[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 95 (Friday, May 16, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26578-26581]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12394]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No. 84.184E]


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools--Emergency Response and 
Crisis Management Grant Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003

    Purpose: The Emergency Response and Crisis Management Program 
provides grants to local educational

[[Page 26579]]

agencies (LEAs) to improve and strengthen emergency response and crisis 
management plans, including training school personnel, students, and 
parents in emergency response procedures and coordinating with local 
law enforcement, public safety, health, and mental health agencies.
    Eligible Applicants: LEAs with a significant need for emergency 
preparedness improvements and a lack of fiscal capacity to implement 
these improvements.
    Applications Available: May 16, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2003.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 29, 2003.
    Estimated Available Funds: $38 million.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: We estimate that: A small school 
district (with 1-20 school facilities) will need up to $100,000 for the 
18-month period; a medium-size school district (with between 21 and 75 
school facilities) will need a maximum of $250,000 for the 18-month 
period; and a large-size school district (with 76 or more school 
facilities) will need a maximum of $500,000 for the 18-month period. 
Applicants requesting funds in excess of the recommended amounts will 
need to justify their need for those funds.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 150.

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

    Project Period: Up to 18 months.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, 
97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations in 34 CFR part 299.
    General: Contingent upon the availability of funds, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2004 from the rank-ordered list of unfunded 
applications from this competition.
    Participation by Private-School Children and Teachers: LEAs that 
receive a grant are required to provide for the equitable participation 
of eligible private-school children and their teachers or other 
educational personnel. In order to ensure that grant program activities 
address the needs of private-school children, timely and meaningful 
consultation with appropriate private school officials must occur 
during the design and development of the program. Administrative 
direction and control over grant funds must remain with the grantee.
    Maintenance of Effort: LEAs may receive a grant only if the State 
educational agency finds that the combined fiscal effort per student or 
the aggregate expenditures of the agency and the State with respect to 
the provision of free public education by the agency for the preceding 
fiscal year was not less than 90 percent of the combined effort or 
aggregate expenditures for the second preceding fiscal year.
    Absolute Priority: We give an absolute preference to applications 
that meet the following priority, and fund under this competition only 
those applications that meet the following absolute priority: LEA 
projects to improve and strengthen emergency response and crisis 
management plans, including training school personnel, students and 
parents in emergency response procedures and coordinating with local 
law enforcement, public safety, health, and mental health agencies.
    To be considered for a grant award, applications must include an 
agreement that details the participation of the LEA and the following 
five community-based partners from the local area: Law enforcement, 
public safety, health, mental health, and the head of your local 
government (for example your mayor, city manager, or county executive). 
The agreement must detail the roles and responsibilities each of the 
required partners will have in improving and strengthening the plan. 
The agreement must also reflect each partner's agreement to receive a 
final copy of the plan. Finally, your agreement must include an 
authorized signature representing the LEA and each community-based 
partner.
    If one or more of these five partners is not present in your 
community, or cannot feasibly participate, the agreement must explain 
the absence of each missing partner. Every application must include 
signatures representing at least the LEA and two of the required five 
partners, and explanations for the absence any of the remaining 
required partners.
    Applications that fail to include the required agreement (with 
signatures and explanations for missing signatures as specified) will 
not be read.
    Although this program requires partnerships with other parties, 
administrative direction and fiscal control for the project must remain 
with the local educational agency.
    Selection Criteria: We use the following selection criteria to 
evaluate applications for new grants under this competition. The 
maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum 
score for each criterion or factor under that criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (1) Need for project. (25 points)
    In determining the need for the proposed project, the following 
factors are considered:
    (a) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project (15 points).

    Note: Under this factor we will look for a clear and convincing 
demonstration of significant need--such as a recent vulnerability 
and needs assessment--to improve and strengthen the LEA's emergency 
response and crisis management plan, as well as how the proposed 
plan will address need.

    (b) The extent to which specific gaps and weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses (10 points).

    Note: Under this factor we will look at the extent to which the 
applicant demonstrates a lack of fiscal capacity to implement needed 
improvements to its emergency response/crisis management plan.

    (2) Significance. (25 points)
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
following factors are considered:
    (a) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system 
change and improvement (10 points).
    (b) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build 
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the 
needs of the target population (15 points).

    Note: Under the Significance criterion, we will look for the 
applicant's identification of the vulnerabilities to which its 
school facilities may be exposed and its comprehensive approach to 
addressing those vulnerabilities in the proposed emergency response/
crisis management plan. We expect that applicants will propose 
comprehensive approaches that do not rely solely on equipment and 
technology purchases, and address the four phases of crisis 
planning--mitigation/prevention, preparedness, response and 
recovery.

    (3) Quality of the project design. (35 points)
    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, 
the following factors are considered:
    (a) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance (10 points).

    Note: Under this factor we will look for the applicant's intent 
to develop a plan that will respond to emerging potential crises and 
is practiced, updated, and revised frequently.

    (b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects 
up-to-date

[[Page 26580]]

knowledge from research and effective practice (20 points).

    Note: Under this factor we will look for the applicant's 
inclusion of the four phases (mitigation/prevention, preparedness, 
response, and recovery) in ``Practical Information on Crisis 
Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities'' (available online at 
http://www.ed.gov/emergencyplan) and a clear description of how the 
proposed project will address those four phases.

    (c) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement. (5 points)
    (4) Quality of the project evaluation. (5 points)
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, the following factor 
is considered:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)
    (5) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
    In determining the quality of the management plan, the following 
factor is considered:
    (a) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives 
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including 
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of 
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of 
services, or others, as appropriate. (10 points)

    Note: Under this criterion we will look at the quality of the 
applicant's planned coordination and collaboration with the head of 
the local government, and community-based law enforcement, public 
safety, health, and mental health agencies in the strengthening and 
improvement of the plan. This description should go beyond simply 
the roles and responsibilities discussed in the absolute priority.

    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Secretary generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed rules. Section 437(d)(1) of the 
General Education Provisions Act, however, exempts from this 
requirement rules that apply to the first competition under a new or 
substantially revised program authority. This is the first competition 
under the Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant Program. These 
rules will apply to the FY 2003 grant competition only.
    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, you may call 1-877-576-7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at 
its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs/html.
    Or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA No. 84.184.E. Individuals with 
disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., 
Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to 
the contact person listed below.
    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 Emergency Response and Crisis Management Grant 
Program (CFDA 84.184.E) is one of the programs included in the 
pilot project. If you are an applicant under this grant program, 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 soft 
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 (ED 424), 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 after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:
    (1) Print ED 424 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 ED 424.
    (4) Fax the signed ED 424 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 Emergency 
Response and Crisis Management Grant Program 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 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 the Emergency 
Response and Crisis Management Grant Program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.We have included additional information about the e-
Application pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and 
Electronic Applications) in the application package. If you want to 
apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the 
deadline requirements included in this notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Connie Ann Deshpande or Jennifer

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Medearis, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 
3E332, Washington, DC 20202-6450. Connie Deshpande: Telephone: (202) 
401-2140; email address: [email protected]; Jennifer Medearis: 
Telephone: (202) 260-5571; email address: [email protected]. If 
you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call 
the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-888-877-8339.

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


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.184.E, Safe and 
Drug-Free Schools and Community Act National Programs--Emergency 
Response and Crisis Management Grant Program)


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.

    Dated: May 13, 2003.
Judge Eric Andell,
Deputy Under Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 03-12394 Filed 5-15-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P