[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 238 (Tuesday, December 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73737-73738]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-23992]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket No. 051128311-5311-01]
Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Closing Date
AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration
(NTIA), Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006, Pub. L. 109-108, the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), U.S.
Department of Commerce, announces the solicitation of applications for
planning and construction grants for public telecommunications
facilities under the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program
(PTFP). The PTFP assists, through matching grants, in the planning and
construction of public telecommunications facilities in order to: (1)
Extend delivery of services to as many citizens as possible by the most
cost-effective means, including use of broadcast and non-broadcast
technologies; (2) increase public telecommunications services and
facilities available to, operated by, and controlled by minorities and
women; (3) strengthen the capability of existing public television and
radio stations to provide public telecommunications services to the
public.
DATES: Applications must be received prior to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time (Closing Time), February 7, 2006 (Closing Date). Applications
submitted by facsimile or electronic means are not acceptable. If an
application is received after the Closing Date due to (1) carrier
error, when the carrier accepted the package with a guarantee for
delivery by the Closing Date and Closing Time, (2) significant weather
delays or natural disasters, or (3) delays due to national security
issues, NTIA will, upon receipt of proper documentation, consider the
application as having been received by the deadline. NTIA will not
accept applications posted on the Closing Date or later and received
after this deadline.
ADDRESSES: To obtain a printed application package, submit completed
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to PTFP at the
following address (please note the new room number): NTIA/PTFP, Room H-
4096, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW.,
Washington, DC 20230. Application materials may be obtained
electronically via the Internet (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: William Cooperman, Director, Public
Broadcasting Division, telephone: (202) 482-5802; fax: (202) 482-2156.
Information about the PTFP can also be obtained electronically via the
Internet (http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access
The full funding opportunity announcement for the PTFP FY 2006
grant cycle is available through www.Grants.gov or by contacting the
PTFP office at the address noted above.
Funding Availability
The Congress has appropriated $20 million for FY 2006 PTFP awards.
For FY 2005, NTIA awarded $21.2 million in PTFP funds to 123 projects,
including 73 radio awards, 39 television awards and 11 nonbroadcast
awards. The radio awards ranged from $9,255 to $451,848. The television
awards ranged from $11,298 to $927,937. The nonbroadcast awards ranged
from $30,495 to $440,000.
Statutory and Regulatory Authority
The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program is authorized by
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 390-393, 397-
399(b). The PTFP operates pursuant to rules (1996 Rules) which were
published on November 8, 1996 (61 FR 57966). Copies of the 1996 Rules
(15 CFR Part 2301) are posted on the NTIA Internet site at
www.ntia.doc.gov/Rules/currentrules.htm and NTIA will make printed
copies available to applicants upon request.
Supplemental Policies
The following supplemental policies will also be in effect:
(A) Applicants may file emergency applications at any time.
(B) Applicants may file requests for Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) authorizations with the FCC after the PTFP Closing
Date. Grant applicants for Ku-band satellite uplinks may submit FCC
applications after a PTFP award is made. NTIA may accept FCC
authorizations that are in the name of an organization other than the
PTFP applicant.
(C) PTFP applicants are not required to submit copies of their PTFP
applications to the FCC, nor are they required to submit copies of the
FCC transmittal cover letters as part of their PTFP applications. PTFP
applicants for distance learning projects must notify the state
telecommunications agencies in the states in which they are located but
are not required to notify every state telecommunications agency in a
potential service area.
(D) For digital television conversion projects, NTIA has created
two new Subpriorities in the Broadcast Other category.
(E) For digital radio conversion projects, NTIA has created a new
Subpriority in the Broadcast Other category.
Catalog of Domestic Federal Assistance: 11.550, Public
Telecommunications Facilities Program.
Eligibility
To apply for and receive a PTFP Construction Grant or Planning
Grant, an applicant must be: (a) A public or noncommercial educational
broadcast station; (b) a noncommercial telecommunications entity; (c) a
system of public telecommunications entities; (d) a non-profit
foundation, corporation, institution, or association organized
primarily for educational or cultural purposes; or (e) a state, local,
or Indian tribal government (or agency thereof), or a political or
special purpose subdivision of a state.
Evaluation and Selection Process
See 15 CFR 2301.16 for a description of the Technical Evaluation
and 15 CFR 2301.18 for the Selection Process.
Evaluation Criteria
See 15 CFR 2301.17 for a full description of the Evaluation
Criteria. The six evaluation criteria are (1) Applicant Qualifications,
(2) Financial Qualifications, (3) Project Objectives, (4) Urgency, (5)
Technical Qualifications (construction applicants only) or Planning
Qualifications (planning applicants only), and (6) Special
Consideration.
Funding Priorities and Selection Factors
See 15 CFR 2301.4 and the supplemental policies above for a
description of the PTFP Priorities and 15 CFR 2301.18 for the Selection
Factors.
Cost Sharing Requirements
PTFP requires cost sharing. By statute, PTFP cannot fund a
construction project for more than 75% of the eligible project
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costs. NTIA has established a policy of funding most new public
broadcasting station activation projects at a 75% federal share, and
most other television, radio and nonbroadcast projects at a 50% federal
share. NTIA can fund planning applications up to 100% of the eligible
project costs, but has established a policy of funding planning
applications at a 75% share. Any applicant can request federal funding
greater than PTFP's policy, up to the statutory maximum, and provide
justification for the request.
Intergovernmental Review
PTFP applications are subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' if the state in which
the applicant organization is located participates in the process.
Usually submission to the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) needs to
be only the first two pages of the PTFP application form, but
applicants should contact their own SPOC offices to find out about and
comply with its requirements. The names and addresses of the SPOC
offices are listed on the PTFP website and at the Office of Management
and Budget's home page at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
Universal Identifier
All applicants (nonprofit, state, local government, universities,
and tribal organizations) will be required to provide a Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number during the
application process. See the October 30, 2002 (67 FR 66177) and April
8, 2003 (68 FR 17000) Federal Register notices for additional
information. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by
calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line 1-866-705-5711
or via the Internet (www.dunandbradstreet.com).
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification of Requirements
for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register
notice of December 30, 2004 (69 FR 78389) is applicable to this
solicitation.
Limitation of Liability
In no event will the Department of Commerce be responsible for
proposal preparation costs if this program fails to receive funding or
is cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this
announcement does not obligate the agency to award any specific project
or to obligate any available funds.
Paperwork Reduction Act
Notwithstanding any other provision of the 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
requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), unless that
collection displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) control number. The PTFP application form has been cleared under
OMB Control No. 0660-0003.
Executive Order 13132
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and opportunity for public comment are not required by
the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this rule
concerning grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2). Because
notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable.
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.
Bernadette McGuire-Rivera,
Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and Information
Applications.
[FR Doc. 05-23992 Filed 12-12-05; 8:45 am]
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