17828 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 68 / Tuesday, April 10, 2007 / Notices 

discussion of each required item and for 

samples and illustrations. The USDA 

Rural Development will not request 

missing items that affect the 

application’s score. 

3. The FY 2007 grant application 

guide specifies the format and order of 

all required items. Applications that are 

not assembled and tabbed in the order 

specified. Incorrectly assembled 

applications will be returned as 

ineligible. 

4. Most DLT grant projects contain 

numerous project sites. USDA Rural 

Development requires that site 

information be consistent throughout an 

application. Sites must be referred to by 

the same designation throughout all 

parts of an application. USDA Rural 

Development has provided a site 

worksheet that requests the necessary 

information, and can be used as a guide 

by applicants. USDA Rural 

Development strongly recommends that 

applicants complete the site worksheet, 

listing all requested information for 

each site. Applications without 

consistent site information will be 

returned as ineligible. 

5. DLT grant applications which have 

non-fixed end-user sites, such as 

ambulance and home health care 

services, are now scored using a 

simplified scoring method that finds the 

relative rurality of the applicant’s 

service area. See the FY 2007 

application guide for specific guidance 

on this method of scoring. When an 

application contains non-fixed sites, it 

must be scored using the non-fixed site 

scoring method. 

D. Selection Process 

1. Grants. Applications are ranked by 

final score, and by application purpose 

(education or medical). USDA Rural 

Development selects applications based 

on those rankings, subject to the 

availability of funds. USDA Rural 

Development may allocate grant awards 

between medical and educational 

purposes, but is not required to do so. 

In addition, USDA Rural Development 

has the authority to limit the number of 

applications selected in any one state, or 

for one project, during a fiscal year. See 

7 CFR 1703.127. 

2. Combination loan-grants and loans. 

a. Combination loan-grant 

applications and loan applications are 

evaluated on the basis of technical, 

financial, economic and other criteria. 

b. USDA Rural Development 

evaluates applications’ financial 

feasibility using the following 

information. Please see paragraph 

IV.C.2. of this Notice for the items that 

constitute a completed combination 

loan-grant or loan application. Also, see 

7 CFR part 1703 subpart F for 

combination loan-grants and 7 CFR part 

1703 subpart G for loans: 

(1) Applicant’s financial ability to 

complete the project; 

(2) Project feasibility; 

(3) Applicant’s financial information; 

(4) Project sustainability; 

(5) Ability to repay the loan portion 

of a combination loan-grant, including 

revenue sources; 

(6) Collateral for which the applicant 

has perfected a security interest; and 

(7) Adequate security for a loan or the 

loan portion of a combination loangrant. 

(c) USDA Rural Development also 

evaluates the following project and 

application characteristics: 

(1) Services to be provided by the 

project. 

(2) Project cost. 

(3) Project design. 

(4) Rurality of the proposed service 

area. Please see paragraph III.B.4. of this 

Notice for information on determining 

rurality. 

(5) Other characteristics. 

d. Selection process. Based on the 

review standards listed above and in the 

DLT Program regulation, USDA Rural 

Development will process successful 

combination loan-grant and loan 

applications on a first-in, first-out basis, 

dependent upon the availability of 

funds. Please see 7 CFR 1703.135 for 

combination loan-grant application 

processing and selection; and 7 CFR 

1703.145 for loan application processing 

and selection. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

USDA Rural Development generally 

notifies applicants whose projects are 

selected for awards by faxing an award 

letter. USDA Rural Development follows 

the award letter with an agreement that 

contains all the terms and conditions for 

the grant, combination loan-grant or 

loan. USDA Rural Development 

recognizes that each funded project is 

unique, and therefore may attach 

conditions to different projects’ award 

documents. An applicant must execute 

and return the agreement, accompanied 

by any additional items required by the 

agreement, within the number of days 

shown in the selection notice letter. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

The items listed in Section IV of this 

notice, and the DLT Program regulation, 

FY 2007 application guide and 

accompanying materials implement the 

appropriate administrative and national 

policy requirements. 

C. Reporting 

1. Performance reporting. All 

recipients of DLT 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 in meeting DLT 

Program objectives. See 7 CFR 1703.107. 

2. Financial reporting. All recipients 

of DLT financial assistance must 

provide an annual audit, beginning with 

the first year a portion of the financial 

assistance is expended. Audits are 

governed by United States Department 

of Agriculture audit regulations. Please 

see 7 CFR 1703.108. 

3. Record Keeping and Accounting 

The loan, or grant contract will contain 

provisions relating to record keeping 

and accounting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/ 

telecom/dlt/dlt.htm. The DLT Web site 

maintains up-to-date resources and 

contact information for DLT programs. 

B. Phone: 202–720–0413. 

C. Fax: 202–720–1051. 

D. E-mail: dltinfo@usda.gov. 

E. Main point of contact: Orren E. 

Cameron III, Director, Advanced 

Services Division, Telecommunications 

Program, Rural Development, United 

States Department of Agriculture. 

Dated: March 13, 2007. 

James M. Andrew, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–6544 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Announcement of Grant Application 

Deadlines and Funding Levels 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of funds availability. 

SUMMARY: The United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 

Development administers loan and grant 

programs through the Rural Utilities 

Service. USDA Rural Development 

announces the Public Television Digital 

Transition Grant Program funding level 

and application window for fiscal year 

(FY) 2007. 

DATES: You may submit completed 

applications for grants on paper or 

electronically according to the following 

deadlines: 


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Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 68 / Tuesday, April 10, 2007 / Notices 17829 

• Paper copies must carry proof of 

shipping no later June 11, 2007 to be 

eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late 

applications are not eligible for FY 2007 

grant funding. 

• Electronic copies must be received 

by June 11, 2007 to be eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. Late applications 

are not eligible for FY 

2007[MPD1][MPD2] 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 USDA Rural 

Development 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 

Telecommunications Program, United 

States Department of Agriculture Rural 

Development, 1400 Independence Ave., 

SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550, 

Washington, DC 20250–1550. 

Applications should be marked 

‘‘Attention: Director, 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: 

Orren E. Cameron III, Director, 

Advanced Services Division, 

Telecommunications Program, United 

States Department of Agriculture Rural 

Development, 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 June 11, 2007, to 

be eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. 

Late applications are not eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. 

• Electronic copies must be received 

by June 11, 2007, to be eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. Late applications 

are not eligible for FY 2007 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, email, 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 

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, however, the 

digital transition could bring the end of 

over-the-air public television service. 

These rural households are the focus of 

the USDA Rural Development Public 

Television Station Digital Transition 

Grant Program. 

As the nation’s 355 public television 

stations have moved into this transition, 

the first priority has been to initiate 

digital broadcasting from their main 

transmitters. This was necessary in part 

to protect the broadcasters’ FCC 

licenses, but it also has delivered the 

benefits of digital television to those 

within the new digital coverage areas. 

Some public television stations, 

especially those where funding of the 

transition has been limited, installed 

low-power transmitters which could not 

reach as far as the stations’ analog 

broadcast coverage areas. The FCC 

allowed this in recognition of funding 

challenges, but it has had an unintended 

result. The apparent achievement of 

nearly industry-wide digital transmitter 

capability overstates public televisions’

transition progress—and almost 

exclusively in terms of actual coverage 

of rural America. When those rural 

public television stations turn off their 

analog transmitters, their most distant 

rural viewers will not be able to receive 

the surviving digital transmitters’ lowpower signals. 

A similar situation exists for rural 

areas served by translators. Translators 

predominately serve rural areas and 

communities that are isolated from a 

station’s main transmitter by great 

distance or barriers such as mountains 

that block terrestrial broadcast signals. 

Transition strategies for translators have 

not been as aggressive as those for main 

transmitters. 

Most applications to the Public 

Television Station Digital Transition 

Grant Program have sought assistance 

towards the goal of replicating analog 

coverage areas through transmitter and 

translator transitions, and in FY 2006 

applications for power upgrades 

increased in number. The Public 

Television Station Digital Transition 

Grant Program can fund program 

management and creation equipment, 

but for reasons involving funding, many 

rural public television stations have not 

turned their attention to these needs. 

Some stations may not achieve full 

analog parity in program management 

and creation until after the February 

2009 deadline. Continuation of reliable 

public television service to all current 

patrons understandably is still the focus 

for many broadcasters. 

It is 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 part 

1740). 

II. Award Information 

A. Available Funds 

1. General. The Administrator has 

determined that the following amounts 

are available for grants in FY 2007 

under 7 CFR 1740.1. 

2. Grants. 

a. $4,950,000 is available for grants 

from FY 2007. Under 7 CFR 1740.2, the 


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maximum amount for grants under this 

program is $1 million per applicant. 

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 must read 

and apply both the regulation and the 

application guide. This Notice does not 

change the 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 part 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, as 

defined in 7 CFR 1740.2, 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, as calculated pursuant 

to 7 CFR 1740.8(c), 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, as calculated 

pursuant to 7 CFR 1740.8(d), supported 

by a worksheet showing the National 

School Lunch Program eligibility levels 


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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 CFR 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 Telecommunications 

Program, USDA Rural Development, 

1400 Independence Ave., SW., Room 

2844, STOP 1550, Washington, DC 

20250–1550. Applications should be 

marked ‘‘Attention: Director, 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. USDA 

Rural Development encourages 

applicants to 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. USDA 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 June 11, 

2007 to be eligible for FY 2007 grant 

funding. Late applications are not 

eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. 

2. Electronic grant applications must 

be received by June 11, 2007 to be 

eligible for FY 2007 funding. Late 

applications are not eligible for FY 2007 

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 USDA Rural Development 

at the address and by the date specified 

in this notice to be eligible for funding. 

USDA Rural Development will review 

each application for conformance with 

the provisions of this part. USDA 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 


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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 USDA 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 USDA Rural 

Development determines that the 

Project is technically or financially 

infeasible, USDA 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 

USDA Rural Development. 

2. The Critical Need score will be 

determined by USDA 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 

applications for first digital transmitter 

capability, and translators[ec3] and 

transmitter power upgrades that extend 

coverage into rural-only areas, will 

receive scoring advantages. Master 

control facilities which tailor 

programming to local needs will also be 

recognized in this category. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

USDA 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. 

USDA 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: Orren E. 

Cameron III, Director, Advanced 

Services Division, Telecommunications 

Program, USDA Rural Development. 

Dated: March 19, 2007. 

Curtis M. Anderson, 

Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–6702 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35). 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: Fisheries Certificates of Origin. 

Form Number(s): NOAA 370. 

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0335. 

Type of Request: Regular submission. 

Burden Hours: 3,667. 

Number of Respondents: 350. 

Average Hours Per Response: 20 

minutes. 

Needs and Uses: Due to the 

information required by the 

International Dolphin Conservation 

Program Act, amendment to the Marine 

Mammal Protection Act, is needed: To 

document the dolphin-safe status of 

tuna import shipments; to verify that 

import shipments of fish were not 

harvested by large scale, high seas 

driftnets; and to verify that imported 

tuna was not harvested by an embargoed 

nation or one that is otherwise 

prohibited from exporting tuna to the 

United States. Forms are submitted by 

importers and processors. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit organizations. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Mandatory. 

OMB Desk Officer: David Rostker, 

(202) 395–3897. 

Copies of the above information 

collection proposal can be obtained by 

calling or writing Diana Hynek, 

Departmental Paperwork Clearance 

Officer, (202) 482–0266, Department of 

Commerce, Room 6625, 14th and 

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, 

DC 20230 (or via the Internet at 

dHynek@doc.gov). 

Written comments and 

recommendations for the proposed 

information collection should be sent 

within 30 days of publication of this 

notice to David Rostker, OMB Desk 

Officer, FAX number (202) 395–7285, or 

David_Rostker@omb.eop.gov. 

Dated: April 4, 2007. 

Gwellnar Banks, 

Management Analyst, Office of the Chief 

Information Officer. 

[FR Doc. E7–6663 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3510–22–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Submission for OMB Review; 

Comment Request 

The Department of Commerce will 

submit to the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) for clearance the 

following proposal for collection of 

information under the provisions of the 

Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 

Chapter 35). 

Agency: National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 

Title: Commercial Operator’s Annual 

Report (COAR). 

Form Number(s): None. 

OMB Approval Number: 0648–0428. 

Type of Request: Regular submission. 

Burden Hours: 792. 

Number of Respondents: 99. 

Average Hours Per Response: Interim 

reports, 9 hours and 45 minutes; and 

final reports, 11 hours and 45 minutes. 

Needs and Uses: The Commercial 

Operator’s Annual Report (COAR) 

provides information on ex-vessel value 

(the total dollar value for fish in any 

product form of groundfish pounds 

before any deductions are made for 

goods and services, e.g., bait, ice, fuel, 

repairs, machinery replacement, etc., 

provided to groundfish harvesters. 

Includes price adjustments made in the 

current year to groundfish harvesters for 

landings made during the fishing year); 

and first wholesale value for statewide 

Alaska fish and shellfish products. 

This information is used to analyze 

and measure the impact of proposed or 


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