Cooperative Agreements With National Organizations To Support the Buckle Up America Campaign

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Cooperative Agreements With National Organizations To Support the

Buckle Up America Campaign

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of discretionary cooperative agreement program in

conjunction with the Buckle Up America Campaign.

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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

announces a discretionary cooperative agreement program to solicit

highly visible support for mobilizing America to buckle up children

during special emphasis periods of the Buckle Up America Campaign. The

Campaign is a nationwide call to action in response to the Presidential

Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide. High priority is given

to education and enforcement efforts to buckle up children.

NHTSA seeks the participation and support of national organizations

and their state and local affiliates to take a leadership role in the

Campaign by speaking out in support of the Campaign initiatives, and

mobilizing community level activity. This notice solicits applications

from for-profit or not-for-profit national organizations. In addition,

NHTSA is particularly interested in gaining the interest and

involvement of organizations that represent constituencies who are hard

to reach through mainstream delivery channels and/or have low seat belt

use rates. Only applications submitted by the national office

representing the organization will be considered.

DATES: Applications must be received at the office designated below on

or before March 26, 1999, at 2:00 P.M., Eastern Standard Time.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Contracts and Procurement

(NAD-30), ATTN: Rose Watson, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 5301,

Washington, D.C. 20590. All applications submitted must include a

reference to NHTSA Program No. NTS-01-9-05068.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General administrative questions may

be directed to Rose Watson, Office of Contracts and Procurement at

(202-366-9557). Programmatic questions relating to this grant program

should be directed to Ann Mitchell, National Outreach Division (NTS-

22), NHTSA, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590 by e-mail at

[email protected] or by phone (202-366-2690). Interested

applicants are advised that no separate application package exists

beyond the contents of this announcement.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

For the last three years, seat belt use has leveled off in the

upper 60's percentile. According to state-reported observational

surveys, seat belt use moved from 68 percent in 1995-96 to 69 percent

as of the end of 1997. In 1996, the President directed the Secretary of

the U.S. Department of Transportation to prepare a plan to increase the

use of seat belts nationwide. In response, the Presidential Initiative

to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide was issued and the Buckle Up

America Campaign set into action.

The Buckle Up America Campaign places high priority on the need to

buckle up children. Our children are America's most valuable

investment, therefore it is every American's responsibility to protect

them. Unbuckled drivers endanger kids by setting bad examples for them

to follow. When a driver is unbuckled, 70 percent of the time children

riding in that vehicle are also unbuckled. We all have a stake in this

problem and we are all part of the solution. We must all buckle

ourselves, buckle our children and call upon others to do the same.

The goals of NHTSA's Buckle Up America Campaign are to increase

seat belt use to 85 percent by the year 2000 and 90 percent by 2005;

and to reduce child occupant fatalities (0-4 years) by 15 percent in

2000 and by 25 percent in

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2005. These aggressive goals can have tremendous payoffs, if achieved.

To achieve these goals will require an increase in visible support

coming from the community for buckling up and the need to enforce

occupant protection laws before social change can occur. This will take

the collective efforts of many people and organizations speaking out

from various sectors in the community in a unified voice to help create

a public attitude that ``unbelted is unacceptable'' in our society.

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN05FE99.032

The Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide

calls on all Americans to take an active role--It's everyone's problem

and everyone is a part of the solution. Individuals must take

responsibility for themselves and for their child passengers by making

certain everyone in the vehicle is properly buckled up--every time and

on every trip. This is the bottom line.

The President's Initiative focuses on a strategy composed of four

elements proven to be effective in increasing seat belt use. These are:

(1) Building public-private partnerships of organizations and

individuals committed to taking action, (2) enacting strong legislation

including primary/standard enforcement provisions for seat belt laws

and ``closing the gaps'' in child passenger safety laws, (3) embracing

active, high visibility law enforcement, and (4) conducting well-

coordinated, effective public education. These strategies work and

NHTSA's Buckle Up America Campaign is committed to and focused on

activities that support these proven strategies.

Buckle Up America proposes to harness the efforts of the public,

private, cultural, and ethnic sectors to reach into each State,

community, and household, and to touch each individual. Every new

person buckling up is an important step towards reaching our goal. It

takes approximately two million new users to raise the national average

one percentage point.

Now, the task becomes persuading groups with lower seat belt and

child safety seat usage rates to buckle up. Since teens, young males,

pickup truck drivers, rural residents, low income populations,

Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans could protect

themselves and their families better, efforts need to be targeted to

these groups to persuade them to develop a simple habit for life. The

needs and safety of our children are not to be ignored. Although child

safety seat use for infants and toddlers is high overall, low income

populations still have very low use use rates. Misuse of these devices

is a huge problem as well, and use rates drop sharply as children get

older. Many people are unaware that when children outgrow their toddler

seat, they should be riding a booster seat if they are between 40-80

lbs. and under 4'9'' tall. Many are either prematurely using an adult

seat belt or not buckled up at all.

Messages and programs designed for ``mainstream America'' often are

not effective for those populations most at risk or hardest to reach.

Language, cultural, and other barriers need to be considered if we are

to make a significant impact in increasing usage among low use groups

through the development of targeted messages and alternate delivery

channels. This will require the support and cooperation of

organizations that represent these populations to influence their

members and constituencies to buckle up.

Buckle Up America Campaign

The Buckle Up America Campaign is designed to energize, mobilize,

and recognize active participants in the effort to increase seat belt

use nationwide. First, we need to energize ourselves and everyone else

to embrace three simple concepts: (1) this is a problem that touches

the lives of every American, because we all pay the enormous health

care and other societal costs of transportation deaths and injuries;

(2) we all can be part of the solution because we touch the lives of so

many fellow Americans, and we can reach out to energize them, too; and,

(3) in America, we need to change the social norm to make riding

unbuckled socially unacceptable. Next, we need to mobilize ourselves

and everyone else, by informing other Americans of the risks they run

by not buckling up, and also by lending our strong support for more

effective seat belt and child passenger safety laws and aggressive

enforcement. And finally, we have to recognize the good work that

others are doing to increase seat belt use and publicly praise that

good so others will emulate it.

In view of these concepts, Buckle Up America participants are asked

to establish programs and conduct activities that fulfill these needs.

Many public and private sector organizations and agencies have signed

on to the campaign both formally and informally and are already busy

conducting various types of activities. However, much of the activity

to date has centered on isolated public information and education

efforts that have little potential for increasing seat belt usage.

Organizations respected and influential in specific cultures are needed

to take an active role in supporting the campaign and directing

activity towards the hard-to-reach populations and targeting those who

are not buckling up.

To heighten visibility of all the activities associated with the

Buckle Up America Campaign, NHTSA has identified four quarterly

emphasis periods to mobilize coordinated, concentrated activity

synchronized nationwide. Based on the tremendous success of highly

visible enforcement programs conducted during 1998 to increase seat

belt use, two of these emphasis periods will include

[[Page 5856]]

enforcement mobilization efforts (Operation ABC: America Buckles Up

Children) and concentrated Buckle Up America Campaign support by

participating organizations. The critical activity needed from

organizations during these two periods is ``endorsement for

enforcement'' to create public awareness and support for the

enforcement efforts which will be conducted nationwide. The two

alternate emphasis periods are more focused on high visibility public

awareness/education activity throughout the quarter, with concentration

on the specific issue/age groups identified for that particular period.

The four Buckle Up America emphasis periods are:

Buckle Up America (April, May, June) focuses on getting everyone to

wear their seat belt. It peaks with National Buckle Up America! Week,

May 24-31, 1999, and puts an emphasis on enforcement of all occupant

protection laws. (The first of the two Operation ABC enforcement

mobilization periods.)

School Days (July, August, September) targets school aged children

from kindergarten through college. For them, this is the beginning of a

new year and programs are designed to encourage their use of seat belts

and to become advocates for seat belt use. Let's help them graduate

safely by making sure they are always buckled up.

Safe Holiday Travel (October, November, December) concentrates on

the time of year when so many Americans travel to spend time with

family and friends. Enforcement efforts to see that all children are

buckled up will be conducted nationwide. (Operation ABC mobilization

takes place during Thanksgiving Holiday Week, November 22-28, 1999.)

Child Passenger Safety (January, February, March) centers on the

needs of children, ages 0-12 and peaks with National Child Passenger

Safety Week, February 14-20, 1999. Special emphasis will be given to

education about the need to use booster seats for children 50 to 80

lbs. and under 4'9'' tall. These children often ride either

unrestrained because they are no longer covered under the state's child

passenger safety law, or they are placed in an adult seat belt, which

could cause injuries because of improper fit.

As noted above, two of the emphasis periods focus on the Operation

ABC Mobilization America Buckles Up Children--which is organized by the

Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign in partnership with NHTSA. In

addition to participation by law enforcement agencies, we hope to

engage at least 1,000 organizations across the country to extend their

``endorsement for enforcement'' during these mobilization periods.

High-visibility enforcement occurs during designated periods of time

(waves), and combines intensive enforcement with aggressive publicity

and media outreach efforts. This combination allows law enforcement to

notify the community that officers are stepping up enforcement of the

state's laws and will be issuing tickets to everyone who doesn't

comply: no exceptions, no excuses.

High-visibility enforcement has been used successfully in Canada,

in states like North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Washington, and

in numerous communities throughout the country. Publicizing community

support for the enforcement effort through earned media activities

(i.e., news stories) builds momentum and a sense of urgency among the

community, the media, opinion leaders and policy makers. The effects of

high-visibility campaigns are not short-lived. This proven formula of

highly publicized, aggressive enforcement backed by visible community

support produces higher seat belt and child seat use by the motoring

public. Each mobilization gives law enforcement a better base upon

which to build the next time the model is implemented--and decreases

the overall number of part-time users and non-users of seat belts. The

1998 May mobilization is testament that this approach can be effective

in moving the needle on a national scale. In May 1998, more than 4,200

law enforcement agencies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia

united in a week-long, high visibility enforcement drive to buckle up

children. The combined nationwide media outreach efforts of law

enforcement agencies, organizations and the national Campaign produced

tremendous results and reached an estimated audience of more than 200

million people throughout the week. In one week, these efforts

increased seat belt use by three percentage points nationwide and moved

six million additional drivers to buckle up. Such an increase will

translate into an annual savings of more than 600 lives, both children

and adults. These gains did not dissipate after the mobilization. By

Thanksgiving, national usage had increased by another five percentage

points.

Operation ABC Mobilization is the only nationally coordinated

effort by law enforcement to conduct high-visibility enforcement of

child passenger safety and seat belt use laws. The effort continues to

grow bigger and more effective with each wave. Coordination among

partners is key to this success. Prior to the 1998 May mobilization,

NHTSA's Regional Offices conducted law enforcement summits to solicit

their support and participation in the mobilization. This resulted in

2,700 more law enforcement agencies signing on to participate in 1998

compared to the first mobilization in 1997. Preceding the November 1998

mobilization, NHTSA Regional Offices again held a series of partnership

summits in 23 States. These summits were expanded to include not only

high-ranking law enforcement executives but also business and industry

leaders, local and state government officials, safety advocates,

educators, media spokespersons, state affiliates of national

organizations, prominent members of the clergy and other influential

community leaders. Two national Buckle Up America leadership

conferences were held in Washington, DC as well, where national

organizations were encouraged to lend their support for law enforcement

during the mobilization periods. As a result of these and other efforts

to gain new partners in the Campaign, more than 1,000 organizations

submitted endorsements supporting the 1998 Thanksgiving Week

Mobilization. Similar partnership summits and leadership conferences

will be held for upcoming mobilizations. Grantees and their

participating state and local representatives are encouraged to attend

these regional and national meetings and to work with their State

Highway Safety Offices to coordinate their activities with other groups

in their state supporting the Buckle Up America Campaign.

The goal of this cooperative agreement program is to further expand

participation in and media exposure of the next series of mobilizations

and educational emphasis periods. We are seeking organizations that

will take a leadership role in mobilizing their members and

constituency to provide visible support for law enforcement and to

conduct media outreach activities. The two educational emphasis periods

in between the enforcement mobilizations will help keep the issue in

the forefront of the American public as a reminder and reinforcement of

the importance of buckling up.

Purpose

The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement program is to

generate highly visible support for the Buckle Up America Campaign from

national organizations and their local affiliates in conjunction with

quarterly emphasis periods. The program is designed to generate

specific support for

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Buckle Up America Campaign initiatives, primarily for law enforcement

efforts during the two Operation ABC mobilizations and/or media and

educational initiatives during the Campaign's Child Passenger Safety

and School Days emphasis periods. The objective of this initiative is

to organize and deliver public statements of support from national and

local leaders of respected organizations and community sector

representatives that will provide the support needed by law enforcement

and elected officials and other local leaders to aggressively enforce

occupant protection laws. Concentrated activity in the six identified

opportunity states is encouraged.

One way to stimulate support for efforts to increase seat belt and

child safety seat usage is to stimulate the development of sustained

traffic safety efforts at the local level. For the past three years,

NHTSA has been promoting a community-based motor vehicle injury

prevention program known as Safe Communities. This model encourages

communities to analyze data, consult with citizens and collaborate with

a multi-disciplinary set of partners to prioritize problems and

identify solutions. Applicants are encouraged to coordinate any

proposed Buckle Up America efforts with any existing Safe Communities

programs and use this as the basis for long-term involvement. In those

locations where no Safe Communities exist, applicants are encouraged to

participate in the Buckle Up America program and its enforcement

efforts as an initial activity in the formation of a sustained Safe

Communities program.

Eligibility Requirements

Applications may be submitted by public and private, non-profit and

for-profit organizations. An eligible organization must be national in

scope and have established and effective affiliate relationships at the

state and local level capable of carrying out the effort. Organizations

can satisfy this criterion by showing that they will work through their

own state and local affiliates (i.e., units or chapters specifically

organized to carry out the organization's mission) and/or with other

affiliates participating the Buckle Up America Campaign (i.e. State

Highway Safety Agencies, other national organization(s), law

enforcement associations, etc.), NHTSA is particularly interested in

engaging organizations that represent target populations who have

typically lower seat belt use and/or special needs relative to message

delivery, cultural issues, or other factors. Organizations that assume

a leadership and respected role by hard-to-reach, high risk, and

predominately low belt use constituencies are sought to participate in

this effort. Target organization applications will be competed separate

from other national organization applications. In essence, the

applications will be divided into two categories--(1) target population

and (2) all others, and will be evaluated within the appropriate

category. Therefore, it is important that organizations identify the

category for which they are to be considered on their application.

Interested applicants are advised that no fee or profit will be allowed

under this cooperative agreement program.

Eligible projects will also be limited to specific activity areas

outlined below. The grantee shall design and implement specific

activities throughout its national and affiliate chapters to gain

public awareness of, publicize support for, and generate participation

in 2-4 of the Buckle Up America emphasis periods during 1999, described

in the Buckle Up America section of this Notice, above. Specifically,

the activity shall focus on four key elements:

1. Public statements of support for Operation ABC enforcement

efforts and/or the child passenger safety and school days emphasis

periods. This can include, but is not limited to: writing letters in

support of enforcement and/or educational emphasis efforts to elected

officials, such as, Governors, mayors, and other local leaders, and

heads of law enforcement; publishing editorials and articles in

newspapers, newsletters, and other publications; issuing resolutions

and proclamations in support of Operation ABC and Buckle Up America

Campaign, participating in meetings and conferences on mobilization

efforts. It can also include efforts to make the public aware of

planned enforcement efforts and the rationale for them. This may be

particularly appropriate for target groups whose constituency may be

sensitive to enforcement-related issues.

2. Media Outreach. This can include, but is not limited to:

distribution of sample news releases regarding mobilization/emphasis

period efforts, letters to the Editor/Op Ed pieces, talking points,

etc. to national and local representatives and encouraging their use to

gain national and local media attention and public awareness for the

issues involved.

3. Community action activities and events by local representatives.

This can include, but is not limited to: support to local chapters to

conduct local dialogues or to organize/participate in media events with

law enforcement representatives and/or other community leaders;

conducting/participating in educational initiatives to complement

enforcement efforts, such as participating in checkpoints, conducting/

participating in community educational activities, posting information,

etc.; taking a leadership role in gathering community support and

partners, attending and/or sponsoring meetings to organize

mobilization/emphasis activity.

4. Project Evaluation. The grantee shall also evaluate the quantity

and quality/scope of participation of the national organization and

local affiliates, including: national outreach/support initiatives,

number of editorials and opinion/editorial features published,

information/materials developed/distributed; number of local affiliates

participating and activities conducted in the three areas listed above;

and participation in and promotion of the Safe Communities Program in

conjunction with this effort.

Additional Resources

The following is a list of resources for information on the Buckle

Up America Campaign. All items may be ordered either directly from the

NHTSA web site at: www.nhtsa.dot.gov by E-Mail to Webmaster (see bottom

of home page) or by sending a fax request to: Media and Marketing

Division at 202-493-6062. All requests should include the name,

address, and telephone number of the person to receive the materials.

1. Item # 1P1049 Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use

Nationwide, Recommendations from the Secretary of Transportation.*

NHTSA. April 1997. DOT HS 808 576. The Secretary's plan for

implementing President Clinton's directive and attaining seat belt and

child safety seat use goals for years 2000 and 2005.

2. Item # 1P1084 Buckle Up America, The Presidential Initiative for

Increasing Seat Belt Use Nationwide, First Report to Congress. NHTSA.

January 1998. DOT HS 808 667. First Biannual Report to the House and

Senate Appropriations Committees on the progress of the activities

which have been conducted in pursuit of the national goals outlined in

the Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide.

3. Item # 1P1063 Buckle Up America Campaign Action Kit.* NHTSA.

September 1997. DOT HS 808 628. Information and resource portfolio to

solicit participation in the Buckle Up America Campaign.

4. Item # 1P0837 Operation ABC Mobilization Organizational Action

Kit

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(OAK)*. NHTSA. September 1998. Information, resources, and sample

materials for organizations participating in and supporting November

23-29, 1998, Operation ABC Mobilization: America Buckles Up Children.

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*These items may be found directly on NHTSA's web site at:

www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

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5. Safe Communities Service Center, c/o NHTSA Region VI, 819 Taylor

Street, Room 8A38, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, Phone: 817-978-3633, Fax:

817-978-8339, or E-Mail: [email protected] Also visit

the Safe Communities web site on the Internet (http://

www.nhtsa.dot.gov/safecommunities). These resources provide information

on best practices, Safe Communities and traffic safety materials, and

access to technical assistance sources.

6. Item # 5P0026 Safe Communities folio package. NHTSA. 1997. DOT

HS 808 578. Contains technical assistance materials on various topics

including getting started, coalition building, partnering with traffic

safety specialists and evaluation and monitoring tips.

Application Procedures

Each applicant must submit one original and two copies of the

application package to: NHTSA, Office of Contracts and Procurement

(NAD-30), ATTN: Rose Watson, 400 7th Street, S.W., Room 5301,

Washington, DC 20590. An additional three copies will facilitate the

review process, but are not required. Applications must be typed on one

side of the page only. Applications must include a reference to NHTSA

Program #NTS-01-9-05068, and identify if you are applying as a general

or target population applicant.

Only complete packages received on or before March 26, 1999 at 2:00

P.M. Eastern Standard Time will be considered.

Application Contents

1. The application package must be submitted with OMB Standard Form

424 (Rev. 4-88), Application for Federal Assistance, including 424A,

Budget Information--Nonconstruction Programs, and 424B, Assurances--

Nonconstruction Programs with the required information filled in and

the certified assurances included. The OMB Standard Forms SF-424, SF-

424A, and SF-424B may be downloaded directly from the OMB Internet web

site, http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OMB/Grants/. While the Form 424-

A deals with budget information, and section B identifies Budget

Categories, the available space does not permit a level of detail which

is sufficient to provide for a meaningful evaluation of the proposed

costs. A supplemental sheet should be provided which presents a

detailed, itemized breakdown by cost category (such as hourly rates,

unit purchase costs, overhead rates, etc.) of the proposed costs, as

well as any costs which the applicant proposes to contribute in support

of this effort.

2. Applications shall include a program narrative statement which:

A. Identifies the organizational membership, purpose, and

structure; defines the constituency the organization represents and

services; demonstrates the organization's commitment to supporting the

initiatives of the Buckle Up America Campaign, provides examples of how

the organization is involved community outreach activities, and states

how this assistance will enable the organization to augment state and

local affiliate involvement in this effort. Supporting documentation

from concerned interests, partner organizations, and/or affiliates can

be used to show level of commitment and interest.

B. Outlines a plan of action pertaining to the scope and detail on

how the proposed work will be accomplished, noting how many and which

emphasis periods will be targeted, strategies for marketing to state

and local affiliates, seeking participation, and gaining high

visibility public awareness of the effort. The Action Plan should

include a time line of projected activity and milestones including

dissemination of information, product development, targeted event

schedules, reporting dates, and/or other major tasks associated with

the project.

C. Specifies deliverables and due dates including products and

reports. The organization should also identify any specific NHTSA

materials and quantities which will be requested to support the project

and how these will be used and distributed.

D. Describes an Evaluation Plan for determining and documenting

activity conducted. This should include a system or mechanism for

obtaining timely feedback from participating affiliates on their

activities conducted and media coverage obtained during the emphasis

period(s).

Project Review Procedures and Criteria

Upon receipt, applications will be screened to ensure that they

meet the eligibility requirements. Applications meeting the

requirements will be reviewed by a panel using the criteria outlined

below. In preparing the application package, applicants should organize

the package to follow the outline provided by the review criteria.

Application Review Process and Evaluation Factors

Each application package will initially be reviewed to confirm that

the applicant is an eligible recipient and that the application

contains all of the items specified in the Application Contents section

of this announcement. Each complete application from an eligible

recipient will then be evaluated by an evaluation committee. The

applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

1. Understanding of the Buckle Up America Campaign and the role of

the organization as a partner in the Campaign (20 %)

The degree to which the applicant has demonstrated an understanding

of the Buckle Up America campaign and has described its role as a

partner in the campaign.

2. The organization's ability to disseminate the Campaign

nationwide and influence participation of its membership (20%)

The status of the applicant as a national organization with a

regional, state and/or local chapter structure that covers the nation;

the degree to which the proposed effort is designed to actively engage

regional, state and/or local chapters of the organization in the

proposed effort.

3. Commitment to support the four Buckle Up America emphasis

periods (35%)

The degree to which the proposal describes activities by the

national organization and its field structure for at least two and up

to four emphasis periods that focus on the following key elements:

Public statements of support for Operation ABC

mobilization efforts and/or the child passenger safety and school days

emphasis periods;

Media outreach in support of the mobilizations and the

child passenger safety and school days emphasis periods;

Community action activities and events by local

representatives designed to support and complement law enforcement

efforts, and draw attention to the child passenger safety and school

days emphasis periods.

4. Documentation and Process Evaluation (15%)

The proposal includes a process evaluation design and plans for how

the effort will be documented to facilitate NHTSA efforts to provide

information to other organizations interested in replicating the

proposed activity and to compile Buckle Up America Campaign activity

for required Reports to Congress and the President.

[[Page 5859]]

5. Safe Communities (10%)

The degree to which this project promotes the Safe Communities

model to members of the national organization and encourages them to

utilize this effort as an opportunity to join existing Safe Communities

program, integrate this effort into an existing program, or build a new

Safe Communities program.

Availability of Funds and Period of Support

Contingent on the availability of funds and satisfactory

performance, cooperative agreements will be awarded for a project

period of 12 to 15 months. A total of $590,000 is anticipated to be

awarded. It is anticipated that individual award amounts, based upon

demonstrated need, may range between $10,000 and $50,000. This stated

range does not establish minimum or maximum funding levels.

In each project, some portion of the funding requested must be

dedicated to evaluation activities. Given the amount of funds available

for this effort, applicants are strongly encouraged to seek other

funding opportunities to supplement the federal funds. Preference will

be given to applicants with cost-sharing proposals from within or

outside their organization.

NHTSA Involvement

NHTSA will be involved in all activities undertaken as part of the

cooperative agreement program and will:

1. Provide a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR)

to participate in the planning and management of this Cooperative

Agreement and to coordinate activities between the Grantee and NHTSA.

2. Provide information and technical assistance from government

sources within available resources and as determined appropriate by the

COTR.

3. Serve as a liaison between NHTSA Headquarters, Regional Offices

and others (Federal, state and local) interested in Buckle Up America

Campaign and the activities of the grantee as appropriate.

4. Stimulate the transfer of information among Cooperative

Agreement recipients and others engaged in Buckle Up America

activities.

5. Provide campaign information and materials to support

activities.

Special Award Selection Factors

While not a requirement of this announcement, applicants are

strongly urged to seek funds from other federal, state, local and

private sources to augment those available under this announcement. For

those applications that are evaluated as meritorious for consideration

for award, preference may be given to those that have proposed cost-

sharing strategies and/or have other proposed funding sources in

addition to those in this announcement. In-kind services provided by

the applicant organization may be included as a contribution.

Terms and Conditions of Award

1. Prior to award, each grantee must comply with the certification

requirements of 49 CFR part 20, Department of Transportation New

Restrictions on Lobbying, and 49 CFR part 29, Department of

Transportation government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-

procurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug Free Workplace

(Grants).

2. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables:

A. Quarterly Progress Reports should include a summary of the

previous quarter's activities and accomplishments, as well as the

proposed activities for the upcoming quarter. Any decisions and actions

required in the upcoming quarter should be included in the report. The

grantee shall supply the progress report to the Contracting Officer's

Technical Representative (COTR) every ninety (90) days following date

of award.

B. Program Implementation and Evaluation Plan: The grantee shall

submit a revised program implementation and evaluation plan,

incorporating comments received from the NHTSA COTR, no more than 1

month after award of this agreement. The NHTSA COTR will review and

comment, if necessary.

C. Draft Final Report: The grantee shall prepare a Draft Final

Report that includes a description of the project, media outreach

initiatives, and local affiliate participation and activity, results

and findings from the program evaluation. In terms of information

transfer, it is important to know what worked and did not work, under

what circumstances, and what can be done to avoid potential problems in

future projects. The grantee shall submit the Draft Final Report to the

COTR 60 days prior to the end of the performance period. The COTR will

review the draft report and provide comments to the grantee within 30

days of receipt of the document.

D. Final Report: The grantee shall revise the Draft Final Report to

reflect the COTR's comments. The revised final report shall be

delivered to the COTR 15 days before the end of the performance period.

The grantee shall supply the COTR:

--Four hard copies of the final document.

E. A Briefing to NHTSA and a presentation to at least one national

meeting (e.g., Lifesavers * * *).

F. Preparation and submission of a paper for publication in a

professional journal. This paper will be submitted to NHTSA initially

in draft format and will be circulated for review and comment to NHTSA

and others, as appropriate.

3. During the effective performance period of cooperative

agreements awarded as a result of this announcement, the agreement as

applicable to the grantee, shall be subject to the NHTSA's General

Provisions for Assistance Agreements, dated July 1995.

Issued on: February 2, 1999.

Rose A. McMurray,

Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.

[FR Doc. 99-2827 Filed 2-4-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P