[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 7 (Thursday, January 10, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1912-1913]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-216]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration


Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, Office 
of Shipyards and Marine Financing.

ACTION: Notice of Establishment of New Grant Program.

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    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. McKeever, Associate 
Administrator for Business and Workforce Development, Maritime 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590; phone: 
(202) 366-5737; fax: (202) 366-3511; or e-mail: [email protected].
    Key Dates: The period for submitting grant applications, as 
mandated by statute, commenced on December 27, 2007, and will terminate 
on February 25, 2008. The applications must be received by the Maritime 
Administration by 5 p.m. EST on February 25, 2008. Applications 
received later than this time will not be considered. The Maritime 
Administrator intends to award grants no later than April 24, 2008.
    Funding Opportunity: Section 3506 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (Pub. L. 109-163) and the 
section entitled ``Assistance to Small Shipyards'' in the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2008, provides that the Maritime Administration 
shall establish an assistance program for small shipyards. Under this 
program, there is currently an aggregate of $10,000,000 available for 
grants for capital improvements, and related infrastructure 
improvements at qualified shipyards that will facilitate the 
efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality of domestic ship 
construction for commercial and Federal Government use. Such grants may 
not be used to construct buildings or other physical facilities or to 
acquire land unless such use is specifically approved by the 
Administrator as being consistent with and supplemental to capital and 
related infrastructure improvements.
    Award Information: The Maritime Administration intends to award the 
full amount of the available funding through grants to the extent that 
there are worthy applications. There is no dollar limitation on the 
amount of a grant for which application may be made; however, the 
Maritime Administration will seek to obtain the maximum benefit from 
the available funding by awarding grants for as many of the most worthy 
projects as possible. The start date and period of performance for each 
award will depend on the specific project and must be agreed to by the 
Maritime Administration.
    Eligibility Information:
    1. Eligible Applicants--The statutes referenced in ``Funding 
Opportunity'' above, when read together, provide that either shipyards 
or State or local governments on behalf of shipyards can apply for 
grants. The shipyard for which a grant is sought must be one in a 
single geographical location, located in or near a maritime community, 
that (1) is a small business concern (within the meaning of section 3 
of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and (2) does not have more 
than 600 production employees.
    2. Other Considerations in Making Awards--In providing grants, the 
Administrator shall take into account (a) the economic circumstances 
and conditions of the maritime community near to which a shipyard is 
located; and (b) the local, State and regional economy in which such 
community is located.
    Matching Requirements:
    (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) below, Federal funds for 
any eligible project shall not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of 
such project. The remaining portion of the cost shall be paid in funds 
from or on behalf of the awardee. The applicant will be required to 
submit detailed financial statements and any necessary supporting 
documentation demonstrating how and when such matching requirement is 
proposed to be funded.
    (2) Exceptions--
    (A) Small Projects.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to grants for 
stand-alone projects costing not more than $26,075. The amount under 
this subparagraph shall be indexed to the consumer price index and 
modified each fiscal year after the annual publication of the consumer 
price index.
    (B) Reduction in Matching Requirement.--If the Administrator 
determines that a proposed project merits support and cannot be 
undertaken without a higher percentage of Federal financial assistance, 
the Administrator may award a grant for

[[Page 1913]]

such project with a lesser matching requirement than is described in 
paragraph (1).
    Application: An application should be filed on Form SF-424 which 
can be found on the internet at Grants.gov. (Although the form is 
available electronically, we request that the application be filed in 
hard copy as indicated below due to the amount of information 
requested.) In order to allow us to evaluate whether an applicant meets 
the statutory criteria, the application for a grant should also provide 
the following information as an addendum to Form SF-424--
    1. Unique identifier of entity's parent company (when applicable): 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) (when applicable).
    2. Shipyard company officer's certification or certification by an 
appropriate State or local government official, as applicable, as to 
shipyard's compliance with the following requirements:
    (a) The shipyard for which a grant is sought is located in a single 
geographical location in or near a maritime community;
    (b) The shipyard is a small business concern (within the meaning of 
section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632); and
    (c) The shipyard has no more than 600 production employees.
    3. A comprehensive description of the project.
    4. A comprehensive description of the need for the project and how 
the project will facilitate the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and 
quality of domestic ship construction for commercial and Federal 
Government use.
    5. A detailed itemization of the cost of the project together with 
any supporting documentation.
    6. If a matching requirement is necessary for the requested grant, 
detailed financial statements together with any supporting 
documentation demonstrating how and when such matching requirement is 
proposed to be funded.
    7. Most recent audited financial statements.
    8. Detailed methodology and timeline for implementing the project.
    9. Shipyard company officer's certification or certification by an 
appropriate State or local government official, as applicable, that the 
grant recipient has the authority to carry out the proposed project.
    10. Any existing programs or arrangements that can be used to 
supplement or leverage the federal grant assistance.
    11. Information concerning (a) the economic circumstances and 
conditions of the maritime community near to which the shipyard is 
located; and (b) the local, State, and regional economy in which such 
community is located.
    12. Applicant must submit a certification in accordance with the 
Department of Transportation's regulation restricting lobbying, 49 CFR 
Part 20, that the applicant has not, and will not, make any prohibited 
payments out of the requested grant.
    Additional information may be requested as deemed necessary by the 
Maritime Administration in order to facilitate and complete its review 
of the application. If such information is not provided, the Maritime 
Administration may deem the application incomplete and cease processing 
it.
    Where To File Application: An original copy of the application 
together with six additional copies shall be submitted to Jean E. 
McKeever, Associate Administrator for Business and Workforce 
Development, Room W21-318, Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590.
    Evaluation of Applications: The Administrator will evaluate the 
applications on the basis of the economic information provided and in 
terms of how well the project for which a grant is requested will 
facilitate the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality of domestic 
ship construction for commercial and Federal Government use. The 
Administrator will award grants in his sole discretion in such amounts 
and under such conditions for those projects he determines will best 
further the statutory purposes of the small shipyard program.
    Conditions Attached To Awards: The grant agreement will set out the 
records to be maintained by the awardee which must be available for 
review and audit by the Administrator, as well as any other conditions 
and requirements.

(Authority: 49 CFR 1.66)

    Dated: January 2, 2008.

    By Order of the Maritime Administrator.
Murray A. Bloom,
Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E8-216 Filed 1-9-08; 8:45 am]
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