[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 150 (Tuesday, August 5, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46424-46425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-19875]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.235Q]


Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects--
Mentoring for Transition-Age Youth and Young Adults With Disabilities; 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003

    Purpose of Program: To provide financial assistance to projects 
that expand and improve the provision of rehabilitation and other 
services for individuals with disabilities. These model demonstration 
projects will focus on mentoring models that provide appropriate 
supports for transition-age youth and young adults with disabilities. 
The mentoring models developed under this program must incorporate 
effective, research-based mentoring methods. The model demonstration 
projects will test whether increases in meaningful postsecondary 
education and quality employment outcomes can be achieved through the 
use of mentors by State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies.
    Eligible Applicants: State VR agencies.
    Supplementary Information: Funds under this competition will be 
used to support projects in FY 2003. Along with other authorized 
activities, funds may be used for the payment of mentors. In FY 2004, 
the Assistant Secretary may consider funding high-quality applications 
submitted in FY 2003, but not funded in FY 2003.
    Applications Available: August 5, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 4, 2003.
    Estimated Available Funds: $750,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$200,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $185,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 4.

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

    Project Period: 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, 97, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR 
part 373.
    Selection Criteria: In evaluating an application for a new grant 
under this competition, we use selection criteria developed in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.209 or chosen from the general selection 
criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 or a combination of both. The selection 
criteria to be used for this competition will be provided in the 
application package for this competition.

Priorities

Model Demonstration Projects--Mentoring for Transition-Age Youth and 
Young Adults With Disabilities

    It is the policy of the Department of Education not to solicit 
applications before the publication of final priorities. However, in 
this case it is essential to solicit applications on the basis of the 
notice of proposed priority, definitions, and application requirements 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, because the 
Department's authority to obligate these funds will expire on September 
30, 2003. Applicants should base their applications on the proposed 
priority, definitions, and application requirements. If changes are 
made in the final notice in response to public comments or other 
considerations, applicants will be given an opportunity to revise or 
resubmit their applications.
    For FY 2003, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet the priority, 
definitions, and application requirements.

Invitational Priority

    We are particularly interested in applications that meet the 
following invitational priority.

[[Page 46425]]

Projects of Collaboration Between State VR Agencies and Consumer-
Controlled, Membership Organizations Focusing on Mentoring for 
Transition-Age Youth and Young Adults With Disabilities

    We are interested in projects that foster collaborative working 
relationships between State VR agencies and consumer-controlled, 
membership organizations in order to demonstrate whether research-based 
mentoring methods can be effective in increasing meaningful community 
integration, postsecondary education, and employment outcomes.
    A consumer-controlled, membership organization is an entity--(a) 
With a constitution or bylaws, or both, that detail the operational 
structure of the organization, including membership classes and dues to 
be paid by members of each class; (b) that may not be merely a social 
organization but must actively promote the integration and full 
inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the mainstream of 
American society; and (c) of which the majority of the officers and a 
majority of the membership are individuals with disabilities.
    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets 
this invitational priority competitive or absolute preference over 
other applications.
    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: [email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.235Q.
    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) 205-8207. 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 program 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: 
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:  29 U.S.C. 773(b).

    Dated: July 31, 2003.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 03-19875 Filed 8-4-03; 8:45 am]
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