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###### Department of Commerce

###### International Trade Administration

          - [Docket No.   I.D. GF001] 

# AGENCY:

Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration

# ACTION: 

Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds

# SUMMARY: 

The purpose of this notice is to inform potential applicants that the Department of Commerce is providing financial assistance in calendar year 2009 for U.S. manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics. Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the “Act”) authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to provide grants to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted wool fabrics. The first category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters greater than 18.5 micron (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) heading 9902.51.11); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.11. The second category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less (HTS heading 9902.51.15, previously HTS heading 9902.51.12); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.15. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (the “Trust Fund”). The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2009. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2009.

# DATES:

Applications by eligible U.S. producers of certain worsted wool fabrics must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Standard Time on July 27, 2009. Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Applications received after the closing date and time will be rejected/returned to the sender without further consideration. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

# ADDRESSES:

                        The standard application package is available at                         **http://www.grants.gov**                        . For applicants without internet access, an application package may be received by contacting Mr. Jim Bennett, Office of Textiles and Apparel, Rm 3100, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington DC 20230, (202) 482-4058; email: James_Bennett@ita.doc.gov

# FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Technical questions can be directed to Jim Bennett, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-4058; James_Bennett@ita.doc.gov. Grants-related administration questions concerning this program should be addressed to Beverly Manley, Department of Commerce Grants Officer, (202) 482-1370; beverly.manley@noaa.gov. For assistance with using grants.gov, contact support@grants.gov.

## SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

                    The items listed below are required before an award can be made. Failure to submit items below by the application date will result in the application not being reviewed. Applicants must have produced in the United States, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001, worsted wool fabrics of a kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. Applicants must provide: (1) Company name, address, contact and phone number; (2) Federal tax identification number; (3) the name and address of                           ( print page 32531)                        each plant or location in the United States where worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 was woven by the applicant in 1999, 2000 and 2001; (4) the name and address of each plant or location in the United States where the applicant is weaving worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.5115 as of the date of application; (5) the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and (6) the value of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.                

This data must indicate actual production (not estimates) of worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. At the conclusion of the application, the applicant must attest that “all information contained in the application is complete and correct and no false claims, statements, or representations have been made.” Applicants should be aware that, generally, pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3729, persons providing a false or fraudulent claims, and, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001, persons making materially false statements or representations, are subject to civil or criminal penalties, respectively. Information that is marked “business confidential” will be protected from disclosure to the full extent permitted by law.

*Other Application Requirements:*                     Complete applications must also include the following forms and documents: CD-346, Applicant for Funding Assistance; CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying; SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; and SF-424B, Assurances - Non-Construction Programs.                

*Electronic Access:*                     The federal funding opportunity announcement for this program can be accessed via the Grants.gov web site at                     **http://www.grants.gov**                    . The announcement will also be available by contacting the program officials identified under the section above labeled “FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT”. Applicants must comply with all requirements contained in the federal funding opportunity announcement.                

*Statutory Authority:*                     Section 4002(c)(6) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the “Act”), and amended by Section 1633 of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-280). Division C, Title III, Section 325 of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, (Public Law 110-343) extended the availability of grant funds through 2014.                 

*Funding Availability:*                     The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act to provide grants to manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts in the Trust Fund. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2009. The total amount ofgrants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2009.                

*Eligibility Criteria:*                     The worsted wool fabrics grant program is open to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001, manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics in the United States of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. Only manufacturers who weave worsted wool fabric in the United States as of the date of application shall be eligible for grant funds. Any manufacturer who becomes a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to apply for such grants.                

*Cost Sharing Requirements:*                     No cost sharing or matching requirements is required for the worsted wool fabric program.                

*Evaluation And Selection Procedures:*                     The general evaluation criteria and selection factors that apply to applications to this funding opportunity are summarized below. Further information about the evaluation criteria and selection factors can be found in the federal funding opportunity announcement.                

*Evaluation Criteria For Projects:*                     For the worsted wool fabrics grant program, the technical reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate the applications: (1) Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) produced in the United States worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15 during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; (2) Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) is weaving in the United States worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 as of the date of application; (3) Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) was a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer who produced in the United States worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during calendar years 1999, 2000 or 2001, because of a reorganization or otherwise; and (4) the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.                

*Review And Selection Process:*                     All applications received in response to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether they are complete and responsive to the content and form of application submission requirements as published in this notice. Responsive applications will be reviewed by an independent, objective panel composed of at least three individuals who are knowledgeable about worsted wool fabric production. The panel will conduct a technical review of applications based on the evaluation criteria listed above. The worsted wool fabrics grant program Selecting Official in the Office of Textiles and Apparel will make the award selection.                

*Selection Factors For Projects:*                     For each applicant, the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001. The grants are to be allocated among eligible applicants on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of the fabric described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15, as appropriate, for calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, compared to the production of such fabric by all manufacturers who qualify for such grants.                

*Intergovernmental Review:*                     Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”.                

*Limitation Of Liability:*                     In no event will International Trade Administration or the Department of Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of                           ( print page 32532)                        this announcement does not oblige International Trade Administration to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.                

*The Department Of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements For Grants And Cooperative Agreements:*                     The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the                     **Federal Register**                     notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696), are applicable to this solicitation.                

*Paperwork Reduction Act:*                     This document contains collection-of-information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL and CD-346 has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB control number.                

*Executive Order 12866:*                     This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.                

*Executive Order 13132 (Federalism):*                     It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.                

*Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act:*                     Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 USC 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 USC 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 USC 601 et seq.) are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.                

Dated: July 2, 2009.

Janet E. Heinzen,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.

[FR Doc. E9-16060 Filed 7-7-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-DS