[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 122 (Friday, June 25, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35591-35594]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-14503]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals with 
Disabilities--Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
Individuals; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal 
Year (FY) 2004

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327T.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 25, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 30, 2004.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 28, 2004.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local 
educational agencies (LEAs); Institutes of Higher Education (IHEs); 
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; 
freely associated States; Indian tribes and tribal organizations; and 
for-profit organizations.
    Estimated Available Funds: $550,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $110,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $110,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technology and Media 
Services for Individuals With Disabilities--Cultural Experiences for 
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals competition is to: (1) Improve 
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, 
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media 
activities designed to be of educational value to children with 
disabilities; (3) provide support for some captioning and video 
description; and (4) provide cultural experiences through appropriate 
nonprofit organizations.

[[Page 35592]]

    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 
661(e)(2) and 687 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 
as amended (IDEA)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities--
Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals.
    Background: Past projects funded under this program supported a 
variety of activities, including: theatrical experiences in which cast 
members included deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing performers; theater 
and set design, directing, dance, and storytelling for deaf, hard-of-
hearing, and hearing individuals; cultural experiences focusing on 
Native American art and culture; hands-on theater experience involving 
persons from minority groups; a touring ``instant theater;'' producing 
videos of performances and documentaries of performances; and drama 
workshops.
    Priority: This priority supports a variety of cultural activities 
designed to enrich the lives of deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals, 
including children or adults. These activities must use an approach 
that integrates deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals with those who can 
hear, while providing cultural experiences that will increase public 
awareness and understanding of deafness, deaf culture, and of the 
artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard-of-hearing 
individuals.
    A grantee may not use funds under this priority for passive 
activities, such as viewing a play or video, or passively watching a 
storyteller or artist at work.
    To be considered for funding under this priority, a project must--
    (a) Use an integrated approach that mixes children or adults who 
are deaf or hard-of-hearing with those who can hear in carrying out 
project activities;
    (b) Develop and implement strategies that will increase public 
awareness and understanding of deafness and deaf culture, and of the 
artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard-of-hearing 
individuals;
    (c) Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, 
DC during each year of the project; and
    (d) If the project has a Web site, include relevant information and 
documents in an accessible form for individuals with disabilities.

    Note: Outreach activities such as promoting the project to 
schools, community organizations, news media, and relevant national 
organizations are encouraged.

    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: It is generally our practice to 
offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed 
priorities. However, section 661(e)(2) of the IDEA makes the public 
comment requirements in the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) 
inapplicable to the priority in this notice.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1487.

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $550,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $110,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $110,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State and local educational agencies; IHEs; 
other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; 
freely associated States; Indian tribes and tribal organizations; and 
for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
notice must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment 
qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must 
involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with 
disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects 
(see section 661(f)(1)(A) of the IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: 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 at its Web site: 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 84.327T.
    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 Grants and Contracts 
Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section 
VII of this notice.
    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 to the equivalent 
of no more than 40 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, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    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, the bibliography or references, the letters of support, or the 
appendix. However, you must include all of the application narrative in 
Part III.
    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.

[[Page 35593]]

    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: June 25, 2004.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 30, 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 competition. 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: September 28, 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 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 
competition.
Application Procedures

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in 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 Special Education--
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities--
Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing Individuals 
competition--CFDA Number 84.327T is one of the competitions included in 
the pilot project. If you are an applicant under the Special 
Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals with 
Disabilities--Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
Individuals competition, 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.
    4. Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at (202) 
245-6272.
     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 Special Education--Technology and Media Services for 
Individuals with Disabilities--Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of 
Hearing Individuals competition 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 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 Special 
Education--Technology and Media Services for Individuals with 
Disabilities--Cultural Experiences for Deaf or Hard of Hearing 
Individuals competition at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
chosen from the general selection criteria in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR. 
The specific selection criteria to be used for this competition are in 
the application package.

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

[[Page 35594]]

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.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), the Department is currently developing measures 
that will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the 
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program 
(e.g., the extent to which projects are of high quality, are relevant 
to the needs of children with disabilities, and contribute to improving 
results for children with disabilities). Data on these measures will be 
collected from the projects funded under this notice.
    Grantees will also be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (EDGAR, 34 
CFR 75.590).



    We will notify grantees of the performance measures once they are 
developed.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernie Hairston, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4070, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 205-9172 (voice) or 205-
8170 (TTY).
    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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and 
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. 
Telephone: (202) 205-8207.

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: June 22, 2004.
Troy R. Justesen,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 04-14503 Filed 6-24-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P