Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): Notice Establishing the Closing Date for Submission of the Project Summary Under the FGDC Framework Demonstration Projects Program

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Geological Survey

Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC): Notice Establishing the

Closing Date for Submission of the Project Summary Under the FGDC

Framework Demonstration Projects Program

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice inviting organizations to submit project summaries for

competitive cooperative agreements for fiscal year 1997.

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SUMMARY: This is a notice of phase one of a two phase approach in

connection with the Framework Demonstration Projects Program (FDPP). On

behalf of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the U.S.

Geological Survey (USGS) plans to issue a program announcement to

request proposals for the FDPP later this fiscal year. Organizations

interested in the program have asked for the ability to provide project

summaries to the FGDC for comment in advance of the program

announcement. Therefore, the first phase of this two phase approach

invites organizations interested in the program to provide a project

summary to the FGDC for comment. Participation in phase one is

voluntary. Organizations who submit a project summary in phase one are

not obligated to apply for the program announcement. Organizations who

do not submit a summary for phase one are eligible to request the

program announcement in phase two. The FGDC

[[Page 60114]]

will provide comments to the organization describing how a project can

be strengthened. The FGDC will use insights gained from the review of

summaries to guide the development of the FDPP request for proposals

announcement.

DATES: The project summary is due January 17, 1997, at 3:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FGDC report ``Development of a National

Digital Geospatial Data Framework'' may be obtained by writing to Tammy

Fanning, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Federal

Assistance, Mail Stop 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA

20192, or by sending a request by facsimile to (703) 648-7901.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tammy Fanning, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and

Federal Assistance, Mail Stop 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,

Virginia 20192; voice telephone number (703) 648-7363; facsimile

telephone number (703) 648-7901.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the FDPP is to facilitate and

provide resources for the development and implementation of the

framework for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). The

framework concept, outlined in the report ``Development of a National

Digital Geospatial Data Framework'' (April 1995), proposes a means by

which the geospatial data community can work together to produce and

maintain commonly needed themes of data for national, regional, state,

and local analyses. Included in this report is the definition of a

basic information content, and the technical, institutional, and

business contexts by which a distributed, collaborative data collection

and maintenance effort for the nation would operate.

Project Summary Narrative: Project summaries will be reviewed by

the factors set forth below (see items 1-5). The project summary should

address each of the following factors in the sequence as they are

listed. (1) Relevance to the NSDI Framework: Describe the degree to

which the project contributes to the development of the NSDI framework

concept, its potential application to other institutions, and the

extent to which the proposed project may stimulate growth of similar

efforts. Describe the relationship of the proposed effort to related

and similar ongoing projects. Narrative should not include reiterations

of text from FGDC/NSDI fact sheets and other committee publications.

(2) Information Content: Identify which of the framework themes

(geodetic control, digital orthoimagery, elevation and bathymetry data,

transportation, hydrography, governmental units, cadastral) will be

addressed in the proposed project. Summary should describe the

geographic area to be addressed, and the scale and resolution of data.

(3) Technical/Operational Context: Briefly summarize the key unique

technical and operational activities to be implemented in the proposed

project that address the framework goals of: Integration of high-

resolution, locally-produced data; providing geospatial data at varying

resolutions for any given location; enabling users to integrate new

framework data into their data holdings without endangering their

existing investments in spatial data and attribute information; and

vertically integrating data between themes, and horizontally within

themes. (4) Business Context: Describe the approach proposed to ensure

that the project will result in framework data that are widely used and

useful. Project summary should describe the approach to: Avoiding

restrictive practices that would inhibit use of the framework;

providing information about the data limitations, optimal uses, and

liability; providing data in public, non-proprietary format(s);

conforming to approved standards; and containing data that are

certified to ensure that they meet the minimal standard for all

framework criteria. (5) Institutional Organization Process: Identify

the participating organization and briefly describe each organization's

tasks and responsibilities.

Background Material: The FGDC report ``Development of a National

Geospatial Data Framework'' will be helpful in developing project

summaries. It may be obtained by writing to Ms. Tammy Fanning at the

address above. Requests may also be made by facsimile to (703) 648-

7901. Confirmation by telephone at (703) 648-7372 is recommended. No

telephone request for this report will be accepted. An electronic

version of the report and additional background information about the

framework is available through the World Wide Web at http://

www.fgdc.gov/Fram/index.html. Unsuitable Project Summaries: Project

summaries will not be considered for projects on topics not being

sought under this program. Data collection is not considered an

appropriate activity for funding under this program. Project summaries

focused on metadata and clearinghouse development will not be

considered (the FGDC encourages these activities to seek support

through the NSDI Competitive Cooperative Agreements Program (1434-HQ-

97-PA-00022)). Additionally, project summaries will not be considered

for the following: from Federal agencies or Federally Funded Research

and Development Centers where the agency or center is identified as the

lead on the proposed project, from and work in foreign countries, from

projects in which there is a real or the appearance of a conflict of

interest, and from projects solely involving the direct procurement of

a product or service. Project Summary Preparation Instructions:

Organizations wishing to participate in the first phase should submit

an unbound, signed original and one copy of the project summary. The

project summary shall not exceed 3 single-spaced pages (including any

figures or tables), and the type size shall not be smaller than 12

pitch/10 point type. Pages shall be numbered. Please note, that

regardless of how many pages are submitted, only the first 3 pages of

the Project Summary will be reviewed.

Project Summary Delivery Instructions: Project summaries must be

received on or before January 17, 1997, at 3:00 p.m. EST. Project

summaries delivered by mail should be sent to Ms. Tammy Fanning, U.S.

Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, MS

205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. Project summaries

delivered by hand, during the work week, should be taken to the USGS,

Office of Acquisition and Federal Assistance, Room 6A331, Attention:

Ms. Tammy Fanning, MS 205B, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston,

Virginia, office business hours are 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Project

summaries received after 3:00 p.m. EST on January 17, 1997 will be

returned to the applicant. Planned Terms and Conditions for the FDPP to

be issued later this fiscal year: At the completion of phase two, the

USGS intends to award cooperative agreements with funds totaling

$260,000 during fiscal year 1997. Funds requested for a project shall

not exceed $65,000. One year project periods are anticipated. This

estimate does not bind the USGS to a specified number of awards. Each

project must be collaborative and involve two or more organizations.

Please Note: The project summaries submitted in response to this notice

for phase one will not be used to make award selections, and will not

be provided to the selection panels. No special consideration in the

phase two FDPP selection process will be given to applications provided

by organizations that submitted a program summary in response to phase

one. The USGS

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anticipates that it will announce phase two in late winter. The

Government does not intend to award a cooperative agreement on the

basis of this notice or to otherwise pay for the information solicited

as a direct cost. The subsequent program announcement to be released in

phase two will be synopsized in both the Commerce Business Daily and

the Federal Register prior to release.

Dated: November 15, 1996.

Richard E. Witmer,

Acting Chief, National Mapping Division.

[FR Doc. 96-30082 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]

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