[Federal Register: March 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 51)]
[Notices]
[Page 12678-12683]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr17mr03-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[981203295-3055-08]
RIN 0660-ZA06
Technology Opportunities 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 Technology Opportunities
Program (TOP) and how NTIA will select applications for funding.
As an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, NTIA is the
Executive Branch's principal voice on domestic and international
telecommunications and information technology issues. NTIA works to
spur innovation, encourage competition, help create jobs and provide
consumers with more choices and better quality telecommunications
products and services at lower prices.
TOP supports this mission through funding demonstrations of new
telecommunications and information applications for the provision of
educational, cultural, health care, public information, public safety,
or other social services.
DATES: Complete applications for the Fiscal Year 2003 TOP grant program
must be either postmarked no later than April 23, 2003, or hand-
delivered no later than 5 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time on April 23, 2003,
to the respective addresses listed in the ADDRESSES section of this
notice. Applications submitted through guaranteed carrier services will
be considered postmarked on the date they are submitted to the carrier.
Applications must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the
following:
[[Page 12679]]
1. A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark;
2. A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service; or
3. A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
If an application is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, neither
of the following will be accepted as proof of mailing:
1. A private metered postmark; or
2. A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method,
applicants should check with their local post office.
Due to screening procedures at the Department of Commerce, packages
arriving via the United States Postal Service's Priority Mail, First
Class, and Parcel Post services are irradiated, which can damage the
contents, or delay delivery to the TOP Program Office. Thus, applicants
are encouraged to consider the impact of these procedures in selecting
their chosen method for application delivery.
Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine
transmission or electronic mail.
Applications with postmarked dates after April 23, 2003, will not
be considered in the current grant round and will be returned to the
applicant.
ADDRESSES: Completed applications must be mailed, shipped, or sent
overnight express to:
Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and
Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401
Constitution Avenue, NW., HCHB, Room 4096, Washington, DC 20230; or
hand-delivered to:
Technology Opportunities Program, National Telecommunications and
Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, HCHB, Room
1874, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230.
Room 1874 is located at entrance 10 on 15th Street NW.,
between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lammot du Pont by telephone: (202)
482-2048; fax: (202) 501-8009; or e-mail: top@ntia.doc.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority
NTIA issues this notice pursuant to Public Law 108-7, the
Consolidated Appropriations Resolution, FY 2003.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
CFDA Number 11.552; Technology Opportunities Program (TOP)
Eligibility Criteria
Non-profit entities, public sector organizations as well as state,
local and tribal governments are eligible to apply. Eligible applicants
include, but are not limited to, faith-based organizations, national
organizations and associations, non-profit community-based
organizations, non-profit health care providers, schools, libraries,
museums, colleges, universities, public safety providers or other
providers of social services.
Individual persons are not eligible to apply.
For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply. They are
encouraged, however, to participate as project partners as described in
the ``Matching Funds Requirements'' and ``Review Criteria'' sections of
this Notice.
Applications submitted by those who are or designate themselves as
``individuals'' or ``for-profit organizations'' on the Standard Form
424 (SF-424), Application for Federal Assistance, will not be
considered in the current grant round and will be returned to the
applicant.
Funding Availability
Approximately $12.4 million is available for Federal assistance
under a grant. Based on past experience, NTIA expects this year's grant
round to be very competitive. In Fiscal Year 2002, NTIA received 741
applications collectively requesting more than $330 million in federal
funds. From these applications, the Department of Commerce announced 25
awards totaling $12.4 million in federal funds.
Award Amount
An applicant may request up to a total of $700,000 in funds from
NTIA. TOP expects the federal amounts awarded to range from $350,000 to
$700,000, with an average of approximately $500,000. The amount awarded
covers the duration of the project.
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.
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. Grant funds under this program
are usually released in direct proportion to local matching funds
utilized and documented as having been expended.
Generally, federal funds may not be used as matching funds, except
as provided by federal statute. If you plan to use funds from a federal
agency as matching funds, 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
TOP will initially review all applications to determine whether all
required elements are present and clearly identifiable. In order to be
accepted for review, each application must contain, at a minimum, the
following required elements: (1) A Standard Form 424 (SF-424),
Application for Federal Assistance, with an original signature, (2) a
project narrative, and (3) a budget narrative.
Applications that are missing any of the three required elements
with the appropriate signatures will not be considered in the current
grant round and will be returned to the applicants.
Standard forms and materials needed to complete an application can
be obtained electronically via TOP's Web site at http://
www.ntia.doc.gov/top
or by contacting the TOP office at (202) 482-2048.
www.ntia.doc.gov/top or by contacting the TOP office at (202) 482-2048.
More details regarding the required elements and suggestions for
preparing a competitive application are described in the Guidelines for
Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 2003. Applicants can obtain a copy
of the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 2003, via
TOP's Web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top or by contacting the TOP
TOP's Web site at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top or by contacting the TOP
office at (202) 482-2048.
Program Description
As a national program, TOP emphasizes innovation, learning, and
diffusion of new ideas and practical knowledge. Through TOP, NTIA
provides organizations with opportunities to explore the possibilities
that new telecommunications and information technology offer to improve
the provision of educational, cultural, health care, public
information, public safety, or other social services.
TOP projects demonstrate innovative applications of new
telecommunications and information technology to address pressing needs
in the public and non-profit sectors. Therefore, TOP expects applicants
to present a clear vision and
[[Page 12680]]
a workable plan to apply technologies to address specific challenges in
their communities. Rather than simply requesting funds to build
capacity or upgrade existing equipment, each application should
describe a project that pinpoints specific problems, proposes creative
solutions, and postulates measurable outcomes.
All funded projects must be interactive in that they foster the
exchange and sharing of information among individuals and/or groups, as
opposed to one-way or broadcast systems. Because these grants will
serve as national models for other communities, NTIA expects each
project to include provisions for a thorough, independent evaluation
that will provide valid and reliable data as well as valuable lessons
learned to be shared with others interested in the project.
In previous fiscal years, NTIA supported planning projects. The
emphasis for Fiscal Year 2003 is on projects that deploy, use, and
evaluate applications of new telecommunications technology. NTIA will,
however, support projects that incorporate some planning activities as
part of the proposed project.
Limitations on Project Scope
Each TOP project is expected to include a range of activities that
support project development, implementation, and evaluation. However,
TOP will not support projects whose primary purpose falls into the
categories discussed below.
1. Single-Organization Projects. TOP 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 or users in different cities or regions of the country.
2. Infrastructure Development Projects. Every TOP applicant is
expected to create a project that describes and provides funding for
specific applications of technologies to address important community
challenges. Therefore, TOP will not support projects whose primary
purpose is to create telecommunications or network infrastructure
without significant dedication of resources to specific applications of
that infrastructure.
3. 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.
4. Training Projects. While TOP considers training to be an
essential aspect of most projects, TOP will not support projects whose
primary purpose is to provide training in the use of software
applications, Internet use, or other network technologies.
5. Voice-based Systems. Two-way, interactive voice networks are an
important element of existing network systems. 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, TOP will not support projects whose primary purpose is to
either build or install voice-based communication networks such as call
centers, two-way radio networks, enhanced-911 and 311 systems, or 800
MHZ radio systems.
6. Curriculum Development Projects. As indicated in the
``Eligibility Criteria'' section of this Notice, K-12 schools and non-
profit entities that provide lifelong learning opportunities are
eligible to apply for grants. However, TOP will not support projects
whose primary purpose is the development of curricula for K-12
students.
In addition, NTIA places a priority on avoiding duplication of
other federal initiatives. As indicated in the ``Selection Procedures''
section of this notice, the selection official will recommend awards
based, in part, on avoidance of redundancy with initiatives of other
federal agencies. Therefore, applicants should carefully review other
federal initiatives, and, if necessary, describe how their project
would not be eligible for support by other federal initiatives. For
assistance in researching other federal initiatives, please see the
discussion of Electronic Information in the ``Other Information''
section of this Notice.
Review Criteria
Reviewers will analyze and rate each application using the
following criteria. The relative weights of each criterion are
identified in parentheses.
1. Project Purpose (20%)
Each application must describe a clearly defined project that uses
telecommunications and information technology for the provision of
educational, cultural, health care, public information, public safety,
or other social services.
In assessing the project purpose, reviewers will examine the degree
to which the applicant clearly describes and convincingly links three
major elements: (1) The problem(s) to be addressed, (2) the proposed
solution, and (3) the anticipated outcomes of the project.
Reviewers will assess the evidence and severity of the identified
problem(s) and need(s). With respect to the proposed solution,
reviewers will assess the degree to which the project will address the
identified problem(s). With respect to anticipated project outcomes,
reviewers will assess the degree to which the proposed results and
outcomes of the project are both realistic and measurable. Reviewers
will also assess the degree to which an applicant convincingly links
the three major elements-problem(s), solution(s), and outcome(s).
2. Innovation (20%)
Reviewers will assess innovation by examining both the technology
to be used and the application of the technology in a particular
setting, to serve a particular population, or to solve a particular
problem. TOP defines innovation broadly. For example, projects that
involve imaginative partnerships, the introduction of new business
processes designed to offer more effective services, untested
strategies for overcoming access barriers, or new techniques that
transform inter-organizational relationships can all be considered
innovative. TOP encourages applicants to experiment with leading edge
technologies. It is, however, the creativity behind the application of
the technology to meet community needs that ultimately determines the
level of innovation.
Using experience gained in their respective fields, reviewers will
examine each project in a national context and evaluate how an
application compares with, complements, and improves on what is known
about using telecommunications and information technology for the
provision of educational, cultural, health care, public information,
public safety, or other social services.
3. Community Involvement (20%)
Each application will be rated on the level of community
involvement in the development and implementation of the proposed
project. Reviewers will:
(1) Analyze the applicant's partnerships to ensure that they
include linkages among unaffiliated organizations (from the public,
non-profit, or private sectors) as an ongoing and integral part of
project planning and implementation. TOP considers partners to be
organizations that supply cash, in-kind resources (including personnel,
[[Page 12681]]
equipment, facilities, etc.), and/or are actively involved in the
planning and implementation of the project;
(2) consider the degree of attention paid to the needs, skills,
working conditions, and living environments of the targeted end
users.\1\ Reviewers will 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. Reviewers will also assess the degree to which the
project addresses barriers which limit a community's or a group's
access to network technologies. Finally, reviewers will assess the
applicant's plans for training end users and upgrading their skills;
and
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\1\ An ``end user'' is an individual who directly uses the
network technology.
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(3) examine the steps the applicant has taken to include and
sustain the involvement of a variety of community stakeholders.
Reviewers will look for documented evidence of demand--from the
community, end users, and potential beneficiaries--for the services
proposed by the project.
4. Evaluation and Dissemination (15%)
Each application will be rated on its proposed plans for evaluating
the project and sharing the knowledge learned. Reviewers will assess
the extent to which the applicant's research or evaluation design: (1)
Provides for continuous feedback for project planning, implementation,
review, and revision; (2) addresses the problems, solutions, and
anticipated outcomes described in the project purpose; (3) proposes a
research design that yields valid and reliable findings; (4) captures
lessons learned and sufficient descriptive data so that others may
easily adapt and replicate the project; and (5) meets TOP's
requirements for an independent evaluation as described in the
``Reporting Requirements'' section of this Notice.
In assessing evaluation, reviewers will examine:
(1) The research design and methodology;
(2) evaluation questions, data collection, and data analysis plans;
(3) the qualifications of any staff or external evaluators working
on the evaluation; and
(4) the allocation of resources for implementing the evaluation and
reporting project findings.
With respect to dissemination of the lessons learned, reviewers
will assess:
(1) the extent to which the project would be easy to replicate or
adapt, based on considerations such as cost and complexity;
(2) the applicant's plans and budget resources dedicated to
disseminate actively the best practices and lessons learned from the
project's successes and failures; and
(3) the capability and experience of an applicant or their partner
organizations to reach communities across the country and disseminate
their findings.
5. Project Feasibility (15%)
In assessing the feasibility of each application, reviewers will
focus on five issues: The technical approach, the qualifications of the
project staff, the implementation schedule, plans for protecting
privacy, and the applicant's plan for sustaining the project beyond the
grant period.
(1) In assessing the technical approach, reviewers will examine the
degree to which the proposed system offers advantages over established
approaches to addressing the specified problems and would work and
operate with other systems. In addition, reviewers will assess the
technological alternatives that have been considered; designs for
system maintenance and periodic upgrades; and plans for project
expansion. Applicants are expected to make use of existing
infrastructure and commercially available telecommunications services,
unless extraordinary circumstances require the construction of new
network facilities.
(2) 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,
evaluate, and complete the project and disseminate results within the
proposed period.
(3) Reviewers will assess the degree to which the proposed project,
from implementation through evaluation, will be completed in the
proposed time frame.
(4) Reviewers will evaluate the applicant's plans to safeguard the
privacy of the project's end users and others affected by the project.
(5) Finally, reviewers will examine the applicant's strategies to
sustain the project after the completion of the grant.
6. Project Budget (10%)
Reviewers will analyze the budget in terms of clarity and cost-
effectiveness. Reviewers will also assess the reasonableness of the
proposed budget and whether the allocation of funds is sufficient to
complete the tasks outlined in the project narrative.
Eligible Costs
Eligible Costs. Allowable costs incurred under approved projects
shall be determined in accordance with applicable federal cost
principles, i.e., OMB Circulars A-21, A-87, A-122, or Appendix E of 45
CFR part 74. If included in the approved project budget, TOP 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 items;
travel; rental of office equipment, furniture, and space; and supplies.
All costs must be reasonable and directly related to the project.
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, 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 for professional services are also ineligible. TOP defines
professional services as activities delivered over a network that would
otherwise be provided in a face-to-face setting such as teaching
students, counseling clients, providing direct patient care, or
interpreting services, etc. For example, if the project proposes to
create a telemedicine network, the costs of setting up, maintaining,
and evaluating the use of the network are eligible, but payment for the
time or services of physicians or other health professionals providing
care over the network is not an eligible cost.
Note that costs ineligible for TOP support may not be included as
part of the applicant's matching fund contribution.
In addition, Pub. L. 108-7, the Consolidated Appropriations
Resolution, FY 2003, places restrictions on eligible project costs for
applicants that 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. The statute provided:
That, notwithstanding any other provision of law, no entity that
receives telecommunications services at preferential rates under
section 254(h) of the Act (47 U.S.C. 254(h)) or receives assistance
under the regional information sharing systems grant program of the
Department of Justice
[[Page 12682]]
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.
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 TOP
grant budget. More details on this restriction can be found in the
Guidelines for Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 2003.
Award Period
Applicants may propose projects that last a minimum of 18 months
and will be completed by 36 months. While the completion time will vary
depending on the complexity of the project, NTIA has found that most
grant recipients require at least two years to complete and evaluate
fully their projects.
Selection Procedures
NTIA anticipates the processing and selection of applications for
funding will require six months. The selection process involves four
stages outlined below:
1. During the first stage, each eligible application will be
reviewed by a panel of outside peer reviewers, who have demonstrated
expertise in both the programmatic and technological aspects of the
application. The peer review panel members will evaluate applications
according to the review criteria provided in this Notice and provide
ratings to the program staff. As discussed below, these ratings
constitute one of the selection factors to be used by the TOP Director
when preparing the slate of recommended grant awards.
2. Upon completion of the external peer review process, program
staff will analyze applications considered for award to assess: (1)
Whether a proposed project meets the program's funding scope as
described in the section entitled ``Limitations on Project Scope''; (2)
the eligibility of costs and matching funds included in an
application's budget; and (3) the extent to which an application
complements or duplicates projects previously funded or under
consideration by NTIA or other federal programs.\2\
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\2\ See discussion of ``Eligible Costs'' and ``Matching Funds
Requirements'' in this Notice. Information on previously funded
grants is available from the TOP. In the section ``Other
Information'' of this notice, details are available on how to access
this information.
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The TOP 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.\3\ The Director's recommendations and the Associate
Administrator's review and approval will take into account the
following selection factors:
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\3\ 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 peer reviewers;
(2) the analysis of program staff;
(3) the degree to which the proposed grants meet the program's
purpose as described in the section entitled ``Program Description'';
(4) the geographic distribution of the proposed grant awards;
(5) the variety of technologies and diversity of uses of the
technologies employed by the proposed grant awards;
(6) the provision of access to and use of telecommunications and
information technologies by rural communities and other underserved
groups;
(7) avoidance of redundancy and conflicts with the initiatives of
other Federal agencies; and,
(8) 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 Description.''
4. After applications have been selected in this manner,
negotiations will take place between TOP staff and the applicant. These
negotiations are intended to resolve any differences that exist between
the applicant's original request and what TOP proposes to fund, and if
necessary, to clarify items in the application. Not all applicants who
are contacted for negotiation will necessarily receive a TOP 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 Description,'' 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 TOP, 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 relevant should read the policy that was
published in the Federal Register at 60 FR 66491, Dec. 22, 1995.
Reporting Requirements
To ensure compliance with federal regulations and collect systemic
evaluation data on each project, successful TOP applicants have a
number of basic reporting requirements once they are awarded a grant.
At project outset, TOP grantees provide detailed baseline information
on the project objectives, goals, partners, and populations served.
Grantees then provide periodic financial reports and updates on project
activities. At project completion, TOP grantees must also provide a
closeout report.
Finally, because evaluation results play such a critical role in
helping other organizations learn about what works well and what does
not, each TOP-supported project will provide NTIA a final evaluation
report.
To ensure the validity of the findings, the final evaluation report
must be completed by an independent evaluator
[[Page 12683]]
or team of evaluators who are not in a direct reporting relationship
with the applicant.\4\ TOP will make copies of the final evaluation
report available to the public.
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\4\ In large institutions, such as universities, colleges, and
foundations, an independent evaluator can include a representative
from departments not associated with the applicant. In addition,
TOP's requirement for a grantee have an independent evaluator
develop the final evaluation report does not preclude an applicant
from conducting the evaluation in conjunction with an independent
evaluator.
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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.
As noted in the Dates section above, complete applications for the
Fiscal Year 2003 TOP grant program must be either postmarked no later
than April 23, 2003, or hand-delivered no later than 5 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on April 23, 2003, to the respective addresses listed
above. NTIA will not waive this requirement.
Intergovernmental Review
Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order
12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.'' 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 2003.
Other Information
Electronic Information. Information about NTIA, TOP, and other
resources to help prepare an application, including this document and
the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--Fiscal Year 2003, can be
retrieved electronically via the Internet using the World Wide Web at
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top. This document can be provided in alternate
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/top. This document can be provided in alternate
formats, including braille. If you need assistance please contact TOP
at (202) 482-2048 or top@ntia.doc.gov.
Through TOP's online tools available at http://www.ntia.doc.gov/
top
, applicants can prepare and print a number of the required forms.
Please note that applicants must submit all application materials (even
those forms prepared online) in hard copy with appropriate signatures.
As indicated above, each application must contain, at a minimum,
the following required elements: (1) A Standard Form 424 (SF-424),
Application for Federal Assistance, with an original signature, (2) a
project narrative, and (3) a budget narrative. Applications that are
missing any of these three required elements with the appropriate
signatures will not be accepted for review and will be returned to the
applicants.
In addition, applicants can use TOP's online tools to provide an
electronic version of their executive summary that will be available to
the public. TOP's online tools are optional and not required to prepare
an application.
Submission Requirements. TOP 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.
Disposition of Unsuccessful Applications. Applications accepted for
review for the Fiscal Year 2003 grant round will be stored at the
Department of Commerce until the start of the next grant competition or
one year, whichever period is longer. At the end of that period, the
applications will be destroyed.
Sensitive Information. Because of the high level of public interest
in projects supported by TOP, 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.''
Human Subjects Research Protection. The Department of Commerce,
through part 27 of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations,
requires that all applications awarded under the TOP ensure protections
for any human subjects involved in research.
If an application is considered for funding, the grant applicant
will be asked to submit appropriate documentation of IRB approval or
exemption status to the Federal Program Officer for approval by
Department officials. More details on human subjects research
protection are available through the TOP's Web site at http://
www.ntia.doc.gov/top
and the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--
www.ntia.doc.gov/top and the Guidelines for Preparing Applications--
Fiscal Year 2003.
Grant Requirements. The Department of Commerce Pre-Award
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements
contained in the Federal Register notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR
49917), as amended by Federal Register notice published on October 30,
2002 (67 FR 66109), is applicable to this solicitation.
Limited English Proficiency. Executive Order 13166, ``Improving
Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency,''
requires all Departments and agencies to eliminate, to the maximum
extent possible, limited English proficiency as an artificial barrier
to the full and meaningful participation by beneficiaries in federally
assisted and federally conducted programs and activities. The
Department of Commerce is in the process of implementing this Executive
Order, and all FY 2003 TOP grantees will be required to comply with the
Department's final guidelines.
Other Requirements. It has been determined that this Notice is not
significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.
Because notice and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or
any other law, for notices relating to public property, loans, grants,
benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)), a Regulatory Flexibility
Analysis is not required and has not been prepared for this Notice, 5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.
It has been determined that this Notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in E.O. 13132.
This document contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms
424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL have been approved by OMB under the
respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, and 0348-
0046.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the Paperwork
Reduction Act, unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB
control number.
Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information
Applications.
[FR Doc. 03-6233 Filed 3-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P