[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 18, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53225-53227]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-18380]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Forest Service


Request for Proposals for Woody Biomass Utilization Grant--Forest 
Restoration Activities on National Forest System Lands

AGENCY: Forest Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, 
Technology Marketing Unit, located at the Forest Products Laboratory, 
requests proposals for forest product projects that increase the use of 
woody biomass from National Forest System lands. The woody biomass 
utilization grant program is intended to help improve forest 
restoration activities by using and creating markets for small-diameter 
material and low-valued trees removed from forest restoration 
activities, such as reducing hazardous fuels, handling insect and 
diseased conditions, or treating forestlands impacted by catastrophic 
weather events. These funds are targeted to help communities, 
entrepreneurs, and others turn residues from forest restoration 
activities into marketable forest products and/or energy products.

DATES: Pre-application Deadline: Close of business November 2, 2007.
    Full application Deadline: Close of business February 1, 2008.

ADDRESSES: All pre- and full-application packages must be sent to the 
following address: ATTN: Patricia Brumm, Grants and Agreements 
Specialist, Forest Products Laboratory, One Gifford Pinchot Drive, 
Madison, WI 53726-2398. Detailed information regarding what to include 
in the pre- and full-application, definitions of terms, eligibility and 
federal restrictions are available at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu 
(under Woody Biomass Grants), and at http://www.grants.gov. Paper 
copies of the information are also available by contacting the USDA 
Forest Service, S&PF Technology Marketing Unit, One Gifford Pinchot 
Drive, Madison, WI 53726-2398.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the grant 
application or administrative regulations, contact Patricia Brumm, 
Grants and Agreements Specialist, (608) 231-9298, [email protected]; for 
program and technical questions, contact Susan LeVan, Program Manager, 
(608) 231-9504, [email protected].
    Individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: To meet the shared goals of Public Law 109-
58, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and the anticipated Public Law 
governing the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related 
Agencies Appropriate Act of 2008, the agency is requesting proposals to 
address the nationwide challenge in dealing with low-valued material 
removed from hazardous fuel reduction activities, restoration of insect 
and diseased conditions or catastrophic weather events. The Woody 
Biomass Utilization Grant Program has a pre-application submission 
process, and upon notification, selected pre-applicants will be asked 
to submit a full application. Goals of the grant program are the 
following:
     Help reduce forest management costs by increasing value of 
biomass and other forest products generated from forest restoration 
activities.
     Create incentives and/or reduce business risk for 
increased use of biomass from national forestlands (must include 
National Forest System lands, however, may also include other lands 
such as, BLM, Tribal, State, local, and private).
     Institute projects that target and help remove economic 
and market barriers to using small-diameter trees and woody biomass.
     Help generate renewable energy from woody.
     Build industry infrastructure around national forestlands 
where no or limited industry infrastructure exists.
     Require a Forest Service letter of support for the woody 
biomass grant project on National Forest System lands.

Woody Biomass Grants Program

1. Eligibility Information

    a. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are State, local, and 
Tribal governments, school districts, communities, non-profit 
organizations, businesses, companies, corporations, or special purpose 
districts, e.g., public utilities districts, fire districts, 
conservation districts, or ports. Only one application per business or 
organization will be accepted. If applicants have received a Woody 
Biomass Utilization Grant within the last three years, they are not 
eligible. Construction projects involving a permanent building or 
infrastructure item, such as roads, are not allowed with federal funds; 
however construction funds can be part of the non-federal cost share. 
For Alaska, only applicants on the Seward Ranger District on the 
Chugach National Forest are eligible to apply for this grant. Cordova 
and Glacier Ranger Districts on the Chugach are not eligible. Ranger 
Districts on the Tongass National Forest are not eligible.
    b. Cost Sharing (Matching Requirement). Applicants must demonstrate 
at least a 20% match of the total project cost. This match must be from 
non-Federal sources, which can include cash or in-kind contributions.

2. Duns Number

    All applicants must include a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B), Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number in their full application. For 
the purpose of this requirement, the applicant is the entity that meets 
the eligibility criteria and has the legal authority to apply for an 
award. For assistance in obtaining a DUNS number at no cost, call the 
DUNS number request line (1-866-705-5711) or register on-line at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. By submission of an application, the applicant 
acknowledges the requirement that prospective awardees shall be 
registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database prior 
to award, during performance, and through final payment of any grant 
resulting from this solicitation. Further information can be found at 
http://www.ccr.gov. For assistance, contact the CCR Assistance Center 
(1-888-227-2423).

3. Award Information

    At least $4 million are available for granting under this program. 
Individual grants will not be less than $50,000 or more than $250,000. 
Funds are presently not available for this grant program. The 
Government's obligation

[[Page 53226]]

under this program is contingent upon the availability of 2008 
appropriated funds from which payment for grant purposes can be made. 
No legal liability on the part of the Government for any payment may 
arise until funds are made available to the Grants Officer for this 
program, and until the Cooperator receives notice of such availability, 
to be confirmed in writing by the Grants Officer. Successful applicants 
will be announced by March 14, 2008. The maximum length of the award is 
3 years from the date of award. Written annual financial performance 
reports and semi-annual project performance reports shall be required. 
Applicants should be aware that the grant funds are regarded as taxable 
income and a form 1099 will be send by the Forest Service to the IRS. 
Awardees are expected to follow all OSHA requirements regarding safe 
working practices.

4. Application Review Process

    A two-step technical evaluation process is used for applications 
submitted under this solicitation. The first step requires the 
applicant to submit a preliminary application (pre-application). Pre-
applications are evaluated on the evaluation criteria discussed in 
Section 5.
    A review panel of technical experts from Federal agencies judges 
the pre-applications. Panel members independently review the pre-
applications according to the evaluation criteria and point system. A 
total of 100 points is possible. As a result of this preliminary 
review, successful pre-applications are invited to submit a full-
application package. Unsuccessful pre-applicants are removed from 
further consideration for funding under this solicitation. In either 
case, a letter of notification is provided to each applicant.
    The second step requires the applicant to submit a full-application 
package, which is evaluated based on the same evaluation criteria as 
the preliminary application. The full-application package is evaluated 
for technical and financial feasibility. The reviewers discuss, rank, 
and make recommendations to Executive Steering Committee of Senior 
Federal officials.

5. Evaluation Criteria and Point System

a. Impact on National Forest System Lands Forest Restoration 
Activities: Total Points 40
     Condition of the forestlands proposed for the project, 
such as Fire Regime Condition Class (http://www.frcc.gov), insect and 
disease risk conditions, or degraded forestlands due to catastrophic 
weather events.
     Direct, tangible benefits with and without the grant 
(e.g., increased acres treated from forest restoration activities, 
increased value of raw material removed from forest restoration 
activities, and reduced Forest Service's cost per acre.)
     Indirect, intangible benefit (such as air quality 
benefits, water quality benefits, socio-economic impacts, wildlife 
habitat, and watershed improvements).
     Opportunities created for using woody biomass material 
around National Forest System lands in locations where no or limited 
industry capacity exists.
b. Technical Approach Work Plan: Total Points 25
     Technical feasibility of the proposed work.
     Adequacy and completeness of the proposed tasks.
     Likelihood of meeting project objectives.
     Timeliness and reasonableness of time schedule.
     Identified deliverables/tasks.
 Evaluation and monitoring plan.
c. Financial feasibility: Total Points 25
     Realistic budget and timeframe.
     Thorough financial documentation (see description of 
required documentation under financial feasibility, Section 7.c.)
     Level of matching funds for the grant.
d. Qualifications and Experience of Applicant: Total Points 10
     Experience, capabilities (technical and managerial).
     Demonstrated capacity.
    If there are no technical or financial problems for the project, 
and there is significant impact on reducing the Forest Service's cost 
per acre, full points are given. If there are minor deficiencies, which 
could limit success, midway points are given. If there are major 
deficiencies, which could render the project unsuccessful, minimum 
points are given. Further scoring criteria can be found at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu (under Woody Biomass Grants) and at http://www.grants.gov. Full-application packages that do not submit ALL 
required financial information will be disqualified.

6. Pre-Application Information

    a. Pre-Application Submission. Pre-applications are required. 
Specific content and submission requirements for the pre-application 
are as follows: Each submittal must be composed of two paper copies 
(single-sided) of the pre-application and one original copy. All 
proposals for the pre-application must be on 8.5 by 11-inch plain white 
paper with a minimum font size of 11 letters per inch. Top, bottom, and 
side margins must be no less than three-quarters of an inch. All pages 
must be clearly numbered. The paper copies of the application package 
should be stapled with a single staple at the upper left-hand corner. 
Do not staple the original.
    b. Pre-Application Content. SF 424 and 424A shall be submitted with 
the application for consideration (http://www.grants.gov). Assemble 
information in the following order: cover page, SF 424, SF 424A, 
project summary, project narrative, budget justification narrative, 
budget, and appendices. The project narrative consists of statement of 
need, project coordinator(s) and partner(s), goals and objectives, 
technical approach work plan, impact on national forest system forest 
restoration treatments, and evaluation and monitoring plan. The project 
narrative should provide a clear description of the work to be 
performed and its impact on National Forest System lands. It should 
address the technical approach work plan under criteria 2 in section 5. 
The project narrative is limited to 5 pages, and excludes cover page, 
budget justification, budget, or appendices.
    c. The discussion of the impact on National Forest System lands is 
a critical component because these proposals are aimed at helping the 
Forest Service increase the number of acres treated and decrease the 
cost per acre for those National Forest System lands that are at risk 
due to hazardous fuel buildup, insects and diseases, or catastrophic 
weather events. Applicants should describe qualitatively and 
quantitatively how the project would decrease Forest Service treatment 
costs and/or increase the price one might offer for the woody biomass. 
Specifically, proposals should address the following:
     Condition of the forest or grassland, such as providing 
the Fire Regime Condition Class (http://www.frcc.gov), the insect and 
disease risk, or any catastrophic weather events and the consequences 
of the national forest system not being able to do treatments because 
of the cost.
     Forest Service's current practices of handling material 
removed from forest restoration activities.
     What would be done with this material if grant is awarded?
     Anticipated outcomes and measures of success.

[[Page 53227]]

     Documentation of costs and benefits of project as a result 
of the award (see project feasibility discussion at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu under Woody Biomass Grants or at http://www.grants.gov.
     Documentation of intangible benefits. Examples of tangible 
and intangible benefits are listed on the Technology Marketing Unit's 
Web site at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu (under Woody Biomass Grants) 
or at http://www.grants.gov.
     Long-Term Benefits of Project: Applicant should address 
the length of time the benefits and impacts are anticipated (e.g., 
project will have long-term consequences, such as equipment 
improvements, or a one-time benefit, such as a subsidy.)
     Expansion capability: Does the project have the potential 
to expand the application to additional forest treatment areas or to 
create higher valued uses?
    A full description of each content item may be obtained from the 
Technology Marketing Unit's Web site at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu 
(under Woody Biomass Grants) or at http://www.grants.gov, or by calling 
the telephone number in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section, or 
by writing to the address in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
    b. Pre-Application Delivery. Pre-applications must be postmarked by 
November 2, 2007 and received no later than 5 p.m. Central Standard 
Time on November 9, 2007, by Patricia Brumm at the Forest Products 
Laboratory. Hand-delivered or fax applications will not be accepted. E-
mail applications should be submitted through http://www.grants.gov. No 
exceptions allowed. Please send pre-applications to the address listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

7. Full-Application Information

    USDA Forest Service will request full applications only from those 
applicants selected in the pre-application process.
    a. Full-Application Submission. Specific content and submission 
requirements for the full application are as follows: Each submittal 
must be composed of two paper copies (single-sided) of the pre-
application and one original copy. All proposals for the full-
application must be on 8.5 by 11-inch plain white paper with a minimum 
font size of 11 letters per inch. Top, bottom, and side margins must be 
no less than three-quarters of an inch. All pages must be clearly 
numbered. The paper copies of the application package should be stapled 
with a single staple at the upper left-hand corner. Do not staple the 
original. Other bindings will not be accepted.
    b. Full-Application Content. SF 424 and 424A shall be submitted 
with the application for consideration. Assemble information in the 
following order: Cover page, SF 424, SF424A, project summary, project 
narrative, budget justification narrative, budget, financial 
feasibility, and appendices. The project narrative consists of 
statement of need, project coordinator(s) and partner(s), goals and 
objectives, technical approach work plan, impact on national forest 
system forest restoration activities, environmental documentation, 
project work plan and timeline, social impacts, evaluation and 
monitoring plan, and equipment description. The project narrative 
should provide a clear description of the work to be performed, how it 
will be accomplished, and its impact on National Forest System lands. 
It should address the technical approach work plan under criteria 2 
listed in section 5. The project narrative is limited to a total of 10 
pages and excludes cover page, budget justification, budget, appendices 
and financial documentation.
    c. Detailed Financial Information. Detailed financial information 
is requested to assess the potential and the capability of the 
applicant. All financial information remains confidential and is not 
accessible under the Freedom of Information Act. If the applicant has 
questions about how confidential information is handled they should 
contact Patricia Brumm at [email protected]. The financial information 
should provide a general overview of historical and projected (pro 
forma) financial performance. Standard accounting principles should be 
used for developing the required financial information. Strong 
applications have benefited from the use of a certified accountant to 
develop this information. Applicants should refer to the Technology 
Marketing Unit's Web site at http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/tmu (under Woody 
Biomass Grants) or at http://www.grants.gov for the financial 
information requirements, as well as Web sites for standard financial 
templates.
    d. Full-Application Delivery. Full applications must be postmarked 
by February 1, 2008, and received no later than 5 p.m. Central Standard 
Time on February 8, 2008, by Patricia Brumm at the Forest Products 
Laboratory. Hand-delivered or fax applications will not be accepted. E-
mail applications should be submitted through http://www.grants.gov. No 
exceptions allowed. Please send full applications to the address listed 
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

8. Appendices

    The following information must be included in the appendix of the 
pre-application and the full application package:
    a. Letter of Support and Biomass Availability From Local USDA 
Forest Service District Ranger or Forest Supervisor Is Required: This 
letter must describe the status of National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA), acres, timeframes, available volumes, and opportunities for 
applicant to access these volumes. These letters shall be submitted 
with both the pre-application and full-application.
    b. Letters of Support from Partners, Individuals, or Organizations: 
Letters of support should be included in an appendix and are intended 
to display the degree of collaboration occurring between the different 
entities engaged in the project. These letters must include commitments 
of cash or in-kind services from all partners and must support the 
amounts listed in the budget. Each letter of support is limited to one 
page in length.
    c. Key Personnel Qualifications: Qualifications of the project 
manager and key personnel should be included in an appendix. 
Qualifications are limited to two pages in length and should contain 
the following: Resume, biographical sketch, references, and 
demonstrated ability to manage the grant.

    Dated: September 13, 2007.
Robin L. Thompson,
Associate Deputy Chief, State and Private Forestry.
[FR Doc. E7-18380 Filed 9-17-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-11-P