13506 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–4187–N–01]

Fiscal Year 1997 Notice of Funding

Availability for Community Outreach

Partnership Centers (COPC)

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Policy Development and

Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability

(NOFA) for Fiscal Year 1997.

SUMMARY: This NOFA announces the

availability of Fiscal Year 1997 funding

to make grants to establish and operate

Community Outreach Partnership

Centers (COPC).

Available funding. Approximately

$7.5 million to implement the fourth

year of this demonstration program. Eligible applicants. Public and private

nonprofit institutions of higher

education.

Purpose. To assist in establishing or

carrying out research and outreach

activities addressing the problems of

urban areas. Funding under this

demonstration program shall be used to

establish and operate Community

Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC). The NOFA contains information

concerning: (1) the principal objectives

of the competition, the funding

available, eligible applicants and

activities and factors for award; (2) the

application process, including how to

apply and how selections will be made;

and (3) a checklist of application

submission requirements.

DATES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING

APPLICATIONS: Application kits may be

requested on or after March 25, 1997. Applications must be physically

received by the Office of University

Partnerships, in care of the Division of

Budget, Contracts, and Program Control,

in Room 8230 by 4:30 p.m. Eastern

Standard Time on June 19, 1997.

Facsimiles of applications will not be

accepted. The above-stated application

deadline is firm as to date, hour and

place. In the interest of fairness to all

competing applicants, the Department

will treat as ineligible for consideration

any application that is received after the

deadline. Applicants should take this

practice into account and make early

submission of their materials to avoid

any risk of loss of eligibility brought

about by unanticipated delays or other

delivery-related problems. Applicants

hand-delivering applications are

advised that considerable delays may

occur in attempting to enter the building

because of security procedures.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the

application kit, contact: HUD USER,

ATTN: COPC, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville,

Maryland 20850. Requests for

application kits must be in writing, but

requests may be faxed to: 301–251–5747

(this is not a toll-free number). Requests

for application kits must include the

applicant’s name, mailing address

(including zip code), telephone number

(including area code) and must refer to

‘‘Document FR–4187.’’ The application

kit is also available on the Internet from

the Office of University Partnerships

Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse can

be accessed from the World Wide Web

at: http://oup.org; or from a Gopher

Server at: gopher://oup.org:89

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane

Karadbil, Office of University

Partnerships in the Office of Policy

Development and Research, Department

of Housing and Urban Development,

451 Seventh Street, S.W., Room 8110

Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202)

708–1537. Hearing or speech-impaired

individuals may call HUD’s TTY

number (202) 708–0770, or 1–800–877–

8399 (Federal Information Relay service

TTY). Other than the ‘‘800’’ number,

these are not toll-free numbers. Ms.

Karadbil can also be contacted via the

Internet at

JanelR.lKaradbil@hud.gov. An

information broadcast via satellite will

be held on April 30, 1997 for potential

applicants to learn more about the

program and preparation of an

application. For more information about

attending the broadcast, please contact

Ms. Karadbil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The information collection

requirements contained in this notice

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) under

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520) and assigned

OMB control number 2528–0180. An

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and

a person is not required to respond to,

a collection of information unless the

collection displays a valid control

number.

Promoting Comprehensive Approaches

to Housing and Community

Development

HUD is interested in promoting

comprehensive, coordinated approaches

to housing and community

development. Economic development,

community development, public

housing revitalization, homeownership,

assisted housing for special needs

populations, supportive services, and

welfare-to-work initiatives can work

better if linked at the local level.

Toward this end, the Department in

recent years has developed the

Consolidated Planning process designed

to help communities undertake such

approaches.

In this spirit, it may be helpful for

applicants under this NOFA to be aware

of other related HUD NOFAs that have

recently been published or are expected

to be published in this fiscal year. By

reviewing these NOFAs with respect to

their program purposes and the

eligibility of applicants and activities,

applicants may be able to relate the

activities proposed for funding under

this NOFA to the recent and upcoming

NOFAs and to the community’s

Consolidated Plan. Attached to this

NOFA, as Appendix A, is a list of HUD’s

NOFAs that the Department has

published or expects to publish this

fiscal year.

To foster comprehensive, coordinated

approaches by communities, the

Department intends for the remainder of

FY 1997 to continue to alert applicants

of HUD’s NOFA activity. In addition, a

complete schedule of NOFAs to be

published during the fiscal year and

those already published appears under

the HUD Homepage on the Internet,

which can be accessed at http://

www.hud.gov/nofas.html. Additional

steps to better coordinated HUD’s

NOFAs are being considered for FY

1998.

To help in obtaining a copy of your

community’s Consolidated Plan, please

contact the community development

office of your municipal government.

I. Purpose and Substantive Description

A. Authority

This competition is authorized under

the Community Outreach Partnership

Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 5307 note;

hereafter referred to as the ‘‘COPC Act’’).

The COPC Act is contained in section

851 of the Housing and Community

Development Act of 1992 (Pub.L. 102–

550, approved October 28, 1992) (HCD

Act of 1992). Section 801(c) of the HCD

Act of 1992 authorizes $7.5 million for

each year of the 5-year demonstration to

create Community Outreach Partnership

Centers as authorized in the COPC Act.

The COPC Act also required HUD to

establish a national clearinghouse to

disseminate information resulting from

research and outreach conducted at the

centers.

COPC is administered by the Office of

University Partnerships (OUP) in the

Office of Policy Development and

Research. OUP is responsible for five of

the Department’s grant programs for

institutions of higher education—

Community Outreach Partnership

Centers program, Joint Community
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices 13507

Development program, Community

Development Work Study program,

Hispanic-serving Institutions Work

Study program, and the Doctoral

Dissertation Grant program. In addition,

OUP is responsible for a variety of new

outreach initiatives to involve these

institutions in local community

development, public housing, and

revitalization partnerships.

B. Allocation and Form of Award

The competition in this NOFA is for

up to $7.5 million to fund the fourth

year of the COPC program authorized as

indicated above.

Under this NOFA, HUD will fund two

kinds of grants—New Grants and

Institutionalization Grants. New Grants

will be awarded to institutions of higher

education to begin or expand their

applied research and outreach activities.

Institutionalization Grants will be

awarded to certain COPC grantees to

help ensure that their COPC activities

are institutionalized as an integral part

of the teaching, research, and service

missions of their colleges and

universities. There will be two separate

competitions within this year’s funding.

To institutionalize their COPC

functions, up to $1.4 million will be setaside for a competition among the

grantees awarded two-year grants in FY

1995. Up to $6.1 million will be used to

fund new COPC grantees. HUD has

administratively determined that FY

1995 grantees are only eligible for

Institutionalization Grants, not for New

Grants. (FY 1994 and FY 1996 COPC

grantees are not eligible for either kind

of grant, nor are universities that

received Joint Community Development

Program grants.) If any funds set-aside

for Institutionalization Grants are not

awarded, they will be used instead as

part of the funding for New Grantees,

funding these grantees in rank order

based on the rating factors. (Program

requirements for Institutionalization

Grants are the same as for New Grants,

except as noted in Section IV of this

NOFA, below.) It is estimated that

approximately 15 COPC awards to new

grantees can be made with the $6.1

million available.

Each New Grant will be for a threeyear period of performance (i.e.,

applicants must complete their

proposed activities within three years).

The maximum size of any New Grant

will be $400,000, while the minimum

will be $250,000. Both amounts are over

the three year grant period. Applicants

must submit an application within this

range or they will be disqualified.

Several applicants were disqualified last

year because they asked for $400,000 for

each of the three years of the grant

period. Each Institutionalization Grant

will be for a one-year period, with a

maximum grant size of $100,000.

Applicants for Institutionalization

Grants will be disqualified if they

request more than the maximum

allowable amount.

C. Description of Competition

The Congress has mandated that the

Department carry out ‘‘a 5-year

demonstration to determine the

feasibility of facilitating partnerships

between institutions of higher education

and communities to solve urban

problems through research, outreach

and the exchange of information.’’

The COPC Act stipulates that grants

are to go to public and private

institutions of higher education to

establish and operate COPCs. These

COPCs shall: ‘‘(A) Conduct competent

and qualified research and investigation

on theoretical or practical problems in

large and small cities; and (B) Facilitate

partnerships and outreach activities

between institutions of higher

education, local communities, and local

governments to address urban

problems.’’

Grants under the COPC program must

focus on the following specific

problems: ‘‘problems associated with

housing, economic development,

neighborhood revitalization,

infrastructure, health care, job training,

education, crime prevention, planning,

community organizing, and other areas

deemed appropriate by the Secretary.’’

Furthermore, the COPC Act states:

‘‘The Secretary shall give preference to

institutions of higher education that

undertake research and outreach

activities by bringing together

knowledge and expertise in the various

social science and technical disciplines

that relate to urban problems.’’

COPC programs must combine

research with outreach, work with

communities and local governments and

address the multi-dimensional problems

that beset urban areas. Single purpose

applications are not eligible.

Applications must be multifaceted and

address three or more urban problems,

as described in selection factor #1. The

scope of applications for

Institutionalization Grants is covered

elsewhere below.

To be most effective during the term

of the demonstration, the funded

research must have a clear near-term

potential for solving specific, significant

urban problems. The selected

institutions must have the capacity to

apply their research results and to work

with communities and local

institutions, including neighborhood

groups, in applying these results to

specific real-life urban problems.

The five key concepts of the COPC

program are:

(1) The program should provide

outreach, technical assistance, applied

research, and empowerment to

neighborhoods and neighborhood-based

organizations based on what the

residents decide is needed, not based on

what the institution thinks is

appropriate for that neighborhood;

(2) Community-based organizations

should be partners with the institutions

throughout the life of the project, from

planning to implementation;

(3) The applied research should be

related to the outreach activities and be

usable in these activities within the

grant period or shortly after it ends,

rather than research without practical

application;

(4) The assistance to neighborhoods

should be provided primarily by the

faculty, students, or to a limited extent,

by neighborhood residents or

community-based organizations funded

by the university; and

(5) The program should be part of the

institution’s broader effort to meet its

urban mission, and be supported by

senior officials, rather than just the work

of a few faculty members. Proposed

activities should not duplicate those of

other entities in the community and

should be appropriate for an institution

of higher education to undertake in light

of its teaching, research, and service

missions.

D. Eligible Applicants

Applicants for this competition must

be public or private nonprofit

institutions of higher education granting

two-or four-year degrees and accredited

by a national or regional accrediting

agency recognized by the U.S.

Department of Education. Consortia of

eligible institutions may apply, as long

as one institution is designated the lead

applicant. Each institution may be part

of only one consortium or submit only

one application or it will be

disqualified. HUD will hold an

institution responsible for ensuring that

neither it nor any part of the institution,

including specific faculty, participates

in more than one application.

Applicants must submit proposals that

address the problems of urban areas (see

rating factor 1, for further enumeration

of these problems).

Different campuses of the same

university system are eligible to apply,

even if one campus has already received

COPC funding. Such campuses are

eligible as separate applicants only if

they have administrative and budgeting
13508 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

structures independent of other

campuses in the system.

E. Program Requirements

Grantees must meet the following

program requirements:

1. Responsibilities. In accordance with

section 851(h) of the HCD Act of 1992,

each COPC shall:

‘‘(a) Employ the research and outreach

resources of its sponsoring institution of

higher education to solve specific urban

problems identified by communities

served by the Center;

(b) Establish outreach activities in

areas identified in the grant application

as the communities to be served;

(c) Establish a community advisory

committee comprised of representatives

of local institutions and residents of the

communities to be served to assist in

identifying local needs and advise on

the development and implementation of

strategies to address those issues;

(d) Coordinate outreach activities in

communities to be served by the Center;

(e) Facilitate public service projects in

the communities served by the Center;

(f) Act as a clearinghouse for

dissemination of information;

(g) Develop instructional programs,

convene conferences, and provide

training for local community leaders,

when appropriate; and

(h) Exchange information with other

Centers.

The clearinghouse function in (f)

above refers to a local or regional

clearinghouse for dissemination of

information and is separate and distinct

from the functions in (h) above, which

relate to the provision of information to

the University Partnerships

Clearinghouse, which is the national

clearinghouse for the program.

2. Cap on Research Costs. No more

than 25 percent of the total project costs

(Federal share plus match) can be spent

on research activities.

3. Match. Grantees must meet the

following match requirements. Note, as

shown in the selection factors (II.A.(2)),

applicants will receive points for

providing matching funds above those

required.

(a) Research Activities. 50 percent of

the total project costs of establishing

and operating research activities.

(b) Outreach Activities. 25 percent of

the total project costs of establishing

and operating outreach activities.

This non-Federal share may include

cash or the value of non-cash

contributions, equipment and other

allowable in-kind contributions as

detailed in 24 CFR Part 84, and in

particular Section 84.23 entitled ‘‘cost

sharing or matching.’’

In order to avoid confusion about the

calculation of the match, an example is

provided.

Assume that the total project cost for

a COPC was $500,000, with $125,000 for

research and $375,000 for outreach.

Note that this project meets the

requirement that no more than onequarter of the total project costs be for

research. The total amount of the

required match would be $156,250. The

research match would be $62,500

($125,000×50 percent) and the outreach

match would be $93,750 ($375,000×25

percent). The Federal grant requested

would be $343,750 ($500,000 minus the

match of $156,250). In calculating the

match, administrative costs should be

applied to the appropriate attributable

outreach or research component.

4. Administrative. The grant will be

governed by the provision of 24 CFR

Part 84 (Grants and Agreements with

Institutions of Higher Education,

Hospitals and other Nonprofit

Organizations), A–122 (Cost Principles

for Nonprofit Organizations), and A–133

(Audits of Institutions of Higher

Education and other Nonprofit

Institutions), as implemented at 24 CFR

part 45. No more than 20% of the

Federal grant funds may be used for

planning and program administrative

costs. Overhead costs directly related to

carrying out activities under research

and outreach need not be considered

planning and program administrative

costs, since those costs are eligible

under that section. The 20% limitation

imposed under this program applies

only to Federal funds received through

this grant, not to matching funds.

F. Eligible Activities

Eligible activities include:

1. Research activities which have

practical application for solving specific

problems in designated communities

and neighborhoods, including

evaluation of the effectiveness of the

outreach activities. Such activities may

not total more than one-quarter of the

total project costs contained in any grant

made under this NOFA (including the

required 50 percent match).

2. Outreach, technical assistance and

information exchange activities which

are designed to address specific urban

problems in designated communities

and neighborhoods. Such activities

must total no less than three-quarters of

the total project costs contained in any

grant made under this NOFA (including

the required 25 percent match).

Examples of outreach activities

include, but are not limited to:

(a) Job training and other training

projects, such as workshops, seminars

and one-on-one and on-the-job training;

(b) Design of community strategies to

resolve urban problems of communities

and neighborhoods;

(c) Innovative use of funds to provide

direct technical expertise and assistance

to local community groups and

residents to assist them in resolving

local problems such as homelessness,

housing discrimination, and

impediments to fair housing choice;

(d) Technical assistance in business

start-up activities for low-and moderateincome individuals and organizations,

including business start-up training and

technical expertise and assistance,

mentor programs, assistance in

developing small loan funds, business

incubators, etc;

(e) Technical assistance to local

public housing authorities on welfareto-work initiatives and physical

transformations of public or assisted

housing;

(f) Assistance to communities to

improve consolidated housing and

community development plans and

remove impediments to design and

implementation of such plans; and

(g) Assistance to communities to

improve the fair housing planning

process.

3. Funds for faculty development

including paying for course time or

summer support to enable faculty

members to work on the COPC.

4. Funds for stipends for students

(which cannot cover tuition and fees)

when they are working on the COPC.

5. Activities to carry out the

‘‘Responsibilities’’ listed under Section

I.E.1 of this NOFA. These activities may

include leases for office space in which

to house the Community Outreach

Partnership Center, under the following

conditions:

a. The lease must be for existing

facilities;

b. No repairs or renovations of the

property may be undertaken with

Federal funds; and

c. Properties in the Coastal Barrier

Resource System designated under the

Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C.

3501) cannot be leased with Federal

funds.

G. Ineligible Activities

Grants funds cannot be used for:

1. Research activities which have no

clear and immediate practical

application for solving urban problems

or do not address specific problems in

designated communities and

neighborhoods.

2. Any type of construction,

rehabilitation, or other physical

development costs.

3. Costs used for routine operations

and day-to-day administration of regular
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices 13509

programs of institutions of higher

education, local governments or

neighborhood groups.

II. Rating Factors/Selection Process for

New Grantees

A. Rating Factors

HUD will use the following criteria to

rate and rank applications for New

Grants received in response to this

NOFA. Several modifications have been

made to the factors, as they were issued

last year. These modifications are

described below. Selection factors for

Institutionalization Grants are described

below in Section IV of this NOFA.

The factors and maximum points for

each factor are provided below. The

maximum number of points is 100.

Rating of the ‘‘applicant’’ or the

‘‘applicant’s organization and staff,’’

unless otherwise specified, will include

any sub-contractors, consultants and

sub-recipients which are firmly

committed to the project.

(1) (5 points) The demonstrated

research and outreach resources

available to the applicant for carrying

out the purposes of the COPC Act. In

rating this factor, HUD will consider the

extent to which the applicant’s

organization and staff have recent,

relevant and successful experience in:

(a) Undertaking research activities in

specific communities which have clear

near-term potential for practical

application to significant urban

problems associated with affordable

housing, fair housing, economic

development, neighborhood

revitalization, infrastructure, health

care, job training, education, crime

prevention, planning and community

organizing, and

(b) Undertaking outreach activities in

specific communities to solve or

ameliorate significant urban problems.

Under this factor, HUD will also

evaluate the capability of the applicant

to provide leadership in solving

community problems and in making

national contributions to solving longterm and immediate urban problems. In

assessing this factor, HUD will look at

past and current relevant projects of the

applicant with community-based

organizations or local governments.

(2) (10 points) The demonstrated

commitment of the applicant to

supporting research and outreach

programs by providing matching

contributions for the Federal assistance

received. In rating this factor, HUD will

provide an increasing number of points

for increasing amounts of contributions

beyond the statutory 50 percent for

research and 25 percent for outreach, up

to a maximum of five points. Maximum

points will be awarded for applications

that secure 50 percent more than the

amount of match required. Because the

Department is interested in promoting

the institutionalization of COPC

projects, up to an additional five points

will be awarded for the extent to which

matching funds are provided from

sources other than the applicant (e.g.,

funds from the city, including CDBG,

other State or local government

agencies, public or private

organizations, or foundations). Factor 7

has been reduced by five points to

compensate for the points added to this

factor.

(3) (10 points) The extent of need in

the communities to be served by the

applicant. The applicant must

demonstrate that it is serving areas with

substantial low-income populations,

low standards of living, and large

numbers of empty or abandoned

dwellings. HUD will consider the extent

to which the proposal clearly delineates

a need or needs in the specific

communities or neighborhoods, that can

be resolved through the activities of a

COPC. The applicant must demonstrate

how these needs were determined and

how the COPC will help resolve these

needs.

The applicant should demonstrate a

strong familiarity (based on sufficient

investigation) with the existing and

planned efforts of government agencies,

community-based organizations, faithbased institutions, for-profit firms and

any other entities to address such needs

in the communities to be served, and

should demonstrate that the applicant

can cost-effectively complement any

such efforts to attain measurable

impacts.

(4) (5 points) The demonstrated

ability of the applicant to disseminate

results of research and successful

strategies developed through outreach

activities to other COPCs and

communities served through this

demonstration program. In rating this

factor, HUD will evaluate the past

experience of the applicant’s staff and

the scope and the quality of the

applicant’s proposal to disseminate

information on COPC research results

and strategies to: (a) local communities

in its area and (b) other communities

and COPCs through the OUP

Clearinghouse.

(5) (35 points) The projects and

activities that the applicant proposes to

carry out under the grant. This factor

has three sub-factors: (a) effectiveness of

the research strategy (5 points); (b)

effectiveness of the outreach strategy (15

points); and (c) work on specific HUD

priority activities (15 points).

(a) In rating the effectiveness of the

research strategy, HUD will consider:

(i) The extent to which the applicant’s

proposal outlines a clear research

agenda, based on a thorough familiarity

with existing research on the subject,

that can be successfully carried out

within the grant period. (The applicant

should demonstrate that the proposed

research builds on existing research in

the field and does not duplicate

research previously completed, or

currently underway, by others.); and

(ii) The extent to which the applicant

demonstrates how the research to be

undertaken will fit into the outreach

strategy and activities. For example, an

applicant proposing to study the extent

of housing abandonment in a

neighborhood and then designing a plan

for reusing this housing would be able

to demonstrate the link between the

proposed research and outreach

strategies.

(b) In rating the effectiveness of the

outreach strategy factor, HUD will

consider the extent to which:

(i) The application identifies a clear

outreach agenda related to locallyidentified needs that can be successfully

carried out within the period of this

grant. In assessing this sub-factor, HUD

will look at whether the agenda

includes specific projects, based on the

needs identified in Selection Factor 3,

with time lines within the grant period.

(ii) The outreach agenda includes

design or strengthening and

implementation of a community strategy

to resolve community and neighborhood

problems. Applicants will be expected

to have involved the community in

designing the strategy and to identify an

agenda that they have already worked

with the community to design.

Applicants should refer to concepts 1

and 2 of the key concepts of the

program, under Section I.C., to

understand the kinds of community

strategy HUD would fund.

(iii) There is a plan for involving the

university in the execution of the

outreach strategy; and

(iv) The outreach program provides

for on-site or a frequent presence in the

communities and neighborhoods to be

assisted through outreach activities.

(c) (15 points) HUD Priority Areas.

(i) If all of the applicant’s research

and outreach agenda is to be in an

Empowerment Zone or Enterprise

Community, five (5) points will be

awarded.

(ii) If some of an applicant’s research

and outreach agenda is related to public

housing transformation, HUD-assisted

distressed housing, or Campus of

Learners/Neighborhood Networks, five

(5) points will be awarded. These
13510 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

programs are described in more detail in

the application kit.

In awarding points for these two subfactors, HUD will look for evidence of

participation, including letters from the

responsible entities describing the

relationship and work to be undertaken.

The level of work to be devoted to these

priority areas will be based on the

percentage of the COPC grant and

matching funds proposed to be spent on

them.

(iii) If some of the applicant’s work is

on activities that affirmatively further

fair housing, for example: (a)

overcoming impediments to fair

housing, such as discrimination in the

sale or rental of housing or in

advertising, provision of brokerage

services, or lending; (b) promoting fair

housing through the expansion of

homeownership opportunities and

improved quality of city services for

minorities, families with children, and

persons with disabilities; or (c)

providing mobility counseling, five (5)

points will be awarded.

(6) (15 points) The extent of

neighborhood and neighborhood based

organization and local government

participation in the planning and

implementation of the COPC. The

points for this factor have been

increased from 10 points in last year’s

NOFA to reflect the addition of

subfactor (d). In rating this factor, HUD

will consider whether:

(a) One or more community advisory

committees, meeting the tests of subfactors (b) and (c) immediately below,

comprised of representatives of local

institutions and a balance of the race,

ethnic, disability status, gender and

income of residents of the communities

to be served has been or will be formed

to participate in identifying local needs

to be addressed by the COPC and to

form a partnership with the COPC to

develop and implement strategies to

address those needs. Applicants will be

expected to demonstrate that they have

already formed such a committee(s) or

secured the commitment of the

appropriate persons to serve on the

committee(s), rather than just describing

generally the types of persons whose

involvement they will seek.

(b) There is a plan for involving the

community advisory committee(s) in the

execution of the research and outreach

agenda; and

(c) The outreach agenda includes

training projects for local community

leaders, for example, to increase their

capacity to direct their organizations or

undertake various kinds of community

development projects.

(d) The research and outreach plans

show evidence of consultation and

collaboration with the appropriate local

government. This subfactor has been

added in order to ensure that COPC

activities are part of the broader plans

a city has for the neighborhoods affected

by the application.

(7) (20 points) The extent to which the

proposed COPC will result in the COPC

function and activities becoming part of

the urban mission of the institution. In

reviewing this factor, HUD will consider

the extent to which the COPC activities

relate to the institution’s urban mission,

are part of a climate that rewards faculty

and student work on these activities,

and are reflected in course work. HUD

will also look at the extent to which

these activities are supported at the

highest levels of institutional

leadership.

B. Selection Process for New Grantees

Applications for funding under this

NOFA will be evaluated competitively

and points will be awarded as specified

in the Rating Factors section described

above. After assigning points based

upon the factors all applications will be

listed in rank order. Applications will

then be funded in rank order until all

available funds have been expended.

However, in order to be funded, an

applicant must receive a minimum

score of 70. HUD reserves the right to

fund all or portions of the proposed

activities identified in each application,

based upon the eligibility of the

proposed activities.

If two or more applications have the

same number of points, the application

with the most points for rating factor (7)

shall be selected. If there is still a tie,

the application with the most points for

rating factor (6) shall be selected.

If the amount remaining after funding

as many of the highest ranking

applications as possible is insufficient

for the next highest ranking application,

HUD shall determine (based upon the

proposed activities) if it is feasible to

fund part of the application and offer a

smaller grant to the applicant. If HUD

determines that given the proposed

activities a smaller grant amount would

render the activities infeasible, or if the

applicant turns down the reduced grant

amount, HUD shall make the same

determination for the next highest

ranking application until all

applications with scores of at least 70

points or available funds have been

exhausted.

C. Geographic Distribution

HUD reserves the right to make

selections out of rank order to provide

for a geographic distribution of funded

COPCs. The approach HUD will use, if

it decides to implement this option, will

be based on combining two adjacent

standard HUD regions (e.g., Southwest

and Southeast Regions, Great Plains and

Midwest Regions, etc.) If the rank order

does not yield at least one fundable

COPC within each combined region,

then HUD may select the highest

ranking application from such a

combination, as long as the minimum

score of 70 is achieved.

It is HUD’s intent to fund at least one

eligible applicant (see Section I.D. of

this NOFA) that serves the colonias, as

defined by Section 916(d) of the

Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable

Housing Act, as long as the applicant

receives a minimum score of 70.

III. Application Content and Review

Process

Applicants must complete and submit

applications in accordance with

instructions contained in the

application kit and must include all

certifications, assurances, and budget

information requested in the kit.

Following the expiration of the

application submission deadline, HUD

will review and rank applications in a

manner consistent with the procedures

described in this Notice.

IV. Program and Application

Requirements for Institutionalization

Grants

(a) General Requirements. All

requirements of Parts I and III of this

NOFA apply also to this part unless

otherwise herein noted. The maximum

size of any Institutionalization Grant

will be $100,000, and grant requests

shall not exceed this amount. The term

of the grant will be for one year. If the

grantee proposes entirely new activities,

it may conduct activities under both

grants, until funds from both are fully

expended. If the applicant proposes

continuation of current activities, it

must expend all the funds under the

current grant before expending any new

funds under an Institutionalization

Grant. Current grantees may request a

no-cost extension from HUD if

necessary to finish expending all their

FY 1995 grant funds.

(b) Eligible Applicants. Only

institutions awarded COPC grants in FY

1995 are eligible for Institutionalization

Grants. These grantees are not eligible

for New Grants. Institutionalization

Grants to current grantees will be for a

one-year period. Current COPC grantees

that received grants as consortia must

apply again as consortia, with all

current member institutions

participating in the proposed

Institutionalization Grant, and with the

same lead applicant as in their current

COPC.
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices 13511

(c) Eligible Activities. Instead of

proposing a range of activities to be

undertaken, applicants should propose

activities that will bring their COPC

projects to a successful conclusion or

could result in securing funding to

continue either current or new COPC

activities from other sources, such as

local governments or foundations.

(d) Rating Factors/Selection Process.

(i) Rating Factors. The selection

factors contained in Section II.A. of this

NOFA have been modified. Applicants

will be required to meet three selection

factors (which are simply consolidations

of the factors used for new grantees),

summarized as ‘‘Past Performance,’’

‘‘Proposed Activities,’’ and ‘‘Potential

for Institutionalization.’’ Each factor and

the maximum points assigned to it are

described below:

((a)) (30 points) The demonstrated

past performance of the applicant, as

measured by: the research and outreach

resources made available to the

applicant under the current COPC grant;

the ability of the applicant to provide

local leadership and disseminate results

of the grant; and the effectiveness of the

activities undertaken in the grant.

((b)) (30 points) The effectiveness of

the proposed research and outreach

activities, as measured by: need for the

activities; involvement of the

community in these activities;

demonstrated commitment of the

application by providing a matching

contribution; and likelihood that these

activities can be successfully carried out

within the grant period.

((c)) (40 points) The potential of the

proposed outreach strategy to ensure

institutionalization of the COPC

functions at the college or university, as

measured by the extent to which the

proposed COPC functions will become

an integral part of the teaching, research

and urban service mission of the

institution and the extent to which the

COPC activities are supported by the

highest levels of institutional

leadership. In reviewing this factor,

HUD will consider the extent to which

the COPC activities are part of and will

enhance a broader set of existing or

planned activities and will foster a

culture that rewards faculty and student

work on these activities.

(ii) Selection Process. An applicant

must receive a score of at least 70 points

in order to be funded. Applications will

be rated but not ranked. There is

sufficient funding for all eligible

applications. Applications requesting

over $100,000 will be ineligible.

V. Corrections to Deficient Applications

After the submission deadline date,

HUD will screen each application to

determine whether it is complete. If an

application lacks certain technical items

or contains a technical error, such as an

incorrect signatory, HUD will notify the

applicant in writing that it has 14

calendar days from the date of HUD’s

written notification to cure the technical

deficiency. If the applicant fails to

submit the missing material within the

14-day cure period, HUD may disqualify

the application.

This 14-day cure period applies only

to non-substantive deficiencies or

errors. Any deficiency capable of cure

will involve only items not necessary

for HUD to assess the merits of an

application against the factors specified

in this NOFA.

VI. Findings and Certifications

Federalism Impact

The General Counsel, as the

Designated Official under section 6(a) of

Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has

determined that the policies and

procedures contained in this notice will

not have substantial direct effects on

States or their political subdivisions, or

the relationship between the federal

government and the States, or on the

distribution of power and

responsibilities among the various

levels of government. As a result, the

notice is not subject to review under the

Order.

Specifically, the notice solicits

participation in an effort to provide

assistance to institutions of higher

education for establishing and carrying

out research and outreach activities

addressing the problems of urban areas.

The COPCs established under this

notice will work with local

communities to help resolve urban

problems. The notice does not impinge

upon the relationships between the

Federal government and State or local

governments.

Impact on the Family

The General Counsel, as the

Designated Official under Executive

Order 12606, The Family, has

determined that this notice will likely

have a beneficial impact on family

formation, maintenance, and general

well-being. The assistance to be

provided by the funding under this

NOFA is expected to help local

residents to become self-sufficient by

improving living conditions and

standards. Accordingly, since the

impact on the family is beneficial, no

further review is considered necessary.

Accountability in the Provision of HUD

Assistance.

Section 102 of the Department of

Housing and Urban Development

Reform Act of 1989 (HUD Reform Act)

and the final rule codified at 24 CFR

part 4, subpart A, published on April 1,

1996 (61 FR 1448), contain a number of

provisions that are designed to ensure

greater accountability and integrity in

the provision of certain types of

assistance administered by HUD. On

January 14, 1992, HUD published, at 57

FR 1942, a notice that also provides

information on the implementation of

section 102. The documentation, public

access, and disclosure requirements of

section 102 are applicable to assistance

awarded under this NOFA as follows:

Documentation and public access

requirements. HUD will ensure that

documentation and other information

regarding each application submitted

pursuant to this NOFA are sufficient to

indicate the basis upon which

assistance was provided or denied. This

material, including any letters of

support, will be made available for

public inspection for a five-year period

beginning not less than 30 days after the

award of the assistance. Material will be

made available in accordance with the

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

552) and HUD’s implementing

regulations at 24 CFR part 15. In

addition, HUD will include the

recipients of assistance pursuant to this

NOFA in its Federal Register notice of

all recipients of HUD assistance

awarded on a competitive basis.

Disclosures. HUD will make available

to the public for five years all applicant

disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880)

submitted in connection with this

NOFA. Update reports (also Form 2880)

will be made available along with the

applicant disclosure reports, but in no

case for a period less than three years.

All reports—both applicant disclosures

and updates—will be made available in

accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and

HUD’s implementing regulations at 24

CFR part 15.

Prohibition Against Advance

Information on Funding Decisions

HUD’s regulation implementing

section 103 of the Department of

Housing and Urban Development

Reform Act of 1989, codified as 24 CFR

part 4, applies to the funding

competition announced today. The

requirements of the rule continue to

apply until the announcement of the

selection of successful applicants. HUD

employees involved in the review of

applications and in the making of

funding decisions are limited by part 4

from providing advance information to

any person (other than an authorized

employee of HUD) concerning funding

decisions, or from otherwise giving any
13512 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 54 / Thursday, March 20, 1997 / Notices

applicant an unfair competitive

advantage. Persons who apply for

assistance in this competition should

confine their inquiries to the subject

areas permitted under 24 CFR part 4.

Applicants or employees who have

ethics related questions should contact

HUD’s Ethics Law Division (202) 708–

3815. (This is not a toll-free number.)

Byrd Amendment

The Byrd Amendment, which is

implemented in regulations at 24 CFR

part 87, prohibits applicants for Federal

contracts and grants from using

appropriated funds to attempt to

influence Federal executive or

legislative officers or employees in

connection with obtaining such

assistance, or with its extension,

continuation, renewal, amendment or

modification. The Byrd Amendment

applies to the funds that are subject to

this NOFA. Therefore, applicants must

file a certification stating that they have

not made and will not make any

prohibited payments and, if payments

or agreement to make payments of

nonappropriated funds for these

purposes have been made, a SF-LLL

disclosing such payments should be

submitted. The certification and the SFLLL are included in the application

package issued pursuant to this NOFA.

Protection of Human Subjects

45 CFR part 46, Subtitle A on the

protection of human subjects does not

apply to the COPC program because the

research activities to be conducted

under the program are only incidentally

regulated by the Department solely as

part of its broader responsibility to

regulate certain types of activities

whether research or non-research in

nature.

Environmental Impact

A Finding of No Significant Impact

with respect to the environment has

been made in accordance with HUD

regulations at 25 CFR part 50,

implementing section 102(2)(C) of the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). The Finding of

No Significant Environmental Impact is

available for public inspection during

business hours in the Office of the Rules

Docket Clerk, Room 10276, U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban

Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20410–0500.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

The Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance number for this program is

14.511.

Dated: February 10, 1997.

Michael A. Stegman,

Assistant Secretary for Policy Development

and Research.

APPENDIX A—HUD NOFAS PUBLISHED AND EXPECTED TO BE PUBLISHED IN FY 1997

Office Program

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Indian Emergency Shelter Grants.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Traditional Indian Housing Development.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Indian HOME Program.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Indian Community Devt. Block Grant.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Family Unification.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Comprehensive Improvement Assistance Program (CIAP).

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Demo/Revitalization/HOPE VI.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Public Housing Drug Elimination Grant.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Tenant Opportunity Program.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Economic Development and Supportive Services.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Drug Elimination Technical Assistance.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Service Coordinators.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Section 8/Designated Housing.

Public and Indian Housing ........................................................................ Moving to Work Demonstration.

Housing ..................................................................................................... Drug Elimination—Housing Programs.

Housing ..................................................................................................... 202 Elderly Housing.

Housing ..................................................................................................... 811 Disabled Housing.

Housing ..................................................................................................... Single Family Counseling.

Housing ..................................................................................................... Crime/Security.

Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity ........................................................ Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP).

Community Planning and Development ................................................... Historically Black Colleges.

Community Planning and Development ................................................... Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Including:

Section 1403 Supportive Housing.

Section 1405 Section 8 SRO.

Section 1406 Shelter Plus Care.

Community Planning and Development ................................................... Youthbuild.

Community Planning and Development ................................................... Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)—competitive.

Policy Development and Research .......................................................... *Community Development Work Study Published March 4, 1997 (62

FR 9898).

Policy Development and Research .......................................................... Community Outreach Partnership Centers.

Policy Development and Research .......................................................... Hispanic Serving Institutions.

Lead-based Paint ...................................................................................... Lead-based Paint Hazard Reduction.

[FR Doc. 97–7018 Filed 3–19–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210–33–P