[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 193 (Thursday, October 4, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60732-60735]
[FR Doc No: 2012-24458]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Investment Company Act Release No. 30224; 812-14000]

PACE Select Advisors Trust and UBS Global Asset Management
(Americas) Inc.; Notice of Application

September 27, 2012.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of an application under section 6(c) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from section 15(a) of
the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act, as well as from certain
disclosure requirements.

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Summary of Application: Applicants request an order that would permit
them to enter into and materially amend subadvisory agreements without
shareholder approval and would grant relief from certain disclosure
requirements. The requested order would supersede two prior orders.\1\
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    \1\ PaineWebber PACE Select Advisors Trust and Mitchell Hutchins
Asset Management, Inc., Investment Company Act Release Nos. 24823
(Jan. 11, 2001) (notice) and 24850 (Feb. 6, 2001) (order) and
Managed Account Services Portfolio Trust and Mitchell Hutchins Asset
Management Inc., Investment Company Act Release Nos. 21590 (Dec. 11,
1995) (notice) and 21666 (Jan. 11, 1996) (order).

Applicants: PACE Select Advisors Trust (the ``Trust'') and UBS Global
Asset Management (Americas) Inc. (the ``Adviser'') (collectively,
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``Applicants'').

Filing Dates: The application was filed on January 20, 2012, and
amended on April 25, 2012, and September 10, 2012. Applicants have
agreed to file an amendment during the notice period, the substance of
which is reflected in this notice.

Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the application
will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested
persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary
and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by
mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30
p.m. on October 22, 2012, and should be accompanied by proof of service
on the applicants, in the form of an affidavit or, for lawyers, a
certificate of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the
writer's interest, the reason for the request, and the issues
contested. Persons who wish to be notified of a hearing may request
notification by writing to the Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090. Applicants:
Mr. Joseph J. Allessie, UBS Global Asset Management (Americas) Inc.,
1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019-6028.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jean E. Minarick, Senior Counsel, at
(202) 551-6811, or Daniele Marchesani, Branch Chief, at<PHONE_NUMBER>
(Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company
Regulation).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained via the
Commission's Web site by searching for the file number, or an applicant
using the Company name box, at http://www.sec.gov/search/search.htm or
by calling<PHONE_NUMBER>.
    Applicants' Representations:
    1. The Trust, a Delaware statutory trust, is registered under the
Act as an open-end management investment company and currently offers
15 series of shares (each a ``Series''), each with its own distinct
investment objectives, policies and restrictions.\2\ The Adviser is,
and any future Adviser will be, registered as an investment adviser
under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act''). The
Adviser serves as the investment adviser and

administrator to each Series pursuant to an investment management and
administration agreement with the Trust (each an ``Investment
Management Agreement'' and collectively, the ``Investment Management
Agreements'').\3\ Each Investment Management Agreement was approved or
will be approved by the board of trustees of the Trust (the ``Board''),
including a majority of the trustees who are not ``interested
persons,'' as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Act, of the Trust, the
Subadvised Fund, or the Adviser (``Independent Trustees'') and by the
shareholders of the relevant Subadvised Fund in the manner required by
sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act.\4\
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    \2\ Applicants also request relief with respect to any future
Series of the Trust and to any other existing or future registered
open-end management investment company or series thereof that: (a)
Is advised by the Adviser or any entity controlling, controlled by,
or under common control with the Adviser or its successors (included
in the term ``Adviser''); (b) uses the manager of managers structure
described in the application (``Manager of Managers Structure'');
and (c) complies with the terms and conditions of this application
(together with any Series that uses the Manager of Managers
Structure, each a ``Subadvised Fund'' and collectively, the
``Subadvised Funds''). The only existing registered open-end
management investment company that currently intends to rely on the
requested order is named as an Applicant. Each Series that is or
currently intends to be a Subadvised Fund, and each Subadviser (as
defined below) to a Subadvised Fund that currently intends to rely
on the requested order, is identified in this application. For
purposes of the requested order, ``successor'' is limited to an
entity that results from a reorganization into another jurisdiction
or a change in the type of business organization. If the name of any
Subadvised Fund contains the name of a Subadviser, the name of the
Adviser to that Subadvised Fund or trademark or trade name that is
owned by the Adviser to that Subadvised Fund will precede the name
of the Subadviser.
    \3\ Each future investment management agreement between an
Adviser and a Subadvised Fund is also included in the term
``Investment Management Agreement''.
    \4\ The term ``Board'' also includes the board of trustees or
directors of a future Subadvised Fund.
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    2. Under the terms of each Investment Management Agreement, the
Adviser, subject to the oversight of the Board and in conformity with
the stated policies of the Trust, (a) manages the investment operations
of the Trust; (b) administers the Trust's affairs; and (c) except with
respect to PACE Money Market Investments,\5\ makes recommendations for
each Series regarding (i) the investment strategies and policies of
each Series and (ii) the selection and retention of Subadvisers who
will exercise investment discretion with respect to the assets of each
Series. The Adviser periodically reviews investment policies and
strategies of each Series and based on the need of a particular Series
may recommend changes to the investment policies and strategies of the
Series for consideration by its Board. The Adviser receives a
management fee for its investment management services to each Series,
and receives an administrative fee for its administration services to
each Series, based on each Series' average daily net assets. The terms
of the Investment Management Agreements also permit the Adviser,
subject to the approval of the Board, including a majority of the
Independent Trustees, to delegate portfolio management responsibilities
of all or a portion of the assets of a Series to one or more
subadvisers (``Subadvisers''). The Adviser has entered into investment
subadvisory agreements (``Subadvisory Agreements'') with a number of
Subadvisers to serve as Subadvisers to the Series, except for PACE
Money Market Investments.\6\ Each Subadviser is, and any future
Subadviser will be, an investment adviser as defined in section
2(a)(20) of the Act as well as registered with the Commission as an
``investment adviser'' under the Advisers Act. The Adviser evaluates,
allocates assets to and oversees the Subadvisers and makes
recommendations about their hiring, termination and replacement to the
Board, at all times subject to the authority of the Board. The Adviser
currently compensates each Subadviser out of the advisory fees paid to
the Adviser under the relevant Investment Management Agreement; in the
future, Subadvised Funds may directly pay advisory fees to the
Subadvisers.
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    \5\ The Adviser provides investment advisory services for PACE
Money Market Investments, although the Trust reserves the right to
hire one or more Subadvisers to provide investment advisory services
to PACE Money Market Investments if the Adviser recommends, and the
Board, including a majority of the Independent Trustees, approves
such action.
    \6\ The Adviser has entered into Subadvisory Agreements with the
following Subadvisers to manage the assets of certain Series as
described in the application: Analytic Investors, LLC; BlackRock
Financial Management, Inc.; Brookfield Investment Management, Inc.;
Buckhead Capital Management, LLC; CBRE Clarion Securities, LLC;
Copper Rock Capital Partners, LLC; Delaware Management Company;
First Quadrant, L.P.; Institutional Capital, LLC; J.P. Morgan
Investment Management, Inc.; Kayne Anderson Rudnick Investment
Management, LLC; Mackay Shields, LLC; Marsico Capital Management,
LLC; Martin Currie, Inc.; Metropolitan West Capital Management, LLC;
Mondrian Investment Partners Limited; Pacific Investment Management
Company, LLC; Palisade Capital Management, LLC; Pzena Investment
Management, LLC; Riverbridge Partners, LLC; Rogge Global Partners
plc; Roxbury Capital Management, LLC; Standard Life Investments
(Corporate Funds) Limited; Standish Mellon Asset Management Company,
LLC; Systematic Financial Management, L.P.; Wellington Management
Company, LLP; Westwood Management Corporation; and William Blair &
Company, LLC.
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    3. Applicants request an order to permit the Adviser, subject to
Board approval, to select certain Subadvisers to manage all or a
portion of the assets of a Series pursuant to a Sub-Advisory Agreement
and materially amend Sub-Advisory Agreements without obtaining
shareholder approval. The requested relief will not extend to any
Subadviser that is an affiliated person, as defined in section 2(a)(3)
of the Act, of the Trust or a Subadvised Fund or the Adviser, other
than by reason of serving as a Subadviser to Subadvised Funds
(``Affiliated Subadviser'').
    4. Applicants also request an order exempting the Subadvised Funds
from certain disclosure requirements described below that may require
the Applicants to disclose fees paid to each Subadviser by the Adviser
or a Subadvised Fund. Applicants seek an order to permit each
Subadvised Fund to disclose (as a dollar amount and a percentage of
each Subadvised Fund's net assets) only: (a) The aggregate fees paid to
the Adviser and any Affiliated Subadvisers; and (b) the aggregate fees
paid to Subadvisers other than Affiliated Subadvisers (collectively,
the ``Aggregate Fee Disclosure''). A Subadvised Fund that employs an
Affiliated Subadviser will provide separate disclosure of any fees paid
to the Affiliated Subadviser.
    Applicants' Legal Analysis:
    1. Section 15(a) of the Act provides, in relevant part, that it is
unlawful for any person to act as an investment adviser to a registered
investment company except pursuant to a written contract that has been
approved by the vote of a majority of the company's outstanding voting
securities. Rule 18f-2 under the Act provides that each series or class
of stock in a series investment company affected by a matter must
approve that matter if the Act requires shareholder approval.
    2. Form N-1A is the registration statement used by open-end
investment companies. Item 19(a)(3) of Form N-1A requires disclosure of
the method and amount of the investment adviser's compensation.
    3. Rule 20a-1 under the Act requires proxies solicited with respect
to an investment company to comply with Schedule 14A under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (``Exchange Act''). Items 22(c)(1)(ii),
22(c)(1)(iii), 22(c)(8) and 22(c)(9) of Schedule 14A, taken together,
require a proxy statement for a shareholder meeting at which the
advisory contract will be voted upon to include the ``rate of
compensation of the investment adviser,'' the ``aggregate amount of the
investment adviser's fees,'' a description of the ``terms of the
contract to be acted upon,'' and, if a change in the advisory fee is
proposed, the existing and proposed fees and the difference between the
two fees.
    4. Regulation S-X sets forth the requirements for financial
statements required to be included as part of a registered investment
company's registration statement and shareholder reports filed with the
Commission. Sections 6-07(2)(a), (b) and (c) of Regulation S-X require
a registered investment company to include in its financial statement
information about the investment advisory fees.
    5. Section 6(c) of the Act provides that the Commission may exempt
any person, security, or transaction or any class or classes of
persons, securities, or transactions from any provisions of the Act, or
from any rule thereunder, if such exemption is necessary or appropriate
in the public interest and consistent with the protection of investors
and the purposes fairly intended by the policy and provisions of the
Act. Applicants

state that the requested relief meets this standard for the reasons
discussed below.
    6. Applicants assert that the shareholders expect the Adviser,
subject to the review and approval of the Board, to select the
Subadvisers who are best suited to achieve the Subadvised Fund's
investment objective. Applicants assert that, from the perspective of
the shareholder, the role of the Subadviser is substantially equivalent
to the role of the individual portfolio managers employed by an
investment adviser to a traditional investment company. Applicants
state that requiring shareholder approval of each Subadvisory Agreement
would impose unnecessary delays and expenses on the Subadvised Funds
and may preclude the Subadvised Funds from acting promptly when the
Adviser and Board consider it appropriate to hire Subadvisers or amend
Subadvisory Agreements. Applicants note that the Investment Management
Agreements and any Subadvisory Agreement with an Affiliated Subadviser
(if any) will continue to be subject to the shareholder approval
requirements of section 15(a) of the Act and rule 18f-2 under the Act.
    7. If new Subadvisers are hired, the Subadvised Funds will inform
shareholders of the hiring of a new Subadviser pursuant to the
following procedures (``Modified Notice and Access Procedures''): (a)
Within 90 days after a new Subadviser is hired for any Subadvised Fund,
that Subadvised Fund will send its shareholders either a Multi-manager
Notice or a Multi-manager Notice and Multi-manager Information
Statement; \7\ and (b) the Subadvised Fund will make the Multi-manager
Information Statement available on the Web site identified in the
Multi-manager Notice no later than when the Multi-manager Notice (or
Multi-manager Notice and Multi-manager Information Statement) is first
sent to shareholders, and will maintain it on that Web site for at
least 90 days. In the circumstances described in this Application, a
proxy solicitation to approve the appointment of new Subadvisers
provides no more meaningful information to shareholders than the
proposed Multi-manager Information Statement. Moreover, as indicated
above, the applicable Board would comply with the requirements of
Sections 15(a) and 15(c) of the 1940 Act before entering into or
amending Sub-Advisory Agreements.
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    \7\ A ``Multi-manager Notice'' will be modeled on a Notice of
Internet Availability as defined in rule 14a-16 under the Exchange
Act, and specifically will, among other things: (a) Summarize the
relevant information regarding the new Subadviser; (b) inform
shareholders that the Multi-manager Information Statement is
available on a Web site; (c) provide the Web site address; (d) state
the time period during which the Multi-manager Information Statement
will remain available on that Web site; (e) provide instructions for
accessing and printing the Multi-manager Information Statement; and
(f) instruct the shareholder that a paper or email copy of the
Multi-manager Information Statement may be obtained, without charge,
by contacting the Subadvised Funds.
    A ``Multi-manager Information Statement'' will meet the
requirements of Regulation 14C, Schedule 14C and Item 22 of Schedule
14A under the Exchange Act for an information statement, except as
modified by the requested amended and restated order to permit
Aggregate Fee Disclosure. Multi-manager Information Statements will
be filed electronically with the Commission via the EDGAR system.
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    8. Applicants assert that the requested disclosure relief would
benefit shareholders of the Subadvised Funds because it would improve
the Adviser's ability to negotiate the fees paid to Subadvisers.
Applicants state that the Adviser may be able to negotiate rates that
are below a Subadviser's ``posted'' amounts if the Adviser is not
required to disclose the Subadvisers' fees to the public. Applicants
submit that the requested relief will also encourage Subadvisers to
negotiate lower subadvisory fees with the Adviser if the lower fees are
not required to be made public.
    Applicants' Conditions:
    Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will
be subject to the following conditions:
    1. Before a Subadvised Fund may rely on the order, the operation of
the Subadvised Fund in the manner described in the Application will be
approved by a majority of the Subadvised Fund's outstanding voting
securities as defined in the Act or, in the case of a Subadvised Fund
whose public shareholders purchased shares on the basis of a prospectus
containing the disclosure contemplated by condition 2 below, by the
initial shareholder before such Subadvised Fund's shares are offered to
the public.
    2. The prospectus for each Subadvised Fund will disclose the
existence, substance, and effect of any order granted pursuant to the
Application. In addition, each Subadvised Fund will hold itself out to
the public as employing the Manager of Managers Structure. The
prospectus will prominently disclose that the Adviser has the ultimate
responsibility, subject to oversight by the Board, to oversee the
Subadvisers and recommend their hiring, termination, and replacement.
    3. Subadvised Funds will inform shareholders of the hiring of a new
Subadviser within 90 days after the hiring of the new Subadviser
pursuant to the Modified Notice and Access Procedures.
    4. The Adviser will not enter into a Subadvisory Agreement with any
Affiliated Subadviser without that agreement, including the
compensation to be paid thereunder, being approved by the shareholders
of the applicable Subadvised Fund.
    5. At all times, at least a majority of the Board will be
Independent Trustees, and the nomination of new or additional
Independent Trustees will be placed within the discretion of the then-
existing Independent Trustees.
    6. Independent legal counsel, as defined in rule 0-1(a)(6) under
the Act, will be engaged to represent the Independent Trustees. The
selection of such counsel will be within the discretion of the then-
existing Independent Trustees.
    7. Whenever a Subadviser change is proposed for a Subadvised Fund
with an Affiliated Subadviser, the Board, including a majority of the
Independent Trustees, will make a separate finding, reflected in the
Trust's Board minutes, that the change is in the best interests of the
Subadvised Fund and its shareholders, and does not involve a conflict
of interest from which the Adviser or the Affiliated Subadviser derives
an inappropriate advantage.
    8. Whenever a Subadviser is hired or terminated, the Adviser will
provide the Board with information showing the expected impact on the
profitability of the Adviser.
    9. The Adviser will provide the Board, no less frequently than
quarterly, with information about the profitability of the Adviser on a
per Subadvised Fund basis. The information will reflect the impact on
profitability of the hiring or termination of any Subadviser during the
applicable quarter.
    10. The Adviser will provide general management and administrative
services to each Subadvised Fund, including overall supervisory
responsibility for the general management and investment of the
Subadvised Fund's assets and, subject to review and approval of the
Board, will: (i) Set the Subadvised Fund's overall investment
strategies; (ii) evaluate, select, and recommend Subadvisers to manage
all or a part of the Subadvised Fund's assets; (iii) allocate and, when
appropriate, reallocate the Subadvised Fund's assets among Subadvisers;
(iv) monitor and evaluate the investment performance of Subadvisers;
and (v) implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that
Subadvisers comply with the Subadvised Fund's investment objective,
policies and restrictions.

    11. No Trustee or officer of the Trust or of a Subadvised Fund or
director or officer of the Adviser, will own directly or indirectly
(other than through a pooled investment vehicle that is not controlled
by such person) any interest in a Subadviser except for (i) ownership
of interests in the Adviser or any entity that controls, is controlled
by or is under common control with the Adviser; or (ii) ownership of
less than 1% of the outstanding securities of any class of equity or
debt of any publicly traded company that is either a Subadviser or an
entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with
a Subadviser.
    12. Each Subadvised Fund will disclose in its registration
statement the Aggregate Fee Disclosure.
    13. In the event the Commission adopts a rule under the Act
providing substantially similar relief to that in the order requested
in the Application, the requested order will expire on the effective
date of that rule.
    14. For Subadvised Funds that pay fees to a Subadviser directly
from fund assets, any changes to a Subadvisory Agreement that would
result in an increase in the total management and advisory fees payable
by a Subadvised Fund will be required to be approved by the
shareholders of the Subadvised Fund.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
under delegated authority.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-24458 Filed 10-3-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 15 (Thursday, January 23, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3916-3917]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01301]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2013-0436]

Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Application
for an Exemption From the International Window Film Association

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of application for exemption; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: FMCSA requests public comment on an application for exemption
from the International Window Film Association (IWFA) to allow the use
of certain glazing in the windows that does not meet the light
transmission requirements specified in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations (FMCSR). Section 393.60(d) of the FMCSRs currently permits
windshields and to the immediate right and left of the driver windows
to be tinted, as long as the light transmission is not restricted to
less than 70 percent of normal. IWFA contends that since a reduction of
light entering the truck cab interior will decrease not only available
visible light but also scattered light, the exemption can significantly
improve driver comfort and reduce eye strain while allowing films to be
used that can also reduce the heat load of the interior environment,
thus making the driver more comfortable as well as lowering energy use
for cooling.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before February 24, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by DOT DMS Docket Number
FMCSA-2013-0436 by any of the following methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments on the Federal electronic docket
site.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington,
DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: Ground Floor, Room W12-140, DOT Building,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
e.t., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and
docket number for this notice. For detailed instructions on submitting
comments and additional information on the exemption process, see the
``Public Participation'' heading below. Note that all comments received
will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including
any personal information provided. Please see the ``Privacy Act''
heading for further information.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov or to Room W12-140,
DOT Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone is able to search the electronic form of all
comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19476) or you may visit http://www.regulations.gov.
    Public participation: The http://www.regulations.gov Web site is
generally available 24 hours each day, 365 days each year. You can get
electronic submission and retrieval help and guidelines under the
``help'' section of the http://www.regulations.gov Web site and also at
the DOT's http://docketsinfo.dot.gov Web site. If you want us to notify
you that we received your comments, please include a self-addressed,
stamped envelope or postcard or print the acknowledgement page that
appears after submitting comments online.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brian Routhier, Vehicle and
Roadside

Operations Division, Office of Bus and Truck Standards and Operations,
MC-PSV,<PHONE_NUMBER>; Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration,
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Section 4007 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century
(TEA- 21) [Pub. L. 105-178, June 9, 1998, 112 Stat. 401] amended 49
U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e) to provide authority to grant exemptions from
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). On August 20,
2004, FMCSA published a final rule (69 FR 51589) implementing section
4007. Under this rule, FMCSA must publish a notice of each exemption
request in the Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(a)). The Agency must
provide the public with an opportunity to inspect the information
relevant to the application, including any safety analyses that have
been conducted. The Agency must also provide an opportunity for public
comment on the request.
    The Agency reviews the safety analyses and the public comments and
determines whether granting the exemption would likely achieve a level
of safety equivalent to or greater than the level that would be
achieved by the current regulation (49 CFR 381.305). The decision of
the Agency must be published in the Federal Register (49 CFR
381.315(b)). If the Agency denies the request, it must state the reason
for doing so. If the decision is to grant the exemption, the notice
must specify the person or class of persons receiving the exemption and
the regulatory provision or provisions from which an exemption is
granted. The notice must also specify the effective period of the
exemption (up to 2 years) and explain the terms and conditions of the
exemption. The exemption may be renewed (49 CFR 381.315(c) and 49 CFR
381.300(b)).

Background

IWFA Application for Exemption

    IWFA applied for an exemption from 49 CFR 393.60(d) to allow the
use glazing in the windows to the immediate right and left of the
driver that does not meet the light transmission requirements specified
in the FMCSRs. A copy of the application is included in the docket
referenced at the beginning of this notice.
    Section 393.60(d) of the FMCSRs permits coloring or tinting of
windshields and the windows to the immediate right and left of the
driver, as long as the ``parallel luminous transmittance through the
colored or tinted glazing is not less than 70 percent of the light at
normal incidence in those portions of the windshield or windows which
are marked as having a parallel luminous transmittance of not less than
70 percent.'' The transmittance restriction does not apply to other
windows on the commercial motor vehicle.
    In its application, IWFA states:

    Many commercial operators, however, have been unable to obtain
the approved film products in a timely and local basis; this has
generated a significant volume of inquiries to federal, state, and
association offices. We are therefore requesting a favorable
consideration for the use of a market-standard 50%-type of film with
a 7% measurement tolerance (to accommodate variances in glass, glass
condition, film manufacturing variation, and meter differences.)
This would allow the standard 50%-type film to be used on CMVs for
the windows to the immediate right and left of the driver. This film
is the same minimum visibility requirement used in the majority of
states for automobiles and is essentially ``clear'' to the extent
that, in most cases, it is difficult to determine if a vehicle even
has had film applied. Since a reduction of light entering the truck
cab interior will decrease not only available visible light but also
scattered light (sometimes called ``interference haze'' by optical
researchers), it can significantly improve driver comfort and reduce
eye strain while also allowing films to be used which can also
reduce the heat load of the interior environment, thus making the
driver more comfortable as well as lowering energy use for cooling.

In support of its application, IWFA also provided an excerpt from an
article titled ``Safety Benefits and Costs of Tinted Glazing''
published in 1988 by Harold Wakeley of the IIT Research Institute of
Chicago.
    In addition, IWFA stated:

    This level of application would retain the industry's commitment
to the enforcement community and also provide the commercial fleet
operator with the expanded benefits of a larger number of film
products which can provide energy and emissions improvements. It
should be noted that while there may be no additional improvement in
UV protection from that received by the current standard of 70
percent, the added benefit of fuel savings (and therefore greenhouse
gas reductions) as well as reduced glare (haze) and enhanced driver
comfort are greatly expanded by the benefits associated with the use
of the requested level of film on CMVs.

Request for Comments

    In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 31315 and 31136(e), FMCSA requests
public comment from all interested persons on IWFA's application for an
exemption from 49 CFR 393.60(d). All comments received before the close
of business on the comment closing date indicated at the beginning of
this notice will be considered and will be available for examination in
the docket at the location listed under the ADDRESSES section of this
notice. Comments received after the comment closing date will be filed
in the public docket and will be considered to the extent practicable.
In addition to late comments, FMCSA will also continue to file, in the
public docket, relevant information that becomes available after the
comment closing date. Interested persons should continue to examine the
public docket for new material.

    Issued on: January 10, 2014.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014-01301 Filed 1-22-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P


[Federal Register: April 21, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 77)]
[Notices]
[Page 20738-20741]
[DOCID:fr21ap06-109]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. IC-27288; 812-12931]

Frank Russell Investment Company, et al.; Notice of Application

April 17, 2006.
AGENCY: Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'').

ACTION: Notice of application for an order under section 12(d)(1)(J) of
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (``Act'') for an exemption from
sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act and under sections 6(c) and
17(b) of the Act for an exemption from section 17(a) of the Act.

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Summary of Application: The order would permit certain registered open-
end management investment companies to acquire shares of other
registered open-end management investment companies outside the same
group of investment companies.

Applicants: Frank Russell Investment Company (the ``Trust''), Frank
Russell Investment Management Company (``FRIMCo'') and Russell Fund
Distributors (the ``Distributor'').

Filing Date: The application was filed on February 21, 2003, and
amended on April 3, 2006.

Hearing or Notification of Hearing: An order granting the application
will be issued unless the Commission orders a hearing. Interested
persons may request a hearing by writing to the Commission's Secretary
and serving applicants with a copy of the request, personally or by
mail. Hearing requests should be received by the Commission by 5:30
p.m. on May 12, 2006, and should be accompanied by proof of service on
applicants, in the form of an affidavit, or for lawyers, a certificate
of service. Hearing requests should state the nature of the writer's
interest, the reason for the request, and the issues contested. Persons
who wish to be notified of a hearing may request notification by
writing to the Commission's Secretary.

ADDRESSES: Secretary, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090; Applicants, 909 A Street,
Tacoma, WA 98402.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Yoder, Senior Counsel, at (202)
551-6878, or Nadya Roytblat, Assistant Director, at<PHONE_NUMBER>
(Division of Investment Management, Office of Investment Company
Regulation).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a summary of the
application. The complete application may be obtained for a fee at the
Public Reference Desk, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F
Street, NE., Washington DC 20549-0102, (telephone<PHONE_NUMBER>).

Applicants' Representations

    1. The Trust is an open-end management investment company
registered under the Act that is comprised of 34 separate series (each,
a ``Fund'', and together, the ``Funds''). FRIMCo, a Washington
corporation, is registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (``Advisers Act'') and serves as
investment adviser to the Funds.
    2. Applicants request relief to permit registered open-end
management investment companies that are not part of the same ``group
of investment companies,'' as that term is defined in section
12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Act, as the Trust (each, a ``Fund of Funds''),
to

acquire shares of the Funds in excess of the limits in section
12(d)(1)(A) of the Act and the Funds, any principal underwriter for a
Fund, and any broker or dealer, to sell shares of the Funds to the
Funds of Funds in excess of the limits in section 12(d)(1)(B) of the
Act. Each Fund of Funds will be advised by an investment adviser that
meets the definition in section 2(a)(20)(A) of the Act (``Fund of Funds
Adviser''). Certain Funds of Funds also may be advised by investment
adviser(s) that meet the definition in section 2(a)(20)(B) of the Act
(each, a ``Fund of Funds Subadvisor''). Applicants request that the
relief apply to: (a) Each registered open-end management investment
company or series thereof that currently or subsequently is part of the
same ``group of investment companies,'' within the meaning of section
12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the Act, as the Trust and that is advised by FRIMCo
(also included in the term ``Funds''), their principal underwriters and
any brokers and dealers; and (b) each Fund of Funds that enters into a
participation agreement (``Participation Agreement'') with a Fund to
purchase shares of the Fund.\1\ Applicants state that the Funds will
offer efficient access to FRIMCo's ``multi-style, multi-manager''
approach to Funds of Funds pursuing a range of asset allocation and
diversification objectives.
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    \1\ All investment companies that currently intend to rely on
the requested order are named as applicants. Any other investment
company that relies on the order in the future will comply with the
terms and conditions of the application.
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Applicants' Legal Analysis

A. Sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B) of the Act

    1. Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Act prohibits a registered investment
company from acquiring shares of an investment company if the
securities represent more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock
of the acquired company, more than 5% of the total assets of the
acquiring company, or, together with the securities of any other
investment companies, more than 10% of the total assets of the
acquiring company. Section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act prohibits a
registered open-end investment company, any principal underwriter, and
any broker or dealer from selling shares of the investment company to
another investment company if the sale will cause the acquiring company
to own more than 3% of the acquired company's voting stock, or if the
sale will cause more than 10% of the acquired company's voting stock to
be owned by investment companies generally.
    2. Section 12(d)(1)(J) of the Act provides that the Commission may
exempt any person, security, or transaction, or any class or classes of
persons, securities or transactions, from any provisions of section
12(d)(1) if the exemption is consistent with the public interest and
the protection of investors. Applicants seek an exemption under section
12(d)(1)(J) to permit a Fund of Funds to acquire shares of the Funds
and the Funds to sell their shares to the Fund of Funds beyond the
limits set forth in section 12(d)(1)(A) of that Act and the Funds, any
principal underwriter for a Fund, and any broker or dealer, to sell
shares of the Funds to the Funds of Funds in excess of the limits in
section 12(d)(1)(B) of the Act.
    3. Applicants state that the proposed arrangement will adequately
address the policy concerns underlying sections 12(d)(1)(A) and (B),
which include concerns about undue influence by a fund of funds over
underlying funds, excessive layering of fees, and overly complex fund
structures. Accordingly, applicants believe that the requested
exemption is consistent with the public interest and the protection of
investors.
    4. Applicants state that the proposed arrangement will not result
in undue influence by a Fund of Funds or its affiliates over the Funds.
To limit the influence that a Fund of Funds may have over a Fund,
applicants propose a condition prohibiting a Fund of Funds' Advisory
Group (as defined below) and a Fund of Funds' Subadvisory Group (as
defined below) from controlling a Fund within the meaning of section
2(a)(9) of the Act. To limit further the potential for undue influence
over the Funds, applicants propose conditions 2 through 7, stated
below, to preclude a Fund of Funds and its affiliated entities from
taking advantage of a Fund with respect to transactions between the
entities and to ensure the transactions will be on an arm's length
basis. A Fund of Funds' Advisory Group is any Fund of Funds Adviser,
any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with a
Fund of Funds Adviser, and any investment company or issuer that would
be an investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act
that is advised by a Fund of Funds Adviser or any person controlling,
controlled by, or under common control with a Fund of Funds Adviser. A
Fund of Funds' Subadvisory Group is any Fund of Funds Subadvisor, any
person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with a Fund
of Funds Subadvisor, and any investment company or issuer that would be
an investment company but for section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act (or
portion of such investment company or issuer) advised by the Fund of
Funds Subadvisor or any person controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with the Funds of Funds Subadvisor.
    5. As an additional assurance that a Fund of Funds understands the
implications of an investment by the Fund of Funds under the requested
order, each Fund of Funds and Fund will execute a Participation
Agreement (prior to an investment in the shares of the Fund in excess
of the limits of section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Act) stating that their
boards of directors or trustees (``Boards'') and their investment
advisers understand the terms and conditions of the order and agree to
fulfill their responsibilities under the order. Applicants note that a
Fund may choose to reject an investment from the Fund of Funds.
    6. Applicants do not believe that the proposed arrangement will
involve excessive layering of fees. Applicants state that the Board of
the Fund of Funds, including a majority of the directors or trustees
who are not ``interested persons,'' as such term is defined in section
2(a)(19) of the Act (``Disinterested Directors''), will find that the
investment advisory fees charged under any investment advisory
agreements are based on services provided that will be in addition to,
rather than duplicative of, services provided under the investment
advisory agreement(s) of any Fund in which the Fund of Funds may
invest. In addition, among other things, a Fund of Funds Adviser will
waive fees otherwise payable to it by a Fund of Funds in an amount at
least equal to any compensation received by the Fund of Funds Adviser,
or an affiliated person of the Fund of Funds Adviser, from the Funds in
connection with the investment by the Fund of Funds in the Fund.
Applicants also state that any sales charges and/or service fees
charged with respect to shares of a Fund of Funds will not exceed the
limits applicable to a fund of funds set forth in NASD Conduct Rule
2830.
    7. Applicants state that the proposed arrangement will not create
an overly complex fund structure. Applicants note a Fund will be
prohibited from acquiring securities of any investment company or
company relying on section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act in excess of
the limits contained in section 12(d)(1)(A), except to the extent
permitted by an exemptive order that allows the Fund to purchase shares
of an affiliated money market fund for short-term cash management
purposes.

B. Section 17(a)

    1. Section 17(a) of the Act generally prohibits sales or purchases
of securities between a registered investment company and any
affiliated person of the company. Section 2(a)(3) of the Act defines an
``affiliated person'' of another person to include any person 5% or
more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly or indirectly
owned, controlled, or held with power to vote by the other person.
    2. Applicants state that a Fund of Funds and a Fund might become
affiliated persons if the Fund of Funds acquires 5% or more of the
Fund's outstanding voting securities. In light of this possible
affiliation, section 17(a) could prevent a Fund from selling shares to
and redeeming shares from the Fund of Funds.
    3. Section 17(b) of the Act authorizes the Commission to grant an
order permitting a transaction otherwise prohibited by section 17(a) if
it finds that (a) the terms of the proposed transaction are fair and
reasonable and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person
concerned; (b) the proposed transaction is consistent with the policies
of each registered investment company involved; and (c) the proposed
transaction is consistent with the general purposes of the Act. Section
6(c) of the Act permits the Commission to exempt any class of persons
or transactions from any provisions of the Act if such exemption is
necessary or appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the
protection of investors and the purposes fairly intended by the policy
and provisions of the Act.
    4. Applicants submit that the proposed transactions satisfy the
standards for relief under sections 17(b) and 6(c) of the Act.
Applicants state that the terms of the transactions are fair and
reasonable and do not involve overreaching. Applicants note that the
consideration paid for the sale and redemption of shares of the Funds
will be based on the net asset values of the Funds. Applicants state
that the proposed transactions will be consistent with the policies of
each Fund of Funds as set forth in each Fund of Funds' registration
statement, the policies of each Fund, and with the general purposes of
the Act.

Applicants' Conditions

    Applicants agree that any order granting the requested relief will
be subject to the following conditions:
    1. The members of a Fund of Funds' Advisory Group will not control
(individually or in the aggregate) a Fund within the meaning of section
2(a)(9) of the Act. The members of a Fund of Funds' Subadvisory Group
will not control (individually or in the aggregate) a Fund within the
meaning of section 2(a)(9) of the Act. If, as a result of a decrease in
the outstanding voting securities of a Fund, the Fund of Funds'
Advisory Group or the Fund of Funds' Subadvisory Group, each in the
aggregate, becomes a holder of more than 25 percent of the outstanding
voting securities of a Fund, it will vote its shares of the Fund in the
same proportion as the vote of all other holders of the Fund's shares.
This condition does not apply to the Fund of Funds' Subadvisory Group
with respect to a Fund for which the Fund of Funds Subadvisor or a
person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the
Fund of Funds Subadvisor acts as the investment adviser within the
meaning of section 2(a)(20)(A) of the Act.
    2. No Fund of Funds or Fund of Funds Advisor, Fund of Funds
Subadvisor, promoter, or principal underwriter for a Fund of Funds, or
any person controlling, controlled by or under common control with any
of those entities (``Fund of Funds Affiliate'') will cause any existing
or potential investment by the Fund of Funds in shares of a Fund to
influence the terms of any services or transactions between the Fund of
Funds or a Fund of Funds Affiliate and the Fund or the investment
adviser(s), promoter or principal underwriter of a Fund, or any person
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with any of those
entities (``Fund Affiliate'').
    3. The Board of a Fund of Funds, including a majority of the
Disinterested Directors, will adopt procedures reasonably designed to
assure that the Fund of Funds Adviser and any Fund of Funds Subadvisor
are conducting the investment program of the Fund of Funds without
taking into account any consideration received by the Fund of Funds or
a Fund of Funds Affiliate from a Fund or a Fund Affiliate in connection
with any services or transactions.
    4. Once an investment by a Fund of Funds in the securities of a
Fund exceeds the limit in section 12(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, the Board
of the Fund, including a majority of the trustees who are not
``interested persons,'' as such term is defined in section 2(a)(19) of
the Act (``Disinterested Trustees''), will determine that any
consideration paid by the Fund to the Fund of Funds or a Fund of Funds
Affiliate in connection with any services or transactions: (a) Is fair
and reasonable in relation to the nature and quality of the services
and benefits received by the Fund; (b) is within the range of
consideration that the Fund would be required to pay to another
unaffiliated entity in connection with the same services or
transactions; and (c) does not involve overreaching on the part of any
person concerned. This condition does not apply with respect to any
services or transactions between a Fund and its investment adviser(s)
or any person controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
such investment adviser(s).
    5. No Fund of Funds or Fund of Funds Affiliate (except to the
extent it is acting in its capacity as an investment adviser to a Fund)
will cause a Fund to purchase a security during the existence of an
underwriting or selling syndicate in which a principal underwriter is
an officer, director, member of an advisory board, Fund of Funds
Adviser, Fund of Funds Subadvisor, or employee of the Fund of Funds, or
a person of which any such officer, director, member of an advisory
board, Fund of Funds Adviser, Fund of Funds Subadvisor or employee is
an affiliated person (``Underwriting Affiliate'' except that any person
whose relationship to a Fund is covered by section 10(f) of the Act is
not an Underwriting Affiliate). An offering of securities during the
existence of an underwriting or selling syndicate of which a principal
underwriter is an Underwriting Affiliate is an ``Affiliated
Underwriting.''
    6. The Board of a Fund, including a majority of the Disinterested
Trustees, will adopt procedures reasonably designed to monitor any
purchases of securities by the Fund in an Affiliated Underwriting once
an investment by a Fund of Funds in the securities of the Fund exceeds
the limit of section 12(d)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, including any purchases
made directly from an Underwriting Affiliate. The Board will review
these purchases periodically, but no less frequently than annually, to
determine whether the purchases were influenced by the investment by
the Fund of Funds in shares of the Fund. The Board shall consider,
among other things, (i) whether the purchases were consistent with the
investment objectives and policies of the Fund; (ii) how the
performance of securities purchased in an Affiliated Underwriting
compares to the performance of comparable securities purchased during a
comparable period of time in underwritings other than Affiliated
Underwritings or to a benchmark such as a comparable market index; and
(iii) whether the amount of securities purchased by the Fund in
Affiliated Underwritings and the amount

purchased directly from an Underwriting Affiliate have changed
significantly from prior years. The Board shall take any appropriate
actions based on its review, including, if appropriate, the institution
of procedures designed to assure that purchases of securities in
Affiliated Underwritings are in the best interest of shareholders.
    7. The Fund shall maintain and preserve permanently in an easily
accessible place a written copy of the procedures described in the
preceding condition, and any modifications to such procedures, and
shall maintain and preserve for a period of not less than six years
from the end of the fiscal year in which any purchase from an
Affiliated Underwriting occurred, the first two years in an easily
accessible place, a written record of each purchase of securities in
Affiliated Underwritings once an investment by a Fund of Funds in the
securities of a Fund exceeds the limit in section 12(d)(1)(A)(i) of the
Act, setting forth from whom the securities were acquired, the identity
of the underwriting syndicate's members, the terms of the purchase, and
the information or materials upon which the Board's determinations were
made.
    8. Before investing in shares of a Fund in excess of the limits in
section 12(d)(1)(A), each Fund of Funds and Fund will execute a
Participation Agreement stating, without limitation, that their Boards
and their investment advisers understand the terms and conditions of
the order and agree to fulfill their responsibilities under the order.
At the time of its investment in shares of a Fund in excess of the
limit in section 12(d)(1)(A)(i), a Fund of Funds will notify the Fund
of the investment. At such time, the Fund of Funds will also transmit
to the Fund a list of the names of each Fund of Funds Affiliate and
Underwriting Affiliate. The Fund of Funds will notify the Fund of any
changes to the list of the names as soon as reasonably practicable
after a change occurs. The Fund and the Fund of Funds will maintain and
preserve a copy of the order, the agreement, and the list with any
updated information for the duration of the investment and for a period
of not less than six years thereafter, the first two years in an easily
accessible place.
    9. Prior to approving any advisory contract under section 15 of the
Act, the Board of each Fund of Funds, including a majority of the
Disinterested Directors, will find that the advisory fees charged under
such advisory contract are based on services provided that will be in
addition to, rather than duplicative of, the services provided under
the advisory contract(s) of any Fund in which the Fund of Funds may
invest. These findings and their basis will be recorded fully in the
minute books of the appropriate Fund of Funds.
    10. A Fund of Funds Adviser will waive fees otherwise payable to it
by the Fund of Funds in an amount at least equal to any compensation
(including fees received pursuant to any plan adopted by a Fund under
rule 12b-1 under the Act) received from a Fund by the Fund of Funds
Adviser, or an affiliated person of the Fund of Funds Adviser, other
than any advisory fees paid to the Fund of Funds Adviser or its
affiliated person by the Fund, in connection with the investment by the
Fund of Funds in the Fund. Any Fund of Funds Subadvisor will waive fees
otherwise payable to the Fund of Funds Subadvisor, directly or
indirectly, by the Fund of Funds in an amount at least equal to any
compensation received from a Fund by the Fund of Funds Subadvisor, or
an affiliated person of the Fund of Funds Subadvisor, other than any
advisory fees paid to the Fund of Funds Subadvisor or its affiliated
person by the Fund, in connection with the investment by the Fund of
Funds in the Fund made at the direction of the Fund of Funds
Subadvisor. In the event that the Fund of Funds Subadvisor waives fees,
the benefit of the waiver will be passed through to the Fund of Funds.
    11. Any sales charges and/or service fees charged with respect to
shares of a Fund of Funds will not exceed the limits applicable to a
fund of funds as set forth in NASD Conduct Rule 2830.
    12. No Fund will acquire securities of any investment company or
company relying on section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the Act in excess of
the limits contained in section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Act, except to the
extent permitted by an exemptive order that allows the Fund to purchase
shares of an affiliated money market fund for short-term cash
management purposes.
    13. The Boards of any Fund of Funds and of any Fund will satisfy
the fund governance standards as defined in rule 0-1(a)(7) under the
Act by the later of (i) the compliance date for the rule or (ii) the
date on which the Fund of Funds and the Fund execute a Participation
Agreement.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Investment Management,
pursuant to delegated authority.
Jill M. Peterson,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. E6-5974 Filed 4-20-06; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010-01-P


[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 51 (Thursday, March 15, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11548-11553]
[FR Doc No: 2018-05214]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2018-0017]

Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program; Fire Prevention and
Safety Grants

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of guidance.

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SUMMARY: This Notice provides guidelines that describe the application
process for grants and the criteria the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) will use for awarding Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S)
grants in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Assistance to Firefighters Grant
(AFG) Program. It explains the differences, if any, between these
guidelines and those recommended by representatives of the Nation's
fire service leadership during the annual Criteria Development meeting,
which was held February 28--March 3, 2017. The application period for
the FY 2017 FP&S Grant Program year will be February 12, 2018--March
16, 2018, and will be announced on the AFG website (www.fema.gov/firegrants), www.grants.gov, and the U.S. Fire Administration website
(www.usfa.fema.gov).

DATES: Grant applications for the FP&S Grant Program will be accepted
electronically at https://portal.fema.gov, from February 12, 2018 at
8:00 a.m. ET to March 16, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

ADDRESSES: Assistance to Firefighters Grants Branch, DHS/FEMA, 400 C
Street SW, 3N, Washington, DC 20472-3635.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Catherine Patterson, Chief, Assistance
to Firefighters Grants Branch, 1-866-274-0960.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the FP&S Program is to reduce
fire and fire-related injuries and prevent deaths among the public and
firefighters by assisting fire prevention programs and supporting
firefighter health and safety research and development. The FEMA Grant
Programs Directorate administers the FP&S Grant Program as part of the
AFG Program.
    FP&S Grants are offered to support projects in two activities:
    1. Activities designed to reach high-risk target groups and
mitigate the incidence of death, injuries, and property damage caused
by fire and fire-related hazards (``FP&S Activity'').
    2. Projects aimed at improving firefighter safety, health, or
wellness through research and development that reduces firefighter
fatalities and injuries (``R&D Activity'').
    The grant program's authorizing statute requires that DHS publish
in the Federal Register each year the guidelines that describe the
application process and the criteria for grant awards. Approximately
1,000 applications for FP&S Grant Program funding are anticipated to be
submitted electronically, using the application submission form and
process available at the AFG e-Grant application portal: https://portal.fema.gov. Specific information about the submission of grant
applications can be found in the FY 2017 Fire Prevention and Safety
Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which will be available
for download at www.fema.gov/firegrants and at www.regulations.gov
under Docket ID: FEMA-2018-0017.

Appropriations

    Congress appropriated $345,000,000 for AFG in FY 2017 pursuant to
the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2017, Public
Law 115-31. From this amount, $34,500,000 will be made available for
FP&S Grant awards, pursuant to 15 U.S.C. 2229(h)(5), which states that
not less than 10 percent of available grant funds each year are awarded
under the FP&S Grant Program. Funds appropriated for all FY 2017 AFG
awards, pursuant to Public Law 115-31, will be available for obligation
and award until September 30, 2018.
    From the approximately 1,000 applications that will be requesting
assistance, FEMA anticipates that it will award approximately 150 FP&S
Grants from available grant funding.

Background of the AFG Program

    DHS awards grants on a competitive basis to applicants that best
address the FP&S Grant Program's priorities and provide the most
compelling justification. Applications that best address the Program's
priorities will be reviewed by a panel composed of fire service
personnel.

Award Criteria

    All applications for grants will be prepared and submitted through
the AFG e-Grant application portal (https://portal.fema.gov).
    The FP&S Grant Program panels will review the applications and
score them using the following criteria areas:

 Financial Need
 Vulnerability Statement
 Implementation Plan
 Evaluation Plan
 Cost-Benefit
 Funding Priorities

    The applications submitted under the R&D Activity will be reviewed
first by a panel of fire service members to identify those applications
most relevant to the fire service. The following evaluation criteria
will be used for this review:

 Purpose
 Potential Impact
 Implementation by the Fire Service
 Partners
 Barriers

    The applications that are determined most likely to enable
improvement in firefighter safety, health, or wellness will be deemed
to be in the ``competitive range'' and forwarded to the second level of
application review, which is the scientific panel review process. This
panel will be comprised of scientists and technology experts who have
expertise pertaining to the subject matter of the proposal.
    The Scientific Technical Evaluation Panel for the R&D Activity will
review the application and evaluate it using the following criteria:

 Project goals, objectives, and specific aims
 Literature Review
 Project Methods
 Project Measurements
 Project Analysis
 Dissemination and Implementation
 Cost vs. Benefit (additional consideration)
 Financial Need (additional consideration)
 Mentoring (additional consideration for Early Career
Investigator Projects only)

Eligible Applicants

    Under the FY 2017 FP&S Grant Program, eligible applicants are
limited to those entities described below within each activity:
    1. Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Activity: Eligible applicants
for this activity include fire departments; and national, regional,
State, local, federally recognized tribal, and nonprofit organizations
that are recognized for their experience and expertise in fire
prevention and safety programs and activities. Both private and public
non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding in this
activity. For-profit organizations, Federal agencies, and individuals
are not eligible to receive a FP&S Grant Award under the FP&S Activity.
    2. Firefighter Safety Research and Development (R&D) Activity:
Eligible applicants for this activity include national, State, local,
federally recognized tribal, and nonprofit organizations, such as
academic (e.g., universities), public health, occupational health, and
injury prevention institutions. Both private and public non-profit
organizations are eligible to apply for funding in this activity.
    The aforementioned entities are encouraged to apply, especially
those that are recognized for their experience and expertise in
firefighter safety, health, and wellness research and development
activities. Fire departments are not eligible to apply for funding in
the R&D activity. Additionally, for-profit organizations, Federal
agencies, and individuals are not eligible to receive a grant award
under the R&D Activity.

Funding Limitations

    Awards are limited to a maximum federal share of $1.5 million
dollars, regardless of applicant type, in accordance with 15 U.S.C.
2229(d)(2). FP&S Research and Development applicants applying under the
Early Career Investigator category are limited to a maximum federal
share of $75,000 per project year.

Cost Sharing

    Grant recipients must share in the costs of the projects funded
under this grant program as required by 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(1) and in
accordance with 2 CFR 200.101(b)(1), but they are not required to have
the cost-share at the time of application nor at the time of award.
However, before a grant is awarded, FEMA may contact potential awardees
to determine whether the grant recipient has the funding in hand or
whether the grant recipient has a viable plan to obtain the funding
necessary to fulfill the cost-sharing requirement.
    In general, an eligible applicant seeking an FP&S grant to carry
out an activity shall agree to make available non-Federal funds to
carry out such activity in an amount equal to, and not less than, 5
percent of the grant awarded. Cash match and in-kind matches are both
allowable in the FP&S Grant Program. Cash (hard) matches include non-
Federal cash spent for project-related costs. In-kind (soft) matches
include, but are not limited to, the valuation of in-kind services;
complementary activities; and provision of staff, facilities, services,
material, or equipment. In-kind is the value of something received or
provided that does not have a cost associated with it. For example,
where an in-kind match (other than cash payments) is permitted, then
the value of donated services could be used to comply with the match
requirement. Also, third party in-kind contributions may count toward
satisfying match requirements provided the grant recipient receiving
the contributions expends them as allowable costs in compliance with
provisions listed above.
    Grant recipients under this program must also agree to a
maintenance of effort requirement per 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(3) (referred to
as a ``maintenance of expenditure'' requirement in that statute). Per
this requirement, a grant recipient shall agree to maintain during the
term of the grant, the grant recipient's aggregate expenditures
relating to the activities allowable under the FP&S NOFO at not less
than 80 percent of the average amount of such expenditures in the 2
fiscal years preceding the fiscal year in which the grant amounts are
received.
    In cases of demonstrated economic hardship and upon the request of
the grant recipient, the FEMA Administrator may waive or reduce certain
grant recipient's cost share or maintenance of expenditure requirements
(15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(4)(A)). As required by 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(4)(B), the
Administrator established guidelines for determining what constitutes
economic hardship and published these guidelines at FEMA's website
www.fema.gov/grants. Per 15 U.S.C. 2229(k)(4)(C), FP&S nonprofit
organization grant recipients that are not fire departments or
emergency medical services organizations are not eligible to receive a
waiver of their cost share or economic hardship requirements.

System for Award Management (SAM)

    Per 2 CFR 25.200, all grant applicants and recipients are required
to register in https://SAM.gov, which is available free of charge. They
must maintain validated information in SAM that is consistent with the
data provided in their AFG grant application and in the Dun &
Bradstreet (DUNS) database. FEMA will not accept any application,
process any awards, consider any payment or amendment requests, or
consider any amendment unless the applicant or grant recipient has
complied with the requirements to provide a valid DUNS number and an
active SAM registration with current information. The banking
information, employer identification number (EIN), organization/entity
name, address, and DUNS number provided in the application must match
the information that is provided in SAM.

Application Process

    Applicants may only submit one application, but may submit for up
to three projects under each activity (FP&S and R&D). Any applicant
that submits more than one application may have all applications deemed
ineligible.
    Under the FP&S Activity, applicants may apply under the following
categories:

 Community Risk Reduction
 Fire & Arson Investigation
 Code Enforcement/Awareness
 National/State/Regional Programs and Studies

    Under the R&D Activity, applicants may apply under the following
categories:

 Clinical Studies
 Technology and Product Development
 Database System Development
 Dissemination and Implementation Research
 Preliminary Studies
 Early Career Investigator

    Prior to the start of the FY 2017 FP&S Grant Program application
period, FEMA provided applicants with technical assistance tools
(available at the AFG website: www.fema.gov/firegrants) and other
online information to help them prepare quality grant applications. AFG
will also staff a Help Desk throughout the application period to assist
applicants with navigation through the automated application as well as
assistance with related questions. Applicants can reach the AFG Help
Desk through a toll-free telephone number (1-866-274-0960) or email
([email protected]).
    Applicants are advised to access the application electronically at
https://portal.fema.gov. The application also is accessible from the
Grants.gov website

(http://www.grants.gov). New applicants are required to register and
establish a username and password for secure access to their
application. Applicants that applied to any previous AFG or Staffing
for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) funding opportunities
are required to use their previously established usernames and
passwords when applying for an FP&S grant.
    In completing an application under this funding opportunity,
applicants will be asked to provide relevant information on their
organization's characteristics and existing capabilities. Those
applicants are asked to answer questions about their grant request that
reflect the funding priorities, described below. In addition, each
applicant will complete narratives for each project or grant activity
requested.
    The following are the funding priorities for each category under
the FP&S Activity:
     Community Risk Reduction--Under the Community Risk
Reduction category there are three funding priorities:
    [cir] Priority will be given to programs that target a specific
high-risk population to conduct both door-to-door smoke alarm
installations and provide home safety inspections, as part of a
comprehensive home fire safety campaign.
    [cir] Priority will be given to programs that include sprinkler
awareness that affect the entire community, such as educating the
public about residential sprinklers, promoting residential sprinklers,
and demonstrating working models of residential sprinklers.
    [cir] Priority will be given to programs to conduct community-
appropriate comprehensive risk assessments and risk reduction planning.
     Code Enforcement/Awareness--These are projects that focus
on first time or reinstatement of code adoption and code enforcement,
including Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) codes for communities with a
WUI-wildfire risk.
     Fire & Arson Investigation--These are projects that aim to
aggressively investigate every fire.
     National/State/Regional Programs and Studies--These are
projects that focus on residential fire issues and/or firefighter
behavior and decision-making.
    Under the R&D Activity, in order to identify and address the most
important elements of firefighter safety, FEMA looked to the fire
service for its input and recommendations. In June 2005, the National
Fallen Firefighters' Foundation (NFFF) hosted a working group to
facilitate the development of an agenda for the Nation's fire service,
and in particular for firefighter safety. In November 2015, the NFFF
hosted its third working group to update the agenda with current
priorities. A copy of the research agenda is available on the NFFF
website at http://www.everyonegoeshome.com/resources/research-symposium-reports/.
    All proposed projects, regardless of whether they have been
identified by this working group, will be evaluated on their relevance
to firefighter health and safety, and scientific rigor.
    The electronic application process will permit the applicant to
enter and save the application data. The system does not permit the
submission of incomplete applications. Except for the narrative
textboxes, the application will use a ``point-and-click'' selection
process or require the entry of data (e.g., name and address).
Applicants are encouraged to read the FP&S NOFO for more details.

Criteria Development Process

    Each year, DHS convenes a panel of fire service professionals to
develop the funding priorities and other implementation criteria for
AFG. The Criteria Development Panel is composed of representatives from
nine major fire service organizations that are charged with making
recommendations to FEMA regarding the creation of new funding
priorities, the modification of existing funding priorities, and the
development of criteria for awarding grants. The nine major fire
service organizations represented on the panel:

 Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI)
 International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI)
 International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
 International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
 International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI)
 National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM)
 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
 National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC)
 North American Fire Training Directors (NAFTD)

    The FY 2017 criteria development panel meeting occurred February
28-March 3, 2017. The content of the FY 2017 FP&S Notice of Funding
Opportunity reflects the implementation of the Criteria Development
Panel's recommendations with respect to the priorities, direction, and
criteria for awards. All of the funding priorities for the FY 2017 FP&S
Grant Program are designed to address the following:

 First responder safety
 Enhancing national capabilities
 Risk
 Interoperability

Changes for FY 2017

FY 2017 FP&S Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement

    (1) Under the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity, a new priority
has been added under the Community Risk Reduction Category to add
community-appropriate comprehensive risk assessments and risk reduction
planning.
    (2) Under the Fire Prevention and Safety Activity, clarification
has been provided to the Code Enforcement/Awareness Priority to ensure
inclusion of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) codes for communities with
a WUI-wildfire risk.
    (3) Under the Research and Development Activity, a new category has
been added for Early Career Investigator projects.
    (4) Under the Research and Development Activity, special emphasis
topics have been added.

Application Review Process and Considerations

    The program's authorizing statute requires that each year DHS
publish in the Federal Register a description of the grant application
process and the criteria for grant awards. This information is provided
below.
    DHS will review and evaluate all FP&S applications submitted using
the funding priorities and evaluation criteria described in this
document, which are based on recommendations from the AFG Criteria
Development Panel.

Peer Review Process

Peer Review Panel Process--Fire Prevention and Safety Activity

    All FP&S activity applications will be evaluated by a peer review
process. A panel of peer reviewers is composed of fire service
representatives recommended by the Criteria Development Panel. These
reviewers will assess each application's merits with respect to the
detail provided in the Narrative Statement on the activity, including
the evaluation elements listed in the Evaluation Criteria identified
below. The panel will independently score each project within the
application, discuss the merits and/or shortcomings of the application,
and document the findings. A consensus is not required.

Peer Review Panel Process--Research and Development Activity

    R&D applications will go through a two-phase review process. First,
all applications will be reviewed by a panel of fire service experts to
assess the need for the research results and the likelihood that the
results would be implemented by the fire service in the United States.
Applications that are deemed likely to be implemented to enable
improvement in firefighter safety, health, or wellness will be deemed
to be in the ``competitive range'' and will be forwarded to the second
level of project review, which is the science review panel process.
This panel will be composed of scientists and technology experts who
have expertise pertaining to the subject matter of the proposal.
    Scientific reviewers will independently score applications in the
competitive range and, if necessary, discuss the merits or shortcomings
of the project in order to reconcile any major discrepancies identified
by the reviewers. A consensus is not required.

Technical Evaluation Process

    The highest ranked projects from both Activities will be deemed in
the fundable range. Applications that are in the fundable range will
undergo a Technical Review by the FEMA Program Office prior to being
recommended for award. The FEMA Program Office will assess the request
with respect to costs, quantities, feasibility, eligibility, and
recipient responsibility prior to recommending any application for
award.
    Once the review process is complete, each project's score will be
determined and a final ranking of project applications will be created.
FEMA will award grants based on this final ranking. Award announcements
will be made on a rolling basis until all available grant funds have
been committed. Awards will not be made in any specified order. DHS
will notify unsuccessful applicants as soon as it is feasible.

Evaluation Criteria for Projects--Fire Prevention and Safety Activity

    Funding decisions will be informed by an assessment of how well the
application addresses the criteria and considerations listed below.
Applications will be reviewed by the peer reviewers using weighted
evaluation criteria to score the project. These scores will impact the
ranking of a project for funding.
    The relative weight of the evaluation criteria in the determination
of the grant award is listed below.
     Financial Need (10%): Applicants should provide details on
the need for financial assistance to carry out the proposed project(s).
Included in the description might be other unsuccessful attempts to
acquire financial assistance or specific examples of the applicant's
operational budget.
     Vulnerability Statement (25%): The assessment of fire risk
is essential in the development of an effective project goal, as well
as meeting FEMA's goal to reduce risk by conducting a risk assessment
as a basis for action. Vulnerability is a ``weak link'' demonstrating
high risk behavior, living conditions or any type of high risk
situation or behavior. The Vulnerability Statement should include a
description of the steps taken to determine the vulnerability (weak
link) and identify the target audience. The methodology for
determination of vulnerability (i.e., how the weak link was found)
should be discussed in-depth in the application's rrative Statement.
    [cir] The specific vulnerability (weak link) that will be addressed
with the proposed project can be established through a formal or
informal risk assessment. FEMA encourages the use of local statistics,
rather than national statistics, when discussing the vulnerability.
    [cir] The applicant should summarize the vulnerability (weakness)
the project will address in a clear, to-the-point statement that
addresses who is at risk, what the risks are, where the risks are, and
how the risks can be prevented.
    [cir] For the purpose of the FY 2017 FP&S NOFO, formal risk
assessments consist of the use of software programs or recognized
expert analysis that assess risk trends.
    [cir] Informal risk assessments could include an in-house review of
available data (e.g., tional Fire Incident Reporting System) to
determine fire loss, burn injuries or loss of life over a period of
time, and the factors that are the cause and origin for each
occurrence.
     Implementation Plan (25%): Projects should provide details
on the implementation plan, discussing the proposed project's goals and
objectives. The following information should be included to support the
implementation plan:
    [cir] Goals and objectives.
    [cir] Details regarding the methods and specific steps that will be
used to achieve the goals and objectives.
    [cir] Timelines outlining the chronological project steps.
    [cir] Where applicable, examples of marketing efforts to promote
the project, who will deliver the project (e.g., effective
partnerships), and the manner in which materials or deliverables will
be distributed.
    [cir] Requests for props (i.e., tools used in educational or
awareness demonstrations), including specific goals, measurable
results, and details on the frequency for which the prop will be
utilized as part of the implementation plan. Applicants should include
information describing the efforts that will be used to reach the high
risk audience and/or the number of people reached through the proposed
project.
     Evaluation Plan (25%): Projects should include an
evaluation of effectiveness and should identify measurable goals.
Applicants seeking to carry out awareness and educational projects, for
example, should identify how they intend to determine that there has
been an increase in knowledge about fire hazards, or measure a change
in the safety behaviors of the audience. Applicants should demonstrate
how they will measure risk at the outset of the project in comparison
to how much the risk decreased after the project is finished. There are
various ways to measure the knowledge gained including the use of
surveys, pre- and post-tests, or documented observations.
     Cost-Benefit (10%): Projects will be evaluated based on
how well the applicant addresses the fire prevention needs of the
department or organization in an economical and efficient manner. The
applicant should show how it will maximize the level of funding that
goes directly into the delivery of the project. The costs associated
with the project must also be reasonable for the target audience that
will be reached, and a description of how the anticipated benefit(s) of
their projects outweighs the cost(s) of the requested item(s) should be
included. The application should provide justification for all costs
included in the project in order to assist the FEMA Program Office with
the Technical Evaluation Panel review.
     Funding Priorities (5%): Applicants will be evaluated on
whether the proposed project meets the stated funding priority (listed
below) for the applicable category.
    [cir] Community Risk Reduction Priority: Comprehensive home fire
safety campaign with door-to-door smoke alarm installations and/or
sprinkler awareness and/or community risk assessments.
    [cir] Fire/Arson Investigation Priority: Projects that aim to
aggressively investigate every fire.
    [cir] Code Enforcement/Awareness Priority: Projects that focus on
first time or reinstatement of code adoption and code enforcement,
including Wildland

Urban Interface (WUI) codes for communities with a WUI-wildfire risk.
    [cir] National/State/Regional Programs and Studies Priority:
Projects that focus on residential fire issues, and/or firefighter
safety projects or strategies that are designed to measurably change
firefighter behavior and decision-making.
    [ssquf] Meeting the needs of people with disabilities (additional
consideration): Applicants in the Community Risk Reduction category
will receive additional consideration if, as part of their
comprehensive smoke alarm installation and education program, they
address the needs of people with disabilities (e.g., deaf/hard-of-
hearing) in their community.
    [ssquf] Experience and Expertise (additional consideration):
Applicants that demonstrate their experience and ability to conduct
fire prevention and safety activities, and to execute the proposed or
similar project(s), will receive additional consideration.

Evaluation Criteria--Firefighter Safety Research and Development
Activity

    Funding decisions will be informed by an assessment of how well the
application addresses the criteria and considerations listed below. All
applications will be reviewed by a fire service expert panel using
weighted evaluation criteria, and those projects deemed to be in the
``competitive range'' will then be reviewed by a scientific peer review
panel evaluation using weighted evaluation criteria to score the
project. Scientific evaluations will impact the ranking of the project
for funding.
    Fire Service Evaluation Criteria:
     Purpose (25%): Applicants should clearly identify the
benefits of the proposed research project to improve firefighter
safety, health, or wellness, and identify specific gaps in knowledge
that will be addressed.
     Implementation by Fire Service (25%): Applicants should
discuss how the outcomes/products of this research, if successful, are
likely to be widely/nationally adopted and accepted by the fire service
as changes that enhance firefighter safety, health, or wellness.
     Potential Impact (15%): Applicants should discuss the
potential impact of the research outcome/product on firefighter safety
by quantifying the possible reduction in the number of fatal or non-
fatal injuries, or on the projected wellness by significantly improving
the overall health of firefighters.
     Barriers (15%): The applicant needs to identify and
discuss potential fire service and other barriers to successfully
complete the study on schedule, including contingencies and strategies
to deal with barriers if they materialize. This may include barriers
that could inhibit the proposed fire service participation in the study
or the adoption of successful results by the fire service when the
project is completed.
     Partners (20%): Applicants should recognize that
participation of the fire service as a partner in the research, from
development to dissemination, is regarded as an essential part of all
projects. Applicants should describe the fire service partners and
contractors that will support the project to accomplish the objectives
of the study. The specific roles and contributions of the partners
should be described. Partnerships may be formed with local and regional
fire departments, and also with national fire-related organizations.
Letters of support and letters of commitment to actively participate in
the project should be included in the appendix of the application.
Generally, participants of a diverse population, including both career
and volunteer firefighters, are expected to facilitate acceptance of
results nationally. In cases where this is not practical, due to the
nature of the study or other limitations, these circumstances should
clearly be explained.
    Science Panel Evaluation Criteria:
     Project goals, objectives, and specific aims (15%):
Applicants should address how the purpose, goals, objectives, and aims
of the proposal will lead to results that will improve firefighter
safety, health, or wellness. For multi-year projects, greater detail
should be given for the first year.
     Literature Review (10%): Applicants should provide a
literature review that is relevant to the project's goals, objectives,
and specific aims. The citations should be placed in the text of the
narrative statement, with references listed at the end of the Narrative
Statement (and not in the Appendix) of the application. The review
should be in sufficient depth to make it clear that the proposed
project is necessary, adds to an existing body of knowledge, is
different from current and previous studies, and offers a unique
contribution.
     Project Methods (20%): Applicants should provide a
description of how the project will be carried out, including
demonstration of the overall scientific and technical rigor and merit
of the project. This includes the operations to accomplish the purpose,
goals and objectives, and the specific aims of the project. Plans to
recruit and retain human participants for research, where applicable,
should be described. Where human participants are involved in the
project, the applicant should describe plans for submission to the
Institutional Review Board (for further guidance and requirements, see
page 23 of the FY 2017 FP&S NOFO.
     Project Measurements (20%): Applicants should provide
evidence of the technical rigor and merit of the project, such as data
pertaining to validity, reliability, and sensitivity (where
established) of the facilities, equipment, instruments, standards, and
procedures that will be used to carry out the research. The applicant
should discuss the data to be collected to evaluate the performance
methods, technologies, and products proposed to enhance firefighter
safety, health, or wellness. The applicant should demonstrate that the
measurement methods and equipment selected for use are appropriate and
sufficient to successfully deliver the proposed project objectives.
     Project Analysis (20%): The applicant should indicate the
planned approach for analysis of the data obtained from measurements,
questionnaires, or computations. The applicant should specify within
the plan what will be analyzed, the statistical methods that will be
used, the sequence of steps, and interactions as appropriate. It should
be clear that the Principal Investigator and research team have the
expertise to perform the planned analysis and defend the results in a
peer review process.
     Dissemination and Implementation (15%): Applicants should
indicate dissemination plans for scientific audiences (such as plans
for submissions to specific peer review publications) and for
firefighter audiences (such as websites, magazines, and conferences).
Also, assuming positive results, the applicant should indicate future
steps that would support dissemination and implementation throughout
the fire service, where applicable. These steps are likely to be beyond
the current study, so those features of the research activity that will
facilitate future dissemination and implementation should be discussed.
All applicants should specify how the results of the project, if
successful, might be disseminated and implemented in the fire service
to improve firefighter safety, health, or wellness. It is expected that
successful R&D Activity Projects may give rise to future programs
including FP&S Activity Projects.
     Cost vs. Benefit (additional consideration): Cost vs.
benefit in this evaluation element refers to the costs of the grant for
the research and

development project as it relates to the benefits that are projected
for firefighters who would have improved safety, health, or wellness.
Applicants should demonstrate a high benefit for the cost incurred, and
effective utilization of Federal funds for research activities.
     Financial Need (additional consideration): In the
Applicant Information section of the application, applicants should
provide details on the need for Federal financial assistance to carry
out the proposed project(s). Applicants may include a description of
unsuccessful attempts to acquire financial assistance. Applicants
should provide detail about the organization's operating budget,
including a high-level breakdown of the budget; describe the
department's inability to address financial needs without Federal
assistance; and discuss other actions the department has taken to meet
their staffing needs (e.g., State assistance programs, other grant
programs, etc.).
     Mentoring (additional consideration for Early Career
Investigator Projects only): An important part of Early Career
Investigator projects is the integration of mentoring for the principal
investigator by experienced researchers in areas appropriate to the
research project, including exposure to the fire service community as
well as support for ongoing development of knowledge and skills.
Mentoring is regarded as critical to the research skills development of
early career principal investigators. As part of the application
Appendix, the applicant should identify the mentor(s) who have agreed
to support the applicant and the expected benefit of their interactions
with the researcher. A biographical sketch and letter of support from
the mentor(s) are encouraged and should be included in the Appendix
materials.

Other Selection Information

    Awards will be made using the results of peer-reviewed applications
as the primary basis for decisions, regardless of activity. However,
there are some exceptions to strictly using the peer review results.
The applicant's prior AFG, SAFER, and FP&S grant management performance
will also be taken into consideration when making recommendations for
award. All final funding determinations will be made by the FEMA
Administrator, or the Administrator's designee.
    Fire departments and other eligible applicants that have received
funding under the FP&S Grant Program in previous years are eligible to
apply for funding in the current year. However, DHS may take into
account an applicant's performance on prior grants when making funding
decisions on current applications.
    Once every application in the competitive range has been through
the technical evaluation phase, the applications will be ranked
according to the average score awarded by the panel.
    The ranking will be summarized in a Technical Report prepared by
the AFG Program Office. A Grants Management Specialist will contact the
applicant to discuss and/or negotiate the content of the application
and SAM.gov registration before making final award decisions.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 2229.

    Dated: March 9, 2018.
Brock Long,
Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2018-05214 Filed 3-14-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9111-64-P