[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 146 (Monday, August 1, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18474]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: August 1, 1994]


_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________




Demonstration Projects for the Integration of Vocational and Academic 
Learning Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 
1994
=======================================================================
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.248]

 
Demonstration Projects for the Integration of Vocational and 
Academic Learning Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
for Fiscal Year (FY) 1995

    Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package. 
Together with the statute authorizing the program and applicable 
regulations governing the program, including the Education Department 
General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice contains all of 
the information, application forms, and instructions needed to apply 
for a grant under this competition.
    Purpose of Program: The Demonstration Projects for the Integration 
of Vocational and Academic Learning Program provides financial 
assistance to projects that develop, implement, and operate programs 
using different models of curricula that integrate vocational and 
academic learning. The Secretary wishes to highlight for potential 
applicants that this program can help to further the National Education 
Goals. Specifically, the integration of vocational and academic 
learning directly supports the National Education Goal that, by the 
year 2000, every adult American will be literate and will possess the 
knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and 
exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
    Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, area 
vocational educational schools, secondary schools funded by the Bureau 
of Indian Affairs, State boards of vocational education, public or 
private nonprofit organizations, local educational agencies, and 
consortia composed of these entities.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 16, 1994.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: November 15, 1994.
    Available Funds: $6,000,000 to $7,000,000 for the first 12 months. 
Funding for the second, third, and fourth years is subject to the 
availability of funds and to a grantee meeting the requirements in 34 
CFR 75.253.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000 (funding for the first 
12 months).
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $365,000 (funding for the first 
12 months).
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15-19.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months (four 12-month grant cycles).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:
    (1) 34 CFR 74 (Administration of Grants to Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals and Nonprofit Organizations).
    (2) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (3) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (4) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
    (5) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (7) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (8) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    (9) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).
    (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR Parts 400 and 425.

Invitational Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), the Secretary is particularly interested 
in applications that focus primarily on one or more of the following 
areas. However, an application that meets these invitational priorities 
does not receive competitive or absolute preference over the 
applications.
    (a) Demonstrating strong ties with the State's school-to-work 
activities through the integration of academic and vocational skills at 
work-based learning sites.
    (b) Demonstrating strong ties with the business and industry skill 
standards projects funded by the Departments of Education and Labor 
through the identification and use of concrete world-of-work examples 
to teach abstract concepts and principles.
    (c) Including both vocational and academic faculty and employers in 
the design of integrated curricula and courses that are targeted at the 
secondary and postsecondary levels of instruction.
    (d) Involving the education community and employers in providing 
inservice training for teachers of vocational education students and 
administrators in the planning, implementation, and operation of 
integrated curricula or programs.
    (e) Disseminating information and materials regarding effective 
strategies for integrating vocational and academic learning to national 
audiences.
    (f) Evaluating programs that integrate vocational and academic 
learning through the use of experimental and control group samples.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to evaluate 
applications for new grants under this competition. The maximum score 
for all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each 
criterion is indicated in parentheses. For this competition, the 
Secretary assigns the fifteen points, reserved in 34 CFR 425.20(b), as 
follows:
    Program factors (34 CFR 425.21(a). Five points are added to this 
criterion for a possible total of 15 points.
    Educational significance (34 CFR 425.21(b)). Ten points are added 
to this criterion for a possible total of 20 points.
    (a) Program factors (15 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to assess the quality of the proposed project, including--
    (1) The extent to which the project involves creative or innovative 
methods for integrating vocational and academic learning; and
    (2) The quality of the services that the project will provide to--
    (i) Individuals who are members of special populations;
    (ii) Vocational students in secondary schools and at postsecondary 
institutions;
    (iii) Individuals enrolled in adult programs; or
    (iv) Single parents, displaced homemakers, and single pregnant 
women.
    (b) Educational significance (20 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the extent to which the applicant--
    (1) Bases the proposed project on successful model vocational 
education programs that include components similar to the components 
required by this program, as evidenced by empirical data from those 
programs in such factors as--
    (i) Student performance and achievement;
    (ii) High school graduation;
    (iii) Placement of students in jobs, including military service; 
and
    (iv) Successful transfer of students to a variety of postsecondary 
education programs;
    (2) Proposes project objectives that contribute to the improvement 
of education; and
    (3) Proposes to use unique and innovative techniques that address 
the need to integrate vocational and academic learning, and produce 
benefits that are of national significance.
    (c) Plan of operation (15 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the 
project, including--
    (1) The quality of the project design, especially the establishment 
of measureable objectives for the project that are based on the 
project's overall goals;
    (2) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and 
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project over the 
award period;
    (3) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose of 
the program;
    (4) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and 
personnel to achieve each objective; and
    (5) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are 
otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (d) Evaluation plan (15 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the project's evaluation plan, 
including the extent to which the plan--
    (1) Carries out the requirements in 34 CFR 425.30;
    (2) Is clearly explained and is appropriate to the project;
    (3) To the extent possible, is objective and will produce data that 
are quantifiable;
    (4) Includes quality measures to assess the effectiveness of the 
curricular developed by the project;
    (5) Identifies expected outcomes of the participants and how those 
outcomes will be measured;
    (6) Includes activities during the formative stages of the project 
to help guide and improve the project, as well as a summative 
evaluation that includes recommendations for replicating project 
activities and results;
    (7) Will provide a comparison between intended and observed 
results, and lead to the demonstration of a clear link between the 
observed results and the specific treatment of project participants; 
and
    (8) Will yield results that can be summarized and submitted to the 
Secretary for review by the Department's Program Effectiveness Panel, 
as defined in 34 CFR 400.4(b). NOTE: The Program Effectiveness Panel 
(PEP) is a mechanism the Department has developed for validating the 
effectiveness of educational programs developed by schools, 
universities, and other agencies. The PEP is composed of experts in the 
evaluation of educational programs and in other areas of education, at 
least two-thirds of whom are non-Federal employees who are appointed by 
the Secretary. Regulations governing the PEP are codified in 34 CFR 
Parts 785-789. Specific criteria for PEP review are found in 34 CFR 
786.12 or 787.121.
    (e) Demonstration and dissemination. (10 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application for information to determine the effectiveness 
and efficiency of the plan for demonstrating and disseminating 
information about project activities and results throughout the project 
period, including--
    (1) High quality in the design of the dissemination plan and 
procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of the dissemination plan;
    (2) Identification of the audience to which the project activities 
will be disseminated and provisions for publicizing the project at the 
local, State, and national levels by conducting, or delivering 
presentations at, conferences, workshops, and other professional 
meetings and by preparing materials for journal articles, newsletters, 
and brochures;
    (3) Provisions for demonstrating the methods and techniques used by 
the project to others interested in replicating these methods and 
techniques, such as by inviting them to observe project activities;
    (4) A description of the types of materials the applicant plans to 
make available to help others replicate project activities and the 
methods for making the materials available; and
    (5) Provisions for assisting others to adopt and successfully 
implement the methods, approaches, and techniques developed by the 
project.
    (f) Key personnel. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality 
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--
    (i) The qualifications, in relation to project requirements, of the 
project director;
    (ii) The qualifications, in relation to project requirements, of 
each of the other key personnel to be used in the project;
    (iii) The appropriateness of the time that each person referred to 
in paragraphs (f)(1) (i) and (ii) will commit to the project; and
    (iv) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment 
practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment 
without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
disability.
    (2) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs (f)(1) 
(i) and (ii), the Secretary considers--
    (i) The experience and training of key personnel in project 
management and in fields related to the objectives of the project; and
    (ii) Any other qualifications of key personnel that pertain to the 
quality of the project.
    (g) Budget and cost effectiveness. (10 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the budget--
    (1) Is cost effective and adequate to support the project 
activities;
    (2) Contains costs that are reasonable and necessary in relation to 
the objectives of the project; and
    (3) Proposes using non-Federal resources available from appropriate 
employment, training, and education agencies in the State to provide 
services and activities and to acquire project equipment and 
facilities, to ensure that funds awarded under this part are used to 
provide instructional services.
    (h) Adequacy of resources and commitment. (5 points)
    (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent 
to which the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the 
project. The Secretary considers the extent to which--
    (i) The facilities that the applicant plans to use are adequate; 
and
    (ii) The equipment and supplies that the applicant plans to use are 
adequate.
    (2) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the 
commitment to the project, including whether the--
    (i) Uses of non-Federal resources are adequate to provide project 
services and activities, especially resources of community 
organizations and State and local educational agencies; and
    (ii) Applicant has the capacity to continue, expand, and build upon 
the project when Federal assistance under 34 CFR part 425 ends.

Additional Factors

    (a) After evaluating the applications according to the selection 
criteria, the Secretary determines whether the most highly rated 
applications--
    (1) Are equitably distributed throughout the Nation;
    (2) Offer significantly different approaches to integrating 
vocational and academic curricula; and
    (3) Serve--
    (i) Individuals who are members of special populations;
    (ii) Vocational students in secondary schools;
    (iii) Vocational students at postsecondary institutions;
    (iv) Individuals enrolled in adult programs; or
    (v) Single parents, displaced homemakers, and single pregnant 
women.
    (b) The Secretary may select other applications for funding if 
doing so would improve the geographical distribution of, diversity of 
approaches in, or the diversity of populations to be served by projects 
funded under this program.

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the 
regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.
    The objective of the Executive order is to foster an 
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying 
on State and local processes for State and local government 
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of 
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process 
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities 
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of 
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established 
in each State under the Executive order. If you want to know the name 
and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list 
published in the Federal Register on May 3, 1994 (59 FR 22904-22905). 
In States that have not established a process or chosen a program for 
review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit 
comments directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, 
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the 
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, 
E.O. 12372--CFDA# 84.248, U.S. Department of Education, Room 4181, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-0125.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the date 
indicated in this notice.

    PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS 
THE ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO 
NOT SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant 
shall--
    (1) Mail the original and six copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.248), Washington, DC 20202-4725, 
or
    (2) Hand deliver the original and six copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA# 
84.248), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets 
SW., Washington, DC.
    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgement to each applicant. If an applicant fails to 
receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from 
the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the 
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 
708-9494.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which the application is 
being submitted.

Application Instructions and Forms

    To apply for an award under this program competition, your 
application must be organized in the following order and include the 
following five parts:
    Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4-88)).
    Budget Information (ED Form No. 524).
    Budget Narrative.
    Program Narrative.
    Additional Assurances and Certifications:
    a. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    b. Certification regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013) and Instructions.
    c. Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and Instructions.

    (Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and should 
not be transmitted to the Department.)

    d. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and Instructions, and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
    All forms and instructions are included as Appendix A of this 
notice. Questions and answers pertaining to this program are included, 
as Appendix B, to assist potential applicants.
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
forms in Appendix A. However, each of the pertinent documents must 
include an original ink signature. All applicants must submit ONE 
original signed application, including ink signatures on all forms and 
assurances and SIX copies of the application. Please mark each 
application as original or copy. Local or State agencies may choose to 
submit two copies with the original. No grant may be awarded unless a 
complete application form has been received.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pariece M. Wilkins, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. (Room 4512--MES), Washington, D.C. 
20202-7242. Telephone (202) 205-9673. Individuals who use a 
telecommunication device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
    Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including 
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can 
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board), 
telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server at 
GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases). 
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant 
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

    Program authority: 20 U.S.C. 2420.

    Dated: May 18, 1994.
Augusta S. Kappner,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Vocational and Adult Education.

Appendix A

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    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to vary from 13 to 22 hours per response, with an average 
of 17.5 hours, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. 
Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of 
this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing 
this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, Information 
Management and Compliance Division, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and 
the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 
1875-0102, Washington, D.C. 20503

Instructions for ED Form No. 524

General Instructions

    This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of 
Education discretionary grants programs. Unless directed otherwise, 
provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year 
funding request. Pay attention to applicable program specific 
instructions, if attached.

Section A--Budget Summary U.S. Department of Education Funds

    All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown 
by the applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):
    For each project year for which funding is requested, show the 
total amount requested for each applicable budget category.
Lines 1-11, column (f):
    Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding 
is requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.
Lines 12, columns (a)-(e):
    Show the total budget request for each project year for which 
funding is requested.
Lines 12, column (f):
    Show the total amount requested for all project years. If 
funding is requested for only one year, leave this space blank.

Section B--Budget Summary, Non-Federal Funds

    If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide matching 
funds or other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be 
shown for each applicable budget category on lines 1-11 of Section 
B.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):
    For each project year for which matching funds or other 
contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each 
applicable budget category.
Lines 1-11, column (f):
    Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-
Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this 
column blank.
Lines 12, columns (a)-(e):
    Show that total matching or other contribution for each project 
year.
Lines 12, column (f):
    Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the 
multi-year project. If non-Federal contributions are provided for 
only one year, leave this space blank.

Section C--Other Budget Information

    Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if 
attached.
    1. Provide an itemized budget breakdown, by project year, for 
each budget category listed in Sections A and B.
    2. If applicable to this program, enter the type of indirect 
rate (provisional, predetermined, final or fixed) that will be in 
effect during the funding period. In addition, enter the estimated 
amount of the base to which the rate is applied, and the total 
indirect expense.
    3. If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on 
which fringe benefits are calculated.
    4. Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary

Instructions for Budget Categories

    1. Personnel: Show salaries to be paid to project personnel.
    2. Fringe Benefits: Indicate the rate and amount of fringe 
benefits.
    3. Travel: Indicate the amount requested for both inter- and 
intra-State travel of project staff. Include funds for at least one 
trip for two people to attend a project director's meeting in 
Washington, D.C.
    4. Equipment: Indicate the cost of non-expendable personnel 
property that has a useful life of more than one year and a cost of 
$300 or more per unit ($5,000 or more if State, Local, or Tribal 
Government).
    5. Supplies: Include the cost of consumable supplies and 
materials to be used during the project.
    6. Contractual: Show the amount to be used for (1) procurement 
contracts (except those which belong on other lines such as supplies 
and equipment); and (2) subcontracts.
    7. Construction: Not allowable.
    8. Other: Indicate all direct costs not clearly covered by lines 
1 through 6 above, including consultants.
    9. Total, Direct Cost: Show the total for lines 1 through 7.
    10. Indirect Costs: Indicate the rate and amount of indirect 
costs. NOTE: For training grants, the indirect cost rate cannot 
exceed 8%.
    11. Training/Stipend Cost: (if allowable)

Instructions for Budget Narrative

    Prepare a detailed Budget Narrative for all four years of the 
project that justifies, and/or clarifies the budget figures shown in 
the budget summary. The Budget Narrative should explain, justify, 
and, if needed, clarify your budget summary. For each line item 
(personnel, fringe benefits, travel, etc.) in your budget explain:
    1. How personnel costs are calculated--provide yearly and/or 
hourly rates; for other than full-time staff, provide hours per day, 
week, month, and year.
    2. The basis used to estimate certain costs (professional 
personnel, consultants, travel, indirect costs) and any other cost 
that may appear usual;
    3. How the major cost items relate to the proposed project 
activities (refer to application page);
    4. The costs of the project's evaluation component;
    5. What matching occurs in each budget category.
    Please limit this section to no more than five pages. Be sure 
that each page of your application is numbered consecutively.

Instructions for Program Narrative

    The program narrative will comprise the largest portion of your 
application. This part is where you spell out the who, what, when, 
where, why, and how of your proposed project.
    Although you will not have a form to fill out for your 
narrative, there is a format. This format is the selection criteria. 
Because your application will be reviewed and rated by a review 
panel on the basis of the section criteria, your narrative should 
follow the order and format of the criteria.
    Before preparing your application, you should carefully read the 
legislation and regulations of the program, eligibility 
requirements, information on any priority set by the Secretary, and 
the selection criteria for this competition.
    Your program narrative should be clear, concise, and to the 
point. Begin the narrative with a one page abstract or summary of 
your proposed project. Then describe the project in detail, 
addressing each selection criterion in order.
    The Secretary strongly requests you limit the program narrative 
to no more than 30 double-spaced, typed pages (on one side only), 
although the Secretary will consider your application if it is 
longer. Be sure to number consecutively ALL pages in your 
application.
    You may include supporting documentation as appendices. Be sure 
that this material is concise and pertinent to this program 
competition.
    You are advised that:
    (a) The Department considers only information contained in the 
application in ranking applications for funding consideration. 
Letters of support sent separately from the formal application 
package are not considered in the review by the technical review 
panels. (EGAR Sec. 75.217)
    (b) The technical review panel evaluates each application solely 
on the basis of the established technical review criteria. Letters 
of support contained in the application will strengthen the 
application only insofar as they contain commitments which pertain 
to the established technical review criteria, such as commitment and 
resources.

Estimated Public Reporting Burden

    Under terms of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, as amended, 
and the regulations implementing that Act, the Department of 
Education invites comment on the public reporting burden in this 
collection of information. Public reporting burden for this 
collection of information is estimated to average 90 hours per 
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching 
existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, 
and completing and reviewing the collection of information. You may 
send comments regarding this burden to the U.S. Department of 
Education, Information Management and Compliance Division, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project, OMB 1830-0013, Washington, D.C. 
20503. (Information collection approved under OMB control number 
1830-0013. Expiration date: 2/28/95.)

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Appendix B

    Potential applicants frequently direct questions to officials of 
the Department regarding application notices and programmatic and 
administrative regulations governing various direct grant programs. To 
assist potential applicants the Department has assembled the following 
most commonly asked questions.
    Q. Can we get an extension of the deadline?
    A. No. A closing date may be changed only under extraordinary 
circumstances. Any change must be announced in the Federal Register and 
apply to all applications. Waivers for individual applications cannot 
be granted regardless of the circumstances.
    Q. How many copies of the application should I submit and must they 
be bound?
    A. Our new policy calls for an original and six copies to be 
submitted. The binding of applications is optional.
    Q. We just missed the deadline for the XXX competition. May we 
submit under another competition?
    A. Yes, however, the likelihood of success is not good. A properly 
prepared application must meet the requirements of the competition to 
which it is submitted.
    Q. I'm not sure which competition is most appropriate for my 
project. What should I do?
    A. We are happy to discuss any questions with you and provide 
clarification on the unique elements of the various competitions.
    Q. Will you help us prepare our application?
    A. We are happy to provide general program information. Clearly, it 
would not be appropriate for staff to participate in the actual writing 
of an application, but we can respond to specific questions about 
application requirements, evaluation criteria, and the priorities. 
Applicants should understand that this previous preapplication 
consultation is not required, nor will it in any way influence the 
success of an application.
    Q. When will I find out if I'm going to be funded?
    A. You can expect to receive notification within 3 to 4 months of 
the application closing date, depending on the number of applications 
received and the number of competitions with closing dates at about the 
same time.
    Q. Once my application has been reviewed by the review panel, can 
you tell me the outcome?
    A. No. Every year we are called by a number of applicants who have 
legitimate reasons for needing to know the outcome of the review prior 
to official notification. Some applicants need to make job decisions, 
some need to notify a local school district, etc. Regardless of the 
reason, because final funding decisions have not been made at that 
point, we cannot share information about the review with anyone.
    Q. Will my application be returned if I am not funded?
    A. We no longer return unsuccessful applications. Thus, applicants 
should retain at least one copy of the application.
    Q. Can I obtain copies of reviewers' comments?
    A. Upon written request, reviewers' comments will be mailed to 
unsuccessful applicants.
    Q. Is travel allowed under these projects?
    A. Travel associated with carrying out the project is allowed. 
Because we will request the project directors and evaluators of funded 
projects to attend an annual project directors meeting, you should 
include annual trips for each to Washington, D.C., in the travel 
budget. Travel to conferences is sometimes allowed when it is for 
purposes of dissemination.
    Q. If my application receives high scores from the reviewers, does 
that mean that I will receive funding?
    A. Not necessarily. It is often the case that the number of 
applications scored highly by the reviewers exceeds the dollars 
available for funding projects under a particular competition. The 
order of selection, which is based on the scores of all the 
applications and other relevant factors, determines the applications 
that can be funded.
    Q. What happens during negotiations?
    A. During negotiations technical and budget issues may be raised. 
These are issues that have been identified during the panel and staff 
reviews that require clarification. Sometimes issues are stated as 
``conditions.'' These are issues that have been identified as so 
critical that the award cannot be made unless those conditions are met. 
Questions may also be raised about the proposed budget. Generally, 
these issues are raised because there is inadequate justification or 
explanation of a particular budget item, or because the budget item 
seems unimportant to the successful completion of the project. If you 
are asked to make changes that you feel could seriously affect the 
project's success, you may provide reasons for not making the changes 
or provide alternative suggestions. Similarly, if proposed budget 
reductions will, in your opinion, seriously affect the project 
activities, you may explain why and provide additional justification 
for the proposed expenses. An award cannot be made until all 
negotiation issues have been resolved.
    Q. How do I provide an assurance?
    A. Except for SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs,'' 
simply state in writing that you are meeting a proscribed requirement.
    Q. Where can copies of the Federal Register, program regulations, 
and Federal statutes be obtained?
    A. Copies of these materials can usually be found at your local 
library. If not, they can be obtained from the Government Printing 
Office by writing to: Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Telephone: (202) 783-3238. 
When requesting copies of regulations or statutes, it is helpful to use 
the specific name, public law number, or part number. The material 
referenced in this notice should be referred to as follows:
    (1) Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act 
(Perkins Act) (Public Law 101-392, 104 Stat. 753 (1990)).
    (2) State Vocational and Applied Technology Education Programs and 
National Discretionary Programs of Vocational Education Final 
Regulations, 34 CFR Parts 400 and 425.
    (3) Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR 
Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86.
    Q. What are the Department of Education's Program Effectiveness 
Panel and National Diffusion Network?
    A. The Program Effectiveness Panel (PEP) is the Department of 
Education's primary mechanism for validating the effectiveness of 
educational programs developed by schools, universities, and other 
agencies. The National Diffusion Network (NDN) is a Federally funded 
dissemination system that helps public and private schools, colleges, 
and other educational institutions improve by sharing successful 
education programs, products, and processes.
    Regulations governing PEP and NDN are codified at 34 CFR Parts 785-
789. For information about PEP, prospective applicants may wish to read 
Making the Case: Evidence of Effectiveness in Schools and Classrooms, 
which contains criteria and guidelines for submitting project results 
to PEP. This publication, as well as information about NDN, is 
available from RMC Research Corporation, 1000 Market Street, 
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801. Telephone 1-800-258-0802. RMC Research 
Corporation can also provide information about consultants who have 
conducted evaluations that have been approved by PEP.

[FR Doc. 94-18474 Filed 7-29-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M