210 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 1998 / Notices

Dated: December 24, 1997.

L.M. Bynum,

Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison

Officer, Department of Defense.

[FR Doc. 98–15 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 5000–04–M

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Assessment Governing

Board; Meeting

AGENCY: National Assessment

Governing Board; Education.

ACTION: Notice of partially closed

meeting.

SUMMARY: This notice sets forth the

schedule and proposed agenda of a

forthcoming meeting of the National

Assessment Governing Board. This

notice also describes the functions of

the Board. Notice of this meeting is

required under Section 10(a)(2) of the

Federal Advisory Committee Act.

DATES: January 21 and 22, 1998.

Time: January 21, Executive

committee, 5:00–6:00 p.m., (open),

6:00–7:00 p.m., (closed); Full Board,

7:00–8:30 p.m., (open). January 22, Full

Board, 8:00 a.m.–10:15, a.m., (open);

10:15 a.m.–11:15 a.m., (closed); 11:15

a.m.–4:30 p.m., (0pen).

Location: Capital Hilton Hotel, 1001

16th Street, NW, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mary Ann Wilmer, Operations Officer,

National Assessment Governing Board,

Suite 825, 800 North Capitol Street,

N.W., Washington, D.C., 20002–4233,

Telephone: (202) 357–6938.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

National Assessment Governing Board

is established under section 412 of the

National Education Statistics Act of

1994 (Title IV of the Improving

America’s Schools Act of 1994), (Pub. L.

103–382).

The Board is established to formulate

policy guidelines for the National

Assessment of Educational Progress.

The Board is responsible for selecting

subject areas to be assessed, developing

assessment objectives, identifying

appropriate achievement goals for each

grade and subject tested, and

establishing standards and procedures

for interstate and national comparisons.

Under P.L. 105–78, the National

Assessment Governing Board is also

granted exclusive authority over

developing Voluntary National Tests

pursuant to contract number

RJ97153001 and is required to review

within 90 days (i.e., by February 11,

1998) and modify the contract to the

extent the Board determines necessary,

if the contract cannot be modified to the

extent the Board determines necessary,

the contract shall be terminated, and a

new contract negotiated.

On January 21, in open session, 5:00–

6:00 p.m., the Executive Committee will

hear a proposal to use the NAEP 12th

grade sample in future longitudinal

studies related to student educational

patterns beyond high school. Then, the

Executive Committee will meet in

closed session from 6:00–7:00 p.m., to

discuss cost estimates for the FY 1998

NAEP contract and cost estimates for

the Request for Proposals for the 2000–

2002 NAEP contract. Public disclosure

of this information would likely have an

adverse financial affect on the NAEP

program. The discussion of this

information would be likely to

significantly frustrate implementation of

a proposed agency action if conducted

in open session. Such matters are

protected by exemption (9)(B) of Section

552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C.

Also, on January 21, from 7:00–8:30

p.m., the full Board will hear a

presentation on the TIMSS project and

view a video on the same subject.

On January 22, the full Board will

convene. In open session, 8:00 to 10:15

a.m., the Board will approve the agenda,

hear the Executive Director’s report, and

receive a report from the Special

Committee to Review the Voluntary

National Tests Contract. From 10:15 to

11:15 a.m., the Board will meet in

closed session to discuss the Special

Committee’s recommendations

concerning cost estimates for

development of the Voluntary National

Tests, and proposed staffing patterns for

implementation of the requirements of

the Voluntary National Tests contract.

This information relates to the source

selection criteria by which government

contracts may be modified or awarded.

Not only would the disclosure of such

data implicate proscriptions set forth in

the Federal Acquisition Regulations, but

also such disclosure would significantly

frustrate a proposed agency action.

Specifically, disclosure of the Board’s

discussion prematurely, including

contract specifications and government

cost estimates, could affect private

decisions made by the contractor which

might damage the financial interests of

the government as a whole, by, for

example, increasing the costs to the

government, and might make it

impossible for the two sides to reach

agreement. Such matters are protected

by exemption 9B of Section 552b(c) of

Title 5 U.S.C.

Beginning at 11:15 a.m., until

adjournment, approximately 4:30 p.m.,

the Board will convene in open session.

Agenda items for this open portion

include Board discussion and action on

other Special Committee

recommendations. Also, the Board will

hear an update on the reviews of the

reading and math Voluntary National

Tests specifications that were conducted

by Subject Area Committees #1 and #2.

Summaries of the activities of the

closed sessions and related matters,

which are informative to the public and

consistent with the policy of Section 5

U.S.C. 552b(c), will be available to the

public within 14 days of the meeting.

Records are kept of all Board

proceedings and are available for public

inspection at the U.S. Department of

Education, National Assessment

Governing Board, Suite 825, 800 North

Capitol Street, N.W., Washington, DC,

from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Dated: December 30, 1997.

Roy Truby,

Executive Director, National Assessment

Governing Board.

[FR Doc. 98–137 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–M

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Environment, Safety and

Health; Continuation of Solicitation for

Epidemiology and Other Health

Studies Financial Assistance Program

(Notice 98–01)

AGENCY: Department of Energy.

ACTION: Annual notice of continuation

of potential availability of grants and

cooperative agreements.

SUMMARY: The Office of Health Studies

within the Office of Environment, Safety

and Health of the Department of Energy

(DOE) announces its continuing interest

in receiving applications or preapplications for grants and cooperative

agreements for occupational and

environmental health studies of DOE

employees and DOE contractors, as well

as related DOE international health

programs, concerning nuclear weapons

research, development, production, use,

storage, and dismantling.

DATES: Deadlines for applications or

pre-applications will be contained in

separate notices of Availability to be

published at a later time in the Federal

Register that will address specific

program areas to be funded by the Office

of Health Studies in fiscal year 1998. All

applications accepted under these

subsequent notices must be received by

the Office of Health Studies on or before

September 30, 1998.

ADDRESSES: After the issuance of a

Notice of Availability, applicants may

obtain additional information from Dr.
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 2 / Monday, January 5, 1998 / Notices 211

Paul Seligman, Deputy Assistant

Secretary, Office of Health Studies (EH–

6), U.S. Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290; facsimile: 301–903–3445;

telephone: 301–903–5926.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

policies and procedures governing the

purpose and scope, program areas,

eligibility, application requirements,

evaluation criteria, and selection

procedures for the Office of Health

Studies Financial Assistance Program,

were published in the Federal Register

(60 FR 5838) on January 31, 1995, and

codified at 10 CFR part 602. Proposed

research applications and preapplications must comply with the

requirements set forth in part 602.

The three offices within the Office of

Health Studies (the Office of

International Health Programs, the

Office of Occupational Medicine and

Medical Surveillance, and the Office of

Epidemiologic Studies) promote studies

to identify and assess the health risks

associated with occupational or

environmental exposures to ionizing

radiation or toxic chemicals in the

following populations: employees of

DOE and DOE contractors (particularly

those at high risk for exposure to

ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals),

residents of communities near DOE

facilities, and populations throughout

the world at high risk for exposure to

ionizing radiation or toxic chemicals

resulting from accidental exposures or

proximity to nuclear or other energyrelated facilities. Access to and use of

information for conducting studies

under this notice will comply with the

Privacy Act of 1974 and DOE policies 60

FR 33510 regarding existing systems of

records published June 28, 1995.

For fiscal year 1998, the Office of

Health Studies estimates that

approximately $500,000 will be

available for grants or cooperative

agreements from the Office of

International Health Programs. The

number of awards made will depend on

the number of applications received for

which the results of competitive merit

review are favorable.

The Office of Occupational Medicine

and Medical Surveillance and the Office

of Epidemiologic Studies do not

anticipate having funds available to

support either cooperative agreements

or grants during fiscal year 1998 for

epidemiologic studies of the DOE

workforce or communities near DOE

facilities.

Pursuant to a Memorandum of

Understanding between DOE and the

Department of Health and Human

Services, published March 7, 1991 (56

FR 9701) and extended through fiscal

year 2000, additional funds for

occupational health studies may be

available through the National Institute

for Occupational Safety and Health

(NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention (CDC). See 62

FR 24657, published May 6, 1997, or

contact Mr. Larry Elliott, Chief, HealthRelated Energy Research Branch,

NIOSH, Mail Stop R–44, 4676 Columbia

Parkway, Cincinnati, OH 45226;

telephone: 513–841–4400; fax: 513–

841–4470; or e-mail: lje1@cdc.gov; or

Dr. Roy M. Fleming, Associate Director

for Grants, CDC, NIOSH, 1600 Clifton

Road, N.E., Building 1, Room 3053, Mail

Stop: D–30, Atlanta, Georgia 30333;

telephone: 404–639–3343; fax: 404–

639–2196; or e-mail: rmf2@cdc.gov.

Information on NIOSH grants is also

available through the Internet. The

NIOSH homepage address is: http://

www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html.

Once on the homepage, take the

following steps to find information on

grant funding opportunities: (1) Scroll

down to, and click on, Funding

Opportunities/Extramural Programs; (2)

click again on Current Funding

Opportunities; (3) click on Research

Grants; (4) scroll down to Past Funding

Opportunities; and (5) click on

Announcement No. 740. This is a

general announcement that is reissued

annually.

The National Center for

Environmental Health of CDC funds

radiation-related research in the

community setting, including dose

reconstruction studies, and anticipates

making available additional funding in

fiscal year 1998 for research grants. For

current information, contact Mr. Paul

Renard, Radiation Studies Branch,

NCEH, 4770 Buford Highway, N.E.,

Atlanta, GA 30341; telephone: 404–488–

7040.

DOE is under no obligation to pay for

any cost associated with the preparation

or submission of any application. DOE

reserves the right to fund, in whole or

in part, any, all, or none of the

applications submitted in response to

this notice. Results of studies carried

out as grants or cooperative agreements

with the Office of Health Studies will be

made available to DOE workers, to the

public, and to managers responsible for

protecting worker health and safety.

Data will be made available through

DOE’s Comprehensive Epidemiologic

Data Resource.

Issued in Washington, DC, on December

22, 1997.

Paul J. Seligman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Studies.

[FR Doc. 98–107 Filed 1–2–98; 8:45am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Energy Research and Office

of Environmental Management

Energy Research Financial Assistance

Program Notice 98–08; Environmental

Management Science Program:

Research Related to High Level

Radioactive Waste

AGENCY: Office of Energy Research and

Office of Environmental Management.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting grant

applications.

SUMMARY: The Offices of Energy

Research (ER) and Environmental

Management (EM), U.S. Department of

Energy, hereby announce their interest

in receiving grant applications for

performance of innovative, fundamental

research to support specific activities for

high level radioactive waste; which

include, but are not limited to,

characterization and safety, retrieval of

tank waste and tank closure,

pretreatment, and waste immobilization

and disposal.

DATES: Potential applicants are strongly

encouraged to submit a brief

preapplication. All preapplications,

referencing Program Notice 98–08,

should be received by DOE by 4:30 P.M.

E.S.T., January 27, 1998. A response

encouraging or discouraging a formal

application generally will be

communicated to the applicant within

three weeks of receipt. The deadline for

receipt of formal applications is 4:30

P.M., E.D.T., April 16, 1998, in order to

be accepted for merit review and to

permit timely consideration for award

in Fiscal Year 1998.

ADDRESSES: All preapplications,

referencing Program Notice 98–08,

should be sent to Dr. Roland F. Hirsch,

ER–73, Mail Stop F–240, Office of

Biological and Environmental Research,

U.S. Department of Energy, 19901

Germantown Road, Germantown, MD

20874–1290.

Preapplications will be accepted if

submitted by U. S. Postal Service,

including Express Mail, commercial

mail delivery service, or hand delivery,

but will not be accepted by fax,

electronic mail, or other means.

After receiving notification from DOE

concerning successful preapplications,