[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 81 (Friday, April 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22325-22326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-9098]


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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 2008 for U.S. 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 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Standard Time onMay 27, 2008. Applications received after the closing 
date and time will not be considered.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the Eastern Hemisphere, 
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 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 
2603) (the ``Act''). The Act was amended pursuant to Section 1633 of 
the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-280), which extended 
the availability of grant funds through 2009 and modified the 
eligibility criteria.

[[Page 22326]]

    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 9902.51.15, previously 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 9902.51.15.
    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 2008. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool 
fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in 
calendar year 2008.
    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 in the United States of the kind 
described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. Section 1633(b)(1)(C) of the 
Pension Protection Act of 2006 provides that only manufacturers who 
weave worsted wool fabric in the United States as of the date of 
application shall be eligible for grant funds. Any manufacturer who 
becomes a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool 
fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during 1999, 2000 
or 2001 because of reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to 
apply for such grants.
    Applications to Receive Allocations: 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 9902.51.15 was woven by the 
applicant in 1999, 2000 and 2001; (4) the name and address of each 
plant or location in the United States where the applicant is weaving 
worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 and or HTS 
9902.51.15 as of the date of application; (5) the quantity, in linear 
yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 
9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of 
calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and (6) the value of worsted wool 
fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15, 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 9902.51.15.
    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 9902.51.15 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 USC 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 USC 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. Therefore, a 
regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and has not been 
prepared.

Dated: April 21, 2008.
R. Matthew Priest,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.
[FR Doc. E8-9098 Filed 4-24-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-S