[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 11, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1708-1710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-307]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2011-1167]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Technology To 
Provide Wireless Precise Time; Alternatives to Global Positioning 
Systems

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with UrsaNav, 
Inc., to research, evaluate, and document at least one alternative to 
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as a means of providing precise time. 
The alternative under consideration is a wireless technical approach 
for providing precise time using U.S. government facilities and 
frequency authorizations. The Coast Guard invites public comment on the 
proposed CRADA and also invites other non-Federal participants, who 
have the interest and capability to bring similar contributions to this 
type of research, to consider entry into similar CRADAs.

DATES: Comments and related material on the proposed CRADA must either 
be submitted to our online docket via http://www.regulations.gov on or 
before February 10, 2012, or reach the Docket Management Facility by 
that date.
    Notifications from parties interested in participating as a non-
Federal participant in a CRADA similar to the one described in this 
notice must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before February 
10, 2012.
    Do not submit detailed proposals for different CRADAs to the Docket 
Management Facility. Instead, if you are interested in being a non-
Federal participant in a different CRADA, you may submit detailed 
proposals to LT Helen Y. Millward, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone: 
(860) 271-2815, email: [email protected].

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on this notice identified by 
docket number USCG-2011-1167 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: (202) 493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is (202) 366-9329.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning this 
notice or desire to submit a CRADA proposal, please contact LT Helen Y. 
Millward, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1 Chelsea 
Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone: (860) 271-2815, email: 
[email protected]. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone (202) 366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

 Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material on this 
notice. All comments received will be posted, without change, to http://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.

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 Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (USCG-2011-1167), and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online via 
http://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail or hand delivery, but 
please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online via 
http://www.regulations.gov, it will be considered received by the Coast 
Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand 
deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been 
received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket 
Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
type ``USCG-2011-1167'' in the ``Keyword'' box. If you submit your 
comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they 
reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard 
or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during 
the comment period.

 Viewing Comments and Related Material

    To view the comments and related material, go to http://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``read comments'' box, which will 
then become highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box, insert ``USCG-
2011-1167'' and click ``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in 
the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have access to the Internet, you 
may view the docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility 
in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation 
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to 
use the Docket Management Facility.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act, system of 
records notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, 
issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements

    Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), are 
authorized by the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-
502, codified at 15 U.S.C. 3710(a)). A CRADA promotes the transfer of 
technology to the private sector for commercial use as well as 
specified research or development efforts that are consistent with the 
mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party or 
parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research 
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding. The 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as an executive agency under 5 
U.S.C. 105, is a Federal agency for purposes of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a) and 
may enter into a CRADA. DHS delegated its authority to the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard (see DHS Delegation No. 0160.1, para. 2.B(34)), and 
the Commandant has delegated his authority to the Coast Guard's 
Research and Development Center (R&DC).
    CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that 
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have 
a specific purpose and should not be confused with other types of 
agreements such as procurement contracts, grants, and cooperative 
agreements.

Goal of Proposed CRADA

    Under the proposed CRADA, the Coast Guard's R&DC would collaborate 
with non-Federal participants. Together, the R&DC and the non-Federal 
participants would research, evaluate, and document at least one 
alternative to Global Positioning Systems (GPS) as a means of providing 
precise time. The alternative under consideration is a wireless 
technical approach for providing precise time using U.S. government 
facilities and frequency authorizations.
    The CRADA participants will determine the viability of certain 
wireless alternative timing approaches by conducting live, on-air tests 
that will be broadcast from former Long Range Navigation (LORAN) sites, 
using existing government-provided and non-Federal CRADA participant-
provided transmitting equipment. On-air testing may also be conducted 
from other sites as deemed necessary during CRADA testing. Reception of 
these test broadcasts are planned at both on-shore and off-shore 
locations. The testing will be conducted in four phases. The first 
phase will consist of testing on LORAN frequencies (90-110 kHz); the 
second phase will be conducted on dGPS frequencies (283.5-325 kHz); the 
third phase will be conducted on HA-dGPS frequencies (435-490 kHz); and 
the fourth phase will be conducted on a former international calling 
and distress frequency (500 kHz). All four phases may be tested 
concurrently.

Party Contributions

    We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the 
proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Provide CRADA participants with access to, and appropriate use 
of, the facilities at former LORAN Stations, present dGPS sites, and 
other government locations for the conduct of CRADA work;
    (2) Provide CRADA participants with all necessary frequency 
authorizations for their broadcast within the frequency bands 
identified for the CRADA work;
    (3) Provide CRADA participants with all necessary approvals and 
access for their installation of the ``precise time'' receivers and 
automated/remotely operated data collection equipment aboard at least 
one Coast Guard vessel; and
    (4) Develop the Technology Demonstration Description document, Test 
Plan, and Project Report for each phase of the CRADA work.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions 
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Provide appropriate input to the R&DC for the development of 
the Technology Demonstration Description document, and Test Plan for 
each phase of the CRADA work;
    (2) Provide, install, operate, maintain, and remove all material 
(including hardware, software, and test equipment), along with the 
associated labor, needed for the Technology Demonstration as set forth 
within the Test Plan for each phase of the CRADA work;
    (3) Provide the R&DC with a Test Report as set forth within the 
Test Plan for each phase of the CRADA work; and
    (4) Provide input into the Coast Guard-developed, Project Report 
for each phase of the CRADA work.

Selection Criteria

    The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants 
all, some, or none of the proposals in response to

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this notice. The Coast Guard will provide no funding for reimbursement 
of proposal development costs. Proposals (or any other material) 
submitted in response to this notice will not be returned. Proposals 
submitted are expected to be unclassified and have no more than four 
single-sided pages (excluding cover page and resumes). The Coast Guard 
will select proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
    (1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to 
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
    (2) How well they address the following criteria:
    (a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party 
contributions described; and
    (b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party 
contributions described.
    Currently, the Coast Guard is considering UrsaNav, Inc., for 
participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on UrsaNav, 
Inc.'s: (1) Expertise, experience, and interest in low-frequency 
``precise time'' technology; and (2) capability to provide the 
significant contributions required for the CRADA work. However, we do 
not wish to exclude other viable participants from this or future 
similar CRADAs.
    This is a technology transfer/development effort. Presently, the 
Coast Guard has no plan to acquire, operate, or provide alternative 
wireless time technology or services. Since the goal of this CRADA is 
to identify and investigate the advantages, disadvantages, performance, 
costs, and other issues associated with using alternative wireless time 
technology, and not to set future Coast Guard acquisition requirements 
for the same, non-Federal CRADA participants will not be excluded from 
any future Coast Guard procurements based solely on their participation 
in this CRADA.
    Special consideration will be given to small business firms/
consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in 
the U.S.

 Authority

    This notice is issued under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a), 5 
U.S.C. 552(a), and 33 CFR 1.05-1.

    Dated: January 3, 2012.
Alan N. Arsenault,
Capt, USCG, Commanding Officer, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2012-307 Filed 1-10-12; 8:45 am]
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