[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 49 (Friday, March 13, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13401-13403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05418]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0145]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement--Coast Guard 
Response Boat-Medium Data Recorder

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces its intent to enter into a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Vector 
Controls, Inc. (Vector) to develop changes to the response boat-medium 
(RB-M) onboard engine data bus that will convert Society of Automotive 
Engineers (SAE) J1939 format to the National Marine Electronics 
Association (NMEA) 0183/2000 data format. A test schedule has been 
proposed in which Vector will develop and install the required RB-M 
control system software upgrades and relevant additional equipment; a 
Coast Guard field unit will operate the RB-M in normal operations; and 
the Coast

[[Page 13402]]

Guard Research and Development Center (R&DC) will install a dedicated 
data recorder system and conduct periodic data downloads for 
demonstration purposes. While the Coast Guard is currently considering 
partnering with Vector, the Coast Guard solicits public comment on the 
possible nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed 
CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential non-
Federal participants, who have the interest and capability to bring 
similar contributions to this type of research, to consider submitting 
proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

DATES: Comments must be submitted to the online docket via http://www.regulations.gov, or reach the Docket Management Facility, on or 
before April 13, 2015.
    Synopses of proposals regarding future CRADAs must reach the Coast 
Guard (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) on or before April 13, 
2015.

ADDRESSES: Submit comments using one of the listed methods, and see 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for more information on public comments.
     Online--http://www.regulations.gov following Web site 
instructions.
     Fax--202-493-2251.
     Mail or hand deliver--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. Hours 
for hand delivery are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays (telephone 202-366-9329).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on this notice 
or wish to submit proposals for future CRADAs, contact Jay Carey, 
Project Official, Surface Branch, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 
860-271-2702, email [email protected]. If you have questions on 
viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, 
Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826, toll free 
1-800-647-5527.

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.
    Do not submit detailed proposals for future CRADAs to the Docket 
Management Facility. Instead, submit them directly to the Coast Guard 
(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) .
    Comments should be marked with docket number USCG-2015-0145 and 
should provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You 
should provide personal contact information so that we can contact you 
if we have questions regarding your comments; but please note that all 
comments will be posted to the online docket without change and that 
any personal information you include can be searchable online (see the 
Federal Register Privacy Act notice regarding our public dockets, 73 FR 
3316, Jan. 17, 2008).
    Mailed or hand-delivered comments should be in an unbound 8\1/2\ x 
11 inch format suitable for reproduction. The Docket Management 
Facility will acknowledge receipt of mailed comments if you enclose a 
stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope with your submission.
    Documents mentioned in this notice, and all public comments, are in 
our online docket at http://www.regulations.gov and can be viewed by 
following the Web site's instructions. You can also view the docket at 
the Docket Management Facility (see the mailing address under 
ADDRESSES) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except 
Federal holidays.

Discussion

    CRADAs are authorized under 15 U.S.C. 3710(a).\1\ 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.
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    \1\ The statute confers this authority on the head of each 
Federal agency. The Secretary of DHS's authority is delegated to the 
Coast Guard and other DHS organizational elements by DHS Delegation 
No. 0160.1, para. II.B.34.
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    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.
    Under the proposed CRADA, the R&DC will collaborate with one non-
Federal participant. Together, the R&DC and the non-Federal participant 
would develop the changes required to convert the current engine data 
format used on the USCG RB-M (Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) 
J1939) to a widely used format in marine electronics (NMEA 0183/2000). 
The RDC will provide Vector access to an operational RB-M at a Coast 
Guard field unit on or about May 1, 2015. The Coast Guard plans to 
operate a dedicated data recorder system on the RB-M for 90 days then 
return the vessel to its standard operational configuration.
    We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the 
proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Develop the demonstration test plan to be executed under the 
CRADA;
    (2) Provide the test vessel, test vessel support, facilities, and 
all required approvals as required for a 90-day demonstration under the 
CRADA;
    (3) Conduct a Privacy Threshold Analysis (PTA) as required for the 
demonstration to be conducted under this CRADA;
    (4) Conduct a Privacy Impact Assessment as required for the 
demonstration to be conducted under this CRADA;
    (5) Collect and analyze demonstration test plan data in accordance 
with the CRADA demonstration test plan; and
    (6) Develop the Demonstration Final Report, which will document the 
methodologies, findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this CRADA 
work.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions 
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Provide any equipment and software upgrades required to conduct 
the demonstration as described in the demonstration test plan developed 
under this CRADA;
    (2) Provide technical oversight as required to conduct the 
demonstration as described in the demonstration test plan developed 
under this CRADA;
    (3) Provide the technical data package for all equipment, including 
dimensions, weight, power requirements, interface specifications, and 
other technical considerations for the additional components to be 
utilized under this CRADA;
    (4) Provide shipment and delivery of all equipment required for the 
demonstration to be conducted under this CRADA; and
    (5) Provide travel and other associated personnel and other 
expenses as required.
    The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants 
all, some, or no proposals submitted for this CRADA. The Coast Guard 
will provide

[[Page 13403]]

no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals 
and 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 five single-sided pages (excluding cover page, DD 1494, 
JF-12, etc.). 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 Vector for participation 
in this CRADA. This consideration is based on the fact that Vector has 
demonstrated its technical ability as the developer and manufacturer of 
the current RB-M propulsion control system. However, we do not wish to 
exclude other viable participants from this or future similar CRADAs.
    This is a technology demonstration effort. The goal of this CRADA 
is to develop the changes required to convert the current data format 
used on the USCG RB-M (J1939) to a widely used format in marine 
electronics (NMEA 0183/2000). Special consideration will be given to 
small business firms/consortia, and preference will be given to 
business units located in the U.S. This notice is issued under the 
authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: February 24, 2015.
B.N. Macesker,
Executive Director, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2015-05418 Filed 3-12-15; 8:45 am]
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