[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 93 (Friday, May 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30798-30820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-11992]



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Part IV





Department of Education





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Career Resource Network State Grants; Notice Inviting Applications for 
New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 93 / Friday, May 12, 2000 / Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No: 84.346]


Career Resource Network State Grants; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000

    Notice to Applicants: This notice is a complete application 
package. Together with the statute authorizing the program and the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the 
notice contains all of the information, application forms, and 
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this program.
    Purpose of Program: To promote improved career and education 
decision-making by individuals.
    Eligible Applicants: State entities designated jointly by the 
Governor and the State Board for Vocational and Technical Education of 
any of the 50 States, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, 
the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau are 
eligible for an award under this process. However, the Marshall 
Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau are 
eligible to receive funds only in Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001. A State 
may designate an entity other than a State agency to perform the grant 
functions under this program. However, if a designated entity is not a 
part of the State government, the eligible agency for the State under 
section 112 of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education 
Act of 1998 (Perkins III) must apply for the grant. In that event the 
eligible agency under Perkins III will be the grant recipient and must 
either directly administer the grant or supervise the administration of 
the project, as required by 34 CFR 75.701.
    Not more than one grant will be awarded to serve the residents of a 
single State or outlying area in this competition.
    To receive funding, each applicant must submit evidence that the 
designated entity, whether it is part of the State government or 
another entity that will perform the grant function for the eligible 
agency under Perkins III, has been designated jointly by the Governor 
and the State Board for Vocational and Technical Education. In any 
case, if the designated entity is not a State agency, the eligible 
agency under Perkins III and the Governor are accountable for the 
proper expenditure of funds.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 12, 2000.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 26, 2000.
    Available Funds: $7,650,000 for the first 12 months of the 24-month 
project period. Funding for the second 12-month period of the 24-month 
project period is subject to the availability of funds and to a grantee 
meeting the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253.
    Estimated Range of Awards: The actual amount of each award made 
under this competition will depend on such factors as the scope and 
quality of the application and will be determined during pre-award 
clarification discussions with the Department's Office Vocational and 
Adult Education, Division of Vocational-Technical Education. However, 
the Department strongly encourages all applicants to consider these 
factors and the estimated grant amounts provided below, in deciding the 
amount of funds to request.
    The estimated grant amounts were determined by allocating to every 
State and outlying area a minimum amount that the Department believes 
is necessary to carry out an effective program and distributing the 
remaining funds on the basis of each State's or outlying area's 
respective share of the funds allocated by formula under section 111 of 
Perkins III. The formula set out in section 111 takes into account 
State population and per capita income, among other factors. These 
grant estimates assume that all 59 eligible applicants will submit 
applications which meet the requirements established by the statute and 
this notice and are determined by the Department to merit funding, 
based on the criteria described in this notice.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Estimated
                     Eligible applicant                         grant
                                                                amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALABAMA....................................................     $135,784
ALASKA.....................................................      107,805
ARIZONA....................................................      135,592
ARKANSAS...................................................      121,442
CALIFORNIA.................................................      308,427
COLORADO...................................................      125,341
CONNECTICUT................................................      115,719
DELAWARE...................................................      107,887
FLORIDA....................................................      192,076
GEORGIA....................................................      155,340
HAWAII.....................................................      109,555
IDAHO......................................................      111,645
ILLINOIS...................................................      173,013
INDIANA....................................................      144,210
IOWA.......................................................      122,170
KANSAS.....................................................      119,933
KENTUCKY...................................................      133,158
LOUISIANA..................................................      139,401
MAINE......................................................      109,555
MARYLAND...................................................      127,940
MASSACHUSETTS..............................................      132,081
MICHIGAN...................................................      167,939
MINNESOTA..................................................      131,603
MISSISSIPPI................................................      124,948
MISSOURI...................................................      140,010
MONTANA....................................................      109,309
NEBRASKA...................................................      112,836
NEVADA.....................................................      110,416
NEW HAMPSHIRE..............................................      109,555
NEW JERSEY.................................................      139,790
NEW MEXICO.................................................      115,237
NEW YORK...................................................      195,114
NORTH CAROLINA.............................................      153,627
NORTH DAKOTA...............................................      107,805
OHIO.......................................................      179,969
OKLAHOMA...................................................      128,991
OREGON.....................................................      123,549
PENNSYLVANIA...............................................      175,751
RHODE ISLAND...............................................      109,555
SOUTH CAROLINA.............................................      131,604
SOUTH DAKOTA...............................................      107,805
TENNESSEE..................................................      140,160
TEXAS......................................................      251,418
UTAH.......................................................      122,369
VERMONT....................................................      107,805
VIRGINIA...................................................      143,609
WASHINGTON.................................................      137,193
WEST VIRGINIA..............................................      115,608
WISCONSIN..................................................      138,598
WYOMING....................................................      107,805
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.......................................      107,805
PUERTO RICO................................................      134,182
AMERICAN SAMOA.............................................       85,732
NORTHERN MARIANAS..........................................       85,732
GUAM.......................................................       86,306
VIRGIN ISLANDS.............................................       86,051
MARSHALL ISLANDS...........................................       65,380
MICRONESIA.................................................       65,380
PALAU......................................................       65,380
                                                            ------------
    Total..................................................    7,650,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $129,661 for 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 59.

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

    Project Period: 24 months.
    Applicable Statute and Regulations: (a) The relevant provisions of 
the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 
(Perkins III), 20 U.S.C.A. 2301 et seq., in particular, section 118(b).
    (b) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR) as follows:
    (1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).
    (2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department 
Regulations).
    (3) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of 
Education Programs and Activities).
    (4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants 
and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).
    (5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).
    (6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).
    (7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Government-wide Debarment and Suspension

[[Page 30799]]

(Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)).
    (8) 34 CFR Part 86 (Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention).
    (9) 34 CFR Part 97 (Protection of Human Subjects).
    (10) 34 CFR Part 98 (Student Rights In Research, Experimental 
Programs and Testing).
    (11) 34 CFR Part 99 (Family Educational Rights and Privacy).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Supporting the career development of young people and helping them 
to make informed choices about their educational and career options 
have become important components of State and local efforts to reform 
schools and improve student achievement. Understanding the connection 
between what is taught in the classroom and how that knowledge will be 
used in a future career can make learning more meaningful to students, 
increase their motivation to learn, and improve student results. 
Reform-driven innovations such as charter schools, magnet schools, and 
career academies, include models that use broad career areas as the 
context for teaching challenging academic content and technical skills. 
These and other models incorporate early exposure to career 
possibilities, and the educational requirements needed to pursue them, 
as strategies to help students and parents make decisions that best 
meet each student's individual interests, needs, and aspirations.
    Research also indicates that many young people, particularly those 
from low-income families, do not enroll in postsecondary education 
because they lack sufficient information about career opportunities and 
the education and training required for entry into and success in their 
chosen field. Students who do not develop a career and education plan 
prior to entering secondary school are less likely to enroll in school 
courses required for college entry and do not plan adequately for 
college education financing. Effective career guidance and academic 
counseling can help ensure that students and their parents set their 
sights high, plan for, and are prepared for postsecondary education.
    While career development is particularly important for young 
people, individuals of all ages need access to information and guidance 
on careers. New technologies, heightened global competition, and the 
information revolution are transforming the nature of work and careers. 
Individuals can no longer assume that they will work for the same 
organization, remain within the same industry, or even require the same 
technical skills during their entire working lives. They must have 
access to career and educational information so that they may become 
active in making decisions regarding their occupation. To succeed in 
our dynamic, rapidly-changing economy, all individuals need up-to-date 
academic and technical skills, as well as access to career and 
education information, so that they may become active and effective 
managers of their own careers.
    Growing recognition of the important role that career guidance and 
academic counseling services play in supporting student success is 
evidenced by the variety of Federal, State, and local programs which 
promote and support these services. Several Department of Education 
programs, including Perkins III State grants, Tech-Prep, GEAR-UP, and 
TRIO programs, provide funding for career guidance and academic 
counseling services for students. In addition, the School-to-Work 
Opportunities Program, jointly-administered by the Department of 
Education and the Department of Labor, has provided ``venture capital'' 
to State and local partnerships, to initiate or expand a wide range of 
career development activities for young people. Many States, local 
educational agencies, and institutions of higher education also support 
career guidance and academic counseling services for students. In 
addition, with assistance under Title I of the Workforce Investment Act 
(WIA), States and localities are building One-Stop Career Center 
systems that offer all individuals information and assistance in 
obtaining employment, training, and education.

Career Resource Network Grants

    Career Resource Network grants provided under section 118 of 
Perkins III support the implementation of Statewide, systemic 
strategies for providing young people and adults with these critical 
career information resources and the skills they need to make effective 
educational and career decisions throughout their lives.
    To achieve this goal, State entities may engage in a variety of 
activities such as research and innovative product development, 
professional development activities, development of career information 
delivery systems, and the development and dissemination of curricula 
and other learning resources.

Coordination With Related Program Activities

    To assist States in improving student performance and outcomes, all 
programmatic and technical assistance activities need to be coordinated 
within a continuous improvement framework. The identification of the 
major strategies that positively impact student performance and 
integration of those strategies within a State's performance 
measurement system is critical to achieving results. As a result, the 
Department has begun to align all of its major grant resources, 
initiatives, and technical assistance activities, to assist States in 
their efforts to improve student performance. These include: Efforts to 
achieve education reform through the development of career pathway 
models, funding of professional development and training projects, and 
development of performance measurement systems. The Department views 
coordination and alignment of the activities required under section 118 
to its major initiatives, as critical in supporting States' efforts to 
improve student performance.
    In response to the changing economy and education reform 
initiatives in States, the Department identified sixteen industry-based 
career areas. These career areas represent all sectors of the economy 
and include all occupations front line through professional/technical 
managers. The career areas as they are defined in Appendix A of this 
notice provide the basis for creation of career pathway models that can 
be used for the development of both career and academic guidance tools 
and resources and curriculum development. The U.S. Secretary of 
Education recently announced the ``Building Linkages'' initiative which 
is designed to help students more effectively develop and realize 
career goals. The Secretary was joined by the U.S. Secretary of 
Transportation in unveiling this initiative which uses the Department's 
16 career clusters as the basis for career mapping and curriculum 
development to prepare a student to succeed in a particular field of 
endeavor. The Department has funded the Building Linkages projects in 
five of the sixteen career areas to bring together States, in 
partnership with colleges, universities and employers, to develop 
curriculum frameworks. The sixteen areas replace the traditional areas 
once used by vocational education for reporting student enrollment. The 
new sixteen areas better reflect career opportunities in the new 
economy and can be aligned to existing career areas identified by

[[Page 30800]]

States. These sixteen career areas are (See Appendix A for 
definitions):

(a) Agriculture and Natural Resources
(b) Construction
(c) Manufacturing
(d) Logistics, Transportation And Distribution Services
(e) Information Technology Services
(f) Wholesale/Retail Sales And Service
(g) Financial Services
(h) Hospitality And Tourism
(i) Business And Services
(j) Health Services
(k) Human Services
(l) Arts And Communications Services
(m) Legal And Protective Services
(n) Scientific Research And Technical Services
(o) Education And Training Services
(p) Public Administration/Government Services

    Career information products organized by the sixteen career cluster 
areas are used by career guidance and academic counseling programs, 
schools, teachers, students and parents to understand and explore broad 
career pathways within and among these career areas. Career areas 
provide the structure for converting labor market information into 
useable career information resources and tools for a variety of users. 
Organizing education by broad career areas and pathways represents a 
new direction in education and will require training and technical 
assistance to teachers, school administrators, and counselors to 
effectively assist students and parents in using this information.
    In addition, Perkins III shares a number of common performance 
goals with WIA titles I and II, including academic and skill 
attainment, program completion, and placement and retention in 
employment and postsecondary education. The Department encourages State 
entities to align their products and services with performance 
measurement systems under development by Federal and State education, 
vocational education, workforce development programs, and labor market 
information organizations in order to support State and local efforts 
to meet performance targets in their performance measurement systems.
    Since 1976, most States and outlying areas have received grants 
from the National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee 
(NOICC) to support interagency State Occupational Information 
Coordinating Committees (SOICCs) under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational 
and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-392) and its 
predecessors. Since 1982, States and outlying areas have also received 
such grants under the Job Training Partnership Act of 1982 (JTPA) (PL 
102-367). Funding for these grants ends on June 30, 2000, with the 
expiration of JTPA. While some of the activities authorized under 
section 118 of Perkins III are similar to those which could have been 
carried out under the SOICC grant program, there are some significant 
differences which should be noted by applicants.
    Unlike the previous SOICC grant program, the development, 
implementation, and maintenance of occupational information systems and 
labor market information products are not authorized uses of funds 
under section 118 of Perkins III. Section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act 
as amended by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) authorizes States and 
outlying areas to collect, analyze, and disseminate occupational and 
labor market information. In contrast, section 118 of Perkins III funds 
may be used by States and outlying areas for the development and 
delivery of career counseling and educational guidance resources and 
services, which utilize the occupational and labor market information.
    Further, none of the functions and activities assisted under 
section 118 may duplicate functions and activities carried out under 
the WIA or section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act. To assist job-seekers 
as well as employers, the Department of Labor has created America's 
Career Kit, an array of online information resources on job openings, 
persons looking for employment and their qualifications, and education 
and training opportunities. With assistance under Title I of the WIA, 
States and localities are building One-Stop Career Center systems that 
offer all individuals information and assistance in obtaining 
employment, training, and education. Section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser 
Act also provides States and outlying areas with assistance in 
collecting, analyzing, and disseminating occupational and labor market 
information. Section 118 funds may not be used to duplicate any of 
these or other activities assisted under WIA, but may be used to 
supplement and enhance them. For example, professional development 
activities or other resources developed to support academic counseling 
and career guidance for young people may be made available to youth-
serving programs that receive assistance under WIA Title I, provided 
that they do not duplicate functions or activities that are assisted by 
WIA. The Secretary encourages applicants to collaborate with State and 
local recipients of WIA funds in deciding how they will implement the 
activities required by section 118(b) both to ensure that funds are 
used most effectively and that the non-duplication requirements of 
section 118(c)(2) are fulfilled.
    Finally, applicants should note that States and outlying areas are 
not required to establish or maintain interagency State Occupational 
Information Coordinating Committees in order to receive funds under 
section 118. Support for these bodies, however, is an eligible use of 
funds. States and outlying areas may find these bodies to be an 
effective means of coordinating their section 118 activities with 
related State and Federal initiatives.

Required Activities

    (a) Under this competition, grantees must carry out projects that--
    (1) Provide support for a career guidance and academic counseling 
program designed to promote improved career and education decision-
making by individuals, especially in areas of career information 
delivery and use;
    (2) Make available to students, parents, teachers, administrators, 
and counselors, and to improve accessibility with respect to, 
information and planning resources that relate educational preparation 
to career goals and expectations;
    (3) Equip teachers, administrators, and counselors with the 
knowledge and skills needed to assist students and parents with career 
exploration, educational opportunities, and education financing;
    (4) Assist appropriate State entities in tailoring career-related 
educational resources and training for use by such entities;
    (5) Improve coordination and communication among administrators and 
planners of programs authorized by Perkins III and by section 15 of the 
Wagner-Peyser Act at Federal, State, and local levels to ensure non-
duplication of efforts and the appropriate use of shared information 
and data; and
    (6) Provide ongoing means for customers, such as students and 
parents, to provide comments and feedback on products and services and 
to update resources, as appropriate, to better meet customer 
requirements.
    (b) Grants may be used to supplement, but not to duplicate, 
activities under section 15 of the Wagner-Peyser Act.
    (c) Functions and activities assisted under a grant may not 
duplicate the functions and activities carried out under Public Law 
105-220; Workforce Investment Act of 1998.

[[Page 30801]]

Priorities

Invitational Priorities
    We are particularly interested in applications that meet the 
following priorities.
    Invitational Priority 1. Applications that propose to align 
products and services to be provided with the sixteen industry-based 
career areas identified in this notice and required as the reporting 
framework for the new student enrollment form which is part of the 
Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) required for basic grants under 
Perkins III. These career areas are set forth fully in the 
supplementary information section of this notice and are defined in 
Appendix A to this notice.
    Invitational Priority 2. Applications that propose to develop 
products and services that assist State and local users to achieve 
student outcomes established by performance measurement and 
accountability systems under development by Federal and State 
education, vocational education, and workforce development programs.
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets 
these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over 
other applications.

Selection Criteria

    The Secretary uses the following selection criteria to evaluate 
applications for new grants under this competition. The Secretary 
awards a total possible score of 100 points. The maximum possible score 
for each criterion is indicated in parentheses.
    (a) Required Activities. (65 points) The Secretary reviews each 
application to determine the extent to which it will--
    (1) Provide support for a career guidance and academic counseling 
program designed to promote improved career and education decision-
making by individuals, especially in areas of career information 
delivery and use;
    (2) Make availabale to students, parents, teachers, administrators, 
and counselors, and to improve accessibility with respect to, 
information and planning resources that relate educational preparation 
to career goals and expectations;
    (3) Equip teachers, administrators, and counselors with the 
knowledge and skills needed to assist students and parents with career 
exploration, educational opportunities, and education financing;
    (4) Assist appropriate State entities in tailoring career-related 
educational resources and training for use by such entities;
    (5) Improve coordination and communication among administrators and 
planners of programs authorized by the Act and by section 15 of the 
Wagner-Peyser Act at Federal, State, and local levels to ensure non-
duplication of efforts and the appropriate use of shared information 
and data; and
    (6) Provide ongoing means for customers, such as students and 
parents to provide comments and feedback on products and services and 
to update resources, as appropriate, to better meet customer 
requirments.
    (b) Quality of the project design. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the proposed project will be coordinated 
with similar or related efforts, and with other appropriate community, 
State, and Federal resources.
    (iii) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous 
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.
    (c) Adequacy of resources. (5 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (d) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    (iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of 
perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed 
project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community, 
a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or 
beneficiaries of services, or others, as appropriate.
    (e) Quality of the project evaluation. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Progarms

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    One of the objectives of the Executive Order is to foster an 
intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying 
on State and local processes for State and local government 
coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.
    Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of 
Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process 
under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities 
in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of 
Contact for each of those States and follow the procedures established 
in each State under the executive order. If you want to know the name 
and address of any State Single Point of Contact (SPOC), see the list 
published in the Federal Register on April 28, 1999 (64 FR 22963), or 
you may view the latest SPOC list on the OMB web site at the following 
address: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants.
    In States that have not established a process or chosen a program 
for review,

[[Page 30802]]

State, area-wide, regional, and local entities, may submit comments 
directly to the Department.
    Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a 
State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, area-wide, 
regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the 
date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary, 
E.O. 12372-CFDA# 84.346, U.S. Department of Education, Room 7E200, 
Washington, DC 20202-0125.
    Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as 
applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be 
hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date indicated in 
this notice.
    Please note that the above address is not the same address as the 
one to which the applicant submits its completed application. Do not 
send applications to the above address.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    Applicants are required to submit one original signed application 
and two copies of the grant application. All forms and assurances must 
have ink signatures. Please mark applications as ``original'' or 
``copy.'' To aid with the review of applications, the Department 
encourages applicants to submit four additional copies of the grant 
application. The Department will not penalize applicants who do not 
provide additional copies.
    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant under this process, 
the applicant must either--

(1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or before 
the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control 
Center, Attention: (CFDA# 84.346), Washington, D.C. 20202-4725, or
(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by 4:30 
p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date to: U.S. 
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 
#84.346), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, 
S.W., Washington, D.C.

    (b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of 
mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.


    Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should 
check with its local post office.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application 
Receipt Acknowledgment 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 the 
U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 
708-9494.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Education Assistance (ED 424) the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the process under which the application is being 
submitted.


Application Instructions and Forms

    All forms and instructions are included at the end of this notice. 
Questions and answers pertaining to this program are included, as 
Appendix B, to assist potential applicants.
    To apply for an award under this program, your application must be 
organized in the following order and include the following five parts. 
The parts and additional materials are as follows (See application 
forms and instructions at the end of this notice):
    (1) Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424 (Rev. 1/
12/99)) and instructions.
    (2) Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No. 524) 
and instructions.
    (3) Budget Narrative.
    (4) Program Narrative.
    (5) Additional Assurances and Certifications:
    a. Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    b. Certification regarding Lobbying, Debarment, Suspension, and 
Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 
80-0013) and instructions.
    c. Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED Form 80-0014, 
9/90) and instructions.

    Note: ED Form 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees and 
should not be transmitted to the Department.)

    d. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions. This document has been marked to reflect 
statutory changes. See the notice published by the Office of Management 
and Budget at 61 FR 1413 (January 19, 1996).
    No grant may be awarded unless a completed application form has 
been received.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Marcel R. DuVall, Division of 
Vocational-Technical Education, Office of Vocational and Adult 
Education, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. 
(Room 4317, Mary E. Switzer Building), Washington, D.C. 20202-7241. 
Telephone (202) 260-4982. 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 notice in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact persons 
listed at the beginning of this paragraph. Please note, however, that 
the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the 
standard forms included in the notice.

Electronic Access to This Department

    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) on the World Wide Web 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 preceding sites. If 
you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government 
Printing Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498.
    Additionally, this notice, as well as other documents concerning 
the implementation of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical 
Education Act of 1998, is available on the World Wide Web at the 
following site: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/VocEd/InfoBoard/legis.html.

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


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2328.

    Dated: May 9, 2000.
Robert Muller,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.

Appendix A--Sixteen Career Areas Definitions

    (a) Agriculture and Natural Resources, comprised of courses and/
or programs

[[Page 30803]]

related to planning, managing and performing agricultural production 
and horticulture and landscaping services and related professional 
and technical services, mining and extraction operations, and 
managing and conserving natural resources and related environmental 
services;
    (b) Construction, comprised of courses and/or programs relating 
to designing, planning, managing, building, and maintaining physical 
structures and the larger building environment including roadways 
and bridges and industrial, commercial and residential facilities 
and buildings;
    (c) Manufacturing, comprised of courses and/or programs related 
to planning, managing and performing the processing of materials 
into intermediate or final products and related professional and 
technical support activities such as production planning and 
control, maintenance and manufacturing/process engineering;
    (d) Logistics, Transportation and Distribution Services, 
comprised of courses and/or programs related to planning, 
management, and movement of people, materials, and goods by road, 
pipeline, air, rail and water and related professional and technical 
support services such as transportation infrastructure planning and 
management, logistics services, mobile equipment and facility 
maintenance;
    (e) Information Technology Services, comprised of courses and/or 
programs related to designing, developing, managing and operating 
communication and information technology networks and related 
hardware and software for the recording, storage, transformation, 
transmission and distribution of voice, video, images, and data 
including both telecommunications and computing services;
    (f) Wholesale/Retail Sales and Services, comprised of courses 
and/or programs related to planning, managing and performing 
wholesaling and retailing services and related marketing and 
distribution support services including merchandise/product 
management and promotion;
    (g) Financial Services, comprised of courses and/or programs 
related to planning, managing and providing banking, investment, 
financial planning, and insurance services;
    (h) Hospitality and Tourism, comprised of courses and/or 
programs related to hospitality and tourism and to planning, 
managing and providing lodging, food, recreation, convention and 
tourism, and related planning and support services such as travel-
related services;
    (i) Business and Services, comprised of courses and/or programs 
related to planning, managing, and providing administrative support, 
information processing, accounting, and human resource management 
services and related management support services;
    (j) Health Services, comprised of courses and/or programs 
related to planning, managing, and providing diagnostic, 
therapeutic, and information and environmental services in health 
care; exhibiting, performing, writing, and publishing multimedia 
content, including visual and performing arts and design, 
journalism, and entertainment services;
    (k) Human Services, comprised of courses and/or programs related 
to planning, managing, and providing human services including social 
and related community services;
    (l) Arts And Communications Services, comprised of courses and/
or programs related to designing, producing, exhibiting, performing, 
writing, and publishing multimedia content, including visual and 
performing arts and design, journalism, and entertainment services;
    (m) Legal And Protective Services, comprised of courses and/or 
programs related to planning, managing and providing judicial, 
legal, and protective services, including professional and technical 
support services in the fire protection and criminal justice 
systems;
    (n) Scientific Research And Technical Services, comprised of 
courses and/or programs related to planning, managing, and providing 
scientific research and professional and technical services (e.g., 
physical science, social science, engineering), including laboratory 
and testing services, and research and development services;
    (o) Education And Training Services, comprised of courses and/or 
programs related to planning, managing and providing education and 
training services, and related learning support services, including 
assessment and library and information services; and
    (p) Public Administration/Government Services, comprised of 
courses and/or programs related to planning, managing and providing 
government, legislative, administrative and regulatory services and 
related general purpose government services at the Federal, State 
and local levels.

Appendix B--Questions and Answers

    Potential applicants frequently direct questions to officials of 
the Department regarding application notices and programmatic and 
administrative regulations governing various direct grant programs. 
To assist potential applicants, the Department has assembled the 
following most commonly asked questions followed by the Department's 
answers.
    Q. Can we get an extension of the deadline?
    A. No. A closing date may be changed only under extraordinary 
circumstances. Any change must be announced in the Federal Register 
and must apply to all applications. Waivers for individual 
applications cannot be granted regardless of the circumstances.
    Q. How many copies of the application should I submit and must 
they be bound?
    A. Applicants are required to submit one original and two copies 
of the grant application. To aid with the review of applications, 
the Department encourages applicants to submit four additional 
copies of the grant application. The Department will not penalize 
applicants who do not provide additional copies. Sending 
applications in notebooks, binders, folders, or other coverings is 
strongly discouraged.
    Q. We just missed the deadline for the XXX competition. May we 
submit under another competition?
    A. Yes, however, the likelihood of success is not good. A 
properly prepared application must meet the specifications of the 
competition to which it is submitted.
    Q. I'm not sure which competition is most appropriate for my 
project. What should I do?
    A. We are happy to discuss any such questions with you and 
provide clarification on the unique elements of the various 
competitions.
    Q. Will you help us prepare our application?
    A. We are happy to provide general program information. Clearly, 
it would not be appropriate for staff to participate in the actual 
writing of an application, but we can respond to specific questions 
about application requirements, evaluation criteria, and the 
priorities. Applicants should understand, however, that prior 
contact with the Department is not required, nor will it in any way 
influence the success of an application.
    Q. When will I find out if I'm going to be funded?
    A. You can expect to receive notification as soon as possible 
after the application closing date, depending on the number of 
applications received and the number of Department competitions with 
similar closing dates.
    Q. Once my application has been reviewed by the review panel, 
can you tell me the outcome?
    A. No. Every year we are called by a number of applicants who 
have a legitimate reason for needing to know the outcome of the 
panel review prior to official notification. Some applicants need to 
make job decisions, some need to notify a local school district, 
etc. Regardless of the reason, because final funding decisions have 
not been made at that point, we cannot share information about the 
results of panel review with anyone.
    Q. Will my application be returned if I am not funded?
    A. No. We no longer return unsuccessful applications. Thus, 
applicants should retain at least one copy of the application.
    Q. Can I obtain copies of reviewers' comments?
    A. Upon written request, reviewers' comments will be mailed to 
unsuccessful applicants.
    Q. Is travel allowed under these projects?
    A. Travel associated with carrying out the project is allowed. 
Because we may

[[Page 30804]]

request the project director of funded projects to attend an annual 
project directors' meeting, you may also wish to include a trip or 
two to Washington, DC in the travel budget. Travel to conferences is 
sometimes allowed when the purpose of the conference will be of 
benefit and relates to the project.
    Q. If my application receives high scores from the reviewers, 
does that mean that I will receive funding?
    A. Not necessarily. It is often the case that the number of 
applications scored highly by the reviewers exceeds the dollars 
available for funding projects under a particular competition. The 
order of selection, which is based on the scores of all the 
applications reviewed and other relevant factors, determines the 
applications that can be funded.
    Q. What happens during pre-award clarification discussions?
    A. During pre-award clarification discussions, technical and 
budget issues may be raised. These are issues that have been 
identified during the panel and staff reviews that require 
clarification. Sometimes issues are stated as ``conditions.'' These 
are issues that have been identified as so critical that the award 
cannot be made unless those conditions are met. Questions may also 
be raised about the proposed budget. Generally, these issues are 
raised because an application contains inadequate justification or 
explanation of a particular budget item, or because the budget item 
seems unimportant to the successful completion of the project. If 
you are asked to make changes that you feel could seriously affect 
the project's success, you may provide reasons for not making the 
changes or provide alternative suggestions. Similarly, if proposed 
budget reductions will, in your opinion, seriously affect the 
project activities, you may explain why and provide additional 
justification for the proposed expenses. An award cannot be made 
until all issues under discussion have been resolved.
    Q. How do I provide an assurance?
    A. Except for SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs,'' 
you may provide an assurance simply by stating in writing that you are 
meeting a prescribed requirement.
    Q. Where can copies of the Federal Register, program regulations, 
and Federal statutes be obtained?
    A. Copies of these materials can usually be found at your local 
library. If not, they can be obtained from the Government Printing 
Office by writing to Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government 
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. Telephone: (202) 708-8228. When 
requesting copies of regulations or statutes, it is helpful to use the 
specific name or public law, number of a statute, or part number of a 
regulation. The material referenced in this notice should be referred 
to as follows:
    (a) The Carl D. Perkins Vocational Technical Education Act of 1998 
(Pub. L. 105-332) may be obtained (1) from the Government Printing 
Office by writing to Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, 
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954 or telephoning (202) 512-1800, or (2) online 
from the Library of Congress at Http://thomas.loc.gov.
    (b) A copy of the Code of Federal Regulations that contains the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations, 34 CFR parts 
74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99, may be obtained 
from the Government Printing Office Government Printing Office by 
writing to Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 
15250-7954 or telephoning (202) 512-1800, or (2) on the internet at: 
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su__docs or http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr.
    (c) Federal Register notices can also be accessed on the internet 
at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.

Estimated Burden Statement

    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 OMB control number for this 
information collection is 1830-0541. (Expiration date: 05/31/2003). The 
time required to complete this information collection is estimated to 
average 36 hours per response, including the time to review 
instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, 
and complete and review the information collection.
    If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time 
estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this grant application, please 
write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.
    If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your 
individual submission of this grant application, write directly to: Dr. 
Marcel R. DuVall, Division of Vocational and Technical Education, 
Office of Vocational and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W. (Room 4325, Mary E. Switzer Building), 
Washington D.C. 20202-7242.

Instructions for Budget Information

    Sections A and B--Budget Summary by Categories
    1. Personnel: Show salaries to be paid to personnel for each budget 
year.
    2. Fringe Benefits: Indicate the rate and amount of fringe benefits 
for each budget year.
    3. Travel: Indicate the amount requested for both local and out of 
State travel of Project Staff for each budget year. Include funds for 
at least two trips per year for two people to attend the Project 
Directors' Workshop.
    4. Equipment: Indicate the cost of non-expendable personal property 
that has a cost of $5,000 or more per unit for each budget year.
    5. Supplies: Include the cost of consumable supplies and materials 
to be used during the project period for each budget year.
    6. Contractual: Show the amount to be used for: (1) procurement 
contracts (except those which belong on other lines such as supplies 
and equipment); and (2) subcontracts for each budget year.
    7. Construction: Not Applicable.
    8. Other: Indicate all direct costs not clearly covered by lines 1 
through 6 above, including consultants and capital expenditures for 
each budget year.
    9. Total Direct Cost: Show the total for Lines 1 through 8 for each 
budget year.
    10. Indirect Costs: Indicate the rate and amount of indirect costs 
for each budget year.
    11. Training/stipend Cost: Not applicable. This item pertains only 
to student and institutional allowances.
    12. Total Costs: Show total for lines 9 through 11 for each budget 
year.

Instructions for Budget Narrative

    The budget narrative should explain, justify, and, if needed, 
clarify your budget summary. For each line item (personnel, fringe 
benefits, travel, etc.) in your budget, explain why it is there and how 
you computed the costs.
    Please limit this section to no more than five pages. Be sure that 
each page of your application is numbered consecutively.

Instructions for Program Narrative

    The program narrative will comprise the largest portion of your 
application. This part is where you spell out the who, what, when, why, 
and how, of your proposed project.
    Although you will not have a form to fill out for your narrative, 
there is a format. This format is based on the selection criteria. 
Because your application will be reviewed and rated by a review panel 
on the basis of the

[[Page 30805]]

selection criteria, your narrative should follow the order and format 
of the criteria.
    Before preparing your application, you should carefully read the 
legislation and EDGAR regulations governing this program, eligibility 
requirements, priorities, and the selection criteria for this process.
    Your program narrative should be clear, concise, and to the point. 
Begin the narrative with a one page abstract or summary of your 
project. Then describe the project in detail, addressing each selection 
criterion in order.
    The Secretary strongly suggests that you limit the program 
narrative to no more than 30 double-spaced, typed pages (on one side 
only), although the Secretary will consider your application if it is 
longer. Be sure to number consecutively ALL pages in your application.
    You may include supporting documentation as appendices to the 
program narrative. Be sure that this material is concise and pertinent 
to this program.
    You are advised that--
    (a) The Secretary considers only information contained in the 
application in ranking applications for funding consideration. Letters 
of support sent separately from the formal application package are not 
considered in the review by the technical review panels. (34 CFR 
75.217)
    (b) The technical review panel evaluates each application solely on 
the basis of the selection criteria contained in this notice.
    (c) Letters of support included as appendices to an application, 
that are of direct relevance to or contain commitments that pertain to 
the established selection criteria, such as commitment of resources, 
will be reviewed by the panel. As noted above in paragraph (a), letters 
of support sent separately from the formal application package are not 
considered in the review by the technical review panel. (34 CFR 75.217)

Performance Measures

    The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA) places 
new management expectations and requirements on Federal departments and 
agencies by creating a framework for more effective planning, 
budgeting, program evaluation, and fiscal accountability for Federal 
programs. The intent of GPRA is to improve public confidence by holding 
departments and agencies accountable for achieving program results. 
Under GPRA, Departments and agencies must clearly describe the goals 
and objectives of their programs.
    As required by GPRA, the Department of Education has prepared a 
strategic plan for 1998-2002. This plan reflects the Department's 
priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities 
and describes how the Department will work to improve education for all 
children and adults in the United States.
    standards so that they are prepared for responsible citizenship, 
further learning, and productive employment. Among the objectives for 
Goal 1 is that schools help all students make successful transitions to 
college and careers.
    Factors that may be considered in evaluating the success of the 
program may include:
    (1) Number of people trained by the career resource grant 
recipient;
    (2) Improved and expanded use of career development products and 
services; and
    (3) Number of students who had access to career development 
products and services.
    An evaluation plan must be included in each Career Resource Network 
grant. The application should describe the plan in detail including the 
following information: (1) What types of data will be collected; (2) 
what instruments will be used; (3) when reports of results and outcomes 
will become available; and (4) how information will be used by the 
project to monitor progress and to provide accountability information 
to stakeholders.
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