[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 19 (Wednesday, January 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4452-4454]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-2003]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.120A]


Office of Postsecondary Education; Minority Science and 
Engineering Improvement Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003

    Purpose of Program: The Minority Science and Engineering 
Improvement Program (MSEIP) is designed to effect long-range 
improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly 
minority institutions and to increase the flow of underrepresented 
ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and 
technological careers.
    Eligibility for Grants: Under section 361 of Title III of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), the following entities 
are eligible to receive a grant under MSEIP:
    (1) Public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education 
that:
    (A) Award baccalaureate degrees; and
    (B) Are minority institutions;
    (2) Public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education 
that:
    (A) Award associate degrees; and
    (B) Are minority institutions that:
    (i) Have a curriculum that includes science or engineering 
subjects; and
    (ii) Enter into a partnership with public or private nonprofit 
institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees in 
science and engineering;
    (3) Nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional 
scientific societies, and institutions of higher education that award 
baccalaureate degrees, that:
    (A) Provide a needed service to a group of minority institutions; 
or
    (B) Provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, 
and engineers from minority institutions; or
    (4) Consortia of organizations that provide needed services to one 
or more minority institutions, the membership of which may include:
    (A) Institutions of higher education that have a curriculum in 
science or engineering;
    (B) Institutions of higher education that have a graduate or 
professional program in science or engineering;
    (C) Research laboratories of, or under contract with, the 
Department of Energy;
    (D) Private organizations that have science or engineering 
facilities; or
    (E) Quasi-governmental entities that have a significant scientific 
or engineering mission.
    Eligible Applicants: (a) For institutional, design, and special 
projects described in 34 CFR 637.12, 637.13 and 637.14, public and 
private nonprofit minority institutions of higher education as defined 
in sections 361(1) and (2) of the HEA.
    (b) For special projects described in 34 CFR 637.14(b) and (c), 
nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional scientific 
societies, institutions of higher education, and consortia of 
organizations as defined in sections 361(3) and (4) of the HEA.
    (c) For cooperative projects described in 34 CFR 637.15, groups of 
nonprofit accredited colleges and universities whose primary fiscal 
agent is an eligible minority institution as defined in 34 CFR 
637.4(b).

    Note: A minority institution is defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b) as an 
accredited college or university whose enrollment of a single 
minority group or combination of minority groups exceeds 50 percent 
of the total enrollment.

    Applications Available: January 31, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 17, 2003.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 19, 2003.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$8,500,000 for this program for FY 2003. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $19,000-$500,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards

Institutional Projects

    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$300,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $125,851.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 24.

Design Projects

    Estimated Range of Awards: $19,000-$20,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $19,500.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 2.

Special Projects

    Estimated Range of Awards: $20,000-$150,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $34,622.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

Cooperative Projects

    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,00-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $251,000.

[[Page 4453]]

    Estimated Number of Awards: 3.
    Estimated Total Number of Awards: 41.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check MSEIP's Web site for 
further information on this program. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/idues/msi.html

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and
    (b) the regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 637.

    Note 1: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions 
of higher education only.


    Note 2: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all 
applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes.

    Applicability of Executive Order 13202: Applicants that apply for 
construction funds under these programs must comply with Executive 
Order 13202, signed by President Bush on February 17, 2001 and amended 
on April 6, 2001. This Executive Order provides that recipients of 
Federal construction funds may not ``require or prohibit bidders, 
offerors, contractors, or subcontractors to enter into or adhere to 
agreements with one or more labor organizations, on the same or other 
construction project(s)'' or ``otherwise discriminate against bidders, 
offerors, contractors, or subcontractors for becoming or refusing to 
become or remain signatories or otherwise adhere to agreements with one 
or more labor organizations, on the same or other construction 
project(s).'' However, the Executive Order does not prohibit 
contractors or subcontractors from voluntarily entering into these 
agreements.
    Projects funded under this program that include construction 
activity will be provided a copy of this Executive Order and will be 
asked to certify that they will adhere to it.

Application Procedures

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make 
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy. 
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined 
that proposed rulemaking is not required.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications

    In FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to 
expand its pilot project for electronic submission of applications to 
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary 
grant competitions. The MSEIP, CFDA 84.120A is one of the programs 
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the MSEIP, 
you may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper 
format.
    The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application) portion of the Grant Administration 
and Payment System (GAPS). Users of e-Application will be entering data 
on-line while completing their applications. You may not e-mail a copy 
of a grant application to us. If you participate in this voluntary 
pilot project by submitting an application electronically, the data you 
enter on-line will be saved into a database. We request your 
participation in e-Application. We shall continue to evaluate its 
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] You will not receive any additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format. When you enter the e-
Application system, you will find information about its hours of 
operation.
    [sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Assistance under MSEIP (OMB No. 1840-0109), 
Project Summary page, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications.
    [sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award 
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
    [sbull] Within three working days of submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal 
Assistance under MSEIP (OMB No. 1840-0109) to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print the Application for Federal Assistance under MSEIP (OMB 
No. 1840-0109) from the e-Application system.
    (2) The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign this 
form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard copy signature page of the Application for Federal Assistance 
under MSEIP (OMB No. 1840-0109).
    (4) Fax the Application for Federal Assistance under MSEIP (OMB No. 
1840-0109) to the Application Control Center at (202) 260-1349.
    [sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on all 
other forms at a later date.
    [sbull] Closing Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If 
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the MSEIP and 
you are prevented from submitting your application on the closing date 
because the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an 
extension of one business day in order to transmit your application 
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to grant this 
extension--
    (1) You must be a registered user of e-Application, and have 
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
    (2)(a) The e-Application system must be unavailable for 60 minutes 
or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system must be unavailable for any period of 
time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the deadline date. 
The Department must acknowledge and confirm these periods of 
unavailability before granting you an extension. To request this 
extension you must contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in 
this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT or (2) the e-GRANTS 
help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for MSEIP at http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    For Applications and Further Information Contact: Kenneth Waters, 
Deborah Newkirk or Sophia McArdle, Institutional Development and 
Undergraduate Education Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8517. Telephone: Mr. 
Waters (202) 502-7586, Ms. Newkirk (202) 502-7591, Dr. McArdle (202) 
219-7078. FAX: (202) 502-7861, or via Internet: [email protected], 
[email protected], [email protected].
    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 document in an 
alternative

[[Page 4454]]

format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the program contact persons listed under For Applications 
and Further Information Contact.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format by contacting those persons. However, 
the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative format the 
standard forms included in the application package.

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: 
http://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: 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k.

    Dated: January 23, 2003.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 03-2003 Filed 1-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P