[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 1 (Monday, January 4, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 332-339]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-34228]
[[Page 331]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part VII
Department of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program;
Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 1 / Monday, January 4, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 332]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket Number: 981203295-8295-01; CFDA: 11.552]
RIN 0660-ZA06
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance
Program
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA) issues this Notice describing the conditions under which
applications will be received under the Telecommunications and
Information Infrastructure Assistance Program (TIIAP) and how NTIA will
determine which applications it will fund. TIIAP assists eligible
organizations by promoting the widespread use and availability of
advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the public
and non-profit sectors. By providing matching grants for information
infrastructure projects, this program will help develop a nationwide,
interactive, multimedia information infrastructure that is accessible
to all Americans, in rural as well as urban areas.
DATES: Complete applications for the Fiscal Year 1999 TIIAP grant
program must be mailed or hand-carried to the address indicated below
and received by NTIA no later than 9:00 p.m. EST, March 11, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be mailed to:
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW, HCHB, Room 4092,
Washington, D.C. 20230
Or hand-delivered to:
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program,
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Room 1874, Herbert Clark Hoover Building, 1401
Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C. 20230
Room 1874 is located at entrance #10 on 15th Street NW, between
Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Stephen J. Downs, Director of the
Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure Assistance Program.
Telephone: 202/482-2048; fax: 202/501-5136; e-mail: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Program Purposes
NTIA announces the sixth annual round of a competitive matching
grant program, the Telecommunications and Information Infrastructure
Assistance Program (TIIAP). TIIAP was created to promote the
development, widespread availability, and use of advanced
telecommunications and information technologies to serve the public
interest.
To accomplish this objective, TIIAP will provide matching grants to
state, local, and tribal governments; 1 non-profit health
care providers and public health institutions; schools; libraries;
museums; colleges; universities; public safety providers; non-profit
community-based organizations; and other non-profit entities. TIIAP
will support projects that improve the quality of, and the public's
access to, cultural, educational, and training resources; reduce the
cost, improve the quality, and/or increase the accessibility of health
care and public health services; promote responsive public safety
services; improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government and
public services; and foster communication, resource-sharing, and
economic development within communities, both rural and urban.
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\1\ American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages.
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Authority
Title II of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 1999, Pub. L. No. 105-277 (1998).
Funding Availability
Approximately $17 million is available for federal assistance. A
small amount of funds that have been deobligated from grants awarded in
previous fiscal years may also be available for Fiscal Year 1999
grants. Based on past experience, NTIA expects this year's grant round
to be very competitive. In Fiscal Year 1998, NTIA received more than
750 applications collectively requesting more than $300 million in
grant funds. From these applications, the Department of Commerce
announced 46 TIIAP awards totaling $18.5 million in federal funds.
Based on previous grant rounds, TIIAP anticipates that the average
size of a grant award will be approximately $350,000 and last between
two and three years. An applicant may request up to $650,000 in total
federal support.
Eligible Organizations
Non-profit entities; state, local, and tribal governments; and
colleges and universities are eligible to apply. Although individuals
and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply, they may
participate as project partners.
Matching Funds Requirements
Grant recipients under this program will be required to provide
matching funds toward the total project cost. Applicants must document
their capacity to provide matching funds. Matching funds may be in the
form of cash or in-kind contributions. Grant funds under this program
are usually released in direct proportion to local matching funds
utilized and documented as having been expended. NTIA will provide up
to 50 percent of the total project cost, unless the applicant can
document extraordinary circumstances warranting a grant of up to 75
percent. Generally, federal funds (such as grants) may not be used as
matching funds, except as provided by federal statute. If you plan to
use funds from a federal agency, you should contact the federal agency
that administers the funds in question and obtain documentation from
that agency's Office of General Counsel to support the use of federal
funds for matching purposes.
Completeness of Application
TIIAP will initially review all applications to determine whether
all required elements are present and clearly identifiable. The
required elements are listed and described in the Guidelines for
Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 1999. Each of the required elements
must be present and clearly identified. Failure to do so may result in
rejection of the application.
Application Deadline
As noted above, complete applications for the Fiscal Year 1999
TIIAP grant program must be received by NTIA no later than 9:00 p.m.
EST, March 11, 1999. A postmark date is not sufficient. Applications
which have been provided to a delivery service on or before March 10,
1999, with ``delivery guaranteed'' before 9:00 p.m. on March 11, 1999,
will be accepted for review if the applicant can document that the
application was provided to the delivery service with delivery to the
address listed above guaranteed prior to the closing date and time.
Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine transmission or
electronic
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mail. NTIA anticipates that it will take approximately six months to
complete the review of applications and make final funding decisions.
Program Funding Priorities
NTIA supports innovative and exemplary projects that can serve as
models for using information infrastructure in the public and non-
profit sectors and thereby contribute to the development of an advanced
National Information Infrastructure (NII).2 NTIA believes
that every project supported under TIIAP should be a nationally
significant demonstration of how telecommunications and information
technologies can be used to extend valuable services and opportunities
to all Americans, especially the underserved. ``Underserved'' refers to
individuals and communities that are subject to barriers that limit or
prevent their access to the benefits of information infrastructure
technologies and services. In terms of information infrastructure,
these barriers may be technological, geographic, economic, physical,
linguistic, or cultural.
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\2\ The National Information Infrastructure (NII) is a federal
policy initiative to facilitate and accelerate the development and
utilization of the nation's information infrastructure. The
Administration envisions the NII as a seamless web of communications
networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that will
put vast amounts of information at users' fingertips. For more
information on various aspects of the NII initiative, see The
National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action, 58 Fed. Reg.
49,025 (September 21, 1993).
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NTIA expects each project to serve as a national model and offer
potentially new and useful insights into the use of network
technologies. Each project should identify specific problems or needs
in a community, use information infrastructure services and
technologies to offer concrete solutions, and produce measurable
outcomes. TIIAP emphasizes the application of technology to meet
people's needs, and not simply on the technology as an end in itself.
In addition, the development of the NII depends upon the contribution
of a wide variety of skills, ideas, and perspectives. Therefore, TIIAP-
supported projects should, to the greatest degree possible, reach out
to all members of a community and catalyze partnerships 3 to
help erase the distinction between information ``haves'' and ``have-
nots.''
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\3\ A ``partner'' is defined as an organization that supplies
cash or in kind resources and/or plays an active role in the
planning and implementation of the project.
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As a national program, TIIAP supports a variety of model projects
among different application areas,4 geographic regions, and
underserved populations. Each project awarded a grant, however, must be
innovative in its application of technology. TIIAP defines innovation
broadly. It can encompass, but is not restricted to, a new application
of proven technologies; a creative strategy for overcoming traditional
barriers to access; a new configuration of existing information
resources; or uses of cutting edge technologies.
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\4\ For a discussion of the application areas TIIAP supports,
please see Notice, page 6.
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For FY 1999, TIIAP is especially interested in projects developed
by smaller, locally-based organizations that both serve and represent
technologically underserved communities across the nation. For example,
these organizations may include but are not limited to: community-based
organizations; small non-profits; colleges and universities serving
rural communities; Historically Black Colleges and Universities,
Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities;
and organizations representing Empowerment Zones and Enterprise
Communities. TIIAP wants to build the capacity of smaller organizations
that work closely with the community. These non-profits often are able
to understand the local dynamics that are helpful in defining the
problem and creating a community-driven, successful solution.
For the FY 1999 grant competition, TIIAP is also especially
interested in projects that propose to use advanced network
technologies to enhance the quality and efficiency of services
delivered through non-profit organizations. Driven by research efforts
in academia, the federal government, and the private
sector,5 technological advances promise to improve
significantly the quality of today's networks. For example, higher
bandwidth networks will afford the opportunity to deliver high
resolution video to the desktop; emerging wireless networks will give
end users greater flexibility in how and when they can access
information. TIIAP encourages applicants to explore the capabilities of
these technologies.
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\5\ The Internet2 and the Next Generation Internet initiatives
are but two examples of the partnerships working to enhance the
quality of today's networking technologies.
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Applicants who are not ready to prepare a project demonstrating
innovative uses of advanced network technologies this year may want to
consider preparing a planning grant. While the emphasis for Fiscal Year
1999 is on projects that deploy, use, and evaluate the use of
information infrastructure applications, NTIA will also consider
allocating a limited amount of funds to support outstanding planning
projects that explore potential uses of advanced network technologies.
Applications for such projects will be evaluated against the same
criteria applied to all other applications.
In Fiscal Year 1999, TIIAP will support projects in five
application areas: Community Networking; Education, Culture, and
Lifelong Learning; Health; Public Safety; and Public Services. Each
application will be reviewed with other applications in the same area.
In this grant round, TIIAP is especially interested in projects that
cut across application areas to better serve the needs of individuals
and communities. Different application areas often share the same end
users. TIIAP encourages applications in which the use of network
technology enables partners in different disciplines (e.g., health,
education, and public safety) to share information. For example, health
providers and field emergency services that share responsibility in the
rescue and care of accident victims, or schools and social service
providers that work to serve the same families, could benefit by
increasing coordination and information sharing.
The five application areas are described below.
Community Networking
This area focuses on multi-purpose projects that enable a broad
range of community residents and organizations to communicate, share
information, promote community economic development, and participate in
civic activities. While TIIAP will continue to support a full range of
projects in the Community Networking application area, this year TIIAP
is particularly interested in projects that: (1) provide individual end
users with sophisticated and useful tools for gathering, analyzing, and
applying a variety of information resources to concrete community or
regional problems; (2) enable small firms, non-profit providers of
services, and persons involved in community development to communicate,
share resources, and launch collaborative initiatives more effectively
in order to promote local or regional community and economic
development; or (3) develop collaborative, regional approaches which
address the needs of both rural and urban populations.
Examples of Community Networking projects may include, but would
not be limited to: projects involving multiple stakeholder
organizations that wish to
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link services, reduce duplicative record-keeping, simplify and/or
expand end-user access to a variety of information resources, engage in
initiatives that would not have been possible without networking
technologies, or provide information across various application areas
within a specific geographic region.
Education, Culture, and Lifelong Learning
Projects in this area seek to improve education and training for
learners of all ages and provide cultural enrichment through the use of
information infrastructure in both traditional and non-traditional
settings. While TIIAP will continue to support a full range of projects
in the Education, Culture, and Lifelong Learning application area, this
year TIIAP is particularly interested in projects which propose
partnerships among multiple institutions to address lifelong learning
needs.
Examples of Education, Culture, and Lifelong Learning projects may
include, but would not be limited to: projects that explore creative
partnerships among schools, libraries, museums, colleges, or
universities to deliver network-based learning resources; projects
linking workplaces and job-training sites to educational institutions;
projects that enrich communities by delivering on-line informational,
educational, and cultural services from public libraries, museums, and
other cultural centers; and projects that allow users to collaborate in
the creation of cultural works or participate actively in meaningful
on-line learning exchanges.
Health
Projects in this area involve the use of information infrastructure
in the delivery of health care and public health services. While TIIAP
will continue to support a full range of projects in the Health
application area, this year TIIAP is particularly interested in
projects that support the delivery of public health services such as
efforts to identify physical, mental, and environmental health
problems; define priorities for public health response; prevent
disease, injury, and disability; and enforce laws and regulations that
protect physical, mental, and environmental health.
Examples of Health projects may include, but would not be limited
to: systems that improve the care and treatment of patients in their
homes; telemedicine systems that offer new approaches to extending
medical and dental expertise to rural or underserved urban areas or
non-traditional settings; projects designed to improve communication
between health care providers and patients and enable consumers to
participate more actively in their health care; projects to improve
treatment of patients in emergency situations and extend trauma care
services beyond the emergency room; and networks or information
services aimed at disease prevention and health promotion.
Public Safety
Projects in this area will seek to increase the effectiveness of
law enforcement agencies, emergency, rescue, and fire departments, the
court system, or other entities involved in providing safety services
that respond to, prevent, or intervene in crises. While TIIAP will
continue to support a full range of projects in the Public Safety
application area, this year TIIAP is particularly interested in
projects that include multiple agencies (such as those that combine
police, emergency medical services, fire companies, or courts) or
participation across municipal boundaries.
Examples of Public Safety projects may include, but would not be
limited to: projects that facilitate information exchange among public
safety agencies located in single or multiple geographic areas to
increase efficiency and share resources, including spectrum resources;
projects that provide information in a timely manner to ``first-
response officials,'' such as police officers, emergency medical
technicians, and firefighters; projects that help public safety
agencies provide community outreach services; and projects that aim to
increase the safety and security of children and reduce domestic
violence.
Public Services
Projects in this area aim to improve the delivery of services to
people with a range of social service needs. This area includes, for
example, employment counseling, housing and transportation support,
child welfare, food assistance, and other services typically delivered
by state, tribal, and local governments or by community-based non-
profit organizations. While TIIAP will continue to support a full range
of projects in the Public Services application area, this year TIIAP is
particularly interested in projects that aim to link multiple
organizations to provide a client-based focus to the delivery of
services. Such projects would focus on the comprehensive needs of
individuals and families who require the coordinated services of
multiple organizations.
Examples of Public Services projects may include, but would not be
limited to: projects that use information technology creatively to
promote self-sufficiency and independence among individuals and
families; electronic information and referral services that provide
information on a variety of community-based and government services;
projects that make public agencies more accessible and responsive to
community residents; electronic benefits transfer projects; projects
that employ geographic information systems to study demographic or
environmental trends and target community strategies to assist
individuals; and projects that focus on the needs of special
communities, such as seniors or individuals with disabilities.
Limitations on Project Scope
Projects funded by TIIAP must meet the Program Funding Priorities
described in this Notice. Projects must involve innovative approaches
to the delivery of useful, practical services in real-world
environments within the grant award period.
Listed below are types of projects TIIAP will not support in Fiscal
Year 1999.
(1) One-Way Networks. TIIAP will not support construction or
extensions of one-way networks, that is, networks which deliver
information to a passive audience; all networks and services proposed
for TIIAP support must be interactive. 6 For example, TIIAP
will not fund one-way broadcast systems, tape duplication and/or
delivery projects, or any project which does not permit the end user in
some fashion to select the information he or she will receive.
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\6\ ``Interactivity'' is defined as the capacity of a
communications system to allow end users to communicate directly
with other users, either in real time (as in a video teleconference)
or on a store-and-forward basis (as with electronic mail), or to
seek and gain access to information on an on-demand basis, as
opposed to a broadcast basis.
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(2) Single-Organization Projects. TIIAP will not support projects
whose primary emphasis is on the internal communications needs of a
single organization, even if the organization has a considerable number
of offices in different cities or regions of the country. For example,
TIIAP will not consider projects that create or expand Local Area
Networks or internal e-mail systems whose end users are principally, or
exclusively, staff members of a single organization. However, TIIAP
will support applications that extend communications among multiple
organizations and agencies within a governmental jurisdiction. Projects
should, to the maximum degree feasible,
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include appropriate partnerships, with plans for inter-organizational
communications among the partners.
(3) Replacement or Upgrade of Existing Facilities. TIIAP will not
support any projects whose purpose is to upgrade or replace existing
systems, add workstations or servers to existing networks, or complete
the installation of a network.
In addition, TIIAP will not support projects whose primary purpose
is to develop content, hardware, or software, to provide training on
the use of the information infrastructure, 7 or to build
voice-based systems.
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\7\ ``Information infrastructure'' includes telecommunication
networks, computers, other end-user devices, software, standards,
and skills that collectively enable people to connect to each other
and to a vast array of services and information resources.
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(1) Content Development Projects. Many projects necessarily involve
some modification or development of content. 8 Therefore,
TIIAP will support projects in which the creation or conversion of
content is part of a larger effort to utilize information
infrastructure technologies to address real-world problems. However,
TIIAP will not support projects whose primary purpose is to develop
data resources, or in any other way produce information content. For
example, TIIAP will not consider projects which are designed only to
develop curriculum, create databases, convert existing paper-based
information to a digital format, digitize existing graphics
collections, or establish World Wide Web sites.
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\8\ ``Content development'' refers to the creation of
information resources, such as databases or World Wide Web sites,
for the purpose of dissemination through one or more on-line
services.
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(2) Hardware or Software Development Projects. Some projects may
require limited software development or the customization or
modification of existing software or hardware in order to meet
particular end-user requirements or to enable the exchange of
information across networks. However, the creation of a software or
hardware product cannot be a project's primary purpose.
(3) Training Projects. While TIIAP does consider training to be an
essential aspect of most implementation projects, TIIAP will not
support projects whose primary purpose is to provide training in the
use of software applications, Internet use, or other use of information
infrastructure.
(4) Voice-based Systems. Two-way, interactive voice networks are an
important element of the existing information infrastructure. Voice as
a means for conveying information and voice input tools play critical
roles in ensuring people with disabilities have access to network
technology. However, TIIAP will not support projects whose primary
purpose is to either build or install voice-based communication
networks such as call centers or two-way radio networks.
Review Criteria
Reviewers will review and rate each application using the following
criteria. The relative weights of each criterion are identified in
parentheses.
1. Project Definition (10%)
Each application will be judged on the overall purpose of the
proposed project and its potential impact on a community. In assessing
the ``Project Definition,'' reviewers will examine the degree to which
the applicant clearly: (1) identifies a specific problem(s) or need(s)
within the community to be served; (2) proposes a feasible means of
addressing the community's problem(s) employing network services and
technologies; and (3) identifies anticipated outcomes and potential
impacts that are both realistic and measurable.
Reviewers will assess the degree to which an applicant convincingly
links the three major elements--problem, solution, and outcomes.
2. Evaluation (15%)
Each application will be rated on the quality of its plans for
evaluation and its potential to measure both the effectiveness and
efficiency of the proposed solution(s) and anticipated outcome(s) of
the project.
Reviewers also will assess the degree to which the evaluation links
to the overall formulation of project goals and objectives (i.e., the
problem, solution, and anticipated outcomes identified in the ``Project
Definition'' section) and the Review Criteria treated below.
When examining an applicant's evaluation, reviewers will assess the
evaluation design, an implementation plan for the evaluation, and the
allocation of resources (i.e., budget, staff, and management) for
evaluation. Reviewers will also analyze the evaluation questions; the
methodological approach for answering the evaluation questions; how
data will be collected; and how the data will be analyzed. Finally,
reviewers will assess the qualifications of any proposed evaluators.
3. Significance (20%)
When considering ``Significance,'' reviewers will assess the degree
to which the proposed project is innovative and can serve as a model.
When rating the degree to which an application demonstrates
innovation, reviewers will use their experience as experts in their
respective fields to determine whether a proposed project introduces a
unique or novel approach and extends the state-of-the-art in a given
application area. As noted in the section on ``Program Funding
Priorities,'' reviewers will assess innovation broadly, examining both
the technology to be used and the application of technology in a
particular setting, to serve a particular population, or to solve a
particular problem. Reviewers will examine each project in a national
context and ask: (1) how an application compares with, complements, or
improves upon other activities in a given application area, and (2)
what insight(s) a proposed project could add to what is known about
using network technologies in a given application area.
With respect to identifying projects that could serve as models for
other communities across the country, reviewers will draw on their own
experience as experts in the field to assess the degree to which a
project has the potential to be readily duplicated or adapted to other
communities across the country.
4. Project Feasibility (15%)
Each application will be rated on the overall feasibility of the
proposed project and its plan of implementation. In assessing project
feasibility, reviewers will focus on the following issues: the
technical approach; the qualifications of the applicant team; the
proposed budget and implementation schedule; and the applicant's plan
for sustaining the project beyond the grant period.
Reviewers will assess how the proposed system would work, how it
would operate with other systems, the technological alternatives that
have been examined, the plans for the maintenance and/or upgrading of
the system, and the capability of the system to accommodate growth and
new technological developments. Applicants are expected to make use of
existing infrastructure and commercially available telecommunications
services, unless extraordinary circumstances require the construction
of new network facilities.
In assessing the qualifications of the project team, reviewers will
assess the applicant and its partners to determine if they have the
resources, expertise, and experience necessary to undertake the project
and complete it within the
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proposed period. Reviewers will also examine the proposed duration of
the project to determine if the implementation schedule is reasonable.
Reviewers will analyze the budget in terms of clarity and cost-
effectiveness. The proposed budget should be appropriate to the tasks
proposed and sufficiently detailed so that reviewers can easily
understand the relationship of items in the budget to the project
narrative.
Finally, reviewers will examine the potential long-term viability
of the applicant's plans. In evaluating the plan, reviewers will
consider the economic circumstances of the community or communities to
be served by the proposed project and the applicant's strategies to
sustain the project after the completion of the grant.
5. Community Involvement (20%)
Each application will be rated on the overall level of community
involvement in the development and implementation of the proposed
project. Reviewers will pay particular attention to the partnerships
involved, the strength and diversity of support for the project within
the community, the support for the project's end users,9 and
any applicable privacy and security issues.
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\9\ An ``end user'' is one who customarily employs or seeks
access to, rather than provides, information infrastructure. An end
user may be a consumer of information (e.g., a member of the public
employing a touch-screen public access terminal); may be involved in
an interactive communication with other end users; or may use
information infrastructure to provide services to the public.
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Reviewers will examine the breadth of community involvement to
ensure it includes the development of partnerships among unaffiliated
organizations,10 from the public, non-profit, or private
sectors, as an integral part of each project. TIIAP considers partners
to be organizations that supply cash or in-kind resources and/or play
an active role in the planning and implementation of the project.
Reviewers will:
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\10\ ``Unaffiliated'' organizations are institutions that do not
have formal associations or relationships with the applicant.
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(1) Examine the steps the applicant has taken to involve a variety
of community stakeholders in project development and the plans for
ongoing community involvement in the project. Reviewers will look for
evidence of demand, from the community, the end users, and the
potential beneficiaries, for the services proposed by the project;
(2) Consider the degree of attention paid to the needs, skills,
working conditions, and living environments of the targeted end users.
Reviewers will also consider the extent to which applicants involve
representatives from a broad range of potential users in both the
design and implementation of the project and consider the varying
degrees of abilities of all end users, including individuals with
disabilities;
(3) Assess the applicant's plans for training end users, upgrading
their skills, and building community awareness and knowledge of the
project;
(4) Evaluate the steps applicants have taken to involve and
document the support of a variety of stakeholder groups and
organizations; and
(5) examine the applicant's efforts to safeguard the privacy of the
end users and beneficiaries 11 of the project. In
circumstances where proprietary or sensitive individual data is
involved, reviewers will closely examine the applicant's strategies for
addressing the privacy and confidentiality of user data.
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\11\ Project beneficiaries are those individuals or
organizations deriving benefits from a project's outcome(s). A
project beneficiary may also, but not necessarily, be a project end
user.
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6. Reducing Disparities (15%)
Reviewers will assess the degree to which each application targets
underserved communities specifically and/or reaches out to underserved
groups within a broader community. ``Underserved'' refers to
individuals and communities that are subject to barriers that limit or
prevent their access to the benefits of information infrastructure and
services. These barriers may be technological, geographic, economic,
physical, linguistic, or cultural. For example,
(1) A rural community may be geographically isolated from
information resources and lack local technical expertise to help
install and manage the network infrastructure;
(2) An inner city neighborhood may contain large numbers of
potential end users who lack the technical and financial resources to
access the information infrastructure; or
(3) People with disabilities may need a variety of special hardware
or software interfaces to facilitate their use of the information
infrastructure.
Reviewers will assess evidence of community need and the
applicant's proposed strategies for overcoming barriers to the access
and use of information technologies. Reviewers will focus on the
applicant's strategies for reaching out to targeted groups and for
tailoring services which address the learning mechanisms, attitudes,
abilities, and customs of the community.
7. Documentation and Dissemination (5%)
Applicants will also be rated on the quality of their plans for
documentation and dissemination. Reviewers will assess whether an
applicant has allocated sufficient funds and resources to document
project activities and disseminate project findings and lessons
learned.
Applicants will be rated on the extent to which their documentation
plans include effective record keeping strategies that will assist in
the applicant's assessment of the project and facilitate future
evaluations of the applicant's efforts. Reviewers will also assess an
applicant's plans for disseminating the knowledge gained as a result of
the project.
Eligible Costs
Eligible Costs. Allowable costs incurred under approved projects
shall be determined in accordance with applicable federal cost
principles, i.e., OMB Circular A-21, A-87, A-122, or Appendix E of 45
C.F.R. Part 74. If included in the approved project budget, TIIAP will
allow costs for personnel; fringe benefits; computer hardware,
software, and other end-user equipment; telecommunication services and
related equipment; consultants, evaluators, and other contractual
services; travel; rental of office equipment, furniture, and space; and
supplies. All costs must be reasonable and directly related to the
project.
Indirect Costs. The total dollar amount of the indirect costs
proposed in an application under this program must not exceed the
indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant federal
agency or 100 percent of the total proposed direct costs dollar amount
in the application, whichever is less.
Ineligible Costs
Costs associated with the construction or major renovation of
buildings are not eligible. While costs for the construction of new
network facilities are eligible costs, applicants are expected to make
use of existing infrastructure and commercially available
telecommunications services. Only under extraordinary circumstances
will the construction of new network facilities be approved. Costs of
the professional services, such as instruction, counseling, or medical
care, provided via a network supported through this program are not
eligible.
Note that costs that are ineligible for TIIAP support may not be
included as part of the applicant's matching fund
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contribution. In addition, the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations for Fiscal Year 1999 places restrictions on
eligible costs for applicants which are recipients of Universal Service
Fund discounts and applicants receiving assistance from the Department
of Justice's Regional Information Sharing Systems Program as part of
the project costs.
This statute provides:
That notwithstanding any other provision of law, no entity that
receives telecommunications services at preferential rates under
section 254(h) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 254(h))
or receives assistance under the regional information sharing
systems grant program of the Department of Justice under part M of
title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968
(42 U.S.C. 3796h) may use funds under a grant under this heading to
cover any costs of the entity that would otherwise be covered by
such preferential rates or such assistance, as the case may
be.12
\12\ Title II of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency
Supplemental Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 1999, Pub. L. No.
105-277 (1998).
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Accordingly, recipients of the above-described preferential rates
or assistance are prohibited from including any costs that would be
covered by such preferential rates or assistance in their proposed
TIIAP grant budget.
Award Period
Successful applicants will have between 12 and 36 months to
complete their projects. While the completion time will vary depending
on the complexity of the project, NTIA has found that most applicants
require at least two years to complete and fully evaluate their
projects. Accordingly, NTIA encourages applicants to propose projects
that last two to three years.
Selection Process
NTIA will publish a notice in the Federal Register listing all
applications received by TIIAP. Listing an application in such a notice
merely acknowledges receipt of an application that will compete for
funding with other applications. Publication does not preclude
subsequent return or disapproval of the application, nor does it ensure
that the application will be funded. The selection process will last
approximately six months and involves four stages:
(1) During the first stage, each eligible application will be
reviewed by a panel of outside readers, who have demonstrated expertise
in both the programmatic and technological aspects of the application.
The review panels will evaluate applications according to the review
criteria provided in this Notice and make non-binding written
recommendations to the program.
(2) Upon completion of the external review process, program staff
may analyze applications as necessary. Program staff analysis will be
based on the degree to which a proposed project meets the program's
funding scope as described in the section entitled ``Limitations on
Project Scope;'' the eligibility of costs and matching funds included
in an application's budget; 13 and the extent to which an
application complements or duplicates projects previously funded or
under consideration by NTIA or other federal programs. The analysis of
program staff will be provided to the TIIAP Director in writing.
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\13\ See discussion of ``Eligible Costs'' and ``Matching Funds
Requirements'' in this Notice.
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The TIIAP Director then prepares and presents a slate of
recommended grant awards to the Office of Telecommunications and
Information Applications' (OTIA) Associate Administrator for review and
approval. 14 The Director's recommendations and the
Associate Administrator's review and approval will take into account
the following selection factors:
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\14\ The Office of Telecommunication and Information
Applications is the division of the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration that supervises NTIA's grant awards
programs.
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1. The evaluations of the outside reviewers;
2. The analysis of program staff;
3. The degree to which the proposed grants meet the program's
priorities as described in the section entitled ``Program Funding
Priorities;''
4. The geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards;
5. The variety of technologies and strategies employed by the
proposed grant awards;
6. The extent to which the proposed grant awards represent a
reasonable distribution of funds across application areas;
7. The promotion of access to and use of the information
infrastructure by rural communities and other underserved groups;
8. Avoidance of redundancy and conflicts with the initiatives of
other federal agencies; and
9. The availability of funds.
(3) Upon approval by the OTIA Associate Administrator, the
Director's recommendations will then be presented to the Selecting
Official, the NTIA Administrator. The NTIA Administrator selects the
applications to be negotiated for possible grant award taking into
consideration the Director's recommendations and the degree to which
the slate of applications, taken as a whole, satisfies the selection
factors described above and the program's stated purposes as set forth
in the section entitled ``Program Purposes.''
(4) After applications have been selected in this manner,
negotiations will take place between TIIAP staff and the applicant.
These negotiations are intended to resolve any differences that exist
between the applicant's original request and what TIIAP proposes to
fund, and if necessary, to clarify items in the application. Not all
applicants who are contacted for negotiation will necessarily receive a
TIIAP award. Final selections made by the Administrator will be based
upon the recommendations by the Director and the OTIA Associate
Administrator and the degree to which the slate of applications, taken
as a whole, satisfies the program's stated purposes as set forth in the
section entitled ``Program Purposes,'' upon the conclusion of
negotiations.
Use of Program Income
Applicants are advised that any program income generated by a
proposed project is subject to special conditions. Anticipated program
income must be documented appropriately in the project budget. In
addition, should an application be funded, unanticipated program income
must be reported to TIIAP, and the budget for the project must be
renegotiated to reflect receipt of this program income. Program income
means gross income earned by the recipient that is either directly
generated by a supported activity, or earned as a result of the award.
In addition, federal policy prohibits any recipient or subrecipient
receiving federal funds from the use of equipment acquired with these
funds to provide services to non-federal outside organizations for a
fee that is less than private companies charge for equivalent services.
This prohibition does not apply to services provided to outside
organizations at no cost.
Policy on Sectarian Activities
Applicants are advised that on December 22, 1995, NTIA issued a
notice in the Federal Register on its policy with regard to sectarian
activities. Under NTIA's policy, while religious activities cannot be
the essential thrust of a grant, an application will not be ineligible
where sectarian activities are only incidental or attenuated to the
overall project purpose for which funding is requested. Applicants for
whom this policy may be
[[Page 338]]
relevant should read the policy that was published in the Federal
Register at 60 FR 66491, Dec. 22, 1995.
Waiver Authority
It is the general intent of NTIA not to waive any of the provisions
set forth in this Notice. However, under extraordinary circumstances
and when it is in the best interest of the federal government, NTIA,
upon its own initiative or when requested, may waive the provisions in
this Notice. Waivers may only be granted for requirements that are
discretionary and not mandated by statute. Any request for a waiver
must set forth the extraordinary circumstances for the request and be
included in the application or sent to the address provided in the
``Addresses'' section above. NTIA will not consider a request to waive
the application deadline for an application until the application has
been received.
Other Information
Electronic Information. Information about NTIA and TIIAP, including
this document and the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--Fiscal
Year 1999, can be retrieved electronically via the Internet using the
World Wide Web. Use http://www.ntia.doc.gov to reach the NTIA home page
and follow directions to locating information about TIIAP. TIIAP can
also be reached via electronic mail at [email protected].
Application Forms. Standard Forms 424 (OMB Approval Number 0348-
0044), Application for Federal Assistance; 424A (OMB Approval Number
0348-0043), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; and 424B
(OMB Approval Number 0348-0040), Assurances--Non-Construction Programs,
(Rev 4-92), and other Department of Commerce forms shall be used in
applying for financial assistance. These forms are included in the
Guidelines for Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 1999, which can be
obtained by contacting NTIA by telephone, fax, or electronic mail, as
described in the ``Addresses'' section above. TIIAP requests one
original and five copies of the application. Applicants for whom the
submission of five copies presents financial hardship may submit one
original and two copies of the application. 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 unless that collection of information displays a currently valid
OMB control number. In addition, all applicants are required to submit
a copy of their application to their state Single Point of Contact
(SPOC) offices, if they have one. For information on contacting state
SPOC offices, refer to the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--
Fiscal Year 1999.
Because of the high level of public interest in projects supported
by TIIAP, the program anticipates receiving requests for copies of
successful applications. Applicants are hereby notified that the
applications they submit are subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
To assist NTIA in making disclosure determinations, applicants may
identify sensitive information and label it ``confidential.''
Type of Funding Instrument. The funding instrument for awards under
this program shall be a grant.
Federal Policies and Procedures. Recipients and subrecipients are
subject to all applicable federal laws and federal and Department of
Commerce policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to federal
financial assistance awards.
Pre-Award Activities. If an applicant incurs any project costs
prior to the project start date negotiated at the time the award is
made, it does so solely at its own risk of not being reimbursed by the
government. Applicants are hereby notified that, notwithstanding any
oral or written assurance that they may have received, there is no
obligation on the part of the Department of Commerce to cover pre-award
costs.
No Obligation for Future Funding. If an application is selected for
funding, the Department of Commerce 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 the Department of Commerce.
Past Performance. Unsatisfactory performance of an applicant under
prior federal financial assistance awards may result in that
applicant's proposal not being considered for funding.
Delinquent Federal Debts. No award of federal funds shall be made
to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent federal debt until:
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 the Department of Commerce
are made.
Purchase of American Made Products. Applicants are hereby notified
that any equipment or products authorized to be purchased with funding
provided under this program must be American-made to the maximum extent
feasible.
Name Check Review. All non-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.
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:
1. Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension--Prospective
participants (as defined at 15 C.F.R. Part 26, Section 105) are subject
to 15 C.F.R. Part 26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' and
the related section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
2. Drug-Free Workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 C.F.R. Part 26,
Section 605) are subject to 15 C.F.R. Part 26, Subpart F, ``Government
wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related
section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
3. Anti-Lobbying--Persons (as defined at 15 C.F.R. Part 28, Section
105) are subject to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. Sec. 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, or the
single family maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever
is greater; and
4. Anti-Lobbying Disclosure--Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying in connection with a covered federal action, such as
the awarding of any federal contract, the making of any federal grant,
the making of any federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative
agreement, or the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or
modification of any federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative
agreement using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities'' (OMB Control Number 0348-0046), as required under
15 C.F.R. part 28, Appendix B.
Lower Tier Certifications. Recipients shall require applicants/
bidders for
[[Page 339]]
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.
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. Sec. 1001.
Intergovernmental Review. Applications under this program are
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.'' It has been determined that this notice is a ``not
significant'' rule under Executive Order 12866.
Larry Irving,
Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information.
[FR Doc. 98-34228 Filed 12-31-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P