[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5619-5623]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-411]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Minority 
Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP); Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.120A.
    Dates: Applications Available: February 3, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 21, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 19, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: There are four types of MSEIP projects. For 
institutional, design, and special projects described in 34 CFR 637.12 
through 637.14, eligible applicants include public and private 
nonprofit minority institutions of higher education as defined in 
section 361(1) and (2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended 
(HEA), and described later in this notice. For special projects 
described in 34 CFR 637.14(b) and (c), eligible applicants include 
nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional scientific 
societies, institutions of higher education, and consortia or 
organizations as defined in section 361(3) and (4) of the HEA and 
described later in this notice. For cooperative projects described in 
34 CFR 637.15, eligible applicants are groups of nonprofit accredited 
colleges and universities whose primary fiscal agent is an eligible 
minority institution as defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b).


    Note:  A minority institution is defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b) as 
an accredited college or university whose enrollment of a single 
minority group or combination of minority groups exceeds 50 percent 
of the college's or university's total enrollment.


    Estimated Available Funds: $3,749,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: See chart in Section II. Award 
Information.
    Estimated Number of Awards: See chart in Section II. Award 
Information.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: See chart in Section II. Award 
Information.

    Note:  The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the MSEIP's web site 
for further information on this program. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/programs/iduesmsi/index.html.


    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The MSEIP is designed to effect long-range 
improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly 
minority institutions and to increase the flow of underrepresented 
ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and 
technological careers.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these 
priorities are from Section 352 of the HEA.
    Competitive Priorities: Section 352 of the HEA requires the 
Secretary to give priority to: (a) Applications from institutions that 
have not previously received funding from the Minority Science and 
Engineering Improvement Program;
    (b) Applications from previous grantees with a proven record of 
success; and
    (c) Applications that contribute to achieving balance among funded 
projects with respect to--(1) Geographic region; (2) Academic 
discipline; and (3) project type. Competitive Priority points: 
Applications described in competitive priority (a) above will be 
awarded 10 priority points. Applications described in competitive 
priority (b) and (c) above, will receive preference, in the following 
order, if we have more applications with the same score than we have 
available funds. First, applications that satisfy the requirements of 
both (b) and (c); second, applications that satisfy the requirement of 
(b); and third, applications that satisfy the requirements of (c).
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k.

[[Page 5620]]

    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) The regulations for this program in 34 
CFR part 637.

    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions 
of higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,749,000.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                     Estimated       Estimated       Estimated
                         Type of project                             range of        number of     average size
                                                                      awards          awards         of awards
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Institutional...................................................  $100,000-$300,              20         164,950
                                                                             000
Design..........................................................               0               0               0
Special.........................................................  20,000-100,000               5          50,000
Cooperative.....................................................  100,000-500,00               5         200,000
                                                                               0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Note:  The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the MSEIP web site for 
further information on this program. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/programs/iduesmsi/index.html.

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (a) For institutional, design, and special 
projects described in 34 CFR 637.12 through 637.14, eligible applicants 
are public and private nonprofit minority institutions of higher 
education as defined in Section 361(1) and (2) of the HEA. Section 
361(1) and (2) define such institutions as:
    (1) Public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education 
that:
    (A) Award baccalaureate degrees; and
    (B) Are minority institutions.
    (2) Public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education 
that:
    (A) Award associates degrees; and
    (B) Are minority institutions that:
    (i) Have a curriculum that includes science or engineering 
subjects; and
    (ii) Enter into a partnership with public or private nonprofit 
institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees in 
science and engineering;
    (b) For special projects described in 34 CFR 637.14(b) and (c), 
eligible applicants are nonprofit science-oriented organizations, 
professional scientific societies, institutions of higher education, 
and consortia of organizations. Section 361(3) and (4) of the HEA 
defines these types of entities as:
    (3) Nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional 
scientific societies, and institutions of higher education that award 
baccalaureate degrees, that:
    (A) Provide a needed service to a group of minority institutions; 
or
    (B) Provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, 
and engineers from minority institutions; or
    (4) Consortia of organizations that provide needed services to one 
or more minority institutions, the membership of which may include:
    (A) Institutions of higher education that have a curriculum in 
science or engineering;
    (B) Institutions of higher education that have a graduate or 
professional program in science or engineering;
    (C) Research laboratories of, or under contract with, the 
Department of Energy;
    (D) Private organizations that have science or engineering 
facilities; or
    (E) Quasi-governmental entities that have a significant scientific 
or engineering mission.
    (c) For cooperative projects described in 34 CFR 637.15, eligible 
entities are groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities 
whose primary fiscal agent is an eligible minority institution as 
defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b).


    Note:  A minority institution is defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b) as 
an accredited college or university whose enrollment of a single 
minority group or combination of minority groups exceeds 50 percent 
of the total enrollment.


    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program has no cost sharing or 
matching requirements.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Ms. Carolyn Proctor, 
Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Service, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC 
20006-8517. Telephone: (202) 502-7777 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 
persons 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: We have established a mandatory page limit for the 
narrative portion for each type of project application. The page limits 
are as follows:
    Design Project Application: Applications are not requested for 
design project grants.
    Institutional and Cooperative Project Application: The narrative 
portions must not exceed the equivalent of 20 double-spaced pages.
    Special Project Application: The narrative portion must not exceed 
the equivalent of 15 double-spaced pages.You must use 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 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.
     Use a font that is size 12.
    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: February 3, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 21, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant

[[Page 5621]]

Application System (e-Application) available through the Department's 
e-Grants system. For information (including dates and times) about how 
to submit your application electronically or by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We will not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 19, 2005.
    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: a. General. We reference regulations 
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of 
this notice.
    b. Executive Order 13202: Applicants that apply for construction 
funds under MSEIP must comply with Executive Order 13202, signed by 
President Bush on February 17, 2001 and amended on April 6, 2001. This 
Executive Order provides that recipients of Federal Construction funds 
may not ``require or prohibit bidders, offerors, contractors, or 
subcontractors to enter into or adhere to agreements with one or more 
labor organizations, on the same or other constructions project(s)'' or 
``otherwise discriminate against bidders, offerors, contractors, or 
subcontractors for becoming or refusing to become or remain signatories 
or otherwise adhere to agreements with one or more labor organizations, 
on the same or other construction project(s).'' However, the Executive 
Order does not prohibit contractors or subcontractors from voluntarily 
entering into these agreements.
    Projects funded under MSEIP that include construction activity will 
be provided a copy of this Executive Order and will be asked to certify 
that that will adhere to it.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically, unless you qualify for 
an exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Minority Science and Engineering 
Improvement Program-CFDA Number 84.120A must be submitted 
electronically using e-Application available through the Department's 
e-Grants system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application 
for this program after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do 
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application 
process.
     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 between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
the Application for Federal Education Assistance Under the Minority 
Science and Engineering Improvement Program, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     Any narrative sections of your application should be 
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF 
(Portable Document) format.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement that 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 
Assistance under the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement 
Program to the Application Control Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print the Application for Federal Assistance under the Minority 
Science and Engineering Improvement Program from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign the 
Application for Federal Assistance under the Minority Science and 
Engineering Improvement Program.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard-copy signature page of the Application for Federal Assistance 
under the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program.
    (4) Fax the signed Application for Federal Assistance under the 
Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program to the Application 
Control Center at (202) 245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically 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 electronic 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 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.,

[[Page 5622]]

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. If the system is down and therefore 
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all 
registered users who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions 
referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of the 
Department's e-Application system.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the e-Application system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Department's e-Application system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you 
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax 
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed 
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Carolyn Proctor, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6048, Washington, DC 
20006-8517. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for any exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.120A), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.120A), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you 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 Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
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.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note: 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.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.120A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail 
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the 
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter, 
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your 
application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are in 
34 CFR 637.32.

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 and 34 CFR 75.720.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary plans to establish new 
performance measures for the MSEIP and will provide the key measures 
for assessing effectiveness to successful applicants.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Carolyn Proctor, U.S. Department 
of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8513. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7777 or by e-mail: [email protected].

[[Page 5623]]

    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 31, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E5-411 Filed 2-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P