[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2706-2709]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-1140]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031S.

DATES: Applications Available: January 16, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 3, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 3, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: Except as noted below, institutions of higher 
education that qualify as eligible Hispanic-Serving Institutions are 
eligible to apply for new Individual Development Grants and Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grants under the Developing Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions Program. The requirements for satisfying the definition of 
an eligible ``Hispanic-Serving Institution'' (HSI) are set forth in the 
Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as Eligible Institutions 
for Fiscal Year 2004 that was published in the Federal Register on 
December 9, 2003 (68 FR 68614). The complete HSI eligibility 
requirements are contained in 34 CFR 606.2 through 606.5 and can be 
accessed from the following Web site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

Relationship Between HSI and Title III, Part A Programs

    Notes: 1. A grantee under the Developing HSI Program, authorized 
under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 
may not receive a grant under any Title III, Part A Program. The 
Title III, Part A Programs include the Strengthening Institutions, 
American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and 
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs. 
Further, a current Developing HSI Program grantee may not give up 
its grant in order to receive a grant under any Title III, Part A 
Program.
    2. An HSI that does not fall within the limitation described in 
Note 1 may apply for a FY 2004 grant under all Title III, Part A 
Programs for which it is eligible, as well as under the Developing 
HSI Program. However, a successful applicant may receive only one 
grant.


    Estimated Available Funds: Although Congress has not enacted a 
final appropriation for FY 2004, the Department is inviting 
applications for this competition now so that it may be prepared to 
make awards following final action on the Department's appropriations 
bill. Based on the Congressional action to date, we estimate $17.776 
million will be available for new awards under this program for FY 
2004. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 
congressional action.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000-$700,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grant: 
$475,000 per year. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant: $650,000 
per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Individual Development Awards: 26. 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Awards: 8.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the HSI Program Web 
site for further information. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/index.html.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Developing HSI Program assists HSIs in 
expanding their capacity to serve Hispanic and low-income students by 
enabling them to improve their academic quality, institutional 
management, and fiscal stability and to increase their self-
sufficiency.
    Priorities: This competition includes two competitive preference 
priorities taken from the statute for this program and four 
invitational priorities. These priorities are as follows:
    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the following 
priorities are from sections 511(d) and 514(b) of the HEA.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2004, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) we 
give preference to an application that meets these priorities over an 
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Section 511(d) of the HEA 
provides that we must give priority to applications for development 
grants that contain satisfactory evidence that the HSI has entered 
into, or will enter into, a collaborative arrangement with at least one 
local educational agency or community-based organization to provide 
that agency or organization with assistance (from funds other than 
funds provided under Title V of the HEA) in reducing dropout rates for 
Hispanic students, improving rates of academic achievement for Hispanic 
students, and increasing the rates at which Hispanic secondary school 
graduates enroll in higher education.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Section 514(b) of the HEA 
provides that we must give priority to applications for cooperative 
arrangement grants that are geographically and economically sound or 
will benefit the applicant HSI.
    We are particularly interested in applications that address the 
following invitational priorities with respect to cooperative 
arrangement grant applications only.
    Invitational Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give 
an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive 
or absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1
    Cooperative arrangements between two-year and four-year 
institutions that aim to increase the transfer of Hispanic students 
from two-year to four-year institutions and the retention of Hispanic 
students at the four-year institutions.
Invitational Priority 2
    Cooperative arrangements between institutions that develop and 
share

[[Page 2707]]

technological resources in order to enhance each institution's ability 
to serve the needs of low-income communities or Hispanic populations.
Invitational Priority 3
    Cooperative arrangements between institutions where one of the 
institutions in the arrangement is not a current grantee under the 
Developing HSI Program.
Invitational Priority 4
    Cooperative arrangements that include institutions from more than 
one university or college system.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101-1101d, 1103-1103g.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 
34 CFR part 606.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant. Five-year Individual 
Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants will 
be awarded in FY 2004. Planning grants will not be awarded in FY 2004.
    Estimated Available Funds: Although Congress has not enacted a 
final appropriation for FY 2004, the Department is inviting 
applications for this competition now so that it may be prepared to 
make awards following final action on the Department's appropriations 
bill. Based on the Congressional action to date, we estimate $17.776 
million will be available for new awards under this program for FY 
2004. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 
congressional action.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000-$700,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grant: 
$475,000 per year. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant: $650,000 
per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Individual Development Awards: 26. 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Awards: 8.


    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the HSI Program Web 
site for further information. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/index.html.


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Except as noted below, institutions of 
higher education that qualify as eligible HSI are eligible to apply for 
new Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grants under the Developing HSI Program. The requirements 
for satisfying the definition of an eligible HSI are set forth in the 
Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as Eligible Institutions 
for Fiscal Year 2004 that was published in the Federal Register on 
December 9, 2003 68 FR 68614. The complete HSI eligibility requirements 
are contained in 34 CFR 606.2 through 606.5 and can be accessed from 
the following Web site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    Relationship between HSI and Title III, Part A Programs

    Notes: 1. A grantee under the Developing HSI Program, authorized 
under the HEA, may not receive a grant under any Title III, Part A 
Program. The Title III, Part A Programs include the Strengthening 
Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and 
Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving 
Institutions Programs. Further, a current Developing HSI Program 
grantee may not give up its grant in order to receive a grant under 
any Title III, Part A Program.
    2. An HSI that does not fall within the limitation described in 
Note 1 may apply for a FY 2004 grant under all Title III, Part A 
Programs for which it is eligible, as well as under the Developing 
HSI Program. However, a successful applicant may receive only one 
grant.


    Cost Sharing or Matching: There are no cost sharing or matching 
requirements unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant for 
establishing or improving an endowment fund. If it does, it must match 
with non-Federal funds the amount of grant funds used for this purpose. 
(20 U.S.C. 1101c).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Darlene Collins, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 
20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7576 or by e-mail: 
[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 a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section. However, the Department is not able to 
reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms included in the 
application package.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: We have established mandatory page limits for both the 
Individual Development Grant and the Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant applications. You must limit your entire application 
to the equivalent of no more than 85 pages for the Individual 
Development Grant and 120 pages for the Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant, using the following standards:
    [sbull] A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    [sbull] Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles and headings. 
You may single space the abstract, footnotes, quotations, references, 
captions, tables, and forms (including the ED Forms), however, you must 
still use font size 12.
    [sbull] Use a font that is size 12.
    We will reject your application if--
    [sbull] You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
    [sbull] You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: January 16, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 3, 2004.
    The dates and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or 
by hand (including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the 
application package for this program. The application package also 
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 3, 2004.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable activities in 34 
CFR 606.10. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for 
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier 
service or commercial carrier) are in the

[[Page 2708]]

application package for this program. Application Procedures: The 
Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-277) 
and the Federal Financial Assistance Management Improvement Act of 1999 
(Pub. L. 106-107) encourage us to undertake initiatives to improve our 
grant processes. Enhancing the ability of individuals and entities to 
conduct business with us electronically is a major part of our response 
to these Acts. Therefore, we are taking steps to adopt the Internet as 
our chief means of conducting transactions in order to improve services 
to our customers and to simplify and expedite our business processes.
    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.
    We are requiring that applications for grants under the Developing 
HSI Program--CFDA Number 84.031S be submitted electronically using the 
Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) available through 
the Department's e-GRANTS system. The e-GRANTS system is accessible 
through its portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    If you are unable to submit an application through the e-GRANTS 
system, you may submit a written request for a waiver of the electronic 
submission requirement. In your request, you should explain the reason 
or reasons that prevent you from using the Internet to submit your 
application. Address your request to: Darlene Collins, U.S. Department 
of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6032, Washington, DC 20006-8513. 
Please submit your request no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    If, within two weeks of the application deadline date, you are 
unable to submit an application electronically, you must submit a paper 
application by the application deadline date in accordance with the 
transmittal instructions in the application package. The paper 
application must include a written request for a waiver documenting the 
reasons that prevented you from using the Internet to submit your 
application.
    Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications: We are 
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of 
applications to include additional formula grant programs and 
additional discretionary grant competitions. The Developing HSI 
Program--CFDA Number 84.031S is one of the programs included in the 
pilot project. If you are an applicant under the Developing HSI 
Program, you must submit your application to us in electronic format or 
receive a waiver.
    The pilot project involves the use of e-Application. If you use e-
Application, you will be entering data online while completing your 
application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us. The data you enter online will be saved into a 
database. We shall continue to evaluate the success of e-Application 
and solicit suggestions for its improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
    [sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find 
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that 
you do not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-
Application package.
    [sbull] You will not receive 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.
    [sbull] You must submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
    [sbull] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit 
requirements described in this notice.
    [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 Education 
Assistance (ED 424) to the Application Control Center after following 
these steps:
    1. Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    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 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from submitting your application 
on the application deadline 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. We will grant this extension if--
    1. You are a registered user of e-Application and you have 
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
    2. (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or 
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time 
during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the 
application deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For 
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Developing 
HSI Program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
in 34 CFR 606.21 and 606.22.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are as follows: In tie-breaking 
situations described in 34 CFR 606.23, the HSI Program regulations 
require that we award one additional point to an application from an 
IHE that has an endowment fund for which the 2000-2001 market value per 
full-time equivalent (FTE) student was less than the comparable average 
per FTE student at a similar type IHE. We also award one additional 
point to an application from an IHE that had expenditures for library 
materials in 2000-2001 per FTE student that were less than the 
comparable average per FTE student at a similar type IHE.
    For the purpose of these funding considerations, an applicant must 
be able to demonstrate that the market

[[Page 2709]]

value of its endowment fund per FTE student and library expenditures 
per FTE student were less than the average expenditure per FTE student 
when calculated using the data submitted by applicants for the year 
2000-2001.
    If a tie still remains after applying the additional point(s), we 
will determine the ranking of applicants based on the lowest combined 
library expenditures per FTE student and endowment values per FTE 
student.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118, 34 CFR 75.720 and in 34 CFR 606.31.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the Developing HSI Program: (1) The percentage of Title V project goals 
relating to the improvement of academic quality that are met or 
exceeded will increase or be maintained over time. (2) The percentage 
of Title V project goals relating to the improvement of student 
services and student outcomes that are met or exceeded will increase or 
be maintained over time. (3) The percentage of Title V project goals 
relating to the improvement of institutional management and fiscal 
stability that are met or exceeded will increase or be maintained over 
time.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Darlene Collins, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8513. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7576 or by e-mail: [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 format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: January 14, 2004.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 04-1140 Filed 1-14-04; 3:00 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P