Solicitation of Applications for the National Technical Assistance, Training, Research and Evaluation Program: Regional Training Curriculum Implementation, 38812-38815 [E7-13586]
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38812
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 72, No. 135
Monday, July 16, 2007
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
Olympic Province Advisory Committee
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: The Olympic Peninsula
Resource Advisory Committee will meet
on August 16, 2007 in Shelton,
Washinton. The purpose of the meeting
is to recommend funding for Title II
proposals submitted under Public Law
106–393, H.R. 2389, the Secure Rural
Schools Act of 2000, also called the
‘‘Payments to States’’ Act. The meeting
will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
at PUD No. 3 Conference Room, 307 W.
Cota Street, Shelton, WA 98584.
Karl
Denison, Olympic Resource Advisory
Committee Liaison, USDA, Olympic
National Forest Headquarters, 1835
Black Lake Blvd., Olympia, WA 98512–
5623, (360) 956–2306.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Individuals, community-based
organizations, tribes and government
agencies will present the Title II project
proposals submitted to the RAC. The
meeting is open to the public. Public
input opportunity will be provided and
individuals will have the opportunity to
address the RAC at that time.
Dated: July 5, 2007.
Dale Hom,
Forest Supervisory, Olympic National Forest.
[FR Doc. 07–3458 Filed 7–13–07; 8:45 am]
hsrobinson on PROD1PC76 with NOTICES
BILLING CODE 3410–11–M
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Natural Resources Conservation
Service
Lost River Subwatershed of the
Potomac River Watershed, Hardy
County, WV
Natural Resources
Conservation Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Availability of a
Record of Decision.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Kevin Wickey, responsible
Federal official for projects
administered under the provisions of
the Flood Control Act of 1944, Public
Law 78–534, in the State of West
Virginia, is hereby providing
notification that a Record of Decision to
proceed with the installation of the Lost
River Site 16 project on Lower Cove Run
is available. Single copies of this Record
of Decision may be obtained from Kevin
Wickey at the address shown below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kevin Wickey, State Conservationist,
Natural Resources Conservation Service,
75 High Street, Room 301, Morgantown,
West Virginia 26505, telephone (304)
284–7545.
Dated: July 9, 2007.
Louis E. Aspey,
Assistant State Conservationist—Water
Resources.
‘‘(This activity is listed in the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance under No. 10–
904—Watershed Protection and Flood
Prevention—and is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372 which requires
intergovernmental consultation with State
and local officials.)’’
[FR Doc. E7–13744 Filed 7–13–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No.: 070628222–7223–01]
Solicitation of Applications for the
National Technical Assistance,
Training, Research and Evaluation
Program: Regional Training
Curriculum Implementation
Economic Development
Administration, Department of
Commerce.
AGENCY:
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Notice and request for
applications.
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The Economic Development
Administration (EDA) is soliciting
applications for FY 2007 National
Technical Assistance, Training,
Research and Evaluation program (NTA
Program) funding. Recent studies on
economic development, including
several EDA-funded reports, stress the
importance of a regional approach to
successful economic development.
However, the actual implementation of
economic development from the
regional perspective is not robust.
Therefore, in FY 2006, EDA funded the
development of a practitioner-oriented
curriculum to acquaint local economic
development practitioners with the
benefits, process, and practice of
economic regionalism. Pursuant to this
notice and the NTA Program, EDA now
solicits applications to deliver this
curriculum to practitioners across the
Nation. EDA’s mission is to lead the
federal economic development agenda
by promoting innovation and
competitiveness, preparing American
regions for growth and success in the
worldwide economy. Through its NTA
Program, EDA works towards fulfilling
its mission by funding research and
technical assistance projects to promote
competitiveness and innovation in rural
and urban regions throughout the
United States and its territories. By
working in conjunction with its research
partners, EDA will help States, local
governments, and community-based
organizations to achieve their highest
economic potential.
DATES: To be considered timely, a
completed application, regardless of the
format in which it is submitted, must be
either: (1) Received by the EDA
representative listed below under
‘‘Paper Submissions’’ no later than
August 13, 2007 at 5 p.m. EDT; or (2)
transmitted and time-stamped at
www.grants.gov no later than August 13,
2007 at 5 p.m. EDT. Any application
received or transmitted, as the case may
be, after 5 p.m. EDT on August 13, 2007
will be considered non-responsive and
will not be considered for funding.
Please see the instructions below under
‘‘Submitting Application Packages’’ for
information regarding format options for
submitting completed applications. The
closing date and time are the same for
paper submissions as for electronic
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submissions. By September 10, 2007,
EDA expects to notify the applicant
selected for investment assistance under
this notice. The selected applicant
should expect to receive funding for its
project within thirty days of EDA’s
notification of selection. Applicants
choosing to submit completed
applications electronically in whole or
in part through www.grants.gov should
follow the instructions set out below
under ‘‘Electronic Access’’ and in
section IV. of the complete Federal
Funding Opportunity (FFO)
announcement for this request for
applications.
ADDRESSES: Paper Submissions:
Completed applications submitted
pursuant to this notice and request for
applications may be hand-delivered or
mailed to William P. Kittredge, Senior
Program Analyst, Economic
Development Administration, Room
7009, U.S. Department of Commerce,
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20230. Applicants are
advised that, due to mail security
measures, EDA’s receipt of mail sent via
the United States Postal Service may be
substantially delayed or suspended in
delivery. Applicants may wish to use a
guaranteed overnight delivery service.
Electronic Submissions: Applicants
submitting full or partial paper
submissions are encouraged to do so by
e-mail. Completed applications may be
e-mailed to William P. Kittredge, Senior
Program Analyst, at
wkittredge@eda.doc.gov. Applicants
also may submit applications
electronically in whole or in part in
accordance with the instructions
provided at www.grants.gov and in
section IV.B. of the FFO announcement.
EDA strongly encourages that applicants
not wait until the application closing
date to begin the application process
through www.grants.gov. The preferred
file format for electronic attachments
(e.g., the project narrative and
additional exhibits to Form ED–900A
and Form ED–900A’s program-specific
component) is portable document
format (PDF); however, EDA will accept
electronic files in Microsoft Word,
WordPerfect, Lotus or Excel formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information on the NTA
Program or to obtain paper application
packages for this notice, please contact
William P. Kittredge, Senior Program
Analyst, via e-mail at
wkittredge@eda.doc.gov (preferred) or
by telephone at (202) 482–5442.
For additional information regarding
electronic submissions, please access
the following link for assistance in
navigating www.grants.gov and for a list
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of useful resources: https://
www.grants.gov/applicants/
applicant_help.jsp. If you do not find an
answer to your question under
Frequently Asked Questions, try
consulting the Applicant’s User Guide.
If you still cannot find an answer to
your question, contact www.grants.gov
via e-mail at support@grants.gov or
telephone at 1–800–518–4726. The
hours of operation for www.grants.gov
are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
(EST) (except for federal holidays).
Additional information about EDA
and its NTA Program may be obtained
from EDA’s Internet Web site at https://
www.eda.gov. The complete FFO
announcement for this request for
applications is available at
www.grants.gov and at https://
www.eda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information: Recent
studies on economic development,
including several EDA-funded reports,
stress the importance of a regional
approach to successful economic
development. However, the actual
implementation of economic
development from the regional
perspective is not robust. Therefore, in
FY 2006, EDA funded the development
of a practitioner-oriented curriculum to
acquaint local economic development
practitioners with the benefits, process,
and practice of economic regionalism.
Through this notice and request for
applications, EDA now solicits
applications for the nationwide delivery
of this curriculum to economic
development practitioners.
Applicants should describe the
number of training sessions (workshops)
contemplated, the methods by which
appropriate participants will be
identified, and what, if any, certification
or other credential will be awarded to
participants who successfully complete
the training. The curriculum currently
being developed is based, in part, on a
needs assessment conducted as part of
the development process. The
assessment report is available online at
https://knowyourregion.wcu.edu/pdf/
EDANeedsAssessment.pdf.
The workshop format and materials
are in the final stages of development.
EDA anticipates the final format will be
two-day workshops designed to develop
forward-thinking regional economic
development plans that generate
momentum for regional economic
development and help practitioners
identify and access appropriate federal
resources. Based on real world planning
experiences in many different regions,
as well as the latest thinking of federal
policy makers, the workshops are
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intended to help economic development
practitioners understand their regions in
a knowledge-based economy and
develop a global competitive advantage.
Under this notice and request for
applications, a nationwide
implementation of the workshops is
required, although the specific number
of workshops is at the applicant’s
discretion. Applications incorporating
workshops that leverage EDA
investment assistance are preferred. One
example of leveraging is a workshop
coincident with practitioner association
meetings at the national, regional, and
State levels. EDA will require the
recipient to evaluate the workshops’
impact via an exit survey, the results of
which are reported to EDA following
each workshop.
Application Package: An application
package consists of the following three
forms:
1. Form ED–900A, Application for
Investment Assistance (OMB Control
No. 0610–0094);
2. Form ED–900A’s program-specific
component, National Technical
Assistance, Training, and Research and
Evaluation Program Requirements
(OMB Control No. 0610–0094); and
3. Form SF–424, Application for
Federal Assistance (OMB Control No.
4040–0004).
Please note that applicants must
submit all components of the
application package in accordance with
the instructions provided in sections IV.
and VII.B. of the FFO announcement.
Submitting Application Packages:
Applications may be submitted in one
of three formats: (1) Full paper
(hardcopy) submission; (2) partial paper
(hardcopy) submission and partial
electronic submission; or (3) full
electronic submission, each in
accordance with the procedures
provided in section IV.B. of the FFO
announcement. The content of the
application is the same for paper
submissions as it is for electronic
submissions. Applications completed in
accordance with the instructions set
forth in the FFO announcement,
regardless of the option chosen for
submission, will be considered for EDA
funding under this notice. Incomplete
applications and applications submitted
by facsimile will not be considered.
Section IV.C.2. of the FFO
announcement provides a checklist of
all items that a complete application
package must include. As stated in
section I.B. of the FFO announcement,
EDA contemplates a three-year cycle of
funding under this competitive
solicitation. Therefore, applicants must
submit a separate budget for each year
of the three-year project period. The
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budget must include columns reflecting
the federal, non-federal cash, nonfederal in-kind and total amounts
allocated to each budget line-item for
each project year. Applicants should use
the budget categories identified in
‘‘Section B—Budget Categories’’ of Form
SF–424A, with sub-categories and
explanations as necessary.
Paper Access: Each of the three forms
listed above under ‘‘Application
Package’’ are separate attachments
available at https://www.eda.gov/
InvestmentsGrants/Application.xml.
You may print copies of each of these
forms from https://www.eda.gov/
InvestmentsGrants/Application.xml.
You also may obtain paper application
packages by contacting the EDA
representative listed above under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access: Applicants may
apply electronically through
www.grants.gov and may access this
grant opportunity synopsis by following
the instructions provided on https://
www.grants.gov/search/basic.do. The
synopsis will have an application
package, which is an electronic file that
contains forms pertaining to this
specific grant opportunity. On https://
www.grants.gov/search/basic.do,
applicants can perform a basic search
for this grant opportunity by completing
the ‘‘Keyword Search,’’ the ‘‘Search by
Funding Opportunity Number,’’ or the
‘‘Search by CFDA Number’’ field, and
then clicking the ‘‘Search’’ button.
Funding Availability: EDA may use
funds appropriated under the Revised
Continuing Appropriations Resolution,
2007, Pub. L. No. 110–5 (February 15,
2007) to make awards under the NTA
Program authorized under section 207
of the Public Works and Economic
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C.
3147), as amended (PWEDA), and 13
CFR part 306, subpart A. Approximately
$2,700,000 is available, and shall
remain available until expended, for
funding awards pursuant to the NTA
Program. Based on past experience with
its NTA Program, EDA anticipates the
award made under this request for
applications to be between $275,000
and $375,000 for the first year of the
project period. EDA published the first
two of three Federal Register notices
under the NTA Program on June 21,
2007 (72 FR 34225) and July 6, 2007 (72
FR 36952), respectively.
Statutory Authority: The authority for
the NTA Program is PWEDA. EDA
published final regulations (codified at
13 CFR chapter III) in the Federal
Register on September 27, 2006 (71 FR
56658). The final regulations became
effective upon publication and reflect
changes made to PWEDA by the
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Economic Development Administration
Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Pub. L. No.
108–373, 118 Stat. 1756 (2004)). These
regulations will govern an award made
under this notice and request for
applications. The final regulations and
PWEDA are accessible on EDA’s
Internet Web site at https://www.eda.gov/
InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 11.303,
Economic Development—Technical
Assistance; 11.312, Economic
Development—Research and
Evaluation.
Eligibility Requirement: Pursuant to
PWEDA, eligible applicants for and
eligible recipients of EDA investment
assistance include a District
Organization; an Indian Tribe or a
consortium of Indian Tribes; a State; a
city or other political subdivision of a
State, including a special purpose unit
of a State or local government engaged
in economic or infrastructure
development activities, or a consortium
of political subdivisions; an institution
of higher education or a consortium of
institutions of higher education; a
public or private non-profit organization
or association; and, as provided in
section 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3147)
for the NTA Program, a private
individual or a for-profit organization.
See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C.
3122) and 13 CFR 300.3.
Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally,
the amount of the EDA grant may not
exceed fifty (50) percent of the total cost
of the project. However, a project may
receive an additional amount that shall
not exceed thirty (30) percent, based on
the relative needs of the region in which
the project will be located, as
determined by EDA. See section 204(a)
of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR
301.4(b)(1). Under this request for
applications, the Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Economic Development
(Assistant Secretary) also has the
discretion to establish a maximum EDA
investment rate of up to one hundred
(100) percent where the project (i)
merits and is not otherwise feasible
without an increase to the EDA
investment rate; or (ii) will be of no or
only incidental benefit to the recipient.
See section 204(c)(3) of PWEDA (42
U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(4).
While cash contributions are
preferred, in-kind contributions,
consisting of assumptions of debt or
contributions of space, equipment, and
services, may provide the non-federal
share of the total project cost. See
section 204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C.
3144). EDA will fairly evaluate all inkind contributions, which must be
eligible project costs and meet
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applicable federal cost principles and
uniform administrative requirements.
Funds from other federal financial
assistance awards are considered
matching share funds only if authorized
by statute that allows such use, which
may be determined by EDA’s reasonable
interpretation of the statute. See 13 CFR
300.3. The applicant must show that the
matching share is committed to the
project, available as needed and not
conditioned or encumbered in any way
that precludes its use consistent with
the requirements of EDA investment
assistance. See 13 CFR 301.5.
Intergovernmental Review:
Applications under the NTA Program
are not subject to Executive Order
12372, ‘‘Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.’’
Evaluation and Selection Procedures:
To apply for an award under this
request for applications, an eligible
applicant must submit a completed
application package to EDA before the
closing date and time specified in the
DATES section of this notice, and in the
manner provided in section IV. of the
FFO announcement. Any application
received or transmitted, as the case may
be, after 5 p.m. EDT on August 13, 2007
will not be considered for funding.
Applications that do not meet all items
required or that exceed the page
limitations set forth in section IV.C. of
the FFO announcement will be
considered non-responsive and will not
be considered by the review panel. By
September 10, 2007, EDA expects to
notify the applicant selected for
investment assistance under this notice.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified
by postal mail that their applications
were not selected for funding.
Applications that meet all the
requirements will be evaluated by a
review panel comprised of at least three
EDA staff members, all of whom will be
full-time federal employees.
Evaluation Criteria: The review panel
will evaluate the applications and rate
and rank them using the following
criteria of approximate equal weight:
1. Conformance with EDA’s statutory
and regulatory requirements, including
the extent to which the proposed project
satisfies the award requirements set out
below and as provided in 13 CFR 306.2:
a. Strengthens the capacity of local,
State or national organizations and
institutions to undertake and promote
effective economic development
programs targeted to regions of distress;
b. Benefits distressed regions; and
c. Demonstrates innovative
approaches to stimulate economic
development in distressed regions;
2. The degree to which an EDA
investment will have strong
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organizational leadership, relevant
project management experience and a
significant commitment of human
resources talent to ensure the project’s
successful execution (see 13 CFR
301.8(b));
3. The ability of the applicant to
implement the proposed project
successfully (see 13 CFR 301.8);
4. The feasibility of the budget
presented;
5. The cost to the Federal government;
and
6. The extent to which the
application:
a. Includes workshops that leverage
EDA investment assistance; and
b. Exhibits regional dispersal and an
estimated size of the audience and its
composition (e.g., urban and rural
practitioners).
Selection Factors: The Assistant
Secretary, as the Selecting Official,
expects to fund the highest ranking
application, as recommended by the
review panel, submitted under this
notice. However, the Assistant Secretary
may not make any selection, or he may
select an application out of rank order
for the following reasons: (1) A
determination that the application better
meets the overall objectives of sections
2 and 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3121
and 3147); (2) the applicant’s
performance under previous awards; or
(3) the availability of funding.
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The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements,
published in the Federal Register on
December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389), is
applicable to this request for
applications. This notice may be
accessed by entering the Federal
Register volume and page number
provided in the previous sentence at the
following Internet Web site: https://
www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This request for applications contains
collections of information subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). The Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) has
approved the use of Form ED–900A
(Application for Investment Assistance)
under control number 0610–0094. Form
ED–900A’s program-specific component
(National Technical Assistance,
Training, and Research and Evaluation
Program Requirements) also is approved
under OMB control number 0610–0094,
and incorporates Forms SF–424A
(Budget Information—Non-Construction
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Programs, OMB control number 0348–
0044) and SF–424B (Assurances—NonConstruction Programs, OMB control
number 0348–0040). OMB has approved
the use of Form SF–424 (Application for
Financial Assistance) under control
number 4040–0004. 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 the 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, ‘‘Regulatory Planning and
Review.’’
Executive Order 13132
It has been determined that this notice
does not contain ‘‘policies that have
Federalism implications,’’ as that phrase
is defined in Executive Order 13132,
‘‘Federalism.’’
Administrative Procedure Act/
Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for
public comments are not required by the
Administrative Procedure Act or any
other law for rules concerning 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 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: July 9, 2007.
Benjamin Erulkar,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development and Chief Operating
Officer.
[FR Doc. E7–13586 Filed 7–13–07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–24–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security
Deemed Export Advisory Committee;
Notice of Partially Closed Meeting
The Deemed Export Advisory
Committee (DEAC) will meet in an open
session on Monday, July 30, 2007 from
9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at the University of
Chicago, The Donnelley Biological
Sciences Learning Center (BSLC), 924
East 57th Street, Room 115, Chicago, IL
60637 (located between Ellis Avenue
and Drexel Avenue). Registration will
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38815
begin at 8:30 a.m. A map of the campus
can be found at the following Web site
https://maps.uchicago.edu/pdfs/
campus.pdf.
The DEAC is a Federal Advisory
Committee established in accordance
with the requirements of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5
U.S.C. app. 2. It advises the Secretary of
Commerce on deemed export licensing
policy. A tentative agenda of topics for
discussion is listed below. While these
topics will likely be discussed, this list
is not exhaustive and there may be
discussion of other related items during
the public session.
July 30, 2007
Public Session
1. Introductory Remarks.
2. Current Deemed Export Control
Policy Issues.
3. Technology Transfer Issues.
4. U.S. Industry Competitiveness.
5. U.S. Academic and Government
Research Communities.
6. Industry, Academia and other
Stakeholder Comments.
A limited number of seats will be
available for the public session.
Reservations will not be accepted. To
the extent time permits, members of the
general public may present oral
statements to the DEAC. The general
public may submit written statements at
any time before or after the meeting.
However, to facilitate distribution to
DEAC members, BIS suggests that
general public presentation materials or
comments be forwarded before the
meeting to Ms. Yvette Springer at
Yspringer@bis.doc.gov.
July 31, 2007
Closed Session
The DEAC will also meet in a closed
session on Monday, July 30, 2007, from
approximately 8 a.m.–9 a.m. and from
approximately 1:30 p.m.–5 p.m. In
addition, the DEAC will meet in a
closed session on Tuesday, July 31,
2007 from approximately 9 a.m.–5:30
p.m. During the closed session, there
will be discussion of matters
determined to be exempt from the
provisions relating to public meetings
found in 5 U.S.C. app. 2 10(a)(1) and
10(a)(3). The Assistant Secretary for
Administration formally determined on
July 2, 2007, pursuant to Section 10(d)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act,
as amended (5 U.S.C. app. 2 (10)(d)),
that the portion of the meeting
concerning trade secrets and
commercial or financial information
deemed privileged or confidential as
described in 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(4), the
portion of the meeting concerning
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 135 (Monday, July 16, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38812-38815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-13586]
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No.: 070628222-7223-01]
Solicitation of Applications for the National Technical
Assistance, Training, Research and Evaluation Program: Regional
Training Curriculum Implementation
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting
applications for FY 2007 National Technical Assistance, Training,
Research and Evaluation program (NTA Program) funding. Recent studies
on economic development, including several EDA-funded reports, stress
the importance of a regional approach to successful economic
development. However, the actual implementation of economic development
from the regional perspective is not robust. Therefore, in FY 2006, EDA
funded the development of a practitioner-oriented curriculum to
acquaint local economic development practitioners with the benefits,
process, and practice of economic regionalism. Pursuant to this notice
and the NTA Program, EDA now solicits applications to deliver this
curriculum to practitioners across the Nation. EDA's mission is to lead
the federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and
competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in
the worldwide economy. Through its NTA Program, EDA works towards
fulfilling its mission by funding research and technical assistance
projects to promote competitiveness and innovation in rural and urban
regions throughout the United States and its territories. By working in
conjunction with its research partners, EDA will help States, local
governments, and community-based organizations to achieve their highest
economic potential.
DATES: To be considered timely, a completed application, regardless of
the format in which it is submitted, must be either: (1) Received by
the EDA representative listed below under ``Paper Submissions'' no
later than August 13, 2007 at 5 p.m. EDT; or (2) transmitted and time-
stamped at www.grants.gov no later than August 13, 2007 at 5 p.m. EDT.
Any application received or transmitted, as the case may be, after 5
p.m. EDT on August 13, 2007 will be considered non-responsive and will
not be considered for funding. Please see the instructions below under
``Submitting Application Packages'' for information regarding format
options for submitting completed applications. The closing date and
time are the same for paper submissions as for electronic
[[Page 38813]]
submissions. By September 10, 2007, EDA expects to notify the applicant
selected for investment assistance under this notice. The selected
applicant should expect to receive funding for its project within
thirty days of EDA's notification of selection. Applicants choosing to
submit completed applications electronically in whole or in part
through www.grants.gov should follow the instructions set out below
under ``Electronic Access'' and in section IV. of the complete Federal
Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for this request for
applications.
ADDRESSES: Paper Submissions: Completed applications submitted pursuant
to this notice and request for applications may be hand-delivered or
mailed to William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, Economic
Development Administration, Room 7009, U.S. Department of Commerce,
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Applicants are
advised that, due to mail security measures, EDA's receipt of mail sent
via the United States Postal Service may be substantially delayed or
suspended in delivery. Applicants may wish to use a guaranteed
overnight delivery service.
Electronic Submissions: Applicants submitting full or partial paper
submissions are encouraged to do so by e-mail. Completed applications
may be e-mailed to William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, at
wkittredge@eda.doc.gov. Applicants also may submit applications
electronically in whole or in part in accordance with the instructions
provided at www.grants.gov and in section IV.B. of the FFO
announcement. EDA strongly encourages that applicants not wait until
the application closing date to begin the application process through
www.grants.gov. The preferred file format for electronic attachments
(e.g., the project narrative and additional exhibits to Form ED-900A
and Form ED-900A's program-specific component) is portable document
format (PDF); however, EDA will accept electronic files in Microsoft
Word, WordPerfect, Lotus or Excel formats.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the NTA
Program or to obtain paper application packages for this notice, please
contact William P. Kittredge, Senior Program Analyst, via e-mail at
wkittredge@eda.doc.gov (preferred) or by telephone at (202) 482-5442.
For additional information regarding electronic submissions, please
access the following link for assistance in navigating www.grants.gov
and for a list of useful resources: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/
applicant_help.jsp. If you do not find an answer to your question
under Frequently Asked Questions, try consulting the Applicant's User
Guide. If you still cannot find an answer to your question, contact
www.grants.gov via e-mail at support@grants.gov or telephone at 1-800-
518-4726. The hours of operation for www.grants.gov are Monday-Friday,
7 a.m. to 9 p.m. (EST) (except for federal holidays).
Additional information about EDA and its NTA Program may be
obtained from EDA's Internet Web site at https://www.eda.gov. The
complete FFO announcement for this request for applications is
available at www.grants.gov and at https://www.eda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background Information: Recent studies on economic development,
including several EDA-funded reports, stress the importance of a
regional approach to successful economic development. However, the
actual implementation of economic development from the regional
perspective is not robust. Therefore, in FY 2006, EDA funded the
development of a practitioner-oriented curriculum to acquaint local
economic development practitioners with the benefits, process, and
practice of economic regionalism. Through this notice and request for
applications, EDA now solicits applications for the nationwide delivery
of this curriculum to economic development practitioners.
Applicants should describe the number of training sessions
(workshops) contemplated, the methods by which appropriate participants
will be identified, and what, if any, certification or other credential
will be awarded to participants who successfully complete the training.
The curriculum currently being developed is based, in part, on a needs
assessment conducted as part of the development process. The assessment
report is available online at https://knowyourregion.wcu.edu/pdf/
EDANeedsAssessment.pdf.
The workshop format and materials are in the final stages of
development. EDA anticipates the final format will be two-day workshops
designed to develop forward-thinking regional economic development
plans that generate momentum for regional economic development and help
practitioners identify and access appropriate federal resources. Based
on real world planning experiences in many different regions, as well
as the latest thinking of federal policy makers, the workshops are
intended to help economic development practitioners understand their
regions in a knowledge-based economy and develop a global competitive
advantage.
Under this notice and request for applications, a nationwide
implementation of the workshops is required, although the specific
number of workshops is at the applicant's discretion. Applications
incorporating workshops that leverage EDA investment assistance are
preferred. One example of leveraging is a workshop coincident with
practitioner association meetings at the national, regional, and State
levels. EDA will require the recipient to evaluate the workshops'
impact via an exit survey, the results of which are reported to EDA
following each workshop.
Application Package: An application package consists of the
following three forms:
1. Form ED-900A, Application for Investment Assistance (OMB Control
No. 0610-0094);
2. Form ED-900A's program-specific component, National Technical
Assistance, Training, and Research and Evaluation Program Requirements
(OMB Control No. 0610-0094); and
3. Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance (OMB Control No.
4040-0004).
Please note that applicants must submit all components of the
application package in accordance with the instructions provided in
sections IV. and VII.B. of the FFO announcement.
Submitting Application Packages: Applications may be submitted in
one of three formats: (1) Full paper (hardcopy) submission; (2) partial
paper (hardcopy) submission and partial electronic submission; or (3)
full electronic submission, each in accordance with the procedures
provided in section IV.B. of the FFO announcement. The content of the
application is the same for paper submissions as it is for electronic
submissions. Applications completed in accordance with the instructions
set forth in the FFO announcement, regardless of the option chosen for
submission, will be considered for EDA funding under this notice.
Incomplete applications and applications submitted by facsimile will
not be considered.
Section IV.C.2. of the FFO announcement provides a checklist of all
items that a complete application package must include. As stated in
section I.B. of the FFO announcement, EDA contemplates a three-year
cycle of funding under this competitive solicitation. Therefore,
applicants must submit a separate budget for each year of the three-
year project period. The
[[Page 38814]]
budget must include columns reflecting the federal, non-federal cash,
non-federal in-kind and total amounts allocated to each budget line-
item for each project year. Applicants should use the budget categories
identified in ``Section B--Budget Categories'' of Form SF-424A, with
sub-categories and explanations as necessary.
Paper Access: Each of the three forms listed above under
``Application Package'' are separate attachments available at https://
www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Application.xml. You may print copies of
each of these forms from https://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/
Application.xml. You also may obtain paper application packages by
contacting the EDA representative listed above under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access: Applicants may apply electronically through
www.grants.gov and may access this grant opportunity synopsis by
following the instructions provided on https://www.grants.gov/search/
basic.do. The synopsis will have an application package, which is an
electronic file that contains forms pertaining to this specific grant
opportunity. On https://www.grants.gov/search/basic.do, applicants can
perform a basic search for this grant opportunity by completing the
``Keyword Search,'' the ``Search by Funding Opportunity Number,'' or
the ``Search by CFDA Number'' field, and then clicking the ``Search''
button.
Funding Availability: EDA may use funds appropriated under the
Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007, Pub. L. No. 110-5
(February 15, 2007) to make awards under the NTA Program authorized
under section 207 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of
1965 (42 U.S.C. 3147), as amended (PWEDA), and 13 CFR part 306, subpart
A. Approximately $2,700,000 is available, and shall remain available
until expended, for funding awards pursuant to the NTA Program. Based
on past experience with its NTA Program, EDA anticipates the award made
under this request for applications to be between $275,000 and $375,000
for the first year of the project period. EDA published the first two
of three Federal Register notices under the NTA Program on June 21,
2007 (72 FR 34225) and July 6, 2007 (72 FR 36952), respectively.
Statutory Authority: The authority for the NTA Program is PWEDA.
EDA published final regulations (codified at 13 CFR chapter III) in the
Federal Register on September 27, 2006 (71 FR 56658). The final
regulations became effective upon publication and reflect changes made
to PWEDA by the Economic Development Administration Reauthorization Act
of 2004 (Pub. L. No. 108-373, 118 Stat. 1756 (2004)). These regulations
will govern an award made under this notice and request for
applications. The final regulations and PWEDA are accessible on EDA's
Internet Web site at https://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 11.303,
Economic Development--Technical Assistance; 11.312, Economic
Development--Research and Evaluation.
Eligibility Requirement: Pursuant to PWEDA, eligible applicants for
and eligible recipients of EDA investment assistance include a District
Organization; an Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; a
State; a city or other political subdivision of a State, including a
special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic
or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political
subdivisions; an institution of higher education or a consortium of
institutions of higher education; a public or private non-profit
organization or association; and, as provided in section 207 of PWEDA
(42 U.S.C. 3147) for the NTA Program, a private individual or a for-
profit organization. See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 CFR
300.3.
Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally, the amount of the EDA grant
may not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total cost of the project.
However, a project may receive an additional amount that shall not
exceed thirty (30) percent, based on the relative needs of the region
in which the project will be located, as determined by EDA. See section
204(a) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(1). Under this
request for applications, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for
Economic Development (Assistant Secretary) also has the discretion to
establish a maximum EDA investment rate of up to one hundred (100)
percent where the project (i) merits and is not otherwise feasible
without an increase to the EDA investment rate; or (ii) will be of no
or only incidental benefit to the recipient. See section 204(c)(3) of
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(4).
While cash contributions are preferred, in-kind contributions,
consisting of assumptions of debt or contributions of space, equipment,
and services, may provide the non-federal share of the total project
cost. See section 204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144). EDA will fairly
evaluate all in-kind contributions, which must be eligible project
costs and meet applicable federal cost principles and uniform
administrative requirements. Funds from other federal financial
assistance awards are considered matching share funds only if
authorized by statute that allows such use, which may be determined by
EDA's reasonable interpretation of the statute. See 13 CFR 300.3. The
applicant must show that the matching share is committed to the
project, available as needed and not conditioned or encumbered in any
way that precludes its use consistent with the requirements of EDA
investment assistance. See 13 CFR 301.5.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications under the NTA Program are
not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.''
Evaluation and Selection Procedures: To apply for an award under
this request for applications, an eligible applicant must submit a
completed application package to EDA before the closing date and time
specified in the DATES section of this notice, and in the manner
provided in section IV. of the FFO announcement. Any application
received or transmitted, as the case may be, after 5 p.m. EDT on August
13, 2007 will not be considered for funding. Applications that do not
meet all items required or that exceed the page limitations set forth
in section IV.C. of the FFO announcement will be considered non-
responsive and will not be considered by the review panel. By September
10, 2007, EDA expects to notify the applicant selected for investment
assistance under this notice. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified
by postal mail that their applications were not selected for funding.
Applications that meet all the requirements will be evaluated by a
review panel comprised of at least three EDA staff members, all of whom
will be full-time federal employees.
Evaluation Criteria: The review panel will evaluate the
applications and rate and rank them using the following criteria of
approximate equal weight:
1. Conformance with EDA's statutory and regulatory requirements,
including the extent to which the proposed project satisfies the award
requirements set out below and as provided in 13 CFR 306.2:
a. Strengthens the capacity of local, State or national
organizations and institutions to undertake and promote effective
economic development programs targeted to regions of distress;
b. Benefits distressed regions; and
c. Demonstrates innovative approaches to stimulate economic
development in distressed regions;
2. The degree to which an EDA investment will have strong
[[Page 38815]]
organizational leadership, relevant project management experience and a
significant commitment of human resources talent to ensure the
project's successful execution (see 13 CFR 301.8(b));
3. The ability of the applicant to implement the proposed project
successfully (see 13 CFR 301.8);
4. The feasibility of the budget presented;
5. The cost to the Federal government; and
6. The extent to which the application:
a. Includes workshops that leverage EDA investment assistance; and
b. Exhibits regional dispersal and an estimated size of the
audience and its composition (e.g., urban and rural practitioners).
Selection Factors: The Assistant Secretary, as the Selecting
Official, expects to fund the highest ranking application, as
recommended by the review panel, submitted under this notice. However,
the Assistant Secretary may not make any selection, or he may select an
application out of rank order for the following reasons: (1) A
determination that the application better meets the overall objectives
of sections 2 and 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3121 and 3147); (2) the
applicant's performance under previous awards; or (3) the availability
of funding.
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, published in the Federal Register on
December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389), is applicable to this request for
applications. This notice may be accessed by entering the Federal
Register volume and page number provided in the previous sentence at
the following Internet Web site: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/
retrieve.html.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This request for applications contains collections of information
subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the use of Form ED-
900A (Application for Investment Assistance) under control number 0610-
0094. Form ED-900A's program-specific component (National Technical
Assistance, Training, and Research and Evaluation Program Requirements)
also is approved under OMB control number 0610-0094, and incorporates
Forms SF-424A (Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs, OMB
control number 0348-0044) and SF-424B (Assurances--Non-Construction
Programs, OMB control number 0348-0040). OMB has approved the use of
Form SF-424 (Application for Financial Assistance) under control number
4040-0004. 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 the 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, ``Regulatory Planning and Review.''
Executive Order 13132
It has been determined that this notice does not contain ``policies
that have Federalism implications,'' as that phrase is defined in
Executive Order 13132, ``Federalism.''
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not
required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules
concerning 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 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: July 9, 2007.
Benjamin Erulkar,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development and
Chief Operating Officer.
[FR Doc. E7-13586 Filed 7-13-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-P
