[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 62 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15049-15050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7384]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
Assistance to Small Shipyards Grant Program
AGENCY: Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation, Office
of Shipyards and Marine Technology.
ACTION: Notice of Small Shipyard Grant Program.
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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 20.814.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. McKeever, Associate
Administrator for Business and Workforce Development, Maritime
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC 20590; phone:
(202) 366-5737; fax: (202) 366-6988; or e-mail: jean.mckeever@dot.gov.
Key Dates: The period for submitting grant applications, as
mandated by statute, commenced on March 11, 2009 and will terminate on
May 10, 2009. The applications must be received by the Maritime
Administration by 5 p.m. EDT on May 10, 2009. Applications received
later than this time will not be considered. The Maritime Administrator
intends to award grants no later than July 9, 2009.
Funding Opportunity: Section 3508 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Pub. L. 110-417) and the
section entitled ``Assistance to Small Shipyards'' in the Omnibus
Appropriations Act, 2009, provide that the Maritime Administration
shall establish an assistance program for small shipyards. Under this
program, there is currently an aggregate of $17,150,000 available for
grants for capital improvements, and related infrastructure
improvements at qualified shipyard facilities that will be effective in
fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship
construction, repair, and reconfiguration. ($350,000 of the $17,500,000
appropriated for the program is reserved for program administration.)
Such grants may not be used to construct buildings or other physical
facilities or to acquire land unless such use is specifically approved
by the Administrator as being consistent with and supplemental to
capital and related infrastructure improvements. Grant funds may also
be used for maritime training programs to foster technical skills and
operational productivity in communities whose economies are related to
or dependent upon the maritime industry. However, grants for such
training programs may only be awarded to ``Eligible Applicants'' as
described below but training programs can be established through
vendors to such applicants.
Applications received for funding under the Assistance for Small
Shipyards program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
of 2009, as announced in the Federal Register, Volume 74 Number 41 on
March 4, 2009, will also be considered for funding under this
announcement without any additional action required by the applicant.
Applications for funding received by the Maritime Administration after
5 p.m. EDT on April 20, 2009 and prior to 5 p.m. EDT on May 10, 2009
will be considered only for funding under this announcement.
Award Information: The Maritime Administration intends to award the
full amount of the available funding through grants to the extent that
there are worthy applications. No more than 25 percent of the funds
available will be awarded to shipyard facilities that have more than
600 production employees. The Maritime Administration will seek to
obtain the maximum benefit from the available funding by awarding
grants for as many of the most worthy projects as possible. The
Maritime Administration may partially fund projects by selecting parts
of the total project. The start date and period of performance for each
award will depend on the specific project and must be agreed to by the
Maritime Administration.
Eligibility Information: 1. Eligible Applicants--the statutes
referenced in ``Funding Opportunity'' above provide that shipyards can
apply for grants. The
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shipyard facility for which a grant is sought must be in a single
geographical location, located in or near a maritime community, and may
not have more than 1,200 production employees. 2. Other Considerations
in Making Awards--In providing grants, the Administrator shall take
into account (a) the economic circumstances and conditions of the
maritime community near to which a shipyard facility is located; (b)
projects that would be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive
operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration;
and (c) projects that would be effective in fostering employee skills
and enhancing productivity.
Matching Requirements: (1) Except as provided in item (2) below,
Federal funds for any eligible project shall not exceed 75 percent of
the total cost of such project. The remaining portion of the cost shall
be paid in funds from or on behalf of the awardee. The applicant will
be required to submit detailed financial statements and any necessary
supporting documentation demonstrating how and when such matching
requirement is proposed to be funded. (2) Exceptions--If the
Administrator determines that a proposed project merits support and
cannot be undertaken without a higher percentage of Federal financial
assistance, the Administrator may award a grant for such project with a
lesser matching requirement than is described in item (1). (3) Unless
waived for good cause, the awardee's matching requirement must be paid
prior to payment of any federal funds for the project.
Application: An application should be filed on standard Form SF-424
which can be found on the internet at Marad.dot.gov. Although the form
is available electronically, we request that the application be filed
in hard copy as indicated below due to the amount of information
requested. A shipyard facility may include multiple projects in one
application. In order to allow us to evaluate whether an applicant
meets the statutory criteria, the application for a grant should also
provide the following information as an addendum to Form SF-424:
1. Unique identifier of entity's parent company (when applicable):
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS + 4 number) (when applicable).
2. Shipyard company officer's certification as to shipyard's
compliance with the following requirements: (a) The shipyard facility
for which a grant is sought is located in a single geographical
location in or near a maritime community and (b)(i) The shipyard
facility has no more than 600 production employees, or (ii) The
shipyard facility has more than 600 production employees, but less than
1,200 production employees.
3. A comprehensive detailed description of the project.
4. A description of the need for the project and an explanation of
how the project will fulfill this need.
5. An analysis demonstrating how the project will be effective in
fostering efficiency, competitive operations, and quality ship
construction, repair, or reconfiguration.
6. A detailed itemization of the cost of the project together with
supporting documentation, including vendor quotes and installation
costs.
7. Detailed methodology and timeline for implementing the project.
8. A prioritized list of project elements and cost of each if
funding for entire project is not available.
9. Most recent CPA audited, reviewed or compiled financial
statements.
10. Detailed pro forma financial statements together with any
supporting documentation demonstrating how and when such matching
requirement is proposed to be funded.
11. Shipyard company officer's certification that the applicant has
the authority to carry out the proposed project.
12. Any existing programs or arrangements that can be used to
supplement or leverage the federal grant assistance.
13. Information concerning the economic circumstances and
conditions of the maritime community near to which the shipyard is
located.
14. Certification in accordance with the Department of
Transportation's regulation restricting lobbying, 49 CFR part 20, that
the applicant has not, and will not, make any prohibited payments out
of the requested grant.
Additional information may be requested as deemed necessary by the
Maritime Administration in order to facilitate and complete its review
of the application. If such information is not provided, the Maritime
Administration may deem the application incomplete and cease processing
it.
Where to File Application: Submit an original copy and seven
additional copies of the application to Jean E. McKeever, Associate
Administrator for Business and Workforce Development, Room W21-318,
Maritime Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Washington, DC
20590.
Evaluation of Applications: The Maritime Administration will
evaluate the applications on the basis of the economic information
provided and in terms of how well the project for which a grant is
requested would be effective in fostering efficiency, competitive
operations, and quality ship construction, repair, and reconfiguration.
The Administrator will award grants in his sole discretion in such
amounts and under such conditions for those projects he determines will
best further the statutory purposes of the small shipyard grant
program.
Conditions Attached to Awards: The grant agreement will set out the
records to be maintained by the awardee which must be available for
review and audit by the Administrator, as well as any other conditions
and requirements. Awardees that receive more than $5 million in
assistance under this program will be required to certify that it has
filed all Federal tax returns required during the three years preceding
the certification, has not been convicted of a criminal offense under
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and has not, more than 90 days prior
to certification, been notified of any unpaid Federal tax assessment
for which the liability remains unsatisfied, unless the assessment is
the subject of an installment agreement or offer in compromise that has
been approved by the Internal Revenue Service and is not in default, or
the assessment is the subject of a non-frivolous administrative or
judicial proceeding.
(Authority: 46 U.S.C. 54101; 49 CFR 1.66)
Dated: March 27, 2009.
By order of the Acting Deputy Maritime Administrator.
Leonard Sutter,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-7384 Filed 4-1-09; 8:45 am]
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