Tribal Self-Governance Notice of Availability of Self-Governance BIA Negotiation and Non-BIA Planning/Negotiation Grants

The tribal self-governance program is designed to promote self-determination by allowing tribes to assume more control through negotiated annual funding agreements of programs operated by the Department of the Interior. The Tribal Self-Governance Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-413) allows for negotiations to be conducted for programs operated by BIA and for programs operated by other bureaus and offices within the Department that are otherwise available to Indians or when there is an historical, cultural, or geographic connection to an Indian tribe.

The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of BIA negotiation and non-BIA planning/negotiation grants in accordance with the self-governance interim rule published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1996. The applicable interim rules were established at 25 CFR 1001.7, 1001.8, and 1001.10 and will be used to govern the application and selection process for tribes/consortia to receive fiscal year 1999 BIA negotiation and non-BIA negotiation/planning grants as specified in this notice. Applicants should be guided by the requirements in 25 CFR 1001.7, 1001.8, and 1010.10 in preparing their applications. Copies of the Interim rules published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1996, may be obtained from the information contact person identified in this notice. Subject to the discretion of the Director, Office of Self- Governance, the following types of grants are available to tribes/ consortia in 1999 with the deadlines as stated below: (1) Negotiation Grants to Negotiate BIA Programs: Up to 10 grants of no more than $20,000 may be made available. As announced in the Federal Register published on December 1, 1998, the closing date for submitting completed applications to begin participation in tribal self-governance in fiscal year 2000 or calendar year 2000 is march 1, 1999. Applications requesting to be included in the applicant pool to begin participation in tribal self-governance may be submitted at any time. Tribes/consortia selected from the applicant pool to begin participation in tribal self-governance in fiscal year 2000 or calendar year 2000, may be eligible to receive a negotiation grant. Each selected tribe/consortium will be notified by March 17, 1999, and must submit a written application for a negotiation grant, no later than March 31, 1999, indicating its intention to

negotiate a BIA annual funding agreement for 2000. (2) Planning/Negotiation Grants to Plan for and Negotiate Non-BIA Programs: Up to five grants of no more than $20,000 may be made available. The closing date for submitting applications to receive a negotiation/planning grant for existing self-governance tribes to negotiate for DOI non-BIA programs is March 31, 1999. No later than May 1, 1999, each applicant will be notified by letter from the Director, Office of Self-Governance whether it has been selected to receive a planning/negotiation grant to negotiate non-BIA programs. In order to provide sufficient time for tribes/consortia to effectively use the negotiation grants and planning/negotiation grants for non-BIA programs, the following target dates have been established for the awarding of grants: (1) Negotiation Grants for BIA Programs: Since agreements for the 2000 fiscal year need to be signed and submitted by July 1, 1999, to allow sufficient time to prepare for negotiations, new participating tribes will be selected and awarded negotiation grants by May 1, 1999. (2) Planning/Negotiation Grants for Non-BIA Programs: Since agreements for the 2000 fiscal year need to be signed and submitted by July 1, 1999, to allow sufficient time for planning and negotiation of DOI non-BIA programs, planning/negotiation grants for non-BIA programs will be awarded by May 15, 1999.

Submitting Applications

(1) Applications must be submitted in accordance with the interim rule published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1996, and by the deadlines identified in this announcement. (2) Applications which are mailed or hand-delivered. (3) Applications which are mailed must be postmarked no later than the date given in this notice for the particular type of grant being applied for.

Dated: February 4, 1999. William A. Sinclair, Director, Office of Self-Governance. [FR Doc. 99-3154 Filed 2-9-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-02-M