Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Asset Tracking and Reporting Technology, 19678-19680 [2012-7788]

Download as PDF 19678 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices Room 5116, National Institutes of Health/ NIAID, 6700B Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892–7628, 301–435–3754, jbradac@mail.nih.gov. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.855, Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Research; 93.856, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Research, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: March 27, 2012. Jennifer S. Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY [FR Doc. 2012–7825 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] [Docket No. USCG–2012–0220] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Asset Tracking and Reporting Technology Dated: March 26, 2012. Jennifer S. Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES [FR Doc. 2012–7828 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meeting Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), notice is hereby given of the following meeting. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health National Institute of General Medical Sciences; Notice of Closed Meeting mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Pursuant to section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), notice is hereby given of the following meeting. The meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: National Institute of General Medical Sciences Special Emphasis Panel; NIH Loan Repayment Program for Clinical and Pediatric Research. Date: April 27, 2012. Time: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications. Place: National Institutes of Health, Natcher Building, 45 Center Drive Room 3An18B, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Telephone Conference Call). Contact Person: Margaret J. Weidman, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Office of Scientific Review, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, 45 Center Drive Room 3An18B, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301–594–3663, weidmanma@nigms.nih.gov. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.375, Minority Biomedical Research Support; 93.821, Cell Biology and Biophysics Research; 93.859, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Biological Chemistry Research; 93.862, Genetics and Developmental Biology Research; 93.88, Minority Access to Research Careers; 93.96, Special Minority Initiatives, National Institutes of Health, HHS) VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:42 Mar 30, 2012 Jkt 226001 The meeting will be closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., as amended. The grant applications and the discussions could disclose confidential trade secrets or commercial property such as patentable material, and personal information concerning individuals associated with the grant applications, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Member Conflict: Neurodegeneration. Date: April 11, 2012. Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Agenda: To review and evaluate grant applications. Place: National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD 20892, (Telephone Conference Call). Contact Person: Mary Custer, Ph.D., Scientific Review Officer, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 4148, MSC 7850, Bethesda, MD 20892, (301) 435– 1164, custerm@csr.nih.gov. This notice is being published less than 15 days prior to the meeting due to the timing limitations imposed by the review and funding cycle. (Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 93.337, 93.393–93.396, 93.837–93.844, 93.846–93.878, 93.892, 93.893, National Institutes of Health, HHS) Dated: March 27, 2012. Jennifer S. Spaeth, Director, Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy [FR Doc. 2012–7823 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4140–01–P PO 00000 Frm 00069 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Coast Guard, DHS. Notice of intent; request for public comments. AGENCY: ACTION: National Institutes of Health BILLING CODE 4140–01–P Coast Guard The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics), to test, evaluate, and document the strengths and weaknesses of at least one technical approach for exchanging asset position, status, and brief collaborative messages between the Coast Guard Incident Command Staff (ICS), deployed Coast Guard and nonCoast Guard personnel, and other mobile assets which are engaged within an ICS managed, Incident of National Significance Response. While the Coast Guard is currently considering partnering with General Dynamics, we are soliciting public comment on the nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential participants to submit proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs. DATES: Comments and related material on the proposed CRADA must either be submitted to our online docket via https://www.regulations.gov on or before May 2, 2012, or reach the Docket Management Facility by that date. Notifications from parties interested in participating as a non-Federal participant in a CRADA similar to the one described in this notice must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before May 2, 2012. ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on this notice identified by docket number USCG–2012–0220 using any one of the following methods: (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. (2) Fax: 202–493–2251. (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M–30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590– 0001. (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone number is 202–366–9329. SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\02APN1.SGM 02APN1 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. See the ‘‘Public Participation and Request for Comments’’ portion of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on submitting comments. Do not submit detailed proposals for different CRADAs to the Docket Management Facility. Instead, if you are interested in being a non-Federal participant in a different CRADA, you may submit detailed proposals to Ms. Monica Cisternelli, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320 email: Monica.M.Cisternelli@uscg.mil. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning this notice or desire to submit a CRADA proposal, please contact Ms. Monica Cisternelli, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 860–271–2741, email: Monica.M.Cisternelli@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202–366–9826. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Public Participation and Request for Comments We encourage you to submit comments and related material on this notice. All comments received will be posted, without change, to https:// www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have provided. Submitting Comments If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this notice (USCG–2012–0220) and provide a reason for each suggestion or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online via https://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online via https:// www.regulations.gov, it will be considered received by the Coast Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding your submission. To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov and type VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:42 Mar 30, 2012 Jkt 226001 ‘‘USCG–2012–0220’’ in the ‘‘Keyword’’ box. If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no larger than 81⁄2 by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during the comment period. Viewing Comments and Related Material To view the comments and related material, go to https:// www.regulations.gov, click on the ‘‘read comments’’ box, which will then become highlighted in blue. In the ‘‘Keyword’’ box, insert ‘‘USCG–2012– 0220’’ and click ‘‘Search.’’ Click the ‘‘Open Docket Folder’’ in the ‘‘Actions’’ column. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may view the docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12–140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to use the Docket Management Facility. Privacy Act Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act, system of records notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316). Cooperative Research and Development Agreements Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), are authorized by the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99–502, codified at 15 U.S.C. 3710(a)). A CRADA promotes the transfer of technology to the private sector for commercial use as well as specified research or development efforts that are consistent with the mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party or parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as an executive agency under 5 U.S.C. 105, is a Federal agency PO 00000 Frm 00070 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 19679 for purposes of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a) and may enter into a CRADA. DHS delegated its authority to the Commandant of the Coast Guard (see DHS Delegation No. 0160.1, para. 2.B(34)), and the Commandant has delegated his authority to the Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center (R&DC). CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have a specific purpose and should not be confused with other types of agreements such as procurement contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements. Goal of Proposed CRADA Under the proposed CRADA, the Coast Guard’s R&DC would collaborate with non-Federal participants. Together, the R&DC and the non-Federal participants would test, evaluate, and document the strengths and weaknesses of at least one technical approach for exchanging asset position, status, and brief collaborative messages between the Coast Guard Incident Command Staff (ICS), deployed Coast Guard and nonCoast Guard personnel, and other mobile assets, which are engaged within an ICS-managed, Incident of National Significance (IONS) Response. The CRADA partners will determine the viability of technical approaches for asset tracking and non-verbal communications exchange by conducting a live test in conjunction with a Coast Guard response exercise. The response exercise will utilize emergency personnel, such as Oil Spill Response Organizations (OSROs) and non-Federal CRADA partner-provided handheld devices and interoperable communications technology. Party Contributions We anticipate that the Coast Guard’s contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following: (1) Provide CRADA partners with access to, and appropriate use of Coast Guard assets, facilities and personnel engaged in a Coast Guard response exercise; (2) Provide CRADA partners with all necessary approvals and access for their installation of the asset tracking and non-verbal communications exchange technology on at least one Coast Guard vessel or shore facility; and (3) Develop the Technology Demonstration Concept Document, Technology Test Objectives, Test Plan, and Project Report for the CRADA work. We anticipate that the non-Federal participants’ contributions under the proposed CRADA will include the following: E:\FR\FM\02APN1.SGM 02APN1 19680 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 63 / Monday, April 2, 2012 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES (1) Provide appropriate input to the R&DC for the development of the Technology Demonstration Concept Document, Technology Test Objectives, Test Plan, and Project Report; (2) Provide, install, operate, maintain, and remove all material (including hardware, software, and test equipment), along with the associated labor, needed for the Technology Demonstration as set forth within the Test Plan; and (3) Provide the R&DC with a Test Report documenting the results of the Technology Demonstration. Selection Criteria The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this notice. The Coast Guard will provide no funding for reimbursement of proposal development costs. Proposals (or any other material) submitted in response to this notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted are expected to be unclassified and have no more than four single-sided pages (excluding cover page and resumes). The Coast Guard will select proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of: (1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to meet, the proposed CRADA’s goal; and (2) How well they address the following criteria: (a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party contributions described; and (b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party contributions described. Currently, the Coast Guard is considering General Dynamics for participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on General Dynamics’: (1) Expertise, experience, and interest in asset tracking and nonverbal communications exchange technology; and (2) capability to provide the significant contributions required for the CRADA work. However, we do not wish to exclude other viable participants from this or future similar CRADAs. This is a technology transfer/ development effort. Presently, the Coast Guard has no plan to acquire asset tracking and non-verbal communications exchange technology. Since the goal of this CRADA is to identify and investigate the advantages, disadvantages, performance, costs, and other issues associated with using asset tracking and non-verbal communications exchange technology, and not to set future Coast Guard acquisition requirements for such technology, non-Federal CRADA VerDate Mar<15>2010 17:42 Mar 30, 2012 Jkt 226001 partners will not be excluded from any future Coast Guard procurements based solely on their participation within this CRADA. Special consideration will be given to small business firms/consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in the U.S. Authority This notice is issued under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a), 5 U.S.C. 552(a), and 33 CFR 1.05–1. Dated: March 19, 2012. Alan N. Arsenault, Captain, USCG, Commanding Officer, Research and Development Center. [FR Doc. 2012–7788 Filed 3–30–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 9110–04–P DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY Transportation Security Administration [Docket No. TSA–2006–26514] Extension of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB Review: Rail Transportation Security Transportation Security Administration, DHS. ACTION: 30-day Notice. AGENCY: This notice announces that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request (ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652–0051, abstracted below to OMB for review and approval of an extension of the currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its expected burden. TSA published a Federal Register notice, with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments, of the following collection of information on January 13, 2012, 77 FR 2077. The collection involves the submission of contact information of Rail Security Coordinators and alternate Rail Security Coordinators from freight railroad carriers; shippers and receivers of certain hazardous materials; and passenger railroad carriers, including each carrier operating light rail or heavy rail transit service on track that is part of the general railroad system of transportation and rail transit systems. Also, these persons are required to report significant security concerns, including security incidents, suspicious activity, and any threat information. In addition, freight railroad carriers and the affected shippers and receivers of SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 hazardous materials are required to document the transfer of custody of certain hazardous materials and provide location and shipping information for certain rail cars. DATES: Send your comments by May 2, 2012. A comment to OMB is most effective if OMB receives it within 30 days of publication. ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments on the proposed information collection to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OMB. Comments should be addressed to Desk Officer, Department of Homeland Security/TSA, and sent via electronic mail to oira_submission@omb.eop.gov or faxed to (202) 395–6974. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joanna Johnson, TSA PRA Officer, Office of Information Technology (OIT), TSA–11, Transportation Security Administration, 601 South 12th Street, Arlington, VA 20598–6011; telephone (571) 227–3651; email TSAPRA@dhs.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments Invited In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation is available at https://www.reginfo.gov. Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to— (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s estimate of the burden; (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Information Collection Requirement Title: Rail Transportation Security. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection. OMB Control Number: 1652–0051. Forms(s): N/A. Affected Public: Rail. Abstract: TSA will continue to collect information from regulated parties on E:\FR\FM\02APN1.SGM 02APN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 63 (Monday, April 2, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19678-19680]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7788]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2012-0220]


Cooperative Research and Development Agreement: Asset Tracking 
and Reporting Technology

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of intent; request for public comments.

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

SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is announcing its intent to enter into a 
Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with General 
Dynamics C4 Systems, Inc. (General Dynamics), to test, evaluate, and 
document the strengths and weaknesses of at least one technical 
approach for exchanging asset position, status, and brief collaborative 
messages between the Coast Guard Incident Command Staff (ICS), deployed 
Coast Guard and non-Coast Guard personnel, and other mobile assets 
which are engaged within an ICS managed, Incident of National 
Significance Response. While the Coast Guard is currently considering 
partnering with General Dynamics, we are soliciting public comment on 
the nature of and participation of other parties in the proposed CRADA. 
In addition, the Coast Guard also invites other potential participants 
to submit proposals for consideration in similar CRADAs.

DATES: Comments and related material on the proposed CRADA must either 
be submitted to our online docket via https://www.regulations.gov on or 
before May 2, 2012, or reach the Docket Management Facility by that 
date. Notifications from parties interested in participating as a non-
Federal participant in a CRADA similar to the one described in this 
notice must reach the Docket Management Facility on or before May 2, 
2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit written comments on this notice identified by 
docket number USCG-2012-0220 using any one of the following methods:
    (1) Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
    (2) Fax: 202-493-2251.
    (3) Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of 
Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    (4) Hand delivery: Same as mail address above, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The telephone 
number is 202-366-9329.

[[Page 19679]]

    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section below for instructions on 
submitting comments.
    Do not submit detailed proposals for different CRADAs to the Docket 
Management Facility. Instead, if you are interested in being a non-
Federal participant in a different CRADA, you may submit detailed 
proposals to Ms. Monica Cisternelli, U.S. Coast Guard Research and 
Development Center, 1 Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320 email: 
Monica.M.Cisternelli@uscg.mil.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions concerning this 
notice or desire to submit a CRADA proposal, please contact Ms. Monica 
Cisternelli, U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, 1 
Chelsea Street, New London, CT 06320, telephone 860-271-2741, email: 
Monica.M.Cisternelli@uscg.mil. If you have questions on viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Ms. Renee V. Wright, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Public Participation and Request for Comments

    We encourage you to submit comments and related material on this 
notice. All comments received will be posted, without change, to https://www.regulations.gov and will include any personal information you have 
provided.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (USCG-2012-0220) and provide a reason for each suggestion or 
recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online via 
https://www.regulations.gov, or by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but 
please use only one of these means. If you submit a comment online via 
https://www.regulations.gov, it will be considered received by the Coast 
Guard when you successfully transmit the comment. If you fax, hand 
deliver, or mail your comment, it will be considered as having been 
received by the Coast Guard when it is received at the Docket 
Management Facility. We recommend that you include your name and a 
mailing address, an email address, or a telephone number in the body of 
your document so that we can contact you if we have questions regarding 
your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to https://www.regulations.gov and 
type ``USCG-2012-0220'' in the ``Keyword'' box. If you submit your 
comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them in an unbound format, no 
larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for copying and electronic 
filing. If you submit comments by mail and would like to know that they 
reached the Facility, please enclose a stamped, self-addressed postcard 
or envelope. We will consider all comments and material received during 
the comment period.

Viewing Comments and Related Material

    To view the comments and related material, go to https://www.regulations.gov, click on the ``read comments'' box, which will 
then become highlighted in blue. In the ``Keyword'' box, insert ``USCG-
2012-0220'' and click ``Search.'' Click the ``Open Docket Folder'' in 
the ``Actions'' column. If you do not have access to the Internet, you 
may view the docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility 
in Room W12-140 on the ground floor of the Department of Transportation 
West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, 
between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal 
holidays. We have an agreement with the Department of Transportation to 
use the Docket Management Facility.

Privacy Act

    Anyone can search the electronic form of comments received into any 
of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.). You may review a Privacy Act, system of 
records notice regarding our public dockets in the January 17, 2008, 
issue of the Federal Register (73 FR 3316).

Cooperative Research and Development Agreements

    Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), are 
authorized by the Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-
502, codified at 15 U.S.C. 3710(a)). A CRADA promotes the transfer of 
technology to the private sector for commercial use as well as 
specified research or development efforts that are consistent with the 
mission of the Federal parties to the CRADA. The Federal party or 
parties agree with one or more non-Federal parties to share research 
resources, but the Federal party does not contribute funding. The 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as an executive agency under 5 
U.S.C. 105, is a Federal agency for purposes of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a) and 
may enter into a CRADA. DHS delegated its authority to the Commandant 
of the Coast Guard (see DHS Delegation No. 0160.1, para. 2.B(34)), and 
the Commandant has delegated his authority to the Coast Guard's 
Research and Development Center (R&DC).
    CRADAs are not procurement contracts. Care is taken to ensure that 
CRADAs are not used to circumvent the contracting process. CRADAs have 
a specific purpose and should not be confused with other types of 
agreements such as procurement contracts, grants, and cooperative 
agreements.

Goal of Proposed CRADA

    Under the proposed CRADA, the Coast Guard's R&DC would collaborate 
with non-Federal participants. Together, the R&DC and the non-Federal 
participants would test, evaluate, and document the strengths and 
weaknesses of at least one technical approach for exchanging asset 
position, status, and brief collaborative messages between the Coast 
Guard Incident Command Staff (ICS), deployed Coast Guard and non-Coast 
Guard personnel, and other mobile assets, which are engaged within an 
ICS-managed, Incident of National Significance (IONS) Response. The 
CRADA partners will determine the viability of technical approaches for 
asset tracking and non-verbal communications exchange by conducting a 
live test in conjunction with a Coast Guard response exercise. The 
response exercise will utilize emergency personnel, such as Oil Spill 
Response Organizations (OSROs) and non-Federal CRADA partner-provided 
handheld devices and interoperable communications technology.

Party Contributions

    We anticipate that the Coast Guard's contributions under the 
proposed CRADA will include the following:
    (1) Provide CRADA partners with access to, and appropriate use of 
Coast Guard assets, facilities and personnel engaged in a Coast Guard 
response exercise;
    (2) Provide CRADA partners with all necessary approvals and access 
for their installation of the asset tracking and non-verbal 
communications exchange technology on at least one Coast Guard vessel 
or shore facility; and
    (3) Develop the Technology Demonstration Concept Document, 
Technology Test Objectives, Test Plan, and Project Report for the CRADA 
work.
    We anticipate that the non-Federal participants' contributions 
under the proposed CRADA will include the following:

[[Page 19680]]

    (1) Provide appropriate input to the R&DC for the development of 
the Technology Demonstration Concept Document, Technology Test 
Objectives, Test Plan, and Project Report;
    (2) Provide, install, operate, maintain, and remove all material 
(including hardware, software, and test equipment), along with the 
associated labor, needed for the Technology Demonstration as set forth 
within the Test Plan; and
    (3) Provide the R&DC with a Test Report documenting the results of 
the Technology Demonstration.

Selection Criteria

    The Coast Guard reserves the right to select for CRADA participants 
all, some, or none of the proposals received in response to this 
notice. The Coast Guard will provide no funding for reimbursement of 
proposal development costs. Proposals (or any other material) submitted 
in response to this notice will not be returned. Proposals submitted 
are expected to be unclassified and have no more than four single-sided 
pages (excluding cover page and resumes). The Coast Guard will select 
proposals at its sole discretion on the basis of:
    (1) How well they communicate an understanding of, and ability to 
meet, the proposed CRADA's goal; and
    (2) How well they address the following criteria:
    (a) Technical capability to support the non-Federal party 
contributions described; and
    (b) Resources available for supporting the non-Federal party 
contributions described.
    Currently, the Coast Guard is considering General Dynamics for 
participation in this CRADA. This consideration is based on General 
Dynamics': (1) Expertise, experience, and interest in asset tracking 
and non-verbal communications exchange technology; and (2) capability 
to provide the significant contributions required for the CRADA work. 
However, we do not wish to exclude other viable participants from this 
or future similar CRADAs.
    This is a technology transfer/development effort. Presently, the 
Coast Guard has no plan to acquire asset tracking and non-verbal 
communications exchange technology. Since the goal of this CRADA is to 
identify and investigate the advantages, disadvantages, performance, 
costs, and other issues associated with using asset tracking and non-
verbal communications exchange technology, and not to set future Coast 
Guard acquisition requirements for such technology, non-Federal CRADA 
partners will not be excluded from any future Coast Guard procurements 
based solely on their participation within this CRADA.
    Special consideration will be given to small business firms/
consortia, and preference will be given to business units located in 
the U.S.

Authority

    This notice is issued under the authority of 15 U.S.C. 3710(a), 5 
U.S.C. 552(a), and 33 CFR 1.05-1.

    Dated: March 19, 2012.
Alan N. Arsenault,
Captain, USCG, Commanding Officer, Research and Development Center.
[FR Doc. 2012-7788 Filed 3-30-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-04-P
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