[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3946-3951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1727]
[[Page 3945]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part II
Department of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program;
Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 17 / Monday, January 27, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 3946]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket Number: 970103002-7002-01]
RIN 0660-ZA02
CFDA: 11.552; Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Assistance Program
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of grant funds.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) issues this Notice describing the conditions under which
applications will be received under the Telecommunications and
Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP) and how NTIA will
determine which applications it will fund. TIIAP assists eligible
organizations by promoting the widespread use of advanced
telecommunications and information technologies in the public and non-
profit sectors. By providing matching grants for information
infrastructure projects, this program will help develop a nationwide,
interactive, multimedia information infrastructure that is accessible
to all citizens, in rural as well as urban areas.
DATES: Complete applications for the Fiscal Year 1997 TIIAP grant
program must be mailed or hand-carried to the address indicated below
and received by NTIA no later than 5 P.M. EST, March 27, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance
Program, National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, HCHB, Room
4092, Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Stephen J. Downs, Acting Director of
the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance
Program, Telephone: 202/482-2048. Fax: 202/501-5136. E-mail:
tiiap@ntia.doc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Purposes
NTIA announces the fourth annual round of a competitive matching
grant program, TIIAP. TIIAP was created to promote the development and
widespread availability and use of advanced telecommunications and
information technologies to serve the public interest.
To accomplish this objective, TIIAP will provide matching grants to
state, local, and tribal governments, non-profit health care providers
and public health institutions, school districts, libraries, museums,
colleges, universities, public safety providers, non-profit community-
based organizations, and other non-profit entities. TIIAP will support
projects that improve the quality of, and the public's access to,
education and lifelong learning; reduce the cost, improve the quality,
and/or increase the accessibility of health care and public health
services; promote responsive public safety services; improve the
effectiveness and efficiency of government services; and foster
communication, resource-sharing, and economic development within
communities, both rural and urban.
Authority
Title III of the Department of Commerce, Justice and State, the
Judiciary and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (set out in Division
A, Title I of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997, Pub.
L. 104-208).
Funding Availability
Approximately $18.5 million is available for federal assistance. A
small amount of additional funds that have been deobligated from grants
awarded in previous fiscal years may also be available for Fiscal Year
1997 grants. Based on past experience, NTIA expects this year's grant
round to be highly competitive. In fiscal year 1996, NTIA received 809
applications, collectively requesting $260 million in grant funds. From
these 809 applications, the Department of Commerce announced 67 TIIAP
awards totaling $18.6 million in federal funds.
Based on past grant rounds, the average size of each grant award
will be approximately $300,000, although an applicant may request up to
$750,000 in federal support.
Eligible Organizations
State, local, and Indian tribal governments, colleges and
universities, and non-profit entities are eligible to apply. However,
individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible.
Matching Funds Requirements
Grant recipients under this program will be required to provide
matching funds toward the total project cost. Applicants must document
the capacity to supply matching funds. Matching funds may be in the
form of cash or in-kind contributions. Grant funds under this program
will be released in direct proportion to local matching funds utilized
and documented as having been expended. NTIA will supply up to 50% of
the total project cost, unless the applicant can document extraordinary
circumstances warranting a grant of up to 75%. Federal funds (such as
grants) generally may not be used as matching funds, except as provided
by federal statute. For information about whether particular federal
funds may be used as matching funds, the applicant should contact the
federal agency that administers the funds in question.
Policy on Sectarian Activities
Applicants are advised that on December 22, 1995, NTIA issued a
notice in the Federal Register on its policy with regard to sectarian
activities. Under NTIA's prior policy, NTIA funds could not be used for
any sectarian purposes. Under the new policy, while religious
activities cannot be the essential thrust of a grant, an application
will not be ineligible where sectarian activities are only incidental
or attenuated to the overall project purpose for which funding is
requested. Applicants for whom this policy may be relevant should read
the policy that was published at 60 FR 66491, Dec. 22, 1995.
Completeness of Application
TIIAP will initially review all proposals to determine whether all
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. The required
elements are listed and described in the Guidelines for Preparing
Applications--Fiscal Year 1997. Each of the required elements must be
present and clearly identified. Failure to do so may result in
rejection of the application.
Closing Date
As noted above, complete applications for the Fiscal Year 1997
TIIAP grant program must be received by NTIA no later than 5 P.M. EST,
March 27, 1997. (Postmark date is not sufficient.) Applications
received after that time and date will not be accepted. But see Waiver
Authority, ante. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile
machine transmission or electronic mail. NTIA anticipates that it will
take between 4 and 6 months to process applications and make final
funding decisions.
Scope of Proposed Project
Funded projects must meet the funding priorities described in this
Notice. Projects must involve the delivery of useful, practical
services in real-world environments within the grant award period. In
Fiscal Year 1997,
[[Page 3947]]
TIIAP will not fund the following kinds of projects:
One-Way Networks. TIIAP will not support the construction or
augmentation of one-way networks; all services and networks proposed
under the program must be interactive.1
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\1\ Interactivity is defined as the capacity of a communications
system to allow end users to communicate directly with other users,
either in real time (as in a video teleconference) or on a store-
and-forward basis (as with electronic mail), or to seek and gain
access to information on an on-demand basis, as opposed to a
broadcast basis.
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Content Development 2 Projects. TIIAP will not support
projects whose primary focus is to develop or produce information
content, rather than to apply information infrastructure 3 to
practical problems. For example, TIIAP will not consider projects whose
primary purpose is the creation of databases or other information
resources by converting paper-based information, nor will TIIAP
consider projects that aim primarily to digitize existing graphics
collections. Similarly, TIIAP will not consider projects that aim
primarily to create new information resources, such as World Wide Web
sites.
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\2\ ``Content development'' refers to the creation of
information resources, such as databases or World Wide Web sites,
for the purpose of dissemination through one or more on-line
services.
\3\ The telecommunication networks, computers, other end-user
devices, software, standards, and skills that collectively enable
people to connect to each other and to a vast array of services and
information resources.
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Hardware or Software Development Projects. While some hardware or
software development may be required to integrate existing systems or
components, it may not be a major emphasis of any TIIAP project.
Single-Organization Projects. TIIAP will not support projects whose
primary emphasis is on the internal communications needs of a single
organization. Projects must include appropriate partnerships,4
with plans for inter-organizational communications among the partners.
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\4\ A partner is defined as an organization that supplies cash
or in kind resources and plays an active role in the planning and
implementation of the product.
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Training Projects. TIIAP will generally not support projects whose
sole activity is to provide training in the use of information
infrastructure technology. Although a training component is essential
to most implementation projects, it must not be the exclusive focus of
the project.
Replacement or Upgrade of Existing Facilities. TIIAP will not
support any projects whose primary emphasis is the upgrade or
replacement of existing facilities.
Program Funding Priorities
NTIA has significantly changed the structure of the funding
categories for TIIAP and applicants who have previously applied to the
program should carefully note this change. For the 1997 fiscal year,
the TIIAP review process will not distinguish among access,
demonstration and planning projects. All applications will be judged
according to a single set of evaluation criteria, described later in
this Notice, and all rules set forth in this Notice will apply to all
applications. This change does not imply a change in the scope of
projects that will be considered for support; the change only reflects
NTIA's decision not to differentiate among different categories of
projects.
NTIA will support model projects that contribute to the development
of an advanced national information infrastructure (NII) 5 by
providing innovative examples of how telecommunications and information
technologies can be used to provide valuable services to communities
and by extending these opportunities to underserved 6 Americans.
NTIA seeks to fund exemplary projects that identify specific problems
or needs in a community, use information infrastructure services and
technologies to offer concrete solutions, and target measurable
outcomes. The emphasis is on the application of the technology, not the
technology itself. Each project should include a rigorous evaluation
and add to our national understanding of how the NII can be used to
benefit the public. Each project is expected to reach out to all
members of a community and thus help to bridge the gaps between
information ``haves'' and ``have-nots.''
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\5\ The National Information Infrastructure (NII) is a federal
policy initiative to facilitate and accelerate the development and
utilization of the nation's information infrastructure. The
Administration envisions the NII as a seamless web of communications
networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that will
put vast amounts of information at users' fingertips. For more
information on various aspects of the NII initiative, see The
National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action, 58 Fed. Reg.
49,025 (September 21, 1993).
\6\ ``Underserved'' refers to individuals and communities that
are subject to barriers that limit or prevent their access to the
benefits of information infrastructure technologies and services. In
terms of information infrastructure, these barriers may be
technological, geographic, economic, physical, linguistic, or
cultural. For example, a rural community may be physically isolated
from circuits adequate to allow for data access; inner city
neighborhoods may contain large numbers of potential end users for
whom ownership of computer hardware is unlikely; individuals with
disabilities may have the need for different types of interfaces
when manipulating hardware and software.
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NTIA seeks to fund projects that are innovative, not necessarily in
terms of the technology to be used, but in the application of
technology in a particular setting, to serve a particular population,
or to solve a particular problem. Innovations often take the form of
imaginative partnerships or organizational models, new applications of
proven technologies, or creative strategies for overcoming traditional
barriers to access. Projects must be exemplary in the sense that they
can serve as models that can be emulated, replicated, or adapted to
local conditions by other organizations and communities facing similar
challenges. NTIA seeks to fund a wide variety of model projects across
different application areas, geographic regions, and underserved
populations.
In past fiscal years, TIIAP has supported planning projects whose
primary goal was to develop strategies for the enhanced application of
the NII, rather than deploy or use information infrastructure. Due to
the limited amount of funds available to the program, the emphasis for
Fiscal Year 1997 is on projects that deploy, use, and evaluate the use
of information infrastructure applications. NTIA will, however, also
consider allocating a limited amount of funds to support outstanding
projects in which planning is the sole activity. Applications for such
projects will be evaluated against the same criteria applied to all
other proposals.
In Fiscal Year 1997, TIIAP will support projects in five
application areas: Community-Wide Networking; Education, Culture, and
Lifelong Learning; Health; Public and Community Services; and Public
Safety. Each application in a particular application area will be
compared against other applications in that same area:
Community-Wide Networking
This area focuses on multi-purpose projects that help a broad range
of community residents and organizations to communicate, share
information, and participate in civic activities, and that promote
economic development. Community-Wide Networking projects typically link
services or provide information across multiple application areas.
Examples may include, but would not be limited to: Community-wide
information and communication services available to residents of a
local community; projects enabling a diverse array of organizations to
share information infrastructure and resources; and networks or
information services that promote community or regional economic
development.
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Education, Culture, and Lifelong Learning
Projects in this area seek to improve education and training for
learners of all ages and provide cultural enrichment through the use of
information infrastructure in both traditional and non-traditional
settings.
Examples may include, but would not be limited to: Projects that
explore creative approaches to integrating computer-based learning and
network resources in K-12 classrooms; projects providing children,
youth, and adult learners with educational and training opportunities
in community centers and other non-traditional settings; projects that
forge stronger links among educators, students, parents, and others in
the community; projects linking workplaces and job-training sites to
educational institutions; distance learning networks providing
continuing education for professionals in remote areas; projects that
enrich communities by providing broad access to arts, science, and
cultural resources; delivery of on-line informational, educational, and
cultural services from public libraries, museums, and other cultural
centers; and projects that support the teaching of literacy to adult
learners.
Health
Projects in this area involve the use of information infrastructure
in the delivery of health and mental health services, public health,
home health care and the provision of health information to the public.
Examples of projects may include, but would not be limited to:
Telemedicine systems that offer new approaches to extending medical
expertise to rural or underserved urban areas; community health
information networks for sharing clinical, financial, and/or
administrative information among hospitals, clinics, public health
departments, and other organizations; home health care systems that
improve the care and treatment of patients in the home environment; and
networks or information services aimed at disease prevention and health
promotion.
Public and Community Services
Projects in this area aim to empower individuals and communities
and to improve the delivery of services to people with a range of
social service needs. This area includes social services such as
housing, child welfare, food assistance, employment counseling, and
others, typically delivered by state and local governments or by
community-based non-profit organizations.
Examples of projects may include but would not be limited to:
Projects that use information technology creatively to promote self-
sufficiency among individuals and families; networks that facilitate
coordination and collaboration among public and/or community-based
agencies; electronic information and referral services that provide
information on a variety of community-based or government services;
projects that make public agencies more accessible and responsive to
community residents; electronic benefits transfer projects; and
projects that employ community or geographic information systems to
study demographic or environmental trends and target community
interventions.
Public Safety
Projects in this area will seek to increase the effectiveness of
law enforcement agencies, emergency, rescue, and fire departments, or
other entities involved in providing safety services.
Examples may include, but would not be limited to, projects that
facilitate information exchange among public safety agencies located in
a single geographic area to increase efficiency and share resources, or
those that provide information in a timely manner to ``first-response
officials,'' such as police officers, emergency medical technicians,
and firefighters. Other examples could include projects that help
public safety agencies provide community outreach services, projects
that develop innovative ways to share scarce spectrum resources, and
projects that aim to increase the safety and security of children.
TIIAP will support projects that promote the accessibility and
usability of the NII for persons with disabilities. Such projects are
expected to fall under one of the five application areas described
above.
The Guidelines booklet provides more information on selecting an
application area for your application.
Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers will evaluate each application using the following
equally weighted criteria:
1. Project Purpose
Each application will be rated on the purpose of the project and
its potential contribution to our national understanding of how the NII
can be used to benefit the public. The proposal must: (1) Clearly
define a specific problem (or problems) within the community; (2)
propose a credible solution that employs information infrastructure
services and technologies; and (3) identify realistic, measurable
outcomes that are expected as a result of the project. These three
elements--problem, solution, and outcome must be clearly described and
the connections among them must be convincing. Reviewers will examine
the degree to which the proposed project supports NTIA's funding
priorities as outlined earlier in this Notice and will verify that the
scope of the project meets TIIAP's eligibility criteria. Reviewers will
assess the overall significance of the proposed project--the degree to
which it is innovative and has the potential to serve as a national
model that other communities could follow.
2. Project Feasibility
Each application will be rated on the overall feasibility of the
proposed project and its plan of implementation. In assessing project
feasibility, reviewers will focus on the following issues: The
technical approach; the qualifications of the applicant team; the
proposed budget and implementation schedule; and the applicant's plan
for sustaining the project beyond the grant period.
The technical approach should be consistent with the vision of a
nationwide, seamless, interactive network of networks and must
therefore address issues of interoperability 7 and scalability.
8 Proposals must specify in detail how the proposed system would
work, how it would operate with other systems, the technological
alternatives that have been examined, and the plans for the maintenance
and/or upgrading of the system. Applicants are expected to make use of
existing infrastructure and commercially available telecommunications
services, unless extraordinary circumstances require the construction
of new network facilities.
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\7\ The condition achieved among information and communication
systems when information (i.e., data, voice, image, audio, or video)
can be easily and cost-effectively shared across acquisition,
transmission, and presentation technologies, equipment, and
services.
\8\ ``Scalability'' refers to the ability of a system to
accommodate a significant growth in the size of the system (i.e.,
services provided, end users served) without the need for
substantial redesign. A scalable approach that is demonstrated on a
small scale can also be applied on a larger scale.
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Applicants must describe the qualifications of the project team,
including the applicant and its partners, to show that they have the
resources, expertise, and experience necessary to undertake the project
and complete it within the proposed period.
Reviewers will analyze the budget in terms of clarity and cost-
effectiveness. The proposed budget must be appropriate to the tasks
proposed and sufficiently detailed so that reviewers
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can easily understand the relationship of items in the budget to the
project narrative. In addition to a clear and well-justified budget
proposal, each application should contain a proposed implementation
schedule that identifies major project tasks and milestones.
Reviewers will also examine the potential viability of the proposed
project beyond the grant period. Applicants should therefore present a
credible plan, including a discussion of anticipated ongoing expenses
and potential sources of non-federal funds, to sustain the project
after completion of the grant. In evaluating the plan, reviewers will
consider the economic circumstances of the community or communities to
be served by the proposed project.
3. Community Involvement
Each application will be rated on the overall level of community
involvement in the development of the project and the implementation of
the proposed project. Reviewers will pay particular attention to the
partnerships involved, the strength and diversity of support for the
project within the community, and the support for the project's end
users. 9
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\9\ An end user is one who customarily employs or seeks access
to, rather than provides, information infrastructure. An end user
may be a consumer of information (e.g., a member of the public
employing a touch-screen public access terminal); may be involved in
an interactive communication with other end users; or may use
information infrastructure to provide services to the public.
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Community involvement must include the development of partnerships
among unaffiliated organizations, from the public, non-profit, or
private sectors, as an integral part of each project. Partnerships must
be clearly defined, mutually beneficial, and the commitments well
documented in the application.
Reviewers will examine the steps the applicant has taken in
involving a wide variety of community stakeholders in the planning of
the project and the plans for ongoing community involvement in the
project's implementation. Each application should contain evidence of
demand, from the community, the end users, and the potential
beneficiaries, for the services that the proposed project would
provide.
Reviewers will consider the degree of attention paid to the needs,
skills, working conditions, and living environments of the targeted end
users. Plans for training end users, upgrading their skills, and
building community awareness and knowledge of the project must be
clearly delineated and the application should include evidence of a
significant degree of end-user involvement in the design and planning
of projects. NTIA expects applicants to safeguard the privacy of the
end users and beneficiaries 10 of the project. Where relevant,
proposals must address the privacy and confidentiality of user data.
For example, an applicant proposing a project dealing with individually
identifiable information (e.g., student grades, medical records) will
be required to describe the technical and policy mechanisms to be used
for protecting the confidentiality of such information and the privacy
of the individuals involved.
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\10\ Project beneficiaries are those individuals or
organizations deriving benefits from a project's outcome(s). A
project beneficiary may also, but not necessarily, be a project end
user.
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4. Reducing Disparities
Every project proposed to TIIAP should target underserved
communities specifically and/or reach out to underserved groups within
a broader community. Each application will be rated according to the
degree to which the proposed project will serve to reduce disparities
in access to information infrastructure technologies and services.
Reviewers will assess each application by examining evidence of
community need and the applicant's proposed strategies for overcoming
traditional barriers to access. Disparities in access must be clearly
described and supported by specific quantitative data. Beyond providing
service to underserved communities, each application should also
propose strategies for reaching out to targeted groups and for
tailoring any services to their specific needs and circumstances. These
strategies should reflect an understanding of why the barriers
currently exist and a sensitivity to the learning mechanisms,
attitudes, and customs of the community. In assessing community need,
reviewers will also consider the degree to which TIIAP support is vital
to success of the project.
5. Evaluation and Dissemination
Each proposal must include a plan for evaluating the project and a
dissemination plan for sharing knowledge gained from the project. Each
application will be rated on the quality of its evaluation design and
its potential to measure both the outcomes of the project and the
effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed solutions in achieving
intended outcomes. The design should include both quantitative and
qualitative indicators and must identify specific evaluation methods
and instruments. The evaluation design should also capture the lessons
learned during the project that will serve as pragmatic how-tos for
others interested in replicating or adapting the project in other
communities.
Applications must include the qualifications of any proposed
evaluators and sufficient funds in the budget to perform a thorough and
useful evaluation of the project.
Reviewers will also examine the applicant's plan for disseminating
the knowledge gained as a result of implementing the project.
Applicants must demonstrate a willingness to share information about
their projects with interested projects, to host site visits, and to
participate in demonstrations. The project budget should also include
adequate funds to support proposed dissemination activities.
Selection Process
NTIA will publish a notice in the Federal Register listing all
applications received by TIIAP. Listing an application in such a notice
merely acknowledges receipt of an application that will compete for
funding with other applications. Publication does not preclude
subsequent return or disapproval of the application, nor does it ensure
that the application will be funded.
(a) Each eligible application will first be reviewed by a panel of
outside readers, who have demonstrated expertise in both the
programmatic and technological aspects of the application. The review
panels will evaluate applications according to the evaluation criteria
provided in this Notice and make non-binding recommendations to the
program staff. Working with the staff, the TIIAP Director prepares and
presents a slate of recommended grant awards to the Office of
Telecommunications and Information Applications'' (OTIA) 11
Associate Administrator for review and approval.
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\11\ The Office of Telecommunication and Information
Applications is the division of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration that supervises NTIA's grant awards
programs, the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Assistance Program and the Public Telecommunications Facilities
Program.
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The Director's recommendations and the Associate Administrator's
review and approval will take into account the following selection
factors:
1. The evaluations of the outside reviewers;
2. The geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards;
3. The variety of technologies and strategies employed by the
proposed grant awards;
4. The extent to which the proposed grant awards represent a
reasonable
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distribution of funds across application areas;
5. The promotion of access to and use of the information
infrastructure by rural communities and other underserved groups;
6. Avoidance of redundancy and conflicts with the initiatives of
other federal agencies; and
7. The availability of funds.
(b) Upon approval by the OTIA Associate Administrator, the
Director's recommendations will then be presented to the Selecting
Official, the NTIA Administrator. The NTIA Administrator selects the
applications to be negotiated for possible grant award taking into
consideration the Director's recommendations and the degree to which
the slate of applications, taken as a whole, satisfies the selection
factors described above and the program's stated purposes as set forth
in the section entitled ``Program Purposes.''
After applications have been selected in this manner, negotiations
will take place between TIIAP staff and the applicant. These
negotiations are intended to resolve any differences that exist between
the applicant's original request and what TIIAP proposes to fund and,
if necessary, to clarify items in the application. Not all applicants
who are contacted for negotiation will necessarily receive a TIIAP
award. Final selections made by the Administrator will be based upon
the recommendations by the Director and the OTIA Associate
Administrator and the degree to which the slate of applications, taken
as a whole, satisfies the program's stated purposes as set forth in the
section entitled ``Program Purposes,'' upon the conclusion of
negotiations.
Eligible Costs
Eligible Costs
Allowable costs incurred under approved projects shall be
determined in accordance with applicable federal cost principles, i.e.,
OMB Circular A-21, A-87, A-122, or appendix E of 45 CFR part 74. If
included in the approved project budget, TIIAP will allow costs for
personnel, fringe benefits, computer hardware and software, other end-
user equipment, telecommunication services and related equipment,
consultants and other contractual services, travel, rental of office
equipment, furniture and space, supplies, etc. that are reasonable and
directly related to the project. Costs associated with the construction
or major renovation of buildings are not eligible. While costs for the
construction of new network facilities are eligible costs, applicants
are expected to make use of existing infrastructure and commercially
available telecommunications services. Only under extraordinary
circumstances will the construction of new network facilities be
approved. Costs of the professional services, such as instruction,
counseling, or medical care, provided via a network supported through
this program are not eligible.
Note that costs that are ineligible for TIIAP support may not be
included as part of the applicant's matching fund contribution.
Indirect Costs
The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an
application under this program must not exceed the indirect cost rate
negotiated and approved by a cognizant federal agency or 100 percent of
the total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application,
whichever is less.
Award Period
Successful applicants will have between 12 and 36 months to
complete their projects. While the completion time will vary depending
on the complexity of the project, applicants should take special care
to justify a project lasting longer than 24 months.
Waiver Authority
It is the general intent of NTIA not to waive any of the provisions
set forth in this Notice. However, under extraordinary circumstances
and when it is in the best interest of the federal government, NTIA,
upon its own initiative or when requested, may waive the provisions in
this Notice. Waivers may only be granted for requirements that are
discretionary and not mandated by statute. Any request for a waiver
must set forth the extraordinary circumstances for the request and be
included in the application or sent to the address provided in the
Addresses section above. NTIA will not consider a request to waive the
application deadline for an application until the application has been
received.
Other Information
Electronic Information
Information about NTIA and TIIAP, including this document and the
Guidelines, can be retrieved electronically via the Internet using the
World Wide Web. To reach the WWW server, use http://www.ntia.doc.gov to
reach the NTIA Home Page and follow directions to locating information
about TIIAP. TIIAP can also be reached via electronic mail at
tiiap@ntia.doc.gov.
Application Forms
Standard Forms 424 (OMB Approval Number 0348-0044), Application for
Federal Assistance; 424A (OMB Approval Number 0348-0043), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs; and 424B (OMB Approval Number
0348-0040), Assurances--Non-Construction Programs, (Rev 4-92), and
other Department of Commerce forms shall be used in applying for
financial assistance. These forms are included in the Guidelines, which
can be obtained by contacting NTIA by telephone, fax, or electronic
mail, as described in the Addresses section above. TIIAP requests one
original and five copies of the application. Applicants for whom the
submission of five copies presents financial hardship may submit one
original and two copies of the application. Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, no person is required to respond to nor shall a
person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection
of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act unless that collection of information displays a currently valid
OMB control number. In addition, all applicants are required to submit
a copy of their application to their state Single Point of Contact
(SPOC) offices, if they have one. (For information on contacting state
SPOC offices, refer to the Guidelines.)
Because of the high level of public interest in projects supported
by TIIAP, the program anticipates receiving requests for copies of
successful applications. Applicants are hereby notified that the
applications they submit are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Applicants may identify sensitive information and label it
``confidential'' to assist NTIA in making disclosure determinations.
Type of Funding Instrument
The funding instrument for awards under this program shall be a
grant.
Federal Policies and Procedures
Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all applicable federal
laws and federal and Department of Commerce policies, regulations, and
procedures applicable to federal financial assistance awards.
Pre-Award Activities
If an applicant incurs any project costs prior to the project start
date negotiated at the time the award is made, it does so solely at its
own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. Applicants are
hereby notified that, notwithstanding any oral or written assurance
that they may have
[[Page 3951]]
received, there is no obligation on the part of the Department of
Commerce to cover pre-award costs.
No Obligation for Future Funding
If an application is selected for funding, the Department of
Commerce has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in
connection with that award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or
extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the
Department of Commerce.
Past Performance
Unsatisfactory performance of an applicant under prior federal
financial assistance awards may result in that applicant's proposal not
being considered for funding.
Delinquent Federal Debts
No award of federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has an
outstanding delinquent federal debt until:
1. The delinquent account is paid in full;
2. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one
payment is received; or
3. Other arrangements satisfactory to the Department of Commerce
are made.
Purchase of American-Made Products
Applicants are hereby notified that any equipment or products
authorized to be purchased with funding provided under this program
must be American-made to the maximum extent feasible.
Name Check Review
All non-profit applicants are subject to a name check review
process. Name checks are intended to reveal if any key individuals
associated with the applicant have been convicted of or are presently
facing criminal charges such as fraud, theft, perjury, or other matters
that significantly reflect on the applicant's management, honesty, or
financial integrity.
Primary Applicant Certifications
All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511,
``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and
Lobbying,'' and the following explanations are hereby provided:
1. Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension--Prospective
participants (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, Section 105) are subject
to 15 CFR part 26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' and
the related section of the certification form prescribed above
applies;
2. Drug-Free Workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26,
Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, Subpart F, ``Government
wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related
section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
3. Anti-Lobbying--Persons (as defined at 15 CFR part 28, Section
105) are subject to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352,
``Limitation on use of appropriated funds to influence certain
federal contracting and financial transactions,'' and the lobbying
section of the certification form prescribed above applies to
applications/bids for grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts
for more than $100,000, and loans and loan guarantees for more than
$150,000, or the single family maximum mortgage limit for affected
programs, whichever is greater; and
4. Anti-Lobbying Disclosure--Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying in connection with a covered federal action, such
as the awarding of any federal contract, the making of any federal
grant, the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any
cooperative agreement, or the extension, continuation, renewal,
amendment, or modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or
cooperative agreement using any funds must submit an SF-LLL,
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities'' (OMB Control Number 0348-
0046), as required under 15 CFR part 28, appendix B.
Lower Tier Certifications
Recipients shall require applicants/bidders for subgrants,
contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier covered transactions at
any tier under the award to submit, if applicable, a completed Form CD-
512, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility
and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions and Lobbying''
and disclosure form SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' Form
CD-512 is intended for the use of recipients and should not be
transmitted to DOC. SF-LLL submitted by any tier recipient or
subrecipient should be submitted to DOC in accordance with the
instructions contained in the award document.
False Statements
A false statement on an application is grounds for denial or
termination of funds and grounds for possible punishment by a fine or
imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
Intergovernmental Review
Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' It has been
determined that this notice is a ``not significant'' rule under
Executive Order 12866.
Larry Irving,
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information.
[FR Doc. 97-1727 Filed 1-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P
