Veterans Legacy Grants Program; Funding Availability, 15263-15267 [2024-04357]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 42 (Friday, March 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15263-15267]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-04357]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Veterans Legacy Grants Program; Funding Availability

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Cemetery 
Administration (NCA) is awarding grants for a maximum of $400,000 per 
awardee through the Veterans Legacy Grants Program (VLGP) to provide 
funding to educational institutions and other eligible entities to 
conduct cemetery research and produce educational tools for the public 
to use and learn about the histories of Veterans interred in VA 
national cemeteries and VA grant-funded State and Tribal Veterans' 
cemeteries. This notice includes information about the process for 
applying for a VLGP grant; criteria for evaluating applications; 
priorities related to the award of grants; and other requirements and 
guidance regarding VLGP grants. Note: Fiscal Year 2024 grants will only 
be awarded if funding

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is allocated to this program following the Fiscal Year 2024 Continuing 
Resolution.

DATES: Applications for grants under VLGP must be received by the VLGP 
Office by 5 p.m., eastern time, on April 1, 2024. In the interest of 
fairness to all competing applicants, this deadline is firm as to date 
and hour. VA will treat any application that is received after the 
deadline as ineligible for consideration. Applicants should take this 
requirement into account and submit their materials early to avoid the 
risk of unanticipated delays, computer service outages or other 
submission-related problems that might result in ineligibility. 
Successful applicants will be notified within approximately 60 days 
following the application deadline. The VLGP grant award will be 
awarded in fiscal year (FY) 2024 and work under the award must start in 
FY 2024.

ADDRESSES: For a Copy of the Application Package: The required 
documentation for an application is outlined under Section IV. 
(Application Documentation Required) of this Notice of Funding 
Availability (NOFA). Questions should be referred to the VLGP Office by 
email at: [email protected]. For detailed VLGP information and requirements, 
see 38 CFR 38.710 through 38.785.
    For Submission of an Application Package: Applicants must submit 
applications electronically by following instructions found at: 
www.grants.gov.
    For Technical Assistance: Information regarding how to obtain 
technical assistance with the preparation of a grant application can be 
found at: www.grants.gov or applicants may email [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Williams, Senior Grants 
Management Specialist, Veterans Legacy Grants Program, National 
Cemetery Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, [email protected] or 
314-348-4073. This is not a toll-free number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Funding Opportunity Title: Veterans Legacy 
Grants Program.
    Announcement Type: Competitive.
    Funding Opportunity Number: VA-NCA-VLGP-FY2024.
    Assistance Listing: 64.204, VA Veterans Legacy Grants Program.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose: Funding for VLGP grants under this notice is authorized 
by 38 U.S.C. 2400 note (Grants for Cemetery Research and the Production 
of Educational Materials). This notice announces the availability of 
funding to applicants found eligible to receive a VLGP grant to tell 
the stories of Veterans interred in VA national cemeteries or VA grant-
funded State, Territorial or Tribal cemeteries, especially Veterans who 
have significant connection to the local community and Veterans from 
historically underrepresented groups, to include Veterans or Service 
members underrepresented by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or 
gender identity, from any period of American history, so they are 
honored in perpetuity.
    Applicants may propose to conduct the research within the context 
of any established academic discipline, or the research may be 
interdisciplinary. Eligible applicants are institutions of higher 
learning, educational institutions, local educational agencies, or non-
profit entities. Successful applicants will:
    1. Meet VLGP's mission to commemorate the Nation's Veterans and 
Service members through the discovery and sharing of their stories. 
VLGP encourages students and teachers at the K-12 levels and 
universities around the country to immerse themselves in the rich 
historical resources found within one or more of VA's 155 national 
cemeteries or one or more of the 122 VA grant-funded Veterans 
cemeteries.
    2. Include a study of Veterans or Service members interred in one 
of VA's national cemeteries or in one of the VA grant-funded 
cemeteries.
    3. Foster engagement in the communities surrounding one or several 
of the national cemeteries or VA grant-funded cemeteries.
    4. Tell the stories of Veterans interred in these cemeteries, 
especially Veterans who have significant connection to the local 
community and Veterans from historically underrepresented groups, to 
include Veterans or Service members underrepresented by race, 
ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity from any period of 
American history.
    5. Utilize the Veterans Legacy Memorial (www.va.gov/remember), 
NCA's online memorial that honors Veterans interred in VA national 
cemeteries; VA grant-funded Veterans cemeteries; Department of Defense-
managed cemeteries (including Arlington National Cemetery); and two 
National Park Service national cemeteries.
    B. Priorities: Competitive Preference Priorities (CPP) for FY 2024 
and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of 
applications from this annual competition will align with specific VLGP 
initiatives, which will be noted as CPPs. NCA will award up to five 
priority points for each CPP addressed by the application up to a 
maximum of ten priority points. Each CPP must be described in a one-
page abstract submitted with the application. If applicants wish to be 
considered for CPP points, applicants must include, in a one-page 
abstract submitted with the application, a statement indicating which 
of the CPPs are addressed. If an applicant addresses CPPs, this 
information must also be listed on the VLGP Profile Form. To earn CPPs, 
submitted applications will:
    1. Successfully showcase and creatively highlight Veterans or 
Service members who have never been studied or researched in previous 
VLGP projects and are interred in qualifying cemeteries and in a new 
geographic region where a VLGP project has not had a presence.
    2. Demonstrate sustainability potential beyond VLGP resources and 
delineate how elements of the project will have a multiplier effect to 
support this sustainability, including the continuing impact beyond the 
life of a project or securing other donor support following VLGP 
funding.
    C. Total Available Funds: The total funds allocated for VLGP in FY 
2024 is $2.2 million. VA may award additional VLGP grant awards 
depending on the availability of funds and the number of competitive 
grant applications received.
    VA will only accept one application per applicant. If an applicant 
submits multiple applications, VA reserves the right to select which 
application to consider based on the submission dates and times or 
based on other factors included in 38 CFR 38.710 through 38.785.
    D. Eligible Recipients: Applicants must be eligible entities that 
meet one of the definitions in 38 CFR 38.715 for an institution of 
higher learning, educational institution, local educational agency, or 
non-profit entity.

II. Award Information

    A. Allocation of Funds: $2.2 million in Federal funding is 
available under this notice with a maximum award up to $400,000 per 
grant. Additional overall Federal funding may be available at the 
discretion of NCA. Each VLGP grant must be awarded in FY 2024, and the 
period of performance under the grant must have a start date that is 
also within FY 2024. The number of grants awarded during this period is 
at the discretion of VA.
    B. Funding Restrictions: No part of an award under this notice may 
be used for a course buyout, and the grant funds shall not be used to 
substitute a class that a professor is required to teach during an 
academic year.
    C. Funding Limitations: VA's decisions will be based on factors 
such

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as need, geographic dispersion and availability of funding.

III. Application and Submission Information

    A. Obtaining a Grant Application: The required documentation for an 
application submission is outlined in Section IV. (Application 
Documentation Required) of this NOFA. All applications must be 
submitted through www.grants.gov, which will outline required forms and 
documentation. Registration information is available at:
    www.grants.gov. Questions should be referred to the VLGP Office at: 
[email protected]. For detailed VLGP information and requirements, see 38 CFR 
38.710 through 38.785.
    B. Submitting a Grant Application: Applicants must ensure that they 
include all required documents in their electronic application 
submission, carefully follow the format and provide the information 
requested and described below. Submission of an application that 
contains conflicting information or is incomplete, untimely, or 
incorrectly formatted will result in the application being rejected. 
Applicants must submit applications electronically by following 
instructions found at www.grants.gov. Applications must be submitted as 
a complete package. Materials arriving separately will not be included 
in the application package for consideration and may result in the 
application being rejected or not funded.
    C. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM): 
Applicants (unless the applicant is an individual, the Federal awarding 
agency has exempted the applicant from the following requirements under 
2 CFR 25.110(c), or the Office of Management and Budget has allowed a 
class exception under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) are required to: (i) be 
registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a 
valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) provide 
proof of an active and updated SAM registration at the time of 
application submission, which must be maintained throughout the award 
period as a continuing condition of eligibility. The Federal awarding 
agency will not make a Federal award to an applicant that does not have 
an active and updated SAM registration at the time of application 
submission.

IV. Application Documentation Required

    A. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Supporting 
Documents: Applicants are required to complete the SF-424 and attach 
the following supporting documents following application instructions 
outlined on www.grants.gov.
    1. Project Abstract: In 500 words or less, double-spaced, 12-point 
Times New Roman font, provide a brief abstract of the proposed project. 
As applicable, include other information relevant to an understanding 
of the overall project and specify if you wish to be considered for CPP 
points set out in Section I.B. (Priorities) of this NOFA.
    2. Project Proposal: In 1,200 words or less, double-spaced, 12-
point Times New Roman font, include a narrative outlining the proposed 
plan for the project and include a detailed timeline for the tasks 
outlined in the project description and proposed milestones. See 
Section IV.C. (Project Proposals) for additional information.
    3. Expertise and Capacity: In 500 words or less, double-spaced, 12-
point Times New Roman font, include a description of the applicant's 
ability and capacity to administer the project. This should include any 
evidence of past experience with projects similar in scope as defined 
by this NOFA, to include descriptions of the engagement model; examples 
of successful leadership and management of a project of similar (or 
greater) scale and budget; or related work in this field.
    4. Proposed Budget: In 500 words or less, double-spaced, 12-point 
Times New Roman font, provide the proposed budget and budget narrative, 
which should identify and justify all costs and proposed expenditures, 
to include additional compensation and honoraria (and to whom such 
payments would be made); equipment costs; production costs; and travel 
costs. The word count does not include charts, graphs, or spreadsheets 
an applicant may choose to provide as additional attachments. 
Applicants may include indirect costs as part of their proposed budget. 
Applicants with a negotiated indirect cost rate with a cognizant 
Federal agency should include a copy of the approved indirect cost rate 
agreement as an attachment to the budget and may utilize this rate when 
preparing and submitting a proposed budget. Those applicants that do 
not have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement with a 
cognizant Federal agency may elect to charge the de minimis rate listed 
in 2 CFR 200.414.
    5. Project Team: The applicant must provide a narrative description 
of anticipated project team members and any extramural partner(s), 
including the qualifications and responsibilities of the principal 
investigator, the co-principal investigators, and any extramural 
partner entity.
    B. Eligibility: Applicants must meet definitions for eligible 
recipients in 38 CFR 38.715(c) and provide supporting documentation of 
status (for example, Section 503(c)(3) status, consolidated State 
plan).
    C. Project Proposals: Project Proposals should support the 
memorialization of the Nation's Service members and Veterans enshrined 
in national cemeteries or VA grant-funded cemeteries in the following 
areas:
    1. Outreach: A framework for digital and non-digital outreach based 
on student research focused on a VA national cemetery (or cemeteries) 
or a VA grant-funded State, Territorial or Tribal cemetery (or 
cemeteries).
    2. Educational Materials: A framework of digital instructional 
materials relevant to the grade level of K-12 students involved (e.g., 
lesson plans, learning guides). Alternatively, materials intended for 
general education of the public may be developed in conjunction with or 
in lieu of the above, but preference will be given to proposals that 
include development of instructional materials intended for K-12 
audiences.
    3. Veterans Legacy Memorial: Applicants shall teach professional 
historical research methods, which should result in participant-
generated biographies that program participants, as appropriate, will 
upload into NCA's Veterans Legacy Memorial (www.va.gov/remember). The 
goal here is to expand biographical content within the Veterans Legacy 
Memorial that is written by students, teachers, and other program 
participants.
    Materials produced under this grant program must be based on 
primary research on the Service members and/or Veterans interred or 
memorialized in VA's national cemeteries or VA grant-funded cemeteries, 
conducted by students under the guidance of an appropriate educational 
professional (e.g., licensed teacher, tenure-track professor with 
terminal degree or program officer of an educational non-profit 
entity). The research must be produced in formats accessible to 
students, teachers, scholars, and the American public. This research 
may be conducted within the context of any established academic 
discipline or may be interdisciplinary as long as the research conveys 
findings about individual Service members or Veterans that expands 
awareness and knowledge of those whose stories have not been told 
before. NCA's VLGP is committed to memorializing all Service members 
and Veterans, but Service members and Veterans from underrepresented 
communities are of particular interest.

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No preference will be given to any disciplinary or methodological 
approach. Intrinsic to the research process under this grant program is 
students visiting a national cemetery or VA grant-funded cemetery of 
interest more than once.
    D. Applicant Contact Information: Must not be a toll-free number or 
P.O. Box address. Must be a working telephone number and physical 
address for recipient accessibility.
    1. Location of the administrative office where correspondence can 
be sent to the Executive Director/President/Chief Executive Officer/
Department Chair (no P.O. Boxes). Include complete address, city, 
state, zip code plus four-digit extension, county, and Congressional 
district.
    2. Organization Primary Contact: Include the name, title, phone 
number and email address. Note: VLGP views the organization's primary 
contact as assigned to the organization, not a specific grant 
application, and should be someone who normally signs grant agreements 
or makes executive decisions for the organization.
    3. Grant Contact #1: Include the name, title, phone number and 
email address. Note: This contact is specific to a grant application 
under this NOFA and may be a Program Manager, Director, Case Manager, 
Grant Administrator or other individual of similar position.

V. Application Review Information

    A. Application Review: Staff reviewers from VA will assess and 
score all compliant applications. The applications will be ranked from 
highest to lowest based on application scores as explained below.
    B. Applicant Clarification: Following the review process, VA may 
request clarifying information to inform funding recommendations. A 
request for clarification does not guarantee a grant award. If an 
organization does not respond by the deadline to a request for 
clarification, VA will remove its application from consideration.
    C. Application Scoring: Applications will be evaluated and scored 
based on the following criteria (100-point scale). An application must 
receive a total score of at least 70 points (70% of the total available 
points) to be eligible for a grant. VA may disqualify any application 
that receives less than 50% of the total available points on one or 
more of the following criteria.
    1. Team--10 possible points.
    2. Student research products--15 possible points.
    3. Outreach--15 possible points.
    4. Instructional materials--15 possible points.
    5. Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM)--20 possible points.
    6. Budget--10 possible points.
    7. Collection of program assessment data--15 possible points.
    In addition to the possible 100-point scale, applications can 
receive up to an additional 10 points for CPPs as noted in Section I.B. 
(Priorities). The CPP points are separate from, and will not be used to 
achieve, the threshold 70 points on the application, nor applied to 
reach the 50% minimum points for any criterion.
    D. Technical Factors: Applications will be reviewed and evaluated 
based on the following technical factors to determine the best value 
for NCA and VLGP:
    1. Team: The team of contributing scholars must consist of at least 
one member from an accredited institution of higher education within 
the area of focus, who is a faculty member who holds an advanced degree 
in their field and has evidence of demonstrated scholarly output. The 
team will designate a single point of contact.
    2. Student research products: Applicants shall define a framework 
of at least two digital media products produced for educational 
outreach based on student-generated research. The final products must 
be publicly accessible examples of applied cemetery research.
    3. Outreach: Applicants shall define how they plan to develop a 
framework for digital and non-digital outreach based on student 
research focused on a VA national cemetery (or cemeteries) or a VA 
grant-funded State, Territorial or Tribal cemetery (or cemeteries).
    4. Instructional materials: Applicants shall include the 
development of at least 5 lesson plans appropriate to the schools, 
grades and subjects of teachers and K-12 students in the partnership. 
``Lesson plan'' includes a plan of instruction that reflects the 
State's K-12 curriculum standards, e.g., Common Core State Standards, 
and includes all other resources, materials and aids required for the 
school-based implementation of the lesson. The lesson plan product can 
be multiple lessons, structured around pre- and post-cemetery visit 
learning.
    5. Veterans Legacy Memorial: Applicants shall teach professional 
historical research methods which should result in participant-
generated biographies which program participants, as appropriate, will 
upload into NCA's Veterans Legacy Memorial (www.va.gov/remember).
    6. Budget: Applicants should identify all costs and proposed 
expenditures, to include additional compensation and honoraria (and to 
whom such payments would be made), in line with the budget categories 
listed in boxes 6.a. through 6.j. of ``SECTION B--BUDGET CATEGORIES'' 
on the SF-424A form.
    7. Collection of program assessment data: Applicants shall design 
assessment instruments for their students and the K-12 students showing 
how participation in this program affected students' performance in 
their subject of inquiry (e.g., history, film, education, American 
social studies, English Language Arts, art, etc.). Data should be 
anonymously sampled but demonstrated to be valid and reliable.
    E. Risk Assessment Evaluation: In addition to the application 
scoring of technical factors, VA staff (and possibly other Federal 
agency staff) will evaluate the risks to the program posed by each 
applicant, including conducting due diligence to ensure an applicant's 
ability to manage Federal funds. If VA determines to make an award, 
special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed may 
be applied to the award. VA reserves the right to conduct multiple risk 
assessments of recipients throughout the period of performance. 
Applicants will be notified of an updated risk level and any measures 
that may be taken to address any heightened level of risk. In 
evaluating risks, VA may review and consider the following:
     Financial stability;
     Quality of management systems and ability to meet the 
management standards prescribed in the uniform requirements in 2 CFR 
part 200;
     Applicant's record in managing previous Federal awards, 
grants, or procurement awards, including:
    [cir] Timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting 
requirements;
    [cir] Accuracy of data reported;
    [cir] Validity of performance measure data reported;
    [cir] Conformance to the terms and conditions of previous Federal 
awards; and
    [cir] If applicable, the extent to which any previously awarded 
amounts will be expended prior to future awards.
     Information available through Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB)-designated repositories of Governmentwide eligibility 
qualification or financial integrity information, such as:
    [cir] Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System;
    [cir] Dun and Bradstreet; and
    [cir] ``Do Not Pay.''

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    Applicants may review and comment on information available through 
these OMB-designated repositories, and VA will consider any comments 
made by the applicant.
     Reports and findings from single audits performed under 
Subpart F--Audit Requirements, 2 CFR part 200, and findings of any 
other available audits;
     Applicant organization's annual report;
     Publicly available information, including information from 
the applicant organization's website;
     Applicant's ability to effectively implement statutory, 
regulatory, or other requirements imposed on award recipients; and
     Applicant's past compliance with Federal procurement 
requirements (2 CFR 200.317 through 200.327).
    F. Applicant Priority Groups: This award cycle places no priority 
consideration on applicants with any specific focus, discipline, or 
product.
    G. Disposition of Applications: Upon review of an application and 
dependent on availability of funds, VA will:
     Approve the application for funding, in whole or in part, 
for such amount of funds, and subject to such conditions that VA deems 
necessary or desirable; or
     Determine that the application is of acceptable quality 
for funding, in that it meets minimum criteria, but disapprove the 
application for funding because it did not rank sufficiently high in 
relation to other applications to qualify for an award based on the 
level of funding available; or
     Disapprove the application for failure to meet the 
applicable selection criteria at a sufficiently high level in 
comparison to other applications to justify an award of funds, or for 
another reason as provided in the documentation of the decision; or
     Defer action on the application for such reasons as lack 
of funds or a need for further review.
    H. Withdrawal of Application: Applicants may withdraw a VLGP 
application submitted through www.grants.gov by submitting a written 
request to the VA point of contact specified in this notice within 15 
days with a rationale for the request.

VI. Award Administration Information

    A. Selection for Funding: VA will utilize the ranked scores of 
applications as the primary basis for selection but may factor in the 
risk assessment and clarifying information provided by the applicant.
    B. Award Notice: The VLGP Office will announce grant awards after a 
complete review of all received applications. Awards will be for 12 
months. The initial announcement will be made via news release which 
will be posted on VA's VLGP website at: https://www.cem.va.gov/legacy/grants.asp. The VLGP Office will send notification letters to the grant 
recipients. Applicants who are not selected will be sent a declination 
letter.
    C. Grant Agreements: After an applicant is approved for award, VA 
will draft a grant agreement to be executed by VA and the recipient. 
Upon execution of the grant agreement, VA will obligate the grant 
amount. Recipients will be subject to requirements of this NOFA, VLGP 
regulations (38 CFR 38.710 through 38.785), other Federal grant 
requirements under 2 CFR part 200 and the recipient's VLGP application.
    D. Administrative and National Policy: VA places great emphasis on 
responsibility and accountability. VA has procedures in place to 
monitor grant programs and outcomes associated with the services 
provided under VLGP.
    E. Payment: All recipients must register in the Health and Human 
Services Payment Management Services (HHS-PMS) Program Support Center 
at www.psc.gov. Funds will be disbursed through HHS-PMS and are to be 
paid in accordance with 2 CFR 200.305. Recipients will be required to 
support their request for payment based on the project budget.
    F. Compliance Review: As needed, VA may conduct site visits to 
recipient locations to review recipient accomplishments and internal 
control systems. In addition, VA may conduct as many inspections as 
needed of recipient records to determine compliance. All visits and 
evaluations will be performed with minimal disruption to the recipient 
to the extent practicable.
    G. Reporting:
    1. Final report: All recipients must submit all financial, 
performance, and other reports to the program office as required by the 
terms and conditions of the Federal award and 2 CFR part 200. However, 
VLGP may approve extensions when requested and justified by the grant 
recipients, as applicable. The final report must include: a program 
evaluation, proof of meeting VA objectives as outlined in VLGP's 
mission and a summary of the effectiveness of the completed proposal.
    2. Additional reporting: VA may request additional information, 
records and reports to allow VA to assess program effectiveness, such 
as quarterly Federal Financial Reports and Performance Progress 
Reports.
    H. Recovery of Funds: VA may recover from the recipient any funds 
that are not used in accordance with the grant agreement. If VA decides 
to recover funds, VA will issue to the recipient a notice of intent to 
recover grant funds, and the recipient will then have 30 days to submit 
documentation demonstrating why the grant funds should not be 
recovered. After review of all submitted documentation, VA will 
determine whether action will be taken to recover the grant funds. When 
VA decides to recover grant funds from the recipient, VA will stop 
further payments of grant funds until the grant funds are recovered and 
the condition that led to the decision to recover grant funds has been 
resolved.
    I. Financial Management: The recipient shall conform to the Single 
Audit Act Amendments of 1996, as implemented by 2 CFR part 200. All 
recipients must use a financial management system that complies with 2 
CFR part 200. Recipients must meet the applicable requirements of OMB's 
regulations on Cost Principles at 2 CFR part 200.
    J. Availability of Grant Funds: Federal financial assistance will 
become available subsequent to the effective date of the grant as set 
forth in the grant agreement. Recipients may be reimbursed for costs 
resulting from obligations incurred before the effective date of the 
grant, if such costs are authorized by VA within this NOFA or the grant 
agreement or subsequently by VA in writing and otherwise would be 
allowable as costs of the grant under applicable guidelines, 
regulations and terms and conditions of the grant agreement.
    Signing Authority: Denis McDonough, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 
approved and signed this document on February 26, 2024, and authorized 
the undersigned to sign and submit the document to the Office of the 
Federal Register for publication electronically as an official document 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Luvenia Potts,
Regulation Development Coordinator, Office of Regulation Policy & 
Management, Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2024-04357 Filed 2-29-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P