[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 38 (Monday, February 28, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9622-9626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-798]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information: Native Hawaiian Education Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2005.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.362A.

Dates: Applications Available: February 28, 2005. Deadline for 
Transmittal of Applications: April 14, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: Native Hawaiian educational organizations; 
Native Hawaiian community-based organizations; public and private 
nonprofit organizations, agencies, and institutions with experience in 
developing or operating Native Hawaiian programs or programs of 
instruction in the Native Hawaiian language, and consortia of the 
previously mentioned organizations, agencies, and institutions.
    Estimated Available Funds: $12,733,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and quality of applications, the Secretary may 
make additional awards for FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applicants 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $375,000 to $1,100,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000 (The size of the awards 
will be commensurate with the nature and scope of the work proposed).
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20 to 30.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

[[Page 9623]]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Native Hawaiian Education 
program is to support innovative projects that enhance the educational 
services provided to Native Hawaiian children and adults. These 
projects may include those activities authorized under section 
7205(a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (ESEA).
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and 
(b)(2)(v), the following competitive preference priority is from 
section 7205(a)(2) of the ESEA, and the invitational priority is from 
allowable activities specified in section 7205(a)(3) of the ESEA.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award 
a maximum of 5 points (total) to an application, depending on the 
extent to which the application meets this priority.
    The Secretary will give a competitive preference to applicants 
proposing projects that are designed to address one or more of the 
following:
    (a) Beginning reading and literacy among students in kindergarten 
through third grade;
    (b) The needs of at-risk children and youth;
    (c) The needs in fields or disciplines in which Native Hawaiians 
are underemployed; and
    (d) The use of the Hawaiian language in instruction.
    Within this competitive preference priority, we are particularly 
interested in applications that address the following invitational 
priority.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an invitational 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that 
meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference 
over other applications.
    This priority is: Early Childhood Activities, Special Education, 
and Higher Education.
    To meet this priority, an applicant must propose a project that 
will use grant funds for one or more of the following:
    1. The development and maintenance of a statewide Native Hawaiian 
early education and care system to provide a continuum of services for 
Native Hawaiian children;
    2. Activities that meet the special needs of Native Hawaiian 
students with disabilities; and
    3. Activities to enable Native Hawaiians to enter and complete 
programs of postsecondary education.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7515-7517; Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2005 (Pub. L. 108-447).
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $12,733,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and quality of applications, the Secretary may 
make additional awards for FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applicants 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $375,000 to $1,100,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000 (The size of the awards 
will be commensurate with the nature and scope of the work proposed).
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20 to 30.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Native Hawaiian educational organizations; 
Native Hawaiian community-based organizations; public and private 
nonprofit organizations, agencies, and institutions with experience in 
developing or operating Native Hawaiian programs or programs of 
instruction in the Native Hawaiian language; and consortia of the 
previously mentioned organizations, agencies, and institutions.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching requirements, but the program does have a 
supplement-not-supplant funding requirement. Funds made available under 
this program may be used only to supplement and expand programs and 
authorities in the area of education to further the purposes of the 
Native Hawaiian Education program (section 7203(3) of the ESEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: To obtain a copy of the 
application package via the Internet use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/programs/nathawaiian/applicant.html.
    Individuals may also obtain a copy of the application package by 
contacting the program contact person listed in this section.
    Address and mail your request for information to: Beth Fine, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., room 3W223, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1091 or by e-mail: 
[email protected] or Francisco Ramirez, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Ave., SW., room 3W225, Washington, DC 20202-6200. 
Telephone: (202) 260-1541 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. Applicants are strongly encouraged to limit the 
application narrative (text plus all figures, charts, tables, and 
diagrams) to the equivalent of no more than 30 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).
     Begin numbering at the right bottom of the first page in 
Arabic numerals (``1'') and number the pages consecutively throughout 
the document.
     Include all critical information in the program narrative, 
eliminating the need for appendices.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the budget narrative justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the project abstract and the resumes.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 28, 2005.

[[Page 9624]]

    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 14, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Under section 7205(b) of the ESEA, not 
more than five percent of funds provided to a grantee under this 
competition for any fiscal year may be used for administrative 
purposes. We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in 
the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition 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 Native Hawaiian Education Program--CFDA Number 84.362A 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 competition 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. Wednesdays; 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 should 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 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 attention of the Native Hawaiian 
Education Program at (202) 742-5418.
     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) one of the persons listed elsewhere in this notice 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contacts) 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

[[Page 9625]]

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: Beth Fine, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W223, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200 or Francisco Ramirez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W225, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
    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 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 
84.362A), 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 
84.362A), 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 
84.362A), 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 competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are listed in the application 
package. The maximum possible score for this competition is 105 points 
(100 points under the selection criteria and 5 points under the 
competitive preference). The maximum possible points for each criterion 
are as follows:
    a. Significance (20 points).
    b. Quality of Project Design (35 points).
    c. Quality of Project Personnel (10 points).
    d. Quality of Management Plan (15 points).
    e. Quality of Project Evaluation (20 points).

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.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed three measures for 
evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Native Hawaiian Education 
Program: (1) Increasing the percentage of teachers who participate in 
professional development activities under the program that address the 
unique educational needs of program participants; (2) increasing the 
percentage of Native Hawaiian children who participate in early 
education programs and improve on measures of school readiness and 
literacy; and (3) increasing the percentage of students participating 
in the program who will meet or exceed proficiency standards in 
mathematics, science or reading.
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report addressing these performance measures, to the extent that they 
apply to the grantee's project.

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beth Fine, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W223, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1091 or by e-mail: [email protected] or 
Francisco Ramirez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., room 3W225, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1541 
or by e-mail: [email protected].

[[Page 9626]]

    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) 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 persons 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 22, 2005.
Raymond Simon,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. E5-798 Filed 2-25-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P