7436 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices

Estimated total annual burden of

respondents: 100 hours.

Copies of this information collection

can be obtained from Valerie Countiss,

the agency Information Collection

Coordinator, at (202) 720–6713.

Request for comments: Send

comments regarding (a) whether the

proposed collection of information is

necessary for the proper performance of

the functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who are to respond, including

through the use of automated,

electronic, mechanical, or other

technological collection techniques or

other forms of information technology.

Comments may be sent to Stephen C.

Hammond, Team Leader, Import

Policies and Programs Division, Foreign

Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Stop 1021, Washington, DC

20250–1021. All responses to this notice

will be summarized and included in the

request for OMB approval. All

comments will also become a matter of

public record.

Signed at Washington, DC, February 12,

1997.

August Schumacher, Jr.,

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.

[FR Doc. 97–3994 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–10–M

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and

Technology

[Docket No. 961121324–7019–03]

RIN 0693–ZA14

Announcement of Availability of

Funding for Focused Program

Competitions—Advanced Technology

Program (ATP)

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Technology

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Technology

Administration’s National Institute of

Standards and Technology (NIST)

announces the availability of funding

for four Focused Program competitions

under the Advanced Technology

Program (ATP) for fiscal year 1997,

targeted on specific technology areas.

The four Focused Program competitions

being held are: (1) 97–04, Digital Data

Storage; (2) 97–05, Technologies for the

Integration of Manufacturing

Applications (TIMA); (3) 97–06,

Component-Based Software (CBS); and

(4) 97–07, Tissue Engineering. This

notice provides general information for

these Focused Program competitions.

DATES: Proposal due dates and other

specific instructions will be published

in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD)

at the time the competitions are

announced. Dates, times, and locations

of Proposers’ Conferences held for

interested parties considering applying

for funding will also be announced in

the CBD.

ADDRESSES: Information on the ATP

may be obtained from the following

address: National Institute of Standards

and Technology, Advanced Technology

Program, Administration Building

(Bldg. 101), Room A407, Quince

Orchard & Clopper Roads, Gaithersburg,

MD 20899–0001.

Additionally, information on the ATP

is available on the Internet through the

World Wide Web (WWW) at http://

www.atp.nist.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for ATP information,

application materials, and/or to have

your name added to the ATP mailing

list for future mailings may also be

made by:

(a) Calling the ATP toll-free ‘‘hotline’’

number at 1–800–ATP-FUND or 1–800–

287–3863. You will have the option of

hearing recorded messages regarding the

status of the ATP or speaking to one of

our customer representatives who will

take your name and address. if our

representatives are all busy when you

call, leave a message after the tone. To

ensure that the information is entered

correctly, please speak distinctly and

slowly and spell the words that might

cause confusion. Leave your phone

number as well as your name and

address:

(b) Sending a facsimile (fax) to 301–

926–9524 or 301–590–3053; or

(c) Sending electronic mail to

atp@nist.gov. Include your name,

full mailing address, and phone

number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The statutory authority for the ATP is

Section 5131 of the Omnibus Trade and

Competitiveness Act of 1988 (Pub. L.

100–418, 15 U.S.C. 278n), as modified

by Pub. L. 102–245. The ATP

implementing regulations are published

at 15 CFR part 295. The Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)

number and program title for the ATP

are 11.612, Advanced Technology

Program (ATP).

The ATP is a rigorously competitive

cost-sharing program designed to assist

United States industry/businesses

pursue high-risk, enabling technologies

with significant commercial/economic

potential. The ATP provides multi-year

funding to single companies and to

industry-led joint ventures to pursue

research and development (R&D)

projects with high-payoff potential for

the nation. The ATP accelerates

enabling technologies that, because they

are risky, are unlikely to be developed

in time to compete in rapidly changing

world markets without such a

partnership between industry and the

Federal government. The ATP

challenges industry to take on projects

characterized by high technical risk but

commensurately high potential payoff to

the nation. Proposers must provide

credible arguments as to the project

feasibility.

The funding instrument used in ATP

awards is a ‘‘cooperative agreement.’’

Through the cooperative agreement, the

ATP fosters a government-industry

partnership to accomplish a public

purpose of support or stimulation. NIST

plans a substantial role in these awards

by providing technical assistance and

monitoring the technical work and

business progress.

Funding Availability

An estimated $15 million in first year

funding is available for each of the

Focused Program Competitions 97–04,

97–05, and 97–06. An estimated $12

million in first year funding is available

for Focused Program Competition 97–

07. The ATP reserves the right to utilize

for any competition more or less

funding than the amounts stated above.

The actual number of proposals funded

will depend on the quality of the

proposals received and the amount of

funding requested in the highest ranked

proposals. Outyear funding beyond the

first year is contingent on the approval

of future Congressional appropriations

and satisfactory project performance.

Eligibility Requirements, Selection

Criteria, and Proposal Review Process

The eligibility requirements, selection

criteria, and the proposal review process

are discussed in detail in the ATP

implementing regulations published at

15 CFR Part 295.

Funding Amounts, Award Period and

Cost Sharing (Matching) Requirements

(a) Single companies can receive up to

$2 million of ATP funds for up to 3
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices 7437

years. Single companies do not have to

provide matching funds, but they are

reimbursed for direct costs only. Single

companies are responsible for securing

funding for all overhead/indirect costs.

(b) Joint ventures can receive a

minority share of the total project costs

for up to 5 years. Joint ventures must

cost-share (matching funds) more than

50 percent of the total project costs

(direct plus indirect costs) for each

quarter that the ATP funds the project.

Subcontractors funded under an ATP

cooperative agreement may not

contribute towards the matching-fund

requirement.

Application Forms and Proposal

Preparation Kit

A new November 1996 version of the

ATP Proposal Preparation Kit is

available upon request from the ATP at

the address and phone numbers noted

in this notice. Note that the ATP mailed

the Kit to all those individuals whose

names are currently on the ATP mailing

list. The Kit contains proposal cover

sheets, other required forms,

background material, and instructions

for submission of proposals. All

proposals must be prepared in

accordance with the instructions in the

Kit.

Submission of Revised Proposals

An applicant may submit a full

proposal that is a revised version of a

full proposal submitted to a previous

ATP competition. NIST will examine

such proposals to determine whether

substantial revisions have been made.

Where the revisions are determined not

to be substantial, NIST reserves the right

to score and rank, or where appropriate,

to reject, such proposals based on

reviews of the previously submitted

proposal.

Other Requirements

(a) Federal Policies and Procedures.

Recipients and subrecipients are subject

to all Federal laws and Federal and

Department of Commerce policies,

regulations, and procedures applicable

to Federal financial assistance awards as

identified in the cooperative agreement

award.

(b) Past Performance. Unsatisfactory

performance under prior Federal awards

may result in a proposal not being

considered for funding.

(c) Pre-award Activities. If applicants

incur any costs prior to an award being

made, they do solely at their own risk

of not being reimbursed by the

Government. Only written authorization

from the NIST Grants Officer will

obligate NIST to cover pre-award costs.

(d) No Obligation for Future Funding.

If a proposal is selected for funding,

NIST has no obligation to provide any

additional future funding in connection

with that award. Renewal of an award

to increase funding or extend the period

of performance is at the total discretion

of NIST.

(e) Delinquent Federal Debts. No

award of Federal funds shall be made to

an applicant or recipient who has an

outstanding delinquent Federal debt

until either the delinquent account is

paid in full, a negotiated repayment

schedule is established and at least one

payment is received, or other

arrangements satisfactory to NIST are

made.

(f) Name Check Review. All for-profit

and non-profit applicants are subject to

a name check review process. Name

checks are intended to reveal if any key

individuals associated with the

applicant have been convicted of or are

presently facing criminal charges such

as fraud, theft, perjury, or other matters

which significantly reflect on the

applicant’s management, honesty, or

financial integrity.

(g) Primary Applicant Certification.

All primary applicants (including all

joint venture participants) must submit

a completed form CD–511,

‘‘Certifications Regarding Debarment,

Suspension, and Other Responsibility

Matters; Drug-Free Workplace

Requirements and Lobbying,’’ and the

following explanation is hereby

provided:

(1) Nonprocurement Debarment and

Suspension. Prospective participants, as

defined at 15 CFR part 26, section 105

are subject to 15 CFR part 26,

‘‘Nonprocurement Debarment and

Suspension’’ and the related section of

the certification form prescribed above

applies;

(2) Drug-Free Workplace. Grantees (as

defined at 15 CFR part 605) are subject

to 15 CFR 26, subpart F,

‘‘Governmentwide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)’’ and the

related section of the certification form

prescribed above applies;

(3) Anti-Lobbying. Persons (as defined

at 15 CFR part 28, section 105) are

subject to the lobbying provisions of 31

U.S.C. 1352, ‘‘Limitations on use of

appropriated funds to influence certain

Federal contracting and financial

transactions,’’ and the lobbying section

of the certification form prescribed

above applies to applications/bids for

grants, cooperative agreements, and

contracts for more than $100,000, and

loans and loan guarantees for more than

$150,000, or the single family maximum

mortgage limit for affected programs,

whichever is greater; and,

(4) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures. Any

applicant that has paid or will pay for

lobbying using any funds must submit

an SF–LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities,’’ as required under 15 CFR

part 28, Appendix B.

(h) Lower Tier Certification,

Recipients shall require applicants/

bidders for subgrants, contracts,

subcontracts, or other lower tier covered

transactions at any tier under the award

to submit, if applicable, a completed

Form CD–512, ‘‘Certifications Regarding

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility

and Voluntary Exclusion—Lower Tier

Covered Transactions and Lobbying’’

and Form SF–LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of

Lobbying Activities.’’ Although the CD–

512 is intended for the use of primary

recipients and should not be transmitted

to NIST, the SF–LLL submitted by any

tier recipient or subrecipient should be

forwarded in accordance with the

instructions contained in the award

document.

(i) False Statements. A false statement

on any application for funding under

ATP may be grounds for denial or

termination of funds and grounds for

possible punishment by a fine or

imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C.

1001.

(j) Intergovernmental Review. The

ATP does not involve the mandatory

payment of any matching funds from

state or local government and does not

affect directly any state or local

government. Accordingly, the

Department of Commerce has

determined that Executive Order 12372,

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs’’ is not applicable to this

program.

(k) American-Made Equipment and

Products. Applicants are hereby notified

that they are encouraged, to the greatest

extent practicable, to purchase

American-made equipment and

products with the funding provided

under this program in accordance with

Congressional intent.

(l) Paperwork Reduction Act. This

notice contains collection of

information requirements subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) which

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB Control

No. 0693–0009). Notwithstanding any

other provision of the law, no person is

required to respond to, nor shall any

person be subject to a penalty for failure

to comply with a collection of

information, subject to the requirements

of the PRA, unless that collection of

information displays a currently valid

OMB Control No.
7438 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 33 / Wednesday, February 19, 1997 / Notices

Dated: February 12, 1997.

Elaine Bunten-Mines,

Director, Program Office.

[FR Doc. 97–3996 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–13–M

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING

COMMISSION

Chicago Mercantile Exchange

Application for Designation as

Contract Markets for Futures and

Options on the New Zealand Dollar

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading

Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed contract

market rule change.

SUMMARY: The Chicago Mercantile

Exchange (CME or Exchange) has

applied for designation as a contract

market for futures and options on the

New Zealand Dollar. The Acting

Director of the Division of Economic

Analysis (Division) of the Commission,

acting pursuant to the authority

delegated by Commission Regulation

140.96, has determined that publication

of the proposals for comment is in the

public interest, will assist the

Commission in considering the views of

interested persons, and is consistent

with the purpose of the Commodity

Exchange Act.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before March 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons should

submit their views and commends to

Jean A. Webb, Secretary, Commodity

Futures Trading Commission, Three

Lafayette Centre, 21st Street, NW

Washington, DC 20581. In addition,

comments may be sent by facsimile

transmission to facsimile number (202)

418–5521, or by electronic mail to

secretary@cftc.gov. Reference should be

made to the CME New Zealand Dollar

futures and options contracts.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Please contact Stephen Sherrod of the

Division of Economic Analysis,

Commodity Futures Trading

Commission, Three Lafayette Centre,

21st Street NW, Washington, 20581,

telephone (202) 418–5277. Facsimile

number: (202) 418–5527. Electronic

mail: ssherrod@cftc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Copies of

the terms and conditions will be

available for inspection at the Office of

the Secretariat, Commodity Futures

Trading Commission, Three Lafayette

Centre, 21st Street NW, Washington, DC

20581. Copies of the terms and

conditions can be obtained through the

Office of the Secretariat by mail at the

above address or by phone at (202) 418–

5100.

Other materials submitted by the CME

in support of the applications for

contract market designation may be

available upon request pursuant to the

Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C.

552) and the Commission’s regulations

thereunder (17 C.F.R. Part 145 (1987)),

except to the extent they are entitled to

confidential treatment as set forth in 17

C.F.R. 145.5 and 145.9. Requests for

copies of such materials should be made

to the FOI, Privacy and Sunshine Act

Compliance Staff of the Office of

Secretariat at the Commission’s

headquarters in accordance with 17

C.F.R. 145.7 and 145.8.

Any person interested in submitting

written data, views, or arguments on the

proposed terms and conditions, or with

respect to other materials submitted by

the CME, should send such comments

to Jean A. Webb, Secretary, Commodity

Futures Trading Commission, Three

Lafayette Centre, 21st Street NW,

Washington, DC 20581 by the specified

date.

Issued in Washington, DC, on February 12,

1997.

Blake Imel,

Acting Director.

[FR Doc. 97–4003 Filed 2–18–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6351–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request

AGENCY: National Security Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

In compliance with Section

3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork

Reduction Act, the National Security

Agency announces a proposal to collect

information and seeks public comment

on the provisions thereof. Comments are

invited on: (a) whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the Agency, including

whether the information shall have

practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the

Agency’s estimate of the burden of the

proposed information collection; (c)

ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the information collection on

respondents, including through the use

of automated collection techniques or

other forms and information technology.

DATES: Consideration will be given to all

comments received by April 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and

recommendations on the proposed

information collection should be sent to

the Director, National Security Agency,

Attn: COTS Assistance and Evaluation

Division (NCAIP Coordinator), 9800

Savage Road STE 6740, Fort George G.

Meade, MD 20755–6740.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

To request additional information on

this proposed information collection or

to obtain a copy of the proposal and

associated collection instruments,

please write to the above address, or call

the NSA Commercial Advice

Information Program Coordinator at

(410) 859–4458.

Title, Associated Form, and OMB

Number: NSA Commercial Advice

Information Program, Provider Response

Form, Form Number TBD, OMB

Number TBD.

Needs and Uses: The information

collection requirement is necessary to

obtain and record essential contact

information and professional

qualifications of individuals interested

in providing technical advice to trusted

computer product vendors or

commercial evaluation facilities in

support of the NSA Trusted Product

Evaluation Program and the Trust

Technology Assessment Program. The

contact and technical capability

information obtained from prospective

providers will be published in one or

more public venues (e.g., Federal

Register, NSA computer systems for

Internet World Wide Web and

Dockmaster access, handbook or

brochure) to provide maximum

exposure to vendors and evaluation

facilities interested in obtaining advice

for commercial providers.

Affected Public: Any individual in the

private sector interested in providing

technical advice, on a fee-for-service or

other paid or unpaid basis, to trusted

product vendors or commercial

evaluation facilities.

Annual Burden Hours: 25.

Number of Respondents: 100.

Responses per Respondent: 1.

Average Burden per Response: 15

minutes.

Frequency: On occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Summary of Information Collection

The National Security Agency (NSA)

plans to implement a commercial advice

information program in support of its

Trusted Product Evaluation Program

(TPEP). The objective of the NSA

Commercial Advice Information

Program (NCAIP) is to provide a timely

source of information to vendors on

how to obtain technical advice for