[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 50 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13009-13010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-6484]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.116D]


Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education-- 
Congressional Priorities for Postsecondary Education Notice of Final 
Priorities and Invitation for Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 1999

    Purpose of Program: To implement the Department of Education 
Appropriations Act, 1999, as enacted in the Omnibus Consolidated and 
Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, Public Law 105-277. 
The law requires that $9.5 million of the funds allocated to Title VII, 
Part B of the Higher Education Act be used to conduct a grant 
competition consistent with the subject areas outlined in the House 
Report 105-635, p. 188, Senate Report 105-300, pp. 241-243, and House 
Report 105-825, pp. 384, 1304-1305. Further, the law states that the 
competition be conducted in a manner consistent with current 
departmental practices and policies.
    The Secretary funds only projects that focus on the subject areas 
contained in the House and Senate appropriations reports and the 
statement of the managers, as summarized in the absolute priorities 
section of this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: The priorities in this notice take effect April 15, 
1999.
    Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, other public 
and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, or combinations of 
those institutions or agencies.
    Requested Deadline for Receipt of Statements of Intent to Apply: 
April 16, 1999.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 1999.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 29, 1999.
    Applications Available: March 16, 1999.
    Available Funds: $9,500,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000 to $1,500,000.
    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

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

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
82, 85, and 86.

Absolute Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) and P.L. 105-277, the Secretary gives 
absolute preference to applications that meet one or more of the 
following priorities. The Secretary funds under this competition only 
applications that meet one or more of these absolute priorities.
    Absolute Priority 1--Demonstration programs to encourage 
underrepresented groups, such as women and minorities, to enter careers 
in technology and business.
    Absolute Priority 2--A project to endow a Contracts Chair-of-
Excellence program to be administered in cooperation with a consortium 
of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions with environmental science and engineering capabilities.
    Absolute Priority 3--Demonstration programs to establish a state-
of-the-art science and technology program that will explore the 
application of novel electronic materials that are used in the 
development of high temperature supercomputers.
    Absolute Priority 4--Enhanced distance education and teacher-
training activities.
    Absolute Priority 5--Applications for conversion of library 
catalogs to electronic format.
    Absolute Priority 6--For assistance with critical infrastructure 
needs, such as fiberoptic cabling, hardware, and communications 
equipment, and classroom renovations, in conjunction with a program 
specifically tailored to the needs of students with part-time 
employment with a goal of fully preparing participants for the skilled 
job opportunities of the future.
    Absolute Priority 7--To support a university-based advanced 
mathematics teacher-student training program.
    Absolute Priority 8--To establish off-campus and community-based 
delivery of educational programs and services to improve rural access.
    Absolute Priority 9--To improve the skills of physical science 
teachers.
    Absolute Priority 10--For an inter- and intravideo conferencing 
project.
    Absolute Priority 11--For a demonstration project that establishes 
a center for technical education to serve young people who do not 
intend to go on to college.
    Absolute Priority 12--To support innovative approaches to 
connecting community colleges to four-year institutions through a 
cooperative

[[Page 13010]]

curriculum, shared student services, and faculty collaborations.
    Absolute Priority 13--A project of interinstitutional efforts 
dedicated to improving the scientific expertise and interest of 
undergraduate students.
    Absolute Priority 14--Educational programs to train students for 
careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Selection Criteria

    In evaluating an application for a new grant under this 
competition, the Secretary uses selection criteria chosen from the 
general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. Under 34 CFR 
75.201 of EDGAR, the Secretary announces in the application package the 
selection criteria and factors, if any, for this competition and the 
maximum weight assigned to each criterion.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR APPLICATIONS: The Fund for the Improvement 
of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3100, ROB-3, Washington, DC 20202-5175. 
Telephone: (202) 358-3041 to order applications; or (202) 708-5750, 
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through 
Friday, for information. Individuals may also request applications by 
submitting the name of the competition, their name, and postal mailing 
address to the e-mail address [email protected]. Individuals may obtain the 
application text from the Internet address http://www.ed.gov/offices/
OPE/FIPSE/.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact office listed in the preceding 
paragraph.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternate format, also, by contacting that office. 
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format 
the standard forms included in the application package.

Electronic Access to This Document

    Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or 
portable document format (pdf) via the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html 

To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with 
Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you 
have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing 
Office at (202) 512-1530 or, toll free, at 1-888-293-6498.
    Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an 
electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 
or, toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option 
G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases.

    Note: The official version of a document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1128b and Public Law 105-277.

    Dated: March 12, 1999.
David A. Longanecker,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 99-6484 Filed 3-15-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P