[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 169 (Wednesday, August 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52898-52899]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-21945]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.133G]


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National 
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards Under Field Initiated Research Projects for 
Fiscal Year 2001

Purpose of the Program

    Field-Initiated (FI) projects must further one or both of the 
following purposes: (1) Develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation 
technology, that maximize the full inclusion and integration into 
society, employment, independent living, family support, and economic 
and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, 
especially individuals with the most severe disabilities; and (2) 
improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. FI projects carry out either 
research activities or development activities. In carrying out a 
research activity, a grantee must identify one or more hypotheses, and 
based on the hypotheses identified, perform an intensive systematic 
study directed toward new or full scientific knowledge, or 
understanding of the subject or problem studied.
    In carrying out a development activity, a grantee must use 
knowledge and understanding gained from research to create materials, 
devices, systems, or methods beneficial to the target population, 
including design and development of prototypes and processes. Target 
population means the group of individuals, organizations, or other 
entities expected to be affected by the project. More than one group 
may be involved since a project may affect those who receive services, 
provide services, or administer services.

Goals 2000: Educate America Act

    The Goals 2000: Education America Act (Goals 2000) focuses the 
Nation's education reform efforts on the eight National Education Goals 
and provides a framework for meeting them. Goals 2000 promotes new 
partnerships to strengthen schools and expands the Department's 
capacities for helping

[[Page 52899]]

communities to exchange ideas and obtain information needed to achieve 
the goals.
    This notice would address the National Education Goal that every 
adult Americans will be literate and will possess the knowledge and 
skills necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights 
and responsibilities of citizenship.
    The notice of final competitive preference points for the Field 
Initiated competition is published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register.
    Eligible Applicants: Public and private organizations, including 
institutions of higher education and Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations, are eligible to apply for awards under this program.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 27, 2000.
    Application Available: August 29, 2000.
    Maximum Award Amount (per year): $150,000.

    Note: Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any 
application that proposes a project funding level for any year that 
exceeds the stated maximum award amount for that year.

    Reasonable Accommodation Language: We will consider, and may fund, 
requests for additional funding as an addendum to an application to 
reflect the costs of reasonable accommodations necessary to allow 
individuals with disabilities to be employed on the project as 
personnel on project activities.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 30.

    Note: The estimated funding level in this notice does not bind 
the Department of Education to make awards, or to any specific 
number of awards or funding levels, unless otherwise specified in 
statute.

    Project Period: 36 months.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99; and the following program regulations: 34 
CFR Part 350.1 (a)(2).

    Note: Research activities involving human subjects supported by 
awards under these programs are subject to Department of Education 
Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects (34 CFR part 97). 
Information can be found on the research Web Site at: http://ocfo.ed.gov/humansub.htm

    Invitational Priorities: We are particularly interested in 
applications that address one of the following invitational priorities. 
However, under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) an application that meets an 
invitational priority does not receive competitive or absolute 
preference over other applications. The invitational priorities are: 
(1) Projects that identify and evaluate approaches for the use of 
information technology innovations and systems to promote the 
independence and quality of life of persons with disabilities; (2) 
projects that address the impact of managing medication therapies on 
work transition issues for persons with HIV-AIDS; (3) collaborative 
international assistive technology and rehabilitation engineering 
projects including, but not limited to, projects that could be carried 
out under Science and Technology Agreements between the U.S. and other 
countries; (4) projects that identify and evaluate health management, 
medical rehabilitation, or community integration needs of persons with 
newly recognized disabilities such as multiple chemical sensitivity 
(MCS), chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome (CFIDS), or other 
auto-immune related diseases; and (5) projects to identify and develop 
methodologies appropriate for use in community-based research on 
various aspects of disability, rehabilitation, and living independently 
in the community.
    The invitational priorities are based on NIDRR's Long-Range Plan 
(the Plan). The Plan can be accessed on the World Wide Web at: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/1999-12/68576.html
    We encourage applications from minority entities. The term minority 
entity means an entity that is a historically Black college or 
university, a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education, an 
American Indian Tribal College or university, or another institution of 
higher education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50 
percent.
    Selection Criteria: In evaluating an application for a new grant 
under this competition, we use selection criteria chosen from the 
selection criteria in 34 CFR 350.54, as well as the ten additional 
competitive preference points that have been announced in a notice 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. The 
selection criteria to be used for this competition will be provided in 
the application package for this competition.
    For Applications Contact: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), 
P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-
7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a telecommunications device for 
the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734. You may also 
contact ED Pubs via its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or 
its E-mail address ([email protected]). If you request an application 
from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA 
number 84.133G.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternate format by contacting the Grants and Contracts 
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: 
(202) 205-8351. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf 
(TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Services (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an 
alternate format the standard forms included in the application 
package.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3414, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD 
number at (202) 205-4475. Internet: [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 review 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 Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 
available free at either of the preceding sites. If you have questions 
about using 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. 764.

    Dated: August 23, 2000.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 00-21945 Filed 8-29-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P