FY 2007 Broad Agency Announcement Request for Extramural Research, Innovative Projects, and Sponsorships, 7764-7769 [E7-2833]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 33 (Tuesday, February 20, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7764-7769]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-2833]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 070207025-7025-01; I.D. 051906D]
RIN 0648-ZB55


FY 2007 Broad Agency Announcement Request for Extramural 
Research, Innovative Projects, and Sponsorships

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of the availability of Federal assistance.

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SUMMARY: NOAA announces the availability of Federal assistance under 
the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for fiscal year 2007. The purpose 
of this notice is to request proposals for special projects and 
programs associated with the Agency's strategic plan and mission goals, 
as described in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section, and to provide 
the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will 
select proposals and administer discretionary Federal assistance under 
this BAA. NOAA issued approximately $1 billion in Federal assistance 
funds in fiscal year 2006. Approximately 81 percent was for 
discretionary funding and 19 percent non-discretionary. This BAA is a 
mechanism to encourage research, technical projects, or sponsorships 
(e.g., conferences, newsletters, etc.) that are

[[Page 7765]]

not normally funded through our competitive discretionary programs.

DATES: Proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis up to 5 p.m. ET 
September 28, 2007. Applications shall be evaluated for funding 
generally within 3 to 6 months of receipt.

ADDRESSES: All proposals should be submitted through Grants.Gov. For 
those applicants without internet access, hard copy applications may be 
submitted to the individuals listed below under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: This announcement, the Federal Funding 
Opportunity (FFO) announcement, and application forms will be available 
through Grants.Gov: https://www.grants.gov. For those applicants without 
internet access, the above information can be acquired by contacting 
the following individuals:
    National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Joanna Grable, Route: F/
MB2, Bldg: SSMC3 Rm: 14359, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 
20910-3282, Phone: 301-713-1364.
    National Ocean Service (NOS), Jane Piercy, Route: N/MB3, Bldg: 
SSMC4 Rm: 13250, 1305 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring MD 20910-3281, 
Phone: 301-713-3050.
    Office of Atmospheric Research (OAR), Sharon Schroeder, Route: R/
OM61, Bldg: SSMC3 Rm: 11464, 1315 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring, MD 
20910-3282, Phone: 301-713-2474.
    National Weather Service (NWS), Youngnan Cohan, Route: W/CFO2, 
Bldg: SSMC2 Rm: 18394, 1325 East-West Hwy, Silver Spring MD 20910-3283, 
Phone: 301-713-0420.
    National Environmental Satellite Data Information Service (NESDIS), 
Ingrid Guch, Route: E/RA1, Bldg: WWBG RM: 701, 5200 Auth RD, Camp 
Springs, MD 20746-4304, Phone: 301-763-8282.
    NOAA, Office of Education, Carrie McDougall, Bldg: HCHB Suite: 
M6863, 1401 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20230-0001, Phone: 
202-482-0875.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As an agency with responsibilities for 
maintaining and improving the viability of marine and coastal 
ecosystems, for delivering valuable weather, climate, and water 
information and services, for understanding the science and 
consequences of climate change, and for supporting the global commerce 
and transportation upon which we all depend, NOAA must remain current 
and responsive in an ever-changing world. We do this in concert with 
our partners and stakeholders in federal, state, and local governments 
and private organizations, applying a systematic approach that links 
our strategic goals through multi-year plans to the daily activities of 
our employees. Every year we are committed to re-evaluate our progress 
and priorities, look for efficiencies, and take advantage of new 
opportunities to improve our information, products, and services. In 
furtherance of this objective, NOAA issues this BAA for extramural 
research, innovative projects, and sponsorships that address one or 
more of the following five mission goal descriptions contained in the 
NOAA Strategic Plan:
    1. Protect, Restore, and Manage the Use of Coastal and Ocean 
Resources through an Ecosystem Approach to Management;
    2. Understand Climate Variability and Change to Enhance Society's 
Ability to Plan and Respond;
    3. Serve Society's Needs for Weather and Water Information;
    4. Support the Nation's Commerce with Information for Safe, 
Efficient, and Environmentally Sound Transportation; and
    5. Provide Critical Support for NOAA's Mission.
    A detailed description for each mission goal can be found in the 
FFO that can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site, by contacting the 
program official identified in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
section, or by accessing the following: https://www.spo.noaa.gov/pdfs/
STRATEGIC[percnt]20PLANS/Strategic--Plan--2006--FINAL--04282005.pdf.
    Proposals that fall within the scope of a separate competitive 
program initiative or are duplicative of a nondiscretionary project/
program will not be accepted under this BAA and will be rejected by the 
Line/Program Office. In addition, non-responsive applications, i.e., 
those not meeting the mission goals of NOAA or the intent of this 
notice, will not be considered. It should be noted that specific 
competitive program initiatives may have already been announced and 
those unanticipated at the time of the publication of this notice may 
be announced through future Federal Register notices.
    This announcement also provides guidelines and details for the 
application process, eligibility, evaluation criteria, and selection 
procedures. Selected applicants will either enter into a grant or 
receive a cooperative agreement depending upon the amount of NOAA's 
involvement in the project - substantial involvement means a 
cooperative agreement.

Electronic Access

    The full text of the full funding opportunity announcement for this 
BAA can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site: https://www.grants.gov. 
The announcement will also be available by contacting the program 
officials identified under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Applicants 
must comply with all requirements contained in the FFO. This Federal 
Register notice is available through the NOAA home page at: https://
www.noaa.gov.
    You will be able to access, download and submit electronic grant 
applications for this announcement at https://www.grants.gov. The 
closing dates will be the same as for the paper submissions noted in 
this announcement. NOAA strongly recommends that you do not wait until 
the application deadline date to begin the application process through 
Grants.gov. Getting started with Grants.gov is easy[excl] Go to https://
www.grants.gov. There are two key features on the site: Find Grant 
Opportunities and Apply for Grants. Everything else on the site is 
designed to support these two features and your use of them. While you 
can begin searching for grant opportunities for which you would like to 
apply immediately, it is recommended that you complete the remaining 
Get Started steps sooner rather than later, so that when you find an 
opportunity for which you would like to apply, you are ready to go. 
Individuals do not need a DUNS number to register to submit 
applications. The system will generate a default value in that field. 
Individuals who plan to submit a grant application using Grants.gov are 
required to register with the Credential Provider (Step 3 B) and 
register with Grants.gov (Step 4 B).

Get Started, Step 1 B: Find Grant Opportunity for Which You Would Like 
To Apply

    Start your search for Federal government-wide grant opportunities 
and register to receive automatic e-mail notifications of new grant 
opportunities or any modifications to grant opportunities as they are 
posted to the site by clicking the Find Grant Opportunities tab at the 
top of the page.

Get Started, Step 2 B: Organizations Must Register With Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR)

    Your organization will also need to be registered with Central 
Contractor Registry. You can register with them online. This will take 
about 30 minutes. You should receive your CCR registration within 3 
business days.

[[Page 7766]]

Important: You must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet before you 
register with CCR. Many organizations already have a DUNS number. To 
determine if your organization already has a DUNS number or to obtain a 
DUNS number, contact Dun & Bradstreet at 1-866-705-5711. This will take 
about 10 minutes and is free of charge. Be sure to complete the 
Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic Business Primary Point of 
Contact fields during the CCR registration process. These are mandatory 
fields that are required when submitting grant applications through 
Grants.gov.

Get Started, Step 3 B: Register With the Credential Provider

    You must register with a Credential Provider to receive a username 
and password. This will be required to securely submit your grant 
application.

Get Started, Step 4 B: Register With Grants.gov

    The final step in the Get Started process is to register with 
Grants.gov. This will be required to submit grant applications on 
behalf of your organization. After you have completed the registration 
process, you will receive e-mail notification confirming that you are 
able to submit applications through Grants.gov.

Get Started, Step 5: B Log on to Grants.gov

    After you have registered with Grants.gov, you can log on to 
Grants.gov to verify if you have registered successfully, to check 
application status, and to update information in your applicant 
profile, such as your name, telephone number, e-mail address, and 
title. In the future, you will have the ability to determine if you are 
authorized to submit applications through Grants.gov on behalf of your 
organization. In the interim, only the authorized representative can 
submit an application to Grants.gov. Please ensure your organization 
makes an authorized representative designation.

Electronic Application File Format and Naming Conventions

    After the initial grant application package has been submitted to 
NOAA (e.g., via Grants.gov), requests for additional or modified forms 
may be requested by NOAA. Applicants should resubmit forms in Portable 
Document File (PDF) format and follow the following file naming 
convention to name resubmitted forms. For example: 98042--SF-424-mm-dd-
yy--v2.pdf.
    (1) 98042 = Proposal (provided to applicant by Grants.gov & NOAA)
    (2) SF-424 = Form Number
    (3) mm-dd-yy = Date
    (4) v2 = Version Number
    To learn how to convert documents to PDF go to: https://
www.grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf.
    The above is suggested in order to obtain consistency and have the 
documents readily identifiable to the appropriate program and/or grants 
office staff personnel responsible for the application. The Grants.gov 
website provides specific instructions regarding conversion. However, 
in FY2007 applicants can still submit the requested additional 
documents through the mail or facsimile as a last resort if needed.

Eligibility Criteria and Prescreening Process

Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants may be institutions of higher education, non-
profits, commercial organizations, international or foreign 
organizations, governments, individuals, state, local and Indian tribal 
governments. Eligibility also depends on the statutory authority that 
permits NOAA to fund the proposed activity. Eligible applicants should 
go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) to see if they 
are eligible. A current listing of the CFDA programs that may be 
eligible for funding can be found in the FFO posted at Grants.gov that 
accompanies this BAA.

Prescreening Process/Minimum Requirements Review

    Upon receipt of a full application by NOAA, an initial 
administrative review will be conducted to determine eligibility for 
award, compliance with requirements and completeness of the 
application. This review includes determining whether or not:
    1. Statutory authority exists to provide financial assistance for 
the project or organization;
    2. A complete application package has been submitted;
    3. The Project Description/Narrative is consistent with one or more 
of NOAA's mission goals;
    4. The proposal falls within the scope of an existing NOAA 
competitive announcement or duplicates an existing nondiscretionary 
project (if it does, it cannot be funded under this announcement); and
    5. The work in the proposal will directly benefit NOAA (if it will, 
it should be supported by a procurement contract, not a financial 
assistance award which cannot be funded under this announcement, as 
provided in 31 U.S.C. 6303).
    Applications not passing this initial review will be returned to 
the applicant.

Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures

    All proposals submitted in response to this BAA shall be evaluated 
and selected in accordance with the following procedures.

Proposal Review and Selection Process

    NOAA will evaluate proposal(s) determined to be eligible under this 
BAA individually (i.e., proposals will be not compared to each other). 
Proposals are judged and awarded based on the evaluation factors 
described below so long as funds, if any, are available. The merit 
review is conducted by mail reviewers and/or peer panel reviewers. Each 
reviewer will individually evaluate the proposal(s) using the 
evaluation criteria provided below. A minimum of three merit reviewers 
per proposal is required. The reviewers may be any combination of 
Federal and/or non-federal personnel. The proposal(s) will be 
individually scored (i.e., a consensus is not reached) unless all 
reviewers are Federal employees. Only then can a consensus be reached 
by the Federal reviewers, at the discretion of the selection official. 
NOAA selects evaluators on the basis of their professional 
qualifications and expertise as related to the unique characteristics 
of the proposal. The NOAA Program Officer will assess the evaluations 
and make a fund or do not fund recommendation to the Selecting Official 
based on the evaluations of the reviewers. The Selecting Official 
selects proposal(s) after considering the reviews and recommendations 
of the Program Officer. Any application considered for funding may be 
required to address the issues raised in the evaluation of the proposal 
by the reviewers, Program Officer, Selecting Official, and/or Grants 
Officer before an award is issued.
    Applications not selected for funding under this announcement in 
FY2007 may be considered for funding from FY2008 funds but, in response 
to NOAA's request, may be required to revalidate the terms of the 
original application or resubmit in the next BAA cycle if one is 
published for the next fiscal year.
    Proposals not selected for funding will be destroyed.
    The Program Officer, Selecting Official and/or Grants Officer may 
negotiate the final funding level of the proposal with the intended 
applicant. The Selecting Official makes the final recommendation for 
award to the

[[Page 7767]]

NOAA Grants Officer who is authorized to commit the Federal Government 
and obligate the funds.

Evaluation Criteria for BAA Projects

    NOAA has standardized evaluation criteria for all competitive 
assistance announcements. The criteria as applied to this BAA are 
listed below. Since proposals responding to this BAA may vary 
significantly in their activities/objectives, assigning a set weight 
for each evaluation criterion is not feasible but is based on a total 
possible score of 100. The Program Office and/or Selection Official 
will determine which of the following criteria and weights will be 
applied. Some proposals, for example sponsorships, may not be able to 
be evaluated against all the criteria like technical/scientific merit. 
However, it is in your best interest to prepare a proposal that can be 
easily evaluated against these five criteria.

1. Importance and/or Relevance and Applicability of Proposed Project to 
the Mission Goals

    This ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed 
work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal, regional, state, or local 
activities: i.e., How does the proposed activity enhance NOAA's 
strategic plan and mission goals? Proposals should also address 
significance/possibilities of securing productive results: i.e., Does 
this study address an important problem?; If the aims of the 
application are achieved, how will scientific knowledge be advanced?; 
What will be the effect of these studies on the concepts or methods 
that drive this field?; What effect will the project have on improving 
public understanding of the role the ocean, coasts, and atmosphere in 
the global ecosystem? Proposals will also be scored for innovation: 
i.e., Does the project employ novel concepts, approaches or methods?: 
Are the aims original and innovative?: Does the project challenge 
existing paradigms or develop new methodologies or technologies?

2. Technical/Scientific Merit

    This assesses whether the approach is technically sound and if the 
methods are appropriate, and whether there are clear project goals and 
objectives. Proposals should address the approach/soundness of design: 
i.e., Are the conceptual framework, design, methods, and analyses 
adequately developed, well-integrated, and appropriate to the aims of 
the project?; Does the applicant acknowledge potential problem areas 
and consider alternative tactics? This criterion should also address 
the applicant's proposed methods for monitoring, measuring, and 
evaluating the success or failure of the project: i.e., What are they? 
Are they appropriate?

3. Overall Qualifications of Applicants

    This ascertains whether the applicant possesses the necessary 
education, experience, training, facilities, and administrative 
resources to accomplish the project. If appropriate, proposals should 
also address the physical environment and collaboration, if any: i.e., 
Does the environment in which the work will be done contribute to the 
probability of success? Do the proposed experiments or activities take 
advantage of unique features of the intended environment or employ 
useful collaborative arrangements?

4. Project Costs

    The Budget is evaluated to determine if it is realistic and 
commensurate with the project needs and time-frame.

5. Outreach and Education

    NOAA assesses whether this project provides a focused and effective 
education and outreach strategy regarding NOAA's mission to protect the 
Nation's environmental resources. For example, how will the outcomes of 
the project be communicated to NOAA and the interested public to ensure 
it has met the project objectives over the short, medium or long term? 
Does the project address any of the goals or employ any of the 
strategies of the NOAA Education Plan (https://www.oesd.noaa.gov/NOAA_
Ed_Plan.pdf)?
    Statutory Authority: The specific program authority will vary 
depending on the nature of the proposed project. A list of the most 
prevalent assistance authorities are 15 U.S.C. 1540; 15 U.S.C. 2901 et 
seq.; 16 U.S.C. 661; 16 U.S.C. 1456c; 33 U.S.C. 883a-d; 33 U.S.C. 1442; 
49 U.S.C. 44720(b).
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: The CFDA 
number will vary depending on the nature of the proposed project. The 
applicant should consult the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
series 11.400 [dash] 11.481 and review the subset of CFDA's applicable 
to this BAA to select the most accurate program for the proposed 
project. The link to the catalog for NOAA programs is as follows: 
https://12.46.245.173/pls/portal30/CATALOG.BROWSE--SUBAGENCY--PROGRAM--
RPT.SHOW?p--arg--names=agency--id&p--arg--values=206.
    Funding Availability: There is no direct level of Congressional 
funding available for this BAA. Funding of a project is completely at 
the discretion of the program office willing to support the proposed 
activities. Appropriations from FY2007 or FY2008 (if and when 
available) may be used to fund applications in response to this BAA.
    Application Deadline: Full applications can be submitted on a 
rolling basis up to 5 p.m. Eastern Time September 28, 2007. 
Applications received after this time will be returned without review. 
Applications shall be evaluated for funding generally within 3 to 6 
months of receipt. An applicant can expect to receive either a 
rejection notice, request for additional information, and/or award 
within that timeframe.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: Cost sharing is not required unless it 
is determined that a project can only be funded under an authority that 
requires matching funds.
    Application Requirements: Full applications will be required to 
submit the standard forms as posted in the FFO, in addition to a 
project narrative (which must include a synopsis which is not to exceed 
one page), budget narrative, and project timeline.
    Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program may be 
subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of 
Federal Programs.'' Refer to the appropriate CFDA number listed on your 
application for the applicability of this E.O. to your proposal.

Limitation of Liability

    Funding for potential projects in this notice is contingent upon 
the availability of fiscal year 2007 appropriations. Applicants are 
hereby given notice that funds have not yet been appropriated for any 
proposed activities in this notice. In no event will NOAA or the 
Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs. 
Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any 
specific project or to obligate any available funds.

Universal Identifier

    Applicants should be aware that, for programs which have deadline 
dates on or after October 1, 2003, they may be required to provide a 
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during 
the application process. See the October 30, 2002 Federal Register (67 
FR 66177) for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or via the internet (https://
www.dunandbradstreet.com).

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National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

    NOAA must analyze the potential environmental impacts, as required 
by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), for applicant projects 
or proposals which are seeking NOAA federal funding opportunities. 
Detailed information on NOAA compliance with NEPA can be found at the 
following NOAA NEPA Web site: https://www.nepa.noaa.gov/, including our 
NOAA Administrative Order 216-6 for NEPA, https://www.nepa.noaa.gov/
NAO216_6_TOC.pdf, NEPA Questionnaire, https://www.nepa.noaa.gov/
questionnaire.pdf, and the Council on Environmental Quality 
implementation regulations, https://ceq.eh.doe.gov/nepa/regs/ceq/toc_
ceq.htm. Consequently, as part of an applicant's package, and under 
their description of their program activities, applicants are required 
to provide detailed information on the activities to be conducted, 
locations, sites, species and habitat to be affected, possible 
construction activities, and any environmental concerns that may exist 
(e.g., the use and disposal of hazardous or toxic chemicals, 
introduction of non-indigenous species, impacts to endangered and 
threatened species, aquaculture projects, and impacts to coral reef 
systems). In addition to providing specific information that will serve 
as the basis for any required impact analyses, applicants may also be 
requested to assist NOAA in drafting of an environmental assessment, if 
NOAA determines an assessment is required. Applicants will also be 
required to cooperate with NOAA in identifying feasible measures to 
reduce or avoid any identified adverse environmental impacts of their 
proposal. The failure to do so shall be grounds for not selecting an 
application. In some cases if additional information is required after 
an application is selected, funds can be withheld by the Grants Officer 
under a special award condition requiring the recipient to submit 
additional environmental compliance information sufficient to enable 
NOAA to make an assessment on any impacts that a project may have on 
the environment.

Compliance with Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security 
Export Administration Regulations

    a. This section applies to the extent that this BAA results in 
financial assistance awards involving access to export-controlled 
information or technology.
    b. In performing a financial assistance award, the recipient may 
gain access to export-controlled information or technology. The 
recipient will then be responsible for compliance with all applicable 
laws and regulations regarding export-controlled information and 
technology, including deemed exports. The recipient shall establish and 
maintain throughout performance of the financial assistance award 
effective export compliance procedures at non-NOAA facilities. At a 
minimum, these export compliance procedures must include adequate 
controls of physical, verbal, visual, and electronic access to export-
controlled information and technology.
    c. Definitions
    1. Deemed export. The Export Administration Regulations (EAR) 
define a deemed export as any release of technology or source code 
subject to the EAR to a foreign national, both in the United States and 
abroad. Such release is ``deemed'' to be an export to the home country 
of the foreign national. 15 CFR 734.2(b)(2)(ii).
    2. Export-controlled information and technology. Export-controlled 
information and technology is information and technology subject to the 
EAR (15 CFR parts 730 et seq.), implemented by the DOC Bureau of 
Industry and Security, or the International Traffic I Arms Regulations 
(ITAR) (22 CFR parts 120-130), implemented by the Department of State, 
respectively. This includes, but is not limited to, dual-us items, 
defense articles and any related assistance, services, software or 
technical data as defined in the EAR and ITAR.
    d. The recipient shall control access to all export-controlled 
information and technology that it possesses or that comes into its 
possession in performance of a financial assistance award, to ensure 
that access is restricted, or licensed, as required by applicable 
Federal laws, Executive Orders, and/or regulations.
    e. Nothing in the terms of this section is intended to change, 
supersede, or waive any of the requirements of applicable Federal laws, 
Executive Orders or regulations.
    f. The recipient shall include this clause, including this 
paragraph (f), in all lower tier transactions (subawards, contracts, 
and subcontracts) under the financial assistance award that may involve 
access to export-controlled information technology.

NOAA implementation of Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 12

    If the performance of a financial assistance award, if approved by 
NOAA, requires recipients to have physical access to Federal premises 
for more than 180 days or access to a Federal information system, any 
items or services delivered under a financial assistance award shall 
comply with the Department of Commerce personal identity verification 
procedures that implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive - 
12, FIPS PUB 201, and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-
05-24. The recipient shall insert this clause in all subawards or 
contracts when the subaward recipient or contractor is required to have 
physical access to a Federally controlled facility or access to a 
Federal information system.

The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) are applicable to this 
solicitation.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection-of-information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 
424 and 424A, 424B, 424C, 424D, SF-LLL, and CD-346 has been approved by 
OMB under the respective control numbers 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.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

    It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies 
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/ Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical

[[Page 7769]]

requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

    Dated: February 12, 2007.
Daniel L. Clever,
Deputy Director, Acquisition and Grants Office, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. E7-2833 Filed 2-19-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-12-S