[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 1995)] [Notices] [Page 15552] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 95-7345] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Golden Field Office; Federal Assistance Award to National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice of Noncompetitive Financial Assistance Award. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the DOE Financial Assistance Rules, 10 CFR 600.7, is announcing its intention to award a cooperative agreement to the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), for the further development and implementation of a nationwide program for voluntary certification of training programs for alternative fuel vehicle and refueling systems technicians. This program will assist the Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) programs at DOE, in the implementation of Section 411 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). The OTT programs seek to improve transportation energy efficiency and to reduce the nation's dependence on imported fuels. This is not a notice for solicitation of proposals or financial assistance applications. ADDRESSES: Questions regarding this announcement may be addressed to the U.S. Department of Energy, Golden Field Office, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, Colorado 80401, Attention: Ms. Ruth E. Adams, Contract Specialist. The telephone number is 303-275-4722. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The applicant organization is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation founded in 1982. In conjunction with the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), the applicant organization has implemented a national standards development and evaluation process for the certification of automotive technician training programs. This program expands the NATEF capability to include alternative fuel technician training programs. The NATEF organization is governed by its 15-member Board of Trustees which represents virtually every segment of the transportation industry as well as representatives from consumer groups, vocational and other educators, professional technicians, employers of technicians, business leaders, and other affected entities and persons. In accordance with 10 CFR 600.7, it has been determined that the activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of an activity that will enhance the public benefit derived and for which competition and the delay resulting therefrom would have a significant adverse effect on completion of the activity. The applicant has exclusive domestic capability to perform the activity successfully, based upon its existing automotive technician training program certification process and its experience demonstrating that this process results in nationwide quality improvement of automotive service and repair. DOE knows of no organization other than NATEF which is capable and which is conducting or is planning to conduct development and implementation of certification of training programs for alternative fuel vehicle technicians and alternative fuel refueling- system technicians as proposed by the applicant. Current Federal funding is available in the amount of $500,000. A minimum of $88,000 from non-Federal sources has been committed by NATEF to accomplish the first year of this development program. The project cost over five years is estimated to be $2,795,634 total, with the DOE share being $2,318,997 and $476,637 to be cost-shared by NATEF. Issued in Golden, Colorado on March 14, 1995. John W. Meeker, Chief, Procurement, GO. [FR Doc. 95-7345 Filed 3-23-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P