[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 112 (Monday, June 13, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34110-34113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11654]



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools; Overview Information; 
Grants to States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention 
Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2005

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.184R

    Dates: Applications Available: June 13, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 22, 2005.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 22, 2005.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) or other 
State agencies administering the Safe and Drug-Free Schools and 
Communities Act (SDFSCA) State Grants program.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $425,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 7.

    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: This program provides Federal financial 
assistance to support the development, enhancement, or expansion of the 
capacity of States and other entities that receive SDFSCA State Grants 
funds to collect, analyze, and use data to improve the management of 
drug and violence prevention programs.
    Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final 
priorities and requirements for this program, published elsewhere in 
this issue of the Federal Register.
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is: Developing, Enhancing, or Expanding the Capacity 
of States and Other Entities that Receive SDFSCA State Grants Funds to 
Collect, Analyze, and Use Data to Improve the Management of Drug and 
Violence Prevention Programs.
    This priority supports projects to develop, enhance, or expand the 
capacity of States and other entities that receive SDFSCA State Grants 
program funds to collect, analyze, and use data to improve the 
management of drug and violence prevention programs. At a minimum, 
applicants must propose projects to develop, enhance, or expand the 
capacity of the State educational agency (SEA), the State agency 
administering the Governor's funding under the SDFSCA State Grants 
program, and local educational agencies and community-based 
organizations that receive SDFSCA State Grants program funding.
    Specifically, projects must be designed to:
    (a) Include activities designed to expand the capacity of local 
recipients of SDFSCA funds to use data to assess needs, establish 
performance measures, select appropriate interventions, monitor 
progress toward established performance measures, and disseminate 
information about youth drug use and violence to the public;
    (b) Collect data that, at a minimum, meet the requirements of the 
Uniform Management Information and Reporting System (UMIRS) described 
in section 4112(c)(3) of the ESEA;
    (c) Operate with the aid of a technology-based system for analyzing 
and interpreting school crime and violence data;
    (d) Be consistent with the State's Performance-Based Data 
Management Initiative (PBDMI) strategy and produce data that can be 
transmitted to the U.S. Department of Education via the Department's 
Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN) project, which facilitates the 
transfer of information from State administrative records to the 
Department to satisfy reporting requirements for certain programs 
administered by the Department, including the SDFSCA State Grants 
program;
    (e) Be an enhancement to, or capable of merging data with, the 
State's student information system if such exists or if the State does 
not yet have a statewide, longitudinal student data system, the project 
should include the capacity to merge with such a system in the future; 
and
    (f) Include validation and verification activities at the State and 
sub-State recipient levels designed to ensure the accuracy of data 
collected and reported.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2005 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards based on the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional 10 
points to an application, depending on the extent to which the 
application meets this priority.
    This priority is: Use of Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Definitions.
    The collection of incident data for projects under the absolute 
priority will be done in a manner consistent with the definitions and 
protocols developed under the Federal Bureau of Investigation's UCR 
program.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7131.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 97, 98, 99, and 299.
    (b) The notice of final priorities and requirements, published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000. Contingent upon the 
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make 
additional awards in FY 2006 from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000-$500,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $425,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 7.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs) or other 
State agencies administering the SDFSCA State Grants program.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll 
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
[email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.184R.

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    You may also download the application from the Department of 
Education's Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
    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.
    The public can also obtain applications directly from the program 
office by contacting: Maria Worthen, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., FB-6, room 3E324, Washington, DC 20202-6450. 
Telephone: (202) 205-5632 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.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission:
    a. Memorandum of Understanding or Other Documentation of 
Participation: Applicants must include documentation in the form of a 
memorandum of understanding or a letter in their application that 
outlines project roles and responsibilities of the participants and 
that contains:
    1. The signatures of:
    a. The authorized representative(s) for the SEA, and
    b. The authorized representative(s) for the State agency (or 
agencies) receiving the Governor's portion of SDFSCA State Grants 
program funding for the State.
    2. Evidence that the proposal has been reviewed by, and has the 
approval of, the State's chief information officer (CIO) and/or chief 
technology officer (CTO). The CIO and/or CTO may sign the required 
memorandum of understanding, or may provide a letter including the 
required assurance.
    b. Technology-Based System: Each application is required to include 
a proposal for a technology-based system for collecting, analyzing, and 
interpreting school crime and violence data. Grant funds may be used in 
a variety of ways to support this system, including updating an 
existing infrastructure, conducting basic planning, and capacity 
building.
    c. Other Requirements: Other requirements concerning the content of 
an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the 
application package for this program.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: June 13, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 22, 2005.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by 
mail or hand delivery, 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: August 22, 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 additional regulations 
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of 
this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you 
must use the 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:
     Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
     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. 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 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 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

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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. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to 
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an 
automatic acknowledgement of your submission, you may submit your 
application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with 
the instructions in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), 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 84.184R), 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 
84.184R), 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 submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) 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 
84.184R), 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., Eastern 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 the 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: If funded, you are expected to submit an annual 
performance report, which includes reporting on expenditures, as 
specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.720. You are also expected to 
collect data on the key Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) 
performance measures for this program and report those data annually to 
the Department. At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report that includes financial and evaluation 
information, as directed by the Secretary.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
Grants to States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention 
Program:
    a. The proportion of local recipients of SDFSCA State Grants 
Program funding that are using data related to youth drug and violence 
to manage youth drug, alcohol, and violence prevention programs by: 
Incorporating these data in needs assessment processes; using the data 
to develop performance measures for their SDFSCA program funds; 
considering the data in selecting schools, and where applicable, 
community-based interventions for implementation; monitoring the 
success of interventions in reducing drug and alcohol use and violence 
and in building stronger communities; and sharing data with their 
leadership and the public;
    b. The proportion of local recipients of SDFSCA State Grants 
Program funding that have received training about collecting, 
analyzing, and using data to manage and improve drug and violence 
prevention programs; and
    (c) The proportion of local recipients of SDFSCA State Grants 
Program funding that submit complete responses to data collections.
    These three measures constitute the Department's indicators of 
success for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under 
this program are advised to give careful consideration to these three 
measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of their

[[Page 34113]]

proposed project. If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and 
report data in their performance and final reports about progress 
toward these measures.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Maria Worthen, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E324, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 205-5632 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.

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: June 8, 2005.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 05-11654 Filed 6-10-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P