[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 27015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11045]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


 Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Funding for FY 2012 of the Distance Learning and 
Telemedicine Grant Program.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is providing notice of 
Fiscal Year 2012 awards for its Distance Learning and Telemedicine 
(DLT) Grant Program. For Fiscal Year 2012, $15 million in grants will 
be awarded to the top scoring applications in rank order for the 
national competition announced in the Federal Register on February 24, 
2011 (Vol. 76, No. 37). Therefore, applications for DLT grant funds 
will not be solicited in FY 2012. Many of the applications submitted 
under the aforementioned Notice, which have been evaluated and scored, 
represent exemplary projects in their use of telecommunications, 
computer networks, and related advanced technologies to encourage and 
improve telemedicine services and distance learning services in rural 
areas. Only a limited number of these projects, however, could be 
funded with appropriated FY 2011 funds. The $15 million appropriated in 
Fiscal Year 2012 will be awarded to fund the highest scoring of these 
remaining projects according to their ranking position in the 2011 
competition. RUS will notify the public when it will be taking new 
applications

DATES: Upon publication, successful grant applicants will be notified 
in writing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David J. Villano, Assistant 
Administrator, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., STOP 
1590, Room 5151, Washington, DC 20250-1590. Telephone number (202) 720-
9554

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 24, 2011, the Rural Utilities 
Service published a Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) and 
Grant Application Deadlines of its Distance Learning and Telemedicine 
(DLT) grant program, which also established the application window for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 subject to the availability of funding.
    In response to the NOSA, RUS received 211 applications with 
requests totaling $60,002,789. As part of a national competition, RUS 
reviewed each project's eligibility, and scored the applications 
according to factors of rurality, National School Lunch Program 
statistics, need for services, innovativeness, cost effectiveness and 
percentage of matching funds committed. On December 8, 2011 Secretary 
of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced the 100 highest scoring projects 
which would receive the 2011 funding.
    From the initial response to the February 24, 2011 NOSA, RUS has 
on-hand eligible applications with requests totaling more than the $15 
million appropriations received for Fiscal Year 2012. These remaining 
unfunded FY 2011 proposals have fulfilled the requirements and stated 
objectives of the DLT Program, and represent imminently needed 
technology in their rural communities. RUS will utilize its FY 2012 
appropriation by funding these top scoring projects in rank order that 
were submitted and scored in accordance with the February 24, 2011 
NOSA.
    This will eliminate the burden of these applicants in updating 
their project, and going through the process of reapplying. 
Announcement of the grant awards made in accordance with this notice 
utilizing 2012 Appropriations will be made at a later date and 
announced on the USDA Web site at www.usda.gov.

    Dated: March 26, 2012.
Jonathan Adelstein,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2012-11045 Filed 5-7-12; 8:45 am]
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