Trade Adjustment Assistance for the Alaskan Salmon Fishing Industry, Availability of Funds

SUMMARY: The Economic Development Administration (EDA) announces the

availability of $5.0 million in trade adjustment assistance to help the

Alaskan salmon fishing industry, which has been affected by the loss of

sales due to the Asian financial crisis, imports from other countries,

and the low runs of salmon in Bristol Bay and in the Yukon and

Kuskokwim River tributaries as noted in the September 10, 1998 Disaster

Declaration by the Secretary of Commerce under the Magnuson-Stevens

Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This Disaster Declaration was

made as a result of the commercial failure of the Alaska salmon

fisheries in Bristol Bay and the Yukon and Kuskokwim River tributaries.

EDA's program will assist the Alaskan salmon fishing industry with

technical assistance grants or cooperative agreements to address the

economic problems caused by this trade injury and natural disaster. EDA

expects that the successful application will call for preparing a

strategic marketing plan for the Alaskan salmon fishing industry and

using the remaining resources available under this announcement to

implement that plan.

DATES: This announcement is effective February 11, 1999. Proposals must

be received no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard time, by the last

day of the three calendar week period following publication of this

notice. Such proposals must be received (no faxes or e-mails) at the

address in the ``Other Information'' section at the end of this notice.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should contact the Coordinator, Trade

Adjustment Assistance and Technical Assistance (see listing in ``Other

Information'').

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: See listing in ``Other Information'' section

of this notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Applicants should be aware that a false

statement on the application is grounds for denial of the application

or termination of the grant award and grounds for possible punishment

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

Applicants are hereby notified that any equipment or products

authorized to be purchased with funding provided under this program

must be American-made to the maximum extent feasible.

Applicants seeking an early start, i.e., to begin a project before

EDA approval, must obtain a letter from EDA allowing such early start.

Such approval may be given with the understanding that an early start

does not constitute project approval. Applicants should be aware that

if they 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 pre-award

costs.

If an application is selected for funding, EDA has no obligation to

provide any additional future funding in connection with an award.

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

performance is at the sole discretion of EDA.

Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may result in

an application not being considered for funding.

No award of Federal funds will be made to an applicant who has an

outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either:

l. The delinquent account is paid in full;

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

payment is received; or

3. Other arrangements satisfactory to DoC are made.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required

to respond to nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to

comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements of

the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of information

displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

control number. This notice involves a collection of information

requirement subject to the provisions of the PRA, Forms SF-424 and SF-

424A, OMB Control Number 0348-0043. All primary applicants must submit

a 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:

Prospective participants (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, section

105) ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' and the related

section of the certification form prescribed above applies;

Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 605) are subject to

15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

(Grants)'' and the related section of the certification form prescribed

above applies;

Persons (as defined at 15 CFR Part 28, section 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

Any applicant that 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.

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.

EDA also requires that compliance with environmental regulations,

in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), be

completed before construction begins.

Unless otherwise noted below, eligibility, program objectives and

descriptions, application procedures, selection procedures, evaluation

criteria and other requirements for all programs are set forth in EDA's

regulations published in the FR (64 FR 5347, Feb. 3, 1999) as separate

Part II. Eligibility, grant rates, criteria and other requirements will

change when EDA's interim-final rule to implement Public Law 105-393

becomes effective on February 11, 1999.

[[Page 7055]]

EDA will continue coordination with the National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS).

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)

The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for Industries is listed

under CFDA 11.313.

Funding Availability

Funds in the amount of $5.0 million are available under this

announcement and shall remain available until expended. These funds are

provided under Section 763 of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1998

(P. L. 105-277).

Grant Rates

Grant or cooperative agreement rates typically are shared on 50%

Federal, 50% industry basis. However, EDA may vary these rates if an

acceptable justification for a lower industry rate is provided by the

applicant.

Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be associations, unions or other nonprofit fishing

industry organizations with a thorough understanding of and expertise

concerning the Alaskan salmon fishing industry.

Proposal Submission Procedures

Proposals for assistance under this announcement must include a

narrative that addresses the project selection criteria and a completed

Form SF-424 and SF-424A, OMB Control No. 0348-0043, and be submitted to

the Coordinator, Trade Adjustment and Technical Assistance (see Listing

under ``Other Information'').

Application Procedures

A determination of whether to invite applications under this

announcement will be issued based upon the Agency's review of the

proposals under the evaluation criteria herein and EDA's regulations

published in the Federal Register (64 FR 5347, Feb. 3, 1999) as

separate part II.

Funding Instrument

Any grant or cooperative agreement awarded under this announcement

will be in accordance with the requirements of the Trade Act of 1974,

as amended (Public Law 93-618; 19 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.) and EDA's

regulations published in the Federal Register (64 FR 5347, Feb. 3,

1999) as separate Part II.

Project Selection Criteria

Evaluation criteria will not be assigned weights. EDA will consider

several criteria, any one or a combination of which may be the basis

for selecting the applicant to be funded under this notice. These

criteria are the extent to which the proposal: (1) Demonstrates an

understanding of the economic damage resulting from the natural

disaster and trade related impacts in the Alaskan salmon fishing

industry; (2) documents that the applicant has a thorough understanding

of and expertise concerning the Alaskan salmon fishing industry and its

needs; (3) makes a strong case that it will yield some short-term

actions that can be implemented by firms in the Alaskan salmon fishing

industry rather than relying only on long-term solutions; and (4)

includes the use of a committee, with representatives from the Alaskan

salmon fishing industry, to assist in providing project oversight.

Trade Adjustment Assistance for industrywide projects can only be

awarded to industries in which firms or workers groups have been

certified as trade-impacted under the Trade Act of 1974, as amended.

EDA has already made this finding for the Alaskan fishing industry.

EDA will evaluate proposals to determine whether they can meet the

criteria established. Following the review of the proposals, EDA will

invite any entity whose proposal is selected to submit a full

application. (SF-424, OMB Control No. 0348-0043).

Other Information

Except as modified herein, evaluation criteria, competitive

selection procedures, application procedures, and other requirements

for the applicable assistance program are described in EDA's

regulations, published in the Federal Register (64 FR 5347, February 3,

1999) as separate Part II.

For further information contact the Coordinator, Trade Adjustment

and Technical Assistance listed below: Anthony J. Meyer, Coordinator,

Trade Adjustment and Technical Assistance, Economic Development

Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Room H7317, 14th and

Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230, Telephone: (202)

482-2127, Internet Address: [email protected]

Dated: February 4, 1999.

Phillip A. Singerman,

Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.

[FR Doc. 99-3463 Filed 2-9-99; 10:55 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-24-P