[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 42 (Tuesday, March 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9898-9900]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5295]
[[Page 9897]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part VI
Department of Housing and Urban Development
_______________________________________________________________________
Community Development Work Study Program; Notice of Funding
Availability for Fiscal Year 1997; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 42 / Tuesday, March 4, 1997 /
Notices
[[Page 9898]]
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
[Docket No. FR-4189-N-01]
Community Development Work Study Program; Notice of Funding
Availability; FY 1997
AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and
Research, HUD.
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year (FY)
1997.
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SUMMARY: This notice invites applications from institutions of higher
education, area-wide planning organizations (APOs), and States for
grants under the Community Development Work Study Program (CDWSP). The
CDWSP, authorized by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974,
as amended, assists economically disadvantaged and minority students
participating in work study programs in such institutions. This notice
announces HUD's intention to award up to $3 million from FY 1997
appropriations (plus any additional funds recaptured from prior
appropriations) to fund work study programs to be carried out from
August 1997 to September 1999.
DATES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING APPLICATIONS: Applications may be
requested beginning March 14, 1997. Applications must be physically
received by the Office of University Partnerships, in care of the
Division of Budget, Contracts, and Program Control in Room 8230 by 4:30
p.m. Eastern Time on May 5, 1997. Facsimile (FAX) copies of the
application will not be accepted. This deadline is firm as to date,
hour, and place. In the interest of fairness to all competing
applicants, HUD will treat as ineligible for consideration any
application that is received after the deadline. Applicants should take
this practice into account and make early submissions of their
materials to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility brought about by
unanticipated delays or other delivery-related problems. Applicants
hand-delivering applications are advised that considerable delays may
occur in attempting to enter the building because of security
procedures.
Application packages may be obtained by written request from the
following address: HUD USER, ATTN: Community Development Work Study
Program, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, MD 20850. Requests for application
kits may be faxed to: 301-251-5747 (this is not a toll-free number).
Requests for application kits must include the applicant's name,
mailing address (including zip code), telephone number (including area
code), and must refer to ``Document FR-4189.'' The application kit is
also available on the Internet from the Office of University
Partnerships Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse can be accessed from the
World Wide Web at: http://www.oup.org; or from a Gopher Server at:
gopher://oup.org:78.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Hartung, Office of University
Partnerships, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh
Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410, Telephone (202) 708-3061, extension
261 (Voice). Hearing- or speech-impaired individuals may access this
number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at 1-
800-877-8339. (With the exception of the ``800'' number, these are not
toll-free numbers.) Mr. Hartung can also be reached via the Internet at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
A. Background
Section 107(c) of the Housing and Community Development Act of
1974, as amended, (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) (the Act) authorizes the
CDWSP. Under this section, HUD is authorized to provide grants to
institutions of higher education, either directly or through area-wide
planning organizations or States, for the purpose of providing
assistance to economically disadvantaged and minority students,
including students with disabilities, who participate in community
development work study programs and are enrolled in full-time graduate
or undergraduate programs in community or economic development,
community planning, or community management.
On July 10, 1996 (61 FR 36456), HUD issued a new final rule for the
program, making several changes in program requirements. Among other
revisions, the rule: (1) Limited the number of students assisted under
the CDWSP to five students per participating institution of higher
education; (2) limited the CDWSP to graduate level programs; (3)
permitted institutions of higher education to apply individually or
through APOs; and (4) streamlined the selection factors used to select
grantees.
Two-year institutions are not eligible applicants for funding under
this program. This notice announces HUD's intention to award up to $3
million from FY 1997 appropriations (plus any additional funds
recaptured from prior appropriations). Awards will be made under the
HUD implementing regulations at 24 CFR 570.400 and 570.415 and the
provisions of this Notice.
B. Eligible Applicants
The following are eligible to apply for assistance under the
program subject to the conditions noted below:
1. Institutions of higher education offering graduate degrees in a
community development academic program.
2. Area-wide planning organizations (APOs) which apply on behalf of
two or more institutions of higher education located in the same SMSA
or non-SMSA area as the APO. As a result of the new final rule for the
program issued on July 10, 1996, institutions of higher education are
permitted to choose whether to apply independently or through an APO.
3. States which apply on behalf of two or more institutions of
higher education located in the State. If a State is approved for
funding, institutions of higher education located in the State are not
eligible recipients.
C. Threshold Requirements
To be eligible for ranking, applications must meet each of the
following threshold requirements:
1. The application must be filed in the application form prescribed
by HUD, and within the required time prescribed by the Application Kit
released pursuant to this notice.
2. The application must demonstrate that the applicant is eligible
to participate.
3. The applicant must demonstrate that each institution of higher
education participating in the program as a recipient has the required
academic programs and faculty to carry out its activities under CDWSP.
Each work placement agency must be an agency and must have the required
staff and community development work study program to carry out its
activities under CDWSP. Eligible work placement agencies must be
involved in community building and must be an agency of a State or unit
of local government, an areawide planning organization, an Indian
tribe, or a private nonprofit organization.
4. Institutions of higher education, APOs, and States must maintain
at least a 50 percent rate of graduation of students from the FY 1994
funding round which covered school years September 1994 to September
1996 in order to participate in the current round of CDWSP funding.
Institutions of higher education, APOs, and States funded under the FY
1994 CDWSP funding round which did not maintain such a rate will be
excluded from
[[Page 9899]]
participating in the FY 1997 funding round. Such institutions, APOs,
and States are eligible to participate in the 1998 round.
D. Selection Factors (100 points)
The following factors will be considered by HUD in evaluating
applications in response to the solicitation.
1. Quality of academic program (30 points). The quality of the
academic program offered by the institution of higher education (or
institutions, in the case an application from an APO or State),
including without limitation the:
(a) Quality of course offerings;
(b) Appropriateness of course offerings for preparing students for
careers in community building; and
(c) Qualifications of faculty and percentage of their time devoted
to teaching and research in community building.
2. Rates of graduation (7 points). The rates of graduation of
students previously enrolled in a community building academic program,
specifically including (where applicable) graduation rates from any
previously funded CDWSP academic programs or similar programs.
3. Extent of financial commitment (10 points). The commitment and
ability of the institution of higher education (or institutions, in the
case of an application from an APO or State) to assure that CDWSP
students will receive sufficient financial assistance (including loans,
where appropriate) above and beyond the CDWSP funding to complete their
academic program in a timely manner and without working in excess of 20
hours per week during the school year.
4. Quality of work placement assignments (15 points). The extent to
which the participating students will receive a sufficient number and
variety of work placement assignments, the assignments will provide
practical and useful experience to students participating in the
program, and the assignments will further the participating students'
preparation for professional careers in community building. Students
engaging in community building projects through an institution of
higher education may do so only through a community outreach center and
will then be considered placed at that center. Accordingly, in
assessing the number and variety of work placement assignments an
applicant will make available to students, such a community outreach
center will be considered a single placement assignment.
5. Likelihood of fostering students' permanent employment in
community building (10 points). The extent to which the proposed
program will lead participating students directly and immediately to
permanent employment in community building, as indicated by:
(a) The past success of the institution of higher education in
placing its graduates (particularly CDWSP-funded and similar program
graduates, where applicable) in permanent employment in community
building; and
(b) The amount of faculty/staff time and resources devoted to
assisting students (particularly students in CDWSP-funded and similar
programs, where applicable) in finding permanent employment in
community building.
6. Effectiveness of program administration (18 points). The degree
to which the applicant will be able to effectively coordinate and
administer the program. HUD will allocate the maximum points available
under this criterion equally among the following three considerations,
except that the maximum points available under this criterion will be
allocated equally only between (a) and (b), where the applicant has not
previously administered a CDWSP-funded program.
(a) The strength and clarity of the applicant's plan for placing
CDWSP students on rotating work placement assignments and monitoring
CDWSP students' progress both academically and in their work placement
assignments;
(b) The degree to which the individual who will coordinate and
administer the program has clear responsibility, ample available time,
and sufficient authority to do so;
(c) The effectiveness of the applicant's prior coordination and
administration of a CDWSP-funded program, where applicable (including
the timeliness and completeness of the applicant's compliance with
CDWSP reporting requirements).
7. Commitment to meeting the needs of economically disadvantaged
and minority students (10 points). The applicant's commitment to
meeting the needs of economically disadvantaged and minority students
as demonstrated by the policies and plans regarding, and past efforts
and success in, recruiting, enrolling and financially assisting
economically disadvantaged and minority students. If the applicant is
an APO or State, HUD will consider the demonstrated commitment of each
institution of higher education on whose behalf the APO or State is
applying; HUD will also consider the demonstrated commitment of the APO
or State to recruit and hire economically disadvantaged and minority
students.
E. Program Policy Factors
HUD may provide assistance to support a number of students that is
less than the number requested under applications in order to provide
assistance to as many highly rated applications as possible. In
addition, HUD might award a lower funding level than the requested
amount for tuition, work stipend, books and additional support.
In the event two or more applications have the same number of
points, the application with the most points for selection factor (1)
will be selected. If there is still a tie, the application with the
most points for selection factor (6) will be selected.
F. Application Content and Review Procedures
Applicants must complete and submit applications in accordance with
instructions contained in the application kit, and must include all
certifications, assurances, and budget information requested in the
kit. Following the expiration of the application submission deadline,
HUD will review and rank applications in a manner consistent with the
procedures described in this Notice and the provisions of the program
regulations at 24 CFR 570.415.
G. Corrections to Deficient Applications
If an application lacks certain technical items or contains a
technical error, such as an incorrect signatory, HUD may notify the
applicant in writing that it has 14 calendar days from the date of
HUD's written notification to cure the technical deficiency. If the
applicant fails to submit the missing material within the 14-day cure
period, HUD may disqualify the application.
This 14-day cure period applies only to non-substantive
deficiencies or errors. Any deficiency capable of cure will involve
only items not necessary for HUD to assess the merits of an application
against the factors specified in this NOFA.
H. Findings and Certifications
1. Federalism Impact
The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a)
of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that the policies
and procedures contained in this notice will not have substantial
direct effects on States or their political subdivisions, or the
relationship between the federal government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
[[Page 9900]]
responsibilities among the various levels of government. As a result,
the notice is not subject to review under the Order.
2. Impact on the Family
The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under Executive
Order 12606, The Family, has determined that this notice will likely
have a beneficial impact on family formation, maintenance, and general
well-being. Accordingly, since the impact on the family is beneficial,
no further review is considered necessary.
3. Accountability in the Provision of HUD Assistance
Section 102 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Reform Act of 1989 (HUD Reform Act) and the final rule codified at 24
CFR part 4, subpart A, published on April 1, 1996 (61 FR 1448), contain
a number of provisions that are designed to ensure greater
accountability and integrity in the provision of certain types of
assistance administered by HUD. On January 14, 1992 (57 FR 1942), HUD
published a notice that also provides information on the implementation
of section 102. The documentation, public access, and disclosure
requirements of section 102 are applicable to assistance awarded under
this NOFA as follows:
a. Documentation and Public Access
HUD will ensure that documentation and other information regarding
each application submitted pursuant to this NOFA are sufficient to
indicate the basis upon which assistance was provided or denied. This
material, including any letters of support, will be made available for
public inspection for a five-year period beginning not less than 30
days after the award of the assistance. Material will be made available
in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and
HUD's implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 15. In addition, HUD will
include the recipients of assistance pursuant to this NOFA in its
Federal Register notice of all recipients of HUD assistance awarded on
a competitive basis.
b. HUD Responsibilities--Disclosures
HUD will make available to the public for five years all applicant
disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in connection with this
NOFA. Update reports (also Form 2880) will be made available along with
the applicant disclosure reports, but in no case for a period less than
three years. All reports, both applicant disclosures and updates, will
be made available in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5
U.S.C. 552) and HUD's implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 15.
c. State and Unit of General Local Government Responsibilities--
Disclosures
States and units of general government receiving assistance under
this NOFA must make all applicant disclosure reports available to the
public for three years. Required update reports must be made available
along with the applicant disclosure reports, but in no case for a
period less than three years. Each State and unit of general local
government may use HUD Form 2880 to collect the disclosures, or may
develop its own form.
4. Prohibition Against Advance Information on Funding Decisions
HUD's regulation implementing section 103 of the HUD Reform Act,
codified as 24 CFR part 4, applies to the funding competition announced
today. The requirements of the rule continue to apply until the
announcement of the selection of successful applicants.
HUD employees involved in the review of applications and in the
making of funding decisions are restrained by part 4 from providing
advance information to any person (other than an authorized employee of
HUD) concerning funding decisions, or from otherwise giving any
applicant an unfair competitive advantage. Persons who apply for
assistance in this competition should confine their inquiries to the
subject areas permitted under 24 CFR part 4.
Applicants who have ethics related questions should contact HUD's
Ethics Law Division (202) 708-3815 (This is not a toll-free number.)
5. Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities
Applicants for funding under this NOFA are subject to the
provisions of section 319 of the Department of Interior and Related
Agencies Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 1991 (31 U.S.C. 1352) (the
Byrd Amendment), which prohibits applicants from using appropriated
funds for lobbying the Executive or Legislative Branches of the Federal
Government in connection with a specific contract, grant, or loan.
Applicants are required to certify, using the certification found at
Appendix A to 24 CFR part 87, that they will not, and have not, used
appropriated funds for any prohibited lobbying activities. In addition,
applicants must disclose, using Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities,'' any funds, other than Federally appropriated
funds, that will be or have been used to influence Federal employees,
members of Congress, and Congressional staff regarding specific grants
or contracts.
6. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement
The information collection requirements contained in this NOFA have
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and assigned OMB
control number 2528-0175. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a
person is not required to respond to, a collection of information
unless the collection displays a valid control number.
7. Environmental Impact
This NOFA does not direct, provide for assistance or loan and
mortgage insurance for, or otherwise govern or regulate property
acquisition, disposition, lease, rehabilitation, alteration,
demolition, or new construction, or set out or provide for standards
for construction or construction materials, manufactured housing, or
occupancy. Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this NOFA is
categorically excluded from environmental review under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321). In
addition, the provision of assistance under this NOFA is categorically
excluded from review in accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9).
I. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number for the CDWSP is
14.234.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5301-5320; 42 U.S.C. 3535(d); 24 CFR
570.402.
Date: February 18, 1997.
Michael A. Stegman,
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 97-5295 Filed 3-3-97; 8:45 am]
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