[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 236 (Tuesday, December 9, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64992-64994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-32246]



[[Page 64991]]

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Part V





Department of Agriculture





_______________________________________________________________________



Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service Higher 
Education Challenge Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1998; Solicitation 
of Applications; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 236 / Tuesday, December 9, 1997 / 
Notices  

[[Page 64992]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service 
Higher Education Challenge Grants Program for Fiscal Year 1998; 
Solicitation of Applications

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) is announcing the Higher Education Challenge Grants 
Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998. Proposals are hereby requested from 
eligible institutions as identified herein for competitive 
consideration of Challenge Grant awards.

DATES: Proposals must be received by February 23, 1998. Forms 
indicating intent to submit a proposal are due January 22, 1998.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard E. Sandberg, Ph.D., Higher 
Education Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2251; 1400 
Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2251; telephone: 
(202) 720-1973; e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Program is subject to the provisions 
found at 7 CFR Part 3405, 62 FR 39316, July 22, 1997. These provisions 
set forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant proposals, 
rules governing the evaluation of proposals and the awarding of grants, 
and regulations relating to the post-award administration of grant 
projects.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.217, Higher Education Challenge Grants Program.

Authority

    The authority for this program is contained in section 1417(b)(1) 
of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy 
Act of 1977, as amended (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(1)). Under this 
authority, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary of 
Agriculture, who has delegated the authority to the Administrator of 
CSREES, may make competitive grants, for a period not to exceed 5 
years, to land-grant colleges and universities, to colleges and 
universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable 
capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, 
and to other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity 
to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences, to 
administer and conduct programs to respond to identified State, 
regional, national or international educational needs in the food and 
agricultural sciences.

Purpose of the Program

    Grants will be made to U.S. colleges and universities to strengthen 
their teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences in the 
targeted need areas as described herein. The Higher Education Challenge 
Grants Program is designed to stimulate and enable colleges and 
universities to provide the quality of education necessary to produce 
baccalaureate or higher degree level graduates capable of strengthening 
the Nation's food and agricultural scientific and professional work 
force. It is intended that projects supported by the program will: (1) 
address a State, regional, national, or international educational need; 
(2) involve a creative or nontraditional approach toward addressing 
that need which can serve as a model to others; (3) encourage and 
facilitate better working relationships in the university science and 
education community, as well as between universities and the private 
sector, to enhance program quality and supplement available resources; 
and (4) result in benefits which will likely transcend the project 
duration and USDA support.

Eligibility

    Proposals may be submitted by land-grant and other U.S. colleges 
and universities offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree 
in at least one discipline or area of the food and agricultural 
sciences. Each applicant must have a demonstrable capacity for, and a 
significant ongoing commitment to, the teaching of food and 
agricultural sciences generally and to the specific need and/or subject 
area(s) for which a grant is requested. In addition, a grantee 
institution must meet the definition of a college or university as 
defined in 7 CFR 3405.2(f), 62 FR 39316, July 22, 1997. An institution 
eligible to receive an award under this program includes a research 
foundation maintained by an eligible college or university.

Available Funds

    CSREES anticipates that the amount available for project grants 
under this program in FY 1998 will be approximately $4,067,250. Awards 
will be based on merit evaluation of proposals by peer review panels 
and internal staff review.

Targeted Need Areas Supported

    For FY 1998, proposals must address one or more of the following 
targeted need areas: (1) Curricula Design and Materials Development; 
(2) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching; (3) Instruction 
Delivery Systems; and (4) Student Experiential Learning. A description 
of these targeted need areas can be found in the Scope of Program 
section of 7 CFR 3405.6, 62 FR 39316, July 22, 1997. A proposal may 
address a single targeted need area or multiple targeted need areas, 
and may be focused on a single subject matter area or multiple subject 
matter areas, in any combination (e.g., curriculum development in 
horticulture; curriculum development, faculty enhancement, and student 
experiential learning in animal science; faculty enhancement in food 
science and agribusiness management; or instruction delivery systems 
and student experiential learning in plant science, horticulture, and 
entomology).

Degree Levels Supported

    For FY 1998, proposals must be directed to undergraduate studies 
leading to a baccalaureate degree. For purposes of this program, 
proposals directed to the first professional degree in veterinary 
medicine also are allowable. Projects directed to the graduate level of 
study will not be supported.

Proposal Submission Limitations

    There is no limit on the number of proposals any one institution 
may submit. In addition, there is no limit on the number of proposals 
which may be submitted on behalf of the same school, college, or 
equivalent administrative unit within an institution.

Project Duration

    A regular, complementary, or joint project proposal may request 
funding for a project period of 18 months to three-years duration.

Matching Requirement

    Each grant recipient under the Higher Education Challenge Grants 
Program is required to match the grant funds awarded on a dollar-for-
dollar basis from a non-Federal source(s). The cash contributions 
toward matching from the institution should be identified in the column 
``Applicant Contributions to Matching Funds'' of the Higher Education 
Budget, Form CSREES-713. The cash contributions of the institution and 
third parties as well as non-cash

[[Page 64993]]

contributions should be identified on Line N., as appropriate, of Form 
CSREES-713.

Maximum Grant Amount

    For a regular or complementary project proposal, the maximum funds 
that may be requested from CSREES under this program to cover allowable 
costs during the project period are $80,000. (The total Federal 
contribution to the budget for a regular or complementary project 
proposal may not exceed $80,000.) For a joint project proposal, the 
maximum funds that may be requested from CSREES under this program to 
cover allowable costs during the project period are $160,000. (The 
total Federal contribution to the budget for a joint project proposal 
may not exceed $160,000). Please refer to the Administrative Provisions 
for this program at 7 CFR 3405.2, 62 FR 39316, July 22, 1997, for the 
definitions of regular, complementary, and joint project proposals.

    Note: These maximums are for the total duration of the project, 
not per year.

Funding Limitations Per Institution

    The maximum total funds that may be awarded to an institution under 
this program in FY 1998 are $200,000. Of funds awarded for either 
joint, complementary, or regular project proposals, only the grant 
funds retained by the grantee institution will count against the 
grantee institution's maximum of $200,000. Funds awarded by lead 
institutions to other colleges and universities through subcontracts or 
subgrants will count against each respective institution's maximum of 
$200,000.

Maximum Number of Grants Per Institution

    For FY 1998, a maximum of three grants may be awarded to any one 
institution under the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program.

Evaluation Criteria

    For the FY 1998 competition, the peer review panel(s) will consider 
the following criteria and weights to evaluate proposals submitted for 
funding:

    Note: In accordance with 7 CFR 3405.15, the evaluation criteria 
specified below differs from and takes precedence over the 
evaluation criteria in the administrative regulations.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Evaluation criterion                        Weight        
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(a) Potential for addressing a State, regional,  65 points.             
 national or international need.                                        
    This criterion assesses the potential of                            
     the project to add value by advancing the                          
     quality of food and agricultural sciences                          
     higher education and producing graduates                           
     capable of strengthening the Nation's food                         
     and agricultural scientific and                                    
     professional work force. This criterion                            
     includes the following elements: impact,                           
     innovation, expected products and results,                         
     and continuation plans.                                            
    (1) Impact--Does the project address a                              
     clearly documented State, regional,                                
     national, or international need? Will the                          
     benefits to be derived from the project                            
     transcend the applicant institution and/or                         
     the grant period?                                                  
    (2) Innovation--Is the project based on an                          
     innovative or a non-traditional approach                           
     toward solving a higher education problem.                         
    (3) Products and results--Are the expected                          
     products and/or results of the project                             
     clearly explained? Will the project                                
     contribute to an improvement in the                                
     quality or diversity of the Nation's food                          
     and agricultural scientific and                                    
     professional expertise base?                                       
    (4) Continuation plans--Are there plans for                         
     continuation or expansion of the project                           
     beyond USDA support? Are there indications                         
     of external, non-Federal support? Are                              
     there realistic plans for making the                               
     project self-supporting?                                           
(b) Potential of submitting institution(s) to    70 points.             
 successfully complete project objectives.                              
    This criterion assesses the soundness of                            
     the proposed approach, the adequacy of                             
     human and physical resources available to                          
     carry out the project, the institution's                           
     commitment to the project, partnerships                            
     and collaborative efforts, its cost-                               
     effectiveness, and the extent to which the                         
     total budget adequately supports the                               
     project.                                                           
    (1) Proposed approach--Are the objectives                           
     achievable, logical, and based on review                           
     of literature? Is the plan of operation                            
     managerially, educationally, and/or                                
     scientifically sound? Is the overall plan                          
     integrated with or does it expand upon                             
     other major efforts to improve the quality                         
     of food and agricultural sciences higher                           
     education? Is the timetable realistic?                             
    (2) Resources--Are there adequate                                   
     institutional resources to carry out the                           
     project? Do the project personnel possess                          
     requisite expertise to complete                                    
     successfully the project? Have personnel                           
     committed adequate effort to achieve                               
     stated objectives and anticipated                                  
     outcomes? Will the project have adequate                           
     administrative support to carry out the                            
     proposed activities? Will the project have                         
     access to needed resources such as                                 
     instrumentation, facilities, computer                              
     services, library, and other instruction                           
     support resources?                                                 
    (3) Institutional commitment--Is there                              
     evidence to substantiate that the                                  
     institution has a long term commitment to                          
     support the result(s) and/or product(s)                            
     produced by this project, that it will                             
     help satisfy the institution's high-                               
     priority objectives, or that the project                           
     is supported by the institution's                                  
     strategic plans?                                                   
    (4) Partnerships and collaborative efforts--                        
      Will the project expand partnership                               
     ventures among disciplines at a                                    
     university, between colleges and                                   
     universities, or with the private sector?                          
     Will the arrangements for partner(s) and/                          
     or collaborator(s) enhance dissemination                           
     of the result(s) and/or product(s)?                                
    (5) Budget and cost-effectiveness--Is the                           
     budget request justifiable? Are costs                              
     reasonable and necessary? Will the total                           
     budget be adequate to carry out project                            
     activities? Are the source(s) and                                  
     amount(s) of non-Federal matching support                          
     clearly identified and appropriately                               
     documented? For a joint project proposal,                          
     is the shared budget for three or more                             
     institutions explained clearly and in                              
     sufficient detail? Is the proposed project                         
     cost-effective? Does it demonstrate a                              
     creative use of limited resources,                                 
     maximize educational value per dollar of                           
     USDA support, achieve economies of scale,                          
     leverage additional funds or have the                              
     potential to do so, focus expertise and                            
     activity on a targeted need area, or                               
     promote coalition building for current or                          
     future ventures?                                                   
(c) Effectiveness of evaluation plan and         65 points.             
 potential for dissemination of the result(s)                           
 and/or products to other institutions and for                          
 utilization by other institutions.                                     
    This criterion assesses the adequacy of the                         
     evaluation strategy, the quality of                                
     outcome measures, the expertise and                                
     availability of human resources to conduct                         
     the evaluation, the record of the key                              
     personnel in disseminating advancements in                         
     education, e.g., publishing educational                            
     articles in peer reviewed journals, the                            
     adequacy of the plan for dissemination,                            
     and the potential for utilization by other                         
     institutions.                                                      

[[Page 64994]]

                                                                        
    (1) Evaluation--Does the proposal contain a                         
     well-designed plan to evaluate results of                          
     the project? Will this plan provide                                
     conclusions suitable for convincing a peer                         
     review audience of the accomplishment?                             
     Does it allow for continuous and/or                                
     frequent feedback during the life of the                           
     project? Does the evaluation plan contain                          
     outcome measures? Are the outcome measures                         
     capable of assessing the quality and                               
     usefulness of project results and                                  
     products? Are the individuals involved in                          
     project evaluation skilled in evaluation                           
     strategies and procedures? Can the outcome                         
     measures provide an objective evaluation?                          
     Is the outcome assessment designed in such                         
     a way that it can assist faculty at other                          
     institutions in deciding whether to use                            
     project results or products?                                       
    (2) Dissemination--Is there a commitment to                         
     submit the results of the project                                  
     evaluation to peer review by the academic                          
     community in the food and agricultural                             
     sciences? Does the proposed project                                
     include clearly outlined and realistic                             
     mechanisms that will lead to widespread                            
     dissemination of project results,                                  
     including national electronic                                      
     communication systems, publications,                               
     presentations at professional conferences,                         
     and/or use by faculty development or                               
     research/teaching skills workshops?                                
    (3) Utilization--Is it probable that other                          
     institutions will adapt the result(s) and/                         
     or product(s) of this project for their                            
     own use? Can the project serve as a model                          
     for others? If successful, is the project                          
     likely to lead to education reform? Is the                         
     product(s) and/or result(s) likely to                              
     provide a significant contribution to the                          
     advancement of higher education in the                             
     food and agricultural sciences? Are                                
     partner(s) and/or collaborator(s)                                  
     committed to utilize the product(s) and/or                         
     result(s)?                                                         
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Program Application Materials

    An application kit containing program application materials will be 
made available to eligible institutions upon request. These materials 
include the Administrative Provisions, forms, instructions, and other 
relevant information needed to prepare and submit grant applications. 
Copies of the application kit may be requested from Proposal Services 
Unit; Grants Management Branch; Office of Extramural Programs; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; 
Washington, D.C. 20250-2245. The telephone number is (202) 401-5048. 
When contacting the Proposal Services Unit, please indicate that you 
are requesting an application kit for the FY 1998 Challenge Grants 
Program.
    Application materials may also be requested via Internet by sending 
a message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail), and telephone 
number to [email protected] that states that you wish to receive a copy 
of the application kit for the FY 1998 Challenge Grants Program. The 
materials will then be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as quickly as 
possible.

When and Where To Submit Proposals

    An original and seven (7) copies of a proposal must be submitted. 
Each copy of the proposal must be stapled securely in the upper left-
hand corner (DO NOT BIND). All copies of the proposal must be submitted 
in one package. Proposals submitted through the mail must be received 
on or by February 23, 1998. Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail 
should be sent to the following address: Challenge Grants Program; 
Proposal Services Unit; Grants Management Branch; Office of Extramural 
Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, 
S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20250-2245. The telephone number is (202) 401-
5048. Hand-delivered proposals (brought in person by the applicant or 
through a courier service) must be delivered on or by February 23, 
1998, at the following address: Challenge Grants Program; c/o Proposal 
Services Unit; Grants Management Branch; Office of Extramural Programs; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D Street, 
S.W., Washington, DC 20024. Proposals transmitted via a facsimile (fax) 
machine will not be accepted.

Intent To Submit a Proposal

    For the FY 1998 competition, Form CSREES-711, ``Intent to Submit a 
Proposal,'' is requested for the Higher Education Challenge Grants 
Program and is due January 22, 1998. Send Form CSREES-711 to Higher 
Education Programs; Mail Stop 2251; USDA; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; 
Washington, DC 20250-2251. Form CSREES-711 also may be faxed to the 
Higher Education Programs office at (202) 720-2030.

Program Contacts

    The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is managed by the 
CSREES Higher Education Programs office. For further information 
concerning the FY 1998 program, contact Dr. Howard Sandberg, National 
Program Leader for Agricultural Sciences Education, CSREES, USDA, at 
(202) 720-1973; or via the Internet at: [email protected].

    Done at Washington, D.C., this 3rd day of December 1997.
Colien Hefferan,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 97-32246 Filed 12-8-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P