FY 2009 SURF Funding Notice

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
Research Projects Involving Human
Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or
Recordings Involving Human Subjects:
Any proposal that includes research
involving human subjects, human
tissue, data or recordings involving
human subjects must meet the
requirements of the Common Rule for
the Protection of Human Subjects,
codified for the Department of
Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27. In
addition, any proposal that includes
research on these topics must be in
compliance with any statutory
requirements imposed upon the
Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) and other federal
agencies regarding these topics, all
regulatory policies and guidance
adopted by DHHS, the Food and Drug
Administration, and other Federal
agencies on these topics, and all
Presidential statements of policy on
these topics.
NIST will accept the submission of
human subjects protocols that have been
approved by Institutional Review
Boards (IRBs) possessing a current
registration filed with DHHS and to be
performed by institutions possessing a
current, valid Federal-wide Assurance
(FWA) from DHHS. NIST will not issue
a single project assurance (SPA) for any
human subjects protocol proposed to
NIST.
On August 9, 2001, the President
announced his decision to allow Federal
funds to be used for research on existing
human embryonic stem cell lines as
long as prior to his announcement (1)
the derivation process (which
commences with the removal of the
inner cell mass from the blastocyst) had
already been initiated and (2) the
embryo from which the stem cell line
was derived no longer had the
possibility of development as a human
being. NIST will follow guidance issued
by the National Institutes of Health at
http://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/
humansubjects/guidance/stemcell.pdf
for funding such research.
Research Projects Involving Vertebrate
Animals: Any proposal that includes
research involving vertebrate animals
must be in compliance with the
National Research Council’s ‘‘Guide for
the Care and Use of Laboratory
Animals’’ which can be obtained from
National Academy Press, 2101
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20055. In addition, such proposals
must meet the requirements of the
Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et
seq.), 9 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 3, and if
appropriate, 21 CFR Part 58. These
regulations do not apply to proposed
research using pre-existing images of
animals or to research plans that do not

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

include live animals that are being cared
for, euthanized, or used by the project
participants to accomplish research
goals, teaching, or testing. These
regulations also do not apply to
obtaining animal materials from
commercial processors of animal
products or to animal cell lines or
tissues from tissue banks.
Limitation of Liability: Funding for
the program listed in this notice is
contingent upon the availability of
Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations. NIST
issues this notice subject to the
appropriations made available under the
current continuing resolution
continuing resolution, H.R. 2638,
‘‘Continuing Appropriations Resolution,
2009,’’ Public Law 110–329. NIST
anticipates making awards for the
program listed in this notice provided
that funding for the program is
continued beyond March 6, 2009, the
expiration of the current continuing
resolution. In no event will NIST or the
Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal preparation costs if the
NIST programs fail to receive funding or
are cancelled because of Department of
Commerce or NIST priorities.
Publication of this announcement does
not oblige NIST or the Department of
Commerce to award any specific project
or to obligate any available funds.
Executive Order 12866: This funding
notice was 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.
Executive Order 12372: Applications
under this program are not subject to
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.’’
Administrative Procedure Act/
Regulatory Flexibility Act: Notice and
comment are not required under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553) or any other law, for rules relating
to public property, loans, grants,
benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)).
Because notice and comment are not
required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any
other law, for rules 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, 5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.
Dated: December 22, 2008.
Patrick D. Gallagher,
Deputy Director.
[FR Doc. E8–30994 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P

PO 00000

Frm 00029

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

79817

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Institute of Standards and
Technology
[Docket Number 0812021539–81544–01]

Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellowships (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg
and Boulder Programs; Availability of
Funds
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards
and Technology, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST)
announces that the following programs
are soliciting applications for financial
assistance for FY 2009: (1) The NIST
Gaithersburg Summer Undergraduate
Research Fellowship Programs, and (2)
the NIST Boulder Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Programs. Each program will only
consider applications that are within the
scientific scope of the program as
described in this notice and in the
detailed program descriptions found in
the Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)
announcement for these programs.
DATES: See below.
ADDRESSES: See below.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Name and Number:
Measurement and Engineering Research
and Standards—11.609.

Summer Undergraduate Research
Fellowships (SURF) NIST Gaithersburg
and Boulder Programs
Program Description: The SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Programs are soliciting
applications in the areas of Electronics
and Electrical Engineering,
Manufacturing Engineering, Nanoscale
Science and Technology, Chemical
Science and Technology, Physics,
Materials Science and Engineering/
Neutron Research, Building and Fire
Research, and Information Technology
as described in the Federal Funding
Opportunity.
The SURF NIST Boulder Programs are
soliciting applications in the areas of
Electronics and Electrical Engineering,
Chemical Science and Technology,
Physics, Materials Science and
Engineering, and Information
Technology as described in the Federal
Funding Opportunity.
Applications for the Gaithersburg and
Boulder programs are separate.
Application to one program does not
constitute application to the other, and
applications will not be exchanged
between the Gaithersburg and Boulder

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1

79818

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices

programs. If applicants wish to be
considered at both sites, two separate
applications must be submitted.
Both SURF programs will provide an
opportunity for the NIST laboratories
and the National Science Foundation
(NSF) to join in a partnership to
encourage outstanding undergraduate
students to pursue careers in science
and engineering. The programs will
provide research opportunities for
students to work with internationally
known NIST scientists, to expose them
to cutting-edge research and promote
the pursuit of graduate degrees in
science and engineering.
The SURF NIST Gaithersburg and
Boulder Program Directors will work
with appropriate department chairs,
outreach coordinators, and directors of
multi-disciplinary academic
organizations to identify outstanding
undergraduates (including graduating
seniors) who would benefit from offcampus summer research in a worldclass scientific environment.
The objective of the SURF programs is
to build a mutually beneficial
relationship between the student, the
institution, and NIST. NIST’s mission is
to promote U.S. innovation and
industrial competitiveness by advancing
measurement science, standards, and
technology in ways that enhance
economic security and improve our
quality of life. NIST embodies a science
culture, developed from a large and
well-equipped research staff that
enthusiastically blends programs that
address the immediate needs of industry
with longer-term research that
anticipates future needs. This occurs in
few other places and enables the

Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Lab (EEEL), Manufacturing Engineering
Lab (MEL), Center for Nanoscale
Science and Technology (CNST),
Chemical Science and Technology Lab
(CSTL), Physics Lab (PL), Materials
Science and Engineering Lab (MSEL)/
NIST Center for Neutron Research
(NCNR), Building and Fire Research Lab
(BFRL), and Information Technology
Lab (ITL) to offer unique research and
training opportunities for
undergraduates, providing them a
research-rich environment and exposure
to state of the art equipment.
EEEL, MEL, CNST, CSTL, PL, MSEL/
NCNR, BFRL, and ITL SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Programs:
DATES: All SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program applications, paper and
electronic, must be received no later
than 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on
February 17, 2009.
ADDRESSES: For all SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Programs, paper
applications must be submitted to: Ms.
Anita Sweigert, Administrative
Coordinator, SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Programs, National Institute of
Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau
Drive, Stop 8400, Gaithersburg, MD
20899–8400.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
complete information about this
program and instructions for applying
by paper or electronically, read the
Federal Funding Opportunity Notice
(FFO) at http://www.grants.gov. A paper
copy of the FFO may be obtained by
calling (301) 975–6328. The
Gaithersburg and Boulder SURF
programs will publish separate FFOs on
Anticipated
NSF funding

Program

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

EEEL ................................................................................................................
MEL ..................................................................................................................
CNST ...............................................................................................................
CSTL ................................................................................................................
PL .....................................................................................................................
MSEL/NCNR ....................................................................................................
BFRL ................................................................................................................
ITL ....................................................................................................................

The actual number of awards made
under this announcement will depend
on the proposed budgets and the
availability of funding. For all SURF
NIST Gaithersburg Programs described
in this notice, it is expected that
individual awards to institutions will
range from approximately $3,000 to
$70,000. Funding for student housing
will be included in cooperative

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

$72,960
87,000
47,400
0
116,000
130,000
81,000
0

agreements awarded as a result of this
notice.
The SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program is anticipated to run from May
26, 2009 through August 7, 2009;
adjustments may be made to
accommodate specific academic
schedules (e.g., a limited number of 9week cooperative agreements).
Funding for the program(s) listed in
this notice is contingent upon the

PO 00000

Frm 00030

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

www.grants.gov. Program questions
should be addressed to Ms. Anita
Sweigert, Administrative Coordinator,
SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs,
National Institute of Standards and
Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop
8400, Gaithersburg, MD 20899–8400,
Tel: (301) 975–4200, E-mail:
[email protected]. The SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Program Web site is:
http://www.surf.nist.gov/surf2.htm. All
grants related administration questions
concerning this program should be
directed to Hope Snowden, NIST Grants
and Agreements Management Division
at (301) 975–6002 or
[email protected], or for
assistance with using Grants.gov,
contact [email protected].
Funding Availability: Funds budgeted
for payments to students under these
programs are stipends, not salary. The
stipend is an amount that is expected to
be provided to the participating student
to help defray the cost of living, for the
duration of the program, in the
Washington National Capital Region.
The SURF NIST Gaithersburg Programs
will not authorize funds for indirect
costs or fringe benefits. The table below
summarizes the anticipated annual
funding levels from the NSF to operate
our REU (Research Experience for
Undergraduates) programs, subject to
program renewals and availability of
funds. In some programs, anticipated
NIST co-funding will supplement the
number of awards supported. Program
funding will be available to provide for
the costs of stipends ($363.64 per week
per student), travel, and lodging (up to
$3,400 per student).
Anticipated
NIST funding
$40,000
0
0
105,000
65,000
0
0
40,000

Total program
funding
$112,960
87,000
47,400
105,000
181,000
130,000
81,000
40,000

Anticipated
number of
awards
∼ 15
∼ 13
∼5
∼ 16
∼ 26
∼ 22
∼ 10
∼5

availability of Fiscal Year 2009
appropriations. NIST issues this notice
subject to the appropriation made
available under The Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 110–
329). In no event will NIST or the
Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal preparation costs if this
program(s) fail to receive funding or are
cancelled because of other agency
priorities. Publication of this

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
announcement does not obligate NIST
or the Department of Commerce to
award any specific project or to obligate
any available funds.
Statutory Authority: The authority for
the SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program is
15 U.S.C. 278g–l, which authorizes
NIST to fund financial assistance
awards to students at institutions of
higher learning within the United
States. These students must show
promise as present or future
contributors to the missions of NIST.
Eligibility: NIST’s SURF Gaithersburg
Programs are open to colleges and
universities in the United States and its
territories with degree granting
programs in materials science,
chemistry, nanoscale science, neutron
research, engineering, computer science,
mathematics, or physics. Participating
students must be U.S. citizens or
permanent U.S. residents. The SURF
Gaithersburg Programs do not require
any matching funds.
Review and Selection Process: All
SURF NIST Gaithersburg Program
proposals are submitted to the
Administrative Coordinator listed in the
Addresses section above. Each proposal
is examined for completeness and
responsiveness. Incomplete or nonresponsive proposals will not be
considered for funding, and the
applicant will be notified in writing.
The Program will retain one copy of
each non-responsive application for
three years for recordkeeping purposes.
The remaining copies will be destroyed.
Proposals should include the following:
(A) Student Information (student’s
name and university should appear on
all of these documents):
(1) Student application information
cover sheet;
(2) Academic transcript for each
student nominated for participation (it
is recommended that students have a
G.P.A. of 3.0 or better, out of a possible
4.0);
(3) A statement of motivation and
commitment from each student to
participate in the 2009 SURF program,
including a description of the student’s
prioritized research interests;
(4) A resume for each student;
(5) Two letters of recommendation for
each student; and
(6) Copy of passport, green card, or
birth certificate as confirmation of U.S.
citizenship or permanent legal resident
status for each student.
(B) Information About the Applicant
Institution:
(1) description of the institution’s
education and research programs; and
(2) a summary list of the student(s)
being nominated.

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

Institution proposals will be separated
into student/institution packets. Each
student/institution packet will be
comprised of the required application
forms, including a complete copy of the
student information and a complete
copy of the institution information. The
student/institution packets will be
directed to the SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program designated by the student as
his/her first choice.
The selection process occurs in three
rounds. Each SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program will have three independent,
objective NIST employees, who are
knowledgeable in the scientific areas of
the program, conduct a technical review
of each student/institution packet based
on the Evaluation Criteria for the SURF
NIST Gaithersburg Programs described
in this notice. For the first round of
evaluations and placement, each
technical reviewer will evaluate
according to the Evaluation Criteria
listed below and provide a score for
each student/institution packet. Based
on the average of the reviewers’ scores,
a rank order of the student/institution
packets will be prepared within each
laboratory.
The SURF Program Director (Selecting
Official) for each laboratory, who is a
NIST program official who did not
participate in the technical evaluations,
will then apply the following Selection
Factors, which may result in revisions
to the rank order: Relevance of the
student’s course of study to the program
objectives of the NIST laboratory in
which that SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program resides as described in the
Funding Opportunity Description
section of this notice, the relevance of
the student’s statement of commitment
to the goals of the SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Program, fit of the
student’s interests and abilities to the
available projects in that laboratory
program, compatibility of the student
with the research environment in that
laboratory, assessment of whether the
laboratory experience is a new
opportunity for the student which may
encourage future postgraduate training,
and the availability of funding.
Based on these results, the Program
Director (Selecting Official) for each
laboratory will divide the rank ordered
student/application packets into three
categories: Priority Funding; Fund if
Possible; and Do Not Fund. Student/
institution packets placed in the Priority
Funding category will be selected for
funding in that SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program, contingent upon availability of
funds. Student/institution packets
placed in the Do Not Fund category will
not be considered for funding by any
other NIST laboratories.

PO 00000

Frm 00031

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

79819

Student/institution packets placed in
the Fund if Possible Category may be
considered for funding at a later time by
the category-designating SURF Program;
in the interim period these students will
be released for consideration for funding
by the SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program designated by the student as
his/her second choice. The student’s
second choice laboratory’s SURF
Program Director will take into
consideration the recommendations of
the reviewers who conducted the
technical reviews for the student’s first
choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program, apply the selection factors
noted above as applied to that
laboratory and arrive at a final rank
order of the students available for the
second round of selections and
placements. Any SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Program may choose not
to participate in the second round, if the
Program Director does not see suitable
students in the second round
appropriate for the available projects.
Students not selected during the first or
second round are available for the third
round of selections.
Students not selected for funding by
their first or second choice SURF NIST
Gaithersburg Program, and students
who did not designate a second choice,
will then be considered for funding
from all SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Programs that still have slots available
in a third round, conducted using the
same process as the second round. In
making selections for the third round of
selections and placement, each SURF
NIST Gaithersburg Program Director
(Selecting Official) will take into
consideration the recommendations of
the reviewers who conducted the
technical reviews for the student’s first
choice SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program, the selection factors noted
above as applied to that laboratory and
rank order the students in this selection
round. Any SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Program may choose not to participate
in the third round if there are no slots
available. Substitutions for students
who decline offers will be made from
the remaining pool of ranked students
consistent with the program review
process.
The final approval of selected
applications and award of cooperative
agreements will be made by the NIST
Grants Officer based on compliance
with application requirements as
published in this notice and other
applicable legal and regulatory
requirements. NIST also reserves the
right to reject an application where
information is uncovered that reflects
adversely on an applicant’s business
integrity, resulting in a determination by

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1

79820

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices

the Grants Officer that an applicant is
not presently responsible. Applicants
may be asked to modify objectives, work
plans, or budgets and provide
supplemental information required by
the agency prior to award. The decision
of the Grants Officer is final.
The SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Programs will retain one copy of each
unsuccessful application for three years
for recordkeeping purposes, and
unsuccessful applicants will be notified
in writing. The remaining copies will be
destroyed.
Evaluation Criteria: For the SURF
NIST Gaithersburg Programs, the
evaluation criteria are:
(A) Evaluation of Student’s Interest in
Participating in the Program, Academic
Ability, Laboratory Experience and
Advanced Degree Interest: Evaluation of
completed course work, English
proficiency, writing proficiency, safety
consciousness, research skills, social
skills; leadership potential,
innovativeness, independence, honesty,
grade point average in courses relevant
to the SURF NIST Gaithersburg
Programs, career goals, honors and
awards, commitment of the student to
working in a laboratory environment,
and interest in pursuing graduate
school.
(B) Institution’s Commitment to
Program Goals: Evaluation of the
institution’s academic department(s)
relevant to the discipline(s) of the
student(s).

Each of these factors is given equal
weight in the evaluation process.
SURF NIST Boulder Programs
Dates: All SURF NIST Boulder
Program applications, paper and
electronic, must be received no later
than 5 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on
February 17, 2009.
Addresses: Paper applications for the
SURF NIST Boulder Program must be
submitted to: Ms. Cynthia Kotary,
Administrative Coordinator, SURF NIST
Boulder Programs, National Institute of
Standards and Technology, 325
Broadway, Mail Stop 104, Boulder, CO
80305–3328.
For Further Information Contact: For
complete information about this
program and instructions for applying
by paper or electronically, read the
Federal Funding Opportunity Notice
(FFO) at http://www.grants.gov. A paper
copy of the FFO may be obtained by
calling (301) 975–6328. The
Gaithersburg and Boulder SURF
programs will publish separate FFOs on
http://www.grants.gov. Program
questions should be addressed to Ms.
Cynthia Kotary, Administrative
Coordinator, SURF NIST Boulder
Programs, National Institute of
Standards and Technology, 325
Broadway, Mail Stop 104, Boulder, CO
80305–3328, Tel: (303) 497–3319, email: [email protected]; Web site:
http://surf.boulder.nist.gov/. All grants
related administration questions
Anticipated
NSF funding

Laboratory

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

EEEL ................................................................................................................
PL .....................................................................................................................
CSTL ................................................................................................................
MSEL ...............................................................................................................
ITL ....................................................................................................................

The actual number of awards made
under this announcement will depend
on the proposed budgets and the
availability of funding. For the SURF
NIST Boulder Programs described in
this notice, it is expected that individual
awards to institutions will be $7500
times the number of participating
students from that institution.
The SURF NIST Boulder Programs are
anticipated to run from May 26, 2009
through August 7, 2009; adjustments
may be made to accommodate specific
academic schedules (e.g., some 11-week
cooperative agreements shifted to begin
after the regular start in order to
accommodate institutions operating on
quarter systems).

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

$37,400
18,700
7,480
14,960
3,740

Funding for the program(s) listed in
this notice is contingent upon the
availability of Fiscal Year 2009
appropriations. NIST issues this notice
subject to the appropriation made
available under The Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2009 (Pub. L. 110–
329). In no event will NIST or the
Department of Commerce be responsible
for proposal preparation costs if this
program(s) fail to receive funding or are
cancelled because of other agency
priorities. Publication of this
announcement does not obligate NIST
or the Department of Commerce to
award any specific project or to obligate
any available funds.
Statutory Authority: 15 U.S.C. 278g–1.

PO 00000

Frm 00032

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

concerning this program should be
directed to Hope Snowden, NIST Grants
and Agreements Management Division
at (301) 975–6002 or
[email protected] or for assistance
with using Grants.gov contact
[email protected].
Additional Information
Funding Availability
Funds budgeted for payments to
students under this program are
stipends, not salaries. The SURF NIST
Boulder Programs will not authorize
funds for indirect costs or fringe
benefits. The stipend of $7500 includes
a fellowship of $4000 plus $3500 for all
expenses associated with travel and
subsistence. Once they receive their
awards, college and university grant
recipients are expected to provide the
full stipend to participating students in
one lump sum before May 26, 2009, the
start of the SURF NIST Boulder
Programs. NIST will disburse funds to
college and university awardees via the
Automated Standard Application for
Payments (ASAP) system.
The table below summarizes the
anticipated funding from NSF and NIST
to operate the SURF NIST Boulder
Programs, broken out by Laboratory,
subject to program approval and
availability of funds, and NIST and/or
NSF funding.
Anticipated
NIST funding
$37,600
18,800
7,520
15,040
3,760

Total program
funding
$75,000
37,500
15,000
30,000
7,500

Anticipated
number of
awards
10
5
2
4
1

Eligibility: The SURF NIST Boulder
Programs are open to colleges and
universities in the United States and its
territories with degree granting
programs in materials science,
chemistry, engineering, computer
science, mathematics, or physics.
Participating students must be U.S.
citizens or permanent U.S. residents.
The SURF NIST Boulder Programs focus
on undergraduate fellows. Graduating
seniors are eligible to participate but the
likelihood of funds for their possible
participation is extremely limited. Up to
approximately three such participants
might be considered if funds become
available. If so, NIST will give priority
to previous SURF participants. The

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices
SURF NIST Boulder Program does not
require any matching funds.
Review and Selection Process: All
SURF NIST Boulder Programs proposals
are submitted to the Administrative
Coordinator listed in the Addresses
section above. Proposals should include
the following:
(A) Student Information (student’s
name and university should appear on
all of these documents):
(1) Student application information
cover sheet;
(2) Academic transcript for each
student nominated for participation (it
is recommended that students have a
G.P.A. of 3.0 or better, out of a possible
4.0);
(3) A statement of motivation and
commitment from each student to
participate in the SURF NIST Boulder
Program, including a description of the
student’s prioritized research interests;
(4) A resume for each student;
(5) Two letters of recommendation for
each student; and
(6) Confirmation of U.S. citizenship or
permanent legal resident status for each
student (copy of passport, green card, or
birth certificate).
(B) Information About the Applicant
Institution:
(1) description of the institution’s
education and research programs; and
(2) a summary list of the student(s)
being nominated, with one paragraph of
commentary about each student from a
dean or department chair that describes
why the students would be successful in
the SURF program.
Institution proposals will be separated
into student/institution packets. Each
student/institution packet will be
comprised of the required application
forms, including a complete copy of the
student information and a complete
copy of the institution information. The
student/institution packets will be
directed to a review committee of NIST
staff appointed by the SURF NIST
Boulder Directors.
First, all applications received in
response to this announcement will be
reviewed to determine whether or not
they are complete and responsive to the
scope of the stated program objectives.
Incomplete or non-responsive proposals
will not be reviewed for technical merit,
and the applicant will be so notified.
The Program will retain one copy of
each non-responsive application for
three years for record keeping purposes.
Second, each SURF student/
university packet will be reviewed by at
least three independent, objective NIST
employees, who are knowledgeable in
the scientific areas of the program and
are able to conduct a technical review
of each student/university packet based

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

on the Evaluation Criteria described in
this notice. The normalized scores based
on this merit review will be averaged for
each student/university applicant
packet, creating a rank order. The
Selecting Official, the Acting Director of
NIST Electronics and Electrical
Engineering Laboratory, shall award in
the rank order unless a proposal is
justified to be selected out of rank order
based upon one or more of the following
factors: availability of funding, balance
or distribution of funds by research or
technical disciplines.
The final approval of selected
applications and award of financial
assistance will be made by the NIST
Grants Officer based on compliance
with application requirements as
published in this notice, compliance
with applicable legal and regulatory
requirements, and whether the
recommended applicants appear to be
responsible. Applicants may be asked to
modify objectives, work plans, or
budgets and provide supplemental
information required by the agency
prior to award. The decisions of the
Grants Officer are final.
Unsuccessful applicants will be
notified in writing. The Programs will
retain one copy of each unsuccessful
application for three years for record
keeping purposes.
Evaluation Criteria: For the SURF
NIST Boulder Programs the evaluation
criteria are as follows:
(A) Evaluation of Student’s Academic
Ability and Commitment to Program
Goals (80%): Includes evaluation of
completed course work; expressed
research interest; compatibility of the
expressed research interest with SURF
NIST Boulder research areas; research
skills; grade point average in courses
relevant to the SURF NIST Boulder
Program; career goals; honors and
activities;
(B) Evaluation of Applicant
Institution’s Commitment to Program
Goals (20%): Includes evaluation of the
institution’s academic department(s)
relevant to the discipline(s) of the
student(s).
The following information applies to
all programs announced in this notice:
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements:
The Department of Commerce PreAward Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements, 73
FR 7696 (February 11, 2008) is
applicable to this announcement. On
the form SF–424, the applicant’s 9-digit
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number
must be entered in the Applicant
Identifier block (68 FR 38402).

PO 00000

Frm 00033

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

79821

Collaborations with NIST Employees:
All applications should include a
description of any work proposed to be
performed by an entity other than the
applicant, and the cost of such work
should ordinarily be included in the
budget.
If an applicant proposes collaboration
with NIST, the statement of work
should include a statement of this
intention, a description of the
collaboration, and prominently identify
the NIST employee(s) involved, if
known. Any collaboration by a NIST
employee must be approved by
appropriate NIST management and is at
the sole discretion of NIST. Prior to
beginning the merit review process,
NIST will verify the approval of the
proposed collaboration. Any
unapproved collaboration will be
stricken from the proposal prior to the
merit review.
Use of NIST Intellectual Property: If
the applicant anticipates using any
NIST-owned intellectual property to
carry out the work proposed, the
applicant should identify such
intellectual property. This information
will be used to ensure that no NIST
employee involved in the development
of the intellectual property will
participate in the review process for that
competition. In addition, if the
applicant intends to use NIST-owned
intellectual property, the applicant must
comply with all statutes and regulations
governing the licensing of Federal
government patents and inventions,
described at 35 U.S.C. 200–212, 37 CFR
Part 401, 15 CFR Part 14.36, and in
section B.21 of the Department of
Commerce Pre-Award Notification
Requirements, 73 FR 7696 (February 11,
2008). Questions about these
requirements may be directed to the
Chief Counsel for NIST, 301–975–2803.
Any use of NIST-owned intellectual
property by a proposer is at the sole
discretion of NIST and will be
negotiated on a case-by-case basis if a
project is deemed meritorious. The
applicant should indicate within the
statement of work whether it already
has a license to use such intellectual
property or whether it intends to seek
one.
If any inventions made in whole or in
part by a NIST employee arise in the
course of an award made pursuant to
this notice, the United States
government may retain its ownership
rights in any such invention. Licensing
or other disposition of NIST’s rights in
such inventions will be determined
solely by NIST, and include the
possibility of NIST putting the
intellectual property into the public
domain.

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1

pwalker on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES

79822

Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 250 / Tuesday, December 30, 2008 / Notices

Initial Screening of all Applications:
All applications received in response to
this announcement will be reviewed to
determine whether or not they are
complete and responsive to the scope of
the stated objectives for each program.
Incomplete or non-responsive
applications will not be reviewed for
technical merit. The Program will retain
one copy of each non-responsive
application for three years for record
keeping purposes. The remaining copies
will be destroyed.
Paperwork Reduction Act: The
standard forms in the application kit
involve a collection of information
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act.
The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A,
424B, SF–LLL, CD–346, and SURF
Program Student Applicant Information
have been approved by OMB under the
respective Control Numbers 0348–0043,
0348–0044, 0348–0040, 0348–0046,
0605–0001, and 0693–0042.
Notwithstanding any other provision
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 subject to the
requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act, unless that collection of
information displays a currently valid
OMB Control Number.
Research Projects Involving Human
Subjects, Human Tissue, Data or
Recordings Involving Human Subjects:
Any proposal that includes research
involving human subjects, human
tissue, data or recordings involving
human subjects must meet the
requirements of the Common Rule for
the Protection of Human Subjects,
codified for the Department of
Commerce at 15 CFR Part 27. In
addition, any proposal that includes
research on these topics must be in
compliance with any statutory
requirements imposed upon the
Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) and other federal
agencies regarding these topics, all
regulatory policies and guidance
adopted by DHHS, FDA, and other
Federal agencies on these topics, and all
Presidential statements of policy on
these topics.
NIST will accept the submission of
human subjects protocols that have been
approved by Institutional Review
Boards (IRBs) registered with DHHS and
performed by entities possessing a
current, valid Federal-wide Assurance
(FWA) from DHHS. NIST will not issue
a single project assurance (SPA) for any
IRB reviewing any human subjects
protocol proposed to NIST.
On August 9, 2001, the President
announced his decision to allow Federal
funds to be used for research on existing

VerDate Aug<31>2005

00:29 Dec 30, 2008

Jkt 217001

human embryonic stem cell lines as
long as prior to his announcement (1)
the derivation process (which
commences with the removal of the
inner cell mass from the blastocyst) had
already been initiated and (2) the
embryo from which the stem cell line
was derived no longer had the
possibility of development as a human
being. NIST will follow guidance issued
by the National Institutes of Health at
http://ohrp.osophs.dhhs.gov/
humansubjects/guidance/stemcell.pdf
for funding such research.
Research Projects Involving Vertebrate
Animals: Any proposal that includes
research involving vertebrate animals
must be in compliance with the
National Research Council’s ‘‘Guide for
the Care and Use of Laboratory
Animals’’ which can be obtained from
National Academy Press, 2101
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,
DC 20055. In addition, such proposals
must meet the requirements of the
Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. 2131 et
seq.), 9 CFR Parts 1, 2, and 3, and if
appropriate, 21 CFR Part 58. These
regulations do not apply to proposed
research using pre-existing images of
animals or to research plans that do not
include live animals that are being cared
for, euthanized, or used by the project
participants to accomplish research
goals, teaching, or testing. These
regulations also do not apply to
obtaining animal materials from
commercial processors of animal
products or to animal cell lines or
tissues from tissue banks.
Limitation of Liability: Funding for
the programs listed in this notice is
contingent upon the availability of
Fiscal Year 2009 appropriations under
the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2009 (Pub. L. 110–329). In no event will
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
this announcement does not oblige the
agency to award any specific project or
to obligate any available funds.
Executive Order 12866: This funding
notice was 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.
Executive Order 12372: Applications
under this program are not subject to
Executive Order 12372,
‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs.’’

PO 00000

Frm 00034

Fmt 4703

Sfmt 4703

Administrative Procedure Act/
Regulatory Flexibility Act: Notice and
comment are not required under the
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C.
553) or any other law, for rules relating
to public property, loans, grants,
benefits or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553 (a)).
Because notice and comment are not
required under 5 U.S.C. 553, or any
other law, for rules 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, 5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.
Dated: December 22, 2008.
Patrick Gallagher,
Deputy Director, NIST.
[FR Doc. E8–31014 Filed 12–29–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–13–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
[Docket No. 080318443–81628–02]
RIN 0648–XG53

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife;
Notice of 12–Month Finding on a
Petition to List the Ribbon Seal as a
Threatened or Endangered Species
AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),
Commerce.
ACTION: Status review; notice of finding.
SUMMARY: We, NMFS, announce a 12–
month finding on a petition to list the
ribbon seal (Histriophoca fasciata) as a
threatened or endangered species under
the Endangered Species Act of 1973 as
amended (ESA). After a formal review of
the best available scientific and
commercial information, we find that
listing of the ribbon seal is not
warranted at this time. Although the
ribbon seal population abundance is
likely to decline gradually for the
foreseeable future, primarily from slight
but chronic impacts on reproduction
and survival caused by reduced
frequency of years with sea ice of
suitable extent, quality, and duration of
persistence, it is not in danger of
extinction or likely to become an
endangered species within the
foreseeable future throughout all or a
significant portion of its range.
DATES: The finding announced in this
notice was made on December 30, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Information used to make
this finding is available for public
inspection by appointment during

E:\FR\FM\30DEN1.SGM

30DEN1