Pan-Pacific Education and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT): Closing Date, 13085-13087 [2010-5890]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 52 / Thursday, March 18, 2010 / Notices • Scientific and Statistical Committee Meeting Report • Advisory Panel Meeting • ACLs/AMs Report/Discussion • PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD - (5) Five-minute Presentations 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. • - Administrative Committee Meeting AP/SSC/HAP Membership Budget FY 2009 Other Business April 8, 2010, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES Special Accommodations These meetings are physically accessible to people with disabilities. For more information or request for sign language interpretation and/other auxiliary aids, please contact Mr. Miguel A. Rolon, Executive Director, 17:08 Mar 17, 2010 Jkt 220001 Dated: March 15, 2010. Tracey L. Thompson, Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service. [FR Doc. 2010–5905 Filed 3–17–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–22–S DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • Continuation of ACLs/AMs Report/ Discussion (if needed) • Catch Share Project - Walter Keithly • Trap Reduction Program Update • Enforcement Reports - Puerto Rico - DNER - U.S. Virgin Islands - DPNR - NOAA/NMFS - U.S. Coast Guard • Administrative Committee Recommendations • Meetings Attended by Council Members and Staff • PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD (5minute Presentations) • Other Business • Next Council Meeting The established times for addressing items on the agenda may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate the timely completion of discussion relevant to the agenda items. To further accommodate discussion and completion of all items on the agenda, the meeting may be extended from, or completed prior to the date established in this notice. The meetings are open to the public, and will be conducted in English. Fishers and other interested persons are invited to attend and participate with oral or written statements regarding agenda issues. Although non-emergency issues not contained in this agenda may come before this group for discussion, those issues may not be subjects for formal action during this meeting. Actions will be restricted to those issues specifically identified in this notice, and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided that the public has been notified of the Council’s intent to take final action to address the emergency. VerDate Nov<24>2008 Caribbean Fishery Management Council, 268 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite 1108, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918–1920, telephone: (787) 766–5926, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date. National Telecommunications and Information Administration [Docket No. 100305127–0127–01] Pan-Pacific Education and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT): Closing Date AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law No. 111–117, the U.S. Department of Commerce announces the solicitation of applications for a grant for the PanPacific Education and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT) Program. Projects funded pursuant to this Notice are intended to support the PEACESAT Program’s acquisition of satellite communications to service Pacific Basin communities and to manage the operations of this network. Applications for the PEACESAT Program grant will compete for funds from the Public Broadcasting, Facilities, Planning and Construction Funds account. DATES: Applications must be received on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 3, 2010. Applications submitted by facsimile are not acceptable. NTIA will not accept applications received after the deadline. However, if an application is received after the Closing Date due to (1) carrier error, when the carrier accepted the package with a guarantee for delivery by the Closing Date and Time, or (2) significant weather delays or natural disasters, NTIA will, upon receipt of proper documentation, consider the application as having been received by the deadline. ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed applications, or send any other correspondence, write to: NTIA/PTFP, Room H–4812, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, PO 00000 Frm 00014 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 13085 NW, Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained electronically via the Internet at www.grants.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482–5802; fax: (202) 482–2156. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Electronic Access The full federal funding opportunity announcement for the PEACESAT Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 grant cycle is available through www.grants.gov or by contacting NTIA at the address noted above. Application materials may be obtained electronically via the Internet at www.grants.gov. Program Description Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law No. 111–117, the U.S. Department of Commerce announces the solicitation of applications for a grant for the PEACESAT Program. Projects funded pursuant to this Notice are intended to support the PEACESAT Program’s acquisition of satellite communications to service Pacific Basin communities and to manage the operations of this network. Applications for the PEACESAT Program grant will compete for funds from the Public Broadcasting, Facilities, Planning and Construction Funds account. Funding Availability Funding for the PEACESAT Program is provided pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law No. 111–117 and Public Law No. 106–113, ‘‘The Consolidated Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2000.’’ Public Law No. 106–113 provides ‘‘That, hereafter, notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Pan-Pacific Education and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT) Program is eligible to compete for Public Broadcasting Facilities, Planning and Construction funds.’’ The Congress has appropriated $18 million for FY 2010 Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) and PEACESAT awards. Of this amount, NTIA anticipates making a single award for approximately $500,000 for the PEACESAT Program in FY 2010. For FY 2009, NTIA issued one award for the PEACESAT project in the amount of $499,641. Statutory and Regulatory Authority The PEACESAT Program was authorized under Public Law No. 100– 584 (102 Stat. 2970) and also Public Law E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 13086 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 52 / Thursday, March 18, 2010 / Notices No. 101–555 (104 Stat. 2758) to acquire satellite communications services to provide educational, medical, and cultural needs of Pacific Basin communities. The PEACESAT Program has been operational since 1971 and has received funding from NTIA for support of the project since 1988. Applications submitted in response to this solicitation for PEACESAT applications are exempt from the PTFP regulations at 15 CFR Part 2301. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Not Applicable. sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES Eligibility Eligible applicants will include any for-profit or non-profit organization, public or private entity, other than an agency or division of the Federal Government. Individuals are not eligible to apply for the PEACESAT Program funds. Evaluation and Selection Process The Public Broadcasting Division (PBD) administers the PEACESAT Program and places a summary of applications received on the Internet at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/ peacesat/peacesat.html. Listing an application merely acknowledges receipt of an application to compete for funding with other applications. Listing does not preclude subsequent return of the application for failure to meet application requirements and does not assure that the application will be funded. The listing will also include a request for comments on the applications from any interested party. Each eligible application is evaluated by three independent reviewers who have demonstrated expertise in the programmatic and technological aspects of the application. The reviewers will evaluate applications according to the evaluation criteria in the following section and provide individual written ratings of each application. No consensus advice will be provided by the reviewers. State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) offices, per Executive Order 12372, may provide recommendations on applications under consideration. The PBD program staff prepares a rank order of all applications according to the scores submitted by the independent reviewers. The PBD program staff then prepares written summary recommendations for the Director of the Public Broadcasting Division (PBD Director). These recommendations incorporate the independent reviewers’ ratings and analysis of the degree to which a proposed project meets the PEACESAT VerDate Nov<24>2008 17:08 Mar 17, 2010 Jkt 220001 Program purposes, as described above in the Program Description, and applicable cost principles. Staff recommendations also consider (1) project impact, (2) the cost/benefit of a project, and (3) whether the reviewers consistently applied the evaluation criteria. The PBD Director considers the program staff’s summary recommendations in accordance with the funding priorities and selection factors referenced in the next section and recommends the funding order of the applications for the PEACESAT Programs in three categories: ‘‘Recommended for Funding,’’ ‘‘Recommended for Funding If Funds Are Available,’’ and ‘‘Not Recommended for Funding.’’ The PBD Director presents recommendations to the Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications (OTIA Associate Administrator), for review and approval. Upon review and approval based on the funding priorities and selection factors referenced in the next section by the OTIA Associate Administrator, the OTIA Associate Administrator’s and the PBD Director’s recommendations are presented to the Selecting Official, the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, who is the NTIA Administrator. The Selecting Official then makes the final award selections taking into consideration these recommendations and the degree to which the slate of applications, taken as a whole, satisfies the stated purposes for the PEACESAT Program. Prior to award, applications may be negotiated between NTIA and the applicant to resolve any differences between the original request and what NTIA is willing to consider funding. Some applications may be dropped from the slate due to lack of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorization, an applicant’s inability to make adequate assurances or certifications, or other reasons. Negotiation of an application does not ensure that a final award will be made. The Program will not award a grant until it has received confirmation that the FCC will issue any necessary authorization. After final award selections have been made, the Agency will notify the applicant of one of the following actions: (1) Selection of the application for funding, in whole or in part; (2) Deferral of the application for subsequent consideration; or (3) Rejection of the application with an explanation and the reason, e.g., if an applicant is not eligible or if the proposed project does not fall within PO 00000 Frm 00015 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 the purposes of the PEACESAT program. Funding Priorities and Selection Factors The PBD Director will consider the summary evaluations prepared by program staff, rank the applications, and present recommendations to the OTIA Associate Administrator for review and approval. The PBD Director’s recommendations and the OTIA Associate Administrator’s review and approval will take into account the following selection factors: (1) The program staff evaluations, including the outside reviewers; (2) Whether the applicant has any current NTIA grants; (3) The geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards; and (4) The availability of funds. The Selection Official considers these recommendations and whether the proposed awards satisfy the PEACESAT program purposes. Evaluation Criteria Each eligible application that is timely received, is materially complete, and proposes an eligible project will be considered under the evaluation criteria described here. The first three criteria — 1. Meeting the Purposes of the PEACESAT Program, 2. Extent of Need for the Project, and 3. Plan of Operation for the Project — are each worth 25 points. Criterion 4, Budget and Cost Effectiveness, is worth 20 points. Criterion 5, Quality of Key Personnel, is worth 5 points. Criterion 1. Meeting the Purposes of the PEACESAT Program. The extent to which the project meets the purposes of the PEACESAT Program including consideration of: (i) how well the proposal meets the objectives of the PEACESAT Program; and (ii) how the objectives of the proposal further the purposes of the PEACESAT Program. Criterion 2. Extent of Need for the Project. The extent to which the project meets the needs of the PEACESAT Program, including consideration of: (i) the needs addressed by the project; (ii) how the applicant identifies those needs; (iii) how those needs will be met by the project; and (iv) the benefits to be gained by meeting those needs. Criterion 3. Plan of Operation for the Project. The extent to which the project meets the plan of operation for the project, including consideration of: (i) the quality of the design of the project; (ii) E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 52 / Thursday, March 18, 2010 / Notices the extent to which the plan of management is effective and ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; (iii) how well the objectives of the project relate to the purposes of the PEACESAT Program; (iv) the quality of the applicant’s plan to use its resources and personnel to achieve each objective; and (v) how the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. Criterion 4. Budget and Cost Effectiveness. The extent to which: (i) the budget is adequate to support the project; and (ii) costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project. Criterion 5. Quality of Key Personnel. The extent to which the applicant plans to use on the project, including: (i) the qualifications of the project director if one is to be used; (ii) the qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be used in the project; (iii) the time that each person will commit to the project; and (iv) how the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. As used in this section, ‘‘qualifications’’ refers to experience and training in fields related to the objectives of the project, and any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the project. sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES Cost Sharing Requirements Grant recipients under this program will not be required to provide matching funds toward the total project cost. The costs allowable under this Notice are not subject to the limitation on costs contained in the December 2, 2009, Notice regarding the PTFP Program, see 74 FR 163120 (2009). Intergovernmental Review PEACESAT applications are subject to Executive Order 12372, ‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,’’ if the state in which the applicant organization is located participates in the process. Usually, the submission to the SPOC needs to be only the first two pages of the Application Form, but applicants should contact their own SPOC offices to ensure compliance with its requirements. The names and addresses of the SPOC offices are listed on the PTFP website and at the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) home VerDate Nov<24>2008 17:08 Mar 17, 2010 Jkt 220001 page at https://www.whitehouse.gov/ omb/grantslspoc. Universal Identifier 13087 benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. § 553(a)). 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. All applicants (nonprofits, state and local governments, universities, and tribal organizations) will be required to provide a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the application process. See the October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66177) and April 8, 2003 (68 FR 17000) Federal Register notices for additional information. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line 1–866–705–5711 or via the Internet at www.fedgov.dnb.com/ webform. Dated: March 12, 2010. Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera, Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications. The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification of Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696) is applicable to this solicitation. Limitation of Liability In no event will the Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or is cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige the agency to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. Paperwork Reduction Act Notwithstanding any other provision of the 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. The PEACESAT application package requires the use of the following forms: SF–424, SF–424A, SF–424B, SF–LLL. These forms have been approved under the respective OMB Control Nos. 4040–0004, 4040– 0006, and 4040–0007. Executive Order 13132 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 opportunity for public comment are not required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning grants, PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 [FR Doc. 2010–5890 Filed 3–18–10; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–60–S Sunshine Act Meetings TIME AND DATE: Wednesday, March 24, 2010; 3–5 p.m. PLACE: Hearing Room 420, Bethesda Towers, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. STATUS: Commission Meeting—Closed to the Public. Matter To Be Considered Compliance Weekly Report— Commission Briefing The staff will brief the Commission on the status of various compliance matters. For a recorded message containing the latest agenda information, call (301) 504–7948. CONTACT PERSON FOR MORE INFORMATION: Todd A. Stevenson, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 504–7923. Dated: March 16, 2010. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary. [FR Doc. 2010–6132 Filed 3–16–10; 4:15 pm] BILLING CODE 6355–01–P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Sunshine Act Meetings TIME AND DATE: Wednesday, March 24, 2010, 9 a.m.–12 Noon. PLACE: Hearing Room 420, Bethesda Towers, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland. STATUS: Commission Meeting—Open to the Public. E:\FR\FM\18MRN1.SGM 18MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 52 (Thursday, March 18, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13085-13087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-5890]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration

[Docket No. 100305127-0127-01]


Pan-Pacific Education and Communications Experiments by Satellite 
(PEACESAT): Closing Date

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public 
Law No. 111-117, the U.S. Department of Commerce announces the 
solicitation of applications for a grant for the Pan-Pacific Education 
and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT) Program. 
Projects funded pursuant to this Notice are intended to support the 
PEACESAT Program's acquisition of satellite communications to service 
Pacific Basin communities and to manage the operations of this network. 
Applications for the PEACESAT Program grant will compete for funds from 
the Public Broadcasting, Facilities, Planning and Construction Funds 
account.

DATES: Applications must be received on or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern 
Daylight Time, May 3, 2010. Applications submitted by facsimile are not 
acceptable. NTIA will not accept applications received after the 
deadline. However, if an application is received after the Closing Date 
due to (1) carrier error, when the carrier accepted the package with a 
guarantee for delivery by the Closing Date and Time, or (2) significant 
weather delays or natural disasters, NTIA will, upon receipt of proper 
documentation, consider the application as having been received by the 
deadline.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed 
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to: NTIA/PTFP, 
Room H-4812, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, 
Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained 
electronically via the Internet at www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public 
Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482-5802; fax: (202) 482-2156.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Electronic Access

    The full federal funding opportunity announcement for the PEACESAT 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 grant cycle is available through www.grants.gov 
or by contacting NTIA at the address noted above. Application materials 
may be obtained electronically via the Internet at www.grants.gov.

Program Description

    Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law 
No. 111-117, the U.S. Department of Commerce announces the solicitation 
of applications for a grant for the PEACESAT Program. Projects funded 
pursuant to this Notice are intended to support the PEACESAT Program's 
acquisition of satellite communications to service Pacific Basin 
communities and to manage the operations of this network. Applications 
for the PEACESAT Program grant will compete for funds from the Public 
Broadcasting, Facilities, Planning and Construction Funds account.

Funding Availability

    Funding for the PEACESAT Program is provided pursuant to the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010, Public Law No. 111-117 and 
Public Law No. 106-113, ``The Consolidated Appropriations Act, Fiscal 
Year 2000.'' Public Law No. 106-113 provides ``That, hereafter, 
notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Pan-Pacific Education 
and Communications Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT) Program is 
eligible to compete for Public Broadcasting Facilities, Planning and 
Construction funds.''
    The Congress has appropriated $18 million for FY 2010 Public 
Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) and PEACESAT awards. Of 
this amount, NTIA anticipates making a single award for approximately 
$500,000 for the PEACESAT Program in FY 2010. For FY 2009, NTIA issued 
one award for the PEACESAT project in the amount of $499,641.

Statutory and Regulatory Authority

    The PEACESAT Program was authorized under Public Law No. 100-584 
(102 Stat. 2970) and also Public Law

[[Page 13086]]

No. 101-555 (104 Stat. 2758) to acquire satellite communications 
services to provide educational, medical, and cultural needs of Pacific 
Basin communities. The PEACESAT Program has been operational since 1971 
and has received funding from NTIA for support of the project since 
1988.
    Applications submitted in response to this solicitation for 
PEACESAT applications are exempt from the PTFP regulations at 15 CFR 
Part 2301.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    Not Applicable.

Eligibility

    Eligible applicants will include any for-profit or non-profit 
organization, public or private entity, other than an agency or 
division of the Federal Government. Individuals are not eligible to 
apply for the PEACESAT Program funds.

Evaluation and Selection Process

    The Public Broadcasting Division (PBD) administers the PEACESAT 
Program and places a summary of applications received on the Internet 
at https://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/peacesat/peacesat.html. Listing an 
application merely acknowledges receipt of an application to compete 
for funding with other applications. Listing does not preclude 
subsequent return of the application for failure to meet application 
requirements and does not assure that the application will be funded. 
The listing will also include a request for comments on the 
applications from any interested party.
    Each eligible application is evaluated by three independent 
reviewers who have demonstrated expertise in the programmatic and 
technological aspects of the application. The reviewers will evaluate 
applications according to the evaluation criteria in the following 
section and provide individual written ratings of each application. No 
consensus advice will be provided by the reviewers. State Single Point 
of Contact (SPOC) offices, per Executive Order 12372, may provide 
recommendations on applications under consideration.
    The PBD program staff prepares a rank order of all applications 
according to the scores submitted by the independent reviewers. The PBD 
program staff then prepares written summary recommendations for the 
Director of the Public Broadcasting Division (PBD Director). These 
recommendations incorporate the independent reviewers' ratings and 
analysis of the degree to which a proposed project meets the PEACESAT 
Program purposes, as described above in the Program Description, and 
applicable cost principles. Staff recommendations also consider (1) 
project impact, (2) the cost/benefit of a project, and (3) whether the 
reviewers consistently applied the evaluation criteria.
    The PBD Director considers the program staff's summary 
recommendations in accordance with the funding priorities and selection 
factors referenced in the next section and recommends the funding order 
of the applications for the PEACESAT Programs in three categories: 
``Recommended for Funding,'' ``Recommended for Funding If Funds Are 
Available,'' and ``Not Recommended for Funding.'' The PBD Director 
presents recommendations to the Associate Administrator, Office of 
Telecommunications and Information Applications (OTIA Associate 
Administrator), for review and approval.
    Upon review and approval based on the funding priorities and 
selection factors referenced in the next section by the OTIA Associate 
Administrator, the OTIA Associate Administrator's and the PBD 
Director's recommendations are presented to the Selecting Official, the 
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, who is the NTIA 
Administrator. The Selecting Official then makes the final award 
selections taking into consideration these recommendations and the 
degree to which the slate of applications, taken as a whole, satisfies 
the stated purposes for the PEACESAT Program.
    Prior to award, applications may be negotiated between NTIA and the 
applicant to resolve any differences between the original request and 
what NTIA is willing to consider funding. Some applications may be 
dropped from the slate due to lack of Federal Communications Commission 
(FCC) authorization, an applicant's inability to make adequate 
assurances or certifications, or other reasons. Negotiation of an 
application does not ensure that a final award will be made.
    The Program will not award a grant until it has received 
confirmation that the FCC will issue any necessary authorization.
    After final award selections have been made, the Agency will notify 
the applicant of one of the following actions:
    (1) Selection of the application for funding, in whole or in part;
    (2) Deferral of the application for subsequent consideration; or
    (3) Rejection of the application with an explanation and the 
reason, e.g., if an applicant is not eligible or if the proposed 
project does not fall within the purposes of the PEACESAT program.

Funding Priorities and Selection Factors

    The PBD Director will consider the summary evaluations prepared by 
program staff, rank the applications, and present recommendations to 
the OTIA Associate Administrator for review and approval. The PBD 
Director's recommendations and the OTIA Associate Administrator's 
review and approval will take into account the following selection 
factors:
    (1) The program staff evaluations, including the outside reviewers;
    (2) Whether the applicant has any current NTIA grants;
    (3) The geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards; and
    (4) The availability of funds.
    The Selection Official considers these recommendations and whether 
the proposed awards satisfy the PEACESAT program purposes.

Evaluation Criteria

    Each eligible application that is timely received, is materially 
complete, and proposes an eligible project will be considered under the 
evaluation criteria described here. The first three criteria -- 1. 
Meeting the Purposes of the PEACESAT Program, 2. Extent of Need for the 
Project, and 3. Plan of Operation for the Project -- are each worth 25 
points. Criterion 4, Budget and Cost Effectiveness, is worth 20 points. 
Criterion 5, Quality of Key Personnel, is worth 5 points.

Criterion 1. Meeting the Purposes of the PEACESAT Program.

    The extent to which the project meets the purposes of the PEACESAT 
Program including consideration of: (i) how well the proposal meets the 
objectives of the PEACESAT Program; and (ii) how the objectives of the 
proposal further the purposes of the PEACESAT Program.

Criterion 2. Extent of Need for the Project.

    The extent to which the project meets the needs of the PEACESAT 
Program, including consideration of: (i) the needs addressed by the 
project; (ii) how the applicant identifies those needs; (iii) how those 
needs will be met by the project; and (iv) the benefits to be gained by 
meeting those needs.

Criterion 3. Plan of Operation for the Project.

    The extent to which the project meets the plan of operation for the 
project, including consideration of: (i) the quality of the design of 
the project; (ii)

[[Page 13087]]

the extent to which the plan of management is effective and ensures 
proper and efficient administration of the project; (iii) how well the 
objectives of the project relate to the purposes of the PEACESAT 
Program; (iv) the quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources 
and personnel to achieve each objective; and (v) how the applicant will 
ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to 
participate are selected without regard to race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.

Criterion 4. Budget and Cost Effectiveness.

    The extent to which: (i) the budget is adequate to support the 
project; and (ii) costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of 
the project.

Criterion 5. Quality of Key Personnel.

    The extent to which the applicant plans to use on the project, 
including: (i) the qualifications of the project director if one is to 
be used; (ii) the qualifications of each of the other key personnel to 
be used in the project; (iii) the time that each person will commit to 
the project; and (iv) how the applicant, as part of its 
nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel 
are selected for employment without regard to race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. As used in this section, 
``qualifications'' refers to experience and training in fields related 
to the objectives of the project, and any other qualifications that 
pertain to the quality of the project.

Cost Sharing Requirements

    Grant recipients under this program will not be required to provide 
matching funds toward the total project cost.
    The costs allowable under this Notice are not subject to the 
limitation on costs contained in the December 2, 2009, Notice regarding 
the PTFP Program, see 74 FR 163120 (2009).

Intergovernmental Review

    PEACESAT applications are subject to Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' if the state in which 
the applicant organization is located participates in the process. 
Usually, the submission to the SPOC needs to be only the first two 
pages of the Application Form, but applicants should contact their own 
SPOC offices to ensure compliance with its requirements. The names and 
addresses of the SPOC offices are listed on the PTFP website and at the 
Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) home page at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc.

Universal Identifier

    All applicants (nonprofits, state and local governments, 
universities, and tribal organizations) will be required to provide a 
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during 
the application process. See the October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66177) and 
April 8, 2003 (68 FR 17000) Federal Register notices for additional 
information. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by 
calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line 1-866-705-5711 
or via the Internet at www.fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

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

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification of Requirements 
for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register 
notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696) is applicable to this 
solicitation.

Limitation of Liability

    In no event will the Department of Commerce be responsible for 
proposal preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or 
is cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this 
announcement does not oblige the agency to award any specific project 
or to obligate any available funds.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of the 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 Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that 
collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. The PEACESAT 
application package requires the use of the following forms: SF-424, 
SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL. These forms have been approved under the 
respective OMB Control Nos. 4040-0004, 4040-0006, and 4040-0007.

Executive Order 13132

    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 opportunity for public comment are not required by 
the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning 
grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. Sec.  553(a)). Because notice 
and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Sec.  
553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory 
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. Sec.  601 et seq.) are inapplicable. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.

    Dated: March 12, 2010.
Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information 
Applications.
[FR Doc. 2010-5890 Filed 3-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-S
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