[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5521-5523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2519]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; High School Equivalency Program (HEP); Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.141A.

DATES: Applications Available: February 5, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 4, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs) or 
private non-profit agencies working in cooperation with IHEs, including 
faith-based organizations, provided that they meet all statutory and 
regulatory requirements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $5,900,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$475,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $375,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the High School Equivalency 
Program (HEP) is to help migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their 
children obtain a general education diploma (GED) that meets the 
guidelines for high school equivalency established by the State in 
which the HEP project is conducted, and to gain employment or be placed 
in an IHE or other postsecondary education or training.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority 
is from section 75.225 of the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), which apply to this program (34 CFR 
75.225).
Competitive Preference Priority--Novice Applicant
    For FY 2004 this priority is a competitive preference priority. 
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional 5 points to an 
application meeting this competitive priority.
    This priority is:
Novice Applicant
    The applicant must be a ``novice applicant'' as defined in 34 CFR 
75.225.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070d-2.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) 34 CFR part 206. (c) the definitions of 
a migrant agricultural worker in 34 CFR 200.81. (d) 20 CFR part 
669.110, and 669.320, respectively.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants, that are awarded for a five-
year grant cycle.
    Estimated Available Funds: $5,900,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000--$475,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $375,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs) or 
private non-profit organizations, working in cooperation with IHEs, 
including faith-based organizations, provided that they meet all 
statutory and regulatory requirements.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Mary L. Suazo, U.S. 
Department of Education, Office of Migrant Education, room 3E227, 400 
Maryland Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20202-6135. Telephone: (202) 260-
1396 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) or by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    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 competition. 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. You must limit Part III of the 
application to the equivalent of no more than 25 pages, using the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on 
one side only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both 
sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per 
vertical inch) all text in the application narrative (Part III), 
including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and 
captions. However, you may single space all text in charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs presented in 
the application narrative count toward the page limit.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or 
no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Appendices are limited to the following: 
resumes, job descriptions, letters of support, bibliography, and 
additional information relevant to the support of the proposal.
    The page limit does not apply to part I, the cover sheet; part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, that bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you 
must include all of the application narrative in part III.
    Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
     Exceed the page limit if you apply these 
standards; or
     Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you 
apply other standards.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 5, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2004. The dates 
and times for transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including 
a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the application package 
for this competition. The application package also specifies the hours 
of operation of the e-Application Web site.

[[Page 5522]]

    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 4, 2004.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 part 79. Information 
about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive 
Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference 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 application package for this 
program.


    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: 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 High School 
Equivalency Program, CFDA Number 84.141A, is one of the programs 
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the High 
School Equivalency 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). 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. If you 
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an 
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved 
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We 
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its 
improvement.
    If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
     Your participation is voluntary.
     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.
     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.
    You may 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.
     Your e-Application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     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.)
     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 form.
    4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 
260-1349.
     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 elect to participate in the e-Application pilot 
for the High School Equivalency Program and 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 a 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 dest at 1-888-336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the High School 
Equivalency Program at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are in the application package.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application are Prior Experience. Applicants that are 
currently administering a HEP project that is in the final year of the 
five-year grant cycle, are eligible to receive up to 15 points for 
prior performance in accordance with Section 418A(e) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended.

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 Notice 
(GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and Natural 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.

[[Page 5523]]

    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), measures have been developed for evaluating the 
overall effectiveness of the Hight School Equivalency Program. These 
measures are: (1) The number and percent of HEP participants who 
complete the course of study and receive a GED, and (2) the number and 
percent of HEP participants with a GED who enter postsecondary 
education programs, career positions, or the military.
    All grantees will be requried to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their success in addressing these performance 
measures.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mary L. Suazo, U.S. Department of 
Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of 
Migrant Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E227, Washington, DC 
20202-6135. Telephone number: (202) 260-1396, 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 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: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: February 2, 2004.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 04-2519 Filed 2-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-M