[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 191 (Tuesday, October 1, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 51312-51314] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-24421] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Coast Guard [CGD 96-048] National Boating Safety Activities: Funding for National Nonprofit Public Service Organizations AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT. ACTION: Notice of availability. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is seeking to enter into financial assistance agreements with national nonprofit public service organizations to promote boating safety on the national level. This announcement seeks proposals for projects that might be eligible for this assistance. DATES: Application packages may be obtained on or after October 1, 1996. Proposals must be received before 4:30 p.m. eastern time December 31, 1996. ADDRESSES: Application packages may be obtained from Coast Guard Customer Infoline (800) 368-5647 and proposals submitted to Commandant (G-OPB-1g), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW., Room 3100, Washington, DC 20593-0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Betty Alley, Office of Boating Safety, U.S. Coast Guard (G-OPB-1g/ room 3100), 2100 Second Street SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001; (202) 267-0954. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title 26, United States Code, section 9504, establishes the Boat Safety Account of the Aquatic Resources Trust Fund. The Coast Guard may award up to 5 percent of the available funds to national, nonprofit, public service organizations to promote national boating safety. It is anticipated that $2,250,000 will be available for fiscal year 1997. Fifteen awards totalling $1,500,000 were made in fiscal year 1996 ranging from $10,000 to $396,286. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as committing the Coast Guard to dividing available funds among qualified applicants or awarding any specified amount. It is anticipated that several awards will be made by the Director, Operations Policy, U.S. Coast Guard. Applicants must be nongovernmental, nonprofit, public service organizations and must establish that their activities are, in fact, national in scope. An application package may be obtained by writing or calling the point of contact listed in ADDRESSES on or after October 1, 1996. The application package contains all necessary forms, an explanation of how the grant program is administered, and a checklist for submitting a grant application. Specific information on organization eligibility, proposal requirements, award procedures, and financial administration procedures may be obtained by contacting the person listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. Some general areas of continuing and particular interest for grant funding include the following: 1. Develop and Conduct a National Annual Safe Boating Campaign. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to develop and conduct the 1998 year-round National Annual Safe Boating Campaign that targets specific boater market segments and recreational boating safety topics. This year-round campaign must support the organizational objectives of the Recreational Boating Safety Program to save lives, reduce the number of boating accidents and associated health care costs as well as support the [[Page 51313]] nationwide grassroots activity of the many volunteer groups who coordinate local media events, education programs, and public awareness activities. Products must include, but are not limited to: situation analysis, post campaign component evaluation processes, measures of effectiveness, marketing strategy, distribution plan, and final report. All print, audio and video material must be designed to emphasize multiple year-round boating safety and accident prevention messages. Highlights of the Calendar Year 1998 national campaign will be special select materials and activities to support National Safe Boating Week and other selected boating events. The major focus of the campaign will be affecting the behavior of all boaters to increase wearability of Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs), with special emphasis on use by children. An established portion of allocated grant funds must support a National Boating Accident Reporting Awareness Program that is designed to reach all boaters and with a message on the importance of reporting all boating accidents as well as a propeller injury prevention awareness initiative. Efforts will also be coordinated, year round, with other national transportation safety activities and special media events, in particular those which focus on the prevention of operating a boat under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Point of Contact: Ms. Jo Calkin, (202) 267-0994. 2. Develop and Conduct a National Recreational Boating Safety Outreach and Awareness Conference. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to plan, implement, and conduct a National Recreational Boating Safety Outreach and Awareness Conference. This conference must support the organizational objectives of the Recreational Boating Safety Program to save lives, reduce the number of boating accidents, and lower associated health care coasts. The conference should be scheduled for the spring of 1998 and be held concurrent or consecutively with additional major national recreational boating safety and aquatic symposiums. The design of the conference should enhance the awareness and development of paid and volunteer professionals; national, state, and local boating safety program organization leaders; and industry specialists. It should provide a unifying link between their programs to those on the national level. The conference should be a collaborative effort of national organizations interested in the betterment of boating and aquatic safety and should include, but not be limited to, plenary sessions, hands-on workshops, and the distribution of a post conference report publication describing the activities of the conference. Products should include, but are not limited to, evaluation processes, measures of effectiveness, marketing strategy, and final report. Point of Contact: Ms. Jo Calkin, (202) 267-0994. 3. Information Resources Management: Recreational Boating Safety Measures of Effectiveness Data Capture Project Phase II. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to conduct the second phase of a Recreational Boating Safety Measures of Effectiveness (MOE) project. The first phase (FY 1995 grant) identified data elements and data sources needed to develop risk based measures of program effectiveness. The second phase (FY 1997 phase) would be contingent on the findings of the first phase regarding the need for and extent of data collection. If it is determined that the second phase of the project is necessary, the grantee would collect the data elements identified under the FY95 project. The overall goal of the 1997 project would be to determine boat occupant exposure hours for developing risk-based measures of effectiveness for the Recreational Boating Safety Program. Point of Contact: Mr. Bruce Schmidt, (202) 267-0955. 4. Recreational Boating Accident Health Care Cost Model. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to evaluate and modify existing transportation injury cost models that will be used to determine the societal costs of recreational boating accidents. The grant recipient would adapt existing models to enable U.S. Coast Guard to perform analyses of boating injuries using a sufficient and statistically valid sample of injury data. The injury cost model would be used to categorize different types of injuries, their severity, and their associated health care costs, medical costs, legal costs, and administrative costs for comparison across various modes of transportation. Point of Contact: Mr. Bruce Schmidt, (202) 267-0955. 5. Evaluative Study of Learning/Behavioral Objectives in Boating Safety Education. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to conduct an evaluative study of the existing recreational boating safety course material and assist Coast Guard with establishing minimum, individual subject specific, `Standards of Care' for the Recreational Boating Safety Program. These ``standards'' (the by-products of various objectives) will be utilized in educating and training future recreational boaters; while establishing the national standards for RBS. The establishment of these ``Standards of Care'' must support the organizational objectives, as well as state oriented objectives of safe boat handling and prudent operator care while on the water. In addition, Coast Guard seeks grantee to conduct a study to evaluate the existing mandatory boating education programs to determine if they contribute significantly to the prevention of boating accidents and whether or not such programs help reduce complaints about unsafe and discourteous boat operation. Point of Contact: Mr. John Malatak, (202) 267-6286. 6. State/Federal/Boating Organizations Cooperative Partnering Efforts. The Coast Guard seeks grantees to provide programs to encourage greater participation and uniformity in boating safety efforts. Applicants would provide a forum to encourage greater uniformity of boating laws and regulations, reciprocity among jurisdictions, and closer cooperation and assistance in developing, administering, and enforcing Federal and State laws and regulations pertaining to boating safety. Point of Contact: Ms. Jeanne Timmons, (202) 267-0857. 7. Develop and Conduct Boating Accident Seminars. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to develop and provide instructional materials and conduct training courses nationwide for boating accident investigators, including three courses at the Coast Guard Reserve Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia. Point of Contact: Mr. Gary Larimer, (202) 267-0986. 8. Voluntary Standards Development Support. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to carry out a program to encourage active participation by members of the public and other qualified persons, in the development of technically sound voluntary boating safety standards. Point of Contact: Mr. Peter Eikenberry, (202) 267-6894. 9. Recreational Boat Hazard Analysis Methodology. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to identify, characterize, and prioritize hazards aboard recreational boats that could lead to mishaps of concern. By applying hazard analysis methodology, decision makers would be able to determine what resources and intervention are necessary to eliminate, mitigate or monitor the risk of various hazards. The grantee shall develop a methodology for performing hazard analysis and risk assessment on recreational boats. Point of Contact: Mr. Rick Gipe, (202) 267-0985. 10. Technology Comparison of Propellers, Propeller Guards, and Pump Jets. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to [[Page 51314]] conduct tests comparing the operating efficiency, maneuverability characteristics, and protection factors of propeller/propeller guard combinations, pump jets, after-market pump jet installations, and conventional propellers. Point of Contact: Mr. Jay Doubt, (202) 267- 6810. 11. Boat Occupant Protection. The Coast Guard seeks a grantee to develop recommendations for reducing recreational boating fatalities and injuries on boats less than 26 feet regarding capsizings, swampings, sinkings, and falls overboard, through analysis of such things as boat construction/design, stability, operating characteristics, and human factors engineering. Point of Contact: Mr. Rick Gipe, (202) 267-0985. Proposals addressing other boating safety concerns are welcome. A more detailed discussion of specific projects of interests to the Coast Guard may be obtained by contacting the Boating Safety Infoline at (800) 368-5647 and requesting a copy of a specific proposal. The Boating Safety Financial Assistance Program is listed in section 20.005 of the Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog. Dated: September 17, 1996. Michael F. McCormack, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Acting Director, Operations Policy. [FR Doc. 96-24421 Filed 9-30-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-14-M