[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 22 (Thursday, February 3, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5623-5626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-412]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

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

DATES: Applications Available: February 3, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 21, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 19, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: Except as noted below, institutions of higher 
education that qualify as eligible Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) 
are eligible to apply for new Individual Development Grants and 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants under the Developing 
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program. The requirements for satisfying 
the definition of an eligible HSI are in the Notice Inviting 
Applications for Designation as Eligible Institutions for Fiscal Year 
2005 that was published in the Federal Register on November 30, 2004 
(69 FR 69589). The complete HSI eligibility requirements are in 34 CFR 
606.2 through 606.5 and can be accessed from the following Web site: 
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

Relationship Between HSI and Title III, Part A Programs

    Note 1: A grantee under the Developing HSI Program, authorized 
under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 
may not receive a grant under any HEA, Title III, Part A Program. 
The Title III, Part A Programs include the Strengthening 
Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and 
Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving 
Institutions Programs. Further, a current Developing HSI Program 
grantee may not give up its grant in order to receive a grant under 
any Title III, Part A Program.


    Note 2: An HSI that does not fall within the limitation 
described in Note 1 may apply for a FY 2005 grant under all Title 
III, Part A Programs for which it is eligible, as well as under the 
Developing HSI Program. However, a successful applicant may receive 
only one grant.


    Estimated Available Funds: $26,549,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000-$700,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grant: 
$496,000 per year. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant: $650,000 
per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Individual Development Awards: 43. 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Awards: 8.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Developing HSI Program assists HSIs to 
expand educational opportunities for, and improve the academic 
attainment of, Hispanic students. The Developing HSI Program also 
enables HSIs to expand and enhance their academic offerings, program 
quality, and institutional stability.
    Priorities: This competition includes two competitive preference 
priorities taken from the statute for this program. These priorities 
are as follows:
    In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the following 
priorities are from sections 511(d) and 514(b) of the HEA.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2005, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we 
award up to an additional five (5) points to an application, depending 
on how well the application meets this priority. Section 511(d) of the 
HEA provides that we must give priority to applications for development 
grants that contain satisfactory evidence that the HSI has entered 
into, or will enter into, a collaborative arrangement with at least one 
local educational agency or community-based organization to provide 
that agency or organization with assistance (from funds other than 
funds provided under Title V of the HEA) in reducing dropout rates for 
Hispanic students, improving rates of academic achievement for Hispanic 
students, and increasing the rates at which Hispanic secondary school 
graduates enroll in higher education.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) we 
give preference to an application that meets this priority over an 
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priority. 
Section 514(b) of the HEA provides that we must give priority to 
applications for cooperative arrangement grants that are geographically 
and economically sound or will benefit the applicant HSI.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1101-1101d, 1103-1103g.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 
34 CFR part 606.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant. Five-year Individual 
Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants will 
be awarded in FY 2005. Planning grants will not be awarded in FY 2005.
    Estimated Available Funds: $26,549,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $475,000-$700,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grant: 
$496,000 per year. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant: $650,000 
per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Individual Development Awards: 43.

[[Page 5624]]

Cooperative Arrangement Development Awards: 8.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Except as noted below, institutions of 
higher education that qualify as eligible HSIs are eligible to apply 
for new Individual Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grants under the Developing HSI Program. The requirements 
for satisfying the definition of an eligible HSI are in the Notice 
Inviting Applications for Designation as Eligible Institutions for 
Fiscal Year 2005 that was published in the Federal Register on November 
30, 2004 (69 FR 69589). The complete HSI eligibility requirements are 
in 34 CFR 606.2 through 606.5 and can be accessed from the following 
Web site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

Relationship between HSI and Title III, Part A Programs

    Note 1: A grantee under the Developing HSI Program, authorized 
under the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, Title III, 
Part A Program. The Title III, Part A Programs include the 
Strengthening Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled 
Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-
Serving Institutions Programs. Further, a current Developing HSI 
Program grantee may not give up its grant in order to receive a 
grant under any Title III, Part A Program.


    Note 2: An HSI that does not fall within the limitation 
described in Note 1 may apply for a FY 2005 grant under all Title 
III, Part A Programs for which it is eligible, as well as under the 
Developing HSI Program. However, a successful applicant may receive 
only one grant.


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

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: J. Alexander Hamilton, 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, 
Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7583 or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact 
person listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: We have established mandatory page limits for both the 
Individual Development Grant and the Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant applications. You must limit your entire application 
to the equivalent of no more than 70 pages for the Individual 
Development Grant application and 100 pages for the Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grant application, 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 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.
     No appendices or attachments should be included with the 
application. If you include any attachments or appendices, these items 
will be counted for purposes of the page limit requirement. 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 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 do 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. Applicability of Executive Order 13202. 
Applicants that apply for construction funds under the Developing HSI 
Program must comply with the 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 construction 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 this program that 
include construction activity will be provided a copy of this Executive 
Order and will be asked to certify that they will adhere to it.
    b. Other Restrictions. We specify unallowable activities in 34 CFR 
606.10. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: 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

[[Page 5625]]

Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications

    Applications for grants under the Developing HSI Program--CFDA 
Number 84.031S 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 (ED 424), 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 ED 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant'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 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., 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: J. Alexander Hamilton, 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6052, 
Washington, DC 20006-8513. 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 
84.031S), 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 
84.031S), 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

[[Page 5626]]

    (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 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 84.031S), 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

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
in 34 CFR 606.21 and 606.22.
    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are as follows: In tie-breaking 
situations described in 34 CFR 606.23, the HSI Program regulations 
require that we award one additional point to an application from an 
institution of higher education (IHE) that has an endowment fund for 
which the 2002-2003 market value per full-time equivalent (FTE) student 
was less than the comparable average per FTE student at a similar type 
IHE. We also award one additional point to an application from an IHE 
that had expenditures for library materials in 2002-2003 per FTE 
student that were less than the comparable average per FTE student at a 
similar type IHE.
    For the purpose of these funding considerations, an applicant must 
be able to demonstrate that the market value of its endowment fund per 
FTE student and library expenditures per FTE student were less than the 
average expenditure per FTE student when calculated using the data 
submitted by applicants for the year 2002-2003.
    If a tie still remains after applying the additional point(s), we 
will determine the ranking of applicants based on the lowest combined 
library expenditures per FTE student and endowment values per FTE 
student.

VI. Award Administration Information

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

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  J. Alexander Hamilton, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 
20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7583 or by e-mail: 
[email protected]; or Sophia McArdle: Telephone: (202) 219-7078 
or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.


    Note:  The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: January 31, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E5-412 Filed 2-2-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P