[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 74 (Friday, April 16, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20771-20776]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8660]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information; 
Community Technology Centers (CTC) Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004 for Novice and 
Non-Novice Applicants for the Community Technology Centers Program

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.341A.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: April 16, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 1, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants shall be an entity, such 
as a foundation, museum, library, for-profit business, public or 
private nonprofit organization or community-based organization 
(including faith-based organizations), an institution of higher 
education, a State educational agency (SEA), a local educational agency 
(LEA) (including a charter school that meets its State's definition of 
an LEA), a private school, or a consortium of such entities, 
institutions, or agencies. To be eligible, an applicant must have the

[[Page 20772]]

capacity to significantly expand access to computers and related 
services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban 
and rural communities who would otherwise be denied such access.
    One combined competition will be conducted for both non-novice and 
novice applicants. The Department will rank and fund the two groups 
separately. At least seventy-five percent of the funds will be set 
aside for non-novice applicants and up to twenty-five percent will be 
set aside for novice applicants.
    Novice Applicants: An applicant is considered a ``novice 
applicant'' if it meets the following definition taken from 34 CFR 
75.225(a)(1):
    The applicant must--
    (i) Have never received a grant or subgrant under the Community 
Technology Centers program;
    (ii) Have never been a member of a group application, submitted in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the 
Community Technology Centers program; and
    (iii) Have not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal 
Government in the five (5) years before the deadline date for 
applications in this competition.
    34 CFR 75.225(a)(2) and (b) further interpret this definition in 
cases of group applications in this competition.
    Estimated Available Funds: $10,000,000. Up to 25 percent of the 
available funds will be set aside for novice applicants.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000.
    Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts: The minimum award amount is 
$250,000 and the maximum award amount is $500,000, for the 12-month 
project period. No grant application will be considered for funding if 
it requests an award amount outside the funding range of $250,000 to 
$500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 18-25.

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

    Project Period: Up to 12 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: As authorized by Title V, Part D, Subpart 11, 
Sections 5511-13 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
(ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the 
purpose of the CTC program is to assist eligible applicants to create 
or expand community technology centers that provide disadvantaged 
residents of economically distressed urban and rural communities with 
access to information technology and related training.
    Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final 
requirements, priorities, and selection criteria for this program, 
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2004 these priorities are absolute 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications 
that meet these priorities. If you are not a novice applicant, as 
defined elsewhere in this notice, you must meet both priorities. Your 
application will be declared ineligible and will not be read if you do 
not address both of the absolute priorities. If you are a novice 
applicant, you must meet at least the second priority or your 
application will be declared ineligible and will not be read.
    These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1

    This priority supports projects by eligible applicants that include 
a partnership with a community-based organization, on the one hand, and 
a local educational agency (including a charter school that meets its 
State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a private school, 
on the other hand. To meet the priority, an applicant must clearly 
identify the partnering agencies and include a detailed plan of their 
working relationship, including a project budget that reflects fund 
disbursements to the various partnering agencies. Thus, the Secretary 
gives priority to projects in which the delivery of instructional 
services includes:
    1. A community-based organization (CBO), which may include a faith-
based organization, and
    2. A local educational agency (LEA) (including a charter school 
that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a 
private school.
    A CBO is not required to submit a joint application with an LEA or 
school when applying for funds; however, the proposed project must 
deliver the educational services in partnership with an LEA (including 
a charter school that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a 
public school or a private school.
    An LEA (including a charter school that meets its State's 
definition of an LEA) or a private school also is not required to 
submit a joint application with a CBO when applying for funds; however, 
the proposed project must deliver the educational services in 
partnership with a CBO.
    An eligible applicant, e.g., an institution of higher education, 
that is not a CBO or an LEA (including a charter school that meets its 
State's definition of an LEA) or a private school must enter into a 
partnership that includes a CBO, on the one hand, and an LEA (including 
a charter school that meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a 
public school or a private school, on the other hand, in the delivery 
of educational services.
    An individual public school is not eligible to submit an 
application under the CTC program in general due to the authorizing 
statute's general eligibility restrictions. However, an individual 
public school may be included as a partner in an eligible applicant's 
proposed project and application.
    This priority does not apply to novice applicants. Novice 
applicants are not required to meet the requirements of this priority.

Absolute Priority 2

    This priority supports applicants that meet the following criteria:
    Applicants must state whether they are proposing a local or State 
project. A local project must include one or more CTCs; a State project 
must include two or more CTCs. In addition, the project must be 
coordinated with one or more LEAs (including a charter school that 
meets its State's definition of an LEA), or a public school or a 
private school that provides supplementary instruction in the core 
academic subjects of reading or language arts, or mathematics, to low-
achieving high school students. Projects must serve students who are 
entering or enrolled in grades 9 through 12 and who: (1) Have academic 
skills significantly below grade level, or (2) have not attained 
proficiency on State academic assessments mandated under Title I of the 
ESEA. Supplementary instruction may be delivered before or after school 
or at other times when school is not in session. Instruction may also 
be provided while school is in session, provided that it increases the 
amount of time students receive instruction in core academic subjects 
and does not require their removal from class. The instructional 
strategies used must be based on practices that have proven effective 
for improving the academic performance of low-achieving students. If 
these services are not provided directly by an LEA or school, they must 
be provided in coordination with an LEA or school. Each applicant must 
demonstrate how their project's proposed academic approach is aligned 
with the secondary school curricula of the school or schools in which 
the students to be served by the grant are entering or enrolled.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7263-7263b.


[[Page 20773]]


    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) the notice of final 
requirements, priorities, and selection criteria, published elsewhere 
in this issue of the Federal Register.

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $10,000,000. Up to 25 percent of the 
available funds will be set aside for novice applicants.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000.
    Minimum and Maximum Award Amounts: The minimum award amount is 
$250,000 and the maximum award amount is $500,000, for the 12-month 
project period. No grant application will be considered for funding if 
it requests an award amount outside the funding range of $250,000 to 
$500,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 18-25.

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

    Project Period: Up to 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants shall be an entity, 
such as a foundation, museum, library, for-profit business, public or 
private nonprofit organization or community-based organization 
(including faith-based organizations), an institution of higher 
education, an SEA, an LEA (including a charter school that meets its 
State's definition of an LEA), a private school, or a consortium of 
such entities, institutions, or agencies. To be eligible, an applicant 
must have the capacity to significantly expand access to computers and 
related services for disadvantaged residents of economically distressed 
urban and rural communities who would otherwise be denied such access.
    One combined competition will be conducted for both non-novice and 
novice applicants. The Department will rank and fund the two groups 
separately. At least seventy-five percent of the funds will be set 
aside for non-novice applicants and up to twenty-five percent will be 
set aside for novice applicants.
    Novice Applicants: An applicant is considered a ``novice 
applicant'' if it meets the following definition taken from 34 CFR 
75.225(a)(1):
    The applicant must--
    (i) Have never received a grant or subgrant under the Community 
Technology Centers program;
    (ii) Have never been a member of a group application, submitted in 
accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, that received a grant under the 
Community Technology Centers program; and
    (iii) Have not had an active discretionary grant from the Federal 
Government in the five (5) years before the deadline date for 
applications in this competition.
    34 CFR 75.225(a)(2) and (b) further interpret this definition in 
cases of group applications in this competition.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Pursuant to section 5512(c) of the 
ESEA, as amended by the NCLB, Federal funds may not be used to pay for 
more than 50 percent of total CTC project costs. In order to receive a 
grant award under the CTC competition, each applicant must furnish from 
non-Federal sources at least 50 percent of its total project costs. 
Applicants may satisfy this requirement in cash or in kind, fairly 
evaluated, including services. Each applicant must provide a dollar-
for-dollar match of the amount requested from the Federal Government. 
An example of an allowable match would be a situation in which an 
applicant requested $250,000 in Federal funds (the mandatory minimum 
request). In that situation, the applicant would be required to furnish 
at least $250,000 in cash or in kind from non-Federal funds, fairly 
evaluated, resulting in a total project cost of $500,000.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
electronic copy of the application package for this competition via 
Internet by accessing the Department's Web site at: 
www.ed.gov.GrantApps. To request a paper copy of the application 
package, you may contact Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of Education, 
OVAE, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110. Telephone: 
(202) 245-7708 or via Internet at: [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) on request to the 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 program.
    Page Limit: Please note that the program narrative of the 
application must not exceed the equivalent of 25 pages. The abstract 
and table of contents pages will not count against the 25 page limit. 
In addition, budget information must not exceed 5 pages (which includes 
one page for the ED524 form and four pages for the narrative). 
Appendices must be limited to 15 pages.
    The selection criteria used by reviewers to evaluate your 
application are to be addressed in the application narrative. 
Applicants must limit the narrative 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 all text in the application 
narrative.
     Use a 12-point font.
     If you are not a novice applicant, start page 
numbering with your response to the first priority. Novice applicants 
should start page numbering with their response to the second priority.
     Applicants must limit the budget narrative to 
four pages and the appendices to 15 pages using the aforementioned 
standards.
    We will reject your application if --
     You apply these standards and exceed the page 
limit; or,
     You apply other standards and exceed the 
equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: April 16, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 1, 2004. The dates, 
times and procedures for the transmittal of applications are described 
in paragraph 6 of this section and are in the application package for 
this program.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 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: Federal funds must be used for costs that 
are allowable

[[Page 20774]]

under the Community Technology Centers program and cannot be used for 
construction, food, stipends, childcare, or security personnel.
    6. Procedures for Submitting Applications:
    a. Applications Submitted Electronically.
    We are requiring that applications for grants under the Community 
Technology Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A be submitted 
electronically. The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (GPEA) of 1998 
(P.L. 105-277) and the Federal Financial Assistance Management 
Improvement Act of 1999 (P.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.

    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 rulemaking is not required.

    We are requiring that applications for grants under the Community 
Technology Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A 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: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110. 
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 described in this notice and 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 Community Technology 
Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.341A is one of the programs included in 
the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the Community 
Technology Centers Program, you must submit your application to us in 
electronic format unless a request to receive a waiver has been made 
pursuant to the instructions provided herein.
    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:
     You must submit your grant application 
electronically through the Internet using the software provided on the 
e-Grants Web site (http://e-grants.ed.gov) by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC 
time) on the application deadline date. The regular hours of operation 
of the e-Grants Web site are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 
6 a.m. Thursday until midnight Saturday (Washington, DC time). Please 
note that the system is unavailable on Sundays, and after 7 p.m. on 
Wednesdays for maintenance (Washington, DC time). Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site. 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 because 
you were prevented from submitting it electronically as required.
     You must submit all documents electronically, 
including the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), 
the Community Technology Centers Program Grant Application Package 
Coversheet, 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) cover sheet 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.
     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.

[[Page 20775]]

    You may access the electronic grant application for the Community 
Technology Centers Program, CFDA No: 84.341A at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    b. Applications Delivered by Mail.
    An original and two copies of an application for an award must be 
mailed or hand-delivered by the application deadline date if you have 
requested a waiver of the electronic application submission 
requirement. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements.
    Applications sent by mail must be addressed to: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.341A), Room 3671, Regional Office Building 3, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20202-4725.
    Applicants must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the 
following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service Postmark;
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service;
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier; or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of 
Education.
    If an application is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, the 
Secretary does not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    Applicants should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not 
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you 
should check with your local post office.
    If you send your application by mail, the Application Control 
Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgment to you. If 
you do not receive the notification of application receipt within 15 
days from the mailing of the application, you should call the U.S. 
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9493.
    You must indicate on the envelope and-if not provided by the 
Department-in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424 (exp. 11/30/2004)) the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application.
    If your application is post marked after the deadline date, we will 
notify you that we will not consider the application.
    c. Applications Delivered by Hand/Courier Service.
    An application that is hand-delivered must be taken to:
    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.341A), Room 3671, Regional Office Building 
3, 7th & D Streets, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4725.
    The Application Control Center accepts deliveries daily between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time), except Saturdays, Sundays and 
Federal holidays. A person delivering an application must use the D 
Street entrance only. A person delivering an application must show 
identification to enter the building.
    If you send your application by courier or hand delivery, the 
Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt 
Acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the notification of 
application receipt within 15 days from the delivery of the 
application, you should call the U.S. Department of Education 
Application Control Center at (202) 708-9493.
    You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424 (exp. 11/30/2004)) the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The following criteria will be used to 
evaluate applications submitted for grants under the CTC program. The 
maximum score for an application is 100 points. The maximum score for 
each criterion or factor under that criterion is indicated in 
parentheses.
    (a) Need for the Project. (10 points) In evaluating the need for 
the proposed project, we will consider the extent to which the proposed 
project will:
    (1) Serve students from low-income families;
    (2) Serve students entering or enrolled in high schools (9th 
through 12th grades) that are among the high schools in the State that 
have the highest numbers or percentages of students who have not 
achieved proficiency on the State academic assessments required by 
Title I of ESEA, or who have academic skills in reading or language 
arts, or mathematics, that are significantly below grade level;
    (3) Serve students who have the greatest need for supplementary 
instruction, as indicated by their scores on State or local 
standardized assessments in reading or language arts, or mathematics, 
or some other local measure of performance in reading or language arts, 
or mathematics; and
    (4) Create or expand access to information technology and related 
training for disadvantaged residents of distressed urban or rural 
communities.
    (b) Quality of the Project Design. (35 points) In evaluating the 
quality of the project design, we will consider the extent to which the 
proposed project will adequately and effectively investigate and 
incorporate in its implementation plan the following elements:
    (1) Provide instructional services that will be of sufficient size, 
scope, and intensity to improve the academic performance of 
participating students;
    (2) Incorporate strategies that have proven effective for improving 
the academic performance of low-achieving students;
    (3) Implement strategies in recruiting and retaining students that 
have proven effective;
    (4) Provide instruction that is aligned with the high school 
curricula of the schools in which the students to be served by the 
grant are entering or enrolled; and
    (5) Provide high-quality, sustained, and intensive professional 
development for personnel who provide instruction to students.
    (c) Quality of the Management Plan. (15 points) In evaluating the 
quality of the management plan, we consider the extent to which the 
proposed project:
    (1) Outlines specific, measurable goals, objectives, and outcomes 
to be achieved by the proposed project;
    (2) Assigns responsibility for the accomplishment of project tasks 
to specific project personnel, and provides timelines for the 
accomplishment of project tasks;
    (3) Requires appropriate and adequate time commitments of the 
project director and other key personnel to achieve the objectives of 
the proposed project; and
    (4) Includes key project personnel, including the project director 
and other staff, with appropriate qualifications and relevant training 
and experience.
    (d) Adequacy of Resources. (20 points) In determining the adequacy 
of the resources for the proposed project, we consider the following 
factors:
    (1) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant;
    (2) The extent to which a preponderance of project resources will 
be used for activities designed to improve the academic performance of 
low-achieving students in grades 9

[[Page 20776]]

through 12 in reading and/or mathematics;
    (3) The extent to which the budget is adequate and costs are 
reasonable in relation to the objectives and design of the proposed 
project; and
    (4) The potential for continued support of the project after 
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated 
commitment of appropriate entities to such support.
    (e) Quality of the Evaluation. (20 points) In determining the 
quality of the project evaluation, we consider the extent to which the 
application:
    (1) Includes a plan that utilizes evaluation methods that are 
feasible and appropriate to the goals and outcomes of the project;
    (2) Will regularly examine the progress and outcomes of 
participating students on a range of appropriate performance measures 
and has a plan for utilizing such information to improve project 
activities and instruction;
    (3) Will use an independent, external evaluator with the necessary 
background and technical expertise to assess the performance of the 
project; and
    (4) Effectively demonstrates that the applicant has adopted a 
rigorous evaluation design.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Applicants that are NOT novice 
applicants (the definition of a ``novice applicant'' is provided 
elsewhere in this notice) must meet both absolute priorities in their 
applications or their applications will be rejected. Novice applicants 
must meet the second absolute priority in their applications or their 
applications will be rejected.

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).
    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.

    Note: The requirements listed in this notice are material 
requirements. A failure to comply with any applicable program 
requirement (for example, failure to show improvement on the 
required performance measures by the end of the year of the grant 
cycle) may subject a grantee to administrative action, including but 
not limited to designation as a ``high-risk'' grantee, the 
imposition of special conditions or the ineligibility to receive 
other awards from the Department of Education.

    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary requires applicants for CTC 
grants to identify in their application specific goals and performance 
objectives for each of these goals to measure the progress of their 
project:
    a. The number of disadvantaged students in high schools within the 
distressed areas that have access to information technology to help 
improve their academic performance.
    b. The percentage of schools participating in the partnerships for 
community technology centers that meet their adequate yearly progress 
as defined by Title I of the ESEA.
    In addition to the two required measures listed above, applicants 
may choose to set performance levels for other appropriate measures, 
such as:
    a. Achievement and gains in English proficiency of limited English 
proficient students; and
    b. The level of teacher, student, and parent satisfaction with the 
Community Technology Centers services provided.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of 
Education, OVAE, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-7110. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7708 or via Internet at: [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 
alternate 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 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: April 12, 2004.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 04-8660 Filed 4-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P