33870 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices

• Install utilities for general aviation

• Design for Highway 301 Connector

• Acquire land for airport development

• Airport terminal development

• Construct taxiway K (design only)

• Construct GA apron (design only)

• Acquire land for development

• Rehabilitate terminal building

• Install 107.14 security access system

• Construct non-license vehicle road

(NLVR)

• Jet bridge modification

• Construct taxiway K

Class or classes of air carriers which

the public agency has requested not be

required to collect PFCs: None

Any person may inspect the

application in person at the FAA office

listed above under FOR FURTHER

INFORMATION CONTACT.

In addition, any person may, upon

request, inspect the application, notice

and other documents germane to the

application in person at the Federal

Aviation Administration.

Issued in Atlanta, Georgia on May 16,

2000.

Rans D. Black,

Acting Manager, Atlanta Airports District

Office Southern Region.

[FR Doc. 00–13180 Filed 5–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–13–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

Discretionary Cooperative Agreements

To Assist in the Development of Crash

Outcome Data Evaluation Systems

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability;—

discretionary cooperative agreements to

assist in the development and use of

Crash Outcome Data Evaluation

Systems.

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announces a discretionary cooperative

agreement program to assist states in the

development and use of Crash Outcome

Data Evaluation Systems (CODES) and

solicits applications for projects under

this program from states that have not

previously been funded to develop

CODES. Under this program states will

link their existing statewide traffic

records with medical outcome and

charge data. The linked data will be

used to support highway safety

decision-making at the local, regional,

and state levels to reduce deaths, nonfatal injuries, and health care costs

resulting from motor vehicle crashes.

DATES: Applications must be received at

the office designated below on or before

July 24, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be

submitted to DOT/National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Office of

Contracts and Procurement (NAD–30),

ATTN: Lamont O. Norwood/Mr. Mark

Kromer, 400 7th Street SW, Room 5301,

Washington, DC 20590. All applications

submitted must include a reference to

NHTSA Cooperative Agreement

Program No. DTNH22–00–H–07212.

Interested applicants should contact Mr.

Norwood to obtain the application

packet. Included in the application

packet are reports about data linkage

and applications for linked data

developed by the CODES project.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

General administrative questions may

be directed to Lamont O. Norwood,

Office of Contracts and Procurement.

All questions and requests for copies

may be directed by e-mail at

lnorwood@nhtsa.dot.gov or, by

telephone, at (202) 366–8573.

Programmatic questions relating to this

cooperative agreement program should

be directed to Dennis Utter, CODES

Contracting Officer’s Technical

Representative (COTR), at NHTSA,

Room 6125, (NRD–31) 400 7th Street

SW, Washington, DC 20590, or by email at dutter@nhtsa.dot.gov, or by

telephone at (202) 366–5351.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Statement of Work

Background

Crash data alone are unable to convey

the magnitude of the medical and

financial consequences of the injuries

resulting from motor vehicle crashes or

the success of highway safety decisionmaking to prevent them. Outcome

information describing what happens to

all persons involved in motor vehicle

crashes, regardless of injury, is needed.

Person-specific outcome information

is collected at the crash scene and en

route by EMS personnel, at the

emergency department, in the hospital,

and after discharge. When these data are

computerized and merged statewide,

they generate a source of populationbased data that is available for use by

state and local traffic safety and public

health professionals. Linking these

records to statewide crash data collected

by police at the scene is the key to

developing relationships among specific

vehicles, crash, and occupant behavior

characteristics and their medical and

financial outcomes.

The feasibility of linking crash and

medical outcome (EMS, emergency

department, hospital discharge, death

certificate, claims, etc.) data was

demonstrated by the CODES project.

This project evolved from the

Intermodal Surface Transportation

Efficiency Act of 1991, which mandated

that NHTSA prepare a Report to

Congress about the benefits of safety belt

and motorcycle helmet use. NHTSA

provided funding to the States of

Hawaii, Maine, Missouri, New York,

Pennsylvania, Utah, and Wisconsin to

link their state data and use the linked

data to analyze the effectiveness of

safety belts and motorcycle helmets.

The Report was delivered to Congress in

February 1996. In 1996, three CODES

states (New York, Pennsylvania, and

Wisconsin) and three states which

linked crash and medical data without

CODES funding (Alaska, Connecticut,

and New Mexico) were awarded

NHTSA research funds to develop statespecific applications for linked data. In

1997, NHTSA awarded grants for

CODES linkage to Connecticut, New

Hampshire, Maryland, North Dakota,

South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Nevada.

Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts,

Nebraska, and South Carolina which

were funded to implement the CODES

linkage in 1998. Arizona, Delaware,

Minnesota and Tennessee were funded

in 1999.

The CODES project also demonstrated

that linked data have many uses for

decision-making related to highway

safety and injury control. In addition to

demonstrating the effectiveness of safety

belts and motorcycle helmets in

preventing death, injury, and costs, the

linked data were used to identify

populations at risk for increased

severity or high health care costs, the

impact of different occupant behaviors

on outcome, the safety needs at the

community level, the allocation of

resources for emergency medical

services, the injury patterns by type of

roadway and geographic location, and

the benefits of collaboration on data

quality. When crash, vehicle, and

behavior characteristics were linked to

outcome information, decision-makers

could identify those prevention

programs that had the most impact on

preventing or reducing the medical and

financial costs associated with motor

vehicle crashes.

Data linkage fulfills expanded data

needs without the additional expense

and delay of new data collection. The

linkage process itself provides feedback

about data quality and content problems

which leads to improvement in the state

data. Thus, it is in NHTSA’s interest to

encourage states to qualify for CODES

funding. NHTSA benefits from the

improved quality of the state data, while

the states benefit from state-specific

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices 33871

medical and financial outcome

information about motor vehicle

crashes.

Objective

The objective of this Cooperative

Agreement program is to provide

resources to the applicant to:

1. Coordinate the development and

institutionalization of the capability to

link state crash and medical outcome

data to identify the medical and

financial consequences of motor vehicle

crashes.

2. Utilize this information in crash

analysis, problem identification, and

program evaluation to improve

decision-making at the local, state, and

national levels related to preventing or

reducing deaths, injuries, and direct

medical costs associated with motor

vehicle crashes.

3. Provide NHTSA with populationbased linked crash and injury data to

analyze specific highway safety issues

of interest to NHTSA in collaboration

with the CODES states.

4. Develop data linkage capabilities as

a means of improving the quality of

state data that support NHTSA’s

national data.

This cooperative agreement is not

intended to fund basic development of

data systems, but rather to create

linkages among existing records.

However, it is hoped that this project

will inspire States to develop and

improve their state data and to expedite

these activities in order to become

eligible for CODES funding.

General Project Requirements

1. Link statewide population-based

crash to injury data for any two calendar

years available since 1996, to produce a

linked data file that, if not statewide,

reflects a contiguous geographical area

that contains at least three (3) million

residents in which the residents obtain

all levels of emergency medical care

without the need to be transferred

elsewhere, except in rare occurrences,

when involved in motor vehicle crashes.

The linked data must be representative

and generalizable for highway traffic

safety purposes in the state/area. All

applicants must be able to clearly

document what data are available and

what data are missing and the

significance of the missing data for

highway traffic safety planning efforts.

a. Develop a state/area-wide CODES

that includes outcome information for

all persons, injured and uninjured,

involved in police reported motor

vehicle crashes.

(1) The CODES should consist of

crash data linked to hospital and either

EMS or emergency department data,

preferably both. States without EMS or

emergency department data are eligible

if this type of outpatient information

can be obtained from insurance claims

data for everyone involved in a crash

who is treated at an outpatient center.

(2) Additional state/area-wide data

(driver licensing, vehicle registration,

citation/conviction records, insurance

claims, HMO/managed care/etc.,

outpatient records, etc.) should be

linked as necessary to meet state/area

wide objectives.

b. Set up processes for collaboration

among the technical experts who

manage the data files being linked.

c. Assign an agency to be responsible

for:

(1) Obtaining a computer and linkage

software to be dedicated to CODES

activities (the computer and software

resources may not be permanently tied

to an existing computer network in such

a way as to preclude their movement in

the future, as directed by the CODES

Board of Directors, to another

organization more interested in

continuing the linkage and application

for the linked data);

(2) Implementing probabilistic linkage

methodology to facilitate tracking the

crash victim from the scene to final

disposition/recovery using existing

computerized state/area-wide

population-based databases;

(3) Validating the linkage results by

evaluating the rate of false positives and

false negatives among the linked and

unlinked records;

(4) Analyzing the linked data; and,

(5) Cross-training sufficient staff to

ensure continuation of the linkage

capability in spite of changes in

organizational priorities or personnel

during or after the project period.

d. Document the file preparation,

linkage and validation processes so that

the linkage can be repeated efficiently

during subsequent years after Federal

funding ends and provide evidence of

this documentation.

e. Provide NHTSA a version of the

linked data file with supporting

documentation that conforms to State

laws and regulations governing patient/

provider confidentiality, yet satisfies

minimum NHTSA data needs.

2. Use the linked data to influence

highway traffic safety and injury control

decision-making by implementing at

least one application of linked data that

is expected to have a positive impact on

reducing death, injury, and direct

medical costs.

3. Use the linked data to prepare

management reports using a format

standardized by NHTSA for a national

CODES report.

4. Develop the computer programs

needed to translate the linked data into

information useful for highway traffic

safety and injury control at the local,

regional, or state/area-wide level.

a. Develop, for access within the

State, a public-use version of the linked

data, copies of which will be distributed

upon request.

b. Develop the resources necessary to

produce and distribute routine reports,

respond to data requests, and provide

access to the linked data for analytical,

management, planning, and other

purposes after Federal funding ends.

c. Use the Internet and other

electronic mechanisms to efficiently

distribute and share information

generated from the linked data.

5. Promote collaboration between the

owners and users of the state/area-wide

data to facilitate data linkage and

applications for linked data.

a. Establish a state/area-wide CODES

collaborative network.

(1) Convene a Board of Directors

consisting of the data owners and major

users of the state/area-wide data. The

CODES Board of Directors will be

responsible for managing and

institutionalizing the linked data,

establishing the data release policies for

the linked data, supporting the activities

of the grantee, ensuring that data linkage

and application activities are

appropriately coordinated within the

state/area, and resolving common issues

related to data accessibility, availability,

completeness, quality, confidentiality,

transfer, ownership, fee for service,

management etc. The CODES Board of

Directors shall meet bi-monthly.

(2) Convene a CODES Advisory Group

consisting of the CODES Board of

Directors and other stakeholders

interested in the use of linked data to

support highway safety, injury control,

EMS, etc. The CODES Advisory Group

will be informed of the results of the

data linkage, application of the data for

decision-making, the quality of the

state/area-wide data for linkage and the

quality of the linked data for analysis.

The CODES Advisory Group shall meet

twice a year.

b. Promote coordination of the various

stakeholders through use of the Internet,

teleconferencing, joint meetings, and

other mechanisms to ensure frequent

communication among all parties to

minimize the expense of travel.

6. Work collaboratively with NHTSA

to implement the Cooperative

Agreement.

a. Attend Initial Briefing Meeting.

Each grantee shall attend a briefing

meeting (date and time to be scheduled

within 30 days after the award) in

Washington, DC with NHTSA staff. The

33872 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices

purpose of the meeting will be to review

the goals and objectives of the project,

discuss implementation of the linkage

software, review the tasks to be

specified in the action plan for the data

linkage and applications of the linked

data for highway safety or injury control

decision-making and discuss the

agendas for the Board of Directors and

Advisory Group.

b. Submit Detailed Action Plan and

Schedule. Within 30 days after the

briefing meeting, the grantee shall

deliver a detailed action plan and

schedule, covering the remaining

funding period, for accomplishing the

data linkage and incorporating

information generated from linked data

into the processes for highway safety or

injury control decision-making. The

action plan shall be subject to the

technical direction and approval of

NHTSA.

c. Attend Technical Workshops. All

grantees together shall attend two

technology transfer workshops during

project performance at locations

convenient to the majority of CODES

grantees. The first meeting, to be

scheduled during the ninth or tenth

month of funding, will be organized to

share data linkage experiences, discuss

standardized formats for management

reports, review the proposed statespecific highway safety applications of

linked data, and resolve common

problems. The second meeting will be

scheduled approximately 12 months

after first technical assistance meeting,

at the end of the funding period, for the

purpose of sharing results and making

recommendations for future CODES

projects.

d. Attend National Meeting. At the

direction of the COTR, Grantee shall

attend one national Meeting to report on

progress or results from their CODES

project.

e. Progress Report. Grantee shall

submit quarterly progress reports.

During the period of performance, the

grantee will provide letter-type written

reports to the COTR. These reports will

compare what was proposed in the

Action Plan with actual

accomplishments during the past

quarter; what commitments have been

generated; what follow up and statelevel support is expected; what

problems have been experienced and

what may be needed to overcome the

problems; and what is specifically

planned to be accomplished during the

next quarter. These reports will be

submitted seven days after the end of

each quarter.

f. Develop a plan to institutionalize

the data linkage and applications for

linked data after Federal funding ends.

By the end of the 15th month of

funding, each grantee shall submit a

long-range plan and schedule to

institutionalize data linkage and the use

of linked data for highway safety and

injury control decision-making within

the state.

g. Project Report. The grantee shall

deliver to NHTSA, at the end of the

project, a final report describing the

results of the data linkage process, and

the applications of the linked data

generated during the project.

NHTSA Involvement

NHTSA will be involved in all

activities undertaken as part of the

Cooperative Agreement program and

will:

1. Provide a Contracting Officer’s

Technical Representative (COTR) to

participate in the planning and

management of the Cooperative

Agreement and coordinate activities

between the grantee and NHTSA.

2. Provide, at no cost to the grantee,

training and technical assistance by a

CODES expert for up to two weeks onsite and off-site during the project to

assist the grantee in preparing the files

for linkage, implementing probabilistic

linkage techniques, validating the

linkage results, developing applications

for the linked data, and organizing the

CODES Board of Directors and Advisory

Group.

3. Develop a format in which the

linked data and supporting

documentation will be delivered to

NHTSA.

4. Conduct Initial Briefing at NHTSA

Headquarters in Washington, DC. (Date

and time to be scheduled within 30 days

after the award.) The purpose of the

meeting will be to review the goals and

objectives of the project, discuss

implementation of the linkage software,

identify the tasks to be specified in the

action plan for the data linkage and

applications of the linked data for

highway safety or injury control

decision-making, and discuss agendas

for the Board of Directors and Advisory

Group.

5. Conduct two Technical Assistance

meetings for the purpose of technology

transfer. The first meeting, to be

scheduled during the ninth or tenth

month of funding, will be organized to

share data linkage experiences, develop

a standardized format for management

reports, review the proposed statespecific highway traffic safety

applications of linked data, and resolve

common problems. The second meeting

will be scheduled at the end of the

funding period for the purpose of

sharing results and making

recommendations for future CODES

projects. Locations for the Workshops

will be determined based on the

location of the Grantees. However, for

the purpose of cost estimation, assume

the workshops will be held in

Washington, DC.

6. Collaboratively work with the state

when using the state’s linked data to

analyze and report on specific highway

safety issues.

7. When appropriate, NHTSA will

publish state-specific reports on CODES

applications.

Period of Support

The project study effort described in

this announcement will be supported

through the award of up to four (4)

Cooperative Agreements, depending

upon the merit of the applications

received and the availability of funding.

It is anticipated that individual award

amounts will range from $250,000–

$300,000. Project efforts involving

linkage of the state/area-wide data and

applications for the linked data must be

completed within twenty-one months

after funding.

Eligibility Requirements

The grantee must be a state agency

involved with highway traffic safety,

such as a State Highway Safety Office,

Department of Transportation or other

State agency with demonstrated

activities in the highway traffic safety

areas, to ensure active involvement by

highway traffic safety stakeholders.

States that have previously been funded

to develop CODES are not eligible. Only

one application should be submitted for

a state/area. Because this Cooperative

Agreement program requires extensive

collaboration among the data owners in

order to achieve the program objectives,

it is envisioned that the grantee agency

may need to actively involve the data

owners in the development of the

formal application and may need to subcontract activities with at least one of

them to implement a successful CODES.

While the general eligibility

requirements are broad, applicants are

advised that this Cooperative Agreement

program is not designed to support basic

developmental efforts. Although no

single organization within any state/area

has all of the required data capabilities,

the application should demonstrate

strong collaborative agreements with the

data owners and access to at least the

state/area-wide crash, hospital, and

either EMS or emergency department

data, or both, by the time of the award.

States/areas that collect at least the date

of birth and zip code of residence on

their crash data and have state/areawide health and/or vehicle insurance

claims information may be eligible, in

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices 33873

spite of the lack of EMS or emergency

department information, if the claims

data include everyone involved in

motor vehicle crashes. In addition, it is

important that the applicant indicate the

level of commitment, with state/area

funding and/or shared resources, by the

data owners to meet program objectives,

particularly institutionalization of the

data linkage and applications for linked

data.

Application Procedure

Each applicant must submit one

original and two (2) copies of the

application package to: DOT/National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration,

Office of Contracts and Procurement

(NAD–30), ATTN: Lamont O. Norwood/

Mark Kromer, 400 7th Street, SW.,

Room 5301, Washington, DC 20590.

Applications must be typed on one side

of the page only. An additional two (2)

copies will facilitate the review process,

but are not required. Applications must

include a reference to NHTSA

Cooperative Agreement Program No.

DTNH22–00–H–07212. Only complete

application packages received on or

before 2 p.m. on July 24, 2000 will be

considered.

Application Contents

1. The application package must be

submitted with OMB Standard Form

424 (REV. 7–97, including 424A and

424B), Application for Federal

Assistance, with the required

information filled in and assurances

signed (SF 424B). While the Form 424A

deals with budget information and

Section B identifies Budget Categories,

the available space does not permit a

level of detail which is sufficient to

provide for a meaningful evaluation of

the proposed total costs. A

supplemental sheet shall be provided

which presents a detailed breakdown of

the proposed costs (direct labor,

including labor category, level of effort,

and rate; direct materials including

itemized equipment; travel and

transportation, including projected trips

and number of people traveling;

subcontractors/subgrants, with similar

detail, if known; and overhead), as well

as any costs the applicant proposes to

contribute or obtain from other sources

in support of the project. Applicants

shall assume that awards will be made

during September 2000 and should

prepare their applications accordingly.

2. The application shall include a

program narrative statement of not more

than 20 pages, which addresses the

following as a minimum:

a. A brief description of the state/area

in terms of its highway safety and injury

control decision-making processes for

planning, performance monitoring and

other functions aimed at reducing death,

injury, and costs of injuries resulting

from motor vehicle crashes. This

description should indicate how linked

data will make a difference to the

decision-making processes.

b. A brief description of the existing

crash and medical outcome data files.

Applicants will link state/area-wide

population-based crash data to EMS

(and/or emergency department or

insurance claims) and hospital

discharge data to obtain medical and

financial outcomes for persons injured

in motor vehicle crashes for any two

calendar years of data available since

1996. Linkages to census, other traffic

records (vehicle registration, driver

licensing, roadway, conviction/citation,

etc.), insurance claims, etc., are

encouraged to meet priorities for

highway safety and injury control

decision-making. The following

information should be included

describing the state/area-wide data:

(1) The total crashes, total persons

involved in crashes, total victims with

injuries caused by a motor vehicle crash

as identified or estimated and a

descriptive profile of the total injuries

by severity level, if available, state/areawide.

(2) Information about the current

status of the data files to be linked,

recorded using the format below:

Data files Reporting

threshold (A)

Rate of compliance with

(A)

Data years to be

linked (19XX–19XX)

Month and year when most

recent data year will become

available

Percent of

records computerized

Can remaining

records be computerized? (Y/N)

Crash.

EMS.

ED.

Hospital.

Other.

(3) The data elements chosen to

identify persons and crashes and, for

each, the missing data rate.

(4) The data elements indicating type

of injury, severity of injury, total

charges, a payer source and, for each,

the missing data rate.

c. A brief description of the proposed

sequence for linking the data files.

d. A brief description of how staff

from the various data owners will be

cross-trained in the CODES linkage to

compensate for potential future changes

in organizational priorities and

personnel.

e. A brief description of the process to

be used to ensure adequate

documentation of the data files and

linkage process.

f. A brief description of how the

linked data will be converted into

information useful for the highway

safety and injury control decisionmaking processes for the purpose of

reducing death, injury, and costs

resulting from motor vehicle crashes.

Describe:

(1) The different types of decisionmaking processes, currently being

utilized in the state/area, that identify

highway traffic safety and injury control

objectives and prioritize prevention

programs that have the most impact on

reducing death, injury and direct

medical costs associated with motor

vehicle crashes; and

(2) Why linked data are needed to

make these decision-making processes

more effective and how the data will be

incorporated.

g. A brief description of each member

of the CODES Board of Directors and the

proposed arrangements describing the

management and use of the linked data.

3. The application shall include an

appendix. A large appendix is strongly

discouraged. Additional material should

be included only if it is necessary to

support information about data linkage,

applications for linked data or

institutionalization discussed in the

application. Do not send copies of

brochures, documents, etc., developed

as the result of a collaborative effort in

the state/area. The appendix should

include the following:

a. Letters of support from each

proposed member of the CODES Board

of Directors. A letter of support should

reflect the signer’s level of commitment

to the CODES project and thus should

not be a form letter. The letter of

support should document:

33874 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices

(1) Why linked data are important to

the agency.

(2) The priority assigned by the

agency to obtain linked data compared

to other responsibilities.

(3) The agency’s level of commitment

in terms of the number of staff and the

dollars or shared resources which will

be available to support and

institutionalize CODES.

(4) The agency’s willingness to

collaborate with other data owners to

support shared ownership of the linked

data.

(5) The agency’s permission to release

the linked data (or description of

policies which would restrict transfer)

to NHTSA at the end of the project.

b. A brief description or letters of

support should be included for the other

stakeholders to be represented on the

CODES Advisory Group. The letters of

support should indicate the

stakeholder’s need for the linked data,

and willingness to facilitate the linkage

of state/area-wide data or use of linked

data for decision-making.

c. A list of activities in chronological

order and a time line to show the

expected schedule of accomplishments

and their target dates.

d. Descriptions of the proposed

project personnel as follows:

(1) Project Director: Include a resume

along with a description of the director’s

leadership capabilities to make the

various stakeholders work together.

(2) Key personnel proposed for the

data linkage and applications of linked

data, and other personnel considered

critical to the successful

accomplishment of this project: include

a brief description of qualifications,

employment status (permanent,

temporary) in the organization, and

respective organizational

responsibilities. The proposed level of

effort in performing the various

activities should also be identified.

e. A brief description of the

applicant’s organizational experience in

performing similar or related efforts,

and the priority that will be assigned to

this project compared to the

organization’s other responsibilities.

f. A brief description of any potential

delays in implementing the project

because of requirements for legislative

approval before CODES funds can be

expended.

g. Data Use Agreement. A description

of the existing State laws and

regulations governing patient/provider

confidentiality in the data files being

linked that would restrict use of the data

for linkage and/or for transfer of the

CODES linked data to NHTSA and

conditions under which the linked data

file may be used by NHTSA.

Application Review Process and

Evaluation Factors

Initially, all application packages will

be reviewed to confirm that the

applicant is an eligible recipient and to

ensure that the application contains all

of the items specified in the Application

Content section of this announcement.

Each complete application from an

eligible recipient will then be evaluated

by an Evaluation committee. The

applications will be evaluated using the

following criteria which are listed in

descending order of importance:

1. Understanding the intent of the

program (30%). The applicant’s

recognition of the importance of CODES

to obtain medical and financial outcome

data which are necessary for a

comprehensive evaluation of the impact

of highway safety and injury control

countermeasures. The applicant’s

understanding of the importance of

developing CODES as a meaningful and

appropriate strategy for improving

traffic records capabilities and ensuring

the continuation of CODES after

completion of this project.

2. Technical approach for project

completion (30%). The reasonableness

and feasibility of the applicant’s

approach for successfully achieving the

objectives of the project within the

required time frame. The

appropriateness and feasibility of the

applicant’s proposed plans for data

linkage and applications for the linked

data. Evidence that the applicant has the

necessary authorization and support

from data owners to access medical and

non-medical state/area-wide data,

particularly total charges and

information about type and severity of

injury, which are not routinely available

for highway safety analyses and the

necessary authorization to data.

3. Project personnel (20%). The

adequacy of the proposed personnel to

successfully perform the project study,

including qualifications and experience

(both general and project related), the

various disciplines represented, and the

relative level of effort proposed for the

professional, technical and support

staff.

4. Organizational capabilities (20%).

The adequacy of organizational

resources and experience to successfully

manage and perform the project,

particularly to support the collaborative

network and respond to the increasing

demand for access to the linked data.

The proposed coordination with and

use of other organizational support and

resources, including other sources of

financial support.

Depending upon the results of the

evaluation process, NHTSA may choose

to alter the number of awards. In

addition, NHTSA may suggest revisions

to applications as a condition of further

consideration to ensure the most

efficient and effective performance

consistent with the objectives of the

project. An organizational

representative of the National

Association of Governors’ Highway

Safety Representatives will be assisting

in NHTSA’s technical evaluation

process.

Special Award Selection Factors

After evaluating all applications

received, in the event that insufficient

funds are available to award to all

meritorious applicants, NHTSA may

consider the following special award

factors in the award decision:

1. Priority may be given to those

applicants that have statewide data

available for linkage.

2. Priority may be given to applicants

who have the highest probability of

maintaining the collaborative network

of data owners and users, of

institutionalizing the linkage of the

crash and medical outcome data on a

routine basis, and of continuing to

respond to data requests after the project

is completed.

3. Priority may be given to an

applicant on the basis that the

application fits a profile of providing

NHTSA with a broad range of

population densities (rural through

metropolitan) with different highway

safety needs.

Terms and Conditions of the Award

1. Prior to award, each grantee must

comply with the certification

requirements of 49 CFR part 20,

Department of Transportation New

Restrictions on Lobbying, and 49 CFR

part 29, Department of Transportation

Government-wide Debarment and

Suspension (Non-procurement) and

Government-wide Requirements for

Drug Free Workplace (Grants). In

addition, grantees must certify that data

release agreements have been signed by

the owners of the data files being linked

to transfer the CODES linked database to

NHTSA, according to NHTSA

specifications.

2. Reporting Requirements and

Deliverables:

a. Detailed Action Plan and Schedule.

Within 30 days after the briefing

meeting, the grantee shall deliver a

detailed action plan and schedule for

accomplishing the data linkage and

applications of linked data for decisionmaking, showing any revisions to the

approach proposed in the grantee’s

application. This detailed action plan

will be subject to the technical direction

Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 102 / Thursday, May 25, 2000 / Notices 33875

and approval of NHTSA and will

describe the following:

(1) The personnel and hardware

resources required to perform the data

linkage.

(2) The process for obtaining the

different files required for linkage.

(3) The process for accelerating the

data processing schedule, if necessary,

so that the state/area-wide data are

available in a timely manner for the

linkage.

(4) The process for verifying the data

and performing additional edits on the

linkage variables.

(5) The process for resolving problems

expected during linkage and their

proposed solutions.

(6) The process for documenting the

content of the various linked data files,

programs used for editing, and the

linkage process itself.

(7) The milestones for completing the

various phases of the probabilistic

linkage and validation processes.

(8) The milestones for proposed

meeting schedules and actions by the

Board of Directors and Advisory Group.

(9) Date(s) for providing the linked

data to NHTSA.

(10) The process for identifying the

limitations of the final linked database

or applications of the linked data, if any.

(11) The process for ensuring access

to the linked data as demand for

information increases.

(12) The process for choosing those

applications of linked data that will

have the most impact on reducing

death, injury, and costs of injuries

related to motor vehicle crashes.

(13) The milestones for implementing

the applications.

(14) The benefits expected from the

applications of the linked data.

b. Quarterly Progress Report. During

the performance, the grantee will

provide letter-type written reports to the

NHTSA COTR. These reports will

compare what was proposed in the Plan

of Action with actual accomplishments

during the past quarter; what

commitments have been generated;

what follow-up and state-level support

is expected; what problems have been

experienced and what may be needed to

overcome the problems; and what is

specifically planned to be accomplished

during the next quarter. These reports

will be submitted seven days after the

end of each quarter.

c. Board of Directors and Advisory

Group Meetings. Copies of the agenda

and minutes for each Board of Directors

and Advisory Group Meeting will be

attached to the Progress Report

submitted to NHTSA immediately

following the meeting.

d. Institutionalization Plan. The

grantee shall deliver to NHTSA, by the

end of the 15th month of funding, a

long-range plan and schedule to

institutionalize data linkage and the use

of linked data for highway safety and

injury control decision-making within

the state.

e. Project Report. The grantee shall

deliver to NHTSA, at the end of the

project, a final report describing the

results of the data linkage process, and

the applications of the linked data. The

report shall include the following:

(1) A description of the state/area

wide linked crash and injury data;

(2) A description of the file

preparation;

(3) A description of the linkage,

validation processes and results;

(4) A description of the extent of the

documentation and how the

documentation will facilitate linkage in

subsequent years;

(5) A discussion of the limitations of

the linked data and subsequent

applications of these data;

(6) A description of the applications

of linked data implemented for

decision-making and results of the

decision-making;

(7) A description of how the data

linkage and use of linked data for

decision making has been

institutionalized for decision-making;

(8) A description of the

documentation created to facilitate

repeating of the linkage process and an

estimate of how much time is needed to

repeat the linkage in subsequent years;

(9) A copy of the public-use formats

that were successful for incorporating

linked data into the decision-making

processes for highway safety and injury

control; and

(10) A copy of the management

reports prepared using the standardized

format for the national CODES report.

f. CODES Linked Database. The

grantee shall deliver to NHTSA after

linkage, at the date specified in the

Action Plan, the CODES linked

databases. NHTSA will use the data to

help facilitate the development of data

linkage capabilities at the state/areawide level and to encourage use of the

linked data for decision making.

The deliverables will include:

(1) The database in an electronic

media and format acceptable to NHTSA,

including all persons, regardless of

injury severity (none, fatal, non-fatal),

involved in a reported motor vehicle

crash for any two calendar years of

available data since 1996, and including

medical and financial outcome

information for those who are linked.

(2) A copy of the file structure for the

linked data file.

(3) Documentation of the definitions

and file structure for each of the data

elements contained in the linked data

files.

(4) An analysis of the quality of the

linked data and a description of any

data bias which may exist based on an

analysis of the false positive and false

negative linked records.

3. During the effective performance

period of Cooperative Agreements

awarded as a result of this

announcement, the agreement as

applicable to the grantee shall be subject

to the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration’s General Provisions for

Assistance Agreements, dated July 1995.

Issued: May 19, 2000.

Joseph Kanianthra,

Acting Associate Administrator for Research

and Development, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration.

[FR Doc. 00–13100 Filed 5–24–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

Discretionary Incentive Grants To

Support Increased Seat Belt Use Rates

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of discretionary

grants to support innovative projects

designed to increase seat belt use rates.

SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announces the second year of a

discretionary grant program under

Section 1403 of the Transportation

Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA–

21) to provide funding to States for

innovative projects to increase seat belt

use rates. Consistent with last year, the

goal of this program is to increase seat

belt use rates across the nation in order

to reduce the deaths, injuries, and

societal costs that result from motor

vehicle crashes. This notice solicits

applications from the States, the District

of Columbia and Puerto Rico, through

their Governors’ Representatives for

Highway Safety, for funds to be made

available in FY 2001. Detailed

application instructions are provided in

the Application Contents section of this

Notice. The Section 157 Innovative

grants will be awarded competitively

based upon the evaluation results of the

applications received. Detailed

information on the evaluation criteria is

provided in the Application Review

Procedures and Evaluation Criteria

section of this Notice.