[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 207 (Thursday, October 27, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-26566]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: October 27, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
New Electronic Initiative for Disseminating and Sharing Grant
Information
AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department is piloting a free, on-line grant information
service called GrantsNet, for finding and exchanging information about
HHS and other Federal grant programs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ms. Suzanne M. Neill, Division of Grants Policy and Oversight, Room
517-D, 200 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20201. Telephone:
(202) 690-5731. Internet: sneill@os.dhhs.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Health and Human Services
has been rapidly improving its information resources and grant
activities to incorporate total quality management and electronic
technologies. As part of this process, HHS is piloting an on-line grant
information service that will serve the general public, grantee
organizations, and government grant-making agencies. This new service,
GrantsNet, is a free public-access computer network for finding and
exchanging information about HHS and other Federal grant programs.
Anyone having a personal computer with internet capability will be able
to access GrantsNet. Conceptually, GrantsNet has two components: (1) An
on-line informational reference service using gopher server technology;
and (2) an interactive mailing list service which groups subscribers
with common interests into computer-managed mailing lists for sharing
of information and dialogue on certain subjects.
This mission of GrantsNet is to serve as a vehicle and catalyst for
continuous improvement and innovation in Federal grants management
practices, policies, and information dissemination. It will provide a
medium for the sharing of ideas, successes, news, lessons learned, and
an archival reference library of grant-related legislation,
regulations, and policies. GrantsNet will also provide a yellow-page
style directory of granting offices, grants management staff and grant
program personnel.
The major thrust of GrantsNet is to allow members of the public to
cut through government red tape--to find the information they want,
when they want it, and whom to directly contact for additional
information. As such, it is one of the 11 NETworks created under the
auspices of Vice President Gore's National Performance Review (NPR).
The aims of the NETworks are to provide government-wide information and
resources in an on-line, easily accessible, and meaningful manner.
When Will It Be Implemented?
HHS has established a gopher and world wide web (WWW) server to
facilitate the GrantsNet mission and vision, assisted by the Parklawn
Computer Center which provides selected communication services. The
Department is taking a phased approach to the implementation of
GrantsNet. It is anticipated that GrantsNet will be up and running by
the end of October 1994, with fiscal year 1995 serving as the pilot-
testing period for populating the gopher information service with grant
resource data pertinent to HHS and further developing the interactive
mailing list service. Once success of the system has been established
and tested, HHS intends to expand the scope of GrantsNet to
governmentwide.
Development and implementation of GrantsNet are carried out by the
GrantsNet Core Team which is managed and directed by the Office of
Grants and Acquisition Management in the Office of the Secretary. The
Chair of the GrantsNet Core Team is Suzanne Neill. Also, as a
complement to the Core Team, HHS intends to establish an Advisory Team
comprised of individuals from other Federal agencies. By doing so,
interagency collaboration and insights to shaping the development of
GrantsNet will be gained.
For Further Information
To be placed on a mailing list for receiving news and updates on
GrantsNet, send your name, organization, mailing address, internet
address, and phone number to: Suzanne M. Neill, Internet:
sneill@os.dhhs.gov, OR, Charles Bish, Internet: cbish@os.dhhs.gov.
Moreover, HHS recognizes that for GrantsNet to become a practical
and user-friendly information service to the Federal grantee community
and to the general public, coordination with interested parties and
feedback from users will be important. To that end, the GrantsNet Core
Team is interested in any questions or suggestions you may have. This
includes recommendations for improving GrantsNet services, as well as
the identification of additional grants information, resources, and/or
activities that you would like HHS to post. Please address your
comments to the GrantsNet Core Team Chair.
Dated: October 20, 1994.
Terrence J. Tychan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grants and Acquisition Management.
[FR Doc. 94-26566 Filed 10-26-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-04-M
