COMMENTS DUE ON TECH ASSIST/TRAININ

[Aimee Houghton <aimeeh@igc.org>]

Folks, just a reminder in all this flurry of information about the 
Senate Armed Services attempt to undercut technical and public 
participation assistance to RABs, that DOD is still going ahead with 
grant process for RAB technical assistance.

Patricia Ferrebee of DOD has informed us thatthey have only received 12 
comments on the proposed options for RAB technical assistance. In 
light of the recent attempts to undermine this funding it is even more 
important that comments be sent reflecting the interest and support of 
this program.

To summarize the three options:

1. Utilize the Environmental Protection Agency's existing programs, 
including the Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) program and the 
Technical Outreach Services to Communities (TOSC) program. The TOSC 
program provides services to communities throught five 
geographicall-based university consortia.

2. Competively award grants to one or more nuetral, non-profit 
institutions to provide technical assistance services.

3. Provide purchase orders (vouchers) of up to $25,000 each (at one 
time) to hire assistance providers selected by the community members of 
a TRC or RAB at each Department of Defense facility using guidelines 
provided by the Department of Defense.

Career/Pro has sent in our own comments and urge all fo you to do so as well.
Some questions to consider are: 1) Which option is most likely to 
provide you aith a consultatn that you can trust? 2) Would a 
combination fo options better suit your purposes?

YOur comments need not be long, but they are important.

Deadline for submission of comments is July 24, 1995 (that's Monday). 
YOu may fax those comments to Patricia Ferrebee or Marcia Read at (703) 
695-4981, email them to me (aimeeh@igc.org) or email them to Mary 
Raguso (ragusom@acq.osd.mil) and we will se to it that they get to 
Patricia Ferrebee or Marcia Read.

If you you like the long version of the request for comments, please 
email me and I will forward it.

Aimee Houghton