[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 35 (Wednesday, February 23, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8784-8788]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3455]


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

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Gaining 
Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP); 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.334A 
(Partnership grants) and 84.334S (State grants).

    Dates: Applications Available: February 23, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 11, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 22, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: (1) A state; or (2) a partnership consisting 
of (A) one or more local educational agencies acting on behalf of (i) 
one or more elementary schools or secondary schools, and (ii) the 
secondary schools that students from the schools described in (i) would 
normally attend; (B) one or more degree granting institutions of higher 
education; and (C) at least two community organizations or entities, 
such as businesses, professional associations, community-based 
organizations, philanthropic organizations, State agencies,

[[Page 8785]]

institutions or agencies sponsoring programs authorized under subpart 4 
of Part A of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or other 
public or private agencies or organizations.

    Note: For Partnership grants, the fiscal agent/applicant must be 
either an institution of higher education that is not pervasively 
sectarian or a local education agency. For State grants, the fiscal 
agent/applicant must be a single State agency as designated by the 
State's governor.

    Estimated Available Funds: $113,189,000 for new partnership grants 
and $74,276,000 for new state grants.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$7,000,000 per year for 
partnership grants and $500,000-$3,500,000 per year for state grants.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $501,000 per year for partnership 
grants and $3,000,000 per year for state grants.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application for a partnership 
grant that proposes a budget exceeding $800 per student for a single 
budget period of 12 months. We will reject any application for a state 
grant that proposes a budget exceeding $3,500,000 for a single budget 
period of 12 months. We also will reject any partnership or state grant 
application that proposes a budget that increases after the first 12-
month budget period. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in 
the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 226 Partnership grants and 24 State 
grants.

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

    Project Period: Up to 72 months.
Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: GEAR UP supports early college preparation and 
awareness activities for low-income students.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-21.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR part 694.

    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 institutions 
of higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $113,189,000 for new partnership grants 
and $74,276,000 for new state grants.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $100,000-$7,000,000 per year for 
partnership grants and $500,000-$3,500,000 per year for state grants.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $501,000 for partnership grants 
and $3,000,000 per year for state grants.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application for a partnership 
grant that proposes a budget exceeding $800 per student for a single 
budget period of 12 months. We will reject any application for a State 
grant that proposes a budget exceeding $3,500,000 for a single budget 
period of 12 months. We also will reject any partnership or state grant 
application that proposes a budget that increases after the first 12-
month budget period. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in 
the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 226 Partnership grants and 24 State 
grants.

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

    Project Period: Up to 72 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) A State; or (2) a partnership 
consisting of (A) one or more local educational agencies acting on 
behalf of (i) one or more elementary schools or secondary schools, and 
(ii) the secondary schools that students from the schools described in 
(i) would normally attend; (B) one or more degree granting institutions 
of higher education; and (C) at least two community organizations or 
entities, such as businesses, professional associations, community-
based organizations, philanthropic organizations, State agencies, 
institutions or agencies sponsoring programs authorized under subpart 4 
of Part A of Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, or other 
public or private agencies or organizations.

    Note: For Partnership grants, the fiscal agent/applicant must be 
either an institution of higher education that is not pervasively 
sectarian or a local education agency. For State grants, the fiscal 
agent/applicant must be a single State agency as designated by the 
State's Governor.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 404C of the Higher Education 
Act of 1965, as amended, requires grant recipients to provide not less 
than 50 percent of the total cost of the project for each year of the 
project. A partnership with three or fewer institutions of higher 
education as members may propose a non-Federal contribution of less 
than 50 percent, but not less than 30 percent of the total cost of the 
project for each year of the project. The non-Federal share of project 
costs may be in cash or in-kind. Applicants will be held to the 
matching commitment proposed in the application for funding, even if 
the proposed match is higher than the percent required by statute.
    3. Other: For State grants, at least 25 percent, and not more than 
50 percent of grant funds must be spent on early college preparation 
and awareness, and at least 50 percent of grant funds must be spent on 
postsecondary scholarships to eligible GEAR UP students. The Secretary 
may waive the scholarship percentage requirement if the applicant 
demonstrates that it has another means of providing the students with 
financial assistance the program otherwise requires.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via the Internet by downloading the package from 
the program Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/gearup/index.html.
    You also may obtain a copy of the application package at the 
following address: Angela Oliphant, Gaining Early Awareness and 
Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., suite 6100, Washington, DC 20006-8524. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7676.
    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: The application narrative addresses the selection 
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must 
limit the application narrative found in Part 4 of the application 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 all text in the application narrative, 
including titles,

[[Page 8786]]

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 and no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, or the letters of support.
    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 23, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 11, 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 22, 2005.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: These programs are 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 packages for these 
programs.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
these programs 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 GEAR UP Program--CFDA Numbers 84.334A and 84.334S must be 
submitted electronically using 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.
    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 is 
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 GEAR UP Title Page Form, Project Budget Summary Forms 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 GEAR UP Title Page Form to the 
Application Control Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print the GEAR UP Title Page Form 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 GEAR UP Title Page Form.
    (4) Fax the signed GEAR UP Title Page Form 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 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 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 
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 the Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for 
an exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may

[[Page 8787]]

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: Angela Oliphant, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., suite 6101, Washington, DC 
20006-8524. Fax: (202) 502-7675.
    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 an 
exception 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: 84.334A or 84.334S (as 
appropriate), 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: 84.334A or 84.334S 
(as appropriate), 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: 84.334A or 84.334S 
(as appropriate), 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--on the GEAR UP Title Page Form 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 
inthe 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 will 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.
    4. Performance Measures: The objectives of the GEAR UP program are: 
(1) To increase the academic performance and preparation for 
postsecondary education of participating students; (2) to increase the 
rate of high school graduation and participation in postsecondary 
education of participating students; and (3) to increase educational 
expectations for participating students and student and family 
knowledge of postsecondary education options, preparation, and 
financing.
    To assess the performance of the program in achieving these 
objectives, the Department has developed a number of performance 
measures that are included in the application package. All grantees 
will be expected to submit an annual performance report documenting 
their success in addressing these performance measures.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela Oliphant, Gaining Early 
Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., suite 6100, Washington, DC 20006-8524. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7676.

[[Page 8788]]

    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-3339.
    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: February 16, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-3455 Filed 2-22-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P