[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 43 (Friday, March 5, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10636-10640]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5117]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 990125031-9031-01]
RIN 0648-ZA57
Sea Grant Industry Fellows Programs: Request for Proposals for FY
1999
AGENCY: National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to advise the public that the
National Sea Grant College Program (Sea Grant) is entertaining
proposals for the Industry Fellowship program to fulfill its broad
educational responsibilities and to strengthen ties between academia
and industry. With required matching funds from private industrial
sponsors, Sea Grant expects to support three new Industry Fellows in FY
1999. Each fellow will be a graduate student selected through national
competition, and will be known as a Company Name/
[[Page 10637]]
Sea Grant Industry Fellow. Proposals must be submitted by academic
institutions who have identified a graduate fellow and an industrial
sponsor who will provide matching funds.
DATES: Proposals must be submitted before 5 pm (local time) on May 27,
1999 to the nearest state Sea Grant Program.
ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted through the nearest state Sea
Grant Program. The addresses of the Sea Grant College Program directors
may be found on Sea Grant's home page (http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO)/
index.html) or may also be obtained by contacting the Program Manager
at the National Sea Grant Office (see below).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Vijay G. Panchang, Program Manager, National Sea Grant College
Program, R/SG, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.
Tel. (301) 713-2435 ext. 142; e-mail: Vijay.Panchang@noaa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Program Authority
Authority: 33 U.S.C. 1127(a).
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 11.417, Sea Grant
Support.)
II. Program Description
Background
Today's global economy is putting unprecedented demands on the US
industrial community for innovation and new technology. This situation
presents challenges to industry and universities to develop new
paradigms leading to more efficient utilization of available human,
fiscal, and technical resources. This can be accomplished through the
recruitment of graduates trained in technologies relevant to an
industry's future and the creation of opportunities for collaboration
between industrial and academic scientists and engineers. Academically
well-trained students with exposure to advanced industrial issues
constitute a critical component of success in that endeavor.
To strengthen ties between academia and industry, Sea Grant
developed the Industry Fellows Program in 1995. With required matching
funds from private industrial sponsors, Sea Grant expects to support
three new Industry Fellows in FY 1999. Each fellow will be a graduate
student selected through national competition, and will be known as a
Company Name/Sea Grant Industry Fellow.
Fellowship Program Objectives
To enhance the education and training provided to top graduate
students in US colleges and universities; to provide real-world
experience of industrial issues to graduate students and to accelerate
their career development; to increase interactions between the nation's
top scientists and engineers and their industrial counterparts; to
accelerate the exchange of information and technologies between
universities and industry; to provide a mechanism for industry to
influence Sea Grant research priorities and solve problems of
importance to industry; and to forge long-term relationships between
Sea Grant colleges and industrial firms.
Program Description
The Sea Grant Industry Fellows Program provides, in cooperation
with specific companies, support for highly-qualified graduate students
who are pursuing research and development projects on topics of
interest to a particular industry/company. In a true partnership, the
student, the faculty advisor, the Sea Grant college or institute, and
the industry representative work together on a project from beginning
to end. Research facilities and the cost of the activity are shared.
University faculty are the major source for identifying potential
industrial collaborators and suitable research topics. However, other
sources can be used to identify potential industrial partners including
the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Services, university industrial relations
offices, and the Sea Grant Review Panel. Sea Grant directors are
encouraged to use a variety of sources in building successful
partnerships with industry.
III. Eligibility
Applications may be submitted by individuals affiliated with
institutions of higher education in the United States.
IV. Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria for proposals submitted for support under
the Sea Grant Industry Fellows Program are:
A. The importance of the problem and the benefits expected to the
industrial partner and the nation due to the advancement of technology
(25%).
B. The benefit accruing to the student from his or her
participation as a Sea Grant Industry Fellow, including exposure to
industrial methods and mentoring by the industrial partner (25%).
C. The level of commitment of the industrial partner to the
project, particularly student stipend support (25%).
D. The caliber of the proposed Fellow, including special skills,
past experiences, or training that render him/her especially qualified
for the proposed project. Participation by the Fellow in proposal
preparation will be viewed favorably (25%).
V. Selection Procedures
Proposals will be received at the individual state Sea Grant
Programs who will conduct the mail peer review of the proposed projects
in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria listed above. All proposals
sent to the National Sea Grant Office must be accompanied by copies of
the peer reviews. Complete full proposals and their written reviews
will be sent by the state Sea Grant programs to the National Sea Grant
Office to be ranked in accordance with the assigned weights of the
above evaluation criteria by an independent peer review panel
consisting of government, academic, and industry experts with
particular expertise in industry/academic interactions. These panel
members will provide individual evaluations on each proposal, but there
will be no consensus advice. Their recommendations and evaluations will
be considered by the National Sea Grant Office in the final selection.
Only those proposals rated by the panel as either Excellent, Very Good
or Good will be eligible for funding. For those proposals, the National
Sea Grant Office will: (a) ascertain which proposals best meet the
program objectives, and do not substantially duplicate other projects
that are currently funded or are approved for funding by NOAA and other
federal agencies, hence, awards may not necessarily be made to the
highest-scored proposals; (b) select the proposals to be funded; (c)
determine which components of the selected projects will be funded; (d)
determine the total duration of funding for each proposal; and (e)
determine the amount of funds available for each proposal.
Investigators may be asked to modify objectives, work plans, or budgets
prior to final approval of the award. Subsequent grant administration
procedures will be in accordance with current NOAA grants procedures. A
summary statement of the scientific review by the peer panel will be
provided to each applicant.
VI. Instructions for Application
Timetable
May 27, 1999, 5 pm (local time)--Proposals due at state Sea Grant
Program.
July 7, 1999, 5 pm EST--Proposals due at NSGO.
[[Page 10638]]
September 1, 1999 (approximate)--Funds awarded to selected
recipients; projects begin.
General guidelines
Interested members of U.S. institutions of higher education may
submit a proposal through the nearest Sea Grant program for a grant to
support up to two-thirds of the total budget. The fellowship can be for
a maximum of two years, though funding will be in annual increments. No
more than $30,000 of federal funds may be requested per year. Indirect
costs on federal funds are limited to 10 percent of total modified
direct costs. The proposal must include a written matching commitment,
equal to at least half the federal request, from the industrial partner
to support the budget for the proposed project. Allocation of matching
funds must be specified in the budget. Use of the industrial matching
funds for student stipend support will be looked on favorably.
The budget should include adequate travel funds for the student,
the industrial mentor, and the faculty advisor to meet at least twice
per year during the fellowship period, preferably at the site of the
industrial partner. The budget may also include up to one month of
salary or stipend support for one project participant in addition to
the selected Fellow who is affiliated to the academic institution. The
selected Fellow may not be changed during the grant period. If the
selected Fellow is no longer enrolled as a graduate student but
continues to work on the project under the supervision of the grantee
institution, federal funds may be used for the Fellow's support for no
longer than three months beyond the date on which the Fellow's student
status expires. This three-month latitude is meant to enable suitable
conclusion of the ongoing phase of work. In other respects, the Fellow
will be governed by the institution's rules for graduate research
assistants.
Proposal Guidelines
Each full proposal should include the items listed below. All pages
should be single- or double-spaced, typewritten in at least a 10-point
font, and printed on metric A4 (210 mm x 297 mm) or 8\1/2\'' x 11''
paper. Brevity will assist reviewers and program staff in dealing
effectively with proposals. Therefore, the Project Description may not
exceed 10 pages. Tables and visual materials, including charts, graphs,
maps, photographs and other pictorial presentations are included in the
10-page limitation; literature citations are not included in the 10-
page limitation. Conformance to the 10-page limitations will be
strictly enforced. All information needed for review of the proposal
should be included in the main text; no appendices are permitted.
(1) Signed Title Page: The title page should be signed by the
Principal Investigator and the institutional representative and should
clearly identify the program area being addressed by starting the
project title with ``Sea Grant Industry Fellow.'' The Principal
Investigator and institutional representative should be identified by
full name, title, organization, telephone number and address. The total
amount of Federal funds and matching funds being requested should be
listed for each budget period.
(2) Project Summary: This information is very important. Prior to
attending to peer review panel meetings, some of the panelists may need
only the project summary. Therefore, it is critical that the project
summary accurately describe the research being proposed and convey all
essential elements of the research. The project summary should include:
1. Title: Use the exact title as it appears in the rest of the
application. 2. Investigators: List the names and affiliations of each
investigator who will significantly contribute to the project. Start
with the Principal Investigator. 3. Funding request for each year of
the project, including matching funds if appropriate. 4. Project
Period: Start and completion dates. Proposals should request a start
date of September 1, 1999. 5. Project Summary: This should include the
rationale for the project, the scientific or technical objectives and/
or hypotheses to be tested, and a brief summary of work to be
completed.
(3) Project Description (10-page limit):
(a) Introduction/Background/Justification: What is the problem
being addressed and what is its scientific and economic importance to
the advancement of technology, to the cooperating industrial partner,
and to the region or nation?
(b) Research and Technical Plan: What are the goals, objectives,
and anticipated approach of the proposed project? While a detailed work
plan is not expected, the proposal should present evidence that there
has been thoughtful consideration of the approach to the problem under
study. What capabilities does the industrial partner possess that will
benefit the Fellow?
(c) Output/Anticipated Economic Benefits: Upon successful
completion of the project, what are the anticipated benefits to the
student, the industrial partner, the university and its faculty, the
sponsoring Sea Grant program, and the nation?
(d) References and Literature Citations: Should be included but
will not be counted in the 10 page project description limit.
(4) Budget and Budget Justification: There should be a separate
budget for each year of the project as well as a cumulative annual
budget for the entire project. Applicants are encouraged to use the Sea
Grant Budget Form 90-4, but may use their own form as long as it
provides the same information as the Sea Grant form. Subcontracts
should have a separate budget page. Matching funds must be indicated;
failure to provide adequate matching funds will result in the proposal
being rejected without review. Each annual that itemizes all budget
items in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to evaluate the
appropriateness of the funding requested. Please pay special attention
to any travel, supply or equipment budgets and provide details. The
total dollar amount of indirect costs must not exceed 10 percent of the
total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application.
(5) Current and Pending Support: Applicants must provide
information on all current and pending support for ongoing projects and
proposals, including subsequent funding in the case of continuing
grants. All current project support from whatever source (e.g.,
Federal, State or local government agencies, private foundations,
industrial or other commercial organizations) must be listed. The
proposed project and all other projects or activities requiring a
portion of time of the principal investigator and other senior
personnel should be included, even if they receive no Federal salary
support from the project(s). The number of person-months per year to be
devoted to the projects must be stated, regardless of source of
support. Similar information must be provided for all proposals already
submitted or submitted concurrently to other possible sponsors,
including those within NOAA.
(6) Vitae of the student, the faculty advisor, and the company-
appointed research mentor (2 pages maximum per investigator).
(7) Letter of commitment from the industrial partner.
(8) A brief (one-page) description of the collaborating industrial
firm.
(9) Proposers are encouraged (but not required) to include a
separate page suggesting reviewers that the proposers believe are
especially well qualified to review the proposal. Proposers may also
designate persons they would prefer not review the proposal, indicating
why.
[[Page 10639]]
These suggestions will be considered during the review process.
(10) Standard Application Forms: Applicants may obtain all required
application forms through the World Wide Web at http://
www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO/research/rfp/index.html, from the state Sea Grant
Programs or from Dr. Vijay Panchang at the National Sea Grant Office
(phone: 301-713-2435 x142 or e-mail: vijay.panchang@noaa.gov). The
following forms must be included:
(a) Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance, 424A,
Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; and 424B, Assurances--
Non-Construction Programs, (Rev 4-88). Please note that both the
Principal Investigator and an administrative contact should be
identified in Section 5 of the SF424. For Section 10, applicants should
enter ``11.417'' for the CFDA Number and ``Sea Grant Support'' for the
title. The form must contain the original signature of an authorized
representative of the applying institution.
(b) 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:
(i) 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;
(ii) Drug-Free Workplace. Grantees (as defines 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;
(iii) 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; and
(iv) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures. Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR Part 28, Appendix B.
(c) 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, it
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 the Department of
Commerce (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.
VII. How to Submit
Proposals must be submitted to the state Sea Grant Programs
according to the schedule outlined above. Although investigators are
not required to submit more than 3 copies of the proposal, the normal
review process requires 10 copies. Investigators are encouraged to
submit sufficient proposal copies for the full review process if they
wish all reviewers to receive color, unusually sized (not 8.5 x 11''),
or otherwise unusual materials, submitted as part of the proposal. Only
three copies of the Federally required forms are needed. The addresses
of the Sea Grant College Program directors may be found on Sea Grant's
World Wide Web home page (http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/NSGO/index.html) or
may also be obtained by contacting the Program Manager, Dr. Vijay
Panchang, at the National Sea Grant Office (phone: 301-713-2435 x142 or
e-mail:vijay.panchang@noaa.gov). Proposals sent to the National Sea
Grant Office should be addressed to: National Sea Grant Office, R/SG,
Attn: Sea Grant Industry Fellows Program Coordinator, NOAA, Room 11828,
1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910 (phone 301-713-2435 for
express mail applications).
Applications received after the deadline and applications that
deviate from the format described above will be returned to the sender
without review. Facsimile transmissions and electronic mail submission
of applications will not be accepted.
VIII. Other Requirements
(A) Federal Policies and Procedures--Recipients and subrecipients
are sublet to all Federal laws and Federal and Department of Commerce
(DOC) policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to Federal
financial assistance awards.
(B) Past Performance--Unsatisfactory performance under prior
Federal awards may result in an application not being considered for
funding.
(C) Preaward Activities--If applicants incur any costs prior to an
award being made, they do so solely at their own risk of not being
reimbursed by the Government. Notwithstanding any verbal or written
assurance that may have been received, there is no objection on the
part of DOC to cover preaward costs.
(D) No Obligation for Future Funding--If an application is selected
for funding, DOC 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 DOC.
(E) Delinquent Federal Debts--No award of Federal funds shall be
made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt
until either:
(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 DOC are made.
(F) Name Check Review--All non-profit and for-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 which significantly reflect on the
applicant's management honesty or financial integrity.
(G) 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.
(H) Intergovernmental Review--Applications for support from the
National Sea Grant College Program are not subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.
(I) Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products--Applicants
are hereby notified that they will be encouraged to the greatest extent
practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products with
funding provided under this program.
Classification
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not
required by the
[[Page 10640]]
Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this notice
concerning grants, benefits, and contracts. Therefore, a regulatory
flexibility analysis is not required for purposes of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act.
This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of E.O. 12866.
This notice contains collection of information requirements subject
to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Sea Grant Budget Form and Standard
Forms 424, 424a and 424b have been approved under control numbers 0648-
0362, 0348-0043, 0348-0044, and 0348-0040 with average responses
estimated to take 15, 45, 180, and 15 minutes, respectively. These
estimates include the time for reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments
on these estimates or any other aspect of these collections to National
Sea Grant College Program, R/SG, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver
Spring, MD 20910 (Attention: Francis S. Schuler) and to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC 20503 (Attention: NOAA Desk Officer). Notwithstanding
any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to,
nor shall any 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.
Dated: February 25, 1999.
Louisa Koch,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric
Research, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
[FR Doc. 99-5117 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-KA-M
