Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1999: Request for Proposals and Request for Input

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship

Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1999: Request for Proposals and Request

for Input

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals and Request for Input.

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SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension

Service (CSREES) announces the availability of grant funds and requests

proposals for the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs

Graduate Fellowship Grants Program for Fiscal Years (FY's) 1999 and

2000, and for FY 1999 Supplemental Grants for Special International

Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances. Proposals are

hereby requested from eligible institutions as identified herein for

competitive consideration of National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grant

awards. Additionally, CSREES seeks proposals from recipients of

currently active Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs

Fellowship Grants for supplemental grants to support special

international study or thesis/dissertation research experiences for

current Fellows. By this notice CSREES additionally solicits

stakeholder input from any interested party regarding the FY 1999

request for proposals for this program.

DATES: Proposals for Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs

Graduate Fellowship Grants must be received on or before June 7, 1999.

Proposals received after the closing date will not be considered for

funding. Proposals for supplemental grants to support special

international study or thesis/dissertation research experiences for

current Fellows must be received by February 16, 2000. Comments

regarding this request for proposals are requested within six months

from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date

will be considered to the extent practicable.

ADDRESSES: Written stakeholder comments should be submitted by first-

class mail to: Office of Extramural Programs; Competitive Research

Grants and Awards Management; USDA-CSREES; STOP 2299; 1400 Independence

Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2299, or via e-mail to: RFP-

[email protected] In your comments, please include the name of the

program and the fiscal year solicitation of applications to which you

are responding.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard E. Sandberg, Ph.D., Higher

Education Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and

Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2251; 1400

Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2251; telephone:

(202) 720-2193; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

Stakeholder Input

Part I. Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate

Fellowship Grants

Section A--General Information

1. Administrative Provisions

2. Legislative Authority

3. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

4. Eligibility

Section B--Program Description

1. Purpose of the Program

2. Targeted National Need Areas

3. Degree Level Supported

4. Proposal Submission Limitations

5. Limitations on Number of Fellowships

6. Availability Funding

7. Stipend Level

Section C--How to Obtain Application Materials

Section D--Submission of a Proposal

1. What to Submit

2. Where and When to Submit

3. Acknowledgment of Proposals

4. Intent to Submit a Proposal

Section E--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

Part II. 1999 Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation

Research Travel Allowances

Section A--General Information

1. Administrative Provisions

2. Legislative Authority

3. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

4. Announcement of Availability of Supplemental Grants

5. Eligibility

Section B--Program Description

1. Purpose of the Program

2. Available Funding

3. Travel Allowances

Section C--How to Obtain Application Materials

Section D--Submission of a Proposal

1. What to Submit

2. Where and When to Submit

3. Acknowledgment of Proposals

Section E--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

Stakeholder Input

CSREES is soliciting comments regarding this request for proposals

from any interested party. These comments will be considered in the

development of the next request for proposals for this program. Such

comments will be forwarded to the Secretary or his designee for use in

meeting the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural

Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-

185). This section requires the Secretary to solicit and consider input

on a current request for proposals from persons who conduct or use

agricultural research, education, or extension for use in formulating

the next year's request for proposals.

In your comments, please include the name of the program and the

fiscal year request for proposals to which you are responding. Comments

are requested within six months from the issuance of the request for

proposals. Comments received after that date will be considered to the

extent practicable.

Part I. Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate

Fellowship Grants

Section A--General Information

1. Administrative Provisions

This Program is subject to the provisions found at 7 CFR Part 3402

for the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate

Fellowship Grants Program. These provisions set forth procedures to be

followed when submitting grant proposals, rules governing the

evaluation of proposals and the awarding of grants, and regulations

relating to the post-award administration of grant projects.

2. Legislative Authority

The authority for this program is contained in Section 1417(b)(6)

of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy

Act of 1977, as amended (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(6)). This program

is subject to the provisions found at 7 CFR Part 3402.

In accordance with the statutory authority, subject to the

availability of funds, the Secretary of Agriculture, who has delegated

the authority to the Administrator of CSREES, may make competitive

grants, for periods not to exceed five years, to land-grant colleges

and universities, to colleges and universities having significant

minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the

teaching of food and agricultural sciences, and to other colleges and

universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching

of food and agricultural sciences, to administer and conduct graduate

fellowship programs to help meet the Nation's needs for development of

scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural

sciences. For this program, the term ``food and agricultural sciences''

means basic, applied, and

[[Page 13307]]

developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in food and

fiber, agricultural, renewable natural resources, forestry, and

physical and social sciences, including activities related to subject

areas defined in section 1404(8) of NARETPA, 7 U.S.C. 3103(8).

3. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance under No. 10.210, Food and Agricultural Sciences National

Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants.

4. Eligibility

Proposals may be submitted by institutions that confer a graduate

degree in at least one area of the food and agricultural sciences

targeted for national needs fellowships. For proposals involving more

than one institution, all institutions must meet the eligibility

requirement. Proposals may also be submitted by a research foundation

maintained by an eligible college or university.

Section B--Program Description

1. Purpose of the Program

This program seeks to award grants to colleges and universities

which have notable teaching and research competencies in the food and

agricultural sciences. The grants are specifically intended to support

fellowship programs that encourage outstanding students to pursue and

complete a Ph.D. degree at such institutions in an area of the food and

agricultural sciences for which there is a national need for the

development of scientific and professional expertise.

2. Targeted National Need Areas

Food and agricultural sciences areas appropriate for fellowship

grant applications are those in which shortages of expertise have been

determined and targeted by CSREES for national needs graduate

fellowship support. Beginning with FY 1997, CSREES supports six

national need areas on a biennial basis and combines appropriations

from two fiscal years into one competition to be held during odd-

numbered years. The targeted national need areas to be supported for

the combined FY 1999/2000 competition are: (1) Biotechnology--Animal;

(2) Biotechnology--Plant; (3) Engineering--Food, Forest Products, or

Agricultural; (4) Human Nutrition and/or Food Science; (5) Marketing or

Management--Food, Forest Products, or Agribusiness; and (6) Water

Science.

3. Degree Level Supported

In FY 1999/2000, only the doctoral level of study will be

supported.

4. Proposal Submission Limitations

A doctoral degree-granting institution may only submit a maximum of

six proposals, and no more than one proposal may be submitted in any

one national need area.

5. Limitations on Number of Fellowships

For the FY 1999/2000 program, a proposal may request funding in

only one national need area. A proposal may request a minimum of two

fellowships and a maximum of four fellowships in the national need area

for which funding is requested. While proposals must document

institution willingness to recruit and train at least two, but not more

than four, fellows in a national need area, CSREES may fund fewer

fellows than requested in a proposal.

6. Available Funding

CSREES anticipates that approximately $5,600,000 will be available

for fellowship grants for the FY 1999/2000 combined competition,

including $2.8 million from FY 1999 appropriations and $2.8 million in

anticipated FY 2000 appropriations. Contingent on the availability of

these funds, approximately $933,000 will be allocated to each of the

six national needs areas. This program is highly competitive, and it is

anticipated that available funding will support approximately 81

doctoral fellows through approximately seven grants in each of the six

targeted areas. No-year funds drawn from expired fellowship grants with

unspent funds remaining may be used to fund additional fellows. Please

note that Congress has not yet enacted a Fiscal Year 2000

appropriations bill for the Department. Therefore, the $5.6 million

cited for FY 1999/2000 grants is only tentative and USDA is not bound

by this estimate. If Congress appropriates other than the anticipated

amount, the combined appropriated FYs 1999 and 2000 funds will be

allocated equally among all six national need areas.

7. Stipend Level

Each institution funded will receive $69,000 for each doctoral

fellowship awarded. However, it is anticipated that total program funds

available will not be evenly divisible by $69,000. Therefore, one

fellowship may be supported on a partial basis with a lesser amount of

funds, or one fellowship may be supported fully by a combination of FY

1999/2000 funds and unspent funds remaining from expired fellowship

grants. Except in the case of a partially funded fellowship, fellowship

monies must be used to: (1) support the same doctoral fellow for three

years at $22,000 per year; and (2) provide for an institution annual

cost-of-education allowance of $1,000, not to exceed a total of $3,000

over the duration of the grant. Total funds awarded to an institution

under the program in FY 1999/2000 shall not exceed $648,000.

Section C--How to Obtain Application Materials

An Application Kit containing program application materials will be

made available to eligible institutions upon request. These materials

include the Administrative Provisions, Solicitation, forms,

instructions, and other relevant information needed to prepare and

submit grant proposals. Copies of the application kit may be requested

from the Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs;

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S.

Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.;

Washington, D.C. 20250-2245. The telephone number is 202-401-5048. When

contacting the Proposal Services Unit, please indicate that you are

requesting forms for the FY 1999 National Needs Graduate Fellowship

Grants Program.

Application materials may also be requested via Internet by sending

a message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and phone number

to [email protected] which states that you want to receive a copy of the

application materials for the Fiscal Year 1999/2000 Food and

Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants

Program. The materials will then be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as

quickly as possible.

Section D--Submission of a Proposal

1. What to Submit

An original and seven (7) copies of a proposal must be submitted.

Proposals should contain all requested information when submitted. Each

proposal should be typed on 8\1/2\'' x 11'' white paper, double-spaced,

and on one side of the page only. Please note that the text of the

proposal should be prepared using a font no smaller than 12 point and

one-inch margins. All copies of the proposal must be submitted in one

package. Each copy of the proposal must be stapled securely in the

upper left-hand corner (DO NOT BIND).

The proposal should be paginated and a Table of Contents should be

included

[[Page 13308]]

preceding the proposal narrative. Applicants are cautioned to comply

with the 20-page limitation for the narrative section of the proposal.

Applicants also are cautioned to include summary faculty vitae through

the use of Form CSREES-708.

2. Where and When to Submit

Hand-delivered proposals (brought in person by the applicant or

through a courier service) must be received on or before June 7, 1999,

at the following address: National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants

Program; c/o Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs;

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S.

Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D Street,

S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20024. The telephone number is (202) 401-5048.

Proposals transmitted via facsimile (fax) machine will not be accepted.

Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail must be received on or

before June 7, 1999. Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail should

be sent to the following address: National Needs Graduate Fellowship

Grants Program; c/o Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural

Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service;

U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue,

S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2245.

3. Acknowledgment of Proposals

The receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged in writing and

via the Internet (e-mail). Therefore it is important to include your e-

mail address on Form CSREES-712 when applicable. This acknowledgment

will contain a proposal identification number. Once your proposal has

been assigned a proposal number, please cite that number in future

correspondence.

4. Intent to Submit a Proposal

Submission of an Intent to Submit a Proposal form (Form CSREES-706)

is neither required nor requested for the FY 1999/2000 competition.

Section E--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

Section 223(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and

Education Reform Act of 1998, Public Law 105-185, amended section 1417

of NARETPA to require that certain priorities be given in awarding

grants for teaching enhancement projects under section 1417(b) of

NARETPA. This program is authorized under section 1417(b). CSREES

considers all applications received in response to this solicitation as

teaching enhancement project applications. To implement the new

priorities for proposals submitted for the FY 1999/2000 competition,

the evaluation criteria used to evaluate proposals, as provided in the

Administrative Provisions for this program (7 CFR 3402.19), have been

modified to include new criteria for proposals demonstrating enhanced

coordination among eligible institutions and focusing on innovative,

multidisciplinary education programs, material, or curricula. The

following criteria and weights will be used to evaluate proposals

submitted for funding to the FY 1999/2000 competition:

(A) 30 points--The degree to which the proposal establishes clearly

that the proposed program of graduate study will result in the

development of outstanding scientific/professional expertise related to

the national need area and will do so in a reasonable period of time.

(B) 10 points--The degree to which the proposal contains any

special features such as a focus on innovative, multidisciplinary

education programs, material, or curricula; enhanced coordination among

institutions eligible for grants under the Food and Agricultural

National Needs Fellowship Grant Program; an inter-disciplinary, multi-

disciplinary, or cross-disciplinary approach, an unusual collateral

specialization in a related discipline, experiential learning

opportunities, unique mentoring programs, seminars, or a multi-

university collaborative approach.

(C) 20 points--The degree to which the proposal substantiates

clearly that the institution's faculty, facilities and equipment,

instructional support resources, and other academic attributes are

excellent for providing outstanding graduate study and research at the

forefront of science and technology related to the chosen area of

national need.

(D) 20 points--The degree to which the institution's plans and

procedures for recruiting and selecting academically outstanding

Fellows and for advising and guiding Fellows through a program of study

reflect excellence as documented in the proposal.

(E) 10 points--The degree to which supplementary summary data

substantiate program quality in the targeted need area.

(F) 10 points--The quality of the proposal as reflected by its

substantive content, organization, clarity, and accuracy.

Part II. 1999 Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation

Research Travel Allowances

Section A--General Information

1. Administrative Provisions

This Program is subject to the provisions found at 7 CFR Part 3402.

These provisions set forth procedures to be followed when submitting

grant proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals, the

awarding of grants, and regulations relating to the post-award

administration of such grants.

The Administrative Provisions (7 CFR part 3402) for this program

specify that, based on the amount of funds appropriated in any fiscal

year, CSREES will determine whether a new competition for special

international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances

will be held during that fiscal year, and publish that determination as

part of the annual program announcement.

2. Legislative Authority

The authority for this program is contained in Section 1417(b)(6)

of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy

Act of 1977, as amended (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C.

Sec. 3152(b)(6)).

3. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance under No. 10.210.

4. Announcement of Availability of Supplemental Grants

CSREES has determined that a new competition for special

international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances

will be held during FY 1999, and hereby solicits proposals for

competitive supplemental grants. In accordance with the Administrative

Provisions for the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs

Graduate Fellowship Grants Program (7 CFR 3402.5(e)), CSREES will award

supplemental grants, on a competitive basis, for special international

study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances.

5. Eligibility

Institutions eligible to receive supplemental grants are those that

have active National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants (awarded in FY

1998 or earlier). Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to any

current Fellow with sufficient time to complete the international

experience before the termination date of the fellowship grant under

which he/she is supported.

[[Page 13309]]

Before the international study or thesis/dissertation research travel

may commence, a Fellow must have completed one academic year of full-

time study, as defined by the institution, under the fellowship

appointment and arrangements must have been formalized for the Fellow

to study and/or conduct research in the foreign location(s). All

national need areas previously supported under the Food and

Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowships Grants

Program are eligible for the supplementary grants for special

international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowances.

Section B--Program Description

1. Purpose of the Program

These supplementary grants provide support for a fellow to conduct

special international study thesis/dissertation research or to

undertake studies at a site outside of the United States primarily for

the pursuit of activities that are not generally available within the

United States.

2. Available Funding

Estimated funds for supplemental grants in FY 1999 are

approximately $60,000. These funds are obtained from no-year funds

drawn from expired fellowship grants with unspent funds remaining.

CSREES has determined that no FY 1999 appropriations will be targeted

to supplemental grants supporting special international study or

thesis/dissertation research travel allowances.

3. Travel Allowance

For each travel allowance, the institution may request up to

$5,000. Travel allowance monies may be used only to pay travel and

living expenses for the Fellow while the Fellow is on the specific

international assignment as proposed in the application for the special

international study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance.

No limitation is placed on the number of applications an institution

may submit. Awards will be made to the extent possible based on

availability of funds. To the extent possible, all applications

associated with one CSREES grant number should be submitted at the same

time in order to facilitate the award of these supplemental grants and

minimize accounting activity at the grantee institution.

Section C--How to Obtain Application Materials

An Application Kit containing program application materials will be

made available to eligible institutions upon request. These materials

include the Administrative Provisions, Solicitation, forms,

instructions, and other relevant information needed to prepare and

submit a proposal. Copies of the Application Kit may be requested from

the Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative

State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of

Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington,

D.C. 20250-2245. The telephone number is 202-401-5048. When contacting

the Proposal Services Unit, please indicate that you are requesting an

Application Kit for the FY 1999 Special International Study or Thesis/

Dissertation Research Supplemental Grant.

Application Kits may also be requested via Internet by sending a

message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and telephone

number to [email protected] which states that you wish to receive a copy

of the Application Kit for the FY 1999 Special International Study or

Thesis/Dissertation Research Supplemental Grant. The materials will

then be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as quickly as possible.

Section D--Submission of a Proposal

1. What to Submit

An original plus six copies of each application must be submitted.

Proposals should contain all requested information when submitted. Each

proposal should be typed on 8\1/2\'' x 11'' white paper, double-spaced,

and on one side of the page only. Please note that the text of the

proposal should be prepared using a font no smaller than 12 point and

one-inch margins. Each copy of the application should be stapled

securely in the upper left-hand corner (DO NOT BIND). All copies of the

application must be submitted in one package. Applications transmitted

via a facsimile (FAX) machine will not be accepted.

A separate application must be submitted by a fellowship grant

project director at an eligible institution on behalf of each Fellow

for which a special international study or thesis/dissertation research

travel allowance is requested.

Each application must include an ``Application for Funding,'' Form

CSREES-661, and a ``Budget,'' Form CSREES-55. To provide the office of

Higher Education Programs (HEP) with sufficient information upon which

to evaluate the merits of the requests for a special international

study or thesis/dissertation research travel allowance, each

application for a supplemental grant must contain a narrative which

provides the following: (1) the specific destination(s) and duration of

the travel; (2) the specific study or thesis/dissertation research

activities in which the Fellow will be engaged; (3) how the

international experience will contribute to the Fellow's program of

study; (4) a budget narrative specifying and justifying the dollar

amount requested for the travel; (5) summary credentials of both the

U.S. and international faculty or other professionals with whom the

Fellow will be working during the international experience (summary

credentials must not exceed three pages per person; ``Summary Vita--

Teaching Proposal,'' Form CSREES-708, may be used for this purpose);

(6) a letter from the dean of the Fellow's college or equivalent

administrative unit supporting the Fellow's travel request and

certifying that the travel experience will not jeopardize the Fellow's

satisfactory progress toward degree completion; and (7) a letter from

the fellowship grant project director certifying the Fellow's

eligibility, the accuracy of the Fellow's travel request, and the

relevance of the travel to the Fellow's advanced degree objectives.

The narrative portion of the application must not exceed 10 pages,

excluding the summary vita/vitae.

2. Where and When to Submit

Applications for the special international study or thesis/

dissertation research travel allowance supplemental grants may be

submitted at any time prior to February 16, 2000. However, to allow

time for CSREES to process the applications, proposals should be

submitted at least three months prior to the proposed beginning date of

the international research project. Applicants are urged to submit

their proposals early.

(Note: Proposals for these special supplemental awards should

not be submitted as part of the application for a FY 1999/2000

Graduate Fellowship grant.)

Hand-delivered proposals (brought in person by the applicant or

through a courier service) must be received on or before February 16,

2000, at the following address: Special International Study or Thesis/

Dissertation Research Supplemental Grant; c/o Proposal Services Unit;

Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education,

and Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 303,

Aerospace Center; 901 D Street, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20024. The phone

[[Page 13310]]

number is 202-401-5048. Proposals transmitted via a facsimile (fax)

machine will not be accepted.

Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail must be received on or

before February 16, 2000. Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail

should be sent to the following address: Special International Study or

Thesis/Dissertation Research Supplemental Grant; c/o Proposal Services

Unit; Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP

2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2245.

3. Acknowledgment of Proposals

The receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged in writing and

via the Internet (e-mail). Therefore it is important to include your e-

mail address on Form CSREES-712 when applicable. This acknowledgment

will contain a proposal identification number. Once your proposal has

been assigned a proposal number, please cite that number in future

correspondence.

Section E--Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

Applications for the special international travel allowances will

be evaluated as they are received until available funds for the

supplemental grants are exhausted. Upon receipt of an application,

CSREES staff will first determine the eligibility of the Fellow for

whom the application was submitted for an international travel

experience. Eligible and complete requests then will be reviewed, using

the criteria and weights indicated below, by professional staff from

USDA or other Federal agencies, as appropriate. Proposals judged to be

worthy of funding will be eligible for supplemental awards. Since

awards for supplemental grants will be made as reviews are completed,

there is no assurance funds will be available late in the application

period for every acceptable proposal.

The evaluation criteria for special international study or thesis/

dissertation research travel allowance applications are indicated

below. The points are provided as a guide to the relative importance of

each criterion, but all criteria must be addressed satisfactorily.

a. Destination and duration--the degree to which the destination

and duration of the travel experience is appropriate for enhancing the

Fellow's academic program--10 points.

b. Travel experience activities--the degree to which the specific

international experiences contribute to the Fellow's program of study--

30 points.

c. Advance preparations--the degree to which the proposed study or

research activities are well-planned, including the likelihood that

these activities will come to fruition and that the participation of

identified personnel will materialize--20 points.

d. Budget--the degree to which the budget for the international

experience is justified--10 points.

e. Personnel--the degree to which the personnel, both U.S. and

international, involved with the travel experience have the appropriate

credentials and experience to direct the Fellow's international

experience, and the likelihood that their participation as mentors,

trainers, advisors, or teachers will contribute to the educational

value of the travel experiences--20 points.

f. Supporting documentation--the degree to which letters from the

dean of the college (or equivalent administrative unit) and the

fellowship grant project director support the application--10 points.

Done at Washington, D.C., this 11th day of March 1999.

Colien Hefferan,

Acting Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and

Extension Service.

[FR Doc. 99-6487 Filed 3-16-99; 8:45 am]

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