[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 82 (Friday, April 28, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25163-25169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3995]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services 
and Results for Children With Disabilities--National Early Childhood 
Technical Assistance Center; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326H.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: April 28, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 12, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 11, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under 
State law, institutions of higher education (IHEs), other public 
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely 
associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-
profit organizations.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $3,000,000 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.
    Number of Awards: 1.

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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

[[Page 25164]]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: This program promotes academic achievement and 
improves results for children with disabilities by supporting technical 
assistance, model demonstration projects, dissemination of useful 
information, and implementation activities that are supported by 
scientifically-based research.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 663 
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
    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:

National Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center

    Background: IDEA supports the provision of early intervention 
services and related services to eligible infants, toddlers, and 
children with disabilities (ages birth through five) and their 
families. Specifically, funds provided under section 619 of Part B of 
IDEA support the provision of Part B services (i.e., special education 
and related services) to children with disabilities aged three through 
five and, at the State's discretion, to two-year old children with 
disabilities who will turn three during the school year. Funds provided 
under Part C of IDEA support early intervention services for infants 
and toddlers with disabilities aged birth through two, and, under 
certain circumstances, for children who are eligible to receive 
services under section 619 of Part B of IDEA and who previously 
received services under Part C of IDEA, and their families. Part D of 
IDEA authorizes Federal funding for personnel preparation, technical 
assistance, model demonstration, information dissemination, and studies 
and evaluations, in order to improve early intervention, educational, 
and transitional results for children with disabilities.
    The Department's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) 
implements IDEA by assisting each State to develop Statewide policies 
and procedures that ensure that appropriate early intervention services 
are available to all infants and toddlers with disabilities in the 
State and their families and that a free appropriate public education 
(FAPE) is available for children with disabilities aged three through 
five. OSEP also assists each State to enhance State capacity to provide 
comprehensive IDEA services under Parts B and C of IDEA to infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities (ages birth through five) and 
their families.
    Technical assistance and dissemination activities are necessary to 
ensure that States fully implement Parts B and C of IDEA and thereby 
achieve appropriate early intervention and educational results for 
infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families. 
Thus, through this priority, the Department proposes to fund a National 
technical assistance center that will build and support the capacity of 
States to fully implement Parts B and C of IDEA.
    Priority:
    The purpose of this priority is to ensure that eligible infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities (ages birth through five 
years) receive, as appropriate, services under Parts B and C of IDEA 
that ultimately improve their developmental and early learning outcomes 
and that the families of eligible infants, toddlers, and children 
receiving services under Part C of IDEA receive services necessary to 
enhance the family's capacity to meet the developmental needs of the 
infant, toddler, or child. Under this priority, therefore, the 
Department will fund, through a cooperative agreement, a technical 
assistance center that will focus on technical assistance approaches 
that lead to strengthened State and local systems and improved outcomes 
for infants, toddlers and children with disabilities and families of 
infants, toddlers and children receiving services under Part C of IDEA.
    General. To meet this priority, the National Early Childhood 
Technical Assistance Center (the Center) must--
    (a) Provide technical assistance to the Bureau of Indian Affairs 
(BIA) and all States providing early intervention and special education 
to children aged birth through 5 under Part B of IDEA and Part C of 
IDEA, and to early childhood projects funded under Part D of IDEA;
    (b) Help these States and the early childhood projects funded under 
Part D of IDEA respond to State needs identified by assessing relevant 
information, including information in Annual Performance Reports (APRs) 
and State Performance Plans (SPPs) and information collected through 
Federal and State monitoring activities; and
    (c) Construct mechanisms to link professionals who are involved in 
producing new scientifically-based knowledge and products with program 
administrators, families, and service providers, utilizing State 
technical assistance systems, national membership organizations and 
their State affiliates, and other technical assistance and 
dissemination projects.
    In planning technical assistance, the Center must consider the 
broad range of projects supported under IDEA, anticipate the kinds of 
technical assistance requests that the Center is likely to receive, and 
have the capacity to respond to highly diverse requests. All technical 
assistance provided by the Center must promote the implementation of 
evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for infants, toddlers, and 
children with disabilities.
    Planning Activities. The Center's planning activities must include, 
but are not limited to, the following:
    (a) Developing a plan in the first three months of the project 
period that outlines a comprehensive technical assistance approach, 
based on effective strategies, that can serve as the conceptual 
underpinning of the project activities. The plan must describe how 
activities will contribute to improved outcomes for infants, toddlers, 
and children with disabilities. The plan must be developed in 
consultation with SEAs, lead agencies, and the advisory committee the 
Center establishes under this priority, and must be based on the needs 
of the SEAs and lead agencies. The plan must be submitted to OSEP for 
review and approval and be updated annually.
    (b) Meeting with the OSEP Project Officer and other appropriate 
staff in Washington, DC within the first three months of the project 
period to identify the specific project activities the Center will 
carry out.
    Knowledge Development Activities. The Center's knowledge 
development activities must include, but are not limited to, the 
following:
    (a) Conducting an analysis of APRs, SPPs, monitoring reports, and 
other sources of information to--(1) Ensure that the Center's technical 
assistance activities respond to needs that OSEP has identified in its 
monitoring activities; and (2) determine the current status of States' 
implementation of Parts B and C of IDEA for infants, toddlers and 
children with disabilities (ages birth through five).
    (b) Based on the analysis conducted in paragraph (a) of this 
section, developing a compilation of problem areas and needs of States 
related to States' implementation of Parts B and C of IDEA. The 
compilation must include the source (e.g., monitoring report, APR, SPP, 
journal article) that identifies each problem area and State need and 
the relevant findings related to the issue.

[[Page 25165]]

    (c) Identifying critical problem areas and needs experienced by 
States in providing services to children with disabilities to be 
addressed by the Center, synthesizing and developing information on 
these problem areas and State needs, and developing technical 
assistance strategies to address these critical problem areas and State 
needs. To identify critical problem areas and State needs, the Center 
must work with project directors of early childhood projects funded 
under Part D of IDEA, families, local administrators, policy makers, 
OSEP staff, Part C and section 619 State contacts, and other early 
childhood programs and technical assistance providers.
    (d) Developing a technical assistance plan for prioritizing and 
addressing the problem areas and State needs identified in paragraphs 
(b) and (c) of this section. This technical assistance plan must be 
included and updated in the Center's annual plan referenced in the 
Planning Activities section of this priority and must include an 
analysis of critical problem areas and State needs and specific 
strategies and approaches the Center plans to employ. The technical 
assistance plan must describe the basis for the Center's priorities.
    Technical Assistance Activities. The Center's technical assistance 
activities must include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (a) Making optimum use of appropriate technology in conducting its 
internal and external activities, including, but not limited to, 
maintaining a user-friendly Web site with relevant information and 
documents in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized 
standard for accessibility with links to other OSEP-funded centers. 
Other examples of optimum use of technology include: Using Web-enhanced 
communications for intra-organization and external communications; 
monitoring data available on library services; using eNotes services to 
communicate with section 619 coordinators, Part C coordinators, and 
Part D discretionary projects on early intervention and early childhood 
issues; and using listserves to provide information to section 619 
coordinators, Part C coordinators, and Part D discretionary projects.
    (b) Developing and implementing a work plan for each State, unless 
a State chooses not to participate, that identifies the needs and 
priorities of appropriate early childhood entities involved in 
providing services for infants, toddlers, and children with 
disabilities in the State (a State Work Plan). In developing the State 
Work Plan, the Center must involve, at a minimum, the State section 619 
or Part C coordinator and other technical assistance providers working 
in the State such as the Regional Resource Centers (RRCs). The purpose 
of the State Work Plans is to define the State's needs, identify 
priorities for system changes to meet those needs, and establish an 
action plan to accomplish system changes. State Work Plans must be 
based on the information compiled under the Knowledge Development 
Activities section of this priority. The State Work Plan must describe 
the responsibilities of all parties who participate in the State Work 
Plan, how technical assistance providers in the State will collaborate, 
how the Center will provide direct technical assistance to the State, 
and which evaluation activities will be used to measure progress in 
implementing the State Work Plan.
    (c) Providing States with specialized technical assistance in the 
subject area of children with disabilities from birth through 5 with 
behavior challenges, including children referred through the Child 
Abuse Protection and Treatment Act (CAPTA) and the McKinney-Vento 
Homeless Assistance Act. These specialized technical assistance 
activities must include--(1) Highlighting methods for increasing the 
capacity of States to conduct and coordinate child find efforts to 
locate, identify, and evaluate children with disabilities, including 
specific subpopulations such as homeless children, children in foster 
care, children who are wards of the State, and children in 
substantiated cases of abuse or neglect under CAPTA or under the age of 
three and affected by illegal substance abuse or prenatal drug 
exposure; (2) identifying screening instruments that are appropriate 
for identifying infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities; (3) 
conducting symposia or summits on positive behavior interventions for 
these children; and (4) summarizing and transferring knowledge on early 
problem behavior and effective interventions. The Center must 
coordinate and collaborate with discretionary projects funded by the 
Department under Part D of IDEA that address the needs of infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities and behavior challenges. The 
Center also must build upon collaborative efforts developed by the 
Center for Evidence-based Practice: Young Children with Challenging 
Behavior, which the Department currently funds, and coordinate its 
technical assistance with a similar center funded by the Agency for 
Children, Youth and Families (ACYF).
    (d) Providing States with specialized technical assistance on 
interagency collaboration and service coordination efforts. This will 
include identifying and disseminating information about the most 
successful strategies for minimizing duplication of services and 
maximizing developmental and early learning outcomes for infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities (birth through age five). The 
technical assistance activities must focus on one or more of the 
following: (1) Coordinating child find efforts; (2) promoting seamless 
services for children with disabilities and their families, including 
smooth transitions from Part C programs to Part B programs; (3) 
developing and implementing effective interagency agreements between 
lead agencies implementing Part C programs and State agencies 
responsible for administering CAPTA that address child find 
responsibilities, and interagency agreements between lead agencies 
implementing Part C programs, SEAs administering Part B programs and 
agencies responsible for administering the early Head Start and Head 
Start programs that address early childhood transition 
responsibilities; (4) promoting the adoption of research-based service 
coordination and integration models and practices; (5) supporting 
interagency coordination models that increase the provision of early 
intervention services to infants, toddlers and children with 
disabilities in natural environments, inclusive preschool programs, and 
high quality early childhood programs for typically developing 
children; and (6) communicating with and involving families in 
activities promoting high quality interagency collaboration and service 
coordination. The Center must coordinate and collaborate with other 
relevant early childhood programs, service providers, technical 
assistance providers, and discretionary projects funded by the 
Department that address interagency collaboration and service 
coordination.
    (e) Collaborating and coordinating with the Technical Assistance 
Center to Support Evidence-based Early Intervention and Early Childhood 
Special Education (if and when the Department funds this center) to 
disseminate the most successful practices for improving developmental 
and early learning outcomes, including social-emotional and language 
and early literacy skills, for infants, toddlers and

[[Page 25166]]

children with disabilities, birth through age five.
    (f) Convening a National Early Childhood Conference for the 
exchange of information among early childhood services providers, State 
contacts, technical assistance providers, families, and researchers. 
The Center must convene a Conference Advisory Panel to develop the 
conference theme and agenda.
    (g) Developing and disseminating reports and documents that, at a 
minimum, include information on the Department-funded early childhood, 
section 619, and Part C projects within each State; including project 
abstracts, contact information, and a summary of project goals and 
outcomes.
    (h) Submitting for approval a proposal describing the content and 
purpose of any new (i.e., not listed in paragraph (g) of this section) 
paper or electronic product, prior to its development, to the Product 
Planning Advisory Board of the OSEP-funded National Dissemination 
Center.
    (i) Coordinating with existing technical assistance efforts by 
communicating with prospective technical assistance partners, 
interviewing Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and 
Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) about Part C and early 
childhood services implementation issues, working with RRCs to respond 
to early intervention and preschool information requests, promoting the 
work of the OSEP-funded Early Childhood Outcomes Center and the General 
Supervision Enhancement Grants that focus on early childhood, and 
collaborating with other general early childhood technical assistance 
projects (e.g., those funded by Head Start and the Child Care Bureau).
    (j) Providing OSEP-specified technical assistance to specific 
States or on specific issues identified by OSEP. This OSEP-specified 
technical assistance may include--(1) Participation in Communities of 
Practice activities addressing early childhood issues such as the 
requirement to serve children in the least restrictive environment 
under Part B of IDEA, the requirement to serve children in natural 
environments under Part C of IDEA, child identification, and data 
collection; (2) direct technical assistance to OSEP-specified States 
through partnerships among OSEP, other technical assistance centers, 
and the States; or (3) technical assistance regarding emerging or other 
high-priority issues identified by OSEP. Staff time and project 
resources dedicated to provide technical assistance to OSEP-specified 
States or on OSEP-specified issues will be negotiated with OSEP. The 
Center must dedicate approximately $40,000 of its award annually to 
providing OSEP-specified technical assistance to States.
    Additional Requirements. The Center also must--
    (a) Maintain communication with the OSEP Project Officer through 
monthly phone conversations and regular e-mail communication as 
determined by the Center's director and the OSEP Project Officer. The 
Center must submit monthly reports, annual performance reports, and 
provide additional written materials as needed for the OSEP Project 
Officer to monitor the Center's work;
    (b) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually with an 
advisory committee consisting of persons with expertise regarding 
infants, toddlers and children with disabilities in the birth through 
five years age range in areas such as special and general early 
childhood education, early intervention, systems change, evaluation, 
IDEA requirements, education reform and restructuring, professional 
development and support, and technical assistance and dissemination;
    (c) Each year during the project period, fund as project 
assistants, two doctoral students who have concentrations in early 
intervention, early childhood, special education, or related services;
    (d) Conduct evaluations of its activities and the overall impact of 
its work. The evaluation process must, at a minimum, include a third 
party evaluation (approved by OSEP) to gauge the effectiveness of the 
technical assistance provided by the Center in light of the objectives 
of this priority. The third party evaluation must include--(1) Analysis 
of whether the Center is a high performing organization that provides 
technical assistance; (2) analysis of the relevance of technical 
assistance activities performed by the Center; (3) analysis of the 
outcomes of the Center's technical assistance activities; and (4) 
analysis of the impact the technical assistance provided by the Center 
has had on the capacity of States to fully implement Parts B and C of 
IDEA. The Center must report its evaluation findings and disseminate 
the findings annually to the OSEP Project Officer and the advisory 
committee; and
    (e) Budget for attendance at an annual three-day Project Directors' 
Meeting in Washington, DC, the Technical Assistance and Dissemination 
Project Directors' Meeting, and at least two annual planning meetings. 
Applicants also must budget for attendance at other meetings such as 
Department briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other OSEP-
requested activities.
    Fourth and Fifth Years of Project:
    In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), and in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted in Washington, 
DC during the last half of the project's second year. Projects must 
budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive 
review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
Center; and
    (c) Evidence of the degree to which the Center's activities have 
contributed to changed practices and improved outcomes for infants, 
toddlers, and children with disabilities.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on a proposed priority. However, 
section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements under the 
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481(d).

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.


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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,000,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $3,000,000 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.
    Number of Awards: 1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

[[Page 25167]]

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools that are 
LEAs under State law, IHEs, other public agencies, private nonprofit 
organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes 
or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in 
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of 
IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition 
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals 
with disabilities, ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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 84.326H.
    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 Grants and Contracts 
Services Team 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. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 70 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, 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 page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
    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: April 28, 2006.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 12, 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 11, 2006.
    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 competition.
    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. The National Early Childhood 
Technical Assistance Center--CFDA Number 84.326H is one of the 
competitions 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 the National 
Early Childhood Technical Assessment Center at: http://www.grants.gov. 
You must search for the downloadable application package for this 
program by the CFDA 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

[[Page 25168]]

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 
84.326H), 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 84.326H), 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 
84.326H), 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 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.

[[Page 25169]]

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed 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.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that 
will yield information on various aspects of the Technical Assistance 
and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities program. These measures focus on: the extent to which 
projects provide high quality products and services, the relevance of 
project products and services to educational and early intervention 
policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve 
educational and early intervention policy and practice.
    We will notify grantees if they will be required to provide any 
information related to these measures.
    Grantees will also be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Peggy Cvach, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4060, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7314.
    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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and 
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.

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: April 21, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 06-3995 Filed 4-27-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P