[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60113-60115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30082]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Geological Survey
Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): Notice Establishing the
Closing Date for Submission of the Project Summary Under the FGDC
Framework Demonstration Projects Program
AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.
ACTION: Notice inviting organizations to submit project summaries for
competitive cooperative agreements for fiscal year 1997.
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SUMMARY: This is a notice of phase one of a two phase approach in
connection with the Framework Demonstration Projects Program (FDPP). On
behalf of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) plans to issue a program announcement to
request proposals for the FDPP later this fiscal year. Organizations
interested in the program have asked for the ability to provide project
summaries to the FGDC for comment in advance of the program
announcement. Therefore, the first phase of this two phase approach
invites organizations interested in the program to provide a project
summary to the FGDC for comment. Participation in phase one is
voluntary. Organizations who submit a project summary in phase one are
not obligated to apply for the program announcement. Organizations who
do not submit a summary for phase one are eligible to request the
program announcement in phase two. The FGDC
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will provide comments to the organization describing how a project can
be strengthened. The FGDC will use insights gained from the review of
summaries to guide the development of the FDPP request for proposals
announcement.
DATES: The project summary is due January 17, 1997, at 3:00 p.m. EST.
ADDRESSES: Copies of the FGDC report ``Development of a National
Digital Geospatial Data Framework'' may be obtained by writing to Tammy
Fanning, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Federal
Assistance, Mail Stop 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA
20192, or by sending a request by facsimile to (703) 648-7901.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tammy Fanning, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and
Federal Assistance, Mail Stop 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,
Virginia 20192; voice telephone number (703) 648-7363; facsimile
telephone number (703) 648-7901.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the FDPP is to facilitate and
provide resources for the development and implementation of the
framework for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The
framework concept, outlined in the report ``Development of a National
Digital Geospatial Data Framework'' (April 1995), proposes a means by
which the geospatial data community can work together to produce and
maintain commonly needed themes of data for national, regional, state,
and local analyses. Included in this report is the definition of a
basic information content, and the technical, institutional, and
business contexts by which a distributed, collaborative data collection
and maintenance effort for the nation would operate.
Project Summary Narrative: Project summaries will be reviewed by
the factors set forth below (see items 1-5). The project summary should
address each of the following factors in the sequence as they are
listed. (1) Relevance to the NSDI Framework: Describe the degree to
which the project contributes to the development of the NSDI framework
concept, its potential application to other institutions, and the
extent to which the proposed project may stimulate growth of similar
efforts. Describe the relationship of the proposed effort to related
and similar ongoing projects. Narrative should not include reiterations
of text from FGDC/NSDI fact sheets and other committee publications.
(2) Information Content: Identify which of the framework themes
(geodetic control, digital orthoimagery, elevation and bathymetry data,
transportation, hydrography, governmental units, cadastral) will be
addressed in the proposed project. Summary should describe the
geographic area to be addressed, and the scale and resolution of data.
(3) Technical/Operational Context: Briefly summarize the key unique
technical and operational activities to be implemented in the proposed
project that address the framework goals of: Integration of high-
resolution, locally-produced data; providing geospatial data at varying
resolutions for any given location; enabling users to integrate new
framework data into their data holdings without endangering their
existing investments in spatial data and attribute information; and
vertically integrating data between themes, and horizontally within
themes. (4) Business Context: Describe the approach proposed to ensure
that the project will result in framework data that are widely used and
useful. Project summary should describe the approach to: Avoiding
restrictive practices that would inhibit use of the framework;
providing information about the data limitations, optimal uses, and
liability; providing data in public, non-proprietary format(s);
conforming to approved standards; and containing data that are
certified to ensure that they meet the minimal standard for all
framework criteria. (5) Institutional Organization Process: Identify
the participating organization and briefly describe each organization's
tasks and responsibilities.
Background Material: The FGDC report ``Development of a National
Geospatial Data Framework'' will be helpful in developing project
summaries. It may be obtained by writing to Ms. Tammy Fanning at the
address above. Requests may also be made by facsimile to (703) 648-
7901. Confirmation by telephone at (703) 648-7372 is recommended. No
telephone request for this report will be accepted. An electronic
version of the report and additional background information about the
framework is available through the World Wide Web at http://
www.fgdc.gov/Fram/index.html. Unsuitable Project Summaries: Project
summaries will not be considered for projects on topics not being
sought under this program. Data collection is not considered an
appropriate activity for funding under this program. Project summaries
focused on metadata and clearinghouse development will not be
considered (the FGDC encourages these activities to seek support
through the NSDI Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program (1434-HQ-
97-PA-00022)). Additionally, project summaries will not be considered
for the following: from Federal agencies or Federally Funded Research
and Development Centers where the agency or center is identified as the
lead on the proposed project, from and work in foreign countries, from
projects in which there is a real or the appearance of a conflict of
interest, and from projects solely involving the direct procurement of
a product or service. Project Summary Preparation Instructions:
Organizations wishing to participate in the first phase should submit
an unbound, signed original and one copy of the project summary. The
project summary shall not exceed 3 single-spaced pages (including any
figures or tables), and the type size shall not be smaller than 12
pitch/10 point type. Pages shall be numbered. Please note, that
regardless of how many pages are submitted, only the first 3 pages of
the Project Summary will be reviewed.
Project Summary Delivery Instructions: Project summaries must be
received on or before January 17, 1997, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Project
summaries delivered by mail should be sent to Ms. Tammy Fanning, U.S.
Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, MS
205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. Project summaries
delivered by hand, during the work week, should be taken to the USGS,
Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, Room 6A331, Attention:
Ms. Tammy Fanning, MS 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,
Virginia, office business hours are 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Project
summaries received after 3:00 p.m. EST on January 17, 1997 will be
returned to the applicant. Planned Terms and Conditions for the FDPP to
be issued later this fiscal year: At the completion of phase two, the
USGS intends to award cooperative agreements with funds totaling
$260,000 during fiscal year 1997. Funds requested for a project shall
not exceed $65,000. One year project periods are anticipated. This
estimate does not bind the USGS to a specified number of awards. Each
project must be collaborative and involve two or more organizations.
Please Note: The project summaries submitted in response to this notice
for phase one will not be used to make award selections, and will not
be provided to the selection panels. No special consideration in the
phase two FDPP selection process will be given to applications provided
by organizations that submitted a program summary in response to phase
one. The USGS
[[Page 60115]]
anticipates that it will announce phase two in late winter. The
Government does not intend to award a cooperative agreement on the
basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited
as a direct cost. The subsequent program announcement to be released in
phase two will be synopsized in both the Commerce Business Daily and
the Federal Register prior to release.
Dated: November 15, 1996.
Richard E. Witmer,
Acting Chief, National Mapping Division.
[FR Doc. 96-30082 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-31-M
