ITA-INA-OTEXA-2014-2004216 FFO Report.pdf

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Federal Agency Name(s): International Trade Administration (ITA), Department of Commerce

Funding Opportunity Title: Grants to Manufacturers of Certain Worsted Wool Fabrics 2014

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: ITA-INA-OTEXA-2014-2004216

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.113, Export promotion and

Special Projects

Dates: Full applications by eligible U.S. producers of certain worsted wool fabrics must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before

5 p.m. EDT, October 3, 2014. Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by

Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected/returned to the sender without further consideration. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

Funding Opportunity Description: The purpose of this notice is to inform potential applicants that the Department of Commerce is providing financial assistance in calendar year 2014 for

U.S. manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics.

Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of 2004

(Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the "Act") as amended by the Emergency Economic

Stabilization Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-343, 122 Stat.3765), authorizes the Secretary of

Commerce to provide grants to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted wool fabrics. The first category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing

85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters greater than 18.5 micron

(Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) heading 9902.51.11); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS

9902.51.11. The second category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less (HTS heading 9902.51.15, previously HTS heading 9902.51.12); the total amount of available funds is

$2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.15.

Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be provided by the Department of the

Treasury from amounts in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (the "Trust Fund"). The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2014. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in calendar year

2014.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objective

To execute section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections

Act 2004 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603), which authorizes the Secretary of

Commerce to provide grants to manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics.

B. Program Priorities

Section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of

2004 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the "Act") as amended by the Emergency

Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-343, 122 Stat.3765), authorizes the

Secretary of Commerce to provide grants to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, manufacturers of two categories of worsted wool fabrics. The first category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters greater than 18.5 micron (Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) heading

9902.51.11); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.11. The second category are manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics, containing 85 percent or more by weight of wool, with average fiber diameters of 18.5 micron or less (HTS heading 9902.51.15, previously HTS heading 9902.51.12); the total amount of available funds is $2,666,000, to be allocated among such manufacturers on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of worsted wool fabric included in HTS 9902.51.15.

C. Program Authority

Section 4002(c)(6) (A) of the Miscellaneous Trade and Technical Corrections Act of

2004 (Public Law 108-429, 118 Stat. 2603) (the "Act"), as amended by Section 1633 of the

Pension Protection Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-280); Division C, Title 111, Section 325 (b) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-343) extends availability of grant funds through 2014.

II. Award Information

A. Funding Availability

The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under section 4002(c)(6)(A) of the Act to provide grants to manufacturers of certain worsted wool fabrics. Funding for the worsted wool fabrics grant program will be provided by the Department of the Treasury from amounts in the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund (the "Trust Fund"). The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.11 shall be $2,666,000 in calendar year 2014. The total amount of grants to manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics described in HTS 9902.51.15 shall also be $2,666,000 in calendar year

2014.

B. Project/Award Period

This program will cover an award period of 6 months.

C. Type of Funding Instrument

The funding instrument for awards will be a grant.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

The worsted wool fabrics grant program is open to persons (including firms, corporations, or other legal entities) who were, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001, manufacturers of worsted wool fabrics in the United States of the kind described in HTS

9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15. Only manufacturers who weave worsted wool fabric in the United

States as of the date of application shall be eligible for grant funds. Any manufacturer who becomes a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer of the worsted wool fabrics described in

HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a reorganization or otherwise, shall be eligible to apply for such grants.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement

No cost sharing or matching requirements is required for the Worsted Wool Fabric program.

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility

None

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address to Request Application Package

The standard application package is available at http:// www.grants.gov. For applicants without internet access, an application package may be received by contacting Mrs. Pamela

Kirkland, Eastern Hemisphere, Office of Textiles and Apparel - Rm 31008, International

Trade Administration, U.S. Department Commerce, Washington D.C. 20230, phone (202)

482-3587, e-mail: Pamela.Kirkland@trade.gov

B. Content and Form of Application

The items listed below are required before an award can be made. Failure to submit items below by the application date will result in the application not being reviewed. October

3, 2014 is to be used as the proposed start date on application unless otherwise directed by the ITA Program Officer.

Applicants must have produced in the United States, during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001, worsted wool fabrics of a kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15.

Applicants must also provide:

(1) company name, address, contact and phone number;

(2) Federal tax identification number;

(3) the name and address of each plant or location in the United States where worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 was woven by the applicant in 1999, 2000 and 2001;

(4) the name and address of each plant or location in the United States where the applicant is weaving worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS

9902.5115 as of the date of application;

(5) the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS

9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; and

(6) the value of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 or

9902.51.15, as appropriate, woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.

This data must indicate actual production (not estimates) of worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15.

At the conclusion of the application, the applicant must attest that "all information contained in the application is complete and correct and no false claims, statements, or representations have been made." Applicants should be aware that, generally, pursuant to 31

U.S.C. 3729, persons providing a false or fraudulent claims, and, pursuant to 18 U.S.C.

1001, persons making materially false statements or representations, are subject to civil or criminal penalties, respectively.

Information that is marked "business confidential" will be protected from disclosure to the full extent permitted by law.

Complete applications must also include the following forms and documents:

CD-346, Applicant for Funding Assistance

CD-511, Certification Regarding Lobbying

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

SF-424B, Assurances - Non-Construction Programs

Optional Forms SF LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

C. Submission Dates and Times

Full applications by eligible U.S. producers of certain worsted wool fabrics must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service on or before 5 p.m. EDT, October 3, 2014. Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected/returned to the sender without further consideration. Use of U.S. mail or another delivery service must be documented with a receipt. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

D. Intergovernmental Review

Applications under this program are not subject to Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs".

E. Funding Restrictions

None

F. Other Submission Requirements

None

Applications should be submitted through grants.gov. For those applications without internet access, complete applications may be sent to Mrs. Pamela Kirkland, Eastern

Hemisphere, Office of Textiles and Apparel - Rm 31008, International Trade

Administration, U.S. Department Commerce, Washington D.C. 20230, phone (202) 482-

3587. If the application is mailed, one (1) signed original plus one (1) copy of the application must be submitted. Electronic mail facsimile transmissions of applications will not be accepted. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered.

V. Application Review Information

A. Evaluation Criteria

For the worsted wool fabrics grant program, the technical reviewers will use the following criteria to evaluate the applications:

1. Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) produced in the United States worsted wool fabrics of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or 9902.51.15 during calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001.

2. Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) is weaving in the United States worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 as of the date of application.

3. Whether the applicant (including persons, firms, corporations, or other legal entities) was a successor-of-interest to a manufacturer who produced in the United States worsted wool fabric of the kind described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS 9902.51.15 during calendar years 1999, 2000 or 2001 because of a reorganization or otherwise. Such applicants shall be eligible to apply for such grants.

4. For each applicant, the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and

2001.

B. Review and Selection Process

All applications received in response to this announcement will be reviewed to determine whether they are complete and responsive to the content and form of application submission requirements as published in this notice.

Responsive applications will be reviewed by an independent, objective panel composed of at least three individuals who are knowledgeable about worsted wool fabric production.

The panel will conduct a technical review of applications based on the evaluation criteria listed above. The worsted wool fabrics grant program Selecting Official in the Office of

Textiles and Apparel will make the award selection.

C. Selection Factors

For each applicant, the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.11 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and 2001; or the quantity, in linear yards, of worsted wool fabric production described in HTS 9902.51.15 woven in the United States in each of calendar years 1999, 2000 and

2001. The grants are to be allocated among eligible applicants on the basis of the percentage of each manufacturers' production of the fabric described in HTS 9902.51.11 or HTS

9902.51.15, as appropriate, for calendar years 1999, 2000, and 2001, compared to the production of such fabric by all manufacturers who qualify for such grants.

D. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Awards are anticipated to be made by December 1, 2014.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Successful applications will receive notification that the application has been recommended for funding to the NOAA Grants Management Division. This notification is not an authorization to begin the project. Official notification of funding from the NOAA grants Officer is the authorization that allows the projects to begin. Notification will be issued to the authorizing Official of the project either electronically or in hard copy.

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their applications were not selected for recommendation.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notifications for Grants and Cooperative

Agreements, which are contained in the Federal Register Notice of December 17, 2012 (77

FR 74634), are applicable to this solicitation: Administrative and national policy requirements for all Department of Commerce awards are contained in the Department of

Commerce Pre-Award Notification requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register notice of December 17, 2012 (77 FR 74634). A copy of the notice may be obtained at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/searctl.html

C. Reporting

Award recipients will be required to submit financial reports. This report is to be submitted electronically through the NOAA Grants Online system unless the recipient does not have internet access, in which case hard copy submission will be accepted. Performance reports are not required pursuant to statute.

VII. Agency Contacts

Technical questions can be directed to Pamela Kirkland, Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, (202) 482-3587; Pamela.Kirkland@trade.gov. All grants related administration questions concerning this program should be addressed to: Janet

Russell, Department of Commerce Grants Officer, (301) 628-1318;

Janet.J.Russell@noaa.gov. For assistance with using grants.gov, contact support@grants.gov.

VIII. Other Information

None