NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

AUTHORIZATION:

Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2000, Public Law 106-113.

OBJECTIVES:

To promote the widespread use and availability of advanced telecommunications and information technologies in the public and nonprofit sectors. By providing matching grants for information infrastructure projects, this program will help develop a nationwide, interactive, multimedia information infrastructure that is accessible to all citizens, in rural areas as well as urban areas.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funding under the TOP will be awarded to: support projects that improve the quality of, and the public's access to, cultural, education, and training resources; reduce the cost, improve the quality, and/or increase the accessibility of health care and public health services; promote responsive public safety services; improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government services; and foster communication, resource-sharing, and economic development within communities, both rural and urban.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   State, local and tribal governments, universities and colleges; and nonprofit entities are eligible to apply.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   General Public.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applicants must certify that the organization is in compliance or will comply with the Department of Commerce assurances included in the standard application.

APPLICATION AND AWARD PROCESS:

Preapplication Coordination:   Program staff members are available to provide technical and other assistance in preparing application forms. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

Application Procedure:   The standard application forms as approved by OMB and provided by NTIA must be used for this program, including the Standard Form 424 (Rev 4-92) and the required certifications.

Award Procedure:   Applications are reviewed on the basis of funding criteria as established in the Notice of Availability of Funds. The Administrator of NTIA may select an application for funding, in whole or in part, and will notify the applicant of final decisions.

Deadlines:   The NTIA Administrator shall select and publish in the Federal Register the date by which new applications must be filed in order to be considered for funding in the referenced fiscal year. For fiscal year 2000 consideration, the deadline for filing applications was March 16, 2000.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   Awards for the fiscal year will generally be announced within 180 days from the filing of an application.

Appeals:   All awards decisions are final. There is no administrative appeal process.

Renewals:   Not applicable.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   47 U.S.C. 392 (b) and (c). The Administrator will provide up to 50 percent of the total project costs, unless extraordinary circumstances warrant a grant of up to 75 percent. A project will not be considered grantable unless the applicant can document a capacity both to supply matching funds, and to sustain the project beyond the period of the award.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Successful applicants will have between one and three years to complete the project as specified in the award document. The actual time will vary depending on the complexity of any particular project. Extensions may be requested in writing if circumstances require additional time, and extensions must be approved by the Grants Officer. Assistance is generally released as required.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Financial and progress reports are to be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award, and are due on quarterly basis.

Audits:   Audits will be conducted in accordance with the terms and conditions of the award and OMB Circular No. A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.

Records:   All financial and programmatic records, supporting documents, statistical reports, and other records of recipients or subrecipients must be maintained in accordance with the terms of the award. Generally, the recipient must retain records for 3 years from the date on which the final expenditure report is submitted.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   13-0552-0-1-503.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 99 $21,417,412; FY 00 est $16,930,000; and FY 01 est $45,119,000.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   $56,625 to $600,000; $409,400.

PROGAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

In fiscal year 1999, NTIA received over 700 applications requesting $250 million, and the program awarded 43 grants totaling $21.4 million. For fiscal year 2000, NTIA anticipates receiving the same level of requests.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

Written requests to the Director, Technology Opportunities Program, will obtain application package containing the Notice of Availability of Funds, application forms and guidelines. Cost will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos. A-21 for institutions of higher education, A-87 for State and local governments, and with A-122 for nonprofit organizations. Grants management will be in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-110 for institutions of higher educations, other nonprofit organizations, and for-profit organizations; and 15 CFR Part 24 for State and local governments.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   None.

Headquarters Office:   Mr. Stephen Downs, Director, Technology Opportunities Program, Office of Telecommunications and Information Applications/NTIA, Room 4092, Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Telephone: (202) 482-2048.

Web Site Address:   http://www.ntia.doc.gov.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Second Harvest in Illinois will provide near real-time communication links between food banks and organizations that feed the hungry to help alleviate the nearly 60 million pounds of food that gets wasted each year in the U.S.; the Georgia-based Shepherd Center will place laptops with video-conferencing capability in the homes of victims of spinal cord and brain injuries. These victims, who face a lifetime of challenges, will have greater access to their care givers as well as to clinics and seminars that can help them in their recovery; the Cleveland Housing Network in Ohio will use Internet-based technology to let community based organizations share data resources and collaborate on solutions for community revitalization. The project addresses common national problems, such as access to affordable housing, and allows those closest to the problems to have the tools to address them. Dance partners, a project of Ballet Arts Minnesota, will use interactive telecommunications technology to spread the reach of cultural dance to underserved communities, including the elderly and disabled. Whereas the 50 largest dance companies are concentrated in only ten of our largest cities, this project has the potential to bring increased exposure to dance in rural areas. The Southwest Navajo Nation Virtual Alliance will implement a wireless community network to link five local tribal government entities spread over a 5,000 square mile region in southwest Arizona that suffers severe economic, ecological, and health problems.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS: