; (ii) shall independently evaluate each such proposal; and (iii) shall certify that the expert does not have a conflict of interest concerning the application that the expert is reviewing. (B) Guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the American Fisheries Advisory Committee Act , the Secretary shall issue guidance related to carrying out the technical evaluations under subparagraph (A). Such guidance shall include criteria for the elimination by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of applications that fail to meet a minimum level of technical merit as determined by the review described in subparagraph (A). . (b) Role in approval of grants Section 2(c)(3) of the Act of August 11, 1939 ( 15 U.S.C. 713c–3(c)(3) ), is amended to read as follows: (3) (A) No application for a grant under this subsection may be approved unless the Secretary— (i) is satisfied that the applicant has the requisite technical and financial capability to carry out the project; and (ii) based on the recommendations of the American Fisheries Advisory Committee established in subsection (e), evaluates the proposed project as to— (I) soundness of design; (II) the possibilities of securing productive results; (III) minimization of duplication with other fisheries research and development projects; (IV) the organization and management of the project; (V) methods proposed for monitoring and evaluating the success or failure of the project