Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6591

with disabilities may obtain a copy of

the application package in an alternative

format, also, by contacting that person.

However, the Department is not able to

reproduce in an alternative format the

standard forms included in the

application package.

Electronic Access to This Document:

You may view this document, as well as

all other Department of Education

documents published in the Federal

Register, in text or Adobe Portable

Document Format (PDF) on the Internet

at either of the following sites: http://

ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm and http://

www.ed.gov/news.html. To use PDF,

you must have the Adobe Acrobat

Reader, which is available free at either

of the previous sites. If you have

questions about using the PDF, call the

U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO),

toll free, at 1–888–293–6498; or in the

Washington, DC area at (202) 512–1530.

Note: The official version of this document

is the document published in the Federal

Register. Free Internet access to the official

edition of the Federal Register and the Code

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO

Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/

index.html.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070e.

Dated: January 16, 2001.

Lee A. Fritschler,

Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary

Education.

[FR Doc. 01–1680 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Notice of Availability of Funds and

Request for Applications To Support

Medical Surveillance for Former

Department of Energy Workers at the

Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas

AGENCY: Office of Environment, Safety

and Health, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds

and request for applications.

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy

(DOE) Office of Environment, Safety and

Health (EH) announces the availability

of funds to evaluate former workers

whose employment at the Pantex Plant

in Amarillo, Texas, may have placed

their long-term health at significant risk.

This Notice of Availability of Funds and

Request for Applications to Support

Medical Surveillance for Former DOE

Workers at the Pantex Plant does not

affect cooperative agreements awarded

pursuant to similar Federal Register

announcements published on March 1,

1996, and March 25, 1997.

DATES: Applications submitted in

response to this announcement must be

received by March 30, 2001.

ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Energy,

Office of Health Studies, EH–6/270CC,

19901 Germantown Road, Germantown,

Maryland 20874–1290.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for further information may be

directed to Ms. Kathleen Taimi, Office

of Health Studies (EH–6), telephone:

(301) 903–0262. Applications may be

submitted to Ms. Taimi at the address

listed above. (For application forms,

please contact Ms. Sue Anderson, Office

of Health Studies, telephone: (301) 903–

7030.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Purpose

II. Project Description

III. DOE’s Policy on Protection of Human

Subjects Reviews

IV. Applications

V. Application Format

VI. Application Evaluation and Selection

VII. DOE’s Role

VIII. Applicants

I. Purpose

Section 3162 of the National Defense

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1993

(Pub. Law 102–484) directs the

Secretary of Energy, in consultation

with the Secretary of Health and Human

Services, to develop a program of

medical evaluation for current and

former DOE workers at significant risk

for health problems due to exposures to

hazardous or radioactive substances

during employment. On March 1, 1996,

the first ‘‘Notice of Availability of Funds

and Request for Applications to Support

Medical Surveillance for Former DOE

Workers’’ was published in the Federal

Register (61 FR 8047). In September

1996, the DOE Former Workers Program

was implemented with the award of six

cooperative agreements to begin projects

at the following DOE sites: Hanford Site,

Nevada Test Site, Rocky Flats

Environmental Technology Site,

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant,

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, and

the Oak Ridge Reservation. At five of the

sites, the project teams are focusing on

a selected group or groups of former

workers (e.g., production workers or

construction workers). At the Rocky

Flats Site, the project team has

evaluated medical surveillance needs

among all former workers.

On March 25, 1997, the second

Federal Register Notice (62 FR 14123)

announced the availability of additional

funds for several new projects. In

particular, DOE was interested in

funding medical surveillance for former

workers at major DOE sites not included

in the first six projects. In September

and December 1997, four new

cooperative agreements were awarded to

begin one project each at the Los

Alamos National Laboratory and the

Idaho Engineering and Environmental

Laboratory, and two projects at the

Savannah River Site. Currently, all ten

projects in the DOE Former Workers

Program are screening groups of former

workers who are potentially at

significant risk for health problems due

to work-related exposures.

This third Notice announces the

availability of funds for one new project

to be funded through a cooperative

agreement. DOE is interested in

applications for a new project at the

Pantex Plant in Amarillo, Texas. Former

workers at this major DOE site are not

included in any of the ongoing medical

surveillance projects. DOE will accept

applications only for a project at the

Pantex Plant.

Experience with all of these projects

will help DOE to evaluate needs and

options for a long term medical

surveillance program for former workers

and to determine how such a program

may be implemented and effectively

integrated with other ongoing DOE

activities.

II. Project Description

DOE intends to award one new

cooperative agreement with specific

goals identical to the goals of the

ongoing projects. The goals of the DOE

Former Workers Program projects are to:

• Identify groups of workers at

significant risk for occupational

diseases;

• Notify members of these risk

groups; and

• Offer these workers medical

screening that can lead to medical

interventions.

The cooperative agreement will begin

with a needs assessment, and continue

with medical screening, if determined

by DOE to be warranted. The needs

assessment should provide the basis for

identifying the group or groups of

former Pantex workers who are

potentially at significant risk for health

problems due to work-related

exposures. It is recommended that no

group or groups of former workers be

initially excluded from evaluation

during the needs assessment.

Applications that select only certain

worker groups for evaluation, while

excluding other former Pantex workers

from the needs assessment process,

must provide site-specific information

that fully justifies such initial targeting.

Pursuant to this Notice, DOE intends

to award one cooperative agreement

6592 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

awarded in the amount of

approximately $400,000 to conduct a

needs assessment and to prepare a

detailed plan for medical screening.

This is expected to take 8–10 months.

The medical screening, if warranted,

will be funded through annual

continuation awards under the same

cooperative agreement for up to 3 more

years. The estimated annual funding

expected to be available for medical

screening is $790,000.

Needs Assessment

The awardee shall conduct a needs

assessment that will include a review of

existing site-specific information and

other means to identify the most

significant radiation and non-radiation

exposures to former Pantex workers.

During the needs assessment, the

awardee shall conduct the following

tasks:

1. Identify existing information

relevant to exposure and health

outcomes among former workers;

2. Utilize this information to identify

or develop viable methods for

contacting these former workers;

3. Provide an initial determination of

the most significant worker hazards,

problems and concerns at the Pantex

Plant;

4. Identify approaches for conducting

the project in partnership with unions,

site management, operating contractors,

community representatives, and State

and local health officials; and

5. Attend semiannual DOEcoordinated meetings of investigators to

share information on ongoing Former

Worker Program projects.

The awardee shall prepare a draft

needs assessment report that will

document the need for medical

surveillance of former Pantex workers

and describe the targeted cohort(s) for

which further evaluation and medical

screening is recommended. The draft

report also will: (1) Define the size of

the former workers target population; (2)

document the specific chemical,

physical and/or radiological hazards

and the degree of potential exposure

(duration and magnitude); and (3)

characterize the nature and extent of the

health impacts that are anticipated.

In addition, based upon the findings

of the needs assessment, the awardee

shall develop a detailed proposed plan

and budget for medical screening of the

targeted worker cohort(s). The proposed

medical screening plan should include

the specific tasks described below.

The awardee shall submit the draft

needs assessment and the proposed plan

and budget for medical screening to

DOE within 10 months from the award

date. DOE will evaluate the draft needs

assessment report and proposed plan

and budget for medical screening. The

draft needs assessment report will be

finalized following review and comment

by DOE. If warranted, DOE will approve

and support the medical screening plan

and budget through annual continuation

awards.

Medical Screening

The awardee shall conduct the

following specific tasks to implement

the approved medical screening plan:

1. Identify and locate those former

workers who, based on the results of the

needs assessment, are at significant risk

of adverse health effects;

2. Ascertain the health concerns of

former workers identified in task 1

related to their past DOE employment;

3. Communicate risk information to

former workers regarding the nature of

their health risk and discuss the actions

that could be taken;

4. Provide medical screening to

targeted former worker populations

based on exposure history and the

availability of acceptable screening

tests;

5. Assist in the coordination of

referrals, diagnostic workup, and

follow-up treatment, including the

coordination with state and federal

workers’ compensation programs and

other existing insurance and benefits

programs;

6. Ensure dialogue with local parties

concerned with the project;

7. Evaluate former workers’

satisfaction with the project; and

8. Attend semiannual DOEcoordinated meetings to share

information with other Former Worker

Program projects.

III. DOE’s Policy on Protection of

Human Subjects Reviews

DOE has codified the Federal Policy

for the Protection of Human Subjects in

10 CFR part 745. As defined in this

regulation, human subjects research

may include a broad range of studies.

DOE has determined that former worker

medical surveillance projects fall under

the broad definition of human subjects

research, and, accordingly, each project

requires Institutional Review Board

(IRB) review and approval. The IRB

review and approval process will ensure

adequate protection of workers’ privacy

and confidentiality during project

activities such as the review and

collection of identifiable private

information and the handling of

personal medical records.

It is the DOE’s policy that any DOEfunded project involving DOE workers

at a specific site must be reviewed and

approved by that DOE site’s IRB. The

DOE site IRB review takes place

following award of the new cooperative

agreement, and annually thereafter.

Since the Pantex Plant yet does not have

an IRB established, the DOE Human

Subjects Manager will designate another

DOE site’s IRB for the review and

approval of this project. In addition,

applicants may have to comply with

their own institution’s requirements

regarding review of human subjects

research. Documentation of all required

IRB approvals must be submitted to

DOE prior to implementation of any

project activities that involve collection

of personally identified data or contact

with individual workers.

IV. Applications

This Notice of Availability is issued

pursuant to DOE regulations contained

in 10 CFR part 602: ‘‘Epidemiology and

Other Health Studies Financial

Assistance Program,’’ as published in

the Federal Register on January 31,

1995 (60 FR 5841). The Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance number for

10 CFR part 602 is 81.108, and its

solicitation control number is EOHSFAP

10 CFR part 602. 10 CFR part 602

contains the specific requirements for

applications, evaluation, and selection

criteria. Only those applications

following these specific criteria and

forms will be considered. Application

forms may be obtained as noted above.

V. Application Format

The application shall contain two

sections, technical scope of work and

budget proposal. The technical scope of

work shall be no more than fifty (50)

pages in length; resumes of proposed

key personnel should be submitted as

an appendix to the technical scope of

work and will not be counted against

the page limit. Budget proposals have

no page limit. Because the scope of

medical screening will be dependent on

the results of the needs assessment, the

technical description of the proposed

medical screening may be less specific

than that for the needs assessment, but

must clearly demonstrate a capability to

conduct the medical screening. It is left

to the applicant to determine how best

to structure the application. However,

the following information shall be

included:

1. Applications shall include a

detailed project description that

discusses all of the specific tasks to be

performed under the proposed project.

At a minimum, the tasks listed above, in

Section II, Project Description, must be

described in detail for the needs

assessment, and more generally for

medical screening. The project

description must include clear

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6593

statements of what is not known and

what is uncertain, as well as statements

of what is known. The project

description must describe how

independent, external peer review of the

project will be conducted. The project

description must demonstrate that the

applicant has the ability to integrate its

work with the activities of any other

organizations at the Pantex Plant, as

appropriate.

2. Applications must demonstrate the

competency of project personnel and

the adequacy of resources. Applications

must demonstrate that the applicant is

perceived as neutral and credible, and is

capable of conducting scientifically

valid and responsible medical

surveillance projects. Applications must

demonstrate that the applicant has the

experience and capability to plan,

organize, manage, and facilitate worker

and union participation in planning and

execution. Applications must also

demonstrate that the applicant has the

experience and ability to effectively

communicate complicated scientific

information on potential risks and

uncertainties to workers, local and

national stakeholders, concerned

citizens, and decision makers at all

levels. Applications must demonstrate

that the applicant presently has or is

capable of obtaining staff with the

training, expertise, and experience

needed to conduct a scientifically

complex needs assessment and medical

screening program. Applications must

identify the technical and scientific staff

that will conduct the project and detail

their professional experience, as well as

their level of project involvement.

Applications must demonstrate that the

applicant has the capability for both

financial and scientific management,

and a demonstrated skill in planning

and scheduling a project of comparable

magnitude to that proposed under this

Notice.

3. The budget proposal for the needs

assessment must include a summary

breakdown of all costs, and provide a

detailed breakdown of costs on a taskby-task basis for each task contained in

the project description. Costs for the

medical screening tasks may be more

general estimates since the initial award

will support the preparation of a more

detailed plan for the medical screening.

For planning purposes, as noted above

in Section II, Project Description, it is

expected that annual funding in the

amount of $790,000 will be available for

medical screening for up to 3 years. Any

expectation concerning cost sharing

must be clearly stated. Cost sharing is

encouraged, but it will not be

considered in the selection process.

4. Budget proposals shall include an

estimate of the costs for any project

support work by DOE site contractors

not routinely provided by DOE (see

section VII, DOE’s Role). Costs for DOE

contractor work such as copying,

filming, scanning, and/or abstracting

site data, including charges associated

with any needed computer

programming of data, should be

included in the proposed budgets for

the needs assessment and the medical

screening.

VI. Application Evaluation and

Selection

Applications will be subjected to

formal merit review (peer review) and

will be evaluated against the following

criteria listed in descending order of

importance and codified at 10 CFR

602.9(d):

1. Scientific and technical merit of the

proposed research;

2. Appropriateness of the proposed

method or approach;

3. Competency of research personnel

and adequacy of proposed resources;

and

4. Reasonableness and

appropriateness of the proposed budget.

Applications will be peer reviewed by

evaluators apart from DOE employees

and contractors as described in the

Office of Environment, Safety and

Health’s Merit Review System (57 FR

55524, November 25, 1992) and at 10

CFR 602.9(c). Submission of an

application constitutes agreement that

this is acceptable to the applicant. DOE

is under no obligation to pay for any

costs associated with preparation or

submission of an application, whether

or not an award is made.

DOE reserves the right to fund, in

whole or in part, one or none of the

applications submitted in response to

this solicitation.

VII. DOE’s Role

In order for DOE to utilize a

cooperative agreement for this project,

there must be substantial involvement

between DOE and the awardee. DOE

established the specific tasks for this

project and will conduct the selection

and award process, which will include

evaluations by persons outside the

Federal Government. DOE will provide

programmatic direction, policy

guidance and oversight through

continuous consultation and interaction

with project investigators. DOE will

evaluate the results of the needs

assessment and, if warranted, will fund

medical screening at the Pantex Plant.

As outlined in DOE’s ‘‘Access

Handbook, Conducting Health Studies

at Department of Energy Sites,’’ DOE

will facilitate access to the Pantex Plant,

as appropriate, and help familiarize

investigators with the facility and

historical operations. DOE will facilitate

access to exposure records, including

the identification and retrieval of

records relating to DOE activities, and

declassification of records, as needed.

DOE will establish requirements for data

collection and reporting. DOE will

coordinate the semiannual Former

Worker Program meetings. DOE may

establish an independent advisory

group that will provide advice to DOE

and to project investigators. Finally,

DOE will monitor and evaluate the

results of the project, including the

worker participants’ level of

satisfaction. In addition to helping

former workers at the Pantex Plant,

information gained from this project

will contribute to DOE’s ongoing efforts

to improve health and safety programs

for current workers.

VIII. Applicants

Applicants for this cooperative

agreement could include domestic

nonprofit and for profit organizations,

universities, medical centers, research

institutions, other public and private

organizations, including State and local

governments, labor unions and other

employee representative groups, and

small, minority and/or women-owned

businesses. Consortiums of interested

organizations are strongly encouraged to

apply. The awardees will work

cooperatively with former workers, DOE

site officials, DOE operating contractors,

labor organizations, health officials, and

designated community representatives.

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 11,

2001.

Paul J. Seligman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Studies.

[FR Doc. 01–1603 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Office of Science; Office of Science

Financial Assistance Program Notice

01–11: Scientific Discovery through

Advanced Computing in High Energy

and Nuclear Physics Research

AGENCY: U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE).

ACTION: Notice inviting research grant

applications.

SUMMARY: The Office of High Energy and

Nuclear Physics (HENP) of the Office of

Science (SC), U.S. Department of Energy

(DOE), hereby announces its interest in

receiving grant applications for the

Department’s Scientific Discovery