[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 10, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17828-17832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-6702]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of funds availability.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 
Development administers loan and grant programs through the Rural 
Utilities Service. USDA Rural Development announces the Public 
Television Digital Transition Grant Program funding level and 
application window for fiscal year (FY) 2007.

DATES: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or 
electronically according to the following deadlines:

[[Page 17829]]

     Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later June 
11, 2007 to be eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late applications 
are not eligible for FY 2007 grant funding.
     Electronic copies must be received by June 11, 2007 to be 
eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible 
for FY 2007[MPD1][MPD2] grant funding.

ADDRESSES: You may obtain the application guide and materials for the 
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program via the 
Internet at the following Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/. 
You may also request the application guide and materials from USDA 
Rural Development by contacting the appropriate individual listed in 
Section VII of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.
     Submit completed paper applications for grants to the 
Telecommunications Program, United States Department of Agriculture 
Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550, 
Washington, DC 20250-1550. Applications should be marked ``Attention: 
Director, Advanced Services Division.''
     Submit electronic grant applications to Grants.gov at the 
following web address: http://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov), and follow 
the instructions you find on that Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Orren E. Cameron III, Director, 
Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program, United States 
Department of Agriculture Rural Development, telephone: (202) 690-4493, 
fax: (202) 720-1051.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Public Television Station Digital 
Transition Grant Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.861.
    Dates: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or 
electronically according to the following deadlines:
     Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than 
June 11, 2007, to be eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late 
applications are not eligible for FY 2007 grant funding.
     Electronic copies must be received by June 11, 2007, to be 
eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible 
for FY 2007 grant funding.

Items in Supplementary Information

    I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the Public 
Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
    II. Award Information: Available funds and maximum amounts.
    III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, what kinds of 
projects are eligible, what criteria determine basic eligibility.
    IV. Application and Submission Information: Where to get 
application materials, what constitutes a completed application, how 
and where to submit applications, deadlines, items that are 
eligible.
    V. Application Review Information: Considerations and 
preferences, scoring criteria, review standards, selection 
information.
    VI. Award Administration Information: Award notice information, 
award recipient reporting requirements.
    VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, e-mail, contact name.

I. Funding Opportunity

    As part of the nation's transition to digital television, the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all television 
broadcasters to begin broadcasting using digital signals, and to cease 
analog broadcasting, by February 17, 2009. This exciting step forward 
in broadcast television will bring more lifelike picture and sound, and 
more viewing choice, into urban and suburban homes across America. For 
rural households, however, the digital transition could bring the end 
of over-the-air public television service. These rural households are 
the focus of the USDA Rural Development Public Television Station 
Digital Transition Grant Program.
    As the nation's 355 public television stations have moved into this 
transition, the first priority has been to initiate digital 
broadcasting from their main transmitters. This was necessary in part 
to protect the broadcasters' FCC licenses, but it also has delivered 
the benefits of digital television to those within the new digital 
coverage areas. Some public television stations, especially those where 
funding of the transition has been limited, installed low-power 
transmitters which could not reach as far as the stations' analog 
broadcast coverage areas. The FCC allowed this in recognition of 
funding challenges, but it has had an unintended result. The apparent 
achievement of nearly industry-wide digital transmitter capability 
overstates public televisions' transition progress--and almost 
exclusively in terms of actual coverage of rural America. When those 
rural public television stations turn off their analog transmitters, 
their most distant rural viewers will not be able to receive the 
surviving digital transmitters' low-power signals.
    A similar situation exists for rural areas served by translators. 
Translators predominately serve rural areas and communities that are 
isolated from a station's main transmitter by great distance or 
barriers such as mountains that block terrestrial broadcast signals. 
Transition strategies for translators have not been as aggressive as 
those for main transmitters.
    Most applications to the Public Television Station Digital 
Transition Grant Program have sought assistance towards the goal of 
replicating analog coverage areas through transmitter and translator 
transitions, and in FY 2006 applications for power upgrades increased 
in number. The Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant 
Program can fund program management and creation equipment, but for 
reasons involving funding, many rural public television stations have 
not turned their attention to these needs. Some stations may not 
achieve full analog parity in program management and creation until 
after the February 2009 deadline. Continuation of reliable public 
television service to all current patrons understandably is still the 
focus for many broadcasters.
    It is important for public television stations to be able to tailor 
their programs and services (e.g., education services, public health, 
homeland security, and local culture) to the needs of their rural 
constituents. If public television programming is lost, many school 
systems may be left without educational programming they count on for 
curriculum compliance.
    This notice has been formatted to conform to a policy directive 
issued by the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) of the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal 
Register on June 23, 2003, (68 FR 37370). This Notice does not change 
the Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program 
regulation (7 CFR part 1740).

II. Award Information

A. Available Funds

    1. General. The Administrator has determined that the following 
amounts are available for grants in FY 2007 under 7 CFR 1740.1.
    2. Grants.
     a. $4,950,000 is available for grants from FY 2007. Under 7 CFR 
1740.2, the

[[Page 17830]]

maximum amount for grants under this program is $1 million per 
applicant.
    b. Assistance instrument: Grant documents appropriate to the 
project will be executed with successful applicants prior to any 
advance of funds.

B. Public Television Station Digital Transition grants cannot be 
renewed

    Award documents specify the term of each award, and due to 
uncertainties in regulatory approvals of digital television broadcast 
facilities, the Agency will extend the period during which grant 
funding is available upon request.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Who is eligible for grants? (See 7 CFR 1740.3.)

    1. Public television stations which serve rural areas are eligible 
for Public Television Station Digital Transition Grants. A public 
television station is a noncommercial educational television broadcast 
station that is qualified for Community Service Grants by the 
Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396(k) of the 
Communications Act of 1934.
    2. Individuals are not eligible for Public Television Station 
Digital Transition Grant Program financial assistance directly.

B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?

    1. Grants shall be made to perform digital transitions of 
television broadcasting serving rural areas. Grant funds may be used to 
acquire, lease, and/or install facilities and software necessary to the 
digital transition. Specific purposes include:
    a. Digital transmitters, translators, and repeaters, including all 
facilities required to initiate DTV broadcasting. All broadcast 
facilities acquired with grant funds shall be capable of delivering DTV 
programming and HDTV programming, at both the interim and final channel 
and power authorizations. There is no limit to the number of 
transmitters or translators that may be included in an application;
    b. Power upgrades of existing DTV transmitter equipment, including 
replacement of existing low-power digital transmitters with digital 
transmitters capable of delivering the final authorized power level;
    c. Studio-to-transmitter links;
    d. Equipment to allow local control over digital content and 
programming, including master control equipment;
    e. Digital program production equipment, including cameras, 
editing, mixing and storage equipment;
    f. Multicasting and datacasting equipment;
    g. Cost of the lease of facilities, if any, for up to three years; 
and,
    h. Associated engineering and environmental studies necessary to 
implementation.
    2. Matching contributions: There is no requirement for matching 
funds in this program (see 7 CFR 1740.5).
    3. To be eligible for a grant, the Project must not (see 7 CFR 
1740.7):
    a. Include funding for ongoing operations or for facilities that 
will not be owned by the applicant, except for leased facilities as 
provided above;
    b. Include costs of salaries, wages, and employee benefits of 
public television station personnel unless they are for construction or 
installation of eligible facilities;
    c. Have been funded by any other source;
    d. Include items bought or built prior to the application deadline 
specified in this Notice of Funds Availability.
    C. See paragraph IV.B of this Notice for a discussion of the items 
that make up a completed application. You may also refer to 7 CFR 
1740.9 for completed grant application items.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Where to get application information. The application guide, 
copies of necessary forms and samples, and the Public Television 
Station Digital Transition Grant Program regulation are available from 
these sources:
    1. The Internet: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/, or http://www.grants.gov.
    2. The USDA Rural Development Advanced Services Division, for paper 
copies of these materials:
    (202) 690-4493.

B. What constitutes a completed application?

    1. Detailed information on each item required can be found in the 
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program regulation 
and application guide. Applicants must read and apply both the 
regulation and the application guide. This Notice does not change the 
requirements for a completed application specified in the program 
regulation. The program regulation and application guide provide 
specific guidance on each of the items listed and the application guide 
provides all necessary forms and sample worksheets.
    2. A completed application must include the following 
documentation, studies, reports and information in form satisfactory to 
USDA Rural Development. Applications should be prepared in conformance 
with the provisions in 7 CFR part 1740, subpart A, and applicable USDA 
regulations including 7 CFR parts 3015, 3016, and 3019. Applicants must 
use the application guide for this program containing instructions and 
all necessary forms, as well as other important information, in 
preparing their application. Completed applications must include the 
following:
    a. An application for federal assistance, Standard Form 424.
    b. An executive summary, not to exceed two pages, describing the 
public television station, its service area and offerings, its current 
digital transition status, and the proposed project.
    c. Evidence of the applicant's eligibility to apply under this 
Notice, proving that the applicant is a Public Television Station as 
defined in this Notice, and that it is required by the FCC to perform 
the digital transition.
    d. A spreadsheet showing the total project cost, with a breakdown 
of items sufficient to enable USDA Rural Development to determine 
individual item eligibility.
    e. A coverage contour map showing the digital television coverage 
area of the application project. This map must show the counties (or 
county) comprising the Core Coverage Area, as defined in 7 CFR 1740.2, 
by shading and by name. Partial counties included in the applicant's 
Core Coverage Area must be identified as partial and must contain an 
attachment with the applicant's estimate of the percentage that its 
coverage contour comprises of the total area of the county (total area 
is available from American Factfinder, referenced above). If the 
application is for a translator, the coverage area may be estimated by 
the applicant through computer modeling or some other reasonable 
method, and this estimate is subject to acceptance by USDA Rural 
Development.
    f. The applicant's own calculation of its Rurality score, as 
calculated pursuant to 7 CFR 1740.8(c), supported by a worksheet 
showing the population of its Core Coverage Area, and the urban and 
rural populations within the Core Coverage Area. The data source for 
the urban and rural components of that population must be identified. 
If the application includes computations made by a consultant or other 
organization outside the public television station, the application 
shall state the details of that collaboration.
    g. The applicant's own calculation of its Economic Need score, as 
calculated pursuant to 7 CFR 1740.8(d), supported by a worksheet 
showing the National School Lunch Program eligibility levels

[[Page 17831]]

for all school districts within the Core Coverage Area and averaging 
these eligibility percentages. The application must include a statement 
from the state or local organization that administers the NSLP program 
certifying the school district scores used in the computations.
    h. If applicable, a presentation not to exceed five pages 
demonstrating the Critical Need for the project, as outlined in 7 CFR 
1740.8(e).
    i. Evidence that the FCC has authorized the initiation of digital 
broadcasting at the project sites. In the event that an FCC 
construction permit has not been issued for one or more sites, USDA 
Rural Development may include those sites in the grant, and make 
advance of funds for that site conditional upon the submission of a 
construction permit.
    j. Compliance with other Federal statutes. The applicant must 
provide evidence or certification that it is in compliance with all 
applicable Federal statutes and regulations, including, but not limited 
to the following:
    (1) Executive Order (E.O.) 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, as 
amended by E.O. 11375 and as supplemented by regulations contained in 
41 CFR part 60;
    (2) Architectural barriers;
    (3) Flood hazard area precautions;
    (4) 7 CFR part 3015--Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations.
    (5) Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970;
    (6) Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998 (41 U.S.C. 701);
    (7) E.O.s 12549 and 12689, Debarment and Suspension; and
    (8) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352).
    k. Environmental impact and historic preservation. The applicant 
must provide details of the digital transition's impact on the 
environment and historic preservation, and comply with 7 CFR part 1794, 
which contains the Agency's policies and procedures for implementing a 
variety of federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders 
generally pertaining to the protection of the quality of the human 
environment. This must be contained in a separate section entitled 
``Environmental Impact of the Digital Transition,'' and must include 
the Environmental Questionnaire/Certification, available from USDA 
Rural Development, describing the impact of its digital transition. 
Submission of the Environmental Questionnaire/Certification alone does 
not constitute compliance with 7 CFR part 1794.
    3. DUNS Number. As required by the OMB, all applicants for grants 
must now supply a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System 
(DUNS) number when applying. The Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a 
field for you to use when supplying your DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS 
number costs nothing and requires a short telephone call to Dun and 
Bradstreet. Please see the Public Television Station Digital 
Transmitter Grant Program Web site or Grants.gov for more information 
on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your organization's 
number.

C. How many copies of an application are required?

    1. Applications submitted on paper: Submit the original application 
and two (2) copies to USDA Rural Development.
    2. Electronically submitted applications: The additional paper 
copies for USDA Rural Development are not necessary if you submit the 
application electronically through Grants.gov.
    D. How and where to submit an application. Grant applications may 
be submitted on paper or electronically.
    1. Submitting applications on paper.
    a. Address paper applications for grants to the Telecommunications 
Program, USDA Rural Development, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 
2844, STOP 1550, Washington, DC 20250-1550. Applications should be 
marked ``Attention: Director, Advanced Services Division.''
    b. Paper applications must show proof of mailing or shipping 
consisting of one of the following:
    (i) A legibly dated postmark applied by the U. S. Postal Service;
    (ii) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
USPS; or
    (iii) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    c. Non-USPS-applied postage dating, i.e. dated postage meter 
stamps, do not constitute proof of the date of mailing.
    d. Due to screening procedures at the Department of Agriculture, 
packages arriving via the USPS are irradiated, which can damage the 
contents. USDA Rural Development encourages applicants to consider the 
impact of this procedure in selecting their application delivery 
method.
    2. Electronically submitted applications.
    a. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine 
transmission or electronic mail.
    b. Electronic applications for grants will be accepted if submitted 
through the Federal government's Grants.gov initiative at http://www.grants.gov.
    c. How to use Grants.gov:
    (i) Navigate your Web browser to http://www.grants.gov.
    (ii) Follow the instructions on that Web site to find grant 
information.
    (iii) Download a copy of the application package.
    (iv) Complete the package off-line.
    (v) Upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov Web site.
    d. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required passwords, 
credentialing and software.
    e. USDA Rural Development encourages applicants who wish to apply 
through Grants.gov to submit their applications in advance of the 
deadline. Difficulties encountered by applicants filing through 
Grants.gov will not justify filing deadline extensions.
    f. If a system problem occurs or you have technical difficulties 
with an electronic application, please use the customer support 
resources available at the Grants.gov Web site.

E. Deadlines.

    1. Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or 
sent overnight no later than June 11, 2007 to be eligible for FY 2007 
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2007 grant 
funding.
    2. Electronic grant applications must be received by June 11, 2007 
to be eligible for FY 2007 funding. Late applications are not eligible 
for FY 2007 grant funding.

V. Application Review Information

A. Criteria

    1. Grant applications are scored competitively and subject to the 
criteria listed below.
    2. Grant application scoring criteria are detailed in 7 CFR 1740.8. 
There are 100 points available, broken down as follows:
    a. The Rurality of the Project (up to 50 points);
    b. The Economic Need of the Project's Service Area (up to 25 
points); and
    c. The Critical Need for the project, and of the applicant, 
including the benefits derived from the proposed service (up to 25 
points).

B. Review Standards

    1. All applications for grants must be delivered to USDA Rural 
Development at the address and by the date specified in this notice to 
be eligible for funding. USDA Rural Development will review each 
application for conformance with the provisions of this part. USDA 
Rural Development may contact the applicant for additional information 
or clarification.
    2. Incomplete applications as of the deadline for submission will 
not be considered. If an application is

[[Page 17832]]

determined to be incomplete, the applicant will be notified in writing 
and the application will be returned with no further action.
    3. Applications conforming with this part will be evaluated 
competitively by a panel of USDA Rural Development employees selected 
by the Administrator of RUS, and will be awarded points as described in 
the scoring criteria in 7 CFR 1740.8. Applications will be ranked and 
grants awarded in rank order until all grant funds are expended.
    4. Regardless of the score an application receives, if USDA Rural 
Development determines that the Project is technically or financially 
infeasible, USDA Rural Development will notify the applicant, in 
writing, and the application will be returned with no further action.

C. Scoring Guidelines

    1. The applicant's self scores in Rurality and Economic Need will 
be checked and, if necessary, corrected by USDA Rural Development.
    2. The Critical Need score will be determined by USDA Rural 
Development based on information presented in the application. This 
score is intended to capture from the rural public's standpoint the 
necessity and usefulness of the proposed project. This scoring category 
will also recognize that some transition purchases are more essential 
than others, so that applications for first digital transmitter 
capability, and translators[ec3] and transmitter power 
upgrades that extend coverage into rural-only areas, will receive 
scoring advantages. Master control facilities which tailor programming 
to local needs will also be recognized in this category.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    USDA Rural Development recognizes that each funded project is 
unique, and therefore may attach conditions to different projects' 
award documents. The Agency generally notifies applicants whose 
projects are selected for awards by faxing an award letter. USDA Rural 
Development follows the award letter with a grant agreement that 
contains all the terms and conditions for the grant. An applicant must 
execute and return the grant agreement, accompanied by any additional 
items required by the grant agreement.
    B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
    The items listed in the program regulation at 7 CFR 1740.9(j) 
implement the appropriate administrative and national policy 
requirements.

C. Performance Reporting

    All recipients of Public Television Station Digital Transition 
Grant Program financial assistance must provide annual performance 
activity reports to USDA Rural Development until the project is 
complete and the funds are expended. A final performance report is also 
required; the final report may serve as the last annual report. The 
final report must include an evaluation of the success of the project.

VII. Agency Contacts

    A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/ rus/. The Web site maintains up-
to-date resources and contact information for the Public Television 
Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
    B. Phone: 202-690-4493.
    C. Fax: 202-720-1051.
    D. Main point of contact: Orren E. Cameron III, Director, Advanced 
Services Division, Telecommunications Program, USDA Rural Development.

    Dated: March 19, 2007.
Curtis M. Anderson,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E7-6702 Filed 4-9-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P