Financial Assistance for Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessments to Encourage Research Projects for Improvement in the Stock Conditions of the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 95-0222054-5054-01; I.D. 021495A]

RIN 0648-ZA15

Financial Assistance for Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessments to

Encourage Research Projects for Improvement in the Stock Conditions of

the Chesapeake Bay Fisheries

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: A total of $540,000 in Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 funds is

available through the NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office to assist

interested state fishery agencies, academic institutions, and other

nonprofit organizations relating to cooperative research units, in

carrying out research projects to provide information for Chesapeake

Bay Stock Assessments through cooperative agreements. About $180,000 of

the base amount is available to initiate new projects in FY 1995, as

described in this announcement. NMFS issues this notice describing the

conditions under which eligible applications will be accepted and how

NMFS will determine which applications will be selected for funding.

DATES: Applications for funding under this program will be accepted

until May 1, 1995, 6 p.m. eastern standard time. Applications received

after that time will not be considered for funding. No applications

will be accepted by facsimile machine submission.

Successful applicants generally will be selected approximately 90

days from the date of publication in the Federal Register of this

notice. The earliest date for awards will be approximately 180 days

after the date of publication in the Federal Register of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Send applications to: M. Elizabeth Gillelan, Division Chief,

NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, NMFS, 410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107A,

Annapolis, MD 21403.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: M. Elizabeth Gillelan, 410/267-5660.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

A. Authority. The Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, at 16

U.S.C. 753 (a), authorizes the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary), for

the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research

and training programs for fish and wildlife resources, to continue to

enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, with

game and fish departments of the several states, and with nonprofit

organizations relating to cooperative research units. The Departments

of Commerce (DOC), Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies

Appropriations Act of 1995 makes funds available to the Secretary.

B. Catalog of Federal assistance. The research to be funded is in

support of the Chesapeake Bay Studies (CFDA 11.457), under the

Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Committee (CBSAC).

C. Program description. The CBSAC was established in 1985 to plan

and review Bay-wide resource assessments, coordinate relevant actions

of state and Federal agencies, report on fisheries status and trends,

and determine, fund and review research projects. The program

implements a Bay-wide plan for the assessment of commercially,

recreationally, and selected ecologically important species in the

Chesapeake Bay. In 1988, CBSAC developed a Bay-wide Stock Assessment

Plan, in response to provisions in the Chesapeake Bay Agreement of

1987. The plan identified that key obstacles to assessing Bay stocks

were the lack of consistent, Bay-wide, fishery-dependent and fishery-

independent data. Research projects funded since 1988 have focused on

developing and improving fishery-independent surveys and catch

statistics for key Bay species, such as striped bass, oysters, blue

crabs, and alosids. Stock assessment research is essential, given the

recent declines in harvest and apparent stock condition for many of the

important species of the Chesapeake Bay.

II. Areas of Special Emphasis

A. Proposals should exhibit familiarity with related work that is

completed or ongoing. Where appropriate, proposals should be

multidisciplinary. Coordinated efforts involving multiple eligible

applicants or persons are encouraged. Eligible women and minority owned

and operated non-profit organizations are encouraged to apply.

Consideration for funding will be given to applications that

address the following stock assessment research and management

priorities for the Chesapeake Bay. These are listed in priority order:

1. Design and development of a Bay-wide recreational survey for

blue crabs. This study should provide not only estimates of blue crab

harvest by category (eg., hard, soft, peeler) and associated effort,

but also biological [[Page 13964]] sample data on size or age

distribution of the recreational harvest. This could be designed as a

stand-alone survey, or as a supplement to the NMFS Marine Recreational

Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS).

A major impediment to understanding the status of the fishery

resources in the Chesapeake Bay is the lack of knowledge of the total

removals, by fishing, of important fish and shellfish species. While

estimates of commercial catches from both Maryland and Virginia are

available based on state reporting requirements, estimates of

recreational blue crab harvest are not available for most years. A main

concern to be addressed in the design of this survey is the difficulty

in obtaining estimates of recreational blue crab catches since much of

the harvest is landed at private, rather than public, docks and ramps.

The recreational survey design should be consistent with the model

of the NMFS MRFSS, with its two principal design components. First, a

telephone survey instrument used to enumerate total period and seasonal

directed fishing effort by mode. Secondly, an access intercept survey

component to estimate period/seasonal mean catch-rate by mode and

category, and the collection of biological characterization data.

Proposals for this priority must address the following aspects of

the survey design.

a. Identification of the access-intercept sampling frame,

including:

(1) List of all access sites.

(2) Detailed model for scheduling the temporal and geographic

distribution of field interviews within the sampling frame, and the

routing scheme among access sites.

(3) Description of information to be obtained from interviews,

specifically the interview survey questionnaire.

(4) Description of the nature and manner of collection of

biological samples which will minimally include size, sex, and category

by mode.

b. Identification of the telephone survey sampling frame,

including:

(1) Specifications of who is included in the sampling frame and how

this was determined.

(2) Complete description of the temporal distribution of telephone

calls and associated sample size requirements.

(3) Specification of the interview survey questionnaire.

c. Completion of a pilot study, which will successfully demonstrate

the effectiveness of the above two survey components for the estimation

and characterization of blue crab recreational harvest. The pilot study

should minimally address the following:

(1) Comparisons of catch rates among the various fishing modes,

methods, and times, etc. which will serve as the basis for determining

the proportional sampling needed to provide unbiased estimates.

(2) Identification and resolution of any deficiencies in the

sampling frame.

(3) Final estimates of the pilot study period recreational harvest

by category, mode (with associated effort) and measures of percent

standard error about the point estimates.

Copies of a report of a workshop which discussed concerns specific

to the design of a recreational blue crab survey may be obtained from

the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office.

2. Design and conduct a study to determine the discard mortality

and discard size frequencies in the commercial and recreational

fisheries in Chesapeake Bay. This study should provide information on

the reason for discard (e.g., minimum size regulation, lack of market,

etc.), the length distribution of discards, and discard mortality

rates, primarily for summer flounder and bluefish, as well as other

important Bay species. This is to be a onetime study, not a design

effort for future implementation.

Discard information is limited and current assessments are forced

to use analogous information from other species and limited areas. Data

from this study would be a valuable improvement in coastwide

assessments.

3. Design of a cost-effective American shad mark-and-recapture

(tagging) study which would provide abundance and mortality estimates

for Chesapeake Bay stocks. There is currently a Bay-wide moratorium on

the harvest of American shad, yet coastal intercept fisheries continue

to harvest this species. This study should be designed to identify

which fisheries harvest Bay stocks, and provide estimates of the

abundance and mortality rates for those stocks.

B. Applications addressing the priorities should build upon, or

take into account, any related past or current work.

III. How to Apply

A. Eligible Applicants. Applications for cooperative agreements

under the Chesapeake Bay Studies Program may be submitted, in

accordance with the procedures set forth in this notice, by any state

game and fish department, college or university, or other nonprofit

organizations relating to cooperative research units. Other Federal

agencies or institutions are not eligible to receive Federal assistance

under this notice.

DOC/NOAA/NMFS employees, including full-time, part-time, and

intermittent personnel (or their spouses or blood relatives who are

members of their immediate households) are not eligible to submit an

application under this solicitation or aid in the preparation of an

application, except to provide information on program goals, funding

priorities, application procedures, and completion of application

forms. Since this is a competitive program, assistance will not be

provided in conceptualizing, developing, or structuring proposals.

Eligible applicants outside the Chesapeake Bay region may submit

proposals, as long as their objectives support the technical and

management priorities of the Chesapeake Bay, as defined in section

II.A. above. All solicited proposals received by the closing date will

be considered by NMFS.

B. Duration and terms of funding. Under this solicitation, NMFS

will fund Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Research Projects for 1 year

cooperative agreements. The cooperative agreement has been determined

as the appropriate funding instrument because of the substantial

involvement of NMFS in:

1. Developing program research priorities;

2. Evaluating the performance of the program for effectiveness in

meeting regional goals for Chesapeake Bay stock assessments;

3. Monitoring the progress of each funded project;

4. Holding periodic workshops with investigators; and

5. Working with recipients in preparation of annual reports

summarizing current accomplishments of the Chesapeake Bay Stock

Assessment Committee. Project dates should be scheduled to begin no

later than 1 October 1995. Cooperative agreements are approved on an

annual basis but may be considered eligible for continuation beyond the

first project and budget period subject to the approved scope of work,

satisfactory progress, and availability of funds at the total

discretion of NMFS. However, there are no assurances for such

continuation. Publication of this notice does not obligate NMFS to

award any specific cooperative agreement or to obligate any part of the

entire amount of funds available.

C. Cost Sharing. Applications must reflect the total budget

necessary to accomplish the project, including contributions and/or

donations. Cost sharing is not required under the Chesapeake Bay Stock

Assessment Research Program. However, cost sharing is encouraged to

enhance the [[Page 13965]] value of a project, and in case of a tie in

considering proposals for funding, cost sharing may affect the final

decision. The appropriateness of all cost sharing will be determined on

the basis of guidance provided in applicable Federal cost principles.

If an applicant chooses to share costs, and if that application is

selected for funding, the applicant will be bound by the percentage of

cost sharing reflected in the award documents.

The non-Federal share may include funds received from private

sources or from state or local governments or the value of in-kind

contributions. Federal funds may not be used to meet the non-Federal

share of matching funds, except as provided by Federal statute. In-kind

contributions are noncash contributions provided by the applicant or

non-Federal third parties. In-kind contributions may be in the form of,

but are not limited to, personal services rendered in carrying out

functions related to the project, and permission to use real or

personal property owned by others (for which consideration is not

required) in carrying out the project. To support the budget, the

applicant must describe briefly the basis for estimating the value of

the non-Federal funds derived from in-kind contributions.

The total cost of a project begins on the effective date of a

cooperative agreement between the applicant and an authorized

representative of the U.S. Government and ends on the date specified in

the award. Accordingly, the time expended and costs incurred in either

the development of a project or the financial assistance application,

or in any subsequent discussions or negotiations prior to the award,

are neither reimbursable nor recognizable as part of the recipient's

cost share.

D. Format. 1. Applications for project funding must be complete.

Applicants must identify the specific research priority or priorities

to which they are responding. For applications containing more than one

project, each project component must be identified individually using

the format specified in this section. If an application is not in

response to a priority, it should be so stated. Applicants should not

assume prior knowledge on the part of NMFS as to the relative merits of

the project described in the application. Applications are not to be

bound in any manner and should be one-sided. All incomplete

applications will be returned to the applicant. Applicants must submit

one signed original and two copies of the complete application.

2. Applications must be submitted in the following format:

a. Cover sheet: An applicant must use OMB Standard Form 424

(revised 4-92) as the cover sheet for each project. Applicants may

obtain copies of these forms from the NOAA Grants Management Division

or the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (see ADDRESSES).

b. Project summary: Each proposal must contain a summary of not

more than one page that provides the following:

(1) Project title.

(2) Project status (new).

(3) Project duration (beginning and ending dates).

(4) Name, address, and telephone number of applicant.

(5) Principal Investigator(s).

(6) Project objectives.

(7) Summary of work to be performed.

(8) Total Federal funds requested.

(9) Cost sharing to be provided from non-Federal sources, if any.

Specify whether contributions are project-related cash or in-kind.

(10) Total project cost.

c. Project description: Each project must be completely and

accurately described. Each project description may be up to 15 pages in

length. If an application is awarded, NMFS will make all portions of

the project description available to the public for review; therefore,

NMFS cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any information submitted

as part of any project, nor will NMFS accept for consideration any

project requesting confidentiality of any part of the project.

Each project must be described as follows:

(1) Identification of problem(s): Describe the specific problem to

be addressed and the area of emphasis to which the project responds

(see section II above).

(2) Project objectives: This is one of the most important parts of

the Project Proposal. Use the following guidelines for stating the

objective of the project.

(a) Keep it simple and easily understandable.

(b) Be as specific and quantitative as possible.

(c) Specify the ``what and when;'' avoid the ``how and why.''

(d) Keep it attainable within the time, money, and human resources

available.

(e) Use action verbs that are accomplishment oriented.

(3) Need for Government financial assistance: Demonstrate the need

for assistance. Any appropriate database to substantiate or reinforce

the need for the project should be included. Explain why other funding

sources cannot fund all the proposed work. List all other sources of

funding that are or have been sought for the project.

(4) Benefits or results expected: Identify and document the results

or benefits to be derived from the proposed activities.

(5) Project statement of work: The Statement of Work is the

scientific or technical action plan of activities that are to be

accomplished during each budget period of the project. This description

must include the specific methodologies, by project job activity,

proposed for accomplishing the proposal's objective(s). If the work

described in this section does not contain sufficient detail to allow

for proper technical evaluation, NMFS will not consider the application

for funding and will return it to the applicant.

Investigators submitting proposals in response to this announcement

are strongly encouraged to develop inter-institutional, inter-

disciplinary research teams in the form of single, integrated proposals

or as individual proposals that are clearly linked together. Such

collaborative efforts will be factored into the final funding decision.

Each Statement of Work must include the following information:

(a) The applicant's name.

(b) The inclusive dates of the budget period covered under the

Statement of Work.

(c) The title of the proposal.

(d) The scientific or technical objectives and procedures that are

to be accomplished during the budget period. Devise a detailed set of

objectives and procedures to answer who, what, how, when, and where.

The procedures must be of sufficient detail to enable competent workers

to be able to follow them and to complete scheduled activities.

(e) Location of the work.

(f) A list of all project personnel and their responsibilities.

(g) A milestone table that summarizes the procedures (from item

III.D.2.c.(5)(d)) that are to be attained in each month covered by the

Statement of Work.

(6) Participation by persons or groups other than the applicant:

Describe the level of participation required in the project(s) by NOAA

or other government and non-government entities. Specific NOAA

employees should not be named in the initial proposal.

(7) Federal, state and local government activities: List any

programs (Federal, state, or local government or activities, including

Sea Grant, state Coastal Zone Management Programs, NOAA Oyster Disease

Research Program, the state/Federal Chesapeake Bay Program, etc.) this

project would affect and describe the relationship

[[Page 13966]] between the project and those plans or activities.

(8) Project management: Describe how the project will be organized

and managed. Include resumes of principal investigators. List all

persons directly employed by the applicant who will be involved with

the project. If a consultant and/or subcontractor is selected prior to

application submission, include the name and qualifications of the

consultant and/or subcontractor and the process used for selection.

(9) Monitoring of project performance: Identify who will

participate in monitoring the project.

(10) Project impacts: Describe the impact of the project in terms

of anticipated increased production, sales, product quality and safety,

improved management, or any other values that will be produced by this

project. Describe how these products or services will be made available

to the fisheries and management communities.

(11) Evaluation of project: The applicant is required to provide an

evaluation of project accomplishments at the end of each budget period

and in the final report. The application must describe the methodology

or procedures to be followed to determine technical feasibility, or to

quantify the results of the project in promoting increased production,

product quality and safety, management effectiveness, or other

measurable factors.

(12) Total project costs: Total project cost is the amount of funds

required to accomplish what is proposed in the Statement of Work, and

includes contributions and donations. All costs must be shown in a

detailed budget. A standard budget form (SF-424A) is available from the

offices listed (see ADDRESSES). NMFS will not consider fees or profits

as allowable costs for grantees. Additional cost detail may be required

prior to a final analysis of overall cost allowability, allocability,

and reasonableness. The date, period covered, and findings for the most

recent financial audit performed, as well as the name of the audit

firm, the contact person, and phone number and address, must be also

provided.

d. Supporting documentation: Provide any required documents and any

additional information necessary or useful to the description of the

project. The amount of information will depend on the type of project

proposed, but should be no more than 20 pages. The applicant should

present any information that would emphasize the value of the project

in terms of the significance of the problems addressed. Without such

information, the merits of the project may not be fully understood, or

the value of the project may be underestimated. The absence of adequate

supporting documentation may cause reviewers to question assertions

made in describing the project and may result in lower ranking of the

project. Information presented in this section should be clearly

referenced in the project description.

IV. Evaluation Criteria and Selection Procedures

A. Initial evaluation of applications. Applications will be

reviewed by NOAA to assure that they meet all requirements of this

announcement, including eligibility and relevance to the Chesapeake Bay

Stock Assessment Research Program.

B. Consultation with experts in the field of stock assessment

research. For applications meeting the requirements of this

solicitation, NMFS will conduct a technical evaluation of each project

prior to any other review. This review normally will involve experts

from non-NOAA as well as NOAA organizations. All comments submitted to

NMFS will be taken into consideration in the technical evaluation of

projects. Technical evaluators will submit independent reviews to NMFS.

Reviewers will be asked to comment on the following evaluation

criteria:

1. Problem description and conceptual approach for resolution,

especially the applicant's comprehension of the problem(s), familiarity

with related work that is completed or ongoing, and the overall concept

proposed to resolve the problem(s) (30 points).

2. Soundness of project design/technical approach, especially

whether the applicant provided sufficient information to technically

evaluate the project and, if so, the strengths and weaknesses of the

technical design proposed for problem resolution (35 points).

3. Project management and experience and qualifications of

personnel, including organization and management of the project, and

the personnel experience and qualifications (15 points).

4. Justification and allocation of the budget in terms of the work

to be performed (20 points).

C. Review Panel. NMFS will convene a review panel consisting of at

least three regionally recognized experts in the scientific and

management aspects of stock assessment research who will conduct

reviews as follows:

1. Evaluate technical reviews.

2. Provide independent review based on the same criteria as the

technical review.

3. Discuss all review comments as a panel.

4. Provide individual panelist scores and suggestions for

modifications (i.e., budget, personnel, technical approach, etc.).

D. Funding decision. 1. Applications will be ranked by NMFS into

two groups: (a) Recommended, and (b) not recommended. As previously

stated (section III A.1.), collaborative proposals and applications

which propose a cost share are strongly encouraged, and therefore will

be given added weight in the selection process. Numeric ranking will be

the major consideration for deciding which of the ``recommended''

proposals will be selected for funding.

2. After projects have been ranked for funding, the Chief of the

NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office, in consultation with the Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries, NOAA, will determine the projects to be

recommended for funding based upon the technical evaluations, panel

review, and the evaluation factors; ascertain which projects do not

substantially duplicate other projects that are currently funded by

NOAA or are approved for funding by other Federal offices; and,

determine the amount of funds available for the program. The exact

amount of funds awarded to each project will be determined in preaward

negotiations between the applicant, the Grants Office, and the NOAA/

NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office staff.

V. Administrative Requirements

A. Obligations of the applicant. 1. Deliverables--In addition to

quarterly status and budget reports, and at the time of submission of

the final report of results of funded projects, recipients must submit

a four-to-five page summary of project work and results that will be

compiled in a report of Chesapeake Bay Stock Assessment Research

Program results. Projects that produce non-experimental data must have

copies of these data transferred to the NOAA/NMFS Chesapeake Bay Office

in both compiled, hard copy format, and as a verified, electronic data

file. Full, clearly stated documentation of the contents of such data

files must be submitted with these data.

2. Periodic workshops--Investigators will be expected to attend one

or two workshops with other Stock Assessment Research Program

researchers to encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and forge synthesis

of results.

3. Primary applicant certifications--All primary applicants must

submit a [[Page 13967]] completed Form CD-511, ``Certifications

Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-

Free Workplace Requirements and Lobbying,'' and the following

explanations are hereby provided:

a. Nonprocurement debarment and suspension--Prospective

participants (as defined at 15 CFR 26.105) are subject to 15 CFR part

26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension,'' and the related

section of the certification form prescribed above applies;

b. Drug-free workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR 26.605) are

subject to 15 CFR part 26, subpart F, ``Governmentwide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants),'' and the related section of the

certification form prescribed above applies;

c. Anti-lobbying--Persons (as defined at 15 CFR 28.105) are subject

to the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on use of

appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and

financial transactions,'' and the lobbying section of the certification

form prescribed above applies to applications/bids for grants,

cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than $100,000, and loans

and loan guarantees for more than $150,000, or the single family

maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever is greater; and

d. Anti-lobbying disclosure--Any applicant who has paid or will pay

for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of

Lobbying Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR part 28, appendix B.

4. Lower tier certifications--Recipients shall require applicants/

bidders for subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier

covered transactions at any tier under the award to submit, if

applicable, a completed Form CD-512, ``Certifications Regarding

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier

Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' and disclosure form SF-LLL,

``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' Form CD-512 is intended for the

use of recipients and should not be transmitted to DOC. SF-LLL

submitted by any tier recipient or subrecipient should be submitted to

DOC in accordance with the instructions contained in the award

document.

B. Other requirements. 1. Federal policies and procedures--

Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and

Federal and DOC policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to

Federal financial assistance awards.

2. Indirect cost rates--The total dollar amount of the indirect

costs proposed in an application under this program must not exceed the

current indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant

Federal agency. NOAA's acceptance of negotiated rates is subject to

total indirect costs not to exceed 100% of total direct costs. This

language is pursuant to the NOAA Grants and Cooperative Agreements

Policy Manual, Chapter 3(B)(2).

3. Past performance--Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal

awards may result in an application not being considered for funding.

In addition, any recipient and/or researcher who is past due for

submitting acceptable progress reports on any previous project funded

under this program may be ineligible to be considered for new awards

until the delinquent reports are received, reviewed and deemed

acceptable by NMFS.

4. Financial management certifications/preaward accounting survey--

Successful applicants, at the discretion of the NOAA Grants Officer,

may be required to have their financial management systems certified by

an independent public accountant as being in compliance with Federal

standards specified in the applicable OMB Circulars prior to execution

of the award. Any first-time applicant for Federal grant funds may be

subject to a preaward accounting survey by the DOC prior to execution

of the award.

5. Delinquent Federal debts--No award of Federal funds shall be

made to an applicant who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt

until either:

a. The delinquent account is paid in full;

b. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one

payment is received; or

c. Other arrangements satisfactory to DOC are made.

6. Name checks--Potential recipients may be required to submit an

``Identification-Application for Funding Assistance'' (Form CD-346),

which is used to ascertain background information on key individuals

associated with the potential recipient. All non-profit and for-profit

applicants are subject to a name check review process. Name checks are

intended to reveal if any key individuals associated with the applicant

have been convicted of or are presently facing, criminal charges such

as fraud, theft, perjury, or other matters that significantly reflect

on the applicant's management honesty or financial integrity.

Applicants will also be subject to credit check reviews.

7. False statements--A false statement on the application is

grounds for denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible

punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

8. Preaward 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.

9. Purchase of American-made equipment and products--Applicants are

hereby notified that they will be encouraged, to the greatest extent

practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and products with

funding provided under this program in accordance with Congressional

intent as set forth in the resolution contained in Public Law 103-317,

sections 607(a) and (b).

10. Other--If an application is selected for funding, DOC has no

obligation to provide any additional funding in connection with that

award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of

performance is at the total discretion of DOC.

Cooperative agreements awarded pursuant to pertinent statutes shall

be in accordance with the Fisheries Research Plan (comprehensive

program of fisheries research) in effect on the date of the award.

Classification

This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes

of E.O. 12866.

Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order

12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required

by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this notice

concerning grants, benefits, and contracts. Therefore, a regulatory

flexibility analysis is not required for purposes of the Regulatory

Flexibility Act.

This notice contains collections of information subject to the

Paperwork Reduction Act, which have been approved by OMB under OMB

control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, and 0605-0001.

Dated: March 7, 1995.

Gary Matlock,

Program Management Officer, National Marine Fisheries Service.

[FR Doc. 95-6312 Filed 3-14-95; 8:45 am]

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