5516 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices 

Intended Commercial Use Of Vessel: 

‘‘Passenger Charter (term-average one 

week long)’’ 

Geographic Region: ‘‘Virginia, North 

Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, 

Alabama, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, 

California’’ 

The complete application is given in 

DOT docket MARAD–2016–0002 at 

http://www.regulations.gov. Interested 

parties may comment on the effect this 

action may have on U.S. vessel builders 

or businesses in the U.S. that use U.S.- 

flag vessels. If MARAD determines, in 

accordance with 46 U.S.C. 12121 and 

MARAD’s regulations at 46 CFR part 

388, that the issuance of the waiver will 

have an unduly adverse effect on a U.S.- 

vessel builder or a business that uses 

U.S.-flag vessels in that business, a 

waiver will not be granted. Comments 

should refer to the docket number of 

this notice and the vessel name in order 

for MARAD to properly consider the 

comments. Comments should also state 

the commenter’s interest in the waiver 

application, and address the waiver 

criteria given in § 388.4 of MARAD’s 

regulations at 46 CFR part 388. 

Privacy Act 

Anyone is able to search the 

electronic form of all comments 

received into any of our dockets by the 

name of the individual submitting the 

comment (or signing the comment, if 

submitted on behalf of an association, 

business, labor union, etc.). You may 

review DOT’s complete Privacy Act 

Statement in the Federal Register 

published on April 11, 2000 (Volume 

65, Number 70; Pages 19477–78). 

By Order of the Maritime Administrator. 

Dated: January 12, 2016. 

T. Mitchell Hudson, Jr., 

Secretary, Maritime Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01873 Filed 2–1–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Office of the Assistant Secretary for 

Research and Technology; University 

Transportation Centers Program 

Competition 

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Research and Technology 

(OST–R), DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The United States Department 

of Transportation (the Department) is 

publishing this notice to give eligible 

nonprofit institutions of higher learning 

advance notice that they will have an 

opportunity to submit grant applications 

for the University Transportation 

Centers (UTCs) program (Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance number 

20.701). 

Funds for this grant program are 

authorized beginning on October 1, 

2015. In the near future, the 

Department, via the Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Research and 

Technology, will release a grant 

solicitation through Grants.gov, also 

posted on the UTC Program’s Web site, 

http://utc.dot.gov, describing the 

competition and deadlines for 

applications. Proposals will be 

evaluated through a competitive process 

on the basis of demonstrated ability, 

research, technology transfer and 

education resources, leadership, 

multimodal research capability, 

commitment to transportation workforce 

development programs, dissemination 

of results, the use of peer review, cost 

effectiveness and partnerships to 

advance diversity. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. 

Kevin Womack, Director, Office of 

Research, Development and 

Technology, mail code RDT–10, Office 

of the Assistant Secretary for Research 

and Technology (OST–R), 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 

20590. Telephone Number (405) 954– 

7312 or Email Kevin.Womack@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Contents 

I. Background 

II. Eligibility 

III. Matching Requirements 

IV. Application Process 

V. Program Funding and Award 

VI. Use of Grant Funds 

I. Background 

The Fixing America’s Surface 

Transportation Act (FAST Act; Pub. L. 

114–94, Sec. 6002(a)(5); December 4, 

2015) authorizes $72.5 million for 

Federal fiscal year 2016 (FY 2016), $75 

million for fiscal years 2017 (FY 2017) 

and 2018 (FY 2018), and $77.5 million 

for fiscal years 2019 (FY 2019) and 2020 

(FY 2020) for up to 35 competitive 

grants for UTCs. The FY 2016 through 

FY 2020 funds are subject to 

appropriations and to an annual 

obligation limitation. The amount of 

budget authority available in a given 

year may be less than the amount 

authorized for that fiscal year. 

The FAST Act authorizes the 

Secretary of Transportation to make 

grants to eligible nonprofit institutions 

of higher education to establish and 

operate UTCs. Nonprofit institutions of 

higher education may include 

qualifying two-year institutions (20 

U.S.C. 1001(a)). OST–R will manage the 

UTC Program for the Department. The 

Department will solicit competitive 

grant applications for National 

University Transportation Centers, 

Regional University Transportation 

Centers and Tier 1 University 

Transportation Centers as set forth in 

the FAST Act. UTCs will be selected by 

the Secretary, in consultation as 

appropriate with the Assistant Secretary 

for Research and Technology, and the 

Administrator of the Federal Highway 

Administration and other modal 

administrators as appropriate. (49 U.S.C. 

5505(b)(4)(B) as amended by Pub. L 

114–94, Sec. 6016). 

The Department plans to 

competitively select five National UTCs 

with annual awards for five years of 

between $2 and $4 million each, ten 

Regional UTCs with annual awards of 

between $1.5 and $3 million each, and 

up to 20 Tier 1 UTCs with annual 

awards of between $1 and $2 million 

each. 

The role of each UTC is to advance 

transportation expertise and technology 

in the varied disciplines that comprise 

the field of transportation through 

education, research, and technology 

transfer activities; to provide for a 

critical transportation knowledge base 

outside of the Department of 

Transportation; and to address critical 

workforce needs and educate the next 

generation of transportation leaders. 

II. Eligibility 

A UTC must be located in the United 

States or territories. A change in the 

UTC Program from prior authorizations 

is that each UTC must be a consortium 

of two or more nonprofit institutions of 

higher learning (49 U.S.C. 5505(b)(1) as 

amended by Pub. L. 114–94, § 6016). 

A Regional UTC must be located in 

the region for which the grant is sought. 

(49 U.S.C. 5505(c)(3)(B)(ii) as amended 

by Pub. L. 114–94, § 6016). All members 

of a Regional UTC consortium must be 

located in the region for which the grant 

is sought. 

Institutions may collaborate with state 

and local departments of transportation, 

Metropolitan Planning Organizations, 

the private sector, and nongovernmental organizations; however, 

these organizations or others that are not 

U.S. nonprofit institutions of higher 

learning may not be considered 

members of a consortium. A change 

from previous UTC Program 

competitions is that two-year 

institutions may be members of a 

consortium if they meet the definition of 

‘‘institution of higher learning’’ in 20 

U.S.C. 1001(a). The grantee institution 

(lead institution of a consortium of 

institutions) will be the direct and 

primary recipient of UTC program 


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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices 5517 

funds. The grantee institution must 

perform a substantive role in carrying 

out UTC activities, and not serve merely 

as a conduit for awards to other parties. 

Applicants may apply for more than 

one type of grant, but the FAST Act 

limits the circumstances in which an 

institution may receive more than one 

grant. (49 U.S.C. 5505(b)(2)(A) as 

amended by Pub. L. 114–94, § 6016). 

The restriction is: 

• A lead institution of a consortium 

of nonprofit institutions of higher 

education may only receive one grant 

per fiscal year for each type of Center. 

Thus, a lead institution may receive 

grants as a National Center, a Regional 

Center, and a Tier 1 Center, but not 

more than one grant in each category. 

III. Matching Requirements 

Each UTC is required to obtain 

matching funds from non-federal 

sources. The amount of matching funds 

required for a National or Regional UTC 

is 100 percent of the Federal award. The 

amount of matching funds required for 

a Tier 1 UTC is 50 percent of the Federal 

award. The matching amounts may 

include the amounts made available to 

a grant recipient under 23 U.S.C. 504(b) 

or 505. 

IV. Application Process 

Full and Open Competition. The 

Department will conduct the UTC 

program selection based on principles of 

full and open competition. Five 

National Centers, ten Regional Centers 

and up to 20 Tier 1 Centers will be 

selected from the pool of applicants for 

each type of UTC. 

Subject Matter Focus. A change to the 

UTC Program in this competition is that 

applicants for a UTC must address 

research priorities identified in section 

6503, Subtitle III of title 49 as amended 

by Public Law 114–94, § 6016: 

A. Improving mobility of people and 

goods; 

B. Reducing congestion; 

C. Promoting safety; 

D. Improving the durability and 

extending the life of transportation 

infrastructure; 

E. Preserving the environment; and 

F. Preserving the existing 

transportation system. 

The Secretary will select 

nonexclusive candidate topic areas that 

will fall within these six priority areas. 

Each UTC will be awarded a grant based 

on its ability to address one of these six 

priorities and the topic areas that fall 

within the priority area selected. 

National UTCs: The Department 

intends to select National UTCs to lead 

research in five of these priority areas. 

Regional UTCs: One UTC will be 

selected in each of ten Standard Federal 

Regions. Regional UTCs are required to 

focus on transportation research and 

education (49 U.S.C. 5505(c)(3)(B) as 

amended by Public Law 114–94, 

§ 6016). Regional UTCs must be able to 

conduct research in an area of focus 

from among nonexclusive candidate 

topic areas established by the Secretary 

that address the research priorities 

identified in section 6503, Subtitle III of 

title 49 as amended by Public Law 114– 

94, § 6016. One of the Regional Centers 

must focus on ‘‘comprehensive 

transportation safety, safety, congestion, 

connected vehicles, connected 

infrastructure, and autonomous 

vehicles’’ as its main research effort (49 

U.S.C. 5505(c)(3)(E) as amended by 

Public Law 114–94, § 6016). An 

applicant for a Regional UTC must 

designate the region in which it is 

applying. 

Tier 1 UTCs: Based on the statute’s 

general selection criteria, the Tier 1 

UTCs (no more than 20 UTCs) must 

focus on nonexclusive candidate topic 

areas that address the research priorities 

identified in section 6503, Subtitle III of 

title 49 as amended by Public Law 114– 

94, 6016. In making awards to Tier 1 

UTCs, consideration will be given to 

minority institutions, as defined by 

section 365 of the Higher Education Act 

of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067k), or consortia 

that include such institutions that have 

demonstrated an ability in 

transportation-related research. 

The Department seeks a balanced 

portfolio of UTCs across the 35 to be 

selected through this competition that 

supports the Department’s Strategic 

Goals, contains different types and/or 

sizes of nonprofit institutions of higher 

education, and focuses on improving 

overall system performance using 

multiple transportation resources that 

address multimodal needs. 

Letter of Intent. The solicitation will 

require that each applicant submit a 

non-binding letter of intent 

approximately one month after the 

solicitation is announced on Grants.gov, 

also posted on the UTC Program Web 

site http://utc.dot.gov. The letter of 

intent must identify the following items: 

• The category of grant for which the 

applicant will apply (National, 

Regional, Tier I); and 

• The chosen priority area in which 

to focus research, based on section 6503, 

Subtitle III of title 49 as amended by 

Public Law 114–94, § 6016. 

Letters of intent will be required so 

that the Department’s review panels, 

comprising relevant subject-matter 

experts drawn from inside and outside 

the Department, may be organized in 

advance of receipt of final proposals. If 

an institution intends to apply for more 

than one UTC grant, a separate letter of 

intent must be submitted for each 

intended application. 

Selection criteria. The Department 

will evaluate and select UTC applicants 

based on the nine selection criteria 

outlined in the FAST Act: 

‘‘(i) the demonstrated ability of the 

recipient to address each specific topic 

area described in the research and 

strategic plans of the recipient; 

‘‘(ii) the demonstrated research, 

technology transfer, and education 

resources available to the recipient to 

carry out this section; 

‘‘(iii) the ability of the recipient to 

provide leadership in solving immediate 

and long-range national and regional 

transportation problems; 

‘‘(iv) the ability of the recipient to 

carry out research, education, and 

technology transfer activities that are 

multimodal and multidisciplinary in 

scope; 

‘‘(v) the demonstrated commitment of 

the recipient to carry out transportation 

workforce development programs 

through— 

‘‘(I) degree-granting programs or 

programs that provide other industryrecognized credentials; and 

‘‘(II) outreach activities to attract new 

entrants into the transportation field 

including women and underrepresented 

populations; 

‘‘(vi) the demonstrated ability of the 

recipient to disseminate results and 

spur the implementation of 

transportation research and education 

programs through national or statewide 

continuing education programs; 

‘‘(vii) the demonstrated commitment 

of the recipient to the use of peer review 

principles and other research best 

practices in the selection, management, 

and dissemination of research projects; 

‘‘(viii) the strategic plan submitted by 

the recipient describing the proposed 

research to be carried out by the 

recipient and the performance metrics 

to be used in assessing the performance 

of the recipient in meeting the stated 

research, technology transfer, 

education, and outreach goals; and 

‘‘(ix) the ability of the recipient to 

implement the proposed program in a 

cost-efficient manner, such as through 

cost sharing and overall reduced 

overhead, facilities, and administrative 

costs.’’ 

(49 U.S.C. 5505(b)(4)(B) as amended by 

Pub. L. 114–94, § 6016). 

These criteria apply to the evaluation 

and selection of all three categories of 

UTCs. The following additional 

selection criteria apply to Regional 

UTCs and Tier I UTCs: 

Regional UTCs. The lead institution 

in a Regional consortium must have a 


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5518 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 21 / Tuesday, February 2, 2016 / Notices 

1The BCTR reporting requirements are currently 

covered under the following OMB Control numbers: 

1506–0004 (Financial Institutions other than 

Casinosons), and 1506–0005 (Casinos and Card 

Clubs). 

2Language expanding the scope of the BSA to 

intelligence or counter-intelligence activities to 

protect against international terrorism was added by 

Section 358 of the Uniting and Strengthening 

America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required 

to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, 

Public Law 107–56. 

well-established, nationally recognized 

program in research and education, as 

shown by: 

(i) recent expenditures by the 

institution in highway or public 

transportation research; 

(ii) a historical track record of 

awarding graduate degrees in 

professional fields closely related to 

highways and public transportation; 

and 

(iii) an experienced faculty who 

specialize in professional fields closely 

related to highways and public 

transportation. 

(49 U.S.C. 5505(c)(3)(B) (iii) as amended 

by Pub. L. 114–94, § 6016). 

Tier 1 UTCs. Consideration will be 

given to minority institutions, as 

defined by section 365 of the Higher 

Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

1067k), or consortia that include such 

institutions that have demonstrated an 

ability in transportation-related 

research. 

Past Performance. The Department is 

required by 2 CFR 200, Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost 

Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards, Section 205, to review 

risk posed by applicants. This may be 

done through such publicly available 

information collections as the System 

for Award Management (SAM.gov) and/ 

or through specifically collected 

information about the applicant’s record 

in managing Federal awards. 

External Stakeholders. The 

Department will consult with external 

stakeholders (including the 

Transportation Research Board of the 

National Academy of Sciences, among 

others), to the maximum extent 

practicable, to evaluate and review all 

proposals. (49 U.S.C. 5505(b)(6) as 

amended by Public Law 114–94, 6016). 

V. Program Funding and Award 

UTCs will be selected by the 

Secretary, in consultation as appropriate 

with the Assistant Secretary for 

Research and Technology, the 

Administrator of the Federal Highway 

Administration and other modal 

administrators as appropriate. Awards 

will be made no later than December 4, 

2016, with Federal FY16 funds awarded 

at that time. Subsequent Federal FY17– 

FY20 funding will be awarded 

approximately annually after that date, 

subject to availability of funds and 

grantee compliance with grant terms 

and conditions. 

VI. Use of Grant Funds 

Grantees will have until September 

30, 2022 to expend all funds, assuming 

availability of annual appropriations. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on January 27, 

2016. 

Gregory D. Winfree, 

Assistant Secretary. 

[FR Doc. 2016–01838 Filed 2–1–16; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY 

Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 

Proposed Collection; Comment 

Request; Bank Secrecy Act Currency 

Transaction Report (BCTR) Revised 

Layout and Proposed Additional Data 

Fields 

AGENCY: Financial Crimes Enforcement 

Network (‘‘FinCEN’’), Treasury. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: FinCEN published the revised 

Bank Secrecy Act Currency Transaction 

Report (‘‘BCTR’’) in March 2011. The 

BCTR was designed to facilitate 

financial institutions reporting the most 

frequently encountered transaction 

scenarios. Since that time, FinCEN has 

become aware that the current report is 

not configured to allow for alternative 

reporting models that have developed in 

the last few years, such as reports filed 

by a parent company on behalf of its 

subsidiary. To remedy some of the 

limitations of the current BCTR, FinCEN 

now proposes an amended report. This 

notice does not propose any new 

regulatory requirements or changes to 

the requirements related to currency 

transaction reporting, but rather seeks 

input on technical matters designed to 

improve the layout and reporting of the 

BCTR. This request for comments covers 

31 CFR 1010.310. This request for 

comments is made pursuant to the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(PRA), Public Law 104–13, 44 U.S.C. 

3506(c)(2)(A). 

DATES: Written comments are welcome 

and must be received on or before April 

4, 2016. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be submitted to: Office of Regulatory 

Policy, Financial Crimes Enforcement 

Network, Department of the Treasury, 

P.O. Box 39, Vienna, Virginia 22183, 

‘‘Attention: PRA Comments—BCTR 

Revision.’’ 

Comments also may be submitted by 

electronic mail to the following Internet 

address: regcomments@fincen.gov, with 

the caption, ‘‘Attention: BCTR 

Revision’’ in the body of the text. Please 

submit by one method only. All 

comments submitted by either method 

in response to this notice will become 

a matter of public record. Therefore, you 

should submit only information that 

you wish to make publicly available. 

Inspection of comments. Comments 

will be posted on the FinCEN public 

Web site. Persons wishing to review the 

comments submitted may access the 

posted comments by going to https://

www.fincen.gov/forms/bsa_forms/. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

FinCEN Resource Center at 1–800–767– 

2825 or 1–703–905–3591 (not a toll free 

number) and select option 3 for 

regulatory questions. Email inquiries 

can be sent to FRC@fincen.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: BSA Currency Transaction 

Report by Financial Institutions (See 31 

CFR 1010.310). 

Office of Management and Budget 

(‘‘OMB’’) Number: 1506–0064.1

Report Number: FinCEN 112. 

Abstract: The statute generally 

referred to as the ‘‘Bank Secrecy Act,’’ 

(‘‘BSA’’) Titles I and II of Public Law 

91–508, as amended, codified at 12 

U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 

31 U.S.C. 5311–5332, authorizes the 

Secretary of the Treasury, inter alia, to 

require financial institutions to keep 

records and file reports that are 

determined to have a high degree of 

usefulness in criminal, tax, and 

regulatory matters, or in the conduct of 

intelligence or counter-intelligence 

activities, to protect against 

international terrorism, and to 

implement counter-money laundering 

programs and compliance procedures.2

Regulations implementing Title II of the 

BSA appear at 31 CFR Chapter X. The 

authority of the Secretary to administer 

the BSA has been delegated to the 

Director of FinCEN. 

The Secretary of the Treasury was 

granted authority in 1970, with the 

enactment of 31 U.S.C. 5313, to require 

financial institutions to report currency 

transactions exceeding $10,000. The 

information collected on the ‘‘report’’ is 

required to be provided pursuant to 31 

U.S.C. 5313 as implemented by FinCEN 

regulations found at 31 CFR 1010.310. 

The information collected under this 

requirement is made available to 

appropriate agencies and organizations 

as disclosed in FinCEN’s Privacy Act 


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