[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 241 (Friday, December 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74788-74792]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7403]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview 
Information; National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation 
Research (NIDRR)--Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) on 
Low Vision and Blindness; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.133E-3
    Dates:
    Applications Available: December 16, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 14, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: States; public or private agencies, including 
for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-
profit organizations; institutions of higher education; and Indian 
tribes and tribal organizations.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$950,000 for the Low Vision and Blindness RERC competition 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.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $950,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.


    Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs.


    Number of Awards: 1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the RERC program is to improve 
the effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973, as amended (Act). For FY 2006, the competition for a new award 
focuses on projects designed to meet the priority we describe in the 
Priority section of this notice. We intend this priority to improve 
rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
    Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priorities for 
this program, published in the Federal Register on April 25, 2005 (70 
FR 21282).


    Note: On April 25, 2005, we published a notice in the Federal 
Register (70 FR 21284) inviting applications under this priority. 
None of the applications received for this priority were successful.


    Absolute Priority: For FY 2006 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Low Vision and Blindness: This RERC must research and develop 
technologies that will improve assessment of vision impairments and 
promote independence for individuals with low vision and blindness, 
including those who are deaf/blind.
    RERCs must focus on innovative technological solutions, new 
knowledge, and concepts to promote the health, safety, independence, 
active engagement in daily activities, and quality of life of persons 
with disabilities. Accordingly, each RERC must:
    (1) Contribute substantially to the technical and scientific 
knowledge-base relevant to the priority;
    (2) Research, develop, and evaluate innovative technologies, 
products, environments, performance guidelines, and monitoring and 
assessment tools as applicable to the priority;
    (3) Identify, implement, and evaluate, in collaboration with the 
relevant industry, professional associations, and institutions of 
higher education, innovative approaches to expand research capacity in 
the specific field of study;
    (4) Monitor trends and evolving product concepts that represent and 
signify future directions for technologies in the specific area of 
research; and
    (5) Provide technical assistance to public and private 
organizations responsible for developing policies, guidelines, and 
standards that affect the specific area of research.
    In addition, the following requirements apply to each RERC 
priority:
     Each RERC must have the capability to design, build, and 
test prototype devices and assist in the transfer of successful 
solutions to relevant production and service delivery settings. Each 
RERC must evaluate the efficacy and safety of its new products, 
instrumentation, or assistive devices.
     Each RERC must develop and implement, in the first three 
months of the grant, a plan that describes how the RERC will include, 
as appropriate, individuals with disabilities or their representatives 
in all phases of its activities including research, development, 
training, dissemination, and evaluation;
     Each RERC must develop and implement, in the first year of 
the grant and in consultation with the NIDRR-funded National Center for 
the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR), a plan to disseminate 
the RERC's research results to persons with disabilities, their 
representatives, disability organizations, service providers, 
professional journals, manufacturers, and other interested parties.
     Each RERC must develop and implement, in the first year of 
the grant and in consultation with the NIDRR-funded RERC on Technology 
Transfer, a plan for ensuring that all new and improved technologies 
developed by this RERC are successfully transferred to the marketplace.
     Each RERC must conduct a state-of-the-science conference 
on its respective area of research in the third year of the grant and 
publish a comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference 
in the fourth year of the grant.
     Each RERC must coordinate with research projects of mutual 
interest with relevant NIDRR-funded projects as identified through 
consultation with the NIDRR project officer.
    The RERC program is in concert with NIDRR's proposed Long-Range 
Plan (Plan) published in the Federal Register on July 27, 2005 (70 FR 
43522). The Plan is comprehensive and integrates many issues relating 
to disability and rehabilitation research topics. The Plan can be 
accessed on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/

[[Page 74789]]

legislation/FedRegister/other/2005-3/072705d.html

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(3).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, and 97, (b) the regulations for this program in 34 CFR 
part 350, and (c) the notice of final priority for this program, 
published on April 25, 2005 (70 FR 21282) in the Federal Register.

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


II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$950,000 for the Low Vision and Blindness RERC competition 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.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $950,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.


    Note: The maximum amount includes direct and indirect costs.


    Number of Awards: 1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: States; public or private agencies, 
including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, 
including for-profit organizations; institutions of higher education; 
and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You may obtain an 
application package via Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via Internet use the following 
address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
    To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write or call the following: 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 84.133E.
    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 under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of 
this notice.
    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 (Part III of the application) is where 
you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use 
to evaluate your application. We strongly recommend that you limit Part 
III to the equivalent of no more than 125 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. Single spacing may be used for 
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).
    The suggested page limit does not apply to Part I, Application for 
Federal Assistance; Part II, the budget section, including the 
narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and 
certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must include all 
of the application narrative in Part III.
    The application package will provide instructions for completing 
all components to be included in the application. Each application must 
include the ED Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance; 
budget requirements (ED Form 524) and narrative justification; other 
required forms; an abstract; Seven-Point Human Subjects narrative; Part 
III narrative; resumes of staff; and other related materials, if 
applicable.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: December 16, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 14, 2006.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), 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.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    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 competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We have been accepting applications electronically through the 
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on 
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide 
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. Rehabilitation Engineering Research 
Centers Program--CFDA Number 84.133E-3 is one of the programs included 
in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this 
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, 
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You 
may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Rehabilitation 
Engineering Research Centers Program at: http://www.grants.gov. You 
must search for the downloadable application package for this program 
by the CFDA

[[Page 74790]]

number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and 
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application 
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we 
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see 
http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1) registering 
your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR 
by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov.
     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 may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to 
submit your application electronically, 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.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying 
number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
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 of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an 
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, 
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the 
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your 
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with 
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a 
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.


    Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. 
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register 
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date 
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to 
the Grants.gov system.


    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 84.133E-
3), 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 84.133E-
3), 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.



[[Page 74791]]


    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 84.133E-
3), 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 Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (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 competition are 
listed in 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and 34 CFR 350.54. The specific 
selection criteria to be used for this competition 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 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.


    Note: NIDRR will provide information by letter to grantees on 
how and when to submit the report.


    4. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects 
through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR 
examines, through expert program review, a portion of its grantees to 
determine:
     The number of discoveries, analyses, and standards 
developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert 
panels to advance understanding of key concepts, issues, and emerging 
trends and strengthen the evidence-base for disability and 
rehabilitation policy, practice, and research.
     The number of new or improved tools and methods developed 
or tested with NIDRR funding that have been judged by expert panels to 
improve measurement and data collection procedures and enhance the 
design and evaluation of disability and rehabilitation interventions, 
products, and devices.
     The number of new and improved interventions, programs, 
and devices developed or tested with NIDRR funding that have been 
judged by expert panels to be successful in improving individual 
outcomes and increasing access.
     The number of NIDRR-funded tools, methods, interventions, 
programs, and devices developed or validated with NIDRR-funding that 
meet the standards for review by independent scientific collaborations 
and registries.
     The number of new or improved assistive and universally 
designed technologies, products, and devices developed and/or validated 
by grantees that are transferred to industry for potential 
commercialization.
    NIDRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their 
Annual Performance Reports (APRs) for these reviews. NIDRR also 
determines, using information submitted as part of the APR:
     The number of publications in refereed journals that are 
based on NIDRR-funded research and development activities; and
     The percentage of NIDRR-supported fellows, post-doctoral 
trainees, and doctoral students who publish results of NIDRR-sponsored 
research in refereed journals.
    Department of Education program performance reports, which include 
information on NIDRR programs, are available on the Department's Web 
site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/sas/index.html.
    Updates on the GPRA indicators, revisions and methods appear in the 
NIDRR Program Review Web site: http://www.neweditions.net/pr/commonfiles/pmconcepts.htm.
    Grantees should consult these sites, on a regular basis, to obtain 
details and explanations on how NIDRR programs contribute to the 
advancement of the Department's long-term and annual performance goals.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6030, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7462 or by e-mail: 
[email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 245-7317 or 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

[[Page 74792]]

Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: December 12, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E5-7403 Filed 12-15-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P