[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 91 (Thursday, May 11, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25572-25591]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-11668]




[[Page 25571]]

_______________________________________________________________________

Part VII





Department of Education





_______________________________________________________________________



Regional Technical Support and Professional Development Consortia for 
Technology Transfer; Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 1995; 
Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 91 / Thursday, May 11, 1995 / Notices 
   
[[Page 25572]] 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.302A]


Regional Technical Support and Professional Development Consortia 
for Technology (later referenced as Regional Technology Consortia), 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 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), this notice contains all of 
the information, application forms, and instructions needed to apply 
for a cooperative agreement under this competition.
    Purpose of Program: To help States, local educational agencies, 
teachers, school library and media personnel, administrators and other 
education entities successfully integrate advanced technologies into 
kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms, library media centers, and 
other educational settings (including adult literacy centers). In 
providing such help, consortia receiving funds under this program 
shall: (a) Establish and conduct regional activities that address 
professional development, technical assistance, and information 
resource dissemination to promote the effective use of technology in 
education, with special emphasis on meeting the documented needs of 
educators and learners in the region they serve; and (b) foster 
regional cooperation and resource and coursework sharing.
    Eligible Applicants: Recipients of cooperative agreement awards 
under this notice shall be regional entities or consortia (later 
referenced simply as consortium). Each Regional Technology Consortium 
shall be composed of State educational agencies, institutions of higher 
education, nonprofit organizations, or a combination thereof. For 
example, for the purposes of this program, a consortium may include:
    (a) An already defined ``regional entity'' such as the Eisenhower 
Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia, the Regional Educational 
Laboratories, the Comprehensive Regional Assistance Centers, or a 
similar regional entity whether designated and funded by the Department 
or by another agency;
    (b) A combination of two or more of these already defined regional 
entities;
    (c) A combination of one or more of these regional entities in 
addition to any State educational agencies, institutions of higher 
education, or nonprofit organizations; or
    (d) State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, 
nonprofit organizations, or a combination thereof.
    Furthermore, each applicant must show that it can serve all 
geographic areas under one of the six regions identified below:

Northwest Region: Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington State, and 
Wyoming
Southwest and Pacific Region: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, 
New Mexico, and Utah; American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana 
Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Republic of Palau, 
and Republic of Marshall Islands
North Central Region: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, 
North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin
South Central Region: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas
Northeast: Delaware, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, New 
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 
Vermont, and Washington, D.C.
Southeast & Islands Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, 
Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia; Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 
Islands

    One award will be made for each geographic region.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 1995.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 1995.
    Available Funds: $9,900,000--Subsequent funding of $10 million per 
year is anticipated.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $1,200,000-$2,100,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,650,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Budget Period: 12 months.
    The Secretary will initially approve a cooperative agreement with a 
budget period of 12 months. The Secretary will make continuation awards 
for additional 12-month periods, subject to the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a). In determining whether to continue the cooperative agreement 
for each additional budget period, the Secretary will consider whether 
continuation is in the best interest of the Government.

Applicable Regulations

    The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 
as follows:
    (a) 34 CFR Part 74 (Administration of Grants to Institutions of 
Higher Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit Organizations).
    (b) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (c) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (d) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
    (e) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (f) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (g) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (h) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    (i) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).
    Description of Program: Consortia receiving funds under this 
program shall use these funds to: (a) establish and conduct regional 
activities that address professional development, technical assistance, 
and information resource dissemination to promote the effective use of 
technology in education, with special emphasis on meeting the 
documented needs of educators and learners in the region they serve; 
and (b) foster regional cooperation and resource and coursework 
sharing. The statutes emphasize collaboration and coordination with 
other entities; Department-funded activities the consortia shall 
closely coordinate their activities with include, but are not limited 
to: the Comprehensive Technical Assistance Centers, the Regional 
Educational Laboratories, the National Diffusion Network, and the 
Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia. This program is 
authorized by Title III, Part A, Section 3141 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 6861). Title III 
of the ESEA is also known as the Technology for Education Act of 1994.

Special Provisions

    1. Cooperative Agreement Provision: In conformance with 34 CFR 
75.200(b)(4), the Secretary will award cooperative agreements under 
this competition. Applicants can expect direct involvement by the 
government [[Page 25573]] Project Officer in all matters which require 
extensive regional and national collaboration and coordination.
    2. Equipment. The Federal Government maintains an interest in all 
equipment purchased through projects funded under this program for the 
useful life of the equipment. Therefore, grantees are required to 
maintain an annual inventory of equipment and the use of such 
equipment. Any items of equipment authorized for purchase will be 
subject to Title 34 CFR Parts 74.31 through 74.37 and 34 CFR Parts 80.3 
and 80.32.
    Definitions: The following definitions apply to the terms used in 
this notice:
    ``Local educational agency'' has the same meaning given the term 
under section 14101(18) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 8801(18)).
    ``State'' means each of the fifty States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin 
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the 
Marshall Islands, Palau, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands.
    ``State educational agency'' has the same meaning given that term 
under section 14101(28) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
of 1965 as amended (20 U.S.C. 8801(28)) and includes the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs for purposes of serving schools funded by the Bureau of 
Indian Affairs in accordance with part A of Title III of the ESEA as 
amended.
    ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Education.
    ``Adult education'' has the same meaning given such term by section 
312 of the Adult Education Act;
    ``All students'' means students from a broad range of backgrounds 
and circumstances, including disadvantaged students, students with 
diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds, students with 
disabilities, students with limited English proficiency, students who 
have dropped out of school, and academically talented students.
    ``State library administrative agency'' has the same meaning given 
to such term in section 3 of the Library Services and Construction Act.
    ``Technology'' means state-of-the-art technology products and 
services, such as, but not limited to closed circuit television 
systems, educational television and radio programs and services, cable 
television, satellite, copper and fiber optic transmission, computer 
hardware and software, video and audio laser and CD-ROM discs, and 
video and audio tapes.

Requirements

    The legislation authorizing the Regional Technology Consortia 
Program requires that all applications address each of the following 
requirements:
    I. In general. Each consortium receiving a cooperative agreement 
award under this program shall:
    (A) In cooperation with State and local education agencies, develop 
a regional program that addresses professional development, technical 
assistance, and information resource dissemination, with special 
emphasis on meeting the documented needs of educators and learners in 
the region; and
    (B) Foster regional cooperation and resource and coursework 
sharing.
    II. Technical assistance. Each consortium shall, to the extent 
practicable:
    (A) Collaborate with State educational agencies and local 
educational agencies requesting collaboration, particularly in the 
development of strategies for assisting those schools with the highest 
numbers or percentages of disadvantaged students with little or no 
access to technology in the classroom;
    (B) Provide information, in coordination with information available 
from the Secretary, to State educational agencies, local educational 
agencies, schools, and adult education programs on the types and 
features of various educational technology equipment and software 
available; evaluate and make recommendations on equipment and software 
that support the National Education Goals and are suited for a school's 
particular needs; and compile and share information regarding creative 
and effective applications of technology in the classroom and school 
library media centers in order to support the purposes of this program;
    (C) Collaborate with such State educational agencies, local 
educational agencies, or schools requesting to participate in the 
tailoring of software programs and other supporting materials to meet 
challenging State content standards or challenging State student 
performance standards that may be developed;
    (D) Provide technical assistance to facilitate use of the 
electronic dissemination networks by State and local educational 
agencies and schools throughout the region;
    III. Professional development Each consortium shall, to the extent 
practicable:
    (A) Assist colleges and universities within the region to develop 
and implement preservice training programs for students enrolled in 
teacher education programs; and
    (B) Develop and implement, in collaboration with State educational 
agencies and institutions of higher education, technology-specific, 
ongoing professional development; examples of possible project 
development activities are:
    (1) Intensive school year and summer workshops that use teachers, 
school librarians, and school library personnel to train other 
teachers, school librarians, and other school library media personnel;
    (2) Distance professional development, including--
    (a) interactive training telecourses using researchers, educators, 
and telecommunications personnel who have experience in developing, 
implementing, or operating educational and instructional technology as 
a learning tool;
    (b) Onsite courses teaching teachers to use educational and 
instructional technology and to develop their own instructional 
materials for effectively incorporating technology and programming in 
their own classrooms;
    (c) Methods for successful integration of instructional technology 
into the curriculum in order to improve student learning and 
achievement;
    (d) Video conferences and seminars which offer professional 
development through peer interaction with experts as well as other 
teachers using technologies in their classrooms;
    (e) Mobile education technology and training resources;
    (C) Develop training resources that--
    (1) Are relevant to the needs of the region and schools in the 
region;
    (2) Are relevant to the needs of adult literacy staff and 
volunteers, including onsite courses on how to:
    (a) Use instructional technology; and
    (b) Develop instructional materials for adult learning; and
    (3) Are aligned with the needs of teachers and administrators in 
the region;
    (D) Ensure that training, professional development, and technical 
assistance meet the needs of educators, parents, and students served by 
the region.
    IV. Information and resource dissemination; collaboration and 
coordination. Each consortium shall work collaboratively, and 
coordinate the services the consortium provides, with appropriate 
regional and other entities assisted in whole or in part by the 
Department, and shall also, to the extent practicable:
    (A) Coordinate activities and establish partnerships with 
institutions of higher education and other organizations that represent 
the interests of the region as such interests pertain to the 
application [[Page 25574]] of technology in teaching, learning, 
instructional management, dissemination, collection and distribution of 
educational statistics, and the transfer of student information; and
    (B) Assist State and local educational agencies in the 
identification and procurement of financial, technological and human 
resources needed to implement technology plans; and
    (C) Assist local educational agencies and schools in working with 
community members and parents to develop support from communities and 
parents for educational technology programs and projects; and
    (D) Identify and link technical assistance providers to State and 
local educational agencies, as needed; and
    (E) Establish a repository of professional development and 
technical assistance resources;
    (F) Provide outreach and, at the request of a State or local 
educational agency, work with such agency to assist in the development 
and validation of instructionally based technology education resources.

Priorities

Competitive Priority--Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional 
Consortia Preference

    Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 6861(a)(1) and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii), the 
Secretary gives priority to applicants that include an Eisenhower 
Mathematics and Science Regional Consortium (funded under 20 U.S.C. 
8671-8677) as one of the Regional Technology Consortia members.
    The Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Regional Consortia was 
recently reauthorized under 20 U.S.C. 8671-8677. The Secretary intends 
to hold a fiscal year 1995 competition to make new Eisenhower Consortia 
awards. Only those Eisenhower Consortia that receive awards under the 
fiscal year 1995 competition will be eligible to receive priority under 
the Regional Technology Consortia program.
    The Secretary will award three (3) points if the applicant is 
comprised of only one or more Eisenhower Consortia.
    The Secretary will award five (5) points if the applicant is 
comprised of one or more Eisenhower Consortia, along with at least two 
other entities, one of which is of a regional scope.
    These points will be in addition to any points the application 
earns under the selection criteria for the program.

Invitational Priorities

    Within the overall project requirements outlined above, and under 
34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), the Secretary is particularly interested in 
supporting projects that meet the following invitational priorities. 
However, an application that meets these invitational priorities does 
not receive competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
Invitational Priority 1--Particularly Effective Strategies to Secure 
Cooperation from Other Federal and Non-federal Sources
    The Secretary encourages the development of project strategies that 
are likely to be effective in engaging the expertise and resources of 
community members (e.g. Federal, State and local government agencies 
and their funded projects; schools, higher education institutions and 
other education entities; parents and families; non-profit 
organizations; businesses; and individual citizens) as the consortium 
assists State and local educational agencies and education communities 
in the identification and procurement of financial, technological and 
human resources needed to implement advanced technologies.
Invitational Priority 2--Internet-based Repositories, Dissemination, 
and Communication
    The Secretary invites projects which propose creative uses of the 
Internet/National Information Infrastructure (NII) to disseminate 
information to their constituents, and to foster local, regional and 
national collaboration. The Secretary particularly encourages: (a) 
strategies to facilitate use of the electronic dissemination networks 
established by State and local educational agencies and schools 
throughout the region and which establish a repository of professional 
development and technical assistance resources; and (b) repository 
development and electronic linkages which build on the combined 
strength of all six Regional Technology Consortia, as well as of other 
technology and education projects whether these are funded by the 
Department or otherwise.
Invitational Priority 3--Innovative, High-Quality Preservice and 
Inservice Development Strategies for Teachers and Other Educators
    The Secretary invites projects which propose particularly 
innovative high-quality, intensive professional development strategies, 
in order to meet the following challenges: (a) to consistently provide 
training to ensure a technologically-sophisticated educator workforce, 
and to ensure that educators can use advanced technologies with 
competence and creativity immediately upon entering service: and (b) to 
enhance the skills of all staff within the existing educator workforce 
in the creative uses of advanced technologies.
Invitational Priority 4--Evaluation and Documentation of Needs and 
Outcomes
    The Secretary encourages applicants to propose evaluation 
activities which will permit the development of reliable baseline 
information, and subsequent progress data regarding (a) each State 
within the region served, with respect to its evolving successes and 
needs when implementing advanced technologies in education; and (b) the 
activities assisted through this program, their results, and their 
impact on the school communities served, in order to evaluate the 
effectiveness of these activities and make informed adjustments over 
time.

Selection Criteria

    (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to 
evaluate applications for new grants under this competition for FY 
1995.
    (2) The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
    (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (b) The criteria.--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing 
statute. (30 points) The Secretary reviews each application to 
determine how well the project will meet the purpose of Section 3141 of 
the Technology for Education Act of 1994, including consideration of--
    (i) The objectives of the project; and
    (ii) How the objectives of the project further the purposes of the 
Regional Technology Consortia Program.
    (2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project 
meets specific needs recognized in the Technology for Education Act of 
1994, including consideration of--
    (i) The needs addressed by the project;
    (ii) How the applicant identified those needs;
    (iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and
    (iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.
    (3) Plan of operation. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the 
project, including--
    (i) The quality of the design of the project;
    (ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and 
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; 
[[Page 25575]] 
    (iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose 
of the program;
    (iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and 
personnel to achieve each objective; and
    (v) 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 handicapping condition.
    (4) Quality of key personnel. (7 points)
    (i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality 
of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--
    (A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be 
used);
    (B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be 
used in the project;
    (C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs 
(b)(4)(i)(A) and (A) will commit to the project; and
    (D) 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 
handicapping condition.
    (ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs 
(b)(4)(i)(A) and (B), the Secretary considers--
    (A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of 
the project; and
    (B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the 
project.
    (5) Budget and cost effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary review 
each application to determine the extent to which--
    (i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and
    (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the 
project.
    (6) Evaluation Plan. (15 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the 
project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of 
evaluation--
    (i) Are appropriate to the project; and
    (ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that 
are quantifiable.
    (Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.)
    (7) Adequacy of resources. (3 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the 
applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities, 
equipment, and supplies.

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 March 13, 1995 (60 FR 16713-
16715).
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review, State, area-wide, 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, area-wide, 
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# 84.302A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6213, 600 
Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202-0125.
    In those States that require review for this program, applications 
are to be submitted simultaneously to the State Review Process and the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    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, D.C. 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 cooperative agreement, the 
applicant shall--
    (1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date to: U. S. Department of Education, Application 
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA #84.302A), Washington, D.C. 20202-
4725, or
    (2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 
4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
#84.302A), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, 
S.W., Washington, D.C.
    The application Control Center will accept deliveries between 8:00 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) daily, except Saturdays, 
Sundays and Federal holidays.
    Individuals delivering applications must use the D Street Entrance. 
Proper identification is necessary to enter the building.
    In order for an application sent through a Courier Service to be 
considered timely, the Courier Service must be in receipt of the 
application on or before the closing date.

    Note: Applicants are encouraged to voluntarily submit six (6) 
additional copies of their application to expedite the review 
process. The absence of these extra copies will not influence the 
selection process.

    (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 Acknowledgment 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. [[Page 25576]] 

Application Instructions and Forms

    The appendix to this application is divided into three parts plus a 
statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various 
assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are 
organized in the same manner in which the submitted application should 
be organized. The parts and additional materials are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 
4-88)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (Standard 
Form 524) and instructions.

Special Budget Instructions

    The Department is participating in the Administration's Reinventing 
Government Initiative. As part of that initiative, the National 
Performance Review urged the Department to ``eliminate the continuation 
application process for budget years within the project period'' and 
replace it with ``yearly program progress reports focusing on program 
outcomes and problems related to program implementation and service 
delivery.'' The Department is implementing this recommendation for as 
many programs as possible beginning in fiscal year 1995. This will 
require all applicants for multi-year awards to provide detailed budget 
information for the total cooperative agreement period. The Department 
will negotiate at the time of the initial award the funding levels for 
each year of the cooperative agreement award. A new generic budget 
form, included in this package, requests the information needed to 
implement this initiative.
    By requesting detailed budget information in the initial 
application for the total project period, the need for formal 
noncompeting continuation applications in the remaining years will be 
eliminated. An annual report will be used in place of the continuation 
application to determine progress, thereby relieving grantees of the 
burden to resubmit assurances, certifications, etc.
    Please also note that Section 3115 of the Technology for Education 
Act stipulates that not more than five (5) percent of the funds made 
available to a recipient under this program for any fiscal year may be 
used by such recipient for administrative costs or for technical 
assistance (i.e. technical assistance to be received by the recipient).
    Part III: Application Narrative.
    Additional Materials.
    Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    Certifications regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013, 6/90).
    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.)
    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 
Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A).
    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications. 
However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications 
must each have an original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a 
completed application form has been received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Catherine Mozer, U.S. Department 
of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Room 
506a, 555 New Jersey Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20208. Telephone 202-
219-8070. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) 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. 6861.

    Dated: March 8, 1995.
Sharon P. Robinson,
Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement.

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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Appendix

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BILLING CODE 4000-01-C
[[Page 25583]]

Instructions for Part III--Application Narrative

    Before preparing the Application Narrative, an applicant should 
read carefully the description of the program, the information 
regarding the project requirements and the invitational priorities, as 
well as the selection criteria the Secretary uses to evaluate 
applications.
    The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which 
funds are being requested and should--
    1. Begin with an abstract that is a summary of the proposed 
project; and
    2. Describe how the proposed project will meet the statutory 
requirements, and the invitational priorities if appropriate, in the 
light of each of the selection criteria in the order in which the 
criteria are listed in this application package.
    3. The applicant may include other pertinent information that may 
assist the Secretary in reviewing the application.
    4. Justifications and specifications for equipment purchases should 
be clearly related to existing facilities and to proposed activities.
    5. Generally, the application should enable reviewers to make clear 
linkages between the proposed budget and the specific tasks, 
operations, and services delivered.
    6. The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the 
Application Narrative to no more than 200 double-spaced, typed 8\1/2\'' 
 x  11'' pages (one inch margins on all four sides, 26 lines per page 
and no smaller than 10 characters per inch or the equivalent), although 
the Secretary will consider applications of greater length. The 200 
page recommended limit is exclusive of bibliography, budget tables, 
resumes, letters of support, and other supplements.

Instructions for 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 160 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 
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 to the Office of Management and 
Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 1850-0716, Washington, D.C. 20503.
    Information collection approved under OMB control number 1850-0716. 
Expiration date: 4/30/98.
                                                 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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[FR Doc. 95-11668 Filed 5-10-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-C