[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 93 (Monday, May 14, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24352-24353]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-11996]



[[Page 24352]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.235M]


Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001

    Purpose of Program: To provide funding for model demonstration 
projects with innovative methods of promoting achievement of high-
quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities. These 
projects will expand and improve the provision of rehabilitation 
services, as defined in 34 CFR part 373, for individuals with 
disabilities.
    Eligible Applicants: State vocational rehabilitation agencies; 
community rehabilitation programs; Indian tribes or tribal 
organizations; and public or nonprofit agencies or organizations, 
including institutions of higher education.
    Supplementary Information: Funds under this competition will be 
used to support projects in FY 2001. In FY 2002, the Assistant 
Secretary may consider funding high-quality applications submitted in 
FY 2001.
    Applications Available: May 18, 2001.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 18, 2001.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 17, 2001.
    Available Funds: $1,600,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $225,000 to $300,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. It is suggested that you 
limit Part III to 35 pages.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, and 99; and (b) The regulations for this program in 
34 CFR part 373.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

Priorities

Background

    The unemployment rate for working-age adults with disabilities has 
hovered at 70 percent for over a decade. Model demonstration projects 
that promote high-quality employment outcomes will provide 
opportunities for individuals with disabilities to be placed in jobs at 
which they will--(1) receive the minimum wage or higher, with benefits; 
(2) have opportunities for advancement; (3) work on a full-time basis, 
or as close to full-time as appropriate; (4) work in an integrated 
setting, if appropriate; and (5) obtain employment that is consistent 
with the strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, 
capabilities, interests, and informed choice of the individual with 
disabilities.

Absolute Priority

    This competition focuses on projects designed to meet a priority 
that we have chosen from allowable activities specified in the program 
statute (see 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v) and section 303(b)(4)(B) and 
(5)(B)(ix) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (29 U.S.C. 
773(b)). For FY 2001 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet the priority.
    The projects must be model demonstrations with innovative service 
methods for promoting achievement of high-quality employment outcomes 
for individuals with disabilities. To meet the absolute priority 
requirements for model demonstration projects of rehabilitation service 
delivery, the application must--
    (1) Demonstrate a model of rehabilitation service delivery that is 
innovative for the applicant and in the local service area and is 
expected to lead to high-quality employment outcomes for individuals 
with disabilities;
    (2) Certify that the project includes activities that have not been 
funded previously, for that applicant or in that service area, under an 
award from the Special Demonstration Programs; and
    (3) Include a plan to widely disseminate the results of the 
project, including any rehabilitation service delivery model proven to 
be effective, so the model may be adapted, replicated, or integrated 
into fee-for-service arrangements by State vocational rehabilitation 
agencies and other disability organizations.

Competitive Preference Priority

    Within the absolute priority for this competition for FY 2001, this 
competition focuses on projects designed to meet the competitive 
preference priority in the notice of final competitive preference for 
this program, published in the Federal Register on November 22, 2000 
(65 FR 70408). Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an 
additional 10 points to an application that is otherwise eligible for 
funding under this program, depending on the extent to which the 
application meets the competitive preference priority.

Invitational Priorities

    Within the absolute priority for this competition for FY 2001, we 
are particularly interested in applications that meet one or more of 
the following invitational priorities. However, under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets one or more of 
these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over 
other applications.

Invitational Priority 1--Model Demonstrations To Increase Employment 
Outcomes, Especially Self-employment, Telecommuting, or Business 
Ownership, for American Indians With Disabilities Who Reside on or Near 
Reservations or in Urban Settings

    We are interested in projects that would increase employment 
opportunities by providing vocational rehabilitation services to 
American Indians with disabilities. These projects, which would provide 
services to American Indians and may provide training and instruction 
to other nonprofit agencies to provide these services, would lead to 
vocational outcomes related to self-employment, telecommuting, or 
business ownership. Services may include, but are not limited to, 
technical assistance and other consultation services to conduct market 
analyses, develop business plans, and obtain loans, occupational 
licenses, tools, equipment, initial stocks, and supplies for eligible 
individuals. These projects would work closely with the National 
Technical Assistance Center to increase employment opportunities and 
vocational outcomes for Native Americans with disabilities.

Invitational Priority 2--Programs That Demonstrate Methods That Lead to 
Employment Opportunities With Career Advancement for Individuals With 
Disabilities Who Are Homeless or Reside in Supportive or Subsidized 
Housing

    We are interested in projects that would demonstrate service 
delivery models that would further high-quality employment outcomes for 
individuals with disabilites who are homeless or reside in supportive 
or subsidized housing. Projects would focus on developing systems to 
link the supportive or the subsidized housing industry with the public 
vocational rehabilitation system. Projects

[[Page 24353]]

supported under this invitational priority may include, but are not 
limited to, maintaining and replicating successful approaches to link 
the supportive or the subsidized housing industry with the vocational 
rehabilitation (VR) system; developing methodologies to expedite entry 
into the VR system for those individuals with disabilities who are 
homeless or residing in supportive or subsidized housing who need and 
may benefit from VR services; developing appropriate mechanisms to 
build on existing supportive or subsidized housing systems to provide 
VR services to increase employment outcomes including long-term job 
placements in competitive work, in a cost effective and efficient 
manner; and developing linkages with the Department of Labor's One-Stop 
service delivery system and focusing on individuals with disabilities 
in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's housing programs, 
including the Shelter Care Plus and the Section 8 programs. The goal 
would be to not only increase employment rates but to encourage new 
local collaboration between employment and housing providers. Projects 
would provide services that may include, but are not limited to, 
training, education, counseling, placement, and follow-up activities 
that would allow the individuals with disabilites to possess the 
knowledge and skills necessary to compete for jobs with the potential 
for career advancement and higher wages and benefits. Projects may also 
provide services to improve career advancement opportunities for 
individuals with disabilities who are employed.

Invitational Priority 3--Programs That Demonstrate Methods of Providing 
Affordable Transportation Services to Individuals With Disabilities

    We are interested in projects that would demonstrate methods of 
providing affordable transportation services to individuals who are 
employed, seeking employment, or receiving vocational rehabilitation 
services from public or private organizations and who reside in 
geographic areas in which public transportation or paratransit service 
is not available or, if available, does not adequately meet the needs 
of the consumers (e.g., need for 24-hour service).
    Selection Criteria: In evaluating an application for a new grant 
under this competition, we use selection criteria chosen from the 
general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. 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 you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: ed 
[email protected]
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.235M.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative 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 Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an 
alternative format the standard forms included in the application 
package.
    For Further Information Contact: Alfreda Reeves, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3314, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC. 20202-2650. Telephone: (202) 205-9361. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this notice in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 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 the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. 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. 773(b).

    Dated: May 8, 2001.
Francis V. Corrigan,
Deputy Director, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation 
Research. 
[FR Doc. 01-11996 Filed 5-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U