[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 92 (Friday, May 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25553-25556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9617]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program (URR); Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.345A.


DATES: Applications Available: May 13, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 14, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 13, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit educational organizations that 
research, display, interpret, and collect artifacts relating to the 
history of the Underground Railroad.
    Available Funds: $2,204,224.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$750,000 total for up to three 
years.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 3.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: To provide grants to establish a facility to 
house, display, and interpret artifacts related to the history of the 
Underground Railroad, and to make the interpretive efforts available to 
institutions of higher education that award a baccalaureate or graduate 
degree.
    Special Requirements: Each nonprofit educational organization 
awarded a grant under this program must enter into an agreement with 
the Department. Each agreement must require the organization:

[[Page 25554]]

    (1) To demonstrate substantial private support for the facility 
through the implementation of a public-private partnership between a 
State or local public entity and a private entity for the support of 
the facility. The private entity must provide matching funds in an 
amount equal to four times the amount of the contribution of the State 
or local public entity, except that not more than 20 percent of the 
matching funds may be provided by the Federal government;
    (2) To create an endowment to fund any and all shortfalls in the 
costs of the ongoing operations of the facility;
    (3) To establish a network of satellite centers throughout the 
United States to help disseminate information regarding the Underground 
Railroad throughout the United States. These satellite centers must 
raise 80 percent of the funds required to establish the satellite 
centers from non-Federal public and private sources;
    (4) To establish the capability to link the facility electronically 
with other local and regional facilities that have collections and 
programs that interpret the history of the Underground Railroad; and
    (5) To submit, for each fiscal year for which an organization 
receives funding under this program, a report to the Department that 
contains;
    (a) A description of the programs and activities supported by the 
funding;
    (b) The audited financial statement of the organization for the 
preceding fiscal year;
    (c) A plan for the programs and activities to be supported by the 
funding, as the Secretary may require; and
    (d) An evaluation of the programs and activities supported by the 
funding, as the Secretary may require.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1153.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Available Funds: $2,204,224.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$750,000 total for up to three 
years.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 3.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Nonprofit educational organizations that 
research, interpret, and collect artifacts relating to the history of 
the Underground Railroad.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Not more than 20% of the total funds 
for this project may be provided by the Federal government. See 20 
U.S.C. 1153(b)(2). Other matching requirements are described in the 
Special Requirements section of this notice.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Jay Donahue, U.S. 
Department of Education, room 6162, 1990 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7507 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 application, together with the forms you must 
submit, are in the application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: May 13, 
2005. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 13, 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: We reference 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 Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants 
under the Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program, 
84.345A, 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.

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     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 Requirements: 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 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: Beverly Baker, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6140, Washington, DC 
20006-8544. FAX: (202) 502-7877.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Application 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: 84.345A, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: CFDA Number: 84.345A, 
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 legibly dated 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.


    b. 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 84.345A, 
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 acknowledgement to you. If you do not

[[Page 25556]]

receive the grant application receipt acknowledgement 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 
20 U.S.C. 1153.

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 Notice 
(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, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 
CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), the Department is assessing the performance of this 
program by examining the extent to which projects are being 
institutionalized and continued after grant funding. These results 
constitute the Office of Postsecondary Education's indicators of the 
success of this program.
    Consequently, applicants for URR grants are advised to give careful 
consideration to these outcomes in conceptualizing the design, 
implementation, and evaluation of the proposed project. If funded, you 
will be asked to collect and report data in your project's annual 
performance report on steps taken toward this goal.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Beverly Baker, Fund for the 
Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., suite 6140, Washington, DC 20006-8544. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7503 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 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.
    For additional program information call the FIPSE office (202) 502-
7500 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Eastern Time, Monday 
through Friday.

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.gpoacess.gov/nara/index.htm1.


    Dated: May 10, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-9617 Filed 5-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P