[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40013-40015]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13688]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Community Technology Centers Program

AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice of final changes to requirements.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education 
announces changes to certain requirements governing the Community 
Technology Centers (CTC) program that the Department established in 
2004 and used for the fiscal year (FY) 2004 CTC competition. 
Specifically, the Assistant Secretary is removing the following two 
requirements: (1) That novice and non-novice applicants in CTC 
competitions be ranked and funded separately, and (2) that at least 75 
percent of the funds be set aside for non-novice applicants and up to 
25 percent of the funds be set aside for novice applicants. The 
Assistant Secretary will abide by the revised requirements in making 
awards in FY 2005 from the list of unfunded applicants from the FY 2004 
CTC competition.

DATES: This notice of final changes to requirements is effective August 
11, 2005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of 
Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Room 11089, Washington, DC 20202-
7241. Telephone: (202) 245-7708 or via e-mail: [email protected]. 
Please type ``CTC Notice Correspondence'' as the subject line of your 
electronic message.
    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 contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.


    Note: This notice does not solicit applications.


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    As authorized by title V, part D, subpart 11, of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind 
Act of 2001 (ESEA), the purpose of the CTC program is to assist 
eligible applicants to create or expand

[[Page 40014]]

community technology centers that provide disadvantaged residents of 
economically distressed urban and rural communities with access to 
information technology and related training.
    In 2004, the Department held a CTC competition with FY 2004 funds, 
in which it used the requirements, priorities, and selection criteria 
that it had established through a notice of final requirements, 
priorities, and selection criteria for novice and non-novice applicants 
for the CTC program, published in the Federal Register on April 16, 
2004 (69 FR 20766). Under those final requirements, the Department 
ranked and funded separately two sets of applicants--novice applicants 
and non-novice applicants--that met the established absolute 
priorities. The Department set aside approximately 75 percent of the 
funds for non-novice applicants and approximately 25 percent of the 
funds for novice applicants.
    During the 2004 CTC competition, the Department received nearly 500 
applications in response to the FY 2004 notice inviting applications. 
Because of the separate ranking of novice and non-novice applicants and 
the set-aside requirements, a number of high-quality applications 
received through the FY 2004 CTC competition were not funded. 
Accordingly, the Department intends to make awards for FY 2005 based on 
the list of unfunded applicants from the FY 2004 CTC competition 
without regard to the set-aside provisions.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    On May 4, 2005, the Department published a notice of proposed 
changes to requirements in the Federal Register (70 FR 23142). In 
response to the notice of proposed changes to requirements, 12 parties 
submitted comments. An analysis of the comments on the notice of 
proposed changes follows.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes--and 
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the 
applicable statutory authority.
    Comments: Several commenters stated that they would like the 
Department to fund current CTC grantees, as well as FY 2004 unfunded 
applicants.
    Discussion: The purpose of the CTC program is to assist eligible 
applicants to create or expand community technology centers that 
provide disadvantaged residents of economically distressed urban and 
rural communities with access to information technology and related 
training. In order to reach additional needy communities, the Assistant 
Secretary has determined that the best policy for the Department in FY 
2005 is to fund additional high-quality applications and that a 
sufficient number of high-quality 2004 applications remain available 
for funding.
    Changes: None.
    Comments: Two commenters stated that they are concerned about the 
status of unfunded applicants' current budget, partnerships, and other 
resource capabilities due to the significant lapse of time since these 
applicants submitted their application materials to the Department for 
the 2004 CTC competition.
    Discussion: Prior to awarding FY 2005 CTC grant funds, we will 
contact the highest ranked FY 2004 unfunded applicants to verify that 
applicants remain interested in receiving a grant to carry out the 
project outlined in their application, have the personnel and other 
resources needed to implement their project, and can meet the other 
requirements of the program. If an applicant cannot meet that test, the 
Department will contact the next applicant on the slate.
    Changes: None.
    Comments: Several commenters stated that they want the Department 
to conduct a new competition for FY 2005 in order to fund the highest-
quality projects.
    Discussion: The Department received nearly 500 applications in 
response to the FY 2004 notice inviting applications for the CTC 
program. With the $9.5 million available in FY 2004, the Department 
awarded 25 grants. The Assistant Secretary has determined that a 
sufficient number of high-quality FY 2004 applications remain available 
for funding.
    Changes: None.
    Comments: Several commenters recommended that the Department 
continue to distinguish between novice and non-novice applicants.
    Discussion: In order to ensure that the Department funds the 
highest-quality applications and for the reasons stated in the notice 
of proposed changes to requirements, we continue to believe that we 
should select for funding unfunded applicants from the FY 2004 
competition irrespective of their novice or non-novice status.
    Changes: None.

Target Applicants

    We will change two of the requirements of the CTC competition held 
in 2004, so that the Department is no longer required to: (1) Rank and 
fund novice and non-novice applicants separately, and (2) set aside at 
least 75 percent of the funds for non-novice applicants and up to 25 
percent of the funds for novice applicants that met the absolute 
priorities.
    For FY 2005, we will make awards from the list of unfunded 
applicants from the FY 2004 competition in the highest-ranking order, 
using the same priorities and selection criteria and irrespective of 
the novice or non-novice status of applicants.

Executive Order 12866

    This notice of final changes to requirements has been reviewed in 
accordance with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of this order, 
we have assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory 
action.
    The potential costs associated with the notice of final changes to 
requirements are those resulting from statutory requirements and those 
we have determined as necessary for administering this program 
effectively and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of changes to requirements, we have 
determined that the benefits of the change to the requirements 
governing the FY 2004 CTC competition justify the costs.
    We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly 
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of 
their governmental functions.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive 
Order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism. The Executive Order relies on processes developed by State 
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents 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

[[Page 40015]]

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.341--Community 
Technology Centers Program)


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7263-7263b.

    Dated: July 7, 2005.
Susan Sclafani,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 05-13688 Filed 7-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P