[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 64 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16762-16763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-4866]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Implementation of Grants to Manufacturers of Certain Worsted Wool 
Fabrics Established Under Title IV of the Miscellaneous Trade and 
Technical Corrections Act of 2004

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

ACTION: Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the availability of grant funds in 
calendar year 2006 for manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics. 
The purpose of this notice is to provide the general public with a 
single source of program and application information related to the 
worsted wool grant offerings, and it contains the information about the 
program required to be published in the Federal Register.

DATES: Applications by eligible U.S. producers of certain worsted wool 
fabrics must be received or postmarked by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Standard Time on May 4, 2006. Applications received after the closing 
date and time will not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the Industry Assessment 
Division, Office of Textiles and Apparel, Room 3001, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-4058.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jim Bennett, Office of Textiles and 
Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4058.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Access: The full funding 
opportunity announcement for the worsted wool fabrics program is 
available through FedGrants at http://www.grants.gov. The Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number is 11.113, Special Projects.
    Statutory Authority: Section 4002(c)(6) of the Miscellaneous Trade 
and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) 
(the ``Act'').
    Program Description: Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act authorizes 
the Secretary of Commerce to provide grants to persons (including 
firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar 
years 1999, 2000, and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted 
wool fabrics. The first category are manufacturers of worsted wool 
fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average 
fiber diameters greater than 18.5 micron (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States (HTS) heading 9902.51.11); the total amount of 
available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers 
on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of 
worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.11. The second category are 
manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by 
weight of wool, with average fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less 
(HTS heading 9902.51.12); the total amount of available funds is 
$2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of 
the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric 
included in HTS 9902.51.12.
    Funding Availability: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under 
section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act to provide grants to manufacturers of 
certain worsted wool fabrics. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics 
grant program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from 
amounts in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (the ``Trust 
Fund''). The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool 
fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar 
year 2006. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool 
fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.12 shall also be $2,666,000 in 
calendar year 2006.
    Eligibility Criteria: Eligible applicants for the worsted wool 
fabric program include persons (including firms, corporations, or other 
legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001, 
manufacturers of worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 
9902.51.11 or 9902.51.12. Any manufacturer who becomes a successor-of-
interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 
9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.12 during 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a 
reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to apply for such 
grants.
    Applications to Receive Allocations: An applicant must have 
produced worsted wool fabric of a kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 
9902.51.12 in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 
and 2001. Applicants must provide: (1) Company name, address, contact 
and phone number; (2) Federal tax identification number; (3) the name 
and address of each plant or location in the United States where 
worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 
9902.51.12 was woven by the applicant; (4) the quantity, in linear 
yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 
9902.51.12, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of 
calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and (5) the

[[Page 16763]]

value of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 
9902.51.12, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of 
calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001. This data must indicate actual 
production (not estimates) of worsted wool fabric of the kind described 
in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.12.
    At the conclusion of the application, the applicant must attest 
that ``all information contained in the application is complete and 
correct and no false claims, statements, or representations have been 
made.'' Applicants should be aware that, generally, pursuant to 31 
U.S.C. 3729, persons providing a false or fraudulent claims, and, 
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001, persons making materially false statements 
or representations, are subject to civil or criminal penalties, 
respectively.
    Information that is marked ``business confidential'' will be 
protected from disclosure to the full extent permitted by law.
    Other Application Requirements: Complete applications must include 
the following forms and documents: CD-346, Applicant for Funding 
Assistance; CD-511, Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and 
Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and 
Lobbying; SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; and SF-424B, 
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The CD forms are available via 
Web site: http://www.osec.doc.gov/forms/direct.htm. The SF forms are 
available via Web site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_forms.html.
    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
269, 424, 424A, 424B, SF-LLL, and CD-346 has been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control 
numbers 0348-0039, 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.
    Allocation Procedures: Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act requires 
that each grant be allocated among eligible applicants on the basis of 
the percentage of each manufacturers' production of the fabric 
described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.12 for calendar years 1999, 
2000, and 2001, compared to the production of such fabric by all 
manufacturers who qualify for such grants. Following the closing date 
of the receipt of applications, the Department shall calculate the 
appropriate allocation of the allotted funds among eligible applicants 
in accordance with the statutory procedures. Award decisions shall be 
final and not subject to appeal or protest.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not 
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.''
    Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Department of 
Commerce Pre-Award Notifications for Grants and Cooperative Agreements, 
which are contained in the Federal Register Notice of December 30, 2004 
(69 FR 78389), are applicable to this solicitation.
    It has been determined that this notice is not significant for 
purposes of E.O. 12866.
    Administrative Procedure/Regulatory Flexibility: Prior notice and 
an opportunity for public comment are not required by the 
Administrative Procedure Act 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 USC 
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 is not required and has not been 
prepared

Dated: March 30, 2006.
James C. Leonard III,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.
[FR Doc. E6-4866 Filed 4-3-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S