[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 90 (Wednesday, May 8, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20803-20807]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11401]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
[Docket No. 950222054-6119-02; I.D. 042296D]
RIN 0648-ZA15
Financial Assistance for Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessments to
Encourage Research Projects for Improvement in the Stock Conditions of
the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Approximately $540,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 1996 funds is
available through the NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office to assist
interested state fishery agencies, academic institutions, and other
nonprofit organizations relating to cooperative research units in
carrying out research projects to provide information for Chesapeake
Bay Stock Assessments through cooperative agreements. About $70,000 of
the base amount is available to initiate new projects in FY 1996, as
described in this announcement, while the balance will be used to fund
continuation projects begun in previous years. NMFS issues this notice
describing the conditions
[[Page 20804]]
under which eligible applications will be accepted and how NMFS will
determine which applications will be selected for funding. Funding will
be contingent upon availability of funds.
DATES: Applications for funding under this program will be accepted
until June 24, 1996 6 p.m. eastern standard time. Applications received
after that time will not be considered for funding. No applications
will be accepted by facsimile machine submission.
Successful applicants generally will be selected approximately 90
days from the date of publication in the Federal Register of this
notice. The earliest date for awards will be approximately 180 days
after the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Send applications to: M. Elizabeth Gillelan, Division Chief,
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, NMFS, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A,
Annapolis, MD 21403.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: M. Elizabeth Gillelan, 410/267-5660.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
A. Authority. The Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, at 16
U.S.C. 753 (a), authorizes the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), for
the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research
and training programs for fish and wildlife resources, to continue to
enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, with
game and fish departments of the several states, and with nonprofit
organizations relating to cooperative research units.
B. Catalog of Federal Domestic assistance. The research to be
funded is in support of the Chesapeake Bay Studies (CFDA 11.457), under
the Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee (CBSAC).
C. Program description. The CBSAC was established in 1985 to plan
and review Bay-wide resource assessments, coordinate relevant actions
of state and Federal agencies, report on fisheries status and trends,
and determine, fund and review research projects. The program
implements a Bay-wide plan for the assessment of commercially,
recreationally, and selected ecologically important species in the
Chesapeake Bay. In 1988, CBSAC developed a Bay-wide Stock Assessment
Plan, in response to provisions in the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of
1987. The plan identified that key obstacles to assessing Bay stocks
were the lack of consistent, Bay-wide, fishery-dependent and fishery-
independent data. Research projects funded since 1988 have focused on
developing and improving fishery-independent surveys and catch
statistics for key Bay species, such as striped bass, oysters, blue
crabs, and alosids. Stock assessment research is essential, given the
recent declines in harvest and apparent stock condition for many of the
important species of the Chesapeake Bay.
II. Areas of Special Emphasis
A. Proposals should exhibit familiarity with related work that is
completed or ongoing. Where appropriate, proposals should be
multidisciplinary. Coordinated efforts involving multiple eligible
applicants or persons are encouraged. Eligible women and minority-owned
and operated non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply.
Consideration for funding will be given to applications that
address the following stock assessment research and management priority
for the Chesapeake Bay:
Design and development of a method to age blue crabs in Chesapeake
Bay.
This will be a pilot project to examine the feasibility of using
the metabolic products called lipofuscins as a basis to establish the
chronological age of blue crab. In the pilot year of this study it is
envisioned that the following will be accomplished:
I. conduct a comprehensive background literature review on this
area of study and its applications;
II. establish protocols for extraction and measurement of
lipofuscins;
III. apply these techniques in an experiment that demonstrates the
relationship between lipofuscin content and chronological age.
The chemical characteristics of lipofuscins and their accumulation
rates are a function of tissue type and metabolic rate; therefore, the
experimental group will be reared under a range of temperature,
salinity, and dietary conditions that encompass those encountered by
blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay.
Should the experiment prove unsuccessful in demonstrating the
utility of the method in blue crab age determination, the final report
will include a complete description of the above three items. Also, the
results will include an explanation of why the technique is assumed to
have failed. Otherwise, given the demonstrated utility of this
technique, the project report will provide the following specific
deliverables, for each sex, where appropriate:
1) overall long-term study design goals, objectives, and
anticipated project costs.
2) laboratory rearing methods and procedures.
3) tissue extraction protocol.
4) Definition of the measurement technique for quantifying
lipofuscin content.
5) field sampling protocol for the collection of larval blue crab
used in rearing experiments and adult animals throughout the size
range.
6) analytical methods for defining the relationship between
lipofuscin content and age for the range of rearing conditons.
7) sensitivity analysis of the aging methods in terms of its
detection limit.
8) description of methods for modelling blue crab growth which
incorporate the principal determinants of lipofuscin production; (i.e.,
temperature, salinity, dietary factors and time).
9) definition of the functional form(s) of the growth model(s)
which will be used to estimate chronological age given size, sex and
date of capture.
B. Applications addressing the priorities should build upon, or
take into account, any related past or current work.
III. How to Apply
A. Eligible Applicants. Applications for cooperative agreements
under the Chesapeake Bay Studies Program may be submitted, in
accordance with the procedures set forth in this notice, by any state
game and fish department, college or university, or other nonprofit
organizations relating to cooperative research units. Other Federal
agencies or institutions are not eligible to receive Federal assistance
under this notice.
DOC/NOAA/NMFS employees, including full-time, part-time, and
intermittent personnel (or their spouses or blood relatives who are
members of their immediate households) are not eligible to submit an
application under this solicitation or aid in the preparation of an
application, except to provide information on program goals, funding
priorities, application procedures, and completion of application
forms. Since this is a competitive program, assistance will not be
provided in conceptualizing, developing, or structuring proposals.
Eligible applicants outside the Chesapeake Bay region may submit
proposals, as long as their objectives support the technical and
management priorities of the Chesapeake Bay, as defined in section
II.A. above. All solicited proposals received by the closing date will
be considered by NMFS.
B. Duration and terms of funding. Under this solicitation, NMFS
will fund Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment
[[Page 20805]]
Research Projects for 1 year cooperative agreements. The cooperative
agreement has been determined as the appropriate funding instrument
because of the substantial involvement of NMFS in:
1. Developing program research priorities.
2. Evaluating the performance of the program for effectiveness in
meeting regional goals for Chesapeake Bay stock assessments.
3. Monitoring the progress of each funded project.
4. Holding periodic workshops with investigators.
5. Working with recipients in preparation of annual reports
summarizing current accomplishments of the Chesapeake Bay Stock
Assessment Committee.
Project dates should be scheduled to begin no later than 1 October
1996. Cooperative agreements are approved on an annual basis but may be
considered eligible for continuation beyond the first project and
budget period subject to the approved scope of work, satisfactory
progress, and availability of funds, and at the total discretion of
NMFS. However, there are no assurances for such continuation.
Publication of this notice does not obligate NOAA to award any specific
cooperative agreement or to obligate any part of the entire amount of
funds available.
C. Cost Sharing. Applications must reflect the total budget
necessary to accomplish the project, including contributions and/or
donations. Cost sharing is not required under the Chesapeake Bay Stock
Assessment Research Program. However, cost sharing is encouraged to
enhance the value of a project, and in case of a tie in considering
proposals for funding, cost sharing may affect the final decision. The
appropriateness of all cost sharing will be determined on the basis of
guidance provided in applicable Federal cost principles. If an
applicant chooses to share costs, and if that application is selected
for funding, the applicant will be bound by the percentage of cost
sharing reflected in the award documents.
The non-Federal share may include funds received from private
sources or from state or local governments or the value of in-kind
contributions. Federal funds may not be used to meet the non-Federal
share of matching funds, except as provided by Federal statute. In-kind
contributions are noncash contributions provided by the applicant or
non-Federal third parties. In-kind contributions may be in the form of,
but are not limited to, personal services rendered in carrying out
functions related to the project, and permission to use real or
personal property owned by others (for which consideration is not
required) in carrying out the project. To support the budget, the
applicant must describe briefly the basis for estimating the value of
the non-Federal funds derived from in-kind contributions.
The total cost of a project begins on the effective date of a
cooperative agreement between the applicant and the Grants Officer and
ends on the date specified in the award. Accordingly, the time expended
and costs incurred in either the development of a project or the
financial assistance application, or in any subsequent discussions or
negotiations prior to the award, are neither reimbursable nor
recognizable as part of the recipient's cost share.
D. Format.
1. Applications for project funding must be complete. Applicants
must identify the specific research priority. For applications
containing more than one project, each project component must be
identified individually using the format specified in this section. If
an application is not in response to the priority, it should be so
stated. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the part of
NMFS as to the relative merits of the project described in the
application. Applications are not to be bound in any manner and should
be one-sided. All incomplete applications will be returned to the
applicant. Applicants must submit one signed original and two copies of
the complete application. Required forms are provided in a NOAA
Application Kit which applicants may obtain from the NOAA Grants
Management Division or the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (see ADDRESSES).
2. Applications must be submitted in the following format:
a. Cover sheet: An applicant must use OMB Standard Form 424
(revised 4-92) as the cover sheet for each project.
b. Project description: Each project must be completely and
accurately described. Each project description may be up to 15 pages in
length. If an application is awarded, NMFS will make all portions of
the project description available to the public for review; therefore,
NMFS cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any information submitted
as part of any project, nor will NMFS accept for consideration any
project requesting confidentiality of any part of the project.
Each project must be described as follows:
(1) Identification of problem(s): Describe the specific problem to
be addressed (see section II above).
(2) Project objectives: This is one of the most important parts of
the Project Proposal. Use the following guidelines for stating the
objective of the project.
(a) Keep it simple and easily understandable.
(b) Be as specific and quantitative as possible.
(c) Specify the ``what and when;'' avoid the ``how and why.''
(d) Keep it attainable within the time, money, and human resources
available.
(e) Use action verbs that are accomplishment oriented.
(3) Need for Government financial assistance: Demonstrate the need
for assistance. Any appropriate database to substantiate or reinforce
the need for the project should be included. Explain why other funding
sources cannot fund all the proposed work. List all other sources of
funding that are or have been sought for the project.
(4) Benefits or results expected: Identify and document the results
or benefits to be derived from the proposed activities.
(5) Project statement of work: The Statement of Work is the
scientific or technical action plan of activities that are to be
accomplished during each budget period of the project. This description
must include the specific methodologies, by project job activity,
proposed for accomplishing the proposal's objective(s). If the work
described in this section does not contain sufficient detail to allow
for proper technical evaluation, NMFS will not consider the application
for funding and will return it to the applicant.
Investigators submitting proposals in response to this announcement
are strongly encouraged to develop inter-institutional, inter-
disciplinary research teams in the form of single, integrated proposals
or as individual proposals that are clearly linked together. Such
collaborative efforts will be factored into the final funding decision.
Each Statement of Work must include the following information:
(a) The applicant's name.
(b) The inclusive dates of the budget period covered under the
Statement of Work.
(c) The title of the proposal.
(d) The scientific or technical objectives and procedures that are
to be accomplished during the budget period. Devise a detailed set of
objectives and procedures to answer who, what, how, when, and where.
The procedures must be of sufficient detail to enable competent workers
to be able to follow them and to complete scheduled activities.
(e) Location of the work.
(f) A list of all project personnel and their responsibilities.
(g) A milestone table that summarizes the procedures (from item
[[Page 20806]]
III.D.2.b.(5)(d)) that are to be attained in each month covered by the
Statement of Work.
(6) Participation by persons or groups other than the applicant:
Describe the level of participation required in the project(s) by NOAA
or other government and non-government entities. Specific NOAA
employees should not be named in the initial proposal.
(7) Federal, state and local government activities: List any
programs (Federal, state, or local government or activities, including
Sea Grant, state Coastal Zone Management Programs, NOAA Oyster Disease
Research Program, the state/Federal Chesapeake Bay Program, etc.) this
project would affect and describe the relationship between the project
and those plans or activities.
(8) Project management: Describe how the project will be organized
and managed. Include resumes of principal investigators. List all
persons directly employed by the applicant who will be involved with
the project. If a consultant and/or subcontractor is selected prior to
application submission, include the name and qualifications of the
consultant and/or subcontractor and the process used for selection.
(9) Monitoring of project performance: Identify who will
participate in monitoring the project.
(10) Project impacts: . Describe how these products or services
will be made available to the fisheries and management communities.
(11) Evaluation of project: The applicant is required to provide an
evaluation of project accomplishments at the end of each budget period
and in the final report. The application must describe the methodology
or procedures to be followed to determine technical feasibility, or to
quantify the results of the project in promoting increased production,
product quality and safety, management effectiveness, or other
measurable factors.
(12) Total project costs: Total project cost is the amount of funds
required to accomplish what is proposed in the Statement of Work, and
includes contributions and donations. All costs must be shown in a
detailed budget. A standard budget form (SF-424A) is available from the
offices listed (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will not consider fees or profits
as allowable costs for grantees. Additional cost detail may be required
prior to a final analysis of overall cost allowability, allocability,
and reasonableness. The date, period covered, and findings for the most
recent financial audit performed, as well as the name of the audit
firm, the contact person, and phone number and address, must be also
provided.
c. Supporting documentation: Provide any required documents and any
additional information necessary or useful to the description of the
project. The amount of information will depend on the type of project
proposed, but should be no more than 20 pages. The applicant should
present any information that would emphasize the value of the project
in terms of the significance of the problems addressed. Without such
information, the merits of the project may not be fully understood, or
the value of the project may be underestimated. The absence of adequate
supporting documentation may cause reviewers to question assertions
made in describing the project and may result in lower ranking of the
project. Information presented in this section should be clearly
referenced in the project description.
IV. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures
A. Initial evaluation of applications. Applications will be
reviewed by NOAA to assure that they meet all requirements of this
announcement, including eligibility and relevance to the Chesapeake Bay
Stock Assessment Research Program.
B. Consultation with experts in the field of stock assessment
research. For applications meeting the requirements of this
solicitation, NMFS will conduct a technical evaluation of each project
prior to any other review. This review normally will involve experts
from non-NOAA as well as NOAA organizations. All comments submitted to
NMFS will be taken into consideration in the technical evaluation of
projects. Technical evaluators will submit independent reviews to NMFS.
Reviewers will be asked to comment on the following evaluation
criteria:
1. Problem description and conceptual approach for resolution,
especially the applicant's comprehension of the problem(s), familiarity
with related work that is completed or ongoing, and the overall concept
proposed to resolve the problem(s) (30 points).
2. Soundness of project design/technical approach, especially
whether the applicant provided sufficient information to technically
evaluate the project and, if so, the strengths and weaknesses of the
technical design proposed for problem resolution (35 points).
3. Project management and experience and qualifications of
personnel, including organization and management of the project, and
the personnel experience and qualifications (15 points).
4. Justification and allocation of the budget in terms of the work
to be performed (20 points).
C. Review Panel. NMFS will convene a review panel consisting of at
least three regionally recognized experts in the scientific and
management aspects of stock assessment research who will conduct
reviews as follows:
1. Evaluate technical reviews.
2. Provide independent review based on the same criteria as the
technical review.
3. Discuss all review comments as a panel.
4. Provide individual panelist scores and suggestions for
modifications (i.e., budget, personnel, technical approach, etc.).
D. Funding decision. 1. Applications will be ranked by NMFS into
two groups--Recommended and Not Recommended. As previously stated in
section III C., collaborative proposals and applications which propose
a cost share are strongly encouraged, and therefore will be given added
weight in the selection process. Numeric ranking will be the major
consideration for deciding which of the ``recommended'' proposals will
be selected for funding.
2. After projects have been ranked for funding, the Chief of the
NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office, in consultation with the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, will determine the project to be
recommended for funding based upon the technical evaluations, panel
review, and the evaluation factors and, determine the amount of funds
available for the program. The exact amount of funds awarded to the
project will be determined in preaward negotiations between the
applicant, the Grants Office, and the NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office
staff.
V. Administrative Requirements
A. Obligations of the applicant. 1. Deliverables--In addition to
quarterly status and budget reports, and at the time of submission of
the final report of results of funded projects, recipients must submit
a four- to five-page summary of project work and results that will be
compiled in a report of Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Research
Program results.
2. Periodic workshops--Investigators will be expected to attend one
or two workshops with other Stock Assessment Research Program
researchers to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and forge synthesis
of results.
3. Primary applicant certifications--All primary applicants must
submit a completed Form CD-511,
[[Page 20807]]
``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and
Lobbying,'' and the following explanations are hereby provided:
a. Nonprocurement debarment and suspension--Prospective
participants (as defined at 15 CFR 26.105) are subject to 15 CFR part
26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension,'' and the related
section of the certification form prescribed above applies.
b. Drug-free workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR 26.605) are
subject to 15 CFR part 26, subpart F, ``Governmentwide Requirements for
Drug-Free Workplace (Grants),'' and the related section of the
certification form prescribed above applies.
c. Anti-lobbying--Persons (as defined at 15 CFR 28.105) 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.''
d. Anti-lobbying disclosure--Any applicant who 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.
4. 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.
B. Other requirements. 1. Federal policies and procedures--
Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and
Federal and DOC policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to
Federal financial assistance awards.
2. Indirect cost rates--The total dollar amount of the indirect
costs proposed in an application under this program must not exceed the
current indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant
Federal agency. NOAA's acceptance of negotiated rates is subject to
total indirect costs not to exceed 100% of total direct costs. This
language is pursuant to the NOAA Grants and Cooperative Agreements
Policy Manual, Chapter 3(B)(2).
3. Past performance--Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal
awards may result in an application not being considered for funding.
In addition, any recipient and/or researcher who is past due for
submitting acceptable progress reports on any previous project funded
under this program may be ineligible to be considered for new awards
until the delinquent reports are received, reviewed and deemed
acceptable by NMFS.
4. Financial management certifications/preaward accounting survey--
Successful applicants, at the discretion of the NOAA Grants Officer,
may be required to have their financial management systems certified by
an independent public accountant as being in compliance with Federal
standards specified in the applicable OMB Circulars prior to execution
of the award. Any first-time applicant for Federal grant funds may be
subject to a preaward accounting survey by the DOC prior to execution
of the award.
5. Delinquent Federal debts--No award of Federal funds shall be
made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt
until either:
a. The delinquent account is paid in full;
b. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one
payment is received; or
c. Other arrangements satisfactory to DOC are made.
6. Name checks--Potential recipients may be required to submit an
``Identification-Application for Funding Assistance'' (Form CD-346),
which is used to ascertain background information on key individuals
associated with the potential recipient. 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 that significantly reflect
on the applicant's management honesty or financial integrity.
Applicants will also be subject to credit check reviews.
7. False statements--A false statement on the 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.
8. 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 obligation on the
part of DOC to cover preaward costs.
9. Purchase of American-made equipment and products--Applicants are
hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the greatest extent
practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products with
funding provided under this program.
10. Other--If an application is selected for funding, DOC has no
obligation to provide any additional 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.
Cooperative agreements awarded pursuant to pertinent statutes shall
be in accordance with the Fisheries Research Plan (comprehensive
program of fisheries research) in effect on the date of the award.
Classification
This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of E.O. 12866.
Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required
by the 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.
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 (PRA) unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid OMB control number.
This notice contains collections of information subject to the
Paperwork Reduction Act, which have been approved by OMB under OMB
control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, and 0605-0001.
Dated: May 1, 1996.
Gary Matlock,
Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service
[FR Doc. 96-11401 Filed 5-7-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-F
