Notices. Notice and request for comments

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BILLING CODE 5001-06-C DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)—Small Business Innovative Research Program (SBIR)—Phase I; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number: 84.133S-1. *Dates:* *Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 31, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* Entities that are, at the time of award, small business concerns as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA). This definition is included in the application package. All technology, science, or engineering firms with strong research capabilities in any of the priority areas listed in this notice are encouraged to participate. Consultative or other arrangements between these firms and universities or other non-profit organizations are permitted, but the small business concern must serve as the grantee. For Phase I projects, at least two-thirds of the research and/or analytic activities must be performed by the proposing firm. Furthermore, the total of all consultant fees, facility leases or usage fees, and other subcontracts or purchase agreements may not exceed one-third of the total funding award. If it appears that an applicant organization does not meet the eligibility requirements, we will request an evaluation by the SBA. Under circumstances in which eligibility is unclear, we will not make an SBIR award until the SBA makes a determination. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $5,000,000 for the SBIR program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,125,000 for new Phase I awards. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Note: The estimated amount of funds available for new Phase I awards is based upon the estimated threshold SBIR allocation for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), minus prior commitments for Phase II continuation awards. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $70,000-75,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $72,000. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $75,000 for a single budget period of six months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum award amount includes direct and indirect costs and fees. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 15. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to six months for Phase I awards. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of this program is to stimulate technological innovation in the private sector, strengthen the role of small business in meeting Federal research or research and development (R/R&D) needs, increase the commercial application of the U.S. Department of Education (ED or the Department) supported research results, and improve the return on investment from federally funded research for economic and social benefits to the Nation. Note: This program is in concert with President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative

(2)Foster an exchange of expertise, information, and training to facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the unique needs of traditionally underserved populations;

(3)Determine best strategies and programs to improve rehabilitation outcomes for underserved populations;

(4)Identify research gaps;

(5)Identify mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and

(6)Disseminate findings. NIDRR Supports Manufacturing-Related Innovation (Executive Order 13329) Executive Order 13329 states that continued technological innovation is critical to a strong manufacturing sector of the United States economy and ensures that Federal agencies assist the private sector in its manufacturing innovation efforts. The Department's SBIR program encourages innovative R&D projects that are manufacturing-related, as defined by the Executive Order. Manufacturing-related R&D encompasses improvements in existing methods or processes, or wholly new processes, machines or systems. Broadly speaking, ED's SBIR program encourages R&D in manufacturing through systems level technologies. The projects supported under ED's SBIR program encompass a range of manufacturing-related R&D, including the innovative projects leading to manufacture of such items as artificial intelligence or information technology devices, software, systems, among others. For more information on Executive Order 13329, please visit the following Web site: *http://www.sba.gov/sbir/execorder.html* or contact Lynn Medley at: *lynn.medley@ed.gov* . Background The Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2000

(Act)was enacted on December 21, 2000. The Act requires certain agencies, including ED, to establish SBIR programs by reserving a statutory percentage of their extramural research and development budgets to be awarded to small business concerns through a uniform, highly competitive three-phase process. The three phases of the SBIR program are: *Phase I:* Phase I projects determine, insofar as possible, the scientific or technical merit and feasibility of ideas submitted under the SBIR program. An application for Phase I should concentrate on research that will significantly contribute to proving the scientific or technical feasibility of the approach or concept. Scientific or technical feasibility is prerequisite to further ED support in Phase II. *Phase II:* Phase II projects expand on the results of and further pursue the development of Phase I projects. Phase II is the principal R/R&D effort of the SBIR program. Applications for Phase II projects must be more comprehensive than applications for Phase I projects; Phase II applications must outline the proposed effort in detail, including the commercial potential of projects or processes developed or researched during the Phase I project. Phase II applicants must be Phase I awardees with approaches that appear sufficiently promising as a result of their efforts in Phase I. Phase II awards are for periods of up to two years in amounts up to $500,000. *Phase III:* In Phase III, the small business grantee must use non-SBIR capital to pursue commercial applications of the R/R&D. Also, under Phase III, Federal agencies may award non-SBIR follow-on funding for products or processes that meet the needs of those agencies. All SBIR projects funded by NIDRR must address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families. (See 29 U.S.C. 762). Activities may include conducting manufacturing-related R&D that encompasses improvements in existing methods or processes, or wholly new processes, machines, or systems; exploring the uses of technology to ensure equal access to education, employment, community environments, and information for individuals with disabilities; and improving the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation research. *Priorities:* Under this competition we are particularly interested in applications that address one of the following priorities. *Invitational Priorities:* For FY 2007 these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets one of these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications. These priorities are: Each of the following priorities relate to innovative research utilizing new technologies to address the needs of individuals with disabilities and their families. To meet one of these priorities, the proposed Phase I project must support activities that will contribute to one of the following outcomes:

(1)Increased independence of individuals with disabilities in the workplace, recreational settings, or educational settings through development of technology to support access and promote integration of individuals with disabilities.

(2)Enhanced sensory or motor function of individuals with disabilities through development of technology to support improved functional capacity.

(3)Enhanced workforce participation through development of technology to support access to employment, promote sustained employment, and promote employment advancement for individuals with disabilities.

(4)Enhanced community participation and living for individuals with disabilities through development of accessible information technology including Web access technology, software, and other systems and devices that promote access to information in educational, employment, and community settings, and voting technology that improves access for individuals with disabilities.

(5)Improved interventions and increased use of health-care resources through development of technology to support independent access to health-care services in the community for individuals with disabilities. Applicants should describe the approaches they expect to use to collect empirical evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of the technology they are proposing in an effort to assess the efficacy and usefulness of the technology. Note: NIDRR encourages applicants to adhere to universal-design principles and guidelines for more accessible designs. Universal design is defined as “the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design” (The Center for Universal Design, 1997, n.p.). Accessible design of consumer products minimizes or alleviates barriers that reduce the ability of individuals with disabilities to effectively or safely use standard consumer products. (For more information see— *http://www.trace.wisc.edu/docs/consumer_product_guidelines/consumer.pcs/disabil.htm.* ) Reference The Principles of Universal Design, Version 2.0. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State University. Web: *http://www.design.ncsu.edu* . *Program Authority:* The Small Business Reauthorization Act of 2000, Pub. L. 106-554 (15 U.S.C. 631 and 638) and title II of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 760 *et seq.* ). *Applicable Regulations:* The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $5,000,000 for the SBIR program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,125,000 for new Phase I awards. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Note: The estimated amount of funds available for new Phase I awards is based upon the estimated threshold SBIR allocation for OSERS, minus prior commitments for Phase II continuation awards. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $70,000-75,000. *Estimated Size of Awards:* $72,000. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $75,000 for a single budget period of six months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum award amount includes direct and indirect costs and fees. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 15. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to six months for Phase I awards. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* Entities that are, at the time of award, small business concerns as defined by the SBA. This definition is included in the application package. All technology, science, or engineering firms with strong research capabilities in any of the priority areas listed in this notice are encouraged to participate. Consultative or other arrangements between these firms and universities or other non-profit organizations are permitted, but the small business concern must serve as the grantee. For Phase I projects, at least two-thirds of the research and/or analytic activities must be performed by the proposing firm. Furthermore, the total of all consultant fees, facility leases or usage fees, and other subcontracts or purchase agreements may not exceed one-third of the total funding award. If it appears that an applicant organization does not meet the eligibility requirements, we will request an evaluation by the SBA. Under circumstances in which eligibility is unclear, we will not make an SBIR award until the SBA makes a determination. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not involve cost sharing or matching. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* You may obtain an application package via Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following address: *http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html* . To obtain a copy of the application package from ED Pubs, write or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(1)Community Living and Participation;

(2)Health and Function;

(3)Technology;

(4)Employment; and

(5)Demographics. Applicants should indicate, for each application, the domain or arena under which they are applying. In their applications, applicants should clearly indicate whether they are applying for a research grant in the area of

(1)Community Living and Participation;

(2)Health and Function;

(3)Technology;

(4)Employment; or

(5)Demographics. No more than one designation should be selected for each application. 4. *Submission Dates and Times:* Applications Available: November 17, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* January 31, 2007. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 7. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. 5. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 6. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 7. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications* . We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government-wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. The Small Business Innovative Research Program-CFDA Number 84.133S-1 is one of the programs included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Grants.gov Apply site at *http://www.Grants.gov* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the Small Business Innovative Research Program—CFDA Number 84.133S-1 at: *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf* . • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include

(1)registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf* . You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail* . If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133S-1), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133S-1), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(4)Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery* . If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133S-1), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. *Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications:* If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(1)You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of SF 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(2)The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 35 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application package. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. Note: NIDRR will provide information by letter to grantees on how and when to submit the report. 4. *Performance Measures:* To evaluate the overall success of its research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR examines, through expert review, a portion of its grantees to determine: • The degree to which the grantees are conducting high-quality research, as reflected in the appropriateness of study designs, the rigor with which accepted standards of scientific and engineering methods are applied, and the degree to which the research builds on and contributes to the level of knowledge in the field; and • The number of new or improved assistive and universally designed technologies, products, and devices developed by grantees that are deemed to improve rehabilitation services and outcomes, enhance opportunities for participation by individuals with disabilities, and are successfully transferred to industry or other private entities for potential commercialization. VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Medley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 6027, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone:

(202)245-7338 or e-mail: *Lynn.Medley@ed.gov.* If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD number at

(202)205-4475 or the Federal Relay Service

(FRS)at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this section. VIII. Other Information *Electronic Access to This Document:* You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.* To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.* Dated: November 13, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-19491 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)—Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project and Centers Program—Field Initiated

(FI)Projects Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.133G-1 (Research) and 84.133G-2 (Development). DATES: *Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* January 31, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education (IHEs); and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $4,600,000 for the FI Projects program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $195,000—$200,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $197,500. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 23. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 36 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of the FI Projects program is to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities; and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. FI projects carry out either research activities or development activities. NIDRR makes two types of grants under the FI Projects program: Research grants (CFDA 84.133G-1) and development grants (CFDA 84.133G-2). Applicants must indicate in their applications whether they are applying for a research grant (84.133G-1) or a development grant (84.133G-2). In carrying out a research activity under an FI research grant, a grantee must identify one or more hypotheses and, based on the hypotheses identified, perform an intensive, systematic study directed toward producing

(1)new scientific knowledge, or

(2)better understanding of the subject, problem studied, or body of knowledge. In carrying out a development activity under an FI development grant, a grantee must use knowledge and understanding gained from research to create materials, devices, systems, or methods beneficial to the target population, including design and development of prototypes and processes. Target population means the group of individuals, organizations, or other entities expected to be affected by the project. More than one group may be involved because a project may affect those who receive services, provide services, or administer services. Note: Different selection criteria are used for research projects (84.133G-1) and development projects (84.133G-2). In their applications, applicants must clearly indicate whether they are applying for a research grant (84.133G-1) or a development grant (84.133G-2) and must address the selection criteria relevant for their project type. Without exception, NIDRR will review each application based on the designation (i.e., research (84.133G-1) or development (84.133G-2)) made by the applicant. Applications will be determined ineligible and will not be reviewed if they do not include a clear designation of research or development. Note: This program is in concert with President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative

(NFI)and NIDRR's Final Long-Range Plan for FY 2005-2009 (Plan). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom.* The Plan is comprehensive and integrates many issues relating to disability and rehabilitation research topics. The Plan, which was published in the **Federal Register** on February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html.* Through the implementation of the NFI and the Plan, NIDRR seeks to:

(1)Improve the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation research;

(2)Foster an exchange of expertise, information, and training to facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the unique needs of traditionally underserved populations;

(3)Determine best strategies and programs to improve rehabilitation outcomes for underserved populations;

(4)Identify research gaps;

(5)Identify mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and

(6)Disseminate findings. Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 764. *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, and 97.

(b)The regulations in 34 CFR part 350. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $4,600,000 for the FI Projects program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Estimated Range of Awards:* $195,000-$200,000. *Estimated Average Size of Awards:* $197,500. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs. *Estimated Number of Awards:* 23. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 36 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; IHEs; and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* NIDRR grantees funded under section 204(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 764(a)) must participate in the costs of the project. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* You may obtain an application package via Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following address: *http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.* To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(301)470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov.* If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number: 84.133G. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards: • A page is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The suggested page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. The application package will provide instructions for completing all components to be included in the application. Each application must include a cover sheet (Standard Form 424); budget requirements (ED Form 524) and narrative justification; other required forms; an abstract, Human Subjects narrative, Part III narrative; resumes of staff; and other related materials, if applicable. 3. *Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. *Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:* January 31, 2007. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government-wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. The FI Projects—CFDA Numbers 84.133G-1 (Research) and 84.133G-2 (Development) are both included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Grants.gov Apply site at *http://www.Grants.gov.* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the FI Projects program, 84.133G-1 (Research) and 84.133G-2 (Development) at: *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf. * • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/getregistered.jsp* ). These steps include

(1)registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf* ). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For Further Information Contact , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (Applicants must identify either CFDA Number 84.133G-1 (Research) or 84.133G-2 (Development) depending on the designation of their proposed project.) 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (Applicants must identify either CFDA Number 84.133G-1 (Research) or 84.133G-2 (Development) depending on the designation of their proposed project.) 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (Applicants must identify either CFDA Number 84.133G-1 (Research) or 84.133G-2 (Development) depending on the designation of their proposed project.) 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(1)You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information 1. *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and 34 CFR 350.54 and are in the application package. Note: There are two different sets of selection criteria for FI projects: one set to evaluate applications proposing to carry out research activities (84.133G-1), and a second set to evaluate applications proposing to carry out development activities (84.133G-2). Each applicant will be evaluated using the selection criteria for the type of project ( *i.e.* , research (84.133G-1) or development (84.133G-2)) the applicant designates in its application. 2. *Review and Selection Process:* Additional factors we consider in determining the merits of an application are as follows— The Secretary is interested in outcomes-oriented research or development projects that use rigorous scientific methodologies. To address this interest applicants are encouraged to articulate goals, objectives, and expected outcomes for the proposed research or development activities. Proposals should describe how results and planned outputs are expected to contribute to advances in knowledge, improvements in policy and practice, and eventually to public benefits for individuals with disabilities. Applicants should propose projects that are optimally designed to be consistent with these goals. We encourage applicants to include in their application a description of how results will measure progress towards achievement of anticipated outcomes, the mechanisms that will be used to evaluate outcomes associated with specific problems or issues, and how the proposed activities will support new intervention approaches and strategies, including a discussion of measures of effectiveness. Submission of the information identified in this section V. 2. *Review and Selection Process* is voluntary, except where required by the selection criteria listed in the application package. *VI. Award Administration Information* 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. Note: NIDRR will provide information by letter to grantees on how and when to submit the report. 4. *Performance Measures:* To evaluate the overall success of its research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR examines a portion of its grantees to determine the extent to which grantees are conducting high-quality research and related activities that lead to high quality products. Performance measures for the FI Projects program include— • The percentage of grantee research and development that has appropriate study design, meets rigorous standards of scientific or engineering methods, and builds on and contributes to knowledge in the field; • The number of publications per award based on NIDRR-funded research and development activities in refereed journals; • The number of discoveries, analyses, and standards developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert panels to advance understanding of key concepts, issues, and emerging trends and strengthen the evidence-base for disability and rehabilitation policy, practice, and research; • The number of new or improved tools and methods developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert panels to improve measurement and data collection procedures and enhance the design and evaluation of disability and rehabilitation interventions, products and devices; and • The number of new and improved interventions, programs, and devices developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert panels to be successful in improving individual outcomes and increasing access. NIDRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their Annual Performance Reports

(APRs)for these reviews. The Department's program performance reports, which include information on NIDRR programs, are available on the Department's Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/sas/index.html* . Updates on the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

(GPRA)indicators, revisions, and methods appear on the NIDRR Program Review Web site: *http://www.cessi.net/contracts/pm/doe_nidrr_tsam.html.* Grantees should consult these sites, on a regular basis, to obtain details and explanations on how NIDRR programs contribute to the advancement of the Department's long-term and annual performance goals. VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Medley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 6027, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:

(202)245-7338 or by e-mail: *lynn.medley@ed.gov* . If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the TDD number at

(202)245-7317 or the Federal Relay Service

(FRS)at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this section. VIII. Other Information *Electronic Access to This Document:* You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister* . To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html* . Dated: November 13, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-19493 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)—Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs)—RERC for Technologies for Successful Aging Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.133E-1. DATES: *Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: *January 31, 2007* . *Eligible Applicants:* States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. *Estimated Available Funds:* $900,000. The Administration has requested $106,705,000 for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research program, of which we intend to use an estimated $900,000 for the RERC for Technologies for Successful Aging competition for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $900,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs. *Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purpose of the RERC program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. For FY 2007, the competition for a new award focuses on projects designed to meet the priority we describe in the *Priority* section of this notice. We intend this priority to improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities. The RERC program is in concert with President George W. Bush's New Freedom Initiative

(NFI)and NIDRR's Final Long-Range Plan for FY 2005-2009 (Plan). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom* . The Plan, which was published in the **Federal Register** on February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html* . *Priority:* This priority is from the notice of final priorities for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers program, published in the **Federal Register** on June 2, 2006 (71 FR 32196, 33204). Note: On June 2, 2006, we also published a notice in the **Federal Register** (71 FR) inviting applications under this priority. None of the applications received in response to the June 2, 2006, notice inviting applications were successful. Accordingly, we are inviting applications for this priority for FY 2007. *Absolute Priority:* For FY 2007 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: *RERC for Technologies for Successful Aging* . This RERC must research, develop, and evaluate innovative technologies and approaches that will improve the quality of life of older persons with disabilities and promote health, safety, independence, and active engagement. The RERC must emphasize the principles of universal design in its product research and development. Under this priority, the RERC must be designed to contribute to the following programmatic outcomes:

(1)Increased technical and scientific knowledge-base relevant to its designated priority research area.

(2)Innovative technologies, products, environments, performance guidelines, and monitoring and assessment tools as applicable to its designated priority research area. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by developing and testing of these innovations.

(3)Improved research capacity in its designated priority research area. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by collaborating with the relevant industry, professional associations, and institutions of higher education.

(4)Improved focus on cutting edge developments in technologies within its designated priority research area. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by identifying and communicating with NIDRR and the field regarding trends and evolving product concepts related to its designated priority research area.

(5)Increased impact of research in the designated priority research area. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by providing technical assistance to public and private organizations, persons with disabilities, and employers on policies, guidelines, and standards related to its designated priority research area. In addition, under this priority, the RERC must— • Have the capability to design, build, and test prototype devices and assist in the transfer of successful solutions to relevant production and service delivery settings; • Evaluate the efficacy and safety of its new products, instrumentation, or assistive devices; • Provide as part of its proposal and then implement a plan that describes how it will include, as appropriate, individuals with disabilities or their representatives in all phases of its activities, including research, development, training, dissemination, and evaluation; • Provide as part of its proposal and then implement, in consultation with the NIDRR-funded National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research, a plan to disseminate its research results to persons with disabilities, their representatives, disability organizations, service providers, professional journals, manufacturers, and other interested parties; • Develop and implement in the first year of the project period, in consultation with the NIDRR-funded RERC on Technology Transfer, a plan for ensuring that all new and improved technologies developed by the RERC are successfully transferred to the marketplace; • Conduct a state-of-the-science conference on its designated priority research area in the third year of the project period and publish a comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference in the fourth year of the project period; and • Coordinate research projects of mutual interest with relevant NIDRR-funded projects, as identified through consultation with the NIDRR project officer. *Program Authority:* 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(3). *Applicable Regulations:*

(a)The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, and 97.

(b)The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 350.

(c)The notice of final priorities for the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers program, published on June 2, 2006 (71 FR 32196) in the **Federal Register** . Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Discretionary grants. *Estimated Available Funds:* $900,000. The Administration has requested $106,705,000 for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research program, of which we intend to use an estimated $900,000 for the RERC for Technologies for Successful Aging competition for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $900,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs. *Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and Indian tribes and tribal organizations. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This program does not require cost sharing or matching. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* You may obtain an application package via Internet or from the Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following address: *http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html* . To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(301)470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov* . If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.133E-1. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. *Page Limit:* The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We strongly recommend that you limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 125 pages, using the following standards: • A “page” is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative. Single spacing may be used for titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The suggested page limit does not apply to Part I, Application for Federal Assistance; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. The application package will provide instructions for completing all components to be included in the application. Each application must include a cover sheet (Standard Form 424); budget requirements (ED Form 524) and budget narrative justification; other required forms; an abstract; Human Subjects narrative; Part III narrative; resumes of staff; and other related materials, if applicable. 3. *Submission Dates and Times:* *Applications Available:* (November 17, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 31, 2007. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications* . We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government-wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. The Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers Program—CFDA Number 84.133E-1 is one of the programs included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Grants.gov Apply site at *http://www.Grants.gov* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers Program at: *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.* • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include

(1)Registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf* ). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • If you submit your application electronically, you must submit all documents electronically, including the following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133E-1), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133E-1), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.133E-1), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and 34 CFR 350.54 and are listed in the application package. VI. Award Administration Information 1. * Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. Note: NIDRR will provide information by letter to grantees on how and when to submit the report. 4. *Performance Measures:* To evaluate the overall success of its research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR examines, through expert review, a portion of its grantees to determine: • The percentage of newly awarded NIDRR projects that are multi-site, collaborative, controlled studies of interventions and programs. • The number of accomplishments ( *e.g.* , new or improved tools, methods, discoveries, standards, interventions, programs, or devices) developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert panels to be of high quality and to advance the field. • The percentage of grantee research and development that has appropriate study design, meets rigorous standards of scientific and/or engineering methods, and builds on and contributes to knowledge in the field. • The average number of publications per award based on NIDRR-funded research and development activities in refereed journals. • The percentage of new grants that include studies funded by NIDRR that assess the effectiveness of interventions, programs, and devices using rigorous and appropriate methods. NIDRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their Annual Performance Reports

(APRs)for these reviews. NIDRR also determines, using information submitted as part of the APR, the number of publications in refereed journals that are based on NIDRR-funded research and development activities. Department of Education program performance reports, which include information on NIDRR programs, are available on the Department's Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/sas/index.html.* Updates on the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

(GPRA)indicators, revisions and methods appear on the NIDRR Program Review Web site: *http://www.neweditions.net/pr/commonfiles/pmconcepts.htm.* Grantees should consult these sites, on a regular basis, to obtain details and explanations on how NIDRR programs contribute to the advancement of the Department's long-term and annual performance goals. VII. Agency Contact *For Further Information Contact:* Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 6030, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:

(202)245-7462 or by e-mail: *donna.nangle@ed.gov.* If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service

(PDF)on the Internet at the following site: *http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.* To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll-free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC area at

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.* Dated: November 13, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E6-19494 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Personnel Development To Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities—Professional Development Center: Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year

(FY)2007 *Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA)Number:* 84.325G. DATES: *Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 2, 2007. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: March 2, 2007. *Eligible Applicants:* State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,000,000 for the Professional Development Center: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description *Purpose of Program:* The purposes of this program are to

(1)Help address State-identified needs for highly qualified personnel—in special education, related services, early intervention, and regular education—to work with infants or toddlers with disabilities, or children with disabilities; and

(2)ensure that those personnel have the skills and knowledge—derived from practices that have been determined through research and experience to be successful—that are needed to serve those children. *Priority:* In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662(d) and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)). *Absolute Priority:* For FY 2007 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: *Professional Development Center:* *Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. * Background Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), once thought to occur in 4 to 5 out of every 10,000 individuals, is now estimated to occur in 2 to 6 of every 1,000 children. Two recent estimates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC)found rates of 3 to 6 per 1,000 children, between the ages of 3 to 10 ( *http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/asd_common.htm* ). ASD is a complex developmental disability that affects individuals in the areas of communication and social interaction. In addition, unusual learning, attention, and sensory processing patterns are often present. ASD includes autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder—not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism), and Asperger disorder. The increased number of children diagnosed with ASD is a serious concern for families, service providers, and policy-makers, as existing education and other service delivery systems struggle to respond to the educational and other service needs of this population in a comprehensive manner. The increased incidence of ASD among children has greatly increased the demands placed on early intervention and educational systems due to the complexity of ASD, including the unique ways children with ASD process and respond to information, the variability of how ASD affects each child, and the often extreme and unusual communication and socialization challenges of children with ASD. Results from Office of Special Education Programs'

(OSEP)funded projects and related research have demonstrated that children with ASD who receive intensive early intervention and educational services from skilled personnel often make very significant functional improvements. A growing body of intervention and service research points to the need for greater use of evidence-based practices by school and early intervention personnel. Priority This priority supports one cooperative agreement for the establishment and operation of a Professional Development Center (Center) to provide training for district or State level professional development providers. Such training must be designed to: Expand the types and levels of services provided to children with ASD and their families; develop and enhance the specialization or expertise of providers who work with children with ASD; and provide information to professionals and families on the effectiveness of services for children with ASD. To meet the requirements of this priority, at a minimum, the project must—

(a)Provide training to district or State level professional development providers in:

(1)The early diagnosis of ASD, to reduce the numbers of children who are not being diagnosed until after they enter school;

(2)the implementation of evidence-based practices with documented successful child outcomes; and

(3)the implementation of successful service delivery and funding models designed to increase the coordination of services for children with ASD;

(b)Provide training activities that are consistent with and supportive of Federal activities for children with ASD, such as the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (established under Pub. L. 106-310, Title I, Section 104) (see *http://www.nimh.nih.gov/autismiacc/index.cfm* for further information); and with other Federally funded ASD-focused personnel training and technical assistance projects;

(c)Develop an outreach program to identify, select, and enroll a variety of trainee teams that include district or State level professional development providers and families of children with ASD;

(d)Describe, in the grant application, how it will identify training sites that are:

(1)Distributed geographically in order to reduce both travel time and costs for trainees, and

(2)willing to provide members of trainee teams with opportunities to see and engage in the identified methods and practices in authentic settings;

(e)Provide a range of ongoing site-based training and professional development opportunities, through vehicles such as State and regional workshops, targeted conferences, summer programs, Web-based seminars and dissemination of training materials developed by the Center;

(f)Establish and maintain a network of professional development sites, trainees, and national consultants to inform the Center's activities;

(g)Assist trainee teams in establishing a system for extending and evaluating the ongoing implementation of evidence-based practices and for monitoring the functional improvement of children with ASD; and

(h)Collect follow-up data on the extent to which the targeted evidence-based practices are used or promoted by trainees and the extent to which the trainee teams have leveraged knowledge and skills acquired through the Center's training to increase individual or community capacity to provide evidence-based practices for children with ASD. In addition, projects funded under this absolute priority must—

(a)Budget for one three-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC during each year of the project and an additional meeting with the OSEP Project Officer and other appropriate staff in Washington, DC within the first two months of the project to clarify project activities and develop a strategic plan;

(b)Budget five percent of the grant amount annually to support emerging needs as identified jointly through consultation with the OSEP project officer; and

(c)Maintain a Web site that includes relevant information and documents in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility. Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a) and, in addition—

(a)The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts selected by the Secretary, which review will be conducted during the last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive review;

(b)The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the Center;

(c)The degree to which the project's activities have contributed to changed practice among professional development providers and others targeted by training and professional development activities; and

(d)The degree to which the project's activities have contributed to improved outcomes for children with ASD. *Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:* Under the Administrative Procedure Act

(APA)(5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on a proposed priority. However, section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice. *Program Authority:* 20 U.S.C. 1462(d) and 1481(d). *Applicable Regulations:* The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. II. Award Information *Type of Award:* Cooperative agreement. *Estimated Available Funds:* The Administration has requested $90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,000,000 for the Professional Development Center: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. *Maximum Award:* We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the **Federal Register** . *Number of Awards:* 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. *Project Period:* Up to 60 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. *Eligible Applicants:* SEAs; LEAs; IHEs; other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations. 2. *Cost Sharing or Matching:* This competition does not involve cost sharing or matching. 3. *Other: General Requirements* —(a) The projects funded under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

(b)Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA). IV. Application and Submission Information 1. *Address to Request Application Package:* Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX:

(301)470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: *http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html* or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: *edpubs@inet.ed.gov.* If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.325G. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. 2. *Content and Form of Application Submission:* Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. *Page Limit:* The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 70 pages, using the following standards: • A “page” is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. • Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III. We will reject your application if— • You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or • You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit. 3. *Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available:* November 17, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 2, 2007. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. *Other Submission Requirements* in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. *Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:* March 2, 2007. 4. *Intergovernmental Review:* This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition. 5. *Funding Restrictions:* We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. 6. *Other Submission Requirements:* Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. *Electronic Submission of Applications.* We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government-wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2007. The Professional Development Center: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders competition—CFDA number 84.325G is one of the competitions included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Grants.gov Apply site at *http://www.Grants.gov.* Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for the Professional Development Center: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders competition—CFDA number 84.325G at: *http://www.grants.gov.* You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at *http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.* • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see *http://www.Grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp* ). These steps include:

(1)Registering your organization,

(2)registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and

(3)getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see *http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf* ). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the following forms: Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note that two of these forms—the SF 424 and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424—have replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance). If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT , and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.* If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: *By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.325G), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. or *By mail through a commercial carrier:* U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.325G), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:

(1)A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,

(2)A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,

(3)A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or

(1)A private metered postmark, or

(2)A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. *Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.* If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.325G), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:

(202)245-6288. V. Application Review Information 1. *Selection Criteria:* The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package. 2. *Treating A Priority As Two Separate Competitions:* In the past, there have been problems in finding peer reviewers without conflicts of interest for competitions in which many entities throughout the country submit applications. The Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that, for some discretionary competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within the specific group. This procedure will ensure the availability of a much larger group of reviewers without conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process and permit panel members to review applications under discretionary competitions for which they have also submitted applications. However, if the Department decides to select for funding an equal number of applications in each group, this may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group. VI. Award Administration Information 1. *Award Notices:* If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. *Administrative and National Policy Requirements:* We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the *Applicable Regulations* section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. *Reporting:* At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. 4. *Performance Measures:* Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will yield information on various aspects of the technical assistance and dissemination activities currently being supported under Part D of IDEA. These measures will be used for the Professional Development Center: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders competition. The measures are: the percentage of products and services deemed to be of high quality by an independent review panel of qualified experts or individuals with appropriate expertise to review the substantive content of the products and services; the percentage of products and services deemed to be of high relevance to educational and early intervention policy or practice by an independent review panel of qualified members of the target audiences of the technical assistance and dissemination; and the percentage of all products and services deemed to be of high usefulness by target audiences to improve educational or early intervention policy or practice. VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gail Houle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4061, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2600. Telephone:

(202)245-7381. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service

(FRS)at 1-800-877-8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format ( *e.g.* , Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request by contacting the following office: The Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:

(202)245-7363. VIII. Other Information *Electronic Access to This Document:* You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the **Federal Register** , in text or Adobe Portable Document Format

(202)512-1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the **Federal Register** . Free Internet access to the official edition of the **Federal Register** and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: *http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html* . Dated: November 13, 2006. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special, Education and Rehabilitative, Services. [FR Doc. E6-19498 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Agency Information Collection Extension AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Department of Energy (DOE), pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, intends to extend for three years the information collection packages listed at the end of this notice. Comments are invited on:

(a)Whether the extended information collections are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the information collections, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d)ways to minimize the burden of the information collections on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget review and approval of these information collections; they also will become a matter of public record. DATES: Comments regarding these proposed information collections must be received on or before January 16, 2007. If you anticipate difficulty in submitting comments within that period, contact the person listed below as soon as possible. ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: Jeffrey Martus, IM-11/Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290. or by fax at 301-903-9061 or by e-mail at *Jeffrey.martus@hq.doe.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Jeffrey Martus at the address listed above in ADDRESSES . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collection packages listed in this notice for public comment include the following: 1.

(1)OMB No.: 1910-1400.

(2)Package Title: Compliance Statement: Energy/Water Conservation Standards for Appliances.

(3)Type of Review: Renewal.

(4)Purpose: This information collection provides the Department with the information from manufacturers necessary for verifying that products covered under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act comply with required energy and water conservation standards prior to distribution.

(5)Respondents: 48.

(6)Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 1,347. 2.

(1)OMB No.: 1910-5124.

(2)Package Title: Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure Technologies Program Baseline Knowledge Assessment.

(3)Type of Review: Renewal.

(4)Purpose: This information is necessary to assess the current knowledge and opinions of the general public concerning hydrogen, fuel cells, and the hydrogen economy.

(5)Respondents: 5,495.

(6)Estimated Burden Hours: 816. 3.

(1)OMB No.: 1910-5125.

(2)Package Title: Work for Others by DOE Management and Operating Contractors.

(3)Type of Review: Renewal.

(4)Purpose: This collection is required by the Department to ensure that programmatic and administrative management requirements and resources are managed efficiently and effectively.

(5)Respondents: 20.

(6)Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 100. 4.

(1)OMB No.: 1910-5115.

(2)Package Title: Contractor Legal Requirements.

(3)Type of Review: Renewal.

(4)Purpose: This collection is necessary to provide a basis for DOE decisions on requests from applicable contractors for reimbursement of litigation and other legal expenses.

(5)Respondents: 36.

(6)Estimated Number of Burden Hours: 515. *Statutory Authority:* Department of Energy Organization Act, Public Law 95-91. Issued in Washington, DC on November 8, 2006. Lorretta D. Bryant, Acting Director, Records Management Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6-19476 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Proposed Agency Information Collection AGENCY: Department of Energy. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The Department of Energy invites public comment on a proposed collection of information that the Department is developing for submission to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The proposed collection of information is in an interim final rule pertaining to standby support that was published in the **Federal Register** on May 15, 2006. *Request for Comments:* Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), the Department invites comment on:

(1)Whether the recordkeeping requirements in the interim final rule are necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(2)the accuracy of the Department's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(3)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4)ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who choose to respond, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. Additional information about the Department's proposed information collection may be obtained from the contact person named in this notice. DATES: Comments regarding this collection must be received on or before December 18, 2006. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, please advise the OMB Desk Officer of your intention to make a submission as soon as possible. The Desk Officer may be telephoned at 202-395-4650. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to: DOE Desk Officer, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10102, 735 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503. Comments should also be addressed to: Jeffrey Martus, IM-11/Germantown Building, U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Ave SW., Washington, DC 20585-1290. or by fax at 301-903-9061 or by e-mail at *Jeffrey.martus@hq.doe.gov.* FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Chuck Wade, Project Manager, Office of Nuclear Energy, NE-30, U.S. Department of Energy, Room A-264, 19901 Germantown Road, Germantown, MD 20874-1290.

(301)903-6509 or Marvin Shaw, Attorney-Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General Counsel, GC-52, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington DC 20585.

(202)586-2906. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information collection packages listed in this notice for public comment include the following:

(1)OMB No. None.

(2)Collection title: Standby Support for Certain Nuclear Plant Delays.

(3)Type of review: New collection.

(4)Type of respondents: Sponsors of new advanced nuclear facilities.

(5)Estimated number of respondents: Three to five per year.

(6)Estimated total burden hours: 218.

(7)Frequency of response: Single submission.

(8)Abstract: On May 15, 2006, the Department published an interim final rule to implement section 638 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 that authorizes the Secretary of Energy to enter into Standby Support Contracts with sponsors of advanced nuclear power facilities to provide risk insurance for certain delays attributed to the regulatory process or litigation. (71 FR 28200). That rule contains the following recordkeeping requirements that must be approved by OMB pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 *et seq.* ) before sponsors can be required to comply with them:

(1)Section 950.10(b) contains information collection requirements pertaining to eligibility;

(2)Section 950.12(a) contains information collection requirements pertaining to fulfillment of conditions precedent to a Standby Support Contract; and

(3)Section 950.23 contains information collection requirements pertaining to submission of claims for payment of covered costs under a Standby Support Contract. Issued in Washington, DC, on November 8, 2006. Lorretta D. Bryant, Acting Director, Records Management Division, Office of the Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. E6-19482 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450-01-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER-FRL-6681-3] Environmental Impact Statements and Regulations; Availability of EPA Comments Availability of EPA comments prepared pursuant to the Environmental Review Process (ERP), under section 309 of the Clean Air Act and Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act as amended. Requests for copies of EPA comments can be directed to the Office of Federal Activities at 202-564-7167. An explanation of the ratings assigned to draft environmental impact statements

(EISs)was published in FR dated April 7, 2006 (71 FR 17845). Draft EISs EIS No. 20060206, ERP No. D-FRC-E03015-MS, Clean Energy Liquefied Natural Gas

(LNG)Import Terminal and Natural Gas Pipeline Facilities, Construction and Operation, U.S. Army COE Section 10 and 404 Permits, (FERC/EIS-0192D), Port of Pascagoula, Jackson County, MS. *Summary:* EPA expressed environmental concerns about air quality impacts, dredged material disposal, environmental justice, and risk analysis. Rating EC2. EIS No. 20060207, ERP No. D-FRC-E03016-MS, Casotte Landing Liquefied Natural Gas

(LNG)Import and Interstate Natural Gas Transmission Facilities, Construction and Operation, U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, (FERC/EIS-0193D), near the City of Pascagoula, Jackson County, MS. *Summary:* EPA expressed environmental concerns about air quality impacts, dredged material disposal, environmental justice, and risk analysis. Rating EC2. EIS No. 20060354, ERP No. D-FHW-F40437-MN, Scott County State Aid Highway

(CSAH)21 Project, Extension from CSAH 42 in Prior Lake to CSAH 18 at Southbridge Parkway in Shakopee, U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, Scott County, MN. *Summary:* EPA expressed environmental concerns about cumulative impacts to water quality and quantity, wetlands, aquatic resources, forest and wildlife habitat, and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, and requests further clarification on the range of alternatives. Rating EC2. EIS No. 20060364, ERP No. D-BIA-L65523-WA, Spokane Tribes Integrated Resource Management Plan, Implementation, Stevens County, WA. *Summary:* EPA expressed environmental concerns about water quality and quantity impacts. EPA also has concerns about use of the Midnite Mine site before contamination cleanup is completed and monitoring shows the site poses no further threats to human health and the environment. Rating EC1. Final EISs EIS No. 20060390, ERP No. F-FHW-D40327-PA, Southern Beltway Transportation Project, Improvement from US-22 in Robinson Township to Interstate 79 in South Fayette Township and Cecil Township, Funding and U.S. Army COE Section 404 Permit, Washington, Allegheny Counties, PA. *Summary:* EPA does not object to the preferred alternative. EIS No. 20060403, ERP No. F-AFS-K65310-CA, Freeman Project, Reduce Hazardous Fuel and Improving Forest Health, Implementation, Lake Recreation Area, Beckworth Ranger District, Plumas National Forest, Plumas County, CA. *Summary:* EPA continues to express concerns about water and air quality impacts, and recommends consideration of Alternative 3 as the preferred alternative. Dated: November 14, 2006. Robert W. Hargrove, Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities. [FR Doc. E6-19472 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [ER-FRL-6681-2] Environmental Impacts Statements; Notice of Availability *Responsible Agency:* Office of Federal Activities, General Information

(202)564-7167 or *http://www.epa.gov/compliance/nepa/.* Weekly receipt of Environmental Impact Statements Filed 11/06/2006 Through 11/10/2006 Pursuant to 40 CFR 1506.9 EIS No. 20060466, Final EIS, BLM, WY, Pit 14 Coal Lease-by-Application Project, Black Butte Coal Mine, Surface Mining Operations, Federal Coal Lease Application WYW160394, Sweetwater County, WY, Wait Period Ends: 12/18/2006, Contact: Teri Deakin 307-352-0211. EIS No. 20060467, Draft EIS, FHW, CA, Interstate 5 (Santa Ana Freeway) Project, Improvement from State Route 91 in Orange County to Interstate 605 in Los Angeles County, CA, Comment Period Ends: 01/05/2007, Contact: Steve Healow 916-498-5849. EIS No. 20060468, Final EIS, NPS, CA, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, General Management Plan, Middle and South Forks of the Kings River and North Forks of the Kern River, General Management Plan, Tulare and Fresno Counties, CA, Wait Period Ends: 12/18/2006, Contact: Susan Spain 202-245-4692. EIS No. 20060469, Draft EIS, FHW, 00, U.S. 301 Project Development, Transportation Improvements from MD State Line to DE-1, South of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, New Castle County, DE, Comment Period Ends: 02/01/2007, Contact: Robert Kleinburd 302-734-2966. EIS No. 20060470, Final EIS, FHW, CO, I-25 Valley Highway Project, Transportation Improvement from Logan to U. S. 6, Denver County, CO, Wait Period Ends: 12/18/2006, Contact: Chris Horn 720-963-3017. EIS No. 20060471, Draft EIS, FHW, IL, Prairie Parkway Study, Transportation System Improvement between Interstate 80 (I-80) and Interstate 88 (I-88) Grundy, Kendall and Kane Counties, Il, Comment Period Ends: 01/16/2007 Contact: Matt Fuller 217-492-4625. EIS No. 20060472, Draft EIS, MMS, 00, Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2007-2012 Western Planning Area Sales 204, 207, 210, 215, and 218: Central Planning Area Sales 205, 206, 208, 213, 216, and 222, : TX, LA, MS, AL and Fl, Comment Period Ends: 01/02/2007, Contact: Mary Boatman 703-787-1662. EIS No. 20060473, Final EIS, FHW, MO, Interstate 29/35 Paseo Bridge Corridor, Reconstruct and Widen I-29/35, Missouri River, North Kansas City and Kansas City, Clay and Jackson Counties, MO, Wait Period Ends: 12/18/2006, Contact: Peggy Casey 573-636-7104. Amended Notices EIS No. 20060404, Final EIS, SFW, AK, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Draft Revised Comprehensive Conservation Plan, Implementation, AK, Wait Period Ends: 12/15/2006, Contact: Mikel R. Haase 907-786-3402. Revision of FR Notice Published on 10/06/2006: CEQ Wait Period Ending 11/06/2006 has been Extended to 12/15/2006 Dated: November 14, 2006. Robert W. Hargrove, Director, NEPA Compliance Division, Office of Federal Activities. [FR Doc. E6-19474 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket# EPA-RO4-SFUND-2006-0863; FRL-8243-6] Industrial Metal Alloy Superfund Site; Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of settlement. SUMMARY: Under section 122

(h)of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), the United States Environmental Protection Agency has entered into a settlement for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Industrial Metal Alloys Superfund Site located in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina.. DATES: The Agency will consider public comments on the settlement until December 18, 2006. The Agency will consider all comments received and may modify or withdraw its consent to the settlement if comments received disclose facts or considerations which indicate that the settlement is inappropriate, improper, or inadequate. ADDRESSES: Copies of the settlement are available from Ms. Paula V. Batchelor. Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-RO4-SFUND-2006-0863 or Site name Industrial Metal Alloy Superfund Site by one of the following methods: • * http://www.regulations.gov:* Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. • *E-mail:* *Batchelor.Paula@epa.gov.* • *Fax:* 404/562-8842/Attn Paula V. Batchelor. • *Mail:* Ms. Paula V. Batchelor, U.S. EPA Region 4, WMD-SEIMB, 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. “In addition, please mail a copy of your comments on the information collection provisions to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Attn: Desk Officer for EPA, 725 17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503.” *Instructions:* Direct your comments to Docket ID No. EPA-R04-SFUND-2006-0863. EPA's policy is that all comments received will be included in the public docket without change and may be made available online at *http://www.regulations.gov,* including any personal information provided, unless the comment includes information claimed to be Confidential Business Information

(CBI)or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Do not submit information that you consider to be CBI or otherwise protected through www.regulations.gov or e-mail. The www.regulations.gov Web site is an “anonymous access” system, which means EPA will not know your identity or contact information unless you provide it in the body of your comment. If you send an e-mail comment directly to EPA without going through www.regulations.gov your e-mail address will be automatically captured and included as part of the comment that is placed in the public docket and made available on the Internet. If you submit an electronic comment, EPA recommends that you include your name and other contact information in the body of your comment and with any disk or CD-ROM you submit. If EPA cannot read your comment due to technical difficulties and cannot contact you for clarification, EPA may not be able to consider your comment. Electronic files should avoid the use of special characters, any form of encryption, and be free of any defects or viruses. For additional information about EPA's public docket visit the EPA Docket Center homepage at *http://www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm* *Docket:* All documents in the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the U.S. EPA Region 4 office located at 61 Forsyth Street, SW., Atlanta, Georgia 30303. Regional office is open from 7 am until 6:30 pm. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Written comments may be submitted to Ms. Batchelor within 30 calendar days of the date of this publication. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Paula V. Batchelor at 404/562-8887. Dated: November 8, 2006. Rosalind H. Brown, Chief, Superfund Enforcement & Information Management Branch, Superfund Division. [FR Doc. E6-19470 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-8243-3] Public Water System Supervision Program Revisions for the State of Minnesota AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice of tentative approval. SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that the State of Minnesota is revising its approved Public Water System Supervision Program. Minnesota has revised the following rules: Consumer Confidence Reports; Lead and Copper Technical Corrections; Synthetic Organic Chemicals/Inorganic Chemicals (SOC/IOC) Technical Amendments; Analytical Methods Technical Corrections; Analytical Methods for Radionuclides; Point of Use Devices; Public Water Supply

(PWS)Definition; Administrative Penalty Order

(APO)Authority; and Variances and Exemptions for compliance with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations Rule. EPA has determined that these revisions by the State are no less stringent than the corresponding Federal regulations. Therefore, EPA intends to approve these revisions to the State of Minnesota's Public Water System Supervision Program. This approval action does not extend to public water systems

(PWSs)in Indian Country, as the term is defined in 18 U.S.C. 1151. By approving these rules, EPA does not intend to affect the rights of Federally recognized Indian Tribes in Minnesota, nor does it intend to limit existing rights of the State of Minnesota. Any interested party may request a public hearing. A request for a public hearing must be submitted by December 18, 2006, to the Regional Administrator at the EPA Region 5 address shown below. The Regional Administrator may deny frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing. However, if a substantial request for a public hearing is made by December 18, 2006, EPA Region 5 will hold a public hearing. If EPA Region 5 does not receive a timely and appropriate request for a hearing and the Regional Administrator does not elect to hold a hearing on his own motion, this determination shall become final and effective on December 18, 2006. Any request for a public hearing shall include the following information: The name, address, and telephone number of the individual, organization, or other entity requesting a hearing; a brief statement of the requesting person's interest in the Regional Administrator's determination and a brief statement of the information that the requesting person intends to submit at such hearing; and the signature of the individual making the request, or, if the request is made on behalf of an organization or other entity, the signature of a responsible official of the organization or other entity. ADDRESSES: All documents relating to this determination are available for inspection at the following offices: Minnesota Department of Health, 625 North Robert Street, P.O. Box 64975, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0975, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch (WG-15J), 77 West Jackson Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois 60604, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynne Roberts, EPA Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch, at the address given above, by telephone at

(312)886-0250, or at *Roberts.lynne@epa.gov.* Authority: (Section 1413 of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 3006-2 (1996), and 40 CFR part 142 of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations). Dated October 31, 2006. Mary A. Gade, Regional Administrator, Region 5. [FR Doc. E6-19469 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-P FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION [MB Docket 06-189; FCC 06-154] Annual Assessment of the Status of Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Commission is required to report annually to Congress on the status of competition in markets for the delivery of video programming. This document solicits information from the public for use in preparing this year's competition report that is to be submitted to Congress. Comments and data submitted by parties will be used in conjunction with publicly available information and filings submitted in relevant Commission proceedings to assess the extent of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming. DATES: Interested parties may file comments on or before November 29, 2006, and reply comments are due on or before December 29, 2006. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB 06-189, by any of the following methods: • Federal eRulemaking Portal: *http://www.regulations.gov* . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • Federal Communications Commission's Web Site: *http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/* . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. • People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: *FCC504@fcc.gov* or phone: 202-418-0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432. For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Anne Levine, Media Bureau,

(202)418-7027, TTY

(202)418-7172, or by e-mail at *Anne.Levine@ fcc.gov* . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's *Notice of Inquiry* ( *NOI* ) in MB Docket No. 06-189, FCC 06-154, adopted October 12, 2006, and released October 20, 2006. The complete text of this *NOI* is available for inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC's Reference Information Center, Room CY-A257, Portals II, 445 Twelfth Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The complete text is also available on the Commission's Internet Site at *http://www.fcc.gov* . Alternative formats are available to persons with disabilities by contacting Brian Millin at

(202)418-7426 or TTY

(202)418-7365. The complete text of the *NOI* may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor, Best Company and Printing, Inc., Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, telephone

(202)863-2893, facsimile

(202)863-2898, or by e-mail *fcc@bcpiweb.com* , or via its website *http://www.bcpiweb.com* . Synopsis of Notice of Inquiry 1. Section 628(g) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, directs the Commission to report to Congress annually on the status of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming. This Notice of Inquiry ( *NOI* ) solicits data and information on for our thirteenth annual report (2006 Report). We request information, comments, and analyses that will allow us to evaluate the status of competition in the video marketplace, changes in the market since the *2005 Report* , prospects for new entrants to that market, factors that have facilitated or impeded competition, and the effect these factors are having on consumers' access to video programming. 2. We encourage thorough and substantive submissions from industry participants and state and local regulators with the best knowledge of the questions and issues raised to ensure the accuracy and usefulness of this Report. We will augment reported information with submissions in other Commission proceedings. In the past, we have had to rely on data from publicly available sources when information has not been provided directly by industry participants and will do so again if necessary. Nevertheless, we are concerned that such publicly available information may not be adequate, especially when various sources provide inconsistent data. Competition in the Market for the Delivery of Video Programming 3. We ask commenters to provide data on video programming distributors, including cable systems; direct broadcast satellite

(DBS)operators; large home satellite dish (C-Band) providers; broadband service providers (BSPs); private cable operators (PCO), also called satellite master antenna television systems; open video systems (OVS); wireless cable systems using frequencies in the broadband radio and educational broadband services; local exchange carrier

(LEC)systems; utility-operated systems; commercial mobile radio services

(CMRS)and other wireless providers; and over-the-air broadcast television stations. We seek information on video programming distributed over the Internet and via Internet Protocol

(IP)networks and through home video sales and rentals. We also seek information that will allow us to evaluate horizontal concentration in the video marketplace, vertical integration between programming distributors and programming services, and other issues relating to the programming available to consumers. We request information on technical issues, including equipment and emerging services. We seek comments regarding developments in foreign markets, as they may contribute to our understanding of domestic markets. Where possible and relevant, we request data as of June 30, 2006. 4. We seek information and statistical data for each type of multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD), including the number of homes passed by each wired technology; the number of homes capable of receiving service via each wireless technology; the number of subscribers and penetration rates for each service ( *e.g.* , basic cable service tier (BST), cable programming service tier (CPST), premium, or their equivalents provided by non-cable MVPDs, a la carte, pay-per-view, and video-on-demand

(VOD)services); available channel capacity of the system; the number, type, and identity of video programming channels offered, the channel capacity required for such offerings and the tiers on which such programming is offered; and the channel capacity used for non-video services; prices charged for various programming packages and the required equipment; industry and individual firm financial information; information on how video programming distributors compare in terms of relative size and financial resources; data that measure the audience reach of video programming networks as well as relative control over the video distribution market; and information on video distributor expansion into non-video markets such as local telephony, high-speed Internet access, wireless telephone service; and other new technologies being considered, tested, or deployed. 5. We are interested in data and information on the number of homes that have a choice of MVPD services. How many households can receive service from one or more providers ( *e.g.* , DBS, wireless cable, PCO) as well as an incumbent cable provider? How many consumers have access to wireline overbuilders and why is the availability of wireline alternatives low relative to wireless alternatives? Where does wireline competition exist, and where is entry likely in the near future? Where has wireline competition once existed but failed? What effect has competition among MVPDs had on consumers ( *e.g.* , prices, programming choices, quality of service, and the introduction of video and non-video advanced services)? 6. To evaluate substitution between MVPD technologies, we seek data on relative prices of similar services offered by different types of competitors. What effect does the bundling (packaging) of video, voice, and high-speed data services have on head-to-head competition? We are interested in investigating methods for comparing service packages among MVPDs. 7. Barriers to entry can be regulatory, technological, or financial in origin. We seek to understand what these barriers are and how they impede competition in the MVPD marketplace. Are there any existing Commission regulations or statutory provisions that prevent or discourage new entrants from investing in, or deploying broadband or other networks for the purpose of offering consumers video services? Are there steps that Congress and the Commission may take to reduce barriers to competition in the video market, or to increase consumer choice? We request comments on the effects that franchising and other local and state regulations have on competition in the video marketplace. 8. We request detailed information about programming networks, including ownership, the type of programming networks ( *e.g.* , national, regional, local), and the genre of programming networks ( *e.g.* , sports, news, children's, general entertainment, foreign language). We seek information on existing, planned, and terminated or merged programming networks to assess the changes over the past year in the amount and type of video programming that is available to consumers. We also seek information on the nature of trends in the status of programming networks' vertical integration with cable operators and with other media interests. We note that programming networks are being offered in a variety of forms ( *e.g.* , multiplexed networks, VOD, shared channels), and we seek comment on whether and how to count such programming networks for assessing trends in vertical integration. We ask commenters to provide information regarding the delivery mode ( *i.e.* , satellite or terrestrial delivery) of each national and regional network, as we are unaware of any comprehensive source of this information. 9. We request information on children's, locally-originated, and local news and community affairs programming distributed to consumers by broadcasters and MVPDs. To what extent is programming offered in languages other than English, nationally and locally? How is such programming packaged ( *i.e.* , part of CPST, digital tier, separate tier)? We also seek comment regarding public, educational, and governmental access channels, including the number of channels used by cable operators and other MVPDs for this purpose. We ask for information on the programming provided by DBS operators in compliance with their public interest obligation. We also seek information on the use of leased access channels, and ask whether they provide an opportunity for independent programmers to distribute their programming. 10. We seek comment on programmers' access to carriage by MVPDs. We request information on the number of independent networks that launched in the past year, including total subscribers; the distributors that carry them; the manner of carriage ( *e.g.* , expanded basic, digital tier, themed digital tier, VOD) and their ongoing efforts to obtain further distribution by cable, DBS, and other service providers. Specifically, we request comment regarding any difficulties programming networks encounter when launching a new service and information on the kinds of carriage arrangements that are required to secure MVPD carriage. 11. We seek information on how video programming distributors package and market their programming. To what extent are MVPDs offering programming on an a la carte basis or in mixed bundles, themed tiers, and subscriber-selected tiers? We seek information on family friendly programming, including the cost and content of these packages. Are family tiers offered on a stand-alone basis or must consumers subscribe to other tiers ( *e.g.* , basic service tier, digital tier) to receive them? Do subscribers need additional equipment to receive the family tier? Do MVPDs offer or plan to offer consumers more choice in channel selection, specifically a la carte or themed tiers, rather than traditional tiering of programming services? 12. We seek to assess the extent to which MVPDs have been able to acquire or license programming owned by other video distributors. Is there specific programming, national or regional/local, that is unavailable to either cable or non-cable operators and, if so, why? What effect does vertical integration have on competing distributors' ability to obtain programming? Are there certain “must-have” programming services, or genres of services ( *e.g.* , regional sports) without which competitive video service providers may find themselves unable to compete effectively? We also seek information on exclusive contracts for all types of programming. 13. We request comment on the effectiveness of our program access, program carriage, and channel occupancy rules. What, if any, video programming services that were once delivered to MVPDs by satellite have been migrated to terrestrial delivery? Which terrestrially delivered networks owned by or affiliated with a program distributor are unavailable to some MVPDs under the so-called terrestrial exemption to the Commission's program access rules? What exclusive programming arrangements exist between programmers and MVPDs? With the advent of VOD, what are the competitive implications of video programming distributors securing exclusive rights to programming for inclusion in their VOD offerings? 14. We request comment on competition issues specific to video programming distribution in rural and smaller markets, including the number of MVPDs serving small and rural markets, their subscribership, the services and video programming options they offer, and the cost for video services. How does competition differ between rural and smaller markets and larger, urban areas? We seek information on alternative technologies, such as digital subscriber line

(DSL)and fiber-based Internet Protocol television

(IPTV)that small and rural operators are adopting. We seek information on any existing differences in program carriage agreements between larger urban systems and those in small or rural areas, including information on whether buying cooperatives help small or rural operators obtain video programming at discounted rates. 15. We seek specific information regarding MVPD service in Alaska and Hawaii. We are interested in whether, and how, cable, DBS, and other MVPD services offered in these states differ from that provided in other states. How do prices for the various packages of service compare to the average national price for such MVPD services? We also seek information on any differences in the equipment needed by consumers to receive video programming service. 16. We also seek comment on any factors that are unique to competition in multiple dwelling units (MDUs). How common is it for consumers to have choices among video programming services within MDUs? 17. We also invite commenters to provide information on access to programming by persons with disabilities. We seek comment on what, if any, concerns industry and the public have with meeting the upcoming increased captioning requirements for new Spanish language and “pre-rule” English language programming. We seek information on the quality, accuracy, placement, technology, and any instances of missing or delayed captions, and the amount of digital programming that contains closed captions translated from analog closed captions. We seek comment on the extent to which digital programming may not be captioned and ask why this is the case. We seek information on the availability of video description, currently provided by programmers on a voluntary basis, and the amount and types of video programming that includes video description. Cable Television Service 18. For the 2006 Report, we seek updated information on the performance of the cable television industry. We request information regarding cable operators' continuing investments to upgrade their plant and equipment to increase channel capacity, create digital services, or offer advanced services. We request information on the development of various methods or technologies to increase system capacity, such as switched digital video technology. 19. For individual cable multiple system operators (MSOs), we request information such as the number of systems upgraded, the channel capacity (in terms of both analog and digital channel capacity and the compression ratio used for digital transmissions) resulting from upgrades, the number of systems, the number of homes passed by, and the number of subscribers to digital tier services. To what extent is the new capacity used for non-video services? We also seek information on cable operators who have launched or plan to launch digital simulcasts of their analog channel lineups on one or more of their systems. How have the structure and price of service tiers change if a system becomes all-digital? What are the implications for customer premises equipment? 20. We seek information on cable system transactions during the past year, including the names of the buyer and seller, the date and type of transaction ( *i.e.* , sale or swap), the name and location of the system, homes passed and number of subscribers, and the price. We request data regarding the effect of clustering (the practice of clustering, whereby operators concentrate their operations in specific geographic areas) on competition in the video programming distribution market. 21. We seek comment on whether cable operators are changing the way they package programming and the role actual or potential competition plays in any such changes. Do cable operators offer or plan to offer genre packages or themed tiers ( *e.g.* , family, sports, or lifestyle tiers) or programming on an a la carte basis? We seek information on the programming included on these tiers and their cost, including information on whether subscribers must purchase other tiers in order to subscribe to these tiers or to purchase channels on an a la carte basis. 22. Section 612(g) of the Communications Act provides that when cable systems with 36 or more activated channels are available to 70 percent of households within the U.S. and are subscribed to by 70 percent of those households, the Commission may promulgate any additional rules necessary to promote diversity of information sources. Because data submitted in the record of the *2005 Report* raised questions as to whether the second prong of the so-called “70/70 test” had been satisfied, we requested further public comment on this issue. We again request comment and supporting data that would be useful for determining an accurate homes passed statistic, including the number of homes passed by systems with 36 or more activated channels. Have there been developments in the last year that would suggest that the criteria specified under Section 612(g) have been met, and if so, what additional rules should the Commission promulgate to promote diversity of information sources? 23. We request data on the percentage of broadcast stations carried on cable pursuant to retransmission consent agreements and the percentage that are carried pursuant to the must carry provisions. We also seek information on the percentage of required set-aside channels that cable operators currently are using to carry local broadcast signals. To what extent do cable operators pay cash for broadcast station carriage rights, carry non-broadcast programming networks, provide advertising time, or otherwise compensate broadcasters? We also request comment on the effect of retransmission consent compensation on cable rates, the ability of small cable operators to secure retransmission consent on fair and reasonable terms, and the impact of agreements that require the carriage of non-broadcast networks in exchange for the right to carry local broadcast stations on MVPDs and consumers. 24. We also request comment on the “tier buy-through” option mandated by Section 623(b)(8) of the Communications Act, including the percentage of subscribers taking advantage of this option; the problems, if any, it creates; the manner in which cable operators make this option known to the public; and the extent to which the option is applicable ( *i.e.* , the extent to which programming is offered or purchased on a per-program or per-channel basis). Direct-to-Home Satellite Services 25. We seek information and data that explain the factors contributing to DBS' growth in the video programming market and that can help us assess whether those characteristics will continue to position DBS as cable's principal competitor. Is there evidence of meaningful price competition between DBS and cable? Do initial DBS equipment costs or other factors prevent cable subscribers from switching despite escalating monthly cable bills? Does the dynamic between the platforms change in markets where DBS offers local broadcast signals? 26. We seek updated information on the geographic characteristics of direct to home

(DTH)subscribership and, in particular, DBS subscribership, and the factors that account for its relative strengths or weaknesses in different markets ( *e.g.* , areas not served by a cable or other wireline provider vs. other areas). To what extent do DBS subscribers reside in areas not passed by cable systems? What percentage of new DBS subscribers are former cable subscribers or former C-Band subscribers? 27. We seek updated information on the deployment of DBS satellites, and plans to expand DBS satellite fleets. Have these additional satellites resulted in increased channel capacity or the provision of advanced services? What technical methods are DBS providers using to increase capacity? 28. We request updated information on the number of markets where local-into-local television service is offered, or will be offered in the near future, pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999, including the number and affiliation of the stations carried. What percentage of DBS subscribers are opting for local programming packages in markets where they are available? What is the cost to consumers of local-into-local broadcast channels? How many markets receive local high definition

(HD)programming? What type of equipment is necessary to receive local HD broadcasts and what is the cost of the service and the equipment? 29. On December 8, 2004, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA) was enacted, which added new provisions to the Communications and Copyright Acts pertaining to the retransmission by DBS of distant broadcast signals. Throughout 2005, the Commission implemented the provisions of the SHVERA. We request comment on the impact, if any, these provisions have had on the MVPD marketplace. With respect to the new authorization to market broadcast station signals deemed “significantly viewed,” to what extent are such signals being made available to subscribers? 30. We request data on prices for DBS programming packages and equipment, and the subscribership of different packages of programming. Do DBS operators offer any programming on an a la carte basis and, if so, what are the prices and subscription requirements associated with such offerings? What additional charges, if any, are required to obtain foreign language or foreign originated programming? We also request information about programming packages available to C-Band subscribers, including the types of packages offered, their prices, and the amount of programming that is offered on an a la carte basis and that is free and unscrambled. Local Exchange Carriers 31. We previously reported that LEC entry into the MVPD industry has been limited, but that developments demonstrated renewed LEC interest in providing video programming services. We seek information generally regarding LECs that provide video programming services. Are there any regulatory or statutory impediments to LEC entry in the video service market? Do LECs target specific areas or markets for deployment and what are the determinants of these decisions? How do LEC video services compare to those available from incumbent cable or satellite operators? Is there evidence of price competition between LECs, cable, and satellite operators? 32. The major incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs) have marketing agreements with DBS providers under which they sell the DBS operator's video services along with their telephony and DSL-based high speed Internet access service. What effect have these agreements had on LEC entry into the video industry? We also request comment on smaller ILECs are reportedly constructing their own all-fiber or mostly fiber networks to deliver video and advanced services to their existing voice and data customers. Are there any unique barriers to entry into smaller and rural video markets? Broadband Service Providers and Open Video System Operators 33. We request information regarding the provision of video, voice, and data services by broadband service providers (BSPs), including municipal entities, and independent and competitive local exchange carriers

(CLEC)overbuilders (to the extent they operate technologically advanced networks capable of providing video and non-video services). Are video programming services offered in combination with telephone and high-speed Internet access services and, if so, how are rates affected by the packaging of multiple services? How many, or what percentage of, BSP subscribers purchase video service alone, video and telephony, video and high-speed Internet access services, or all three services? We seek comment on the effect that BSPs have on video competition, and the characteristics that facilitate BSP competitiveness ( *e.g.* , number of subscribers, homes passed, geographical reach, demographics, and business models). Are there still significant barriers to entry? What are the technical and economic factors that determine whether overbuild systems are successful? Open Video System Operators 34. To what extent are new wireline entrants operating under the open video system

(OVS)classification, and what factors ( *e.g.* , state and local franchising requirements) cause new entrants to choose the OVS classification? How many subscribers receive video services from OVS operators, and how many subscribers purchase the non-video services offered? We seek information on why new entrants that have chosen the OVS classification and on MVPD entrants that initially chose OVS classification, but have since converted to another framework ( *e.g.* , Title VI cable service). Are video and non-video services offered in combination with one another, and, if so, how are rates affected by the packaging of multiple services? What effect do OVS operators have on video competition? Electric and Gas Utilities 35. We seek information regarding utility companies that provide video services, including broadband over powerline technology. To what extent are video programming services being bundled with telephone, high-speed Internet access, or other utility services and how do these offerings compare with those of incumbent cable operators? Broadcast Television Service 36. We seek data and comment on the role of broadcast television in the market for the delivery of video programming. We seek data on broadcast network and station audience shares, especially relative to those of non-broadcast programming services. We also request data on broadcast advertising revenue. To what extent has cable gained local, regional, or national advertising market share from broadcast television? What forms of compensation are broadcasters receiving for retransmission consent? In terms of additional sources of revenue, to what extent are cable and DBS operators paying cash compensation for retransmission of broadcast stations? If the compensation is not cash based, how is it accounted for? 37. We request data on the number or percentage of households relying solely on over-the-air broadcast television for programming. We also seek information on the number of MVPD households, by type of MVPD service, that rely on over-the-air reception for local broadcast service on one or more of their television sets not connected to an MVPD. We ask commenters to provide demographic information that might assist us in classifying such households ( *e.g.* , urban vs. rural, income, education levels, age). 38. We seek comment on a number of issues concerning the transition to digital television

(DTV)service. We request information on the number of households that are able to receive DTV/HDTV programming either over the air or from an MVPD. We seek current data and projections for the number of households that rely on over-the-air reception of broadcast television that have DTV sets, including the number that have built-in or separate DTV tuner capability. What reception difficulties, if any, do viewers that are within the service areas of DTV stations experience, and have there been any advances to address reception performance? Are there unique reception issues that differentiate DTV service from analog service in terms of either better or worse over-the-air reception? 39. We request information regarding the MVPD carriage of DTV programming, in either standard definition

(SD)or high definition

(HD)formats, and plans to increase the amount of DTV programming carried. How many MVPD subscribers are served by systems that carry DTV programming, and how many households are subscribing to such services when offered as separate packages? We also request comment on carriage agreements between MVPDs and broadcasters. Specifically, how many noncommercial educational broadcast stations are being carried, and under what terms? 40. We seek information on how MVPDs package and price broadcast and non-broadcast DTV programming. What impact will the digital transition have on competition if cable has the capacity to provide broadcast HD programming, but DBS operators do not? 41. We request information on the amount and type of DTV programming offered by broadcasters. To what extent are they using their DTV spectrum for SDTV, HDTV, or multicasting? To what extent are stations locally producing DTV or HDTV programming? To what extent are stations offered network HDTV programming that they are either not equipped to pass through, or for other reasons do not pass through? How are noncommercial educational broadcasters, including PBS affiliates, using the DTV spectrum? Are there differences in the ways that commercial and noncommercial broadcasters are using their DTV spectrum? 42. Have the Commission's programs to educate consumers about the transition to digital television resulted in greater consumer familiarity with DTV in general and HDTV specifically? We seek data regarding consumers' awareness of the DTV transition, including consumer survey results. We seek information on the consumer education efforts of government, retailers, broadcasters, video programmers and producers, and others. How successful are these consumer education efforts? 43. We seek information on the types of services and content that broadcasters are transmitting using multicasting. We seek information on whether multicasting is limited to large markets, or if stations in small- and medium-sized markets are multicasting. How much multicast programming is locally produced or locally focused? To what extent is the provision of multicast service dependent upon its carriage by cable and other MVPD operators? In how many markets are cable operators and other MVPDs carrying broadcasters' multicast programming, and which markets are they? 44. DTV also allows broadcasters to use part of their digital bandwidth for subscription multichannel video programming services and datacasting. How many TV households subscribe to these services, what markets have access to these services, and what is their expected growth over the next several years? We further request information on how broadcasters are using datacasting to deliver services and content to consumers. 45. We seek updated information on the adoption of the equipment needed to receive digital programming, either over the air or from an MVPD, such as the total number of DTV displays, including HD-ready and enhanced definition (ED)-ready monitors, and set-top, over-the-air tuners, that have been shipped to retailers or sold to consumers. How many DBS receivers contain over-the-air DTV reception capabilities? How many cable set-top boxes include this capability? We also seek information on the development and availability of digital-to-analog converters that will allow digital TV broadcasts to be viewed on analog TV sets. We seek an update on the development of a high-quality, low-cost digital-to-analog converter box for terrestrial DTV reception. Wireless Cable Systems 46. Wireless cable operators offer limited competition to incumbent cable operators. Many licensees of the Broadband Radio Service

(BRS)and Educational Broadband Service

(EBS)used by wireless cable operators to provide video service have chosen to focus on the delivery of non-video broadband services, such as high-speed Internet service. Have factors such as concerns regarding access to programming, bandwidth considerations, local regulatory considerations, and bundled service offerings, led wireless cable operators to move away from video service? Private Cable Operators 47. We request information on the types of services offered by private cable operators (PCOs), also known as satellite master antenna television (SMATV) operators. We seek information on the identification of PCO companies, the geographic areas they serve, the programming packages offered, and the prices of such packages compared to those of incumbent cable operators. We seek comment on whether PCOs are using CARS licenses to provide additional competition to incumbent cable operators. Commercial Mobile Radio Service Providers 48. We request information on the availability and deployment of mobile television services, including information on programming agreements between video programming networks and other content providers and cell phone companies. How many mobile telephone users have access to and subscribe to video programming services? What equipment is required to receive these services, and what is the cost of equipment and service? In which markets are these services available? We are interested in any studies or surveys that explore the use of mobile video services as a complement to, or a substitute for, traditional video services. Do current trends suggest that we should consider mobile telephone providers that offer video programming to be MVPDs? 49. We also seek information on video distribution from other wireless devices, including iPODs and personal digital assistants (PDAs), used to receive such programming. We seek information on the manner in which video content is delivered to these devices ( *e.g.* , broadcast vs. Internet downloading). We seek information on how programmers are re-purposing traditional video programming for viewing on these devices, and if programmers are creating content specifically for these new devices. Internet Video 50. We seek updated information on the types of video services offered over the Internet in both real time and downloadable format. We request comment on its quality relative to traditional video program distribution. We seek projections of whether Internet video will become a viable competitor in the market for the delivery of video programming and, if so, when such competition will emerge. We also seek comment on companies that provide content distribution via the Internet for independent content producers. Home Video Sales and Rentals 51. We seek information regarding the home video sales and rental market, including data on the number or percentage of households with videocassette recorders

(VHS)and digital versatile disc

(DVD)players. We request information on the amount of programming available in DVD and VHS formats, for sale and rental, the cost of rentals, and how this compares with the cost of pay-per-view, video-on-demand, or near video-on-demand programming offered by MVPDs. We also seek information on Internet-based video sales and rental services and the effect, if any, they have on video distributors' service offerings, such as VOD and pay-per-view. Advanced Services 52. We seek information on the advanced services offered by all MVPDs ( *e.g.* , VOD, digital video recorders (DVRs), high-speed Internet access, telephony, and HDTV). We request subscribership statistics; cost data; and required equipment for each type of service offered. We request information on how MVPDs bundle these services and how this affects competition. 53. For example, we seek information on the programming that is available through video-on-demand. Is there programming that is produced especially for VOD? How much VOD content is local? What amount of VOD content is exclusive to any one video distributor? 54. We seek information on DVR services provided by MVPDs. What percentage of subscribers has access to operator-supplied DVRs, and how many subscribe to the service? How many use a DVR not supplied by an MVPD? We seek information on the characteristics of the DVRs offered ( *e.g.* , single or dual tuner, storage capacity). Do DBS providers still use DVRs to approximate VOD service? What percentage of the DVR set-top boxes are leased as opposed to purchased? Do MVPDs plan to offer a network-based or centralized DVR-like service? 55. In addition, we seek information on the percentage of MVPD Internet access service subscribers that also are video subscribers. How is the service priced, and do video subscribers receive discounts? What is the status of DBS high-speed Internet access ( *e.g.* , telephone return path, two-way satellite delivered). Are MVPDs giving subscribers a choice of Internet service providers? Has any MVPD blocked access to certain kinds of Internet content or applications? 56. Finally, we seek information on the latest developments regarding Voice over Internet Protocol

(VoIP)telephony. Is it marketed as part of a bundle of services? Are discounts offered to video subscribers? To what extent are MVPDs phasing out switched circuit telephony? Technical Issues 57. Technological developments have important consequences for the state of video competition. We seek comment and data on a range of developments related to consumer equipment, navigation devices, the Open Cable Application Platform (OCAP), PacketCable, CableCARDs, advanced compression techniques, technical standards, and home networking. 58. We seek comment on the availability and compatibility of customer premises equipment used to provide video and non-video services. How many households currently have analog television sets that are connected to a set-top box for the provision of various MVPD services. How many of these set-top boxes only provide analog services and how many provide different types of digital service, ( *i.e.* , decode and display HD signals). How many of these MVPD set-top boxes also contain cable modems, IP telephony interfaces, DVR capabilities, or home networking capabilities, and how are these services priced? How many set-top boxes are capable of providing video programming on an a la carte basis and is any MVPD offering this service? 59. We also seek information on the retail availability of navigation devices to consumers. How many such devices have been sold? What are the obstacles to equipment manufacturers and others for obtaining approval to attach devices to MVPD systems? How does equipment design, function, and/or availability affect consumer choice and competition between firms in the video programming market? We request information on the development and deployment of electronic programming guides (EPGs), including the number and type of EPGs that video programming distributors offer or plan to offer, and the technologies used to distribute EPGs. We ask commenters to provide information on partnerships between video providers and developers of EPGs, the extent MVPD-affiliated EPGs are available to competitors, and whether subscribers have access to EPGs that are unaffiliated with their video provider? How many products are currently available with plug-and-play functionality, or are soon to be available? 60. We seek updated information on developments CableLabs' OCAP middleware solution. Which manufacturers are incorporating OCAP into their products? How many OCAP compliant products have been deployed, and how many are in use today? What types of applications exist for OCAP? Do smaller cable systems have plans to deploy these devices and, if so, how will they do it? We seek information on the results of OCAP device trials by MSOs in select markets, and whether they are expected to lead to commercial implementations and, if so, when. We request information on industry developments to facilitate bi-directional services and interactive television

(ITV)applications and services. We also request updated information on the state of the agreement between the Consumer Electronics Association and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association to incorporate support for OCAP in interactive Digital Cable Ready

(iDCR)devices, and whether any technical issues remain. 61. We solicit updated information on PacketCable, the specification standard for the delivery of advanced real-time multimedia services over two-way plant. We also seek updated information CableCARDs, including the number operators have placed in service: the manner in which subscribers must obtain a CableCARD: whether operators require professional installation of the card: and any monthly subscription charges or one-time fees associated with installing or authorizing the CableCARD. Have MVPDs or consumers encountered problems with CableCARDs and how have they been resolved? We seek information on the status of operators to develop multi-stream and two-way CableCARDs, and the impact this development will likely have on the competitive marketplace for digital cable-ready receivers, including DVRs. 62. We request updated information on the development and deployment of any downloadable conditional access systems. We seek comment on what content protection technologies are now available, how they work, and what legal or marketplace impediments have affected the roll-out of such tools. We seek comment on what security measures are in use and the effect of the choice of such security measures on competition. We also invite comment on how the Commission can encourage the development of digital rights management technology that will promote consumer uses of, and access to, high value digital content. 63. We request updates on MVPDs' implementation of advanced video compression technologies (codecs). We are particularly interested in examples of how the implementation of advanced codecs has increased efficiency or created specific benefits flowing to subscribers. In addition, we seek information on industry developments with respect to the creation of specifications and standards to support the wider introduction of home networks by MVPDs. 64. We seek information on the effect that technical rules and standards have on the market for video programming services. Are there specific actions that the Commission may take to foster greater competition among video service providers? Do current technical rules and standards (such as the “plug-and-play” standards), provide a level playing field among competitors in the video delivery marketplace? Foreign Markets 65. We seek information or case studies that address the status of competition in foreign markets for the delivery of video programming because developments in other countries can lend insight into the nature of competition in the United States. Specifically, we seek information regarding the differences between the U.S. market and foreign markets, including differences in pricing; packaging ( *e.g.* , a la carte offerings); deployment of VoIP; the DTV transition; and competition among MVPDs or over-the-air service. We seek input from distributors operating both in the United States and abroad. How do different regulatory approaches affect their business models? Procedural Matters 66. *Authority.* This *NOI* is issued pursuant to authority contained in Sections 4(i), 4(j), 403, and 628(g) of the Communications Act, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 154(j), 403, and 548(g). 67. *Ex Parte Rules.* There are no *ex parte* or disclosure requirements applicable to this proceeding pursuant to 47 CFR 1.1204(b)(1). 68. *Comment Information.* Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of this document. Comments may be filed using:

(1)The Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS),

(2)the Federal Government's eRulemaking Portal, or

(3)by filing paper copies. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998). • Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: *http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs* / or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: *http://www.regulations.gov.* Filers should follow the instructions provided on the website for submitting comments. • For ECFS filers, if multiple docket or rulemaking numbers appear in the caption of this proceeding, filers must transmit one electronic copy of the comments for each docket or rulemaking number referenced in the caption. In completing the transmittal screen, filers should include their full name, U.S. Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rulemaking number. Parties may also submit an electronic comment by Internet e-mail. To get filing instructions, filers should send an e-mail to *ecfs@fcc.gov* , and include the following words in the body of the message, “get form.” A sample form and directions will be sent in response. • Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or rulemaking number. Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although we continue to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail). All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission. • The Commission's contractor will receive hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission's Secretary at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Suite 110, Washington, DC 20002. The filing hours at this location are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes must be disposed of before entering the building. • Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743. • U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to *fcc504@fcc.gov* or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty). Federal Communications Commission. Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary. [FR Doc. E6-19473 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-P FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM Formations of, Acquisitions by, and Mergers of Bank Holding Companies The companies listed in this notice have applied to the Board for approval, pursuant to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1841 *et seq.* ) (BHC Act), Regulation Y (12 CFR Part 225), and all other applicable statutes and regulations to become a bank holding company and/or to acquire the assets or the ownership of, control of, or the power to vote shares of a bank or bank holding company and all of the banks and nonbanking companies owned by the bank holding company, including the companies listed below. The applications listed below, as well as other related filings required by the Board, are available for immediate inspection at the Federal Reserve Bank indicated. The application also will be available for inspection at the offices of the Board of Governors. Interested persons may express their views in writing on the standards enumerated in the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1842(c)). If the proposal also involves the acquisition of a nonbanking company, the review also includes whether the acquisition of the nonbanking company complies with the standards in section 4 of the BHC Act (12 U.S.C. 1843). Unless otherwise noted, nonbanking activities will be conducted throughout the United States. Additional information on all bank holding companies may be obtained from the National Information Center website at *www.ffiec.gov/nic/* . Unless otherwise noted, comments regarding each of these applications must be received at the Reserve Bank indicated or the offices of the Board of Governors not later than December 14, 2006. **A. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta** (Andre Anderson, Vice President) 1000 Peachtree Street, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30309: *1. Century Bancshares of Florida, Inc.* , to become a bank holding company by acquiring 100 percent of the voting shares of Century Bank of Florida, both of Tampa, Florida. **B. Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago** (Patrick M. Wilder, Assistant Vice President) 230 South LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60690-1414: *1. Orion Bancorporation* , Inc., Orion, Illinois; to merge with First Mid-America Bancorp, Inc., and thereby indirectly acquire voting shares of The State Bank of Annawan, both of Annawan, Illinois. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, November 14, 2006. Robert deV. Frierson, Deputy Secretary of the Board. [FR Doc. E6-19449 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6210-01-S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry The Program Peer Review Subcommittee

(PPRS)of the Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC), Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR): Meeting. In accordance with section 10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463), CDC, NCEH/ATSDR announces a meeting of the subcommittee. *Time and Date:* 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, December 5, 2006. *Place:* Hilton Atlanta Hotel, 255 Courtland Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. *Status:* Open to the public, limited by the available space. The meeting room accommodates approximately 50 people. *Purpose:* Under the charge of the BSC, NCEH/ATSDR, the PPRS will provide the BSC, NCEH/ATSDR with advice and recommendations on NCEH/ATSDR program peer review. They will serve the function of organizing, facilitating, and providing a long-term perspective to the conduct of NCEH/ATSDR program peer review. *Matters to Be Discussed:* A review of the history of Program Peer Reviews, current structure and process for reviews; discussion of functional reviews versus programmatic reviews; a review of questionnaires developed by the Subcommittee; a report on the status of two upcoming reviews; and an update on the Five Year Forecasting Timetable for Reviews at NCEH/ATSDR. Agenda items are subject to change as priorities dictate. Due to programmatic matters, this **Federal Register** Notice is being published on less than 15 calendar days notice to the public (41 CFR 102-3.150(b)). *Contact Person for More Information:* Sandra Malcom, Committee Management Specialist, Office of Science, NCEH/ATSDR, M/S E-28, 1600 Clifton Road, NE., Atlanta, Georgia 30333, telephone 404-498-0622. The Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, has been delegated the authority to sign **Federal Register** notices pertaining to announcements of meetings and other committee management activities for both CDC and ATSDR. Dated: November 13, 2006. Alvin Hall, Director, Management Analysis and Services Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [FR Doc. 06-9272 Filed 11-16-06; 8:45 am]

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