[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59325-59329]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20395]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program; 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.016A
    Dates: Applications Available: October 12, 2005. Deadline for 
Transmittal of Applications: See the chart listed under section IV. 
Application and Submission Information, 3. Submission Dates and Times 
(chart). Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
    Eligible Applicants: (1) Institutions of higher education (IHEs); 
(2) combinations of IHEs; (3) partnerships between nonprofit 
educational organizations and IHEs; and (4) public and private 
nonprofit agencies and organizations, including professional and 
scholarly associations.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$1,926,721 for new awards for this program for FY 2006. The actual 
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete 
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards:
    Single Institution: $50,000-$90,000.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: $80,000-$140,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards:
    Single Institution: $77,069.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: $110,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $90,000 for a single budget period of 12 months for a 
single institution application and $140,000 for a single budget period 
of 12 months for a consortial/organization/association application. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 25.


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


    Project Period:

[[Page 59326]]

    Single Institution: Up to 24 months.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Undergraduate International Studies and 
Foreign Language (UISFL) Program provides grants to strengthen and 
improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign 
languages.
    Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference 
priority and two invitational priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priority is from the 
regulations for this program (34 CFR 658.35).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2006 this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award 
up to an additional five points to an application, depending on the 
extent to which the application meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Applications that: (a) Require entering students to have 
successfully completed at least two years of secondary school foreign 
language instruction; (b) require each graduating student to earn two 
years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language or have 
demonstrated equivalent competence in the foreign language; or (c) in 
the case of a two-year degree granting institution, offer two years of 
postsecondary credit in a foreign language.
    Under this competition we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2006 these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1

    Applications that propose projects that provide in-service training 
for K-12 teachers in foreign languages and international studies and 
that strengthen instruction in international studies and foreign 
languages in teacher education programs.

Invitational Priority 2

    Applications that propose educational projects that include 
activities that are focused on the targeted world areas of Central and 
South Asia, the Middle East, Russia, the Independent States of the 
former Soviet Union, and Africa and that are integrated into the 
curricula of the home institutions or organizations.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1124.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) The regulations in 34 CFR parts 655 and 
658.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all 
applications except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$1,926,721 for new awards for this program for FY 2006. The actual 
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete 
the grant process, if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards:
    Single Institution: $50,000-$90,000.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: $80,000-$140,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards:
    Single Institution: $77,069.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: $110,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $90,000 for a single budget period of 12 months for a 
single institution application and $140,000 for a single budget period 
of 12 months for a consortial/organization/association application. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 25.


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


    Project Period:
    Single Institutions: Up to 24 months.
    Consortial/Organization/Associations: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) IHEs; (2) combinations of IHEs; (3) 
partnerships between nonprofit educational organizations and IHEs; and 
(4) public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations, including 
professional and scholarly associations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program has a matching 
requirement under title VI, part A, section 604(a)(3) of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1124(a)(3) (HEA), and the 
regulations for this program in 34 CFR 658.40. UISFL Program grantees 
must provide matching funds in either of the following ways: (a) Cash 
contributions from private sector corporations or foundations equal to 
one-third of the total project costs; or (b) a combination of 
institutional and non-institutional cash or in-kind contributions 
including State and private sector corporation or foundation 
contributions, equal to one-half of the total project costs. The 
Secretary may waive or reduce the required matching share for 
institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under part A or 
part B of title III or under title V of the HEA.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Christine Corey, 
International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7629 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 program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the narrative 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 (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. However, you may 
single space 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). However, you may use a 10-point 
font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
    The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and

[[Page 59327]]

certifications; the one-page abstract; or the appendices. However, you 
must include your complete response to the selection criteria in the 
application narrative.
    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: October 12, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: In light of the damage 
caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita we are establishing two separate 
deadlines for the submission of applications for grants under this 
competition to permit potential applicants affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita additional time to submit their applications. We 
are establishing a General Deadline for all applicants, and an Extended 
Deadline for potential applicants who have been affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita and are located in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, 
Mississippi, and Florida. Specifically, the Extended Deadline applies 
only to: (1) Institutions of higher education, SEAs, LEAs, non-profit 
organizations and other public or private organization applicants that 
are located in afederally-declared disaster area as determined by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (see http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema) and that were adversely affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita, and (2) individual applicants who reside or 
resided, on the disaster declaration date, in a federally-declared 
disaster area as determined by FEMA (see http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema) and were adversely affected by Hurricanes Katrina and/
or Rita. These applicants must provide a certification in their 
application that they meet the criteria for submitting an application 
on the Extended Deadline, and be prepared to provide appropriate 
supporting documentation, if requested. If the applicant is submitting 
the application electronically, submission of the application serves as 
the applicant's attestation that they meet the criteria for submitting 
an application on the Extended Deadline.
    The following chart provides the applicable deadlines for the 
submission of applications. If this program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372, the relevant deadline for intergovernmental review is also 
indicated in the chart.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Transmittal of  Intergovernmental
                                        applications         review
------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Deadline.....................        11/17/05           1/17/06
Extended Deadline....................         12/1/05            2/1/06
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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: See chart.
    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.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Undergraduate International 
Studies and Foreign Language Program--CFDA Number 84.016A 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
    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.
    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.
     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. You must attach any narrative sections 
of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or 
.PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than 
the three file types specified above or submit a password protected 
file, we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.

[[Page 59328]]

     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 acknowledgment 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 acknowledgment 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 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 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: Ms. Christine Corey, 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, 
Washington, DC 20006-8521. Fax: (202) 502-7859.
    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: 84.016A, 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: 84.016A, 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: 
84.016A, 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

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 658.31 through 658.34. The following criteria are used to 
evaluate all applications: (a) Plan of operation (15 points); (b) 
quality of key personnel (10

[[Page 59329]]

points); (c) budget and cost effectiveness (10 points); (d) adequacy of 
resources (5 points); (e) evaluation plan (20 points). The following 
additional criteria are applied to applications submitted by an IHE or 
a combination of IHEs: (a) Commitment to international studies (10 
points); (b) elements of the proposed international studies program (10 
points); and (c) need for and prospective results of the proposed 
program (10 points). The following additional criterion is applied to 
applications from organizations and associations: need for and 
potential impact of the proposed project in improving international 
studies and the study of modern foreign languages at the undergraduate 
level (30 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. The applicant is required to use the electronic data 
instrument Evaluation of Exchange, Language, International, and Area 
Studies (EELIAS), to complete the final report.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Christine Corey, International 
Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 
502-7629 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: October 5, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-20395 Filed 10-11-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U