Solicitation of Applications for the FY 2009 University Center Economic Development Program Competition in EDA's Atlanta and Seattle Regional Offices, 7856-7860 [E9-3658]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 33 / Friday, February 20, 2009 / Notices
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Contracting Activity: U.S. Coast Guard,
ELC, Baltimore, MD.
Coverage: C-list for the requirements of
the U.S. Coast Guard, Baltimore,
MD.
Barry S. Lineback,
Director, Program Operations.
[FR Doc. E9–3640 Filed 2–19–09; 8:45 am]
https://www.usccr.gov, or to contact the
Central Regional Office at the above email or street address.
The meeting will be conducted
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the Commission and
FACA.
Dated in Washington, DC, February 13,
2009.
Christopher Byrnes,
Chief, Regional Programs Coordination Unit.
[FR Doc. E9–3598 Filed 2–19–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Agenda and Amended Notice of Public
Meeting of the Kansas Advisory
Committee
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to
the provisions of the rules and
regulations of the U.S. Commission on
Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that a public briefing meeting
of the Kansas Advisory Committee to
the Commission will convene on
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and adjourn at approximately 4 p.m. at
the Dillon House located on the grounds
of the Kansas State Capitol, 404
Southwest North 9th Street, Topeka, KS
66612. The purpose of the meeting is to
conduct a public briefing meeting to
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Related Voting Rights Issues.’’
Information will also be collected on
‘‘Enforcement of Employment Civil
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State Avenue, Suite 908, Kansas City,
Kansas 66101. Persons wishing to e-mail
their comments, or to present their
comments at the meeting, or who desire
additional information should contact
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frobinson@usccr.gov.
Hearing-impaired persons who will
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Records generated by this meeting
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Economic Development Administration
[Docket No.: 090212174–9175–01]
Solicitation of Applications for the FY
2009 University Center Economic
Development Program Competition in
EDA’s Atlanta and Seattle Regional
Offices
AGENCY: Economic Development
Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for
applications.
SUMMARY: EDA is soliciting competitive
applications from accredited
institutions of higher education and
from consortia of accredited institutions
of higher education for FY 2009
University Center Economic
Development Program funding in the
geographic areas served by its Atlanta
and Seattle regional offices. 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.
Institutions of higher education have
many assets and are able to establish
and operate University Centers in
partnership with EDA. These EDAsponsored University Centers conduct
research; provide technical assistance to
tribal entities, local governments, and
public and private sector organizations;
and undertake other activities with the
goal of enhancing regional economic
development by promoting a favorable
business environment to attract private
capital investment and higher-skill,
higher-wage jobs.
DATES: The closing date and time for
receipt of applications for funding
under the FY 2009 University Center
Economic Development Program
competition is April 21, 2009 at 5 p.m.
Eastern Time for applicants in the
Atlanta regional office’s service area and
5 p.m. Pacific Time for applicants in the
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Seattle regional office’s service area. The
Atlanta regional office will hold an
informational teleconference for
prospective applicants on March 4, 2009
at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The Seattle
regional office will hold its
informational teleconference call on
March 5, 2009 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
For instructions regarding these
teleconferences, please see the
information provided below under
‘‘Informational Teleconferences.’’
Application Submission
Requirements: Applicants are advised to
read carefully the instructions contained
in section IV of the complete Federal
Funding Opportunity (FFO)
announcement for this request for
applications. To access the FFO
announcement, please see the Web sites
listed below under ‘‘Electronic Access.’’
Applications may be submitted in two
formats: (a) Electronically in accordance
with the procedures provided on https://
www.grants.gov; or (b) in paper format
to the addresses provided below. EDA
will not accept facsimile transmissions
of applications. The content of the
application is the same for paper
submissions as it is for electronic
submissions. A complete application
must contain all the items listed in the
Checklist of Application Materials,
which is attached as an Exhibit to the
FFO announcement.
You may obtain a paper application
package by contacting the designated
point of contact listed below under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT for the
EDA regional office servicing your
geographic area. Applicants applying
electronically through https://
www.grants.gov may access the
application package by following the
instructions provided on https://
www.grants.gov.
Paper Submissions: Applicants in
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South
Carolina, or Tennessee should submit
paper submissions (via postal mail,
overnight delivery, or hand-delivery) to:
FY 2009 University Center Program
Competition, Economic Development
Administration, Atlanta Regional
Office, 401 West Peachtree Street,
NW., Suite 1820, Atlanta, GA 30308–
3510.
Applicants in Alaska, Arizona,
American Samoa, California, Guam,
Hawaii, Idaho, Republic of Marshall
Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nevada, Northern
Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of
Palau, or Washington should submit
paper submissions (via postal mail,
overnight delivery, or hand-delivery)
to:
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FY 2009 University Center Program
Competition, Economic Development
Administration, Seattle Regional
Office, Jackson Federal Building,
Room 1890, 915 Second Avenue,
Seattle, WA 98174–1001.
Department of Commerce mail
security measures may delay receipt of
United States Postal Service mail for up
to two weeks. Therefore, applicants who
submit paper submissions are advised to
use a guaranteed overnight delivery
service.
Electronic Submissions: Applicants
may submit applications electronically
in accordance with the instructions
provided at https://www.grants.gov. EDA
strongly encourages that applicants not
wait until the application closing date to
begin the application process through
https://www.grants.gov. The preferred
file format for electronic attachments
(e.g., the Project Narrative and
attachments to Form ED–900) is
portable document format (PDF);
however, EDA will accept electronic
files in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or
Excel formats.
Applicants should access the
following link for assistance in
navigating https://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 https://
www.grants.gov via e-mail at
support@grants.gov or telephone at 1–
800–518–4726. The hours of operation
for https://www.grants.gov are MondayFriday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time
(except for Federal holidays).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information or for a paper
copy of the application package, the
designated contact person in the Atlanta
regional office is Lee Mertins. Mr.
Mertins may be reached at
lmertins@eda.doc.gov or at 404–730–
3015. The designated contact person in
the Seattle regional office is Bettye
Atkinson. Ms. Atkinson may be reached
at batkinson@eda.doc.gov or at 206–
220–7665. EDA’s Internet Web site at
https://www.eda.gov also has additional
information on EDA and its programs,
including the University Center
Economic Development Program.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Information: 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.
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EDA fulfills its mission by helping our
partners across the nation create wealth
and minimize poverty by promoting a
favorable business environment to
attract private capital investment and
higher-skill, higher-wage jobs through
capacity-building, planning,
infrastructure, research grants and
strategic initiatives. Institutions of
higher education have many assets that
can help address regional economic
problems and opportunities, such as
faculty, staff, students, libraries,
laboratories, facilities, and computer
systems. With funding from EDA,
institutions of higher education and
consortia of institutions of higher
education establish and operate
University Centers. These EDAsponsored University Centers conduct
applied research, provide technical
assistance to public and private sector
organizations, and conduct other
activities with the goal of enhancing
regional economic development. EDA
began administering the University
Center Economic Development Program
as a competitive multi-year program in
FY 2004. Under this multi-year program
designation, EDA holds University
Center Economic Development Program
competitions annually for two of its six
regional offices each fiscal year. For
example, in FY 2004 and 2007, EDA
solicited proposals for the Austin and
Denver regional offices, and in FY 2005
and 2008, EDA solicited proposals for
the Philadelphia and Chicago regional
offices. In FY 2006, EDA solicited
proposals for the Atlanta and Seattle
regional offices. Pursuant to its annual
schedule, for FY 2009, EDA announces
that it will hold its competition for
proposals for the Atlanta and Seattle
regional offices.
Electronic Access: The complete FFO
announcement for the FY 2009
University Center Economic
Development Program competition is
available at https://www.grants.gov and
at https://www.eda.gov/
InvestmentsGrants/FFON.xml.
Funding Availability: EDA is
operating with appropriations made
available under the Consolidated
Security, Disaster Assistance, and
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009,
Public Law No. 110–329 (September 30,
2008). This Act makes available
appropriations for the economic
development assistance programs
authorized by PWEDA and for the Trade
Adjustment Assistance for Firms
program authorized under the Trade Act
of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2341–
2355, 2391) in an amount based on FY
2008 funding levels that are pro-rated
through March 6, 2009.
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The funding periods and funding
amounts referenced in this notice are
subject to the availability of FY 2009
funds at the time of award, as well as
to the Department of Commerce’s and
EDA’s priorities at the time of award.
The Department of Commerce and EDA
will not be held responsible for
application preparation costs if the
University Center Economic
Development Program fails to receive
funding or is cancelled because of
agency priorities. Publication of this
notice does not obligate the Department
of Commerce or EDA to award any
specific grant or cooperative agreement
or to obligate all or part of available
funds.
If EDA final appropriations for FY
2009 are similar to those received in FY
2008, EDA expects to allocate
approximately $7,202,620 to the
University Center Economic
Development Program. The amount of
University Center funding available for
competition in FY 2009 is expected to
be approximately $1,285,920 for the
Atlanta regional office and
approximately $1,127,847 for the Seattle
regional office. Annual awards for the
University Centers selected in past years
generally have been in the range of
$80,000 to $200,000, although regional
offices may choose to fund awards
under this competition outside of these
ranges. The remaining FY 2009
University Center Economic
Development Program funds will be
used to continue support for current
University Centers selected during the
FY 2007 and 2008 competitions in
EDA’s other four regional offices.
Subject to the availability of funding at
the time of award, the funds allocated
to the University Center Economic
Development Program are anticipated to
be available until expended.
Statutory Authority: EDA’s
authorizing statute is the Public Works
and Economic Development Act of
1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3121 et
seq.) (PWEDA). The specific authority
for the University Center Economic
Development Program is section 207 of
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3147), which
authorizes EDA to make grants for the
establishment of University Centers.
EDA’s regulations at 13 CFR parts 300–
302 and subpart B of 13 CFR part 306
set forth the general and specific
regulatory requirements applicable to
the University Center Economic
Development Program.
EDA’s regulations are codified at 13
CFR chapter III. The regulations and
PWEDA are accessible on EDA’s
Internet Web site at https://www.eda.gov/
InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml.
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Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.303,
Economic Development—Technical
Assistance.
Applicant Eligibility: An accredited
institution of higher education or a
consortium of accredited institutions of
higher education is eligible to apply for
and to receive funding under the
University Center Economic
Development Program. See section 3(12)
of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122(12)) and 13
CFR 300.3. A university-affiliated
research foundation also is eligible to
apply for and to receive funding under
this competitive solicitation, provided it
demonstrates (e.g., a letter or other
documentation from a university
President or Chancellor) that it
maintains the full and integral support
of the university with respect to its
economic development activities. For
applicants applying as a consortium,
one accredited institution must be
identified as the lead agent that would
have lead responsibility to EDA and to
the other members of the consortium for
implementing an award.
For FY 2009, the University Center
Economic Development Program
competition is open to eligible
applicants in the geographic areas
served by EDA’s Atlanta and Seattle
regional offices. The Atlanta regional
office serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, and Tennessee. The
Seattle regional office serves Alaska,
Arizona, American Samoa, California,
Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Republic of
Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nevada, Northern Mariana
Islands, Oregon, Republic of Palau, and
Washington.
Project Period: The Atlanta and
Seattle regional offices will provide a
three-year project period for each
University Center selected for funding
under the FY 2009 University Center
Economic Development Program
competition, with the initial award
being made for the first year of the
project period. The selected University
Centers will not have to compete for the
second and third years of funding.
Funding beyond the initial year is
dependent upon the availability of
funds, satisfactory performance, and
satisfactory progress in achieving
milestones and program goals set forth
in the three-year scope of work, as
determined by EDA and expressed in
written notice.
Current University Center operators in
the service areas of EDA’s Austin,
Chicago, Denver, and Philadelphia
regional offices will not have to compete
for continuation funding in FY 2009,
subject to the availability of funds,
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satisfactory continuing performance,
and satisfactory progress in achieving
milestones and Program goals set forth
in the three-year scope of work, as
determined by EDA and expressed in a
written notice. The servicing EDA
regional office will contact current
University Center operators regarding
the procedures for securing FY 2009
continuation funding.
Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally,
the amount of the EDA grant may not
exceed fifty (50) percent of the total cost
of the project. Projects may receive an
additional amount that shall not exceed
thirty (30) percent, as determined by
EDA, based on the relative needs of the
region in which the project will be
located. See section 204(a) of PWEDA
(42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(1).
The Assistant Secretary of Commerce
for Economic Development 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).
In the application review process,
EDA will consider the nature of the
contribution (cash or in-kind) and the
amount of the matching share funds. Inkind contributions, fairly evaluated by
EDA, may provide the non-federal share
of the total project cost. See section
204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and
section III.B of the complete FFO
announcement for this request for
applications. In-kind contributions,
which may include assumptions of debt
and contributions of space, equipment,
and services, are eligible to be included
as part of the non-federal share of
eligible project costs if they 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, 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 for the entire
project period, will be available as
needed, and is 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 for funding under the
University Center Economic
Development Program are subject to the
State review requirements imposed by
Executive Order 12372,
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‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,’’ where applicable.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures:
Staff in EDA’s Atlanta or Seattle
regional office, as applicable, first will
undertake a technical review of each
application to ensure that all required
forms, signatures, and documentation
are present and that the application is
in compliance with the requirements of
this competitive solicitation.
Applications failing to meet the
technical requirements of this
competitive solicitation will not be
referred to the review panel. Following
technical review, each regional office
will convene a panel to review the
merits of each application based on the
criteria provided under ‘‘Evaluation
Criteria’’ below. The review panel will
consist of federal employees and others
recommended by the Regional Director
of the applicable regional office. At least
three (3) members of the review panel
will be EDA staff members from the
Atlanta or Seattle regional office, as
applicable. The review panel will
evaluate independently and rate and
rank competitively all technically
sufficient applications based on the
evaluation criteria provided under
‘‘Evaluation Criteria’’ below. No
consensus advice will be given by the
review panel.
The review panel’s rating and ranking
of the applications then will be
presented to the regional office’s
Investment Review Committee (IRC).
After reviewing the panel’s process and
recommendations, the IRC may either:
(i) Forward the panel’s ranked list,
unaltered and in its entirety, to the
Selecting Official, who is the Regional
Director of the applicable regional
office; or (ii) identify any deficiencies in
the review process and direct the review
panel to begin the process anew. If the
IRC directs the panel to re-evaluate the
applications, the review panel will
undertake the process again and submit
a revised rating and ranking of the
applications to the IRC.
Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation of
applications will be accomplished
through a review using the following
criteria, listed in descending order of
importance: (a) Value of the project to
EDA, its investment partners, and its
stakeholders; (b) applicant’s ability to
successfully implement the project; and
(c) feasibility of the project budget. Each
criterion is detailed below.
1. Value of the Project to EDA, Its
Investment Partners, and Its
Stakeholders. The review panel will
evaluate:
(i) The expected benefits of the
proposed scope of work, in light of
EDA’s emphasis on market-based,
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results-driven, long-term regional
economic development approaches that
facilitate innovation and
entrepreneurship and enhance regional
and national competitiveness in the
global economy and considering the
region’s unique strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats;
(ii) The expected depth and breadth of
these benefits in distressed communities
facing economic dislocations and other
economic challenges;
(iii) The extent to which the proposed
project will benefit and collaborate and
interact with other EDA investment
partners, recipients, and stakeholders,
and create synergies with EDA’s Public
Works, Economic Adjustment, and
Planning Programs; and
(iv) The cost to the Federal
Government evaluated in light of these
benefits. When evaluating cost, EDA
will examine the amounts in the
proposed budget allocated to deliver
direct program activities, as opposed to
the total budget, which includes
indirect costs. EDA also will consider
the amount and type of match
committed.
2. The Applicant’s Ability to
Successfully Implement the Project. The
review panel will evaluate the
applicant’s ability to successfully
implement the project. This evaluation
will include the extent to which the
applicant (including its sponsoring
organization) has successfully
implemented past technical assistance
projects, especially those involving
economic development. The review
panel also will evaluate the subject
matter expertise and project
management skills of project staff as
demonstrated in the application, as well
the sponsoring institution’s or
consortium’s academic programs and/or
other University resources directly tied
to the proposed scope of work on the
basis of demonstrated subject matter
leadership, research dissemination and
results, experience working in the target
geographic region with the target
audience, and working relationships
with and strong support from the
private sector, tribal entities, and State
and local elected officials. See 13 CFR
306.5.
The review panel also will consider
the extent to which a proposed project
demonstrates strong organizational
leadership by evaluating the extent to
which:
(i) The University Center will
maximize coordination with other
relevant organizations and avoid
duplication of services offered by other
organizations;
(ii) The University Center will access,
take advantage of, and be supported by
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other resources present at the
sponsoring institution(s), especially the
institution’s economic development
activities; and
(iii) Evidence presented in the
application demonstrates the support
and commitment of the highest
management levels of the University
Center’s sponsoring institution(s),
through both financial and nonfinancial means.
3. Feasibility of Project Budget. The
review panel will evaluate the
feasibility of the project budget,
including but not limited to the
reasonableness and the allowability of
project costs and the feasibility of
accomplishing the three-year scope of
work in the target geographic region
within the budget provided.
Selection Factors: EDA expects to
fund the highest ranking applications.
The Selecting Official normally will
follow the recommendations of the
review panel. However, the Selecting
Official may decide not to make a
selection, or he may select an
application out of rank order for several
reasons, including: (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) availability of program funding; (3)
geographic balance in distribution of
program funds; (4) balanced funding for
a diverse group of institutions, to
include smaller and rural institutions,
which may form part of a broader
consortium to serve diverse populations
and areas within the regional office’s
territory; (5) the program objectives as
provided in section I.A of the complete
FFO; (6) the applicant’s performance
under previous federal financial
assistance awards; or (7) the overall mix
of services, service areas, and target
audiences in the regional office’s
University Center portfolio. If the
Selecting Official makes a selection out
of rank order, he will document the
rationale for the decision in writing.
Informational Teleconferences: For
prospective applicants, the Atlanta
regional office will hold an
informational teleconference on March
4, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The
Seattle regional office will hold its
informational teleconference call on
March 5, 2009, at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
These teleconferences will provide
general program information and
information regarding the preparation of
applications for funding under this
competitive solicitation. To ensure the
integrity of this competition, EDA will
not provide substantive information
regarding the competition to prospective
applicants outside of these scheduled
teleconferences.
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7860
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 33 / Friday, February 20, 2009 / Notices
To ensure that enough incoming lines
are available for each caller, the Atlanta
regional office requires interested
parties planning to participate on the
teleconference to register no later than
5 p.m. Eastern Time on February 27,
2009; the Seattle regional office requires
interested parties planning to
participate on the teleconference to
register no later than 5 p.m. Pacific
Time on February 27, 2009. To register,
please send an e-mail with ‘‘FY 2009
University Center Teleconference
Registration’’ in the subject line to the
designated contact person in the Atlanta
or Seattle regional office, as applicable,
and provided above under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. The telephone
number and pass code for each
teleconference will be provided upon
registration. See also section IV.D of the
complete FFO announcement.
Please be advised that the
informational teleconferences may be
audio-taped and the actual recordings or
a transcript of the actual recording may
be made available online or otherwise
for the benefit of prospective applicants
unable to participate. Prospective
applicants who choose to participate on
the teleconferences are deemed to
consent to the taping.
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements:
Administrative and national policy
requirements for all Department of
Commerce awards are applicable to this
competitive solicitation. These
requirements may be found in the
Department of Commerce Pre-Award
Notification Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements, which
was published in the Federal Register
on February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696). 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/
index.html.
Paperwork Reduction Act: This
document contains collection-ofinformation requirements subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The
use of Form ED–900 (Application for
Investment Assistance) has been
approved by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under the control
number 0610–0094. 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.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
17:55 Feb 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
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 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: February 17, 2009.
Barry Bird,
Chief Counsel, Economic Development
Administration.
[FR Doc. E9–3658 Filed 2–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–24–P
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
Announcement of the American
Petroleum Institute’s Standards
Activities
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of intent to develop or
revise standards and request for public
comment and participation in standards
development.
SUMMARY: The American Petroleum
Institute (API), with the assistance of
other interested parties, continues to
develop standards, both national and
international, in several areas. This
notice lists the standardization efforts
currently being conducted by API
committees. The publication of this
notice by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) on
behalf of API is being undertaken as a
public service. NIST does not
necessarily endorse, approve, or
recommend the standards referenced.
ADDRESSES: American Petroleum
Institute, 1220 L Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20005; telephone (202)
682–8000, https://www.api.org.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: All
contact individuals listed in the
supplementary information section of
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Background
The American Petroleum Institute
develops and publishes voluntary
standards for equipment, materials,
operations, and processes for the
petroleum and natural gas industry.
These standards are used by both
private industry and by governmental
agencies. All interested persons should
contact the appropriate source as listed
for further information.
Exploration and Production
Offshore Structures
Spec 2SC, 1st Edition, Manufacture of
Structural Steel Castings for Primary
Offshore Applications.
RP 2T, 3rd Edition, Planning, Designing
and Constructing Tension Leg
Platforms,
For Further Information Contact:
Roland Goodman, Standards
Department, e-mail:
(goodmanr@api.org).
Oil Country Tubular Goods
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
PO 00000
this notice may be reached at the
American Petroleum Institute.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Sfmt 4703
Spec 5CRA, 1st Edition, Corrosion
Resistant Alloy Seamless Tubes for
use as Casing, Tubing and Coupling
Stock—Technical Delivery
Conditions.
Spec 5DP, 1st Edition, Drill Pipe
(replaces Spec 5D and Spec 7).
Spec 5LD, 3rd Edition, CRA Clad or
Lined Steel Pipe.
For Further Information Contact:
Shail Ghaey, Standards Department,
e-mail: (ghaeys@api.org).
Valves
Spec 6A, 20th Edition, Wellhead and
Christmas Tree Equipment.
Spec 6A–718, 2nd Edition, Nickel Base
Alloy 718.
For Further Information Contact: Ed
Baniak, Standards Department, e-mail:
(baniake@api.org).
Drilling Equipment
Spec 7K, 5th Edition, Drilling and Well
Servicing Equipment.
RP 7G–2, 1st Edition, Rotary Drilling
Equipment, Part 2, Inspection and
classification of drill stem elements.
For Further Information Contact:
Roland Goodman, Standards
Department, e-mail:
(goodmanr@api.org).
Well Cements and Completion Fluids
Spec 10A, 24th Edition, Cements and
Materials for Well Cementing.
E:\FR\FM\20FEN1.SGM
20FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 33 (Friday, February 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7856-7860]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-3658]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No.: 090212174-9175-01]
Solicitation of Applications for the FY 2009 University Center
Economic Development Program Competition in EDA's Atlanta and Seattle
Regional Offices
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: EDA is soliciting competitive applications from accredited
institutions of higher education and from consortia of accredited
institutions of higher education for FY 2009 University Center Economic
Development Program funding in the geographic areas served by its
Atlanta and Seattle regional offices. 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. Institutions of higher education have many
assets and are able to establish and operate University Centers in
partnership with EDA. These EDA-sponsored University Centers conduct
research; provide technical assistance to tribal entities, local
governments, and public and private sector organizations; and undertake
other activities with the goal of enhancing regional economic
development by promoting a favorable business environment to attract
private capital investment and higher-skill, higher-wage jobs.
DATES: The closing date and time for receipt of applications for
funding under the FY 2009 University Center Economic Development
Program competition is April 21, 2009 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time for
applicants in the Atlanta regional office's service area and 5 p.m.
Pacific Time for applicants in the
[[Page 7857]]
Seattle regional office's service area. The Atlanta regional office
will hold an informational teleconference for prospective applicants on
March 4, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The Seattle regional office
will hold its informational teleconference call on March 5, 2009 at 10
a.m. Pacific Time. For instructions regarding these teleconferences,
please see the information provided below under ``Informational
Teleconferences.''
Application Submission Requirements: Applicants are advised to read
carefully the instructions contained in section IV of the complete
Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement for this request for
applications. To access the FFO announcement, please see the Web sites
listed below under ``Electronic Access.''
Applications may be submitted in two formats: (a) Electronically in
accordance with the procedures provided on https://www.grants.gov; or
(b) in paper format to the addresses provided below. EDA will not
accept facsimile transmissions of applications. The content of the
application is the same for paper submissions as it is for electronic
submissions. A complete application must contain all the items listed
in the Checklist of Application Materials, which is attached as an
Exhibit to the FFO announcement.
You may obtain a paper application package by contacting the
designated point of contact listed below under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT for the EDA regional office servicing your geographic area.
Applicants applying electronically through https://www.grants.gov may
access the application package by following the instructions provided
on https://www.grants.gov.
Paper Submissions: Applicants in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Tennessee
should submit paper submissions (via postal mail, overnight delivery,
or hand-delivery) to:
FY 2009 University Center Program Competition, Economic Development
Administration, Atlanta Regional Office, 401 West Peachtree Street,
NW., Suite 1820, Atlanta, GA 30308-3510.
Applicants in Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California, Guam,
Hawaii, Idaho, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of
Palau, or Washington should submit paper submissions (via postal mail,
overnight delivery, or hand-delivery) to:
FY 2009 University Center Program Competition, Economic Development
Administration, Seattle Regional Office, Jackson Federal Building, Room
1890, 915 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174-1001.
Department of Commerce mail security measures may delay receipt of
United States Postal Service mail for up to two weeks. Therefore,
applicants who submit paper submissions are advised to use a guaranteed
overnight delivery service.
Electronic Submissions: Applicants may submit applications
electronically in accordance with the instructions provided at https://
www.grants.gov. EDA strongly encourages that applicants not wait until
the application closing date to begin the application process through
https://www.grants.gov. The preferred file format for electronic
attachments (e.g., the Project Narrative and attachments to Form ED-
900) is portable document format (PDF); however, EDA will accept
electronic files in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Excel formats.
Applicants should access the following link for assistance in
navigating https://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 https://www.grants.gov via e-mail at
support@grants.gov or telephone at 1-800-518-4726. The hours of
operation for https://www.grants.gov are Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Eastern Time (except for Federal holidays).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or for a
paper copy of the application package, the designated contact person in
the Atlanta regional office is Lee Mertins. Mr. Mertins may be reached
at lmertins@eda.doc.gov or at 404-730-3015. The designated contact
person in the Seattle regional office is Bettye Atkinson. Ms. Atkinson
may be reached at batkinson@eda.doc.gov or at 206-220-7665. EDA's
Internet Web site at https://www.eda.gov also has additional information
on EDA and its programs, including the University Center Economic
Development Program.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Information: 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. EDA fulfills its mission by helping our partners across the
nation create wealth and minimize poverty by promoting a favorable
business environment to attract private capital investment and higher-
skill, higher-wage jobs through capacity-building, planning,
infrastructure, research grants and strategic initiatives. Institutions
of higher education have many assets that can help address regional
economic problems and opportunities, such as faculty, staff, students,
libraries, laboratories, facilities, and computer systems. With funding
from EDA, institutions of higher education and consortia of
institutions of higher education establish and operate University
Centers. These EDA-sponsored University Centers conduct applied
research, provide technical assistance to public and private sector
organizations, and conduct other activities with the goal of enhancing
regional economic development. EDA began administering the University
Center Economic Development Program as a competitive multi-year program
in FY 2004. Under this multi-year program designation, EDA holds
University Center Economic Development Program competitions annually
for two of its six regional offices each fiscal year. For example, in
FY 2004 and 2007, EDA solicited proposals for the Austin and Denver
regional offices, and in FY 2005 and 2008, EDA solicited proposals for
the Philadelphia and Chicago regional offices. In FY 2006, EDA
solicited proposals for the Atlanta and Seattle regional offices.
Pursuant to its annual schedule, for FY 2009, EDA announces that it
will hold its competition for proposals for the Atlanta and Seattle
regional offices.
Electronic Access: The complete FFO announcement for the FY 2009
University Center Economic Development Program competition is available
at https://www.grants.gov and at https://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/
FFON.xml.
Funding Availability: EDA is operating with appropriations made
available under the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law No. 110-329 (September
30, 2008). This Act makes available appropriations for the economic
development assistance programs authorized by PWEDA and for the Trade
Adjustment Assistance for Firms program authorized under the Trade Act
of 1974, as amended (19 U.S.C. 2341-2355, 2391) in an amount based on
FY 2008 funding levels that are pro-rated through March 6, 2009.
[[Page 7858]]
The funding periods and funding amounts referenced in this notice
are subject to the availability of FY 2009 funds at the time of award,
as well as to the Department of Commerce's and EDA's priorities at the
time of award. The Department of Commerce and EDA will not be held
responsible for application preparation costs if the University Center
Economic Development Program fails to receive funding or is cancelled
because of agency priorities. Publication of this notice does not
obligate the Department of Commerce or EDA to award any specific grant
or cooperative agreement or to obligate all or part of available funds.
If EDA final appropriations for FY 2009 are similar to those
received in FY 2008, EDA expects to allocate approximately $7,202,620
to the University Center Economic Development Program. The amount of
University Center funding available for competition in FY 2009 is
expected to be approximately $1,285,920 for the Atlanta regional office
and approximately $1,127,847 for the Seattle regional office. Annual
awards for the University Centers selected in past years generally have
been in the range of $80,000 to $200,000, although regional offices may
choose to fund awards under this competition outside of these ranges.
The remaining FY 2009 University Center Economic Development Program
funds will be used to continue support for current University Centers
selected during the FY 2007 and 2008 competitions in EDA's other four
regional offices. Subject to the availability of funding at the time of
award, the funds allocated to the University Center Economic
Development Program are anticipated to be available until expended.
Statutory Authority: EDA's authorizing statute is the Public Works
and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3121 et
seq.) (PWEDA). The specific authority for the University Center
Economic Development Program is section 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3147),
which authorizes EDA to make grants for the establishment of University
Centers. EDA's regulations at 13 CFR parts 300-302 and subpart B of 13
CFR part 306 set forth the general and specific regulatory requirements
applicable to the University Center Economic Development Program.
EDA's regulations are codified at 13 CFR chapter III. The
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) Number: 11.303,
Economic Development--Technical Assistance.
Applicant Eligibility: An accredited institution of higher
education or a consortium of accredited institutions of higher
education is eligible to apply for and to receive funding under the
University Center Economic Development Program. See section 3(12) of
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122(12)) and 13 CFR 300.3. A university-affiliated
research foundation also is eligible to apply for and to receive
funding under this competitive solicitation, provided it demonstrates
(e.g., a letter or other documentation from a university President or
Chancellor) that it maintains the full and integral support of the
university with respect to its economic development activities. For
applicants applying as a consortium, one accredited institution must be
identified as the lead agent that would have lead responsibility to EDA
and to the other members of the consortium for implementing an award.
For FY 2009, the University Center Economic Development Program
competition is open to eligible applicants in the geographic areas
served by EDA's Atlanta and Seattle regional offices. The Atlanta
regional office serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The Seattle
regional office serves Alaska, Arizona, American Samoa, California,
Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Republic of Marshall Islands, Federated States of
Micronesia, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon, Republic of
Palau, and Washington.
Project Period: The Atlanta and Seattle regional offices will
provide a three-year project period for each University Center selected
for funding under the FY 2009 University Center Economic Development
Program competition, with the initial award being made for the first
year of the project period. The selected University Centers will not
have to compete for the second and third years of funding. Funding
beyond the initial year is dependent upon the availability of funds,
satisfactory performance, and satisfactory progress in achieving
milestones and program goals set forth in the three-year scope of work,
as determined by EDA and expressed in written notice.
Current University Center operators in the service areas of EDA's
Austin, Chicago, Denver, and Philadelphia regional offices will not
have to compete for continuation funding in FY 2009, subject to the
availability of funds, satisfactory continuing performance, and
satisfactory progress in achieving milestones and Program goals set
forth in the three-year scope of work, as determined by EDA and
expressed in a written notice. The servicing EDA regional office will
contact current University Center operators regarding the procedures
for securing FY 2009 continuation funding.
Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally, the amount of the EDA grant
may not exceed fifty (50) percent of the total cost of the project.
Projects may receive an additional amount that shall not exceed thirty
(30) percent, as determined by EDA, based on the relative needs of the
region in which the project will be located. See section 204(a) of
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(1). The Assistant Secretary
of Commerce for Economic Development 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).
In the application review process, EDA will consider the nature of
the contribution (cash or in-kind) and the amount of the matching share
funds. In-kind contributions, fairly evaluated by EDA, may provide the
non-federal share of the total project cost. See section 204(b) of
PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3144) and section III.B of the complete FFO
announcement for this request for applications. In-kind contributions,
which may include assumptions of debt and contributions of space,
equipment, and services, are eligible to be included as part of the
non-federal share of eligible project costs if they 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, 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
for the entire project period, will be available as needed, and is 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 for funding under the
University Center Economic Development Program are subject to the State
review requirements imposed by Executive Order 12372,
[[Page 7859]]
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' where applicable.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures: Staff in EDA's Atlanta or
Seattle regional office, as applicable, first will undertake a
technical review of each application to ensure that all required forms,
signatures, and documentation are present and that the application is
in compliance with the requirements of this competitive solicitation.
Applications failing to meet the technical requirements of this
competitive solicitation will not be referred to the review panel.
Following technical review, each regional office will convene a panel
to review the merits of each application based on the criteria provided
under ``Evaluation Criteria'' below. The review panel will consist of
federal employees and others recommended by the Regional Director of
the applicable regional office. At least three (3) members of the
review panel will be EDA staff members from the Atlanta or Seattle
regional office, as applicable. The review panel will evaluate
independently and rate and rank competitively all technically
sufficient applications based on the evaluation criteria provided under
``Evaluation Criteria'' below. No consensus advice will be given by the
review panel.
The review panel's rating and ranking of the applications then will
be presented to the regional office's Investment Review Committee
(IRC). After reviewing the panel's process and recommendations, the IRC
may either: (i) Forward the panel's ranked list, unaltered and in its
entirety, to the Selecting Official, who is the Regional Director of
the applicable regional office; or (ii) identify any deficiencies in
the review process and direct the review panel to begin the process
anew. If the IRC directs the panel to re-evaluate the applications, the
review panel will undertake the process again and submit a revised
rating and ranking of the applications to the IRC.
Evaluation Criteria: The evaluation of applications will be
accomplished through a review using the following criteria, listed in
descending order of importance: (a) Value of the project to EDA, its
investment partners, and its stakeholders; (b) applicant's ability to
successfully implement the project; and (c) feasibility of the project
budget. Each criterion is detailed below.
1. Value of the Project to EDA, Its Investment Partners, and Its
Stakeholders. The review panel will evaluate:
(i) The expected benefits of the proposed scope of work, in light
of EDA's emphasis on market-based, results-driven, long-term regional
economic development approaches that facilitate innovation and
entrepreneurship and enhance regional and national competitiveness in
the global economy and considering the region's unique strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats;
(ii) The expected depth and breadth of these benefits in distressed
communities facing economic dislocations and other economic challenges;
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project will benefit and
collaborate and interact with other EDA investment partners,
recipients, and stakeholders, and create synergies with EDA's Public
Works, Economic Adjustment, and Planning Programs; and
(iv) The cost to the Federal Government evaluated in light of these
benefits. When evaluating cost, EDA will examine the amounts in the
proposed budget allocated to deliver direct program activities, as
opposed to the total budget, which includes indirect costs. EDA also
will consider the amount and type of match committed.
2. The Applicant's Ability to Successfully Implement the Project.
The review panel will evaluate the applicant's ability to successfully
implement the project. This evaluation will include the extent to which
the applicant (including its sponsoring organization) has successfully
implemented past technical assistance projects, especially those
involving economic development. The review panel also will evaluate the
subject matter expertise and project management skills of project staff
as demonstrated in the application, as well the sponsoring
institution's or consortium's academic programs and/or other University
resources directly tied to the proposed scope of work on the basis of
demonstrated subject matter leadership, research dissemination and
results, experience working in the target geographic region with the
target audience, and working relationships with and strong support from
the private sector, tribal entities, and State and local elected
officials. See 13 CFR 306.5.
The review panel also will consider the extent to which a proposed
project demonstrates strong organizational leadership by evaluating the
extent to which:
(i) The University Center will maximize coordination with other
relevant organizations and avoid duplication of services offered by
other organizations;
(ii) The University Center will access, take advantage of, and be
supported by other resources present at the sponsoring institution(s),
especially the institution's economic development activities; and
(iii) Evidence presented in the application demonstrates the
support and commitment of the highest management levels of the
University Center's sponsoring institution(s), through both financial
and non-financial means.
3. Feasibility of Project Budget. The review panel will evaluate
the feasibility of the project budget, including but not limited to the
reasonableness and the allowability of project costs and the
feasibility of accomplishing the three-year scope of work in the target
geographic region within the budget provided.
Selection Factors: EDA expects to fund the highest ranking
applications. The Selecting Official normally will follow the
recommendations of the review panel. However, the Selecting Official
may decide not to make a selection, or he may select an application out
of rank order for several reasons, including: (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) availability of program
funding; (3) geographic balance in distribution of program funds; (4)
balanced funding for a diverse group of institutions, to include
smaller and rural institutions, which may form part of a broader
consortium to serve diverse populations and areas within the regional
office's territory; (5) the program objectives as provided in section
I.A of the complete FFO; (6) the applicant's performance under previous
federal financial assistance awards; or (7) the overall mix of
services, service areas, and target audiences in the regional office's
University Center portfolio. If the Selecting Official makes a
selection out of rank order, he will document the rationale for the
decision in writing.
Informational Teleconferences: For prospective applicants, the
Atlanta regional office will hold an informational teleconference on
March 4, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The Seattle regional office
will hold its informational teleconference call on March 5, 2009, at 10
a.m. Pacific Time.
These teleconferences will provide general program information and
information regarding the preparation of applications for funding under
this competitive solicitation. To ensure the integrity of this
competition, EDA will not provide substantive information regarding the
competition to prospective applicants outside of these scheduled
teleconferences.
[[Page 7860]]
To ensure that enough incoming lines are available for each caller,
the Atlanta regional office requires interested parties planning to
participate on the teleconference to register no later than 5 p.m.
Eastern Time on February 27, 2009; the Seattle regional office requires
interested parties planning to participate on the teleconference to
register no later than 5 p.m. Pacific Time on February 27, 2009. To
register, please send an e-mail with ``FY 2009 University Center
Teleconference Registration'' in the subject line to the designated
contact person in the Atlanta or Seattle regional office, as
applicable, and provided above under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
The telephone number and pass code for each teleconference will be
provided upon registration. See also section IV.D of the complete FFO
announcement.
Please be advised that the informational teleconferences may be
audio-taped and the actual recordings or a transcript of the actual
recording may be made available online or otherwise for the benefit of
prospective applicants unable to participate. Prospective applicants
who choose to participate on the teleconferences are deemed to consent
to the taping.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Administrative and national policy
requirements for all Department of Commerce awards are applicable to
this competitive solicitation. These requirements may be found in the
Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements, which was published in the Federal Register
on February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696). 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/.
Paperwork Reduction Act: This document contains collection-of-
information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
The use of Form ED-900 (Application for Investment Assistance) has been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the control
number 0610-0094. 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 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: February 17, 2009.
Barry Bird,
Chief Counsel, Economic Development Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-3658 Filed 2-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-P