03-31161. Office of the Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs; Application Deadline for Self-Governance in 2005

AGENCY:

Office of Self-Governance and Self-Determination, Interior.

ACTION:

Notice of application deadline.

SUMMARY:

In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance and Self-Determination (OSG) establishes a March 1, 2004, deadline for tribes/consortia to submit completed applications to begin participation in the tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2005 or calendar year 2005.

DATES:

Completed application packages must be received by March 1, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Application packages for inclusion in the applicant pool should be sent to William A. Sinclair, Director, Office of Self-Governance and Self-Determination, Department of the Interior, Mail Stop 2548, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Kenneth D. Reinfeld, Office of Self-Governance and Self-Determination, Telephone [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-413), as amended by the Fiscal Year 1997 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (Pub. L. 104-208) the Director, Office of Self-Governance and Self-Determination may select up to 50 additional participating tribes/consortia per year for the tribal self-governance program, and negotiate and enter into a written funding agreement with each participating tribe. The Act mandates that the Secretary submit copies of the funding agreements at least 90 days before the proposed effective date to the appropriate committees of the Congress and to each tribe that is served by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) agency that is serving the tribe that is a party to the funding agreement. Initial negotiations with a tribe/consortium located in a region and/or agency which has not previously been involved with self-governance negotiations, will take approximately two months from start to finish. Agreements for an October 1 to September 30 funding year need to be signed and submitted by July 1. Agreements for a January 1 to December 31 funding year need to be signed and submitted by October 1.

Purpose of Notice 25 CFR 1000.10 to 1000.31 will be used to govern the application and selection process for tribes/consortia to begin their participation in the tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2005 and calendar year 2005. Applicants should be guided by the requirements in these subparts in preparing their applications. Copies of these subparts may be obtained from the information contact person identified in this notice.

Tribes/consortia wishing to be considered for participation in the tribal self-governance program in fiscal year 2005 or calendar year 2005 must respond to this notice, except for those which are (1) currently involved in negotiations with the Department; (2) one of the 83 tribal entities with signed agreements; or (3) one of the tribal entities already included in the applicant pool as of the date of this notice.

Dated: December 2, 2003.

Aurene M. Martin,

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary—Indian Affairs.