Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 1998 / Notices 29465

(SSA)

Social Security Administration,

DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W.

Brickenkamp, 1–A–21 Operations Bldg.,

6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD

21235.

To receive a copy of any of the forms

or clearance packages, call the SSA

Reports Clearance Officer on (410) 965–

4145 or write to him at the address

listed above.

Dated: May 21, 1998.

Frederick W. Brickenkamp,

Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–14263 Filed 5–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–P

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Bureau of Public Affairs

[Public Notice #2826]

Advisory Committee on Historical

Diplomatic Documentation Notice of

Charter Renewal and Meeting

The Advisory Committee on

Historical Diplomatic Documentation

renewed its charter on March 18, 1998.

This Advisory committee will continue

to make recommendations to the

Historian and the Department on all

aspects of the Foreign Relation’s

program as well on the Department of

State’s responsibility under the statute

to open its 30-year old and older records

for public review at the National

Archives and Record Administration.

The Committee consists of nine

members drawn from among historians,

political scientists, archivists,

international lawyers and other social

scientists who are distinguished in the

field of U.S. Foreign Relations.

The Committee will meet next in the

Department of State, 2201 ‘‘C’’ Street

NW, Washington, DC, June 23–24, 1998,

in Conference Room 1205. Procedures

for declassification of Department

records and problems relating to the

preparation of the Foreign Relations of

the United States documentary series

will be discussed at the meeting.

The Committee will meet in open

session from 9 a.m. through Noon on

Tuesday, June 23, 1998. The remainder

of the Committee’s sessions from 1:45

p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, 1998 until 5

p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 1998 will

be closed in accordance with Section

10(d) of the Foreign Advisory

Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463). The

agenda calls for discussions involving

consideration of matters not subject to

public disclosure under 5 U.S.C.

552b(c)(1), and the public interest

requires that such activities be withheld

from disclosure.

Entry to the building is controlled and

will be facilitated by advance

arrangements. Members of the public

desiring access to the open session

should, by Thursday, June 18, 1998,

notify Gloria Walker, (202) 663–1124,

Office of the Historian, of their name,

Social Security number, date of birth,

professional affiliation, address, and

telephone number in order to arrange

admittance. This includes both

government and non-government

admittance. All attendees must use the

‘‘C’’ Street entrance. One of the

following valid ID’s will be required for

admittance: any U.S. driver’s license

with photo, a passport, or a U.S.

Government agency ID.

Questions concerning the meeting

should be directed to William Z. Slany,

Executive Secretary, Advisory

Committee on Historical Diplomatic

Documentation, Department of State,

Office of the Historian, Washington, DC,

20520, telephone (202) 663–1123, (email pahistoff@panet.us-state.gov).

Dated: May 14, 1998.

William Z. Slany,

Executive Secretary, Office of the Historian.

[FR Doc. 98–14262 Filed 5–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710–11–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

Notice of the Initiation of a Railroad

Research and Development Grant

Program in Cooperation with

Academic Research Institutions

AGENCY: Federal Railroad

Administration (FRA), Department of

Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of initiation of grant

program and funds availability.

SUMMARY: FRA announces the initiation

of a railroad research and development

grant program in cooperation with

academic research institutions

(‘‘Program’’). This Program is intended

to foster long-range enhancement of

FRA’s program of research in support of

rail transportation by developing

cooperative research relationships

between the FRA and selected

university research organizations. The

FRA seeks, via this announcement, to

identify specific academic research

institutions (broadly referred to

hereinafter as universities) that may

have expertise useful in complementing

the established research program of

FRA’s Office of Research and

Development (OR&D). Selected

universities will be expected to buttress

FRA’s current research program that

now operates principally in

coordination with non-academic

entities.

Funding Authority and Related

Information

This program is being undertaken

utilizing funds in the Department of

Transportation and Related Agencies

Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1998

(Pub. L. 105–66), dated October 27,

1997. FRA anticipates awarding a small

number of grants (whose combined

value is not to exceed approximately

$1,000,000, in the aggregate, in Fiscal

Year 1998) for approved university

research. Applicants are also

encouraged to consider sharing the cost

of their proposed projects or identifying

in-kind contributions. The FRA intends

to focus the initial funding associated

with this notice on various research and

development (R&D) areas of interest

relating to or under the general heading

of rail safety. In the event future

appropriated funds are authorized for

the Program, FRA may, at its discretion,

provide additional funding for research.

Such future grants may focus on rail

safety or other rail and adjunct

transportation research areas, such as

traffic control and intelligent

transportation systems.

Eligible Participants

Accredited universities, colleges,

major academic research institutions,

and other public or private academic

institutions of higher learning. All

otherwise eligible entities must also

have demonstrable specialized expertise

in rail transportation research, and have

a minimum of five years of railroad or

rail-related research experience.

Historically Black Colleges and

Universities (HBCUs) and Minority

Institutions (MIs) fitting this description

are encouraged to apply. However, no

portion of this Program will be set aside

exclusively for HBCUs and MIs.

Exchanges and Points of Contact

Exchanges of information between

interested parties and the Government,

prior to submission of an application for

consideration under the Program, are

strongly encouraged. Such informal

exchanges may provide prospective

applicants with preliminary information

on the Government’s level of interest in

prospective works or projects or on the

availability of funds. Any exchanges of

information must be consistent with all

applicable statutory or regulatory

procurement integrity requirements.

Technical inquiries regarding this notice

may be directed to: Dr. Magdy El-Sibaie,
29466 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 1998 / Notices

Office of Research and Development,

Mail Stop 20, 400 7th St. S.W.,

Washington, DC 20590, TEL 202–632–

3259, FAX 202–632–3854. Requests for

forms and administrative questions

regarding this solicitation may be

directed to: Ms. Jill Shohet, Office of

Research and Development, Mail Stop

20, 400 7th St. SW, Washington, DC

20590, TEL 202–632–3284, FAX 202–

632–3854, e-mail:

Jill.Shohet@FRA.DOT.GOV.

Program Applications

To be considered for inclusion in the

grouping of selected ‘‘pre-qualified’’

universities and subsequent award of

grants/cooperative agreements to be

awarded under the Program, eligible

applicants must submit a Program

Application. Program Applications—

which consist of two sections:

University Profile and Proposed

Research Projects (from the Areas of

Interest)—may be obtained by

submitting a written or electronic

request (facsimile requests will be

honored) to the administrative point of

contact identified above, Ms. Shohet.

Requests for application forms may be

submitted as of the date of (electronic or

printed) publication of this Notice.

Evaluation and Selection Process

Applications will be evaluated/

selected by FRA using a three-step

process. In the first step, applications

will be evaluated (using the information

from Application Section I—University

Profile) to assess the applicant’s

eligibility (as an accredited institution

of higher learning), demonstrated

specialized expertise in rail

transportation research (e.g., technical

capabilities and depth of experience of

key personnel or principal

investigators), and experience in

railroad or rail-related research, all as

evidenced by cited research contracts/

grants, published papers or dissertations

related to railroad technology, railroad

research and test facilities and/or staff

with actual railroad experience of five

or more years of railroad research.

Applicants having satisfactory

eligibility, background and experience

requirements will then be advanced to

the second step, and applications will

be reviewed within the context of

proposed projects (from Application

Section II—Proposed Research Projects).

Each proposed project—from the Areas

of Interest—will be evaluated based on

the following criteria (which are listed

in descending order of relative

importance): (1) Its overall scientific

and/or technical merit; (2) The degree to

which it may improve upon or advance

railroad safety; (3) The likelihood for its

near term adoption and implementation

of possible recommendations; (4) The

degree with which the proposed project

fits into the FRA’s overall research

objectives; and (5) The reasonableness

and realism of the proposed cost, and

the availability of funds (to include due

consideration for proposed cost-sharing

(cash or in-kind contributions) by the

applicant). Applicants having advanced

from the first step and whose

applications contain one or more

proposed projects determined by FRA to

have fully satisfied the evaluation/

selection criteria in the second step, will

be advanced to the third step of

evaluation/selection. In the third and

final step, all applicants will be ranked

in order of preference, which for the

purposes of this Program will mean a

rank order listing of applicants who, in

the FRA’s judgement, have the highest

to the lowest rated qualifications and

the most to the least probability for

success under the Program (with due

consideration to background, personnel,

experience and facilities or other

resources identified), and the degree to

which one or more of their proposed

projects are of interest to the FRA as

potential grant or cooperative agreement

awards (with due consideration to the

stated project evaluation criteria). From

this order of rank listing, FRA will

establish a group of selected universities

(initially numbering eight or fewer) that

will thereafter be considered ‘‘prequalified’’ to perform solicited or

approved research projects. At the

conclusion of the evaluation/selection

process, FRA will notify all applicants

of the agency’s determination and their

status (i.e., acceptance or nonacceptance into the Program).

Applicants not selected under the cutoff

in the third step, but meeting the

minimum requirements under steps one

and two, will have their applications

retained by FRA for one year for

possible future consideration as

replacements or add-ons to the initial

pre-qualified grouping of selected

universities.

Future Program Awards

Any subsequent grant or cooperative

agreements entered into under the

Program will be on an individual award

basis. Pre-qualification will not

guarantee selected universities that any

FRA research projects or funding will be

forthcoming at any time during the

period of Program affiliation. However,

FRA will only fill actual Program

requirements for work through those

universities in the pre-qualified

grouping selected hereunder.

Solicitation of actual requirements for

work identified by FRA or requests for

project proposals initiated by the FRA,

will be at the sole discretion of the FRA,

and may be conducted on a fully

competitive (i.e., for the purposes of this

Program, open to all pre-qualified

universities), partially competitive (i.e.,

for the purposes of this Program, open

to two or more pre-qualified

universities), or sole source basis (i.e.,

for the purposes of this Program, limited

to a single pre-qualified university). The

method of in-house solicitation (i.e.,

competitive or non-competitive) and

subsequent choice for award will be

based on FRA’s preliminary assessments

of the pre-qualified university(s)’s

qualifications and capabilities (with

regards to the work requirement or

project being solicited), past

performance under the Program, and its

determination on the suitability and

probability for success of any one or

more pre-qualified universities, and on

the availability of funding. Research

projects may also be proposed (without

a solicitation from the FRA) by prequalified universities any time during

the period of Program affiliation.

Research projects proposed by prequalified universities will be considered

by FRA employing the same selection

criteria used under this Notice in

evaluating the initial proposal(s)

submitted for consideration for both

inclusion in the pre-qualified grouping/

Program and as probable future projects.

(See the five selection criteria under the

heading ‘‘Evaluation and Selection

Process.’’) FRA may use projects

initially proposed in the selection

process, as well as those subsequently

proposed by pre-qualified universities,

as the basis for solicitation of more indepth technical and/or cost proposals,

the submission of formal applications

for assistance (e.g, SF 424—Application

for Federal Assistance, SF 424A—

Budget Information (Non-Construction

Programs), etc.) and subsequent award

of financial assistance. The

determination to approve or disapprove,

and fund or not fund a research project

proposed by a pre-qualified university is

at the sole and final discretion of the

FRA. Each approved project will stand

independently as a separate award. The

specific terms and conditions of

potential awards will be identified in

the solicitation. Generally speaking, by

entering into a financial assistance

agreement, pre-qualified universities/

prospective recipients will be subject to

49 CFR, part 19—Uniform

Administrative Requirements for Grants

and Agreements with Institutions of

Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other

Non-Profit Organizations, OMB Circular

A–21—Cost Principles for Educational
Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 1998 / Notices 29467

Institutions, and OMB Circular A–133—

Audits of States, Local Governments,

and Non-Profit Organizations. Unless a

university loses its eligibility to

participate (e.g., Government debarment

or suspension (non-procurement)), or

the Government has other sufficient

cause for termination, or the parties

mutually agree to dissolve the prequalified status, pre-qualified

universities will be considered to be

affiliated with the Program and will

remain eligible to receive FRA grant/

cooperative agreement awards, as

described above, for a period of up to

three years from the date of notification

of acceptance into the Program.

Areas of Interest

The following are areas of current

FRA research interest. The subjects

listed here identify the breadth of FRA

research activities in support of its

safety mandate. Applicants should

prepare and submit as part of their

application, proposed projects in one or

more of the listed areas of interest for

which they are qualified to perform.

Note: Applicants may propose more than

one project per area of interest, but the total

number of all proposed projects may not

exceed five.

Proposed projects may in and of

themselves serve as the basis for initial

solicitations and awards following the

FRA’s evaluation of applications and

selection of pre-qualified universities.

Each project proposal should be a brief,

yet comprehensive and fully descriptive

overview of the project. Each project

proposal should be five pages or less,

one-sided, 10- to 12-point type or font,

single spaced, and numbered. To

facilitate evaluation, project proposals

should be formatted using the basic

outline set forth in Section II of the

application form. (To obtaine a copy of

the application form, see information

under the heading ‘‘Exchanges and

Points of Contact.’’)

1. Modeling and Simulation of Vehicle/

Track Interaction

This research activity involves the

development of a comprehensive

computer program for modeling and

simulating railway vehicle/track

systems with an emphasis on the

dynamic performance of both vehicle

and track and their interaction through

the wheel/rail interface. The primary

goal is to enhance the government

capability for modeling and simulating

the dynamic performance of a userdefined vehicle/track system. This

computer program will be used by the

FRA and other government and

regulatory agencies in rail related safety

studies and in accident investigations,

among other uses.

2. Smart Transducers and Monitoring

Devices for Railroad Safety Inspection

This research activity focuses on the

development of software and hardware

tools for the deployment of smart

transducers and devices for monitoring

the safety of track and rolling stock.

Emphasis will be on intelligent sensors

and associated logic that are capable of

frequent and economic inspection of

track and rolling stock and

communicating safety hazards in the

form of exceptions to remote sites. In

addition to innovations in sensor

technologies, complementary pattern

recognition algorithms, based on

methods such as neural networks and

statistical techniques, shall be explored.

The objective of this research will be to

improve the quality and efficiency of

track and rolling stock safety inspection.

3. Advanced Techniques for Detecting

and Repairing Weak Track Spots

This research activity is for the

development of automated techniques

for identifying spots along the track

structure that suffer from rapid

deterioration in geometry and/or

strength. Such weak track spots often

develop along track due to many factors,

such as weak subgrade, poor drainage,

and poor ballast conditions, resulting in

high track maintenance costs. The often

resulting rapid rate of track geometry

and/or strength deterioration may

produce a safety hazard. Research

efforts should also consider the

development of methods and techniques

for an economic and effective repair of

such weak spots based on the diagnosed

track condition.

4. Automated Track Bed Subsurface

Evaluation

Track subsurface layers (ballast, subballast, and subgrade) are key factors in

the overall track performance and rate of

degradation. Poor subsurface conditions

can lead to adverse redistribution of

loads with the track system, which

could in turn lead to overloading of

some track components and premature

elements failures, or even collapse of

the track roadbed. This uneven

degradation of components results in

costly maintenance, and adversely

affects track safety. Thus, although

ballast, sub-ballast, and subgrade are

key track components that warrant

monitoring, these subsurface conditions

are not amenable to the current visual

methods. In addition, there is no

practical methodology currently

available for rapid subsurface data

acquisition for the evaluation of the

engineering properties of soil, accurate

determination of location and extent of

deteriorated conditions. The principal

objectives of this activity are automated

data acquisition for soil classification

and evaluation of its engineering

properties, and the measurement of

other pertinent parameters such as insitu density and moisture content. In

this regard, new emerging technologies

such as ground penetrating radar may

offer the promise of significant

improvement by using nondestructive

evaluation (NDE) techniques. If

successful in accomplishing these

objectives, the study would improve the

effectiveness of track maintenance, and

contribute significantly to the ongoing

predictive track degradation model

development.

5. Reliability Design and Analysis

Tank car accidents, tank car structural

failures in components of railroad tank

cars suggest that measures of reliability

should be better defined. Subsequently,

detailed reliability assessment of

individual components and component

subsystems should be performed that

will lead to improved accident

performance. Although catastrophic

failure is easily recognized, tank car

performance as a safe packaging of

hazardous materials may deteriorate

over time and elements contributing to

this deterioration (per-existing defects,

corrosion, cracks, pitting, etc.) need

documentation. This research activity

will focus on the development of a

methodology to assess the failure mode.

It may consist of parameters needed to

establish structural integrity

requirements based on value

engineering analysis, previous failure

experiences and studies. The

methodology will consider establishing

a level of reliability of a tank car design

for the intended service. The

development of a methodology that

considers expected life, failure rates and

hazard functions and which can

combine these variables into an overall

tank car ‘‘strength’’ function can be

extremely useful. The results of such an

assessment can quantitatively provide

the tank car owner with information

that may be used to define boundaries

of reliability, allowing the tank car

owner to implement guidelines for

maintenance and use that lead to

improved safety performance. This

research activity is also concerned with

reliability and safety performance

aspects of other types of railroad cars

and railroad operations and

maintenance practices.
29468 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 103 / Friday, May 29, 1998 / Notices

6. Epidemiology of Post-Accident Stress

in Locomotive Engineers

It is well established that individuals

who are involved in serious accidents or

other situations involving loss of life

undergo post-traumatic stress disorder

(PTSD). PTSD has been documented in

police officers, firemen, and rescue

workers, and, because of the debilitating

effects of PTSD, mandatory counseling

is often provided for individuals who

are involved in traumas. Informal

discussions with locomotive engineers

indicates that during the course of a

career most locomotive engineers

experience a traumatic grade crossing

accident. At present there is no industry

approach to PTSD in locomotive

engineers, although anecdotal

information suggests that safety may be

compromised if counseling is not

provided. However, the number of

locomotive engineers who experience

PTSD is not known, and consequently

the need for resources to address this

problem is also not known. This project

will determine the descriptive

epidemiology (incidence and

prevalence) of PTSD in locomotive

engineers so that the magnitude of the

problem can be scientifically

established.

Application Submission and Deadline

In preparing application submissions,

applicants are reminded to carefully

read this entire Notice and to comply

with all content, format and time

requirements. An original and four (4)

copies of each application should be

submitted to the following address: Ms.

Jill Shohet, Office of Research and

Development, Mail Stop 20, 400 7th St.

SW, Washington, DC 20590. Neither

electronic nor facsimile submissions

will be accepted. Applications will be

reviewed as they are received. For

applicants to receive full consideration,

applications must be received by the

FRA at the above address on or before

July 17, 1998.

Dated: May 26, 1998.

James T. McQueen,

Associate Administrator for Railroad

Development.

[FR Doc. 98–14251 Filed 5–28–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration

[Docket No. NHTSA 98–3875]

Reports, Forms, and Recordkeeping

Requirements

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for public comment on

proposed collections of information.

SUMMARY: This document describes

three collections of information for

which NHTSA intends to seek OMB

approval. Under new procedures

established by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, before seeking OMB

approval to collect information from the

public, Federal agencies must solicit

public comment on proposed

collections of information, including

extensions and reinstatements of

previously approved collections. Each

of the collections for which this

document requests comment has been

previously approved.

DATES: Comments must be received on

or before July 28, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments must refer to the

docket and notice numbers cited at the

beginning of this notice and be

submitted to NHTSA’s new Docket

Management Facility, located on the

Plaza Level of the Nassif Building at the

U.S. Department of Transportation,

Room PL–01, 400 Seventh Street, SW,

Washington, DC 20590–0001. Please

identify the proposed collection of

information for which a comment is

provided, by referencing its OMB

Clearance Number. The DOT Docket is

open to the public from 10 am to 5 pm,

Mondays through Fridays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Complete copies of each request for

collection of information may be

obtained at no charge from Mr. Michael

Robinson, NHTSA Information

Collection Clearance Officer, NHTSA,

400 Seventh Street, SW, Room 6123,

Washington, DC 20590. Mr. Robinson’s

telephone number is (202) 366–9456.

Please identify the relevant collection of

information by referring to its OMB

Clearance Number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

before an agency submits a proposed

collection of information to OMB for

approval, it must publish a document in

the Federal Register providing a 60-day

comment period and otherwise consult

with members of the public and affected

agencies concerning each proposed

collection of information. The OMB has

promulgated regulations describing

what must be included in such a

document. Under OMB’s regulations (at

5 CFR 1320.8(d)), an agency must ask

for public comment on the following:

(i) 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;

(ii) 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;

(iii) How to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to

be collected; and

(iv) How to minimize the burden of

the collection of information on those

who are to respond, including the use

of appropriate automated, electronic,

mechanical, or other technological

collection techniques or other forms of

information technology, e.g., permitting

electronic submission of responses.

In compliance with these

requirements, NHTSA asks public

comment on the following proposed

collections of information:

49 CFR Part 552

Petitions for Rulemaking, Defect and

Noncompliance Orders

Type of request—Extension of existing

clearance.

OMB Clearance Number—2127–0046.

Form Number—This collection of

information uses no standard forms.

Requested Expiration Date of

Approval—Three years after date of

expiration of existing clearance.

Summary of the Collection of

Information—49 U.S.C. section 30162

specifies that any ‘‘interested person

may file a petition with the Secretary of

Transportation requesting the Secretary

to begin a proceeding’’ to prescribe a

motor vehicle safety standard under 49

U.S.C. chapter 301, or to decide whether

to issue an order under 49 U.S.C.

section 30118(b). 49 U.S.C. 30111 gives

the Secretary authority to prescribe

motor vehicle safety standards. 49

U.S.C. section 30118(b) gives the

Secretary authority to issue an order to

a manufacturer to notify vehicle or

equipment owners, purchasers, and

dealers of the defect or noncompliance

and to remedy the defect or

noncompliance.

Section 30162 further specifies that

all petitions filed under its authority

shall set forth the facts which it is

claimed establish that an order is

necessary and briefly describe the order

the Secretary should issue.

To implement these statutory

provisions, NHTSA promulgated part