[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 72 (Thursday, April 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17685-17686]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-8691]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-5300-N-01A]


Notice of HUD's Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Notice of Funding 
Availability (NOFA) Policy Requirements and General Section to HUD's 
FY2009 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs; Amendment to Application 
Submission Requirements and Other Technical Corrections

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of HUD's FY2009 NOFA Policy Requirements and General 
Section to HUD's FY2009 NOFAs for Discretionary Grant Programs; 
amendments and technical corrections.

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SUMMARY: On December 29, 2008, HUD published its Notice of Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2009 Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA); Policy Requirements 
and General Section to HUD's FY2009 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs 
(General Section). As in years past, HUD's FY2009 General Section 
provides the policy requirements applicable to all of the NOFAs that 
HUD will publish in FY2009. The General Section also provides important 
information regarding the application submission requirements. In the 
December 29, 2008, General Section, HUD noted that applicants would 
continue to be required to submit their applications electronically 
through Grants.gov. Today's publication amends this requirement to 
provide that application submission requirements will be provided in 
the individual program NOFAs that HUD will publish throughout FY2009. 
Today's publication also amends the December 29, 2008, General Section 
to reflect Executive Order 13502, entitled ``Use of Project Labor 
Agreements for Federal Construction Projects.'' Finally, today's 
publication announces changes in how HUD will notify the public of the 
issuances of NOFAs and makes minor technical corrections to 
instructions regarding registration with the Central Contractor 
Registration (CCR).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
HUD's FY2009 General Section, contact the Office of Departmental Grants 
Management and Oversight, Office of Administration, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW., Room 3156, 
Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone number 202-708-0667. This is not a 
toll-free number. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access 
this number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 
800-877-8339. Questions regarding the submission of applications or 
specific program requirements should be directed to the agency contacts 
identified in each program NOFA.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 29, 2008, HUD published its 
FY2009 NOFAs General Section (73 FR 79548). HUD's FY2009 General 
Section outlines the threshold, civil rights, and other requirements 
applicable to all of the NOFAs that HUD will publish in FY2009. HUD's 
General Section also establishes application submission requirements.

I. Amendment to Application Submission Requirements

    In the December 29, 2008, General Section, HUD stated that, ``HUD 
would continue to require that applicants submit their applications 
electronically through Grants.gov'' (page 79548). Since publication of 
the FY2009 General Section, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has requested that agencies identify alternative methods of accepting 
grant applications, in order to ensure that assistance made available 
through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, (Pub. L. 
111-5, enacted February 17, 2009) (the Recovery Act) can be effectively 
distributed with minimal disruptions. Based on this request, HUD has 
reviewed the application submission requirements outlined in the FY2009 
General Section and has determined it will allow additional methods for 
applicants to submit applications. Moreover, in order to provide HUD's 
program offices the maximum flexibility regarding developing 
alternative methods of accepting grant applications, HUD has determined 
that application submission requirements will be stated in the 
individual program NOFAs that HUD will publish throughout FY2009. 
Potential applicants are, therefore, directed to rely on application 
submission instructions provided in the program NOFA for which they 
seek funding for information. Specifically, each program NOFA will 
establish deadline dates and times and advise whether applicants will 
be required to submit their applications electronically or in paper 
form. The NOFA will also establish receipt requirements, should it 
provide for the submission of paper applications. Accordingly, HUD is 
amending its FY2009 General Section by removing and reserving Section 
IV.C., entitled ``Receipt Dates and Times,'' beginning at page 79565, 
first column.
    Since the establishment of the application submission requirements 
in each program NOFA is a significant departure from HUD's prior 
practice, HUD encourages applicants to carefully read the program NOFA 
for which they intend to apply. Questions regarding the submission of 
applications may be directed to the agency contacts identified in each 
program NOFA, with sufficient time to permit receipt of your 
application by the deadline date established in the NOFA.

II. Amendment To Conform to Recent Executive Order

    HUD's FY2009 General Section required compliance with Executive

[[Page 17686]]

Order 13202, entitled ``Preservation of Open Competition and Government 
Neutrality Towards Government Contractors' Labor Relations on Federal 
and Federally Funded Construction Projects.'' Specifically, section 
III.C.4.k. at page 79553, third column, provided that, ``[c]ompliance 
with HUD regulations at 24 CFR 5.108 that implement Executive Order 
13202 is a condition of receipt of assistance under a HUD program 
NOFA.''
    Since publication of the FY2009 General Section, the President 
issued Executive Order 13502, entitled ``Use of Project Labor 
Agreements for Federal Construction Projects.'' Executive Order 13502 
specifically revokes Executive Order 13202. As a result of issuance of 
this Executive Order, the provision in HUD's regulations at 24 CFR 
5.108 is no longer effective, and compliance with these regulations is 
no longer a condition of assistance. Accordingly, the provision on 
project labor agreements in the December 29, 2009, General Section is 
not applicable to HUD's FY2009 funding. HUD is, therefore, amending its 
FY2009 General Section by removing and reserving section III.C.4.k. at 
page 79553, third column.

III. Change HUD's Issuance of NOFAs

    Since 1989, HUD has notified the public regarding the availability 
of assistance through the publication of the NOFA in the Federal 
Register. Section 233 of Division I, Title II of the Omnibus 
Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 111-8, approved March 11, 2009) 
authorizes HUD, at its discretion, to make its NOFAs available on HUD's 
official government Web site, http://www.hud.gov, or on other 
appropriate government Web sites, as determined by HUD. For FY2009, HUD 
intends to post the complete NOFA on the HUD Web site. For assistance 
made available through the Recovery Act, HUD will post funding notices 
at http://www.hud.gov/recovery/. For assistance made available through 
the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009, HUD will post NOFAs at http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm. HUD will also post a 
synopsis of all HUD competitive funding opportunities at http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/find_grant_opportunities.jsp, along with 
a link to the appropriate HUD Web site. In addition, HUD will publish 
in the Federal Register a brief notice announcing the availability of 
NOFAs on the HUD Web site. By posting its NOFAs on the HUD Web site, 
HUD assistance should be available more quickly, and at an Internet 
location more familiar to the majority of the public.

IV. Technical Corrections Regarding Registering With CCR

    Today's publication also makes minor technical amendments to 
instructions regarding registering with CCR. Since publication of the 
FY2009 General Section, CCR has changed its log-in procedures from the 
use of a Trading Partner Identification Number (TPIN) to the use of a 
USER ID and Password. Additionally, CCR has changed the telephone 
number and hours of operation of its Assistance Center. These 
corrections were made to ensure that applicants have updated 
information when registering with CCR.

Corrections

    1. On page 79556, section IV.B.3.e., third column, HUD is 
correcting this section, to read as follows:

    e. Trading Partner Identification Number (TPIN). A TPIN is a 
password that is used to access the applicant organization's Central 
Contractor Registration (CCR) data. Organizations that become active 
in CCR are issued a TPIN (password) to access their record in order 
to make, or request, any changes or updates to their CCR 
registration. Because of the sensitivity of this data, CCR 
recommends that CCR registrants not disclose their TPIN to anyone 
under any circumstances. CCR is changing from use of a TPIN to use 
of a USER ID and Password. CCR is notifying registrants of this 
change one month prior to their current registration expiration date 
and providing guidance. CCR registrants who are registering for the 
first time, or who are updating their registration information, will 
be required to create a USER ID and Password. Please review the User 
Account Guide and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) found at 
www.ccr.gov.

    2. On page 79557, section IV.B.4.b.(2), second column, HUD is 
correcting the sixth sentence, to read as follows:

    If you need assistance with the CCR registration process, you 
can contact the CCR Assistance Center, Monday-Friday (except for 
Federal holidays), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. eastern time, at 888-227-
2423 or 269-961-5757.

    Dated: April 7, 2009.
Shaun Donovan,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E9-8691 Filed 4-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-67-P