[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 56 (Wednesday, March 22, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15336-15337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-7020]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

[Program Announcement No. ACYF-PA-HS-2000-5]


Fiscal Year 2000 Discretionary Announcement for the Head Start 
Fellow Program; Availability of Funds and Request for Applications

AGENCY: Administration on Children, Youth and Families, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Fiscal Year 2000 Discretionary Announcement for the Head Start 
Fellows Program; Availability of Funds and Request for Applications.

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    Statutory Authority 42 U.S.C. 9801, et seq., The Head Start Act, as 
amended.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 93.600 Head Start 
Act as amended.
SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families, Administration 
on Children, Youth and Families announces the availability of $1 
million in funds to design and implement the National Head Start Fellow 
Program. We are seeking a partner with whom to enter into a cooperative 
agreement. A cooperative agreement is a form of Federal financial 
assistance that allows substantial Federal involvement in the 
activities for which funds awarded.

    Note: In order to satisfactorily compete under this 
announcement, it will be necessary for potential applicants to read 
the full announcement which is available through the Head Start 
Bureau's website: www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/announce/index.htm. 
Hard copies of the application may be obtained by writing or calling 
the ACYF Operations Center or sending an E-mail to: [email protected].



DATES: The closing date and time for the receipt of applications is 5 
p.m. (Eastern Time Zone) on May 22, 2000. Mailed or handcarried 
applications received after the closing date will be classified as 
late.

ADDRESSES: Mail applications to: ACYF Operations Center, Attention: 
Head Start Fellows Application, 1815 North Fort Myers Drive, Suite 300, 
Arlington, VA 22209 (1-800-351-2293). Prior to preparing and submitting 
an application, in order to satisfactorily compete under this 
announcement, it will be necessary for potential applicants to read the 
full announcement which is available through the Head Start Bureau's 
website: www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/announce/index.htm

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: ACYF Operations Center at: 1815 North 
Fort Myer Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22209 (1-800-351-2292) or 
Donnell Savage at: 330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20447 (202) 205-
8420 [email protected]

Eligible Applicants

    Universities, colleges, foundations, professional organizations, 
public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies and 
organizations.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of this announcement is to 
request applications for the design and implementation of a National 
Head Start Fellows Program as envisioned in the Head Start 
reauthorization of 1998. The purpose of this National Head Start 
Fellows Program is to identify individuals with outstanding leadership 
potential and to involve them in a high quality developmental 
experience which will provide them with a variety of perspectives and 
experiences to help them develop their potential as the next generation 
of leaders for the early childhood and family services field. The 
result of this initiative will be to improve the quality and 
effectiveness of Head Start and other early childhood development 
programs nationwide.
    Federal Share of Project Costs: The maximum Federal share is to 
exceed $1 million for the first 12-month budget period and $1 million 
for each succeeding 12-month period.
    Matching Requirements: Non-Federal match is not required.
    Anticipated Number of Projects to be funded: It is anticipated that 
one project will be funded.

Evaluation Criteria

    Applications received by the due date will be reviewed and scored 
competitively. Experts in the field, generally persons from outside the 
Federal government, will use the evaluation criteria listed below.

a. Organization Profiles  (40 points)

    The extent to which the applicant provides a vitae on the project 
director/principal investigator and key project staff including resumes 
(name, address, training, most relevant educational background and 
other qualifying experiences) and a short description of their 
responsibilities or contribution to the applicant's work plan. The 
extent to which the applicant's ability to effectively and efficiently 
administer a project like the one proposed is described. The extent to 
which the mission of the organization is described as it relates to 
leadership development within the early childhood and family service 
fields and how this project fits within that mission. Applicant 
provides

[[Page 15337]]

the assurance that the project director or another appropriate staff 
member will attend six meetings annually in Washington, D.C. to meet 
with federal staff to discuss issues related to the Fellows Program 
implementation.

b. Approach  (20 points)

    The extent to which the applicant outlines an acceptable plan of 
action pertaining to the scope of the project and details how the 
proposed work will be accomplished.
    The extent to which the applicant describes the proposed approach 
and strategies that will be taken to design the program, to recruit 
potential participants, to support the implementation and maintenance 
of the Fellows Program and to evaluate the program's effectiveness.
    The extent to which the applicant describes its understanding of 
the goals and purposes for the Fellows program and its relationship to 
developing leadership potential for the individuals in the field and 
for improving the quality of early childhood programs.

c. Objectives and Need for Assistance  (15 points)

    The extent to which the applicant identifies and documents any 
relevant economic, social, financial institutional or other problems 
requiring a solution; demonstrates the need for the assistance; and 
states the principal and subordinate objectives of the project. 
Supporting documentation or other testimonies from concerned interests 
other than the applicant on the need for assistance may be used.
    If the proposed approach and strategies require the technical 
assistance of other colleges, universities, or nonprofit agencies, the 
proposal should include letters of commitment assuring their 
willingness to participate and indicating the roles they would play in 
the project.

d. Results or Benefits Expected  
(15 points)

    The extent to which the applicant identifies the evaluation 
methodology that will be used to determine the specific and measurable 
results and benefits to be derived which are consistent with the 
objectives of the proposal, and indicates the anticipated contributions 
to policy, practice and/or theory.

e. Budget and Budget Justification  
(10 points)

    The extent to which the project's costs are reasonable in view of 
the activities to be carried out and the anticipated outcomes. Provide 
a budget that delineates the project administration costs versus those 
expenses that will directly support the Fellows individually and as a 
group. The budget should include stipends to Fellows. The stipend 
should be tiered to accommodate a range of education and experience and 
would parallel the Federal General Schedule 12-14 pay range. Stipends 
should include funds to support fringe benefits. The average stipend 
and total amount of the $1 million of the budget that will be used for 
stipends for the Fellows must be delineated. It is anticipated that the 
major portion of the budget will be used for stipends and direct costs 
of the Fellows. The other expenses to support the participation of the 
Fellows should also be described and budgeted within the $1 million.

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC)

    This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR Part 100, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services 
Program and Activities.'' Under the Order, States may design their own 
process for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance 
under covered programs.


    Note: State territory participation in the intergovernmental 
review process does not signify applicant eligibility for financial 
assistance under a program. A potential applicant must meet the 
eligibility requirements of the program for which it is applying 
prior to submitting an application to its SPOC, if Applicable, or to 
ACF.


    The following jurisdictions have elected not to participate in the 
Executive Order process: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, 
Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New 
Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, 
Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, American Samoa and Palau. 
Applicants from these jurisdictions or for projects administered by 
federally-recognized Indian Tribes need take no action in regard to 
E.O. 12372. Although the jurisdictions listed above no longer 
participate in the process, entities which have met the eligibility 
requirements of the program are still eligible to apply for a grant 
even if a State, Territory, Commonwealth, etc. does not have a SPOC. 
All remaining jurisdictions participate in the Executive Order process 
and have established SPOCs. Applicants from participating jurisdictions 
should contact their SPOC as soon as possible to alert them of the 
prospective applications and receive instructions.
    Applicants must submit any required material to the SPOCs as soon 
as possible so that the program office can obtain and review SPOC 
comments as part of the award process. The applicant must submit all 
required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the date of this 
submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on the 
Standard Form 424, item 16a.
    Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application 
deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards.
    SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine 
endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are 
requested to clearly differentiate between mere advisory comments and 
those official State process recommendations which may trigger the 
``accommodate or explain'' rule. A list of the Single State Point of 
Contacts for each State and Territory can be found on the following 
website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
    When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be 
addressed to: William Wilson, Head Start Bureau, Office of Grants 
Management, 330 C. St. SW, Washington, DC 20447. ATTN: Head Start 
Fellows Program.
    Reminder: In order to satisfactorily compete under this 
announcement, it will be necessary for potential applicants to read the 
full announcement which is available through the Head Start Bureau's 
website: www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/announce/index.htm. Mail 
applications to: ACYF Operations Center, Attention: Head Start Fellows 
Application, 1815 North Fort Myers Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA 
22209 (1-800-351-2293).

    Dated: March 15, 2000.
Patricia Montoya,
Commissioner, Administration on Children, Youth and Families.
[FR Doc. 00-7020 Filed 3-21-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M