Citation: [Federal Register Volume 76, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48804-48806]

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket No. I.D. GF001]


Grants to Manufacturers of Certain Worsted Wool Fabrics

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

ACTION: Notice Announcing the Availability of Grant Funds.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is to inform potential applicants
that the Department of Commerce is providing financial assistance in
calendar year 2011 for U.S. manufacturers of certain worsted wool
fabrics. Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical
Corrections Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the
``Act''), as amended by the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of
2008 (Pub. L. 110-343, 122 Stat. 3765), authorizes the Secretary of
Commerce to provide grants to persons (including firms, corporations,
or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000,
and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted wool fabrics. The
first category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85
percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters greater
than 18.5 micron (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS)
heading 9902.51.11); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000,
to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage
of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in
HTS 9902.51.11. The second category are manufacturers of worsted wool
fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average
fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less (HTS heading 9902.51.15,
previously HTS heading 9902.51.12); the total amount of available funds
is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of
the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric
included in HTS 9902.51.15. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant
program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts
in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (the ``Trust Fund''). The
total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics
described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2011.
The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics
described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in calendar year
2011.

DATES: Applications by eligible U.S. producers of certain worsted wool
fabrics must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or
provided to a delivery service on or before 5 p.m. EDT, August 19,
2011. Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may
take up to 2 business days after submission. Applications received
after the closing date and time will be rejected/returned to the sender
without further consideration. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery
service must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic
mail applications will be accepted.

ADDRESSES: The standard application package is available at http://www.grants.gov. For applicants without internet access, an application
package may be received by contacting Mr. Jim Bennett, Office of
Textiles and Apparel--Rm. 3100, International Trade Administration,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington DC 20230, phone (202) 482-4058,
e-mail: James.Bennett@trade.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Technical questions can be directed to
Jim Bennett, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of
Commerce, (202) 482-4058; James.Bennett@trade.gov. Grants related
administration questions concerning this program should be addressed to
Janet Russell, Department of Commerce Grants Officer, (301) 713-0942;
Janet.J.Russell@noaa.gov. For assistance with using grants.gov, contact
support@grants.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The items listed below are required before
an award can be made. Failure to submit items below by the application
date will result in the application not being reviewed. Applicants must
have produced in the United States, during calendar years 1999, 2000
and 2001, worsted wool fabrics of a kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or
9902.51.15. Applicants must provide: (1) Company name, address, contact
and phone number; (2) Federal tax identification number; (3) the name
and address of each plant or location in the United States where
worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS
9902.51.15 was woven by the applicant in 1999, 2000 and 2001; (4) the
name and address of each plant or location in the United States where
the applicant is weaving worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in
HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 as of the date of application; (5) the
quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described
in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United
States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and (6) the value
of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or
9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of
calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.
This data must indicate actual production (not estimates) of
worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or
9902.51.15. At the conclusion of the application, the applicant must
attest that ``all information contained in the application is complete
and correct and no false claims, statements, or representations have
been made.'' Applicants should be aware that, generally, pursuant to 31
U.S.C. 3729, persons providing a false or fraudulent claims, and,
pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 1001, persons making materially false statements
or representations, are subject to civil or criminal penalties,
respectively. Information that is marked ``business confidential'' will
be protected from disclosure to the full extent permitted by law.
Other Application Requirements: Complete applications must also
include the following forms and documents: CD-346, Applicant for
Funding Assistance; CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying; SF-424,
Application for Federal Assistance; and SF-424B, Assurances--Non-
Construction Programs.
Electronic Access: The federal funding opportunity announcement for
this program can be accessed via the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov. The announcement will also be available by contacting
the program officials identified under the section labeled FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. Applicants must

[[Page 48805]]

comply with all requirements contained in the full funding opportunity
announcement.
Statutory Authority: Section 4002(c) (6) (A) of the Miscellaneous
Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004 (Pub. L. 108-429, 118 Stat.
2603) (the ``Act''), as amended by Section 1633 of the Pension
Protection Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-280); Division C, Title 111,
Section 325 (b) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
(Pub. L. 110-343) extends availability of grant funds through 2014.
Funding Availability: The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under
Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act, as amended (Pub. L. 110-343, 122
Stat. 3765), to provide grants to manufacturers of certain worsted wool
fabrics. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be
provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts in the Wool
Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund. The total amount of grants to
manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall
be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2011. The total amount of grants to
manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall
also be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2011.
Eligibility Criteria: The worsted wool fabrics grant program is
open to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal
entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001,
manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics in the United States of the kind
described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. Only manufacturers who weave
worsted wool fabric in the United States as of the date of application
shall be eligible for grant funds. Any manufacturer who becomes a
successor-of-interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool fabrics
described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during 1999, 2000 or 2001
because of reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to apply for
such grants.
Cost Sharing Requirements: No cost sharing or matching requirements
is required for the worsted wool fabric program.
Evaluation and Selection Procedures: The general evaluation
criteria and selection factors that apply to full applications to this
funding opportunity are summarized below. Further information about the
evaluation criteria and selection factors can be found in the full
funding opportunity announcement.
Evaluation Criteria For Projects: For the worsted wool fabrics
grant program, the technical reviewers will use the following criteria
to evaluate the applications: (1) Whether the applicant (including
persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) produced in the
United States worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS
9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15 during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; (2)
Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other
legal entities) is weaving in the United States worsted wool fabric of
the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 as of the date
of application; (3) Whether the applicant (including persons, firms,
corporations, or other legal entities) was a successor-of-interest to a
manufacturer who produced in the United States worsted wool fabric of
the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during calendar
years 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a reorganization or otherwise; and
(4) the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production
described in HTS 9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of
calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards,
of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in
the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.
Review and Selection Process: All applications received in response
to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether they are
complete and responsive to the content and form of application
submission requirements as published in this notice. Responsive
applications will be reviewed by an independent, objective panel
composed of at least three individuals who are knowledgeable about
worsted wool fabric production. The panel will conduct a technical
review of applications based on the evaluation criteria listed above.
The worsted wool fabrics grant program Selecting Official in the Office
of Textiles and Apparel will make the award selection.
Selection Factors For Projects: For each applicant, the quantity,
in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS
9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999,
2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric
production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in the United States in
each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001. The grants are to be
allocated among eligible applicants on the basis of the percentage of
each manufacturers' production of the fabric described in HTS
9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15, as appropriate, for calendar years 1999,
2000, and 2001, compared to the production of such fabric by all
manufacturers who qualify for such grants.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications under this program are not
subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Programs''.
Limitation of Liability: In no event will International Trade
Administration or the Department of Commerce be responsible for
proposal preparation costs if these programs fail to receive funding or
are cancelled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this
announcement does not oblige International Trade Administration to
award any specific project or to obligate any available funds.
The Department Of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements For
Grants And Cooperative Agreements: The Department of Commerce Pre-Award
Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements
contained in the Federal Register notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR
7696), are applicable to this solicitation.
Paperwork Reduction Act: This document contains collection-of-
information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA).
The use of Standard Forms 424, 424B, and SF-LLL and CD-346 has been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the
respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046,
and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is
required 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 PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
Executive Order 12866: This notice has been determined to be not
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism): It has been determined that
this notice does not contain policies with implications as that term is
defined in Executive Order 13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act: Prior
notices and an opportunity for public comment are not required by the
Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules concerning
public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 U.S.C.
553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required
pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements
for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are
inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been
prepared.


[[Page 48806]]


Dated: August 4, 2011.
Kim Glas,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles and Apparel.
[FR Doc. 2011-20301 Filed 8-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P