[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 153 (Tuesday, August 8, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48578-48590]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-19959]



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Part IV





Department of Education





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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services



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OMB Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 153 / Tuesday, August 8, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.133F]

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Research Fellowships for 
Fiscal Year 2001


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

    Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application 
package. Together with the statute authorizing the program and 
applicable regulations governing the program, including the 
Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 
this notice contains information, application forms, and 
instructions needed to apply for a grant under this competition.

    This program supports the National Education Goal that calls for 
all Americans to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete 
in a global economy and exercise the rights and responsibilities of 
citizenship.
    The estimated funding levels in this notice do not bind the 
Department of Education (ED) to make awards in any of these categories, 
or to any specific number of awards or funding levels, unless otherwise 
specified in statute.

Applicable Regulations

    The Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR), 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and the 
following program regulation: Research Fellowships--34 CFR Part 356.

    Note: Applicants answering ``Yes'' to item 12 on form ED 424 
whose research activities are nonexempt must complete the six point 
narrative on protection of human subjects described in the 
Attachment to form ED 424. If your project does include research 
activities that are subject to ED's Protection of Human Subjects 
Regulations, ED cannot make the award until the human subjects 
requirements for your grant have been met. Helene Deramond, ED Human 
Subjects Protection Coordinator for ``human subjects'' clearance can 
tell you about the requirements and she is available to help you 
through the process. She can be reached on (202) 260-5353 or at 
[email protected] Additional information can be found at 
http://ocfo.ed.gov/humansub.htm. Note: Applicants need to put their 
Social Security Number in Block #2 on the 424 form in place of the 
DUNS Number.

    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 10, 2000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.
    Award Amount: Merit: $45,000; Distinguished: $55,000.

    Note: The Secretary will reject without consideration or 
evaluation any application that proposes a project funding level 
that exceeds the stated maximum award amount (See 34 CFR 75.104(b)).

    Project Period: 12 months.
    Eligible Applicants: Only individuals are eligible to be recipients 
of Fellowships. Institutions are not eligible to be recipients of 
Fellowships.
    Program Title: Research Fellowships.
    CFDA Number: 84.133F.
    Purpose: The purpose of the Research Fellowship program is to build 
research capacity by providing support to highly qualified individuals, 
including those who are individuals with disabilities, to perform 
research on the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. 
Fellows may conduct original research in any area authorized by section 
204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Fellows may address 
problems encountered by individuals with disabilities in their daily 
lives that are due to the presence of a disabling condition, problems 
associated with the provision of rehabilitation services to individuals 
with disabilities, and problems connected with the conduct of 
disability research.
    The program provides two categories of Fellowships: Merit 
Fellowships and Distinguished Fellowships. (1) To be eligible for a 
Distinguished Fellowship, an individual must have seven or more years 
of research experience in subject areas, methods, or techniques 
relevant to rehabilitation research and must have a doctorate, other 
terminal degree, or comparable academic qualifications. (2) To be 
eligible for a Merit Fellowship, an individual must have either 
advanced professional training or experience in independent study in an 
area which is directly pertinent to disability and rehabilitation.
    The Fellowship awards are for a period of twelve months. Applicants 
are not required to submit budget proposals. These are one full FTE; 
the applicant must work principally on the fellowship during the year. 
The applicant cannot be on any other government grants. We define one 
full FTE as equal to 40 hours per week.
    Selection Criteria: The Secretary evaluates applications for 
Fellowships according to the following criteria in 34 CFR 356.30.
    (a) Quality and level of formal education, previous work 
experience, and recommendations of present or former supervisors or 
colleagues that include an indication of the applicant's ability to 
work creatively in scientific research; and
    (b) The quality of a research proposal of no more than 24 double 
spaced pages containing the following information:
    (1) The importance of the problem to be investigated to the purpose 
of the Act and the mission of the National Institute on Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
    (2) The research hypotheses or related objectives and the 
methodology and design to be followed.
    (3) Assurance of the availability of any necessary data resources, 
equipment, or institutional support, including technical consultation 
and support where appropriate, required to carry out the proposed 
activity.
    The application should include an abstract, a project narrative, 
vitae of the applicant, and letters of support or recommendation. Any 
letters of recommendation received separately from the application will 
not be forwarded to the reviewers. If the applicant proposes to use 
unique tests or other measurement instruments that are not widely known 
in the field, it would be helpful to include the instrument in the 
application. Many applications contain voluminous appendices that are 
not helpful and in many cases cannot even be mailed to the reviewers. 
It is generally not helpful to include such things as brochures, 
general capability statements of collaborating organizations, maps, 
copies of publications, or descriptions of other projects completed by 
the applicant.

Instructions for Application Narrative

    You must include a one-page abstract of the application narrative.

Strict Page Limits

    The application narrative of a research proposal for a Fellowship 
must be limited to the equivalent of no more than 24 pages using the 
following standards:
    (1) Use 8.5  x  11" pages (on one side only) with one-inch margins 
(top, bottom, and sides);
    (2) Double-space (no more than 3 lines per vertical inch) all 
sections of text; and
    (3) Use no smaller than a 12-point font, and an average character 
density no greater than 14 characters per inch.
    The application narrative page limit does not apply to: the forms--
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Assurances--Non-
Construction Programs(SF (SF 424B and the Certifications (ED 80-0013); 
the one-page abstract; resumes; bibliography or letters of support; or 
the information on the Protection of Human Subjects.
    The standards for double-spacing and font do not apply within 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs, but the information presented in 
those formats should be easily readable.

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    We will reject without consideration or evaluation any application 
if--
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.

Instructions for Transmittal of Applications

    (a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant 
must--
    (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 84.133F), Washington, D.C. 20202-4725, 
or
    (2) Hand deliver express mail the original and two copies of the 
application by 4:30 p.m. [Washington, D.C. time] on the deadline date 
to: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA 84.133F), Room #3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th 
and D Streets, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20202.
    (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) An applicant wishing to know that its application has been 
received by the Department must include with the application a 
stamped self-addressed postcard containing the CFDA number and title 
of this program.
    (3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not 
provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for 
Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and letter 
(84.133F).

Application Forms and Instructions

    The appendix to this application is divided into three parts. These 
parts are organized in the same manner that the submitted application 
should be organized as follows:

Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 1/
12/99)) and instructions.
Part II: Application Narrative.
Part III: 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 Work-Place Requirements (ED Form 
80-0013).
Certification of Eligibility for Federal Assistance in Certain Programs 
(ED Form 80-0016).

    An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the 
application, the assurances, and the certifications. However, the 
application form, the assurances, and the certifications must each have 
an original signature. The applicant fellow is the certifying official.
    For Applications Contact: The Grants and Contracts Service 
completed application form has been received. Team, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue S.W., room 3317, Switzer Building, 
Washington, D.C. 20202, or call (202) 205-8207. Individuals who use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD number at 
(202) 205-9860. The preferred method for requesting information is to 
FAX your request to (202) 205-8717.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kym Butler, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., room 3414, Switzer Building, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-9250. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD 
number at (202) 205-4475. Internet: [email protected] or Donna Nangle, 
either by telephone: (202) 205-5880 or Internet at 
[email protected].
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, or computer diskette) 
on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph.

Electronic Access To this Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at either of the 
following sites:

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

To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, 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 (GPO), 
toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC., area at (202) 
512-1530.

    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.


    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762.

    Dated: August 2, 2000.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Appendix

Application Forms and Instructions

    Applicants are advised to reproduce and complete the application 
forms in this Section. Applicants are required to submit an original 
and two copies of each application as provided in this Section.

Frequent Questions

1. Can I Get An Extension of the Due Date?

    No. On rare occasions the Department of Education may extend a 
closing date for all applicants. If that occurs, a notice of the 
revised due date is published in the Federal Register. However, 
there are no extensions or exceptions to the due date made for 
individual applicants.

2. What Format Should Be Used for the Application?

    NIDRR generally advises applicants that they may organize the 
application to follow the selection criteria that will be used.

3. What Is the Allowable Indirect Cost Rate?

    Fellowship awards are made to individuals, therefore indirect 
cost rates do not apply.

4. Can Individuals Apply for Grants?

    Individuals are the only entities eligible to apply for 
fellowships.

5. Can NIDRR Staff Advise Me Whether My Project Is of Interest to NIDRR 
or Likely To Be Funded?

    No. NIDRR staff can advise you of the requirements of the 
program in which you propose to submit your application. However, 
staff cannot advise you of whether your subject area or proposed 
approach is likely to receive approval.

6. How Do I Assure That My Application Will Be Referred to the Most 
Appropriate Panel for Review?

    Applicants should be sure that their applications are referred 
to the correct competition by clearly including the competition 
title and CFDA number, including alphabetical code, on the Standard 
Form 424, and including a project title that describes the project.

7. How Soon After Submitting My Application Can I Find Out if It Will 
Be Funded?

    The time from closing date to grant award date varies from 
program to program. Generally speaking, NIDRR endeavors to have 
awards made within five to six months of the closing date. 
Unsuccessful applicants generally will be notified within that time

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frame as well. For the purpose of estimating a project start date, 
the applicant should estimate approximately six months from the 
closing date, but no later than the following September 30.

8. Can I Call NIDRR To Find Out if My Application Is Being Funded?

    No. When NIDRR is able to release information on the status of 
grant applications, it will notify applicants by letter. The results 
of the peer review cannot be released except through this formal 
notification.

9. Will All Approved Applications Be Funded?

    No. It often happens that the peer review panels approve for 
funding more applications than NIDRR can fund within available 
resources. Applicants who are approved but not funded are encouraged 
to consider submitting similar applications in future competitions.
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[FR Doc. 00-19959 Filed 8-7-00; 8:45 am]
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