Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program, 15049-15050 [E9-7384]

Agencies

• Maritime Administration
• DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 62 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15049-15050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7384]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration


Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, Office 
of Shipyards and Marine Technology.

ACTION: Notice of Small Shipyard Grant Program.

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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. McKeever, Associate 
Administrator for Business and Workforce Development, Maritime 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590; phone: 
(202) 366-5737; fax: (202) 366-6988; or e-mail: jean.mckeever@dot.gov.
    Key Dates: The period for submitting grant applications, as 
mandated by statute, commenced on March 11, 2009 and will terminate on 
May 10, 2009. The applications must be received by the Maritime 
Administration by 5 p.m. EDT on May 10, 2009. Applications received 
later than this time will not be considered. The Maritime Administrator 
intends to award grants no later than July 9, 2009.
    Funding Opportunity: Section 3508 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Pub. L. 110-417) and the 
section entitled ``Assistance to Small Shipyards'' in the Omnibus 
Appropriations Act, 2009, provide that the Maritime Administration 
shall establish an assistance program for small shipyards. Under this 
program, there is currently an aggregate of $17,150,000 available for 
grants for capital improvements, and related infrastructure 
improvements at qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in 
fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship 
construction, repair, and reconfiguration. ($350,000 of the $17,500,000 
appropriated for the program is reserved for program administration.) 
Such grants may not be used to construct buildings or other physical 
facilities or to acquire land unless such use is specifically approved 
by the Administrator as being consistent with and supplemental to 
capital and related infrastructure improvements. Grant funds may also 
be used for maritime training programs to foster technical skills and 
operational productivity in communities whose economies are related to 
or dependent upon the maritime industry. However, grants for such 
training programs may only be awarded to ``Eligible Applicants'' as 
described below but training programs can be established through 
vendors to such applicants.
    Applications received for funding under the Assistance for Small 
Shipyards program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
of 2009, as announced in the Federal Register, Volume 74 Number 41 on 
March 4, 2009, will also be considered for funding under this 
announcement without any additional action required by the applicant. 
Applications for funding received by the Maritime Administration after 
5 p.m. EDT on April 20, 2009 and prior to 5 p.m. EDT on May 10, 2009 
will be considered only for funding under this announcement.
    Award Information: The Maritime Administration intends to award the 
full amount of the available funding through grants to the extent that 
there are worthy applications. No more than 25 percent of the funds 
available will be awarded to shipyard facilities that have more than 
600 production employees. The Maritime Administration will seek to 
obtain the maximum benefit from the available funding by awarding 
grants for as many of the most worthy projects as possible. The 
Maritime Administration may partially fund projects by selecting parts 
of the total project. The start date and period of performance for each 
award will depend on the specific project and must be agreed to by the 
Maritime Administration.
    Eligibility Information: 1. Eligible Applicants--the statutes 
referenced in ``Funding Opportunity'' above provide that shipyards can 
apply for grants. The

[[Page 15050]]

shipyard facility for which a grant is sought must be in a single 
geographical location, located in or near a maritime community, and may 
not have more than 1,200 production employees. 2. Other Considerations 
in Making Awards--In providing grants, the Administrator shall take 
into account (a) the economic circumstances and conditions of the 
maritime community near to which a shipyard facility is located; (b) 
projects that would be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive 
operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration; 
and (c) projects that would be effective in fostering employee skills 
and enhancing productivity.
    Matching Requirements: (1) Except as provided in item (2) below, 
Federal funds for any eligible project shall not exceed 75 percent of 
the total cost of such project. The remaining portion of the cost shall 
be paid in funds from or on behalf of the awardee. The applicant will 
be required to submit detailed financial statements and any necessary 
supporting documentation demonstrating how and when such matching 
requirement is proposed to be funded. (2) Exceptions--If the 
Administrator determines that a proposed project merits support and 
cannot be undertaken without a higher percentage of Federal financial 
assistance, the Administrator may award a grant for such project with a 
lesser matching requirement than is described in item (1). (3) Unless 
waived for good cause, the awardee's matching requirement must be paid 
prior to payment of any federal funds for the project.
    Application: An application should be filed on standard Form SF-424 
which can be found on the internet at Marad.dot.gov. Although the form 
is available electronically, we request that the application be filed 
in hard copy as indicated below due to the amount of information 
requested. A shipyard facility may include multiple projects in one 
application. In order to allow us to evaluate whether an applicant 
meets the statutory criteria, the application for a grant should also 
provide the following information as an addendum to Form SF-424:
    1. Unique identifier of entity's parent company (when applicable): 
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS + 4 number) (when applicable).
    2. Shipyard company officer's certification as to shipyard's 
compliance with the following requirements: (a) The shipyard facility 
for which a grant is sought is located in a single geographical 
location in or near a maritime community and (b)(i) The shipyard 
facility has no more than 600 production employees, or (ii) The 
shipyard facility has more than 600 production employees, but less than 
1,200 production employees.
    3. A comprehensive detailed description of the project.
    4. A description of the need for the project and an explanation of 
how the project will fulfill this need.
    5. An analysis demonstrating how the project will be effective in 
fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship 
construction, repair, or reconfiguration.
    6. A detailed itemization of the cost of the project together with 
supporting documentation, including vendor quotes and installation 
costs.
    7. Detailed methodology and timeline for implementing the project.
    8. A prioritized list of project elements and cost of each if 
funding for entire project is not available.
    9. Most recent CPA audited, reviewed or compiled financial 
statements.
    10. Detailed pro forma financial statements together with any 
supporting documentation demonstrating how and when such matching 
requirement is proposed to be funded.
    11. Shipyard company officer's certification that the applicant has 
the authority to carry out the proposed project.
    12. Any existing programs or arrangements that can be used to 
supplement or leverage the federal grant assistance.
    13. Information concerning the economic circumstances and 
conditions of the maritime community near to which the shipyard is 
located.
    14. Certification in accordance with the Department of 
Transportation's regulation restricting lobbying, 49 CFR part 20, that 
the applicant has not, and will not, make any prohibited payments out 
of the requested grant.
    Additional information may be requested as deemed necessary by the 
Maritime Administration in order to facilitate and complete its review 
of the application. If such information is not provided, the Maritime 
Administration may deem the application incomplete and cease processing 
it.
    Where to File Application: Submit an original copy and seven 
additional copies of the application to Jean E. McKeever, Associate 
Administrator for Business and Workforce Development, Room W21-318, 
Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 
20590.
    Evaluation of Applications: The Maritime Administration will 
evaluate the applications on the basis of the economic information 
provided and in terms of how well the project for which a grant is 
requested would be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive 
operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration. 
The Administrator will award grants in his sole discretion in such 
amounts and under such conditions for those projects he determines will 
best further the statutory purposes of the small shipyard grant 
program.
    Conditions Attached to Awards: The grant agreement will set out the 
records to be maintained by the awardee which must be available for 
review and audit by the Administrator, as well as any other conditions 
and requirements. Awardees that receive more than $5 million in 
assistance under this program will be required to certify that it has 
filed all Federal tax returns required during the three years preceding 
the certification, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under 
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has not, more than 90 days prior 
to certification, been notified of any unpaid Federal tax assessment 
for which the liability remains unsatisfied, unless the assessment is 
the subject of an installment agreement or offer in compromise that has 
been approved by the Internal Revenue Service and is not in default, or 
the assessment is the subject of a non-frivolous administrative or 
judicial proceeding.

(Authority: 46 U.S.C. 54101; 49 CFR 1.66)

    Dated: March 27, 2009.

    By order of the Acting Deputy Maritime Administrator.
Leonard Sutter,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-7384 Filed 4-1-09; 8:45 am]
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