[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 18 (Monday, January 28, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4806-4809]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-1377]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines and Funding Levels
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service, an agency delivering the United
States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development Utilities
Programs, hereinafter referred to as Rural Development and/or Agency,
announces its Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program
application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008. In addition to announcing
the application window, Rural Development announces the available
funding and maximum amounts for the Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program competitive grants for the fiscal year.
The Public Television Digital Transition Grant Program is
authorized through the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant
Program. Funds from the Public Television Digital Transition Grant
Program are awarded to public television stations which are a
noncommercial educational television broadcast station that qualify for
Community Service Grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
under section 396(k) of the Communications Act of 1934. These grants
enable public television stations in rural areas to replace current
analog television broadcasting equipment with digital television
broadcasting equipment as part of the national transition to digital
television service.
DATES: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than
March 28, 2008 to be eligible for FY 2008 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2008 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by March 28, 2008 to be
eligible for FY 2008 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2008 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain the application guide and materials for the
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program via the
Internet at the following Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/.
You may also request the application guide and materials from the
Agency by contacting the appropriate individual listed in section VII
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.
Submit completed paper applications for grants to the
United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Utilities
Programs, Telecommunications Program, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room
2844, STOP 1550, Washington, DC 20250-1550. Applications should be
marked ``Attention: Gary B. Allan, Chief, Universal Services Branch,
Advanced Services Division.''
Submit electronic grant applications to Grants.gov at the
following Web address: http://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov), and follow
the instructions you find on that Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary B. Allan, Chief, Universal
Services Branch, Advanced Services Division, United States Department
of Agriculture Rural Development Utilities Programs, Telecommunications
Program, telephone: (202) 690-4493, fax: (202) 720-1051.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program.
Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.861.
Dates: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than
March 28, 2008, to be eligible for FY 2008 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2008 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by March 28, 2008, to
be eligible for FY 2008 grant funding. Late applications are not
eligible for FY 2008 grant funding.
Items in Supplementary Information:
I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
II. Award Information: Available funds and maximum amounts.
III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, what kinds of
projects are eligible, what criteria determine basic eligibility.
IV. Application and Submission Information: Where to get
application materials, what constitutes a completed application, how
and where to submit applications, deadlines, items that are eligible.
V. Application Review Information: Considerations and preferences,
scoring criteria, review standards, selection information.
VI. Award Administration Information: Award notice information,
award recipient reporting requirements.
VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, e-mail, contact name.
I. Funding Opportunity
As part of the nation's transition to digital television, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all television
broadcasters to
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begin broadcasting using digital signals, and to cease analog
broadcasting, by February 17, 2009. This exciting step forward in
broadcast television will bring more lifelike picture and sound, and
more viewing choice, into urban and suburban homes across America. For
rural households the digital transition could bring the end of over-
the-air public television service. These rural households are the focus
of the Rural Development Public Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program.
Most applications to the Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program have sought assistance towards the goal of
digitally replicating analog coverage areas through transmitter and
translator transitions. The first priority has been to initiate digital
broadcasting from their main transmitters. As many stations have
transitioned their transmitters, the focus has shifted to power
upgrades and translators, as well as digital program production
equipment and multicasting and datacasting equipment. In FY 2007 awards
were made for a transmitter transition, transmitter power maximization,
translators, master control equipment, and production equipment. When
compared to previous years, as the digital transition progresses, more
applications were received for translators and master control and
production equipment, than for transmitters. Some stations may not
achieve full analog parity in program management and creation until
after the February 2009 deadline. Some public television stations
produce the only local news and sports programming available in their
markets. The continuation of such services are especially important to
rural communities.
It is also important for public television stations to be able to
tailor their programs and services (e.g., education services, public
health, homeland security, and local culture) to the needs of their
rural constituents. If public television programming is lost, many
school systems may be left without educational programming they count
on for curriculum compliance.
This notice has been formatted to conform to a policy directive
issued by the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal
Register on June 23, 2003, (68 FR 37370). This Notice does not change
the Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program
regulation (7 CFR 1740).
II. Award Information
A. Available Funds
1. General. The Administrator has determined that the following
amounts are available for grants in FY 2008 under 7 CFR 1740.1.
2. Grants.
a. $4,965,000 is available for grants from FY 2008. Under 7 CFR
1740.2, the maximum amount for grants under this program is $750,000
per public television station.
b. Assistance instrument: Grant documents appropriate to the
project will be executed with successful applicants prior to any
advance of funds.
B. Public Television Station Digital Transition grants cannot be
renewed. Award documents specify the term of each award, and due to
uncertainties in regulatory approvals of digital television broadcast
facilities, the Agency will extend the period during which grant
funding is available upon request.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Who is eligible for grants? (See 7 CFR 1740.3.)
1. Public television stations which serve rural areas are eligible
for Public Television Station Digital Transition Grants. A public
television station is a noncommercial educational television broadcast
station that is qualified for Community Service Grants by the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting under section 396(k) of the
Communications Act of 1934.
2. Individuals are not eligible for Public Television Station
Digital Transition Grant Program financial assistance directly.
B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?
1. Grants shall be made to perform digital transitions of
television broadcasting serving rural areas. Grant funds may be used to
acquire, lease, and/or install facilities and software necessary to the
digital transition. Specific purposes include:
a. Digital transmitters, translators, and repeaters, including all
facilities required to initiate DTV broadcasting. All broadcast
facilities acquired with grant funds shall be capable of delivering DTV
programming and HDTV programming, at both the interim and final channel
and power authorizations. There is no limit to the number of
transmitters or translators that may be included in an application;
b. Power upgrades of existing DTV transmitter equipment, including
replacement of existing low-power digital transmitters with digital
transmitters capable of delivering the final authorized power level;
c. Studio-to-transmitter links;
d. Equipment to allow local control over digital content and
programming, including master control equipment;
e. Digital program production equipment, including cameras,
editing, mixing and storage equipment;
f. Multicasting and datacasting equipment;
g. Cost of the lease of facilities, if any, for up to three years;
and,
h. Associated engineering and environmental studies necessary to
implementation.
2. Matching contributions: There is no requirement for matching
funds in this program (see 7 CFR 1740.5).
3. To be eligible for a grant, the Project must not (see 7 CFR
1740.7):
a. Include funding for ongoing operations or for facilities that
will not be owned by the applicant, except for leased facilities as
provided above;
b. Include costs of salaries, wages, and employee benefits of
public television station personnel unless they are for construction or
installation of eligible facilities;
c. Have been funded by any other source;
d. Include items bought or built prior to the application deadline
specified in this Notice of Funds Availability.
C. See paragraph IV.B of this Notice for a discussion of the items
that make up a completed application. You may also refer to 7 CFR
1740.9 for completed grant application items.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Where to Get Application Information
The application guide, copies of necessary forms and samples, and
the Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program
regulation are available from these sources:
1. The Internet: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/, or http://www.grants.gov.
2. The USDA Rural Development Advanced Services Division, for paper
copies of these materials: (202) 690-4493.
B. What constitutes a completed application?
1. Detailed information on each item required can be found in the
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program regulation
and application guide. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read and
apply both the regulation and the application guide. This Notice does
not change the
[[Page 4808]]
requirements for a completed application specified in the program
regulation. The program regulation and application guide provide
specific guidance on each of the items listed and the application guide
provides all necessary forms and sample worksheets.
2. A completed application must include the following
documentation, studies, reports and information in form satisfactory to
USDA Rural Development. Applications should be prepared in conformance
with the provisions in 7 CFR 1740, subpart A, and applicable USDA
regulations including 7 CFR parts 3015, 3016, and 3019. Applicants must
use the application guide for this program containing instructions and
all necessary forms, as well as other important information, in
preparing their application. Completed applications must include the
following:
a. An application for federal assistance, Standard Form 424.
b. An executive summary, not to exceed two pages, describing the
public television station, its service area and offerings, its current
digital transition status, and the proposed project.
c. Evidence of the applicant's eligibility to apply under this
Notice, proving that the applicant is a Public Television Station as
defined in this Notice, and that it is required by the FCC to perform
the digital transition.
d. A spreadsheet showing the total project cost, with a breakdown
of items sufficient to enable USDA Rural Development to determine
individual item eligibility.
e. A coverage contour map showing the digital television coverage
area of the application project. This map must show the counties (or
county) comprising the Core Coverage Area by shading and by name.
Partial counties included in the applicant's Core Coverage Area must be
identified as partial and must contain an attachment with the
applicant's estimate of the percentage that its coverage contour
comprises of the total area of the county (total area is available from
American Factfinder, referenced above). If the application is for a
translator, the coverage area may be estimated by the applicant through
computer modeling or some other reasonable method, and this estimate is
subject to acceptance by USDA Rural Development.
f. The applicant's own calculation of its Rurality score, supported
by a worksheet showing the population of its Core Coverage Area, and
the urban and rural populations within the Core Coverage Area. The data
source for the urban and rural components of that population must be
identified. If the application includes computations made by a
consultant or other organization outside the public television station,
the application shall state the details of that collaboration.
g. The applicant's own calculation of its Economic Need score,
supported by a worksheet showing the National School Lunch Program
eligibility levels for all school districts within the Core Coverage
Area and averaging these eligibility percentages. The application must
include a statement from the state or local organization that
administers the NSLP program certifying the school district scores used
in the computations.
h. If applicable, a presentation not to exceed five pages
demonstrating the Critical Need for the project, as outlined in 7 FR
1740.8(e).
i. Evidence that the FCC has authorized the initiation of digital
broadcasting at the project sites. In the event that an FCC
construction permit has not been issued for one or more sites, USDA
Rural Development may include those sites in the grant, and make
advance of funds for that site conditional upon the submission of a
construction permit.
j. Compliance with other Federal statutes. The applicant must
provide evidence or certification that it is in compliance with all
applicable Federal statutes and regulations, including, but not limited
to the following:
(1) Executive Order (E.O.) 11246, Equal Employment Opportunity, as
amended by E.O. 11375 and as supplemented by regulations contained in
41 CFR part 60;
(2) Architectural barriers;
(3) Flood hazard area precautions;
(4) 7 CFR part 3015--Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations.
(5) Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970;
(6) Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998 (41 U.S.C. 701);
(7) E.O.s 12549 and 12689, Debarment and Suspension; and
(8) Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352).
k. Environmental impact and historic preservation. The applicant
must provide details of the digital transition's impact on the
environment and historic preservation, and comply with 7 CFR Part 1794,
which contains the Agency's policies and procedures for implementing a
variety of federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders
generally pertaining to the protection of the quality of the human
environment. This must be contained in a separate section entitled
``Environmental Impact of the Digital Transition,'' and must include
the Environmental Questionnaire/Certification, available from USDA
Rural Development, describing the impact of its digital transition.
Submission of the Environmental Questionnaire/Certification alone does
not constitute compliance with 7 CFR part 1794.
3. DUNS Number. As required by the OMB, all applicants for grants
must now supply a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System
(DUNS) number when applying. The Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a
field for you to use when supplying your DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS
number costs nothing and requires a short telephone call to Dun and
Bradstreet. Please see the Public Television Station Digital
Transmitter Grant Program Web site or Grants.gov for more information
on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your organization's
number.
C. How many copies of an application are required?
1. Applications submitted on paper: Submit the original application
and two (2) copies to USDA Rural Development.
2. Electronically submitted applications: The additional paper
copies for USDA Rural Development are not necessary if you submit the
application electronically through Grants.gov.
D. How and where to submit an application.
Grant applications may be submitted on paper or electronically.
1. Submitting applications on paper.
a. Address paper applications for grants to the Rural Development
Utilities Programs, Telecommunications Program, United States
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 2844, STOP
1550, Washington, DC 20250-1550. Applications should be marked
``Attention: Gary B. Allan, Chief, Universal Services Branch, Advanced
Services Division.''
b. Paper applications must show proof of mailing or shipping
consisting of one of the following:
(i) A legibly dated postmark applied by the U.S. Postal Service;
(ii) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
USPS; or
(iii) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
c. Non-USPS-applied postage dating, i.e. dated postage meter
stamps, do not constitute proof of the date of mailing.
d. Due to screening procedures at the Department of Agriculture,
packages arriving via the USPS are irradiated, which can damage the
contents. Rural Development encourages applicants to
[[Page 4809]]
consider the impact of this procedure in selecting their application
delivery method.
2. Electronically submitted applications.
a. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine
transmission or electronic mail.
b. Electronic applications for grants will be accepted if submitted
through the Federal government's Grants.gov initiative at http://www.grants.gov.
c. How to use Grants.gov:
(i) Navigate your Web browser to http://www.grants.gov.
(ii) Follow the instructions on that Web site to find grant
information.
(iii) Download a copy of the application package.
(iv) Complete the package off-line.
(v) Upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov Web site.
d. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required passwords,
credentialing and software.
e. Rural Development encourages applicants who wish to apply
through Grants.gov to submit their applications in advance of the
deadline. Difficulties encountered by applicants filing through
Grants.gov will not justify filing deadline extensions.
f. If a system problem occurs or you have technical difficulties
with an electronic application, please use the customer support
resources available at the Grants.gov Web site.
E. Deadlines
1. Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or
sent overnight no later than March 28, 2008 to be eligible for FY 2008
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2008 grant
funding.
2. Electronic grant applications must be received by March 28, 2008
to be eligible for FY 2008 funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2008 grant funding.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
1. Grant applications are scored competitively and subject to the
criteria listed below.
2. Grant application scoring criteria are detailed in 7 CFR 1740.8.
There are 100 points available, broken down as follows:
a. The Rurality of the Project (up to 50 points);
b. The Economic Need of the Project's Service Area (up to 25
points); and
c. The Critical Need for the project, and of the applicant,
including the benefits derived from the proposed service (up to 25
points).
B. Review Standards
1. All applications for grants must be delivered to Rural
Development at the address and by the date specified in this notice to
be eligible for funding. Rural Development will review each application
for conformance with the provisions of this part. Rural Development may
contact the applicant for additional information or clarification.
2. Incomplete applications as of the deadline for submission will
not be considered. If an application is determined to be incomplete,
the applicant will be notified in writing and the application will be
returned with no further action.
3. Applications conforming with this part will be evaluated
competitively by a panel of Rural Development employees selected by the
Administrator of RUS, and will be awarded points as described in the
scoring criteria in 7 CFR 1740.8. Applications will be ranked and
grants awarded in rank order until all grant funds are expended.
4. Regardless of the score an application receives, if Rural
Development determines that the Project is technically or financially
infeasible, Rural Development will notify the applicant, in writing,
and the application will be returned with no further action.
C. Scoring Guidelines
1. The applicant's self scores in Rurality and Economic Need will
be checked and, if necessary, corrected by Rural Development.
2. The Critical Need score will be determined by Rural Development
based on information presented in the application. This score is
intended to capture from the rural public's standpoint the necessity
and usefulness of the proposed project. This scoring category will also
recognize that some transition purchases are more essential than
others, so that first time transmitter transitions and power upgrades
of previously installed transmitters will receive scoring advantages.
Master control equipment is very important to a station's operation and
first time master control equipment will also get a high priority.
Local production equipment can be a high priority especially if it
produces an area's only local news or if the station has been
historically active in producing local programming. Translators always
deliver a great deal of rural benefit and a full digital conversion of
a translators will receive recognition in the project's critical need
score.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Rural Development recognizes that each funded project is unique,
and therefore may attach conditions to different projects' award
documents. The Agency generally notifies applicants whose projects are
selected for awards by faxing an award letter. Rural Development
follows the award letter with a grant agreement that contains all the
terms and conditions for the grant. An applicant must execute and
return the grant agreement, accompanied by any additional items
required by the grant agreement.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
The items listed in the program regulation at 7 CFR 1740.9(j)
implement the appropriate administrative and national policy
requirements.
C. Performance Reporting
All recipients of Public Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program financial assistance must provide annual performance
activity reports to USDA Rural Development until the project is
complete and the funds are expended. A final performance report is also
required; the final report may serve as the last annual report. The
final report must include an evaluation of the success of the project.
VII. Agency Contacts
A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/. The Web site maintains up-
to-date resources and contact information for the Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
B. Phone: 202-690-4493.
C. Fax: 202-720-1051.
D. Main point of contact: Gary B. Allan, Chief, Universal Services
Branch, Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program, USDA
Rural Development.
Dated: January 11, 2008.
James M. Andrew,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. E8-1377 Filed 1-25-08; 8:45 am]
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