[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 156 (Monday, August 12, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41805-41811]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-20490]


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NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY
[CFDA No. 84-257F]


Application for Technology Grant Awards to Governor's State 
Literacy Resource Centers to Build a National Electronic Information 
and Communication Network for Literacy by Establishing a Regional Hub 
on the Internet in Region I Designated by the U.S. Department of 
Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education

AGENCY: The National Institute for Literacy.

ACTION: Notice.

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DATE: Applications must be received at the NIFL office by 4:30 pm on 
September 12, 1996; items delivered after that date will not be 
accepted.

Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package, 
except for required forms. 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 the information, regulations, and instructions 
needed to apply for a grant under this competition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jaleh Behroozi Soroui, NIFL, 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, 
Washington, DC 20006. Telephone: 202-632-1506. FAX: 202-632-1512. E-
mail: [email protected].
    Information about the Institute's funding opportunities, including 
the application notices can be viewed on the LINCS WWW server (under 
Current Events, under grants). LINCS URL: http://novel.nifl.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Definitions

    For purposes of this announcement the following definitions apply:
    ``Literacy.'' An individual's ability read, write, and speak in 
English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency 
necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one's goals 
and develop one's knowledge and potential (as stated in the National 
Literacy Act of 1991).
    ``State Literacy Resource Centers (SLRCs)'' State or regional 
organizations supported through any combination of federal, state, or 
private funds that has the purpose of coordinating the delivery and 
improvement of literacy services across agencies and organizations in 
the state or region, enhancing the capability of state and local 
organizations to provide literacy services, building a database of 
literacy related information, and working closely with the National 
Institute for Literacy and other national literacy organizations to 
enhance the national literacy infrastructure.
    ``Literacy Community.'' Individuals and groups at all levels 
nationwide that are actively involved with adult literacy and basic 
skills instruction, including individuals such as researchers, 
practitioners, policymakers, adult learners, and administrators, and 
groups such as state and local departments of education, human 
services, and labor; libraries; community-based organizations; 
businesses and labor unions; and volunteer and civic groups.
    ``OVAE regions.'' The four regions of the United States designated 
by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult 
Education (OVAE):
    Area I: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virgin Islands.
    Area II: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, 
Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, 
Texas, Virginia, West Virginia.
    Area III: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin.
    Area IV: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, 
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Federal 
States of Micronesia, Guam, Marshall Islands, No. Mariana Islands.
    ``Regional Hub'' an Internet-based electronic information retrieval 
and communication site, operating through an SLRC, that acts as the 
focal point for LINCS activity, including training and technical 
assistance, for a particular OVAE region.

Background

    The National Institute For Literacy (NIFL), as authorized by the 
National Literacy Act of 1991, has the legislative mandate to develop a 
national literacy data base. The intent of this mandate was to 
consolidate scattered and inaccessible information resources for 
literacy.
    As a first step toward carrying out this change, and in keeping 
with the Administration's ``information superhighway'' initiative, NIFL 
conducted a study in 1992 of the literacy community's information needs 
by type of users, quality and format of existing literacy sources and 
data bases. Following up on the results of this survey in 1993, NIFL 
formed eight work groups of representatives from the

[[Page 41806]]

literacy community to develop a vision and work plan for establishing 
its information and communication system, which is now called LINCS 
(the Literacy Information and Communication System). The work groups 
used a consensus-building process to produce a framework, standards, 
and guidelines for LINCS, which are presented in NIFL's ``Starting 
Point'' manual.
    In order to implement the work groups' vision and plans, NIFL 
developed the LINCS on-line prototype to examine and demonstrate the 
potential and capabilities of an Internet-based national literacy 
information and communication network.
    The LINCS prototype has been developed as a World Wide Web system 
on the Internet, accessible by Mosaic or Netscape, and Lynx. It is 
designed to access literacy data available in multiple locations, and 
features searchable literacy holdings (including SLRC holdings) and 
other literacy resources. It also provides access to the databases of 
ERIC, OTAN (Outreach and Technical Assistance Network), TTRC (Training 
Technology Resource Center) NCAL (National Center on Adult Literacy), 
the National Adult Literacy and Learning Disability Center, and the 
Library of Congress. In addition, the prototype includes E-mail, an 
event calendar, funding announcements, and information on legislation.
    NIFL's plan for the next two years is to establish the LINCS 
prototype as the foundation for a national electronic literacy network 
by upgrading the technological capabilities of the field. Major 
components of the plan are:
    (1) To broaden the literacy community's access to literacy 
resources,
    (2) To develop policies and procedures for information sharing 
throughout the literacy community,
    (3) To enhance awareness throughout the literacy community about 
the potential of a state-of-the-art information and communications 
technology for the field of adult education,
    (4) To ensure that LINCS keeps pace with the state-of-the-art 
technology and becomes increasingly more capable of enriching literacy 
services through the provision of comprehensive information resources 
to the literacy community.

Overview of the Technology Project

    To build an infrastructure that can support electronic 
communications and information exchange for literacy, NIFL currently 
supports SLRCs in Regions II, III and IV. These hubs create a base for 
expansion of LINCS into a national network. Using state-of-the-art 
technology, the regional hubs facilitate access to information and 
resource sharing within and among the regional literacy communities and 
encourage the collection of information that is increasing the literacy 
knowledge base.
    The three regional electronic information and communication hubs 
are:
     California State Literacy Resource Center & Outreach 
Technical Assistance Network (OTAN), at Sacramento County Office of 
Education.
     Ohio State Literacy Resource Center, at Kent State 
University.
     Texas State Literacy Resource Center, at Texas A&M 
Research Foundation, and Tennessee State Literacy Resource Center.
    The NIFL will award one additional grant to a SLRC in Region I for 
the creation of a hub. The grant, as with the three existing grants, 
will be used as seed money to attract ongoing support from other 
sources. Only one grant will be made within OVAE Region I.
    Purpose: The purpose of the technology grant program is to create 
regional electronic information and communication hubs for literacy 
that will--
    1. Build the technological capacity for electronic information 
exchange among SLRCs within each OVAE region through a consortia of 
states that cooperate in sharing resources and expertise.
    2. Enable individual SLRCs to share data with the literacy 
community and with major national adult literacy holdings by linking 
them with each other and the LINCS prototype.
    3. Demonstrate the use of the LINCS prototype by other state 
agencies and local adult literacy service providers in efforts to 
improve program and professional development.
    4. Increase the literacy field's knowledge base by using the 
``Starting Point'' manual standards to develop a systematic procedure 
for collecting new literacy information resources, specially 
unpublished materials.
    NIFL intends the value of this technology project to extend beyond 
the SLRCs to the literacy community as a whole. The larger goals of 
LINCS are to bring the community together--literacy researchers, 
practitioners, administrators, students, and policymakers--and to close 
the gap between information ``haves'' and ``have nots.'' These goals 
can only be met by expanding the network to increasingly greater 
numbers of individuals and groups in the literacy field.
    Eligible Applicants: SLRCs within Region I are eligible to apply 
for an award under this program.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: Applications must be 
received at the NIFL office by 4:30 pm on September 12, 1996; items 
delivered after that date will not be accepted.
    Available Funds: This announcement envisions a two year cooperative 
agreement. In the first year a total of $150,000 is available for the 
grant. Year 2 funding is subject to program authorization and 
availability of appropriations, and contingent upon satisfactory 
completion of the first year plan of action.
    Estimated Number of Awards: No more than 1 award in Region I.
    Estimated Award Amount: $150,000.
    Project Period: Up to 24 months.
    Selection Criteria: (a)(1) In evaluating applications for a grant 
under this competition, the Director uses the following selection 
criteria.
    (2) The maximum score for all of the criteria in this section is 
100 points.
    (3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses with the criterion.
    (b) The Criteria--(1) Mission and Strategy. (10 points) The 
Director reviews each application to determine how well the applicant 
has related the mission and strategy of the project to NIFL's overall 
goals and priorities, including:
    (i) The degree to which the plan for creating a regional hub 
reflects an understanding of the major tasks necessary to achieve 
NIFL's goals for building regional capacity;
    (ii) The quality of the plans for developing an appropriate, 
coherent, and effective program to achieve the project's goals;
    (iii) The effectiveness of proposed strategies for providing 
regional leadership to consortium members and other partners; and
    (iv) The quality of plans to establish effective working 
relationships with other organizations in the region as required for 
effective development of the project.
    (2) Institutional Capability. (15 points) The Director reviews each 
application to determine the capabilities of the organization to 
sustain a long-term, high quality, and coherent program, including:
    (i) The applicant's experience in establishing and carrying out 
collaborative working relationships with other states, other state 
agencies, and other public and private groups;
    (ii) The applicant's experience in developing materials and methods 
for training and technical assistance to adult literacy providers.
    (iii) The ability of the applicant to carry on the project when 
NIFL funding has ended.

[[Page 41807]]

    (3) Plan of Operation. (30 points) The Director 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;
    (iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purpose 
of the LINCS;
    (iv) The extent to which the applicant provides for effective 
collaboration between SLRCs and other agencies;
    (v) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and 
personnel to achieve each objective; and
    (vi) The extent to which the applicant's plan for year 1 provides 
for achieving the minimum project outcomes listed under Program 
Narrative.
    (4) Technical Soundness. (20 points) The Director reviews each 
application to determine the technical soundness of the proposed 
project, including:
    (i) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates a thorough 
knowledge of literacy data collections, dissemination and applying the 
required Institute's guidelines and standards.
    (ii) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates knowledge of 
current databases, telecommunications practices, equipment 
configurations and maintenance.
    (iii) Evidence of the commitment of the applicant to provide 
technical support and equipment to the members of consortium;
    (iv) Evidence that the applicant will consider the perspectives of 
a variety of service providers in carrying out the work of the 
consortium;
    (v) The extent to which the training content is comprehensive and 
at an appropriate level; and
    (vi) The extent to which training methods are likely to be 
effective.
    (5) Budget and Cost Effectiveness. (10 points) The Director reviews 
each application to determine the extent to which:
    (i) The budget is adequate to support consortium activities;
    (ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the 
consortium;
    (iii) The budgets for any subcontracts are detailed and 
appropriate; and
    (iv) The budget details resources, cash and in-kind, that the 
applicant and others, particularly other consortium members, will 
provide to the project in addition to grant funds.
    (6) Evaluation Plan. (10 points) The Director reviews each 
application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the 
consortium, including the adequacy of:
    (i) The methods and mechanism which will be used to document the 
consortium's progress in relation to its mission and goals; and
    (ii) The methods which will be used to document the impact of the 
consortium's program on its target audiences.
    Applications should describe and justify the methods used to ensure 
that the consortium's work is of high quality as evaluated by the above 
procedures.
    (7) Quality of Key Personnel. (5 points) The Director reviews each 
application to determine the quality of key personnel for the project, 
including:
    (i) The qualifications of the project director for each project 
activity;
    (ii) The qualifications of key personnel in each consortium member 
state for each project activity;
    (iii) The extent to which key personnel have experience and 
training in fields related to the objectives of the project; and
    (iv) The applicant's policy, as part of its nondiscriminatory 
employment practices, to ensure that its personnel are selected for 
employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, 
gender, age, or disability.

Application Requirements

Project Narrative

    The project narrative is critical and must thoroughly reflect the 
capabilities of the applicant, as well as the degree and level of 
cooperation with other SLRCs in the region, and the three existing 
recipients, related to implementing this technology project.
    The narrative should not exceed twenty (20) single-spaced pages, or 
forty (40) double-spaced pages. The narrative may be amplified by 
material in attachments and appendices, but the body should stand alone 
to give a complete picture of the project. Proposals which exceed 20 
single-spaced pages or 40 double-spaced pages will not be reviewed.
    The narrative must encompass the full two years of project 
activities and must cover the following areas:
1. Mission and Strategy
    a. State the goals and objectives of the two-year project. Explain 
how they relate to overall NIFL goals and contribute to the development 
of LINCS.
    b. Describe how the project will build regional technological 
capacity.
    c. Describe the services that will be provided to other SLRCs in 
the region.
    d. Explain how the project will serve the broader literacy 
community.
    e. State the overall expected project achievements for the end of 
the two-year grant period.
2. Institutional Capabilities
    a. State the applicant's qualifications to act as lead site of a 
regional consortium of all other SLRCs in the region. Describe the 
applicant's ability to carry out the proposed project and to deliver 
the proposed services.
    b. Describe the applicant's staff and organizational capacity to 
play a leadership role in mobilizing a consortium of the region's SLRCs 
to carry out the work of this grant, including the applicant's 
willingness and ability to--
    (1) Serve as the lead resource for sharing literacy data 
collections among states and for developing its own and other states 
collections on a local, statewide and regional basis. The applicant 
should have its own sizeable literacy collection (or a clear plan for 
acquiring such a collection), especially of unpublished material, and 
the capacity to make it electronically available to other SLRCs and 
state agencies.
    (2) Organize its information holdings and those of other SLRCs by 
applying NIFL standards and guidelines as presented in the ``Starting 
Point'' manual, as well as the literacy thesaurus being developed by 
the NIFL work group.
    (3) Provide the necessary technical support and expertise, 
especially in telecommunications, to less technologically advanced 
SLRCs. This includes: ensuring continuing on-line access among members, 
coordinating the installation of equipment and software, and providing 
technical assistance and training as appropriate.
    (4) Provide the necessary support and expertise, as described in 
b(3) above, to other state agencies and selected local literacy service 
providers.
    (5) Develop a plan for continuing the project after the end of the 
two-year project period, including prospective sources of support.
    (6) Collaborate with NIFL throughout the process of creating the 
regional hub in order to assure the uniform presentation of information 
across the LINCS.
    (7) Share project experience with other regions' SLRCs and the NIFL 
through quarterly performance reports.
    c. Describe the applicant's ability to secure support from other 
agencies and groups in sustaining the project at the end of the two-
year grant.

[[Page 41808]]

3. Plan of Operation
    The applicant must develop a two-year plan that is both ambitious 
and realistic. While aiming high, the applicant must demonstrate an 
awareness of the constraints inherent in each particular situation. The 
plan must address both the immediate needs and the future vision and 
direction of the regional technology project.
    The Director is particularly interested in applicants whose plans 
include provisions for--
     Forming a consortium with all other SLRC's in the region 
and securing the explicit commitment of each to participate in the 
project through the development of formal agreements delineating the 
roles and responsibilities of all members and a regional plan of action 
with timeliness of tasks achieved, including input from interested 
public and private organizations;
     Increasing adult literacy holdings and access of the 
literacy community to these holdings as LINCS expands;
     Developing partnerships with other state agencies and 
public and private entities, including business and industry, that can 
further project objectives and provide ongoing support to the project 
after the grant has ended;
     Building upon the efforts of the three existing hubs in 
implementing the technology project;
     Collaborating with other related electronic information 
exchange efforts, such as those run through libraries and universities, 
to widen usage of LINCS in the field; and
     Extending usage of the regional hub and the LINCS to local 
programs and practitioners.
    Also, innovative local programs with a strong leaner centered 
orientation, as well as coalitions of literacy providers.
    Accordingly, applicant's plan must address the following:
    a. Regional Hub: Describe how the applicant will establish a 
regional hub on the Internet that will provide a seamless interface 
between SLRCs in the region and LINCS, including:
    (1) How the applicant will establish and maintain a regional hub 
that mirrors the LINCS's information structure and the system 
architecture, as described in Technical Soundness section a and b.
    (2) What hardware, software, and networking system will be used to 
develop the hub and why they were chosen.
    (2) How the equipment meets NIFL requirements.
    (4) How the applicant will develop a collection of unpublished 
literacy materials.
    (5) How the applicant will collect and organize program data.
    (6) How the applicant will ensure adoption of ``Starting Point'' 
standards and work with other SLRCs in the areas of collection of data, 
organization and information dissemination.
    (7) How and to what extent the applicant will involve other 
agencies and organizations, especially state departments of education, 
human services, and labor, in the design and implementation of the 
regional hub.
    (8) How the applicant will achieve, at a minimum, the following 
outcomes in year 1:
    (a) The establishment of a regional hub for LINCS on the Internet.
    (b) An on-line database of unpublished materials using ``Starting 
Point'' standards.
    (c) An on-line directory of the regional consortium's literacy 
programs using ``Starting Point'' standards.
    (d) A bulletin board function.
    (e) Link-up with a least two major educational/workforce or 
legislative databases in the region.
    (f) Link-up with a minimum of 10 local service provider or local 
literacy coalition level sites.
    (g) Promotion of widespread access to, and use of, the regional 
hub.
    b. Connectivity. Describe the level at which consortium members 
will be connected to the regional hub and to each other, including how 
the applicant will achieve, at a minimum, the following outcome in year 
1: All consortium members and at least 10 local literacy service 
providers in one or more of the member states will be linked up with 
the regional hub and able to--
    (1) Retrieve information provided by the hub,
    (2) Transfer files,
    (3) Engage in on-line discussion groups,
    (4) Access the LINCS prototype.
    c. Organization and Management: Describe the ways in which the 
applicant will ensure appropriate organization and management of 
project activities, including:
    (1) How the applicant will involve an advisory group including 
representatives from all regional consortium member states in 
overseeing project implementation and evaluating progress.
    (2) How the applicant will provide for developing a formal 
agreement with all consortium member SLRCs that clearly identifies the 
rights, roles, and responsibilities of each state with regard to 
spending plan, technical assistance, training, timeline, developing 
criteria to select local service providers, evaluation and design of 
the hub.
    (3) How the applicant will provide for the management of any other 
partnership, consultant or subcontract arrangement with the rights and 
responsibilities of each party set forth clearly.
    (4) The identification of key staff members, their specific roles, 
and the number of hours required to carry out their tasks.
    (5) A description of any cost-sharing, cooperative funding, or 
other special financial arrangements.
    d. Access: Describe how the applicant will extend LINCS access to 
other state agencies and local literacy service providers, including:
    (1) How the applicant will promote widespread access to and use of 
the regional hub.
    (2) How the applicant will work with regional consortium members to 
select local sites to participate in the project.
    (3) How the applicant will support LINCS use by other agencies and 
at the local level, including--
    (a) The kind of hardware and software to be used.
    (b) The training and technical assistance to be provided.
    (c) The focus to be taken by an agency or local site in using LINCS 
(i.e., a site could focus on using the system in information retrievel, 
or exploring on-line communication between practitioners and adult 
learners, or exchanging teaching tools and curricula).
    (4) How the applicant will solicit and use feedback from other 
agencies and local providers in assessing the network's potential and 
refining the work of the regional hub.
    (5) How the applicant will achieve, at a minimum, the following 
outcome in year 1: At least 10 local literacy service providers in one 
or more of the member states will have the capability to use the 
services of the regional hub.
    e. Collaboration: Describe how the applicant will assure 
collobration with other related agencies, organizations, and projects 
in the region, including how the applicant will work with other 
regional consortium member states to--
    (1) Secure the active cooperation and partnership of appropriate 
state agencies, including education, labor, and human services.
    (2) Identify and connect with other projects in the region that use 
technology in the areas of telecommunications, on-line services, 
networking and multi-media.
4. Technical Soundness
    a. Describe how the applicant will install an electronic system for 
the regional hub that mirrors the LINCS

[[Page 41809]]

structure, which consists of the following: a UNIX-based work station, 
connected to the Internet via the NIFL LAN, with information maintained 
in both HTML documents and WAIS databases. This work station is the 
World Wide Web (WWW) server, and also provides access to the Lynx WWW 
client for those users unable to use graphical clients, such as Mosaic. 
The software developed for the NIFL home page by the Logistics 
Management Institute is freely available for re-use.
    b. Describe how the applicant will create a home page design that 
is similar to the LINCS home page, so that the same ``look and feel'' 
can be achieved throughout the network. (For example, a proposal for a 
World Wide Web server providing Mosaic- and Lynx-based access to a 
region's literacy resources and linkage to the NIFL home page would 
receive greater consideration than a proposal for information 
maintained on one or multiple WAIS database servers).
    c. Describe how the applicant will, at a minimum--
    (1) Acquire a 56kbps or faster direct Internet connection.
    (2) Develop a WAIS database server or servers on the Internet.
    (3) Populate the WAIS database(s) with literacy collections and 
program data, using ``Starting Point'' record structures and standards.
    (4) Provide technical assistance, funding and resources to assure 
that all consortium members are connected to the Internet and are 
contributing and sharing adult literacy data.
    d. Describe the applicant's provisions for equipment, including--
    (1) What equipment will be used to establish the regional literacy 
hub or hubs.
    (2) How the applicant will assess the equipment needs for each 
consortium member.
    (3) What equipment will be used to link each consortium member to 
the regional hub and to LINCS.
    (4) The reason for purchasing or upgrading equipment, as well as 
software and networking systems, for each member.
    (5) How the equipment funded by this grant will be maintained.
    (6) How issues of technology refreshment and obsolescence will be 
addressed.
    (7) How the applicant will achieve, at a minimum, the following 
outcome for year 1: The lead site and consortium members will all have 
the equipment necessary to perform functions described in the plan of 
operation.
    e. Describe the applicant's provisions for training and technical 
assistance, including--
    (1) How the applicant will assess the relevant skills and knowledge 
of each consortium member SLRC and pool this expertise for the benefit 
of all consortium members.
    (2) How the applicant will assist all consortium member SLRCs in 
selection and installation of hardware and software within the proposed 
timeline.
    (3) A commitment to regional training and staff development for 
consortium members.
    (4) How provisions will be made for well-organized and ongoing 
training that addresses a full range of needs.
    (5) How administrators in each consortium member SLRC and local 
site will learn about the potential of LINCS and the regional hub, the 
pros and cons of various applications, how to connect to the system and 
benefit from it, and how to help their own clients tap into the 
national bank of resources available through LINCS.
    (6) How the applicant will teach specific skills as well as an 
understanding of the power of the new technology and a desire for 
acquiring it and making it accessible to local literacy practitioners 
throughout the region, and ways of exploring the impact that it will 
have on teaching and learning methods.
    (7) How the applicant will determine the type and the level of the 
training, and designate adequate funding.
    (8) How the applicant will select training models (such as training 
trainers or workshops supplemented by peer coaching or modeling) that 
meet the needs of geographically dispersed staff at various levels of 
knowledge and skills, especially given rapid changes in technology.
    (9) How the applicant will achieve, at a minimum, the following 
outcomes in year 1:
    (a) Consortium member SLRC's hardware and software are installed 
and functional.
    (b) A measurable training plan, which includes training staff of 
consortium member states, local sites, and other involved agencies in 
the use of the Regional hub, will be developed and implemented.
5. Efficiency and Economy
    a. Cost Effectiveness: The applicant must demonstrate how it will 
ensure--
    (1) the most efficient and cost-effective use of the funding,
    (2) continuation of the project at end of the grant through 
securing additional funds to continue and expand the project.
    b. Time Line: The applicant's plan must contain a table or diagram 
with major tasks or milestones, including estimates of funds, time, 
training schedules, personnel, facilities and equipment allocated to 
each program area. The timing of progress and other reports, meetings, 
and similar events should be included.
6. Monitoring and Evaluation
    The applicant must provide a detailed monitoring and evaluation 
plan that will demonstrate the effectiveness of the project in 
achieving the objectives of the grant, including--
    a. A process for ongoing evaluation and acquiring on-line and off-
line input from users.
    b. How the applicant will measure and evaluate the impact of the 
project on--
    (1) the members of the consortium (their connectivity, access, data 
collection and organization),
    (2) the broader literacy community, especially other state agencies 
and local literacy service providers;
    c. How results of the evaluation will be confirmed and reported.

Other Application Requirements

    The application shall include the following:
    Project Summary: The proposal must contain a 200-word summary of 
the proposed project suitable for publication. It should not be an 
abstract of the proposal, but rather a self-contained description of 
the activities that would explain the proposal. The summary should be 
free of jargon and technical terminology, and should be understandable 
by an intelligent but non-specialist reader.
    Budget Proposal: ED Form 524 must be completed and submitted with 
each application. The form consists of Sections A, B, and C. on the 
back of the form are general instructions for completion of the budget. 
All applicants must complete Sections A and C. If Section B is 
completed, include the nature and source of non-federal funds. Attach 
as Section C a detailed explanation and amplification of each budget 
category. Included in the explanation should be a complete 
justification of costs in each category. Additional instructions 
include:
     Prepare a separate itemization and narrative for each of 
the SLRCs in the region in addition to submitting an itemized budget 
narrative for the project as a whole.
     Personnel items should include names (titles or position) 
of key staff, number of hours proposed and applicable hourly rates.
     Include the cost, purpose, and justification for travel, 
equipment,

[[Page 41810]]

supplies, contractual and other. Training stipends are not authorized 
under this program.
     Clearly identify in all instances contributed costs and 
support from other sources, if any.
     Show budget detail for financial aspects of any cost 
sharing, joint or cooperative funding.
    Disclosure of Prior Institute Support: If any consortium member 
state has received Institute funding in the past 2 years, the following 
information on the prior awards is required:
     Institute award number, amount and period of support,
     A summary of the results of the completed work; and
     A brief description of available materials and other 
related research products not described elsewhere.
    If the applicant has received a prior award, the reviewers will be 
asked to comment on the quality of the prior work describe in this 
section of the proposal.
    Current and Pending Support: All current project support from 
whatever source (such as Federal, State, or local government agencies, 
private foundations, commercial organizations) must be listed. The list 
must include the proposed project and all other projects requiring a 
portion of time of the Project Director and other project personnel, 
even if they receive no salary support from the project(s). The number 
of person-months or percentage of effort to be devoted to the projects 
must be stated, regardless of source of support. Similar information 
must be provided for all proposals that are being considered by or will 
be submitted soon to other sponsors.
    If the project now being submitted has been funded previously by 
another source, the information requested in the paragraph above should 
be furnished for the immediately preceding funding period. If the 
proposal is being submitted to other possible sponsors, all of them 
must be listed. Concurrent submission of a proposal to other 
organizations will not prejudice its review by the Institute.i
    Any fee proposed to be paid to a collaborating or ``partner'' for-
profit entity should be indicated. (Fees will be negotiated by the 
Grants Officer.) Any copyright, patent or royalty agreements (proposed 
or in effect) must be described in detail, so that the rights and 
responsibilities of each party are made clear. If any part of the 
project is to be subcontracted, a budget and work plan prepared and 
duly signed by the subcontractor must be submitted as part of the 
overall proposal and addressed in the narrative.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (1) The original and two (2) copies of the application must be 
received by September 12, 1996, at the address below. Applicants are 
encouraged, but not required, to submit three (3) additional copies of 
the application, but will not be penalized if additional copies are not 
received.

National Institute for Literacy, 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 200, 
Washington, DC 20006, Attention: (CFDA #84.257F)

    (1) The NIFL will mail a Grant Applicant 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 NIFL at (202) 632-1525.
    (2) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and in Item 10 of 
the application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA 
number of the competition under which the application is being 
submitted.
    (3) All applications mailed to the NIFL must be received by 
September 12; applications received after that date will not be 
accepted. Thus, applicants must allow enough time for the U.S. Postal 
Service to make delivery by the deadline.
    Application Forms: The append to this announcement 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 that the 
submitted application should be organized. The parts and additional 
materials are as follows:
    Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (ED Form 424 (Rev. 4-
94)) and instructions.
    Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 
524) and instructions.
    Part III. Application Narrative.
    Additional Materials:
    Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
    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 recipients and 
should not be transmitted to the NIFL.

    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions.
    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 certifications must 
each have an original signature. No award can be made unless a 
completed application has been received.
    Applicable Regulations: The National Institute for Literacy is 
subject to the rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Procedures 
Act (APA). Under the APA, as now codified in Title 5 of the United 
States Code, section 553, matters relating to public property, loans, 
grants, benefits, or contracts are not subject to the rulemaking 
requirement of that section. The National Institute for Literacy is now 
in the initial stages of establishing a new program recently authorized 
by Congress and must obligate funds under this authority by September 
30, 1996. The NIFL considered waiving this exemption to rulemaking 
requirements but determined that there was too little time to propose 
rules and offer applicants a reasonable amount of time to prepare 
applications for the award announced in this notice. Therefore, the 
National Institute for Literacy has adopted the following rules for the 
conduct of this competition and the resulting award.
    The following regulations of the Department of Education apply:
    34 CFR part 74, Administration of Grants to Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit Organizations. The following 
provisions of 34 CFR part 75: Secs. 75.50, 75.51, 75.102-75.104, 
75.109, 75.117, 75.190-75.192, 75.200, 75.201, 75.215.
    34 CFR part 77, Definitions.
    34 CFR part 80, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.
    34 CFR part 82, New restrictions on Lobbying.
    34 CFR part 85, Government wide Debarment and Suspension (Non 
procurement) and Government wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace 
(Grants).
    The selection criteria used for this competition are set out in 
this Notice. While the criteria are patterned on those used generally 
by the Department of Education, they have been adapted by the NIFL to 
meet the needs of this program.
    While the National Institute for Literacy is associated with the 
Departments of Education, Labor, and

[[Page 41811]]

Health and Human Services, the policies and procedures regarding 
rulemaking and administration of grants are not adopted by the NIFL 
except as expressly stated in this Notice.
    Selection of Applications: The Director uses 34 CFR 75.217 in 
selecting an application for award.
    Grant Administration: The administration of the grant to the 
consortium is governed by the conditions of the award letter. The 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations, (EDGAR) 34 CFR 
Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85 and 86 (January 1, 1995), set 
forth administrative and other requirements. This document is available 
through your public library and the NIFL. It is recommended that 
appropriate administrative officials become familiar with the policies 
and procedures in the EDGAR which are applicable to this award. If a 
proposal is recommended for an award, the Grants official will request 
certain organizational, management, and financial information.
    The following information on grant administration dealing with 
questions such as General Requirement, Prior Approval Requirements, 
Transfer of Project Director, and Suspension or termination of Award, 
are available in EDGAR.
    Reporting: In addition to working closely with the Institute, the 
applicant will be required to submit quarterly and an annual report of 
activities. This annual report will be presented to the Institute 
staff, the National Institute Advisory Board and Interagency Group. 
Detailed specifications for the annual report will be provided to the 
consortium within 3 months after the award. For planning purposes, the 
applicant may assume that the following information will be provided:
     Project(s) Title.
     Project Abstract.
    A concise narrative describing in layman's language the subject 
purposes, methods, expected outcomes (including products), and 
significance of the project.
     Significant Products.
    A list of significant holdings available for access associated with 
the consortium.
     Significant Accomplishments.
    A past-tense abstract that describes the consortium's 
accomplishments, known uses of the holdings and evidence of positive 
impact.
    The grantee must also submit the following reports:
     Quarterly Performance.
    A brief 2-3 page report of progress--
    Due: Within 20 days of the end of each quarter.
     Final Report.
    Due: 90 days after the expiration of or termination of support.
    Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer: An acknowledgment of 
Institute support and a disclaimer must appear in publications of any 
material, whether copyrighted or not, based on or developed under 
Institute-supported projects:
    This material is based upon work supported by the National 
Institute for Literacy under Grant No. (grantee should enter Institute 
grant number).
    Except for articles or papers published in professional journals, 
the following disclaimer should be included: Any opinion, findings, and 
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of 
the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NIFL.
    Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden: According to 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond 
to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control 
number. The valid control number for this information collection is 
3200-0029, Expiration date August 1999. The time required to complete 
this information collection is estimated to average 80 hours per 
response, including the time to review instructions, search existing 
data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the 
information collection.
Carolyn Staley,
Deputy Director, NIFL.
[FR Doc. 96-20490 Filed 8-9-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6055-01-M