5B Log on to Grants.gov

    After you have registered with Grants.gov, you can log on to 
Grants.gov to verify if you have registered successfully, to check 
application status, and to update information in your applicant 
profile, such as your name, telephone number, e-mail address, and 
title. In the future, you will have the ability to determine if you are 
authorized to submit applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your 
organization.

NOAA Project Competitions

Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)

1. National Sea Grant College Program/Aquatic Invasive Species Program
    Summary Description: The National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) 
was established by Congress to promote responsible use and conservation 
of the nation's marine and Great Lakes resources, including to conduct 
research and outreach to protect these resources from the threats of 
invasive species. The mission of the NOAA Aquatic Invasive Species 
Program (AISP) is to protect resources under NOAA's stewardship 
responsibilities from invasive species threats, and it also emphasizes 
the use of research and outreach to confront these threats.
    To accomplish these missions, the AISP and the NSGCP are soliciting 
applications for aquatic invasive species research and outreach 
projects for specific activities listed in the PROGRAM GUIDANCE section 
in the Full Announcement. They include (1) human health-related 
outreach activities related to the invasive species Pterois volitans 
(lionfish) in the southeast United States, (2) research related to 
control of invasive Carcinus maenus (green crab), and (3) research and 
outreach related to the control of several species of tunicates 
invading the northern east and west coasts of North America and related 
fishing grounds.
    Funding Availability: It is expected that about $50,000 will be 
available from the NSGCP for these projects in FY 2006, and about 
$200,000 will be available from the AISP.
    Funding Opportunity Number: OAR-SG-2006-2000586.
    Statutory Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131.
    CFDA: 11.417, Sea Grant Support.
    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received no later than 5 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, April 13, 2006.
    Address For Submitting Proposal(s): Proposals should be submitted 
through Grants.Gov, following the directions in ELECTRONIC ACCESS, 
above. Proposals from those that do not have access to Internet should 
be sent to: Geraldine Taylor, NOAA R/SG; 1315 East-West Highway, Bldg 
SSMC 3, Room 11828, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, tel. 301-713-2435.
    Information Contact: Dorn Carlson, NOAA R/SG, 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, e-mail 
[email protected].
    Eligibility: Proposals may be submitted by individuals, 
institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, for-profit 
organizations, Federal, State, local and Indian tribal governments, 
foreign governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, and international organizations. Federal applicants are 
subject to limitations described in the Full Announcement in the 
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION section.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: There is no matching fund requirement 
for AISP funds for this competition; however, to be eligible for the 
NSGCP funds a match of 50% of the requested Federal funds (direct and 
indirect costs) is needed. Additionally, the presence of matching funds 
can increase the likelihood of an application being selected. See 
Section III.B. in the Full Announcement for more information on 
matching funds.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
2. National Sea Grant College Program/Climate Program Office
    Summary Description: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration's National Sea Grant College Program (NSGCP) in 
conjunction with the Climate Program Office (CPO) Regional Integrated 
Sciences and Assessments (RISA) Program are soliciting applications for 
a Regional Climate Extension Specialist with specific objectives and 
priorities listed in the PROGRAM GUIDANCE section in the Full 
Announcement. The Regional Climate Extension Specialist will lead Sea 
Grant's effort in climate application issues at the regional level, 
coordinate with individuals within the regional Sea Grant network on 
specific climate issues, and promote the growth and development of Sea 
Grant leadership in climate issues. The Regional Climate Extension 
Specialist will serve as an integral bridge between RISA's climate 
impacts research and the Sea Grant extension network that reaches 
coastal communities.
    Funding Availability: Amount of support anticipated is $100,000 in 
federal funds that will be available for the Regional Climate Extension 
Specialist in FY 2006. The NSGCP and CPO will contribute equal amounts 
of funding for this program ($50,000 each). There is a matching funds 
requirement.
    Funding Opportunity Number: OA-SG-2006-2000586.
    Statutory Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1121-1131.
    CFDA: 11.417, Sea Grant Support.

[[Page 15173]]

    Application Deadline: Proposals must be received no later than 5 
p.m. eastern standard time, May 1, 2006.
    Address For Submitting Applications: Proposals should be submitted 
through Grants.Gov, following the directions in ELECTRONIC ACCESS, 
above. Proposals from those that do not have access to Internet should 
be sent to: Geraldine Taylor, NOAA R/SG; 1315 East-West Highway, Bldg 
SSMC 3, Room 11828, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, tel. 301-713-2435.
    Information Contact: Jim Murray, NOAA R/SG, 1315 East West Highway, 
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3283, e-mail [email protected] or Hannah 
Campbell, NOAA/CPO, 1100 Wayne Ave, suite 1225, Silver Spring, MD 
20910.
    Eligibility: Proposals may be submitted by institutions of higher 
education, nonprofit organizations, and State governments.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Matching funds equal to at least 50 
percent of the Federal funding given by Sea Grant only must be 
provided. For funding provided by the Sea Grant Program, by law the 
matching funds must be from a non-Federal source and cannot be waived.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.

Limitation of Liability

    Funding for programs listed in this notice is contingent upon the 
availability of Fiscal Year 2006 appropriations. In no event will NOAA 
or the Department of Commerce be responsible for application 
preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding or are 
cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this 
announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to 
obligate any available funds.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware that, they are required to provide a Dun 
and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the 
application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register, (69 FR 
66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the Internet http:// 
www.dunandbradstreet.com.

National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required 
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects 
or proposals that are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. 
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the 
following NOAA NEPA Web site: http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our 
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, http://www.nepa.noaa.gov/NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementation regulations, http://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toclceq.htm.
    Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under their 
description of their program activities, applicants are required to 
provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, 
locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible 
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist 
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, 
introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and 
threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef 
systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve 
as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be 
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if 
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be 
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying and implementing 
feasible measures to reduce or avoid any identified adverse 
environmental impacts of their proposal. The failure to do so shall be 
grounds for the denial of not selecting an application. In some cases 
if additional information is required after an application is selected, 
funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer under a special award 
condition requiring the recipient to submit additional environmental 
compliance information sufficient to enable NOAA to make an assessment 
on any impacts that a project may have on the environment.

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 
solicitation.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424, 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346 has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (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 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 
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are 
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been 
prepared.

    Dated: March 22, 2006.
Mark E. Brown,
Chief Financial Officer, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E6-4378 Filed 3-24-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-P