[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 130 (Thursday, July 8, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36927-36933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-17305]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY


Application for Equipped for the Future (EFF) Center for 
Training, Technical Assistance, and Materials Development

AGENCY: The National Institute for Literacy.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The National Institute for Literacy invites applications for a 
cooperative agreement grant to support integration of EFF standards 
into existing systems for the delivery of adult education and training. 
These systems include: adult literacy and basic education programs; 
Even Start, Head Start, and other family literacy programs; programs 
offered through LEAs; community-based organizations; community 
colleges; unions and employee associations; and public and private 
employers and associations of employers that are helping adults qualify 
for entry-level employment or meet skill standards developed through 
voluntary partnerships under the aegis of the Skills Standards Board.

    Eligible Applicants: Individual public and private nonprofit 
organizations and agencies, or consortia of such organizations. While 
such consortia may include local and for-profit organizations, no grant 
will be made to either a local or for-profit organization.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: 4:30 PM, August 18, 1999.
    Available Funds: This award is for a Center that will operate for 
two to four years, given adequate appropriations and satisfactory 
performance. Up to $500,000 is available for Year 1, with a comparable 
amount anticipated for Year 2.
    Estimated Number of Awards: One.
    Estimated Amount of Award: $500,000 for Year 1. Two years, with an 
option to renew for up to two additional project periods after 
completion of first year. Funds are provided under this solicitation 
for the first year only.

    Note to Applicants: This notice is part of a complete 
application package that also includes: the NIFL Equipped for the 
Future Orientation Package, the statute authorizing the program, and 
applicable regulations governing the program, including the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). 
Taken together, these materials contain all the information, 
application forms, regulations, and instructions needed to apply for 
a grant under this competition. The Application and EFF Orientation 
Package are available on request from Sharyn Abbott, NIFL, EFF 
information, this grant announcement, and required forms can also be 
found on NIFL's web site (www.nifl.gov). Required forms are also 
available on-line at http.//www.nifl.gov/activities/.

    Grant Administration and Applicable Regulations: The administration 
of the grant is governed by the conditions of the award letter. The 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations, (EDGAR) 34 CFR 
Parts 74; 75.100-102, 104, 112, 117-118, 127-129, 190-192, 201, 217, 
231-36, 250-51, 253, 261, 525, 531, 562, 591, 620-21, 700-707; 77; 79; 
80; 81; 82; 85; and 86 (36/6/1997 and EDGAR Expanded

[[Page 36928]]

Authorities, 1/27/98), set forth administrative and other requirements. 
This document is available through your public library, the National 
Institute for Literacy, and at the following web site (http://
www.ed.gov/). 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 Officer will request certain organizational, 
management, and financial information. Grant administration questions 
regarding General Requirements, Prior Approval Requirements, Transfer 
of Project Director, and Suspension or Termination of Award, should be 
referred to the Grants Officer.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sondra Stein, National Institute for 
Literacy, 1775 I Street, NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20006 TEL: 202-
233-2041; FAX 202-233-2050, EMAIL [email protected].
    For Applications Only Contact: Sharyn Abbott, National Institute 
for Literacy, 1775 I Street, NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20006 TEL: 
202-233-2026; FAX 202-233-2050, EMAIL [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For purposes of this notice, the following 
definitions apply:
    ``Literacy'' means an individual's ability to 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 
Workforce Investment Act of 1998).
    ``Adult Literacy System'' means all individuals, programs, and 
organizations that are involved, directly and indirectly, in the 
delivery of literacy and basic skill services to adults. This includes, 
but is not limited to, people and groups involved in literacy 
policymaking, research and development, technical assistance, and 
instructions service delivery.
    ``Adult Roles'' means the following three major arenas of adult 
life, and the obligations that pertain to each:
     Parent/family member
     Citizen/community member
     Worker
    ``Constituencies'' mean national, state, or local organizations in 
the public, nonprofit, and private sectors that have a stake in 
developing standards for particular adult roles because the quality of 
role performance has an impact on their organization's achievement of 
its mission and goals.
    ``Consensus-building'' means the explicit, ongoing effort to 
develop a convincing public argument for the use of ``Equipped for the 
Future'' standards by key constituencies, to expand the number of 
individuals from key constituencies involved in standards development 
use, marketing, and dissemination, and to enlist key segments of the 
workforce development system in using the standards at the national, 
state, and local levels.
    ``Content Standards'' mean specific descriptions of what adults 
need to know and be able to do to perform the key activities identified 
in the EFF standards framework. EFF has identified 16 content standards 
that are critical to adult success.
    ``Generative skills'' mean skills and knowledge that are core to 
the performance of a wide range of tasks found in multiple roles and 
that are durable over time in the face of changes in technology, work 
processes, and occupational demand.
    ``National Policy Group'' means the body of nationally-recognized 
leaders in literacy and workforce development that provides policy 
guidance and consensus-building support to the EFF initiative.
    ``Performance Indicators'' mean descriptions of how achievement of 
the content standards will be demonstrated, and reflect the consensus 
of key stakeholders for the particular adult role being addressed.
    ``Purposes for Literacy'' mean the following four general purposes, 
based on NIFL's survey of adult learners, that literacy serves in 
helping adults fulfill their roles:
     Providing access to information so adults can orient 
themselves in the world.
     Enabling adults to give voice to their ideas and have an 
impact on the world around them.
     Enabling adults to make decisions and act independently, 
without needing to rely on others.
     Building a bridge to the future by laying a foundation for 
continued learning, so adults can keep up with the world as it changes.
    ``EFF Standards Framework'' means the conceptual system that 
includes the following: ``role maps'' that identify the broad areas of 
responsibility and key activities for each of the primary adult roles--
parent/family member, citizen/community member, and worker; ``common 
activities'' that are derived from looking at what is common across all 
three roles; and content standards that define what adults need to know 
and be able to do to achieve the four purposes and carry out these 
activities. The EFF standards framework: (1) Is based on a coherent 
theory of adult learning; (2) communicates what customers, investors, 
and partners can expect from the adult literacy system; and (3) is 
explicitly linked to other standards development and implementation 
efforts.
    ``Validation'' means the demonstration of the degree to which the 
standards are representative of the important aspects of role 
performance.
    ``Workforce Development System'' means the sum of public and 
private programs that share a focus on building the skills and 
knowledge of youth and adults. These programs include: adult and family 
literacy programs, welfare-to-work programs, vocational education and 
training programs, school-to-work programs, industry-based skill 
standards programs, K-12 education programs, post secondary education 
programs, Workforce Investment Act programs, community college/post 
secondary education programs, union and employer-sponsored training 
programs, apprenticeship programs, one-stop career centers, dislocated 
worker programs, and related programs in the public, private, and 
nonprofit sectors.

Background

    The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), was created by the 
National Literacy Act of 1991 to provide a national focal point for 
literacy activities and to facilitate the pooling of ideas and 
expertise across a fragmented field. NIFL is authorized to carry out a 
wide range of activities that will improve and expand the system for 
delivery of adult literacy services nationwide.
    Equipped for the Future (EFF) is the National Institute for 
Literacy's long-term, standards-based, collaborative initiative to 
reform the adult education system in the United States. EFF's goal is 
to help adult learning programs achieve results that really matter--to 
policymakers, educators, employers, and adult learners themselves.
    EFF starts with a new definition of results that merges 
policymakers' goals of a responsible citizenry and a productive 
workforce with adult learner's vision of how education can help them 
succeed in their daily lives as workers, parents, citizens, and 
community members. To enable adults to get more of what they need to be 
successful, the EFF framework for adult learning shifts the focus in 
two ways. Instead of presenting education as remedial, making up for 
something adults didn't get in the past, EFF focuses adult learning on 
preparation for new, unanticipated responsibilities in the

[[Page 36929]]

present. Instead of building a curriculum around acquiring the same 
body of knowledge and skills students are expected to learn in K-12 
education, EFF focuses teaching and assessment on adults actually using 
a new set of basics in carrying out important life tasks. EFF addresses 
a major educational problem that has far-reaching implications for the 
social and economic well-being of the nation. Up to 90 million adults 
in the U.S.--nearly half the adult population--lack the skills 
necessary to respond and adapt to the changing demands of their lives 
at work, at home, and in their communities. Nearly 25 percent of adult 
with an average of 10 years of formal schooling have no more than 
fourth grade literacy skills. As a prominent literacy researcher put 
it, ``* * * low-literate Americans may now be seen as a chronic feature 
of the American educational landscape.'' Their lack of skills 
contributes to every other serious social and economic problem the 
nation faces--children's failure in school, lower worker productivity, 
crime and welfare.
    The current adult education system lacks the capacity to serve 
these adults. Beyond problems of funding and staffing, programs have 
trouble clarifying their goals for students, and assessing and 
demonstrating results. These were the findings of a 1995 General 
Accounting Office report, which linked these problems to the lack of a 
consistent vision of what is important to teach. Over 50 percent of 
students drop out before completing sufficient hours of instruction to 
develop skills that enhance performance of real life tasks. Meanwhile, 
welfare time limits, combined with a low unemployment rate, increase 
national pressure for programs to produce better results faster.
    Adult educators in America clearly need a new way of doing 
business--a new sense of mission, a new approach to delivering 
services, and a new way of assessing program effectiveness. As a 
customer-driven, standards-based reform movement, EFF provides all 
three. Based on a customer-defined vision of what adults need to be 
effective, EFF enables teachers to link curriculum and instruction to 
real-world outcomes. As a result, students see the connection between 
their studies and their lives, and get immediate, practical results 
from their learning. As more and more programs use the EFF Standards to 
assess progress and report results, policymakers and funders will be 
able to base their decisions about education on well-documented 
resulted that matter. And taxpayers will have accountability for the 
billions of federal dollars being spent on literacy and lifelong 
learning programs.

History

    In the first phase of this initiative, the NIFL developed a common 
framework of four fundamental purposes for literacy that emerge from 
the writings of 1,500 adults in literacy programs nationwide. As 
detailed in the NIFL report, Equipped for the Future: A Customer Driven 
Vision for Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning, these four purposes 
are to--
     Gain access to information so adults can orient themselves 
in the world.
     Give voice to ideas, so that they will be heard and can 
have an impact on the world around them.
     Make decision and act independently.
     Build a bridge to the future, by learning how to learn in 
order to keep up with the world as it changes.
    In October 1995, the NIFL awarded eight one-year planning grants as 
the second phase of this multiyear initiative to assure that adults are 
``equipped for the future.'' These planning grants resulted in a draft 
definition of a standards framework that identifies what adults need to 
know and be able to do to be effective in their roles as parent/family 
members, worker, and citizen. The grantees, working with NIFL and its 
National Policy Group, also developed a common definition of the system 
reform to be achieved the EFF initiative.
    In October 1996, the NIFL awarded three-year grants to three 
consortia, resulting in further development and refinement of the EFF 
standards framework, including:
     Development and validation of ``role maps'' that identify 
the primary responsibilities and key activities all adults perform in 
their roles as workers, parents and family members, and citizens and 
community members, and performance indicators for each activity that 
enabled us to identify the knowledge and skills required to carry out 
those activities well.
     Development and validation of content standards that 
support effective performance across the Three primary adult roles.
     Pilot implementation of the standards in adult education 
delivery systems.
     Development of a coherent, theory-based framework for 
assessing competence and defining levels in using the skills defined by 
the standards in carrying out key roles.
     Building the support of key constituencies for the 
standards and their use.
    This solicitation of grant applications addresses the fourth and 
final project phase: Implementation of EFF standards as a tool for 
system reform.

Description of Program

    For the past four years, NIFL has been working with a range of 
partners in states across the country to develop a customer-driven, 
standards-based, collaborative approach to adult literacy system 
reform. The EFF content standards developed through this effort define 
the critical skills and knowledge that enable adults to effectively 
carry out their responsibilities as workers, parents and family 
members, and citizens and community members. The standards have been 
developed and refined with the assistance of a broad cross section of 
literacy and basic skills programs as well as the advice and guidance 
of key stakeholders in the nation's workforce development, family 
literacy, and civic participation movements.
    Investment in EFF has been developed through strategic partnerships 
with states and other systems. These partners now see EFF as providing 
the framework and tools for system reform that will lead to 
improvements in practice and produce results that matter. Recognizing 
the promise of the EFF framework, many EFF partners have begun the 
process of ``bringing EFF on line.'' They hope to integrate EFF into 
program improvement strategies now so that, once the levels for 
standards are defined, assessments are identified, and MIS systems put 
in place, teachers and programs will be ready to use these tools to 
measure progress and report results.
    By Fall 1999, the NIFL will have completed the major development 
work on the standards and will publish a Users' Guide, designed to 
introduce key partners and stakeholders to the standards and how they 
can be used for teaching and learning, program improvement, 
accountability, and system reform.
    The EFF Center for Training, Technical Assistance, and Materials 
Development established under this grant program will have primary 
responsibility for reaching out and establishing strong linkages with 
these key partners, including adult education, family literacy, 
welfare-to-work, skill standards voluntary partnerships, and other 
workforce development systems, and assuring that these partners have 
the support needed to integrate EFF as part of their effort to prepare 
their systems to deliver the desired results. The work of this Center 
will be

[[Page 36930]]

complemented by an EFF Center for Research and Evaluation, based at the 
University of Tennessee's Center for Literacy Studies (CLS), and a 
Center for Assessment, currently operated through a contract with the 
Center for Workforce Development, Institute for Educational Leadership 
(IEL).
    A detailed elaboration of goals and activities to be initiated and/
or carried out by the grantee during the period October 1, 1999 to 
September 30, 2001 follows.

Goals

    The primary goal of the Center is to assist NIFL in the effective 
integration of EFF into 4 key systems:
    1. State adult basic education and literacy systems with 
responsibility for administering state and federal programs for adult 
education and family literacy and for preparing to meet new performance 
indicators under TANF and the Workforce Investment Act;
    2. State and national literacy volunteer programs that coordinate 
the delivery of adult literacy and ESOL services through a network of 
volunteer literacy programs in communities across the country;
    3. Federal, regional and state Even Start, Family Literacy, and 
Head Start programs that are putting in place new performance and 
quality indicators in response to new state legislation and changing 
federal legislation; and
    4. National and state skill standards partnerships that are in the 
process of defining the knowledge and skills needed to qualify for 
entry-level positions in each of the 15 occupational/industrial sectors 
defined by the NSSB.
    NIFL assumes that effective integration into a system starts with 
the needs of the customer as defined by the customer. It is based on 
close, ongoing collaboration with the customer, and includes but is not 
limited to the following:
    1. Assistance to policymakers and administrators in developing a 
plan for how to integrate EFF into their ongoing efforts.
    2. Assistance in introducing EFF to a leadership group in the 
system.
    3. Assistance in developing and implementing a training and 
technical assistance plan for integrating EFF into the system [includes 
developing marketing materials, training a core of trainers, helping 
trainers plan and conduct training institutes, providing upgrades as 
new tools become available, and providing ongoing troubleshooting and 
technical assistance].
    4. Provision of materials and tools that can be used (customized) 
to implement EFF.
    5. Opportunities to share information and experiences with other 
states and systems integrating EFF.
    6. Opportunities for policymakers and practitioners to learn more 
about EFF (on-line seminars, special institutes, conferences).
    In order to achieve this goal, the Center will carry out the 
following activities:
    1. Establish and manage a geographically distributed network of 
diverse, highly qualified trainers and practitioner-trainers who have 
expertise to the full range of programs and populations in the adult 
education system, and who can provide a range of training experiences 
(one-time workshops, ongoing staff development, mentoring, coaching) 
critical to integrating EFF into policy and into service delivery, 
training, and accountability systems. Right now there are approximately 
10 part-time trainers and more than 100 practitioners with varying 
levels of experience in using EFF. The center should build on this base 
in developing a distributed training network that has the capacity to 
offer assistance to states nationwide.
    2. Establish a system for building and maintaining such a network, 
including provisions for (a) building the capacity of practitioners to 
serve as trainers; (b) certifying trainers and training centers; and 
(c) providing credit for training.
    3. Drawing on the experience of programs and systems already using 
EFF, develop a range of materials and resources that facilitate 
adoption and use of EFF. Such materials should include: (a) Materials 
that make explicit the links between EFF and approaches to instruction, 
assessment, credentialing, and accountability currently in use by key 
customers; (b) compilations of curriculum and assessment resources for 
use with EFF; (c) training guides; and (d) templates and other 
resources that enable programs to create useful, reliable tools for 
assessing performance of EFF standards.
    4. Working with the four key system customers enumerated above, 
identify needs and develop, actively market, and deliver customized 
training and technical assistance packages that meet identified needs.
    5. Working with practitioners currently using EFF, develop and 
deliver customized training and technical assistance packages that meet 
the need for ongoing capacity-building among direct-service programs 
and local initiatives that have been using EFF. Packages should be 
designed to address the needs of program administrators as well as 
teaching staff, and should include materials and training to assist 
programs in using EFF to identify learner goals; design instruction and 
assessment, and organize support services to facilitate achievement of 
these goals; and report and evaluate results.
    6. Identifying and supporting high-quality EFF programs that can 
serve as demonstration sites.
    7. Establishing and managing a system for collecting, reviewing, 
and evaluating materials that have been developed for use in EFF 
programs, and for packaging and broadly disseminating materials and 
tools judged to be high-quality. Such a system should: (a) Involve 
practitioners in design and decision-making; (b) have clear, user-
friendly quality guidelines to enable practitioners to judge the 
quality of their own work; (c) be cost-effective; and (d) use multiple 
dissemination vehicles (hard copy, video, CD-ROM, on-line) in order to 
get materials out to as many people as possible, effectively and 
quickly.
    8. Developing and maintaining a system for ongoing evaluation of 
the Center, including a database that tracks Center activities and 
their impact on the quality and outcomes of teaching and learning.
    9. Working with NIFL to assure that all templates, modules, 
materials, and tools are designed to be delivered online through NIFL's 
web-based Literacy Information and Communications System (LINCS), as 
well as published in hard copy or CD-ROM formats.
    10. Assuring that all training, technical assistance, and materials 
development maximizes the use of individuals, programs, and systems 
currently using EFF, in accordance with EFF's combined bottom-up/top-
down approach to consensus-building and system reform.
    11. Working in close collaboration with NIFL and its partners in 
EFF, the Center for Literacy Studies, the National Center for the Study 
of Adult Learning and Literacy (NCSALL), and the IEL, to integrate 
findings from research and practice into Center materials and 
dissemination work, and to assure a cohesive and integrated approach to 
system reform.
    12. In consultation with NIFL, establishing a national advisory 
group that includes representatives of the key customers to be served 
by the Center, key technical expert(s), and key EFF partners. The 
Center advisory group should meet no less than two times per year and 
be comprised of individuals

[[Page 36931]]

who legitimately represent key constituencies and customers whose buy-
in is critical to widespread use of Center products.
    13. Developing and maintaining partnerships with other training 
centers and institutions of higher education, publishers and test 
makers, and developers of distance learning to help them integrate EFF 
into their work.
    14. Participating in quarterly EFF Management meetings in 
Washington, DC in November 1999, January 2000, March 2000, and July 
2000, and on dates to be arranged the following year.
    15. Participating in monthly management conference calls of two 
hours' duration.
    16. Maintaining regular e-mail and other contact with other EFF 
Partners throughout the grant period, in order to maximize sharing of 
information and assure an integrated approach to system reform.

Project Narrative

    The applicant's project narrative should address the above goals, 
purposes and activities. The narrative should not exceed twenty (20) 
single-spaced pages, or forty (40) double-spaced pages. It must be 
organized and contain the information as described in the following 
sections:

1. Approach

    This section should describe the applicant's view of (a) what the 
goals of EFF are; (b) how the EFF initiative can best achieve these 
goals; (c) the various roles a center can play in achieving these 
goals; and (d) the extent to which the applicant's plan includes sound 
methods for achieving measurable goals.

2. Center Design

    This section should describe the applicant's goals and objectives 
for the Center as an integral part of the EFF system reform initiative, 
and describe the applicant's vision of how the center can work most 
effectively to carry out the 16 key activities identified above within 
a two to three year time span.
    This section should also demonstrate that the design is built on 
technical expertise relevant to the key tasks, as well as knowledge and 
experience in working with the four key customer systems. It should 
include detailed descriptions of how the applicant intends to approach 
key tasks, and what kinds of materials and other resources the 
applicant would produce for key customers.

3. Plan of Operation

    This section includes the project work plan and timeline and 
project management plan. It describes clear, measurable goals and 
objectives for the project, and details the project tasks, timeline, 
staffing, and organization for their accomplishment.
    The plan of operation should clearly describe the specific 
activities the applicant will undertake to implement the design 
described above, as well as proposed dates for their initiation and 
completion. The plan also should describe how the applicant will work 
with NIFL and the EFF Centers for Research and Evaluation and 
Assessment to assure an integrated approach to system reform, how the 
applicant will assure the investment of key constituencies in its work, 
and how constituents will be involved in key project development, 
implementation, marketing/dissemination, and validation tasks.
    The plan of operation should detail the project's staffing and 
organization, clearly identifying the performance objectives of key 
staff, the scope and nature of their responsibilities, and the level of 
effort each staff person will devote to this project.

4. Organizational Capability

    This section should demonstrate the ability and experience of the 
applicant to perform the tasks required in this project, including the 
applicant's skills, technical expertise, and experience in providing 
training and technical assistance and developing materials and 
resources appropriate to the needs of diverse constituencies at the 
national, state, and local levels. In the case of a consortium, this 
section should also describe how the various organizations that 
comprise the applicant's consortium will work together, their 
respective roles and responsibilities, and the plan for effective 
management across organizations.

5. Quality of Key Personnel

    This section should include the qualifications of each staff person 
for the project position to which s/he has been assigned, identifying 
his/her employing organization, and providing an overview of his/her 
experience, knowledge, and capability to perform the work described as 
demonstrated by the conduct of similar work in related settings. A 
project organization chart should be provided.

6. Evaluation Plan

    The applicant should describe the process for documenting and 
monitoring the project processes and results, including how the 
applicant will create a database of project activities for internal 
Center management purposes, for documenting and reporting to NIFL and 
other EFF Centers on project activities and achievements, and for use 
by the EFF Research and Evaluation Center for EFF research and 
evaluation activities.

7. Budget and Cost Effectiveness

    The application must contain a detailed budget for support 
requested for years one and two of the project. The budget should 
include all applicants' costs and should identify contributed costs and 
support from other sources, if any. Sources of support should be 
clearly identified in all instances. The financial aspects of any cost 
sharing and joint or cooperative funding by members of a consortium 
formed for purposes of the application should be shown in a detailed 
budget for each party. These budgets should reflect the arrangements 
among the parties, and should show exactly what cost sharing is 
proposed for each budget item. Please note that overhead for this 
project is restricted as per EDGAR CPR 75-562.

Selection Criteria

    In evaluating applications for a grant under this competition, the 
Director uses the following selection criteria (Total 105 points):

(1) Approach (15 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which the applicant's description of approach demonstrates: (a) 
Understanding of the goals and purposes of EFF as a customer-driven, 
standards-based, collaborative system reform initiative; (b) knowledge 
of the work and products to date, including theoretical underpinnings 
of the approach to standards development; (c) philosophical and 
practical commitment to customer focus; (d) philosophical and practical 
commitment to collaborative development; (e) understanding of how a 
center can contribute to the system reform process; and (f) the 
relative importance of aspects of system reform in the adult literacy 
and lifelong learning system.

(2) Center Design (20 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which the applicant's design for the Center: (a) Demonstrates 
commitment to building capacity of the system nationwide, rather than 
the capacity of the Center; (b) demonstrates an appropriate balance of 
services and products across constituencies; (c) demonstrates a 
commitment to working in close collaboration and consultation with

[[Page 36932]]

appropriate partners; (d) demonstrates a commitment to draw on 
resources of NIFL and its partners in EFF, including local field 
development partners; and (e) demonstrates creativity and technical 
competence in dealing with key tasks and addressing needs of key 
customers.

(3) Plan of Operation (30 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the plan of operation, including the extent to which the applicant: (a) 
States clear and measurable project goals and objectives that are 
clearly related to the intended purposes of the EFF, as outlined in 
this request for applications; (b) provides a fully detailed plan and 
timeline for achieving those goals, and assures that the plan addresses 
all the key project activities identified above, and is feasible, 
technically sound, and responsive to issues of balance; (c) proposes a 
plan for maintaining effective working relationships with NIFL and 
other EFF Centers and Partners, as required for effective development 
of the project; (d) proposes a management plan that is effective and 
ensures proper and efficient administration of the project; (e) 
demonstrates the quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources 
and personnel to achieve each project objective; and (f) demonstrates 
that staff assigned to key positions include appropriate 
qualifications, in terms of knowledge, experience and proven capability 
to perform the work described.

(4) Organizational Capability (15 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the capability 
of the applicant (together with members of its consortium) to achieve 
the goals of the project, including the extent to which the applicant 
provides a full description of each of the organizations that make up 
the consortium, including how each organization contributes to the 
applicant's experience and capability to: (a) Lead a broad-based, 
collaborative process for adult learning systems reform and improvement 
that is standards-driven; (b) manage a system for training, technical 
assistance and materials development that builds and certifies 
distributed capacity; (c) develop theoretically sound, practical, high 
quality, customer-focused materials, training and resources; (d) 
disseminate effectively and efficiently through a variety of vehicles; 
and (e) leverage the commitment and involvement of key partners at the 
national, state, and local levels.

(5) Quality of Key Personnel (10 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
key personnel for all project activities, including: (a) The 
qualifications of the project director and other key personnel; (b) the 
experience and training of key personnel in working collaboratively 
with key system customers in fields related to project objectives, and 
(c) 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.

(6) Evaluation Plan (10 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the applicant's plan for documenting and monitoring the project 
processes and results, including: (a) The quality of methods and 
mechanisms to be used to document, evaluate, and report progress in 
relation to the project's mission and goals, including the creation of 
a database that can be used by NIFL and its EFF partners for EFF 
research and evaluations activities; (b) the extent to which the 
applicant's statement of measurable outcomes addresses all project 
goals; and (c) the quality of methods that will be used to document and 
evaluate the impact of the project on programs, practitioners, and 
adult learners.

(7) Budget of Cost Effectiveness (5 points)

    The Director reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which: (a) The budget is adequate to support grant activities; (b) the 
costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project; (c) 
the budgets for any subcontracts are detailed and appropriate; and (d) 
the budget details an resources, cash, or in-kind, that the applicant 
will provide or seek in order to supplement grant funds.

Other Application Requirements

    The application shall include the following:

Project Summary

    The proposal must contain a brief summary of the proposed project 
suitable for publication. It should not be an abstract of the 
application, but rather a self-contained description of the project's 
goals, approach and the activities proposed. The summary must include 
the following information: (a) Name of applicant organization; and (b) 
description of the project.

Budget Proposal

    ED Form 524, Sections A and C, must be completed and submitted with 
each application. Section C should include a detailed explanation and 
amplification of each budget category, and a complete justification of 
costs in each category. If Section B is completed, include the nature 
and source of non-Federal funds. Instructions for completion of the 
budget is on the back side of Form 524.
    Personnel items should include the names (or position titles) of 
key staff, number of hours, and applicable hourly rates. Discussion of 
equipment, supplies, and travel should include both the cost and the 
purpose and justification. Budgets should include all applicant's costs 
and should identify contributed costs and support from other sources, 
if any. Sources of support should be clearly identified in all 
instances. The financial aspects of any cost sharing and joint or 
cooperative funding by members of a consortium formed for purposes of 
the application should be shown in a detailed budget for each party. 
These budgets should reflect the arrangements among the parties, and 
should show exactly what cost sharing is proposed for each budget item. 
Please note that overhead for this project is restricted as per EDGAR 
CFR 75-562.

Disclosure of Prior Institute Support

    If any subcontractor, partner, consortium member, or organization 
has received NIFL funding in the past 2 years, the following 
information on the prior awards is required: (1) NIFL award number, 
amount and period of support; (2) a summary of the results of the 
completed work; and (3) 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 described in this section of 
the application.

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

[[Page 36933]]

considered by or will be submitted soon to other sponsors.
    Any fee proposed to be paid to a collaborating or ``partner'' for-
profit entity should be indicated. The Grants Officer will negotiate 
fees. 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 application and addressed in the narrative.

Acknowledgment of Support and Disclaimer

    An acknowledgment of NIFL support and a disclaimer must appear in 
publications of any material, whether copyrighted or not, based on or 
developed under NIFL-supported projects:

    This material is based upon work supported by the National 
Institute for Literacy under Grant No. (Grantee should enter NIFL 
grant number).

    Except for articles of 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 authors and do not 
necessarily reflect the views of the National Institute for 
Literacy.

Reporting

    In addition to working closely with the Institute, the applicant 
will be required to submit: (1) Quarterly reports from the database of 
Center activities; (2) an annual report; and (3) a continuation 
application for project years 2 and 3.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    To apply for a grant, deliver the original and five (5) copies of 
the application on or before deadline date of August 18, 1999, to: 
National Institute for Literacy, 1775 I Street, NW, Suite 730, 
Washington, DC 20006, Attention: CFDA#84-257M. An application will not 
be considered for funding unless the applicant can show proof that the 
application was: (1) Sent by registered or certified mail not later 
than five days before the deadline date; or (2) sent by commercial 
carrier not later than two days before the deadline date. An applicant 
must show proof of mailing in accordance with 34 CFR 75.102(d) and (e). 
Applications delivered by hand must be received by 4:30 PM (Eastern 
Standard Time) on the deadline date. The applicant must indicate on the 
envelop 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.

    Note: NIFL will mail a Grant Applicant Receipt Acknowledgement 
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 NIFL at (202) 632-1500.

Application Forms

    Applicants are required to submit the following forms, assurances 
and certifications:
    (a) Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424[Rev. 1-12-
99])
    (b) Budget Information Non-Construction Programs (ED 524)
    (c) Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B)
    (d) Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug Free-Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013)
    (e) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility 
and Volunteer Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014)
    (f) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL [Rev. 7-
97])
    (g) Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance in Certain 
Programs (ED 80-0016)
    An applicant may submit information on a photostat copy of the 
application and budget forms, assurances, and certifications. However, 
the application form, assurances, and certifications must each have an 
original signature. No award can be made unless a completed application 
has been received. Required forms are available from NIFL and on-line 
at http.//www.nifl.gov/activities/.
    Information about NIFL's funding opportunities, including copies of 
application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed 
on the NIFL homepage--LINCS--on the World Wide Web (at http://
novel.nifl.gov/Grants.html). However, the official application notice 
for a discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the 
Federal Register.

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 3430-0005, Expiration date June 30, 2002. The time 
required to complete this information 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.
Andrew J. Hartman,
Director, National Institute for Literacy.
[FR Doc. 99-17305 Filed 7-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6055-01-M