[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 112 (Friday, June 9, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36729-36733]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14547]


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NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LITERACY

[CFDA No. 84.257S]


NIFL Content Development Partners (Special Collections); Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 2000

AGENCY: The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL).

ACTION: Notice.

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Purpose

    The purpose of this project is to establish a first generation of 
Content Development Partners to extend the work of the Literacy 
Information aNd Communication System (LINCS) in developing subject 
oriented Special Collections of Internet-based resources for adult 
education and adult and family literacy practice. The Content 
Development Partners will maintain, refine, and enhance the existing 
Special Collections available through the LINCS network by locating, 
evaluating, and organizing Web-based resources and Web-based pointers 
to other materials (videos, research reports, etc.). These partners 
will work in collaboration with the National LINCS staff and the staff 
at the LINCS Regional Technology Centers. Content Development Partners 
will be expected to follow National LINCS guidelines, protocols, and 
common design templates. (See Background and Definitions: NIFL 
Standards.)

Eligible Applicants

    Public and private nonprofit organizations with knowledge of and 
expertise in adult literacy and the subject matter of the Special 
Collection, or consortia of such organizations.
    Deadline for Applications: July 15, 2000.

Estimated Range of Awards

    $20,000-$50,000 for year 1; funding for years 2 and 3 is subject to 
program authorization and availability of appropriations, and is 
contingent upon satisfactory completion of the previous year's plan of 
action.

Estimated Number of Awards

    Up to 10 awards. Awards will be made to organizations with 
experience in the defined subject areas. Consortia efforts are 
encouraged. No more than two Content Development Partner awards will be 
made to the same applicant.

    Note: The National Institute for Literacy is not bound by any 
estimates in this notice.

Project Period

    Three years, with the possibility of renewal for 2 subsequent 
years.

Applicable Regulations

    The National Institute for Literacy has adopted the following 
regulations included in the Education Department General Administrative 
Regulations (EDGAR): 34 CFR parts 74, 77, 80, 82, and 85, and 34 CFR 
part 75, Secs. 75.50, 75.51, 75.100-102, 75.104, 75.109-192, 75.200-
201, 75.215-217, 75.231-236, 75.250-251, 75.253, 75.261, 75.525, 
75.531, 75.560-569, 75.591, 75.620-21, 75.700-707; 75.77, 75.79, 75.80-
82, 75.85-86(6/6/1997 and EDGAR Expanded Authorities, 1/27/98).
    This document is available through your public library and the 
National Institute for Literacy's Website (http://www.nifl.gov). It is 
recommended that appropriate administrative officials become familiar 
with the EDGAR policies and procedures that are applicable to this 
award.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: William Hawk; National Institute for 
Literacy; 1775 I Street, NW., Suite 730; Washington, DC 20006; 
Telephone: 202-233-2042; FAX: 202-233-2050; E-mail: [email protected] 
Information about the NIFL's funding opportunities, including 
Application Notices, etc., can be viewed on the NIFL server (under 
What's New and Grants & Funding) at http://www.nifl.gov/lincs; however, 
the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition 
is the notice published in the Federal Register.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Definitions

    For purposes of this announcement the following definitions apply:
    Adult Education and Literacy Community--The aggregate of 
individuals and groups at all levels nationwide that are actively 
involved with adult education and adult and family literacy 
instruction, including

[[Page 36730]]

individuals such as researchers, practitioners, policymakers, adult 
learners, and administrators, and groups such as state and local 
departments of education, human services, and labor; libraries; 
community-based organizations; businesses and labor unions; and 
volunteer and civic groups.
    Content Development Partners--LINCS partners responsible for 
maintaining, refining, and enhancing the Special Collections of Web-
accessible resources available through the LINCS network. These 
partners locate, evaluate, and organize Web-based resources and Web-
based pointers to other materials (videos, research reports, etc.).
    Core Knowledge Group--An Advisory Group of subject experts to 
assist in the quality control of the collection. Ideally, this group 
will include NIFL Discussion List moderators, researchers, and subject 
specialists from the Department of Education's Office of Vocational and 
Adult Education (OVAE), among others.
    LINCS Affiliates--National, state, or local organizations that 
support LINCS and want to be a part of the expanding LINCS network, but 
are not considered partners.
    LINCS Network--Including LINCS national, regional, state and local 
partners and affiliates.
    LINCS Partners--State level organizations that provide professional 
development, technical assistance, and other informational services to 
local programs. There may be more than one state-level partners 
depending on the needs of the state and the resources available. 
Decisions about the selection of the LINCS partner will be made jointly 
with the state adult education office and other state-level 
organizations. Through a formal agreement with the Regional LINCS 
organization, state organizations will receive services and contribute 
to LINCS.
    LINCS Standards--NIFL's quality guidelines and standards for 
organizing materials in a uniform format for posting on the Internet. 
These standards are found in NIFL's ``Starting Point'' manual, LINCS 
Selection Criteria (http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/selection_criteria.html), 
LINCS Special Collections Guidelines (http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/special_collections.html), the Adult Literacy Thesaurus (ALT), the 
Adult Literacy Thesaurus User's Manual, the template for state and 
local program Websites (http://hub2.coe.utk.edu/adopt/default.html) and 
other documentation.
    LINCS Web Sites--Include LINCS national, regional, and state sites 
and Special Collections.
    Literacy--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 National 
Literacy Act of 1991).
    Regional Hub or Regional Technology Center--The lead site acting as 
the focal point for implementing LINCS grants requirements and 
activities, including serving states and local programs in a particular 
region.
    Special Collections--One-stop electronic gateways to high-quality 
resources related to specific subject areas judged to be of high 
interest to the adult education and literacy community. Resources 
include Web-based resources and resources in other media, including 
descriptions of research and evaluation results, policy-related 
information, curricula, best practices, fact sheets, and directories. 
LINCS Special Collections are built around specific content areas (such 
as English as a Second Language), specific settings or contexts (such 
as Workforce Education), and professional development topics (such as 
the use of Technology in Professional Development).

Background

    The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL), as authorized by Title 
II of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, has the legislative mandate 
to develop a national literacy database. The intent of this mandate is 
to assure the consolidation and accessibility of scattered and hard-to-
access information resources for literacy. For more background 
information on the LINCS Network, visit http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/about/about.html#history.
    Now in its fifth full year of operation, LINCS is steadily pursuing 
its mission of using technology to strengthen the adult basic education 
and literacy community. Beginning in mid-1994 with a single national 
site on the Internet, LINCS is now well on its way to fulfilling its 
goals. Visit http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/millennium/achievements.html for 
a summary of the national and regional LINCS achievements.

Plans for the Future

    Over the past seven years, the NIFL has provided the leadership and 
tools to prepare the adult literacy community for the 21st century 
through major system-building initiatives, including the creation of 
LINCS and its regional hubs. The NIFL intends to sustain the momentum 
of building systems that help professionalize the adult literacy 
community by continuing its initiatives in technology. Please see the 
LINCS Vision Statement at http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/millennium/vision.html for additional information about the future plans for the 
LINCS project.

Application Requirements

A. Overview of Content Development Partners (Special Collections)

    Grants will be awarded to up to ten Content Development Partners 
for the development of Special Collections on the following subjects--
as defined by LINCS and/or in the Adult Literacy Thesaurus:

1. Assessment;
2. Correctional Education;
3. English as a Second Language (inclusive of citizenship and civic 
participation);
4. Family Literacy;
5. Health and Literacy;
6. International Literacy;
7. Literacy & Learning Disabilities;
8. Science & Numeracy;
9. Technology Training (for Professional Development); and
10. Workforce Education.

    The focus of each Special Collection must be on the subject as it 
relates to adult literacy instruction, learning, policy, or other 
dimensions of the practice of adult and family literacy and adult 
education. Applicants must clearly identify the subject area of the 
Special Collections(s) they are proposing to be the Content Development 
Partners for. The existing LINCS Special Collections can be accessed 
through the index page-- http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/collections/.

B. Project Narrative

    The project narrative is critical and must thoroughly reflect the 
capacity of the applicant to organize the development of a Special 
Collection. The narrative must encompass the full three years of 
project activities, with detailed plans for Year 1 and milestones for 
Years 2 and 3. The narrative must clearly describe the applicant's plan 
for attaining measurable goals as identified in each of the sections 
listed below and propose specific mechanisms for collecting and 
developing resources for the Special Collection. The narrative should 
not exceed ten (10) single-spaced pages, or twenty (20) double-spaced 
pages. The narrative may be amplified by material in attachments and 
appendices (not exceeding 10 pages), but the body should stand alone to 
give

[[Page 36731]]

a complete picture of the project. Proposals that exceed 10 single-
spaced pages or 20 double-spaced pages will not be reviewed. The format 
for the project narrative should follow the order and format of the 
following selection criteria.

C. Selection Criteria

    In evaluating applications for a grant under this competition, the 
Director uses the following seven selection criteria set out in this 
notice. The maximum combined score for all the criteria in this section 
is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
1. Mission and Strategy (5 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the 
appropriateness of the applicant's stated mission and strategy for the 
proposed Content Development Partner, including consideration of: (a) 
The degree to which the stated mission and strategy for developing a 
Special Collection reflect an understanding of NIFL's goals and 
purposes for LINCS and the Special Collections as outlined in this 
notice; (b) The degree to which the application demonstrates an 
understanding of the Special Collection's scope and the existing 
special collection's strengths and weaknesses (where applicable); (c) 
The quality and coherence of proposed strategies for refining, 
enhancing, and maintaining the existing collection to meet the field's 
need for information; and (d) How the project will serve (and be 
marketed to) the entire adult education and literacy community, 
including the full range of public and private programs (libraries, 
local education agencies, community colleges, volunteer and community-
based organizations, etc.).
2. Institutional Capabilities (15 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the capabilities 
of the organization to sustain a long-term, high quality, and coherent 
program, including consideration of: (a) The organization's expertise 
in the chosen subject area and its familiarity with the information 
needs of the Adult and Family Literacy and Adult Education Community 
around this topic; (b) The applicant's experience in establishing and 
carrying out collaborative working relationships with LINCS member 
states, state agencies, local programs, and other public and private 
groups; (c) The applicant's capacity to maintain and continuously 
enhance a sizable literacy collection on the Internet that includes 
resources produced by other agencies and individuals as well as the 
organization's own resources; (d) The applicant's use of technology to 
enhance accessibility of information; (e) The applicant's capacity to 
provide training and technical assistance to users of the 
collection(s); (f) A secure funding base for the organization for the 
duration of the project; (g) The applicant's willingness and ability to 
continue the project at the end of the three-year grant period; and (h) 
The applicant's ability to leverage other funding and resources to 
sustain the project beyond the grant through pursuing partnerships with 
private entities, including telecommunications and high tech business 
and industry partners.
3. Core Knowledge Group and Collaborations (20 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the capabilities 
of the organization to sustain a long-term, high quality, and coherent 
program, including consideration of: (a)The applicant's plans for 
organizing and managing a Core Knowledge Group to advise the 
development of the Special Collection and assist in the quality control 
of the collection; please provide names of expected or confirmed 
members of the group; (b) The extent to which the applicant will 
consider the perspectives of a variety of users and stakeholders in 
developing the Special Collection; (c) The applicant's ability to 
ensure close collaboration with NIFL and the LINCS Regional Technology 
Centers, including cooperation in implementing new requirements or 
standards developed by NIFL in concert with the LINCS Regional 
Technology Centers to assure uniformity across the LINCS network; (d) 
The applicant's plans to ensure broad-based collaborative relationships 
with other appropriate agencies, organizations, and projects 
(especially those dealing with education, labor, and human services and 
the topics of each Special Collection) with similar or complementary 
subject expertise; (e) Mechanisms for attracting/collecting or 
developing additional resources for inclusion in the Special 
Collections (see the LINCS Special Collections Guidelines and 
Recommendations available at http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/special_collections.html and the LINCS Special Collections Protocol 
available at http://www.nifl.gov/2000_rfp/collections_protocol.html); 
and (f)The extent to which the applicant demonstrates a commitment to 
provide a minimum of 2 training sessions per year and collect direct 
user feedback at those times.
4. Quality of Plan of Operation (30 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the three-year plan of operation, including consideration of: (a) The 
quality of the design of the project and plans for collecting high 
quality resources, instructional materials, and tools; (b) How well the 
objectives of the project relate to the intended purposes of the 
Special Collections, as outlined in this request for applications; (c) 
The quality of the applicant's three-year plan of operation to use its 
resources and personnel to achieve each project objective; (d) The 
extent to which the plan of management is effective and ensures proper 
and efficient administration of the project; (e)The quality of the plan 
to establish effective working relationships with the members of the 
Core Knowledge Group and other organizations as required for effective 
development of the project; (f) The quality of the plan for determining 
the information needs of the customers or users of the Special 
Collection; (g) The quality of the plan for developing unique selection 
criteria and guidelines specific to each Special Collection based on 
the LINCS general selection criteria and Special Collections protocols 
(http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/selection_criteria.html and http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/2000_rfp/collections_protocol.html); (h) The quality 
of the plan for organizing the Special Collection according to the NIFL 
standards for quality control, access, and organization (see LINCS 
Special Collections Guidelines and Recommendations http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/special_collections.html) and for working with NIFL and the LINCS 
Regional Technology Centers to ensure uniformity across the network; 
(i) The quality of the plan for enhancing the knowledge base of the 
field by updating the Special Collection on a regularly scheduled basis 
with the Content Development Partner's own materials and materials from 
other content developers, including making provisions for including 
summaries of or pointers to quality print and non-print materials, such 
as audio and video materials, in their entirety, as well as Web-based 
materials print and non-print materials, all of which respond to end 
users' educational, informational, and training needs; (j) The quality 
of the plan for marketing the Special Collection, training users, and 
leveraging additional resources for the project; (k) The extent of the 
application's understanding of cataloging form and LINCS

[[Page 36732]]

infrastructure; and (l) The extent to which the applicant's plan 
includes sound methods for achieving measurable goals and outcomes.
5. Budget and Cost Effectiveness (10 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the extent to 
which: (a) The budget is adequate to support project activities and 
allocations are deemed cost-effective; (b) Costs are reasonable in 
relation to the objectives of the project; (c) The budgets for any 
subcontracts are detailed and appropriate; (d) Provisions are made for 
identifying and securing additional funds to continue and expand the 
project beyond the end of the grant; (e) The applicant's inclusion of a 
timeline for the project, consisting of a table or diagram listing 
major tasks or milestones and including estimates of funds, time 
(including presentations), personnel, facilities, and equipment 
allocated to each program area, as well as the timing of quarterly 
progress and other reports, meetings, etc. (A format of approximately 2 
pages will be provided for quarterly reports; a final report will be 
expected at the end of each year in lieu of a 4th quarter report.); and 
(f) The budget details resources, cash and in-kind, that the applicant 
and others will provide to the project in addition to grant funds. 
Please note that overhead for this project is restricted as per EDGAR 
CPR 75-562.
6. Quality of Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (10 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
the evaluation plan for the project, including consideration of the 
NIFL's adherence to Federal Government Performance Reporting Act (GPRA) 
requirements (See the Notice to Applicants at http://ocfo.ed.gov/grntinfo/gposbul/gpos23.htm for more information.) and: (a) The 
strength of the applicant's statement of measurable outcomes for all 
project goals; (b) The quality of methods and mechanisms to be used to 
document and evaluate progress in relation to the project's mission and 
goals; (c) The quality of methods that will be used to document and 
evaluate the impact--both quality of usefulness and quantity of use--of 
the project on target audiences; and (d) The effectiveness of the 
Content Development Partner's role in working with partners, 
particularly by using on-line methods (such as web tools) to collect 
and analyze data on the effectiveness of the resources presented.
7. Quality of Key Personnel (10 Points)
    The Director reviews each application to determine the quality of 
key personnel for all project activities, including consideration of: 
(a) The qualifications of the project director with regard to the 
creation of a Special Collection on the subject selected; (b) The 
qualifications of other key personnel with regard to the creation of a 
Special Collection on the subject selected; (c) The experience and 
training of key personnel in facilitating teams of advisors/reviewers 
and working in fields related to project objectives; (d) The roles of 
key personnel and the number of hours dedicated to carrying out their 
tasks; and (d) 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. (See http://ocfo.ed.gov/grntinfo/gposbul/gpos15.htm for additional information on Key Personnel.)

Additional Application Requirements

    The application shall include the following:

Project Summary

    The proposal must contain a 200-word summary of the proposed 
project suitable for publication. It shall not be an abstract of the 
proposal, but rather a self-contained description of the activities 
that would explain the proposal. The summary should be free of jargon 
and technical terminology, and should be understandable by a non-
specialist reader.

Budget Proposal

    ED Form 524 must be completed and submitted with each application. 
The form consists of Sections A, B, and C. On the back of the form are 
general instructions for completion of the budget. All applicants must 
complete Sections A and C. If Section B is completed, include the 
nature and source of non-federal funds. Attach to Section C a detailed 
explanation and amplification of each budget category. Included in the 
explanation should be complete justification of costs in each category. 
Additional instructions include:
     Prepare an itemized budget narrative for the project as a 
whole.
     Personnel items should include names (titles or position) 
of key staff, number of hours proposed and applicable hourly rates.
     Include the cost, purpose, and justification for travel, 
equipment, supplies, contractual and other. Training stipends are not 
authorized under this program.
     Clearly identify in all instances contributed costs and 
support from other sources, if any.
     Show budget detail for financial aspects of any cost-
sharing, joint or cooperative funding.

Disclosure of Prior NIFL Support

    If any partner has received NIFL funding in the past 2 years, the 
following information on the prior awards is required.
     NIFL award number, amount and period of support;
     A summary of the results of the completed work; and
     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 proposal.

Reporting

    In addition to working closely with the National Institute for 
Literacy, the applicant will be required to submit Quarterly 
Performance reports, which are to be brief, 3-4 page reports of 
progress; a final annual report of activities replaces the 4th 
quarterly report. Due: Within 30 days at the end of each quarter. 
Detailed specifications for the reports will be provided within three 
months after the awards are made.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) To apply for a Content Development Partner grant--
    (1) Mail the original and seven (7) copies of the application on or 
before the deadline date of July 15, 2000 to National Institute for 
Literacy, 1775 I Street, NW, Suite 730, Washington, DC 20006, 
Attention: William B. Hawk (CFDA #257S).
    (2) Hand deliver the application by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) 
on the deadline date to the address above.
    (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.
    (c) If an application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service, 
the Director 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.


[[Page 36733]]


    Notes:   
    (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should check 
with the local post office.
    (2) The NIFL will mail a Grant Applicant 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 NIFL at (202) 233-2055.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope 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.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as National Institute for 
Literacy documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Web from the following sites:

http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/news_events.html
http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/2000_rfp.html 

    To view the PDF version, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader 
Program.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html

Application Instructions and Forms

    The appendix to this application is divided into three parts plus a 
statement regarding estimated public reporting burden and various 
assurances and certifications. These parts and additional materials are 
organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be 
organized. The parts and additional materials follow. (Additional forms 
for the completion of this application are available from http://ocfo.ed.gov/grnt/appforms.htm.)

Part I: Application for Federal Assistance

    (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4-94)) and instructions.

Part II. Budget Information

    Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524) and instructions.

Part III: Application Narrative

    Additional Materials: Estimated Public Reporting Burden.
    Assurances-Non--Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).
    Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-
0013).
    Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion: Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90) 
and instructions.

    Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of recipients and 
should not be transmitted to the NIFL.

    Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if 
applicable) and instructions. An applicant may submit information on a 
Photostat copy of the application and budget forms, the assurances and 
the certifications. However, the application form, the assurances, and 
certifications must each have an original signature. No award can be 
made unless a complete application has been received.

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 OMB control number for this 
information is under OMB control number 3430-0006, Expiration date: 06/
30/2003. The time required to complete this information collection is 
40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, 
searching existing data sources, gathering and disseminating the data 
needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. If 
you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or 
suggestions for improving this form, please write to: the National 
Institute for Literacy 1775 I Street, NW., Suite 730, Washington, DC 
20006.

    Dated: June 5, 2000.
Andrew J. Hartman,
Director, NIFL.
[FR Doc. 00-14547 Filed 6-8-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6055-01-U