Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements

AGENCY:

Department of Commerce (DoC).

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (DoC) announces Department-wide requirements which pertain to information provided to applicants for funding under grants and cooperative agreements awarded by the DoC.

DATES:

These provisions are effective October 1, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Elizabeth Dorfman, Office of Executive Assistance Management, Telephone Number—202-482-4115.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The DoC is authorized to award grants and cooperative agreements under a wide range of programs that support economic development; international trade; minority businesses; standards and technology; oceanic/atmospheric services; and telecommunications and information.

It is the policy of DoC to seek full and open competition for award of discretionary financial assistance funds. Moreover, DoC financial assistance must be awarded through a merit-based review and selection process whenever possible. An annual notice announcing the availability of Federal funds for each DoC competitive financial assistance program with funds available for new awards will be published in the Federal Register by the sponsoring operating unit. The announcement will reference or include the DoC Pre-Award Notification Requirements identified in Sections A and B of this notice and will include program-specific information as identified in Section C of this notice.

This announcement provides notice of the DoC Pre-Award Notification Requirements which apply to all DoC sponsored grant and cooperative agreement programs and may supplement those program announcements which make reference to this notice. Some of the DoC general provisions published herein contain, by reference or substance, a summary of the pertinent statutes or regulations published in the U.S. Code (U.S.C.), Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Executive Orders, OMB Circulars (circulars), or Assurances (Forms SF-424B, 424D). To the extent that it is a summary, such provision is not in derogation of, or an amendment to, any such statute, regulation, Executive Order, circulars, or Forms SF-424B and SF-424D.

Each individual award notice will complete and include an analysis of the requirements in Executive Order 12866, Executive Order 13132, the Administrative Procedure Act, the Regulatory Flexibility Act, and the Paperwork Reduction Act, as applicable.

Pre-Award Notification Requirements

A. The following pre-award notice provisions will apply to all applicants for and recipients of DoC grants and cooperative agreements:

1. Federal Policies and Procedures. Applicants, recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and Federal and DoC policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to Federal financial assistance. The DoC specific regulations and forms, including the DoC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions, as well as OMB forms and circulars can be accessed on the Internet through links on the DoC Grants Management Web site at http://www.doc.gov/oebam/grants.htm.

2. Debarment, Suspension, Drug-Free Workplace, and Lobbying Provisions. All applicants must comply with the requirements of 15 CFR part 26, “Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)” and 15 CFR part 28, “New Restrictions on Lobbying,” including the submission of required forms and obtaining certifications from lower tier applicants/bidders.

3. Pre-Award Screening of Applicant's and Recipient's Management Capabilities, Financial Condition, and Present Responsibility. It is the policy of DoC to make awards to applicants and recipients who are competently managed, responsible, financially capable and committed to achieving the objectives of the award(s) they receive. Therefore, pre-award screening may include, but is not limited to, the following reviews:

(a) Past Performance. Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may result in an application not being considered for funding.

(b) Credit Checks. A credit check will be performed on individuals, for-profit, and non-profit organizations.

(c) Delinquent Federal Debts. No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt until:

(1) The delinquent account is paid in full,

(2) A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one payment is received, or

(3) Other arrangements satisfactory to DoC are made.

(d) Name Check Review. Non-profit and for-profit applicants are subject to a name check review process, unless an exemption has been provided by the DoC Office of Inspector General (OIG). Name checks are intended to reveal if any key individuals associated with the applicant have been convicted of or are presently facing criminal charges (e.g., fraud, theft, perjury), or other matters which significantly reflect on the applicant's management honesty or financial integrity. Officials of state and local governments, economic development districts, and officials of accredited colleges and universities who are acting on behalf of their respective entities in applying for assistance are exempt from the name check requirement. If any of the conditions listed below in paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) occur, DoC reserves the right to take one or more of the following actions: consider suspension/termination of an award immediately for cause; require the removal of any key individual from association with management of and/or implementation of the award; and make appropriate provisions or revisions with respect to the method of payment and/or financial reporting requirements:

(1) A key individual fails to submit the required Form CD-346, Applicant for Funding Assistance;

(2) A key individual makes an incorrect statement or omits a material fact on the Form CD-346; or

(3) The name check reveals significant adverse findings that reflect on the business integrity or responsibility of the recipient and/or key individual.

(e) List of Parties Excluded from Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs. The list maintained by GSA of parties excluded from Federal procurement and nonprocurement programs will be checked to assure that an applicant is not debarred or suspended on a government-wide basis from receiving financial assistance.

(f) Pre-Award Accounting System Surveys. The Grants Office, in cooperation with the OIG, may arrange for a pre-award survey of the applicant's financial management system in cases where the recommended applicant has had no prior Federal support, the operating unit has reason to question whether the financial management system meets Federal financial management standards, or the applicant is being considered for a high-risk designation.

4. No Obligation for Future Funding. If an application is selected for funding, DoC has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in connection with that award. Amendment of an award to increase funding or to extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of DoC.

5. Pre-Award Activities. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do so solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Government. Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may have been received, there is no obligation on the part of DoC to cover preaward costs unless approved by the Grants Officer as part of the terms when the award is made.

6. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Disclosure. The FOIA, 5 U.S.C. 552 and implementing DoC regulations at 15 CFR Part 4, set forth DoC's rules to make requested material, information, and records publicly available. Unless prohibited by law and to the extent required under the FOIA, contents of applications and proposals submitted by applicants may be released in response to FOIA requests.

7. False Statements. A false statement on an application is grounds for denial or termination of an award and grounds for possible punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

8. Application Forms. Unless the individual programs specify differently in their annual notice of availability of funding or in other appropriate publications, the following forms and certifications will be used in applying for DoC grants and cooperative agreements: Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs; SF-424B, Assurances—Non-Construction Programs; SF-424C, Budget Information—Construction Programs; SF-424D, Assurances—Construction Programs; as well as the Form CD-346, Applicant for Funding Assistance, as appropriate, shall be used in applying for financial assistance. In addition, Forms CD-511, Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and Lobbying; CD-512, Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions and Lobbying; and SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, will be used as appropriate.

B. The following general provisions will apply to all DoC grant and cooperative agreement awards:

1. Administrative Requirements and Cost Principles. The uniform administrative requirements for all DoC grants and cooperative agreements are codified at 15 CFR part 14, “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, Other Non-Profit, and Commercial Organizations;” and 15 CFR part 24, “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements to State and Local Governments.” The following is a list of cost principles most often used by DoC in grants and cooperative agreements: OMB Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions;” OMB Circular A-87, “Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments;” OMB Circular A-122, “Cost Principles for Nonprofit Organizations;” and Federal Acquisition Regulation Subpart 31.2, “Contracts with Commercial Organizations,” codified at 48 CFR 31.2. Applicable administrative requirements and cost principles are identified in each award and are incorporated into the award by reference.

2. Award Payments. Advances will be limited to the minimum amounts necessary to meet immediate disbursement needs. Advanced funds not disbursed in a timely manner must be promptly returned to DoC. When the Standard Form 270 is used to request payment, advances will be approved for periods not to exceed 30 days. DoC may begin using the Department of Treasury's Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP) system. Awards that will be paid using the ASAP system will contain a special award condition, clause, or provision. In order to receive payments under ASAP, recipients will be required to register with the Department of Treasury and indicate whether or not they will use the on-line or voice response method of withdrawing funds from their ASAP established accounts.

3. Federal and Non-Federal Sharing.

(a) Awards which include Federal and non-Federal sharing will incorporate an estimated budget consisting of shared allowable costs. If actual allowable costs are less than the total approved estimated budget, the Federal and non-Federal cost share ratio will be calculated as a percentage of Federal and non-Federal approved amounts. If actual allowable costs are greater than the total approved estimated budget, the Federal share will not exceed the total Federal dollar amount of the award.

(b) The non-Federal share, whether in cash or in-kind, will be expected to be paid out at the same general rate as the Federal share. Exceptions to this requirement may be granted by the Grants Officer based on sufficient documentation demonstrating previously determined plans for or later commitment of cash or in-kind contributions. In any case, recipients must meet the cost share commitment over the life of the award.

4. Budget Changes. When the terms of an award allow the recipient to transfer funds among approved direct cost categories, the transfer authority does not authorize the recipient to create new budget categories within an approved budget unless the Grants Officer has provided prior approval. In addition, the recipient will not be authorized at any time to transfer amounts budgeted for direct costs to the indirect costs line item or vice versa, without written prior approval of the Grants Officer.

5. Indirect Costs.

(a) Indirect costs will not be allowable charges against an award unless specifically included as a line item in the approved budget incorporated into the award. (The term “indirect cost” has been replaced with the term “facilities and administrative costs” under OMB Circular A-21, “Cost Principles for Educational Institutions.”)

(b) Excess indirect costs may not be used to offset unallowable direct costs.

(c) If the recipient has not previously established an indirect cost rate with a Federal agency, the negotiation and approval of a rate will be subject to the procedures in the applicable cost principles and the following subparagraphs:

(1) The OIG is authorized to review cost allocation procedures and negotiate indirect cost rates on behalf of DoC for those organizations for which DoC is cognizant or has oversight. The OIG either will negotiate a fixed rate for the recipient or, in some instances, will limit its review to evaluating the procedures described in the recipient's cost allocation methodology plan. The recipient must submit to the OIG within 90 days of the award start date, documentation (indirect cost proposal, cost allocation plan, etc.) necessary for the OIG to perform its review. The recipient must provide the Grants Officer with a copy of the transmittal letter to the OIG.

(2) When an oversight or cognizant Federal agency other than DoC has responsibility for establishing an indirect cost rate, the recipient must submit to that oversight or cognizant Federal agency within 90 days of the award start date the documentation (indirect cost proposal, cost allocation plan, etc.) necessary to establish such rates. The recipient must provide the Grants Officer with a copy of the transmittal letter to the cognizant Federal agency.

(3) If the recipient fails to submit the required documentation to the OIG or other oversight or cognizant Federal agency within 90 days of the award start date, the recipient may be precluded from recovering any indirect costs under the award. If the DoC OIG, oversight, or cognizant Federal agency determines there is a finding of good and sufficient cause to excuse the recipient's delay in submitting the documentation, an extension of the 90-day due date may be approved by the Grants Officer.

(4) Regardless of any approved indirect cost rate applicable to the award, the maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for which DoC will reimburse the recipient shall be the lesser of the line item amount for the Federal share of indirect costs contained in the approved budget of the award, or the Federal share of the total allocable indirect costs of the award based on the indirect cost rate approved by an oversight or cognizant Federal agency and current at the time the cost was incurred, provided the rate is approved on or before the award end date.

6. Tax Refunds. Refunds of FICA/FUTA taxes received by a recipient during or after an award period must be refunded or credited to DoC where the benefits were financed with Federal funds under the award. Recipients must agree to contact the Grants Officer immediately upon receipt of these refunds. Recipients must further agree to refund portions of FICA/FUTA taxes determined to belong to the Federal Government, including refunds received after the award end date.

7. Other Federal Awards with Similar Programmatic Activities. Recipients will be required to provide written notification to the Federal Program Officer and the Grants Officer in the event that, subsequent to receipt of the DoC award, other financial assistance is received to support or fund any portion of the scope of work incorporated into the DoC award. DoC will not pay for costs that are funded by other sources.

8. Non-Compliance With Award Provisions. Failure to comply with any or all of the provisions of an award may have a negative impact on future funding by DoC and may be considered grounds for any or all of the following actions: establishment of an account receivable, withholding payments under any DoC awards to the recipient, changing the method of payment from advance to reimbursement only, or the imposition of other special award conditions, suspension of any DoC active awards, and termination of any DoC active awards.

9. Prohibition Against Assignment by the Recipient. Notwithstanding any other provision of an award, recipients may not transfer, pledge, mortgage, or otherwise assign an award, or any interest therein, or any claim arising thereunder, to any party or parties, banks, trust companies, or other financing or financial institutions.

10. Non-Discrimination Requirements. No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, national origin, handicap, religion, age, or sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving financial assistance from DoC.

11. Audits of For-Profit Recipients. In accordance with 15 CFR 14.26 (c) and (d), for-profit hospitals, commercial, and other organizations not covered by the audit provisions of OMB Circular A-133 shall be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award or sub-award document. For-profit recipients of awards exceeding $100,000 in Federal funding must have a program-specific audit performed. The DoC award may include a line item in the budget for the cost of the audit. If DoC does not have a program-specific audit guide available for the program, the auditor should follow Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards and the requirements for a program-specific audit as described in OMB Circular A-133 section 235.

12. Policies and Procedures for Resolution of Audit-Related Debts. DoC has established policies and procedures for handling the resolution and reconsideration of financial assistance audits which have resulted in, or may result in, the establishment of a debt (account receivable) for financial assistance awards. These policies and procedures are contained in the Federal Register notice dated January 27, 1989. See 54 FR 4053. The policies and procedures are also provided in more detail in the Department of Commerce Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions.

13. Debts. Any debts determined to be owed the Federal Government shall be paid promptly by the recipient. In accordance with 15 CFR 21.4, a debt will be considered delinquent if it is not paid within 15 days of the due date, or if there is no due date, within 30 days of the billing date. Failure to pay a debt by the due date, or if there is no due date, within 30 days of the billing date, shall result in the imposition of late payment charges. In addition, failure to pay the debt or establish a repayment agreement by the due date, or if there is no due date, within 30 days of the billing date, will also result in the referral of the debt for collection action and may result in DoC taking further action as specified in the terms of the award. Funds for payment of a debt must not come from other Federally sponsored programs. Verification that other Federal funds have not been used will be made, e.g., during on-site visits and audits.

14. Post-Award Discovery of Adverse Information. After an award is made, if adverse information on a recipient or any key individual associated with a recipient is discovered which reflects significantly and adversely on the recipient's responsibility, the Grants Officer may take the following actions:

(a) Require the recipient to correct the conditions.

(b) Consider the recipient to be “high risk” and unilaterally impose special award conditions to protect the Federal Government's interest.

(c) Suspend or terminate an active award. The recipient will be afforded adequate due process while effecting such actions.

(d) Require the removal of personnel from association with the management of and/or implementation of the project and require Grants Officer approval of personnel replacements.

15. Competition and Codes of Conduct.

(a) Pursuant to the certification in SF-424B, Paragraph 3, recipients must maintain written standards of conduct to establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their positions for a purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of a personal or organizational conflict of interest, or personal gain in the administration of this award and any subawards.

(b) Recipients must maintain written standards of conduct governing the performance of their employees engaged in the award and administration of subawards. No employee, officer, or agent shall participate in the selection, award, or administration of a subaward supported by Federal funds if a real or apparent conflict of interest is or would be involved. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer, or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization in which he/she serves as an officer or which employs or is about to employ any of the parties mentioned in this section, has a financial or other interest in the organization selected or to be selected for a subaward. The officers, employees, and agents of the recipient may not solicit or accept anything of monetary value from subrecipients. However, recipients may set standards for situations in which the financial interest is not substantial or the gift is an unsolicited item of nominal value. The standards of conduct must provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violations of such standards by officers, employees, or agents of a recipient.

(c) All subawards will be made in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practicable, open and free competition. Recipients must be alert to organizational conflicts of interest as well as other practices among subrecipients that may restrict or eliminate competition. In order to ensure objective subrecipient performance and eliminate unfair competitive advantage, subrecipients that develop or draft work requirements, statements of work, or requests for proposals will be excluded from competing for such subawards.

(d) For purposes of this award, a financial interest may include employment, stock ownership, a creditor or debtor relationship, or prospective employment with an applicant. An appearance of impairment of objectivity could result from an organizational conflict where, because of other activities or relationships with other persons or entities, a person is unable or potentially unable to act in an impartial manner. It could also result from non-financial gain to the individual, such as benefit to reputation or prestige in a professional field.

16. Minority Owned Business Enterprise. DoC encourages recipients to utilize minority and women-owned firms and enterprises in contracts under financial assistance awards. The Minority Business Development Agency can assist recipients in matching qualified minority owned enterprises with contract opportunities.

17. Subaward and/or Contract to a Federal Agency. Recipients, subrecipients, contractors, and/or subcontractors may not sub-grant or sub-contract any part of an approved project to any Federal department, agency, instrumentality, or employee thereof, without the prior written approval of the Grants Officer.

18. Foreign Travel. Recipients must comply with the provisions of the Fly America Act, 49 U.S.C. 40118. The Fly America Act requires that Federal travelers and others performing U.S. Government-financed foreign air travel must use U.S. flag carriers, to the extent that service by such carriers is available. Foreign air carriers may be used only in specific instances, such as when a U.S. flag air carrier is unavailable, or use of U.S. flag carrier service will not accomplish the agency's mission. The implementing Federal Travel Regulations are found at 41 CFR 301-10.131 through 301-10.143.

19. Purchase of American-Made Equipment and Products. Recipients are hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the greatest extent practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products with funding provided under DoC financial assistance awards.

20. Intellectual Property Rights.

(a) Inventions. The rights to any invention made by a recipient under a DoC financial assistance award are determined by the Bayh-Dole Act, Public Law 96-517, as amended, and codified in 35 U.S.C. 200 et seq., except as otherwise required by law. The specific rights and responsibilities are described in more detail in 37 CFR Part 401 and in particular, in the standard patent rights clause in 37 CFR 401.14.

(b) Patent Notification Procedures. Pursuant to EO 12889, DoC is required to notify the owner of any valid patent covering technology whenever the DoC or its financial assistance recipients, without making a patent search, knows (or has demonstrable reasonable grounds to know) that technology covered by a valid United States patent has been or will be used without a license from the owner. To ensure proper notification, if the recipient uses or has used patented technology under this award without a license or permission from the owner, the recipient must notify the DoC Patent Counsel and Grants Officer.

(c) Data, Databases, and Software. The rights to any work produced or purchased under a DoC Federal financial assistance award are determined by 15 CFR 24.34 and 15 CFR 14.36. Such works may include data, databases or software. The recipient owns any work produced or purchased under a DoC Federal financial assistance award subject to DoC's right to obtain, reproduce, publish or otherwise use the work or authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish or otherwise use the data for Government purposes.

(d) Copyright. The recipient may copyright any work produced under a DoC Federal financial assistance award subject to DoC's royalty-free nonexclusive and irrevocable right to reproduce, publish or otherwise use the work or authorize others to do so for Government purposes. Works jointly authored by DoC and recipient employees may be copyrighted but only the part authored by the recipient is protected because, under 17 U.S.C. 105, works produced by Government employees are not copyrightable in the United States. If the contributions of the authors cannot be separated, the copyright status of the joint work is questionable. On occasion, DoC may ask the recipient to transfer to DoC its copyright in a particular work when DoC is undertaking the primary dissemination of the work. Ownership of copyright by the Government through assignment is permitted by 17 U.S.C. 105.

21. Seat Belt Use. Pursuant to EO 13043, recipients should encourage employees and contractors to enforce on-the-job seat belt policies and programs when operating recipient/company-owned, rented or personally owned vehicles.

22. Research Involving Human Subjects. All proposed research involving human subjects must be conducted in accordance with 15 CFR part 27, “Protection of Human Subject.” No research involving human subjects is permitted under any DoC financial assistance award unless expressly authorized by the Grants Officer.

23. Federal Employee Expenses. Federal agencies are generally barred from accepting funds from a recipient to pay transportation, travel, or other expenses for any Federal employee unless specifically approved in the terms of the award. Use of award funds (Federal or non-Federal) or the recipient's provision of in-kind goods or services for the purposes of transportation, travel, or any other expenses for any Federal employee, may raise appropriation augmentation issues. In addition, DoC policy prohibits the acceptance of gifts, including travel payments for Federal employees, from recipients or applicants regardless of the source.

24. Preservation of Open Competition and Government Neutrality Towards Government Contractors' Labor Relations on Federal and Federally Funded Construction Projects. Pursuant to Executive Order 13202, “Preservation of Open Competition and Government Neutrality Towards Government Contractors' Labor Relations on Federal and Federally Funded Construction Projects,” unless the project is exempted under section 5(c) of the order, bid specifications, project agreements, or other controlling documents for construction contracts awarded by recipients of grants or cooperative agreements, or those of any construction manager acting on their behalf, shall not: (1) include any requirement or prohibition on bidders, offerors, contractors, or subcontractors about entering into or adhering to agreements with one or more labor organizations on the same or related construction project(s); or (2) otherwise discriminate against bidders, offerors, contractors, or subcontractors for becoming or refusing to become or remain signatories or otherwise to adhere to agreements with one or more labor organizations, on the same or other related construction project(s).

25. Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) Initiative. Pursuant to Executive Orders 12876, 12900, and 13021, DoC is strongly committed to broadening the participation of MSIs in its financial assistance programs. DoC goals include achieving full participation of MSIs in order to advance the development of human potential, strengthen the Nation's capacity to provide high-quality education, and increase opportunities for MSIs to participate in and benefit from Federal financial assistance programs. DoC encourages all applicants and recipients to include meaningful participation of MSIs. Institutions eligible to be considered MSIs are listed on the Department of Education Web site at http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR/minorityinst.html.

26. Access to Records. The Inspector General of the DoC, or any of his or her duly authorized representatives, shall have access to any pertinent books, documents, papers and records of the parties to a grant or cooperative agreement, whether written, printed, recorded, produced, or reproduced by any electronic, mechanical, magnetic or other process or medium, in order to make audits, inspections, excerpts, transcripts, or other examinations as authorized by law. An audit of an award may be conducted at any time. Recipients that are subject to OMB Circular A-133, “Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations,” and that expend $300,000 or more annually in Federal awards shall have an organization-wide audit performed, unless a program-specific audit is determined by DoC to be more appropriate. Other recipients will be subject to the audit requirements as stipulated in the award or subaward document.

C. The annual notices announcing the availability of Federal funds for each DoC competitive financial assistance program will generally contain the following program-specific information: Program Authority; Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number and Title; Program Description; Funding Availability; Matching Requirements; Type of Funding Instrument (grant or cooperative agreement); Eligibility Criteria; Award Period; Evaluation Criteria; Project Funding Priorities; Selection Procedures; Applicability of Executive Order 12372; Identification of any Non-Standard Forms Used in the Application Package; Citation(s) to the Regulation and/or Department-Wide Notice Where Required Information Can Be Found If Not Included in the Solicitation; Disposition of Unsuccessful Applications; and Program-Specific Requirements. Also included should be notice of any program-specific requirements, such as environmental compliance provisions for construction projects and policies on human subjects, patents, care and use of laboratory animals, and biosafety measures, as applicable, for research awards.

Classification

Executive Order 12866

This notice has been determined to be “not significant” for purposes of Executive Order 12866, “Regulatory Planning and Review.”

Administrative Procedure Act and Regulatory Flexibility Act

Because notice and comment are not required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any other law, for this notice relating to public property, loans, grants benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)), a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis is not required and has not been prepared for this notice.

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.

Paperwork Reduction Act

These regulatory actions do not impose any new reporting or recordkeeping requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection-of-information, subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., unless that collection of information displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. Forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C, SF-424D, SF-LLL, and CD-346, have been approved under control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0041, 0348,0042, 0348-0046, and 0605-0001, respectively.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

This notice affects all of the grant and cooperative agreement programs funded by DoC. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance can be accessed on the Internet under the DoC Grants Management Web site at http://www.cfda.gov.

List of Subjects

Accounting, Administrative practice and procedures, Grants administration, Grant programs-economic development, Grant programs-oceans, atmosphere and fisheries management, Grant programs-minority businesses, Grant programs-technology, Grant programs-telecommunications, Grant programs-international, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.