[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 78 (Monday, April 24, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21036-21038]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-6026]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Grant Availability to Federally-Recognized Indian Tribes for 
Projects Implementing Traffic Safety on Indian Reservations

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Surface Transportation and Uniform 
Relocation Assistance Act of 1987, and as authorized by the Secretary 
of Transportation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs intends to make funds 
available to federally-recognized Indian tribes on an annual basis for 
implementing traffic safety projects, which are designed to reduce the 
number of traffic crashes, death, injuries and property damage within 
Indian country. Because of the limited funding available for this 
project, all projects will be reviewed and selected on a competitive 
basis. This notice informs Indian tribes that grant funds are available 
and that information packets are being mailed to all tribes. 
Information packets will be distributed to all Tribal Leaders on the 
latest Tribal Leaders list that is compiled by the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs.

DATES: Request for funds must be received by May 1 of each program 
year. Requests not in the office of the Indian Highway Safety Program 
by close of business on May 1st will not be considered and will be 
returned unopened. The information packets will be distributed by the 
end of January of each program year.

ADDRESSES: Each tribe must submit their request to the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs, Division of Safety and Risk Management, Attention: Indian 
Highway Safety Program Coordinator, 1011 Indian School, NE, Suite 331, 
Albuquerque, NM 87104.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tribes should direct questions to: 
Patricia Abeyta, Coordinator, Indian Highway Safety Program or Charles 
L. Jaynes, Program Administrator, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 1011 Indian 
School, NE, Suite 331, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104; Telephone (505) 
563-5371 or 245-2104.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1973 (Pub. L. 93-87) provides for 
U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) funding to assist Indian tribes 
in implementing Highway Safety projects. The projects must be designed 
to reduce the number of motor vehicle traffic crashes and their 
resulting fatalities, injures, and property damage within Indian 
reservations. All federally-recognized Indian tribes on Indian 
reservations are eligible to receive this assistance. All tribes 
receiving awards of program funds are reimbursed for eligible costs 
incurred under the terms of 23 U.S.C. 402 and subsequent amendments.

Responsibilities

    For the purposes of application of the Act, Indian reservations are 
collectively considered a ``State'' and the Secretary of the Interior 
is considered the ``Governor of a State.'' The Secretary of the 
Interior delegated the authority to administer the programs for all the 
Indian Nations in the United States to the Assistant Secretary--Indian 
Affairs. The Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs further delegated the 
responsibility for administration of the Indian Highway Safety Program 
to the Central Office, Division of Safety and Risk Management (DSRM), 
located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Chief, DSRM, as Program 
Administrator of the Indian Highway Safety Program, has staff members 
available to provide program and technical assistance to the Indian 
tribes. The Indian Highway Safety Program maintains contacts with the 
DOT with respect to program approval, funding and receiving technical 
assistance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
is responsible for ensuring that the Indian Highway Safety Program is 
carried out in accordance with 23 CFR part 1200 and other applicable 
Federal statutes and regulations.

National Priority Program Areas

    The following highway safety program areas have been identified as 
priority program areas eligible for funding under 23 CFR 1205.3 on 
tribal lands:
    (a) Impaired driving.
    (b) Occupant protection.
    (c) Traffic records.
    Other fundable program areas may be considered based upon well 
documented problem identification from the tribes.

Highway Safety Program Funding Areas

    Proposals are being solicited for the following program areas:
    (1) Impaired Driving. Programs directed at reducing injuries and 
death attributed to impaired driving on the reservations such as 
Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs to apprehend impaired drivers, 
specialized law enforcement training (i.e. Standardized Field Sobriety 
Testing), public information programs on alcohol/other drug use and 
driving, education programs for convicted DWI/DUI offenders, various 
youth alcohol education programs promoting traffic safety, and programs 
or projects directed toward judicial training. Proposals for projects 
that enhance the development and implementation of innovative programs 
to combat impaired driving are also solicited.
    (2) Occupant Protection. Programs directed at decreasing injuries 
and deaths attributed to the lack of safety belt and child restraint 
usage such as surveys to determine usage rates and to identify high-
risk non-users, comprehensive programs to promote correct usage of 
child safety seats and other occupant restraints, enforcement of safety 
belt ordinances or laws, specialized training (i.e. Operation Kids, 
Traffic Occupant Protection Strategies, and Standardized Child 
Passenger Safety Technician), and evaluations.
    (3) Traffic Records. Programs to help tribes develop or update 
electronic traffic records systems which will assist with analysis of 
crash information, causal factors, and support joint efforts with other 
agencies to improve the tribe's traffic records system.

Project Guidelines

    BIA will send information packets to the Tribal Leader of each 
federally-recognized Indian tribe by the end of January of each program 
year. Upon receiving the information packet, each tribe, to be 
eligible, must prepare a

[[Page 21037]]

proposed project based on the following guidelines:
    (1) Program Planning. Program will be based upon the highway safety 
problems identified and the goals/objectives measures selected by the 
tribe.
    (2) Problem Identification. Highway traffic safety problems will be 
based upon accurate tribal data. This data should show problems and/or 
trend analysis and should be available in tribal enforcement and 
traffic crash records. The data must accompany the proposal.
    (3) Countermeasures Selection. Once tribal traffic safety problems 
are identified, appropriate countermeasures to solve or reduce the 
problem(s) must be identified.
    (4) Objectives/Performance Measures. List of objectives and 
measurable goals, within the National Priority Program Areas, based on 
highway safety problems identified by the tribe, must be included in 
each proposal, expressed in clearly defined, time-framed, and 
measurable terms. Performance indicators that enable the Indian Highway 
Safety Program (IHSP) to track progress, from a specific baseline, must 
accompany each goal. Performance measures should be aggressive but 
attainable.
    (5) Line Item Budget. The activities to be funded must be outlined 
in detail according to the following object groups: personnel services; 
travel and training, operating costs and equipment. Because of limited 
funding, this office will limit indirect costs to a maximum of 15 
percent; however, all tribes applying for grants must attach a copy of 
the tribe's indirect cost rate to the application.
    (6) Evaluation Plan. Evaluation is the process of determining 
whether a highway safety activity has accomplished its objectives. The 
tribe must include in the funding request a plan explaining how the 
evaluation will be accomplished and identifying the criteria to be used 
in measuring performance.
    (7) Technical Assistance. In order to provide technical assistance 
and ensure that NHTSA regulations are met, the BIA Indian Highway 
Safety Program requests that each tribe applying for a grant, attach a 
letter on tribal stationary, requesting that the program use a small 
portion of the grant funds for program oversight. [Note: Signing a 
letter authorizing the BIA Indian Highway Safety Program to use a small 
amount of funds for program oversight will not decrease the amount of 
funds that will be authorized for any tribal program.]
    (8) Project Length. The traffic safety program is designed 
primarily as the source of invention and motivation. This program is 
not intended for financially supporting continuing operations.
    (9) Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirement. Indian 
tribes receiving highway safety grants through the Indian Highway 
Safety Program must certify that they will maintain a drug-free 
workplace.
    (10) Certification Regarding Lobbying. Indian tribes receiving 
highway safety grants through the Indian Highway Safety Program must 
certify that they will not use any of the direct funds to pay for, by 
or on behalf of the tribe, to any person for influencing or attempting 
to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a 
Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal 
contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal 
loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the 
extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of any 
Federal contract, grant, loan or cooperative agreement. [Note: None of 
the funds under this program can be used for any activity specifically 
designed to urge or influence a State or local legislator to favor or 
oppose the adoption of any specific legislative proposal pending before 
any State or local legislative body.]

Submission Deadline

    Each tribe must send its funding request to the BIA IHSP offices in 
Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Indian Highway Safety Program must receive 
the request by close of business May 1 of each program year.

Selection Criteria

    Each funding request will be reviewed and evaluated by the BIA 
Indian Highway Safety Program staff and a designated selection 
committee. Each member, by assigning points to the following five 
criteria, will rank each of the proposals based on the following 
criteria:
    Criteria (1), the strength of the Problem Identification based on 
verifiable, current and applicable documentation of the traffic safety 
problem (40 points maximum).
    Criteria (2), the quality of the proposes solution plan based on 
aggressive but attainable Performance Measures, time-framed action 
plan, cost eligibility, amount, if any, of in-kind funding/support 
provided by the tribe, and necessity and reasonableness of the budget 
(30 points maximum).
    Criteria (3), details on how the tribe will evaluate and show 
progress on its performance measures regarding the Evaluation component 
(20 points maximum).
    Criteria (4), documentation in support of the submitting tribe's 
qualification, commitment and community involvement in traffic safety 
should be included (10 points maximum).
    Criteria (5), tribes are eligible for bonus points (up to 10 extra 
points) if all reporting requirements have been met in previous years.

Notification of the Selection

    Those tribes selected to participate will be notified by letter. 
Upon notification, each tribe selected must provide a duly authorized 
tribal resolution. The certification and resolution must be on file 
before grants funds can be expended or reimbursed by the tribe.

Notification of Non-Selection

    The Program Administrator will notify each tribe of non-selection.

Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grant-in-Aid

    Uniform grant administration procedures have been established on a 
national basis of all grant-in-aid programs by DOT. NHTSA under 49 CFR 
part 18, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Government.'' NHTSA and FHWA 
have codified uniform procedures for State Highway Safety Programs in 
23 CFR parts 1200, 1205 and 1251. OMB Circular A-87 and the ``Highway 
Safety Grant Funding Policy for NHTSA/FHWA Field Administered Grants'' 
are the established cost principles applicable to grants and contracts 
through BIA and with tribal governments. It is the responsibility of 
the BIA Indian Highway Safety Program office to establish operating 
procedures consistent with the applicable provisions of these rules.

Standards for Financial Management System

    Tribal financial systems must provide:
    (1) Current and complete disclosure of project actions;
    (2) Accurate and timely record keeping;
    (3) Accountability and control of all grant funds and equipment;
    (4) Comparison of actual expenditures with budgeted amounts; and
    (5) Documentation of accounting records.

[[Page 21038]]

    Auditing of Highway Safety Projects will be included in the Tribal 
A-133 single audit requirement. Tribes will provide monthly program 
status reports and a corresponding reimbursement claim to the 
Coordinator, BIA Indian Highway Safety Program, 1011 Indian School, 
Suite 331, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87104. These documents will be 
submitted no later than 10 working days beyond the reporting month.

Project Monitoring

    During the program year, it is the responsibility of the BIA IHSP 
office to review the implementation of tribal traffic safety plans and 
programs, monitor the progress of their activities and expenditures and 
provide technical assistance as needed. This assistance may be on-site, 
by telephone and/or a review of monthly progress claims.

Project Evaluation

    BIA will conduct an annual performance evaluation for each Highway 
Safety Project. The evaluation will measure the actual accomplishments 
to the planned activity. BIA IHSP staff will evaluate the project on-
site at the discretion of the Indian Highway Safety Program 
Administrator.

    Dated: April 7, 2006.
Michael D. Olsen,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. E6-6026 Filed 4-21-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-5h-P