[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 205 (Wednesday, October 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 62969-62973]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-25184]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information: 
Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship Program; Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.019A.

DATES: Applications Available: October 22, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 3, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad 
Fellowship Program offers opportunities to faculty of Institutions of 
Higher Education (IHEs) to engage in research abroad in modern foreign 
languages and area studies.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this 
priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 663.21(d)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2009, this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    A research project that focuses on one or more of the following 
geographic areas: Africa, East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific 
Islands, South Asia, the Near East, East Central Europe and Eurasia, 
and the Western Hemisphere (excluding the United States and its 
territories). Please note that applications that propose projects 
focused on Western Europe are not eligible.
    Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to 
applications that address the following priority.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2009, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(2)(i) and 34 
CFR 663.21(d), we award an additional five (5) points to an application 
that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Projects that focus on any of the seventy-eight (78) languages 
deemed critical on the U.S. Department of Education's list of Less 
Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs).
    The LCTL list includes the following languages: Akan (Twi-Fante), 
Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), Armenian, Azeri 
(Azerbaijani), Balochi, Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara, Mandikan, Mandingo, 
Maninka, Dyula), Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), Berber (all languages), 
Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), Chechen, Chinese 
(Cantonese), Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Min), Chinese 
(Wu), Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa, Hebrew 
(Modern), Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, 
Kashmiri, Kazakh, Khmer (Cambodian), Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish 
(Kurmanji), Kurdish (Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), 
Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian 
(Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian, 
Russian, Serbian, Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, 
Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, 
Urdu, Uyghur/Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

    Program Authority: 22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 81, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 
CFR part 663.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants redistributed as fellowships to 
individual beneficiaries.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$13,372,000 for the International Education and Foreign Language 
Studies Overseas programs for FY 2009, of which we propose to allocate 
$1,395,000 for new awards for this program. 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 Fellowship Awards: $25,000-$115,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Fellowship Awards: $70,000.
    Estimated Number of Fellowship Awards: 23.

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


[[Page 62970]]


    Project Period: The institutional project period is 18 months 
beginning July 1, 2009. Faculty may request funding for a period of no 
less than three months and no more than twelve months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs. As part of the application process, 
faculty submit individual applications to the IHE. The IHE then 
officially submits all eligible individual faculty applications with 
its grant application to the Department.
    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: Both IHEs and faculty 
applicants can obtain an application package by contacting Carla White, 
International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., Room 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7700; or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the 
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities can 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 the faculty 
applicant addresses the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate the application. The faculty applicant must limit the 
application narrative to no more than 10 pages and the bibliography to 
no more than two (2) 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. However, faculty applicants may 
single space all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, titles, 
headings, footnotes, endnotes, quotations, bibliography, and captions.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, faculty 
applicants may use a 10 point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, 
footnotes, and endnotes. However, these items are considered part of 
the narrative and counted within the 10 page limit.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit only applies to the application narrative and 
bibliography. The page limit does not apply to the Application for 
Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information 
form required by the Department of Education; and the assurances and 
certification. However, faculty applicants must include their complete 
responses to the selection criteria in the application narrative.
    We will reject a faculty applicant's application if the faculty 
applicant exceeds the page limits.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: October 22, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: December 3, 2008.
    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 an IHE's 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, 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.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    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 in this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically, unless an IHE qualifies 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research 
Abroad Fellowship Program, CFDA Number 84.019A, 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 an application if an IHE submits it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, the IHE qualifies 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 the IHE qualifies 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 the electronic application, both the IHE and the 
faculty applicant will be entering data online that will be saved into 
a database. Neither the IHE nor the faculty applicant may e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     The process for submitting applications electronically 
under the Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad Fellowship Program has 
several parts. The following is a brief summary of the process; 
however, all applicants should review and follow the detailed 
description of the application process that is contained in the 
application package. In summary, the major parts are as follows: (1) 
IHEs must e-mail the following information to [email protected]: Name 
of university, and full name and e-mail address of potential project 
director. We recommend that applicant IHEs submit this information as 
soon as possible to ensure that applicant IHEs obtain access to the e-
Application system well before the application deadline date. We 
suggest that applicant IHEs send this information no later than 2 weeks 
prior to the application deadline date, in order to facilitate timely 
submission of their applications; (2) Faculty must complete their 
individual applications and submit them to their IHE's project director 
using e-Application; (3) Persons providing references for individual 
faculty must complete and submit

[[Page 62971]]

reference forms for the faculty to the IHE's project director using e-
Application; and (4) The IHE's project director must officially submit 
the IHE's application, which must include all eligible individual 
faculty applications, reference forms, and other required forms, using 
e-Application. Unless an IHE applicant qualifies for an exception to 
the electronic submission requirement in accordance with the procedures 
in this section, all portions of the application must be submitted 
electronically.
     The IHE must complete the electronic submission of the 
grant application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC, time on the 
application deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an 
application for this program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC, time 
on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that 
both the IHE and the faculty applicant not wait until the application 
deadline date to begin the application process.
     The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site 
are 6:00 a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday 
until 8:00 p.m. Sunday Washington, DC, time. Please note that the 
system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on 
Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC, time for maintenance. Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     Faculty applicants will not receive additional point value 
because the faculty applicant submits his or her application in 
electronic format, nor will we penalize the IHE or faculty applicant if 
the IHE or the faculty applicant qualifies for an exception to the 
electronic submission requirement, as described elsewhere in this 
section, and submits an application in paper format.
     IHEs must submit all documents electronically, including 
the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Supplement to the 
SF 424, and all necessary assurances and certifications. Both IHEs and 
faculty applicants must attach any narrative sections of the 
application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF 
(Portable Document) format. If an IHE or a faculty applicant uploads a 
file type other than the three file types specified above or submits a 
password protected file, we will not review that material.
     Both the IHE's and the faculty applicant's electronic 
application must comply with any page limit requirements described in 
this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After the individual faculty applicant electronically 
submits his or her application to the IHE, the faculty member will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment. In addition, the applicant IHE's 
project director will receive a copy of this acknowledgment by e-mail. 
After a person submits a reference electronically, he or she will 
receive an online confirmation. After the applicant IHE submits its 
application, including all eligible individual faculty applications, to 
the Department, the applicant IHE will receive an automatic 
acknowledgment, which will include a PR/Award Number (an identifying 
number unique to the IHE's application).
     Within three working days after submitting the IHE's 
electronic application, the IHE must fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to 
the Application Control Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant IHE'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 SF 424.
    (4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at 
(202) 245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
the SF 424 and other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application System 
Unavailability: If an IHE is prevented from electronically submitting 
its application on the application deadline date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant the IHE an extension 
of one business day to enable the IHE to transmit its application 
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this 
extension if--
    (1) The IHE is a registered user of e-Application and the IHE has 
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 the IHE an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, an IHE may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (Section VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the e-Application system is 
unavailable due to technical problems with the system 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: An IHE qualifies 
for an exception to the electronic submission requirement and may 
submit its application in paper format if the IHE is unable to submit 
an application through the e-Application system because--
     The IHE or a faculty applicant does not have access to the 
Internet; or
     The IHE or a faculty applicant does 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), the IHE mails or faxes a written 
statement to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an 
exception prevent the IHE from using the Internet to submit its 
application. If an IHE mails a written statement to the Department, it 
must be postmarked no later than two weeks before the application 
deadline date. If an IHE faxes its 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 this statement to: Carla White, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6000, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.
    The IHE's 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 an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, the IHE may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) its application to the Department. The IHE must 
mail the original and two copies of the application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the

[[Page 62972]]

Department at the applicable following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.019A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, 
DC 20202-4260.
    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 the IHE mails its 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 the IHE's application is postmarked after the application 
deadline date, we will not consider its application.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, the IHE should check with 
its local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If an IHE qualifies for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, the IHE (or a courier service) may deliver its paper 
application to the Department by hand. The IHE must deliver the 
original and two copies of the 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 84.019A) 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 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 an IHE 
mails or hand delivers its application to the Department--
    (1) The IHE must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided 
by the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA Number, and 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which the IHE is 
submitting its application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to the IHE. If the IHE does not receive the 
grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days 
from the application deadline date, the IHE should call the U.S. 
Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-
6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. General: Faculty applications are divided into seven categories 
based on the world area focus of their research projects, as described 
in the absolute priority listed in this notice. Language and area 
studies experts in seven discrete world area-based panels will review 
the faculty applications. Each panel reviews, scores, and ranks its 
applications separately from the applications assigned to the other 
world area panels. However, all fellowship applications will be ranked 
together from the highest to lowest score for funding purposes.
    2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 663.21 and are listed in the following paragraphs. The 
maximum score for all of the criteria, including the competitive 
preference priority, is 105 points. The maximum score for each 
criterion is indicated in parentheses.
    Quality of proposed project (60 points): In determining the quality 
of the research project proposed by the applicant, the Secretary 
considers (1) The statement of the major hypotheses to be tested or 
questions to be examined, and the description and justification of the 
research methods to be used (10 points); (2) The relationship of the 
research to the literature on the topic and to major theoretical issues 
in the field, and the project's originality and importance in terms of 
the concerns of the discipline (10 points); (3) The preliminary 
research already completed or plans for research prior to going 
overseas, and the kinds, quality and availability of data for the 
research in the host country or countries (10 points); (4) The 
justification for overseas field research and preparations to establish 
appropriate and sufficient research contacts and affiliations abroad 
(10 points); (5) The applicant's plans to share the results of the 
research in progress with scholars and officials of the host country or 
countries and the American scholarly community (10 points); and (6) The 
objectives of the project regarding the sponsoring institution's plans 
for developing or strengthening, or both, curricula in modern foreign 
languages and area studies (10 points).
    Qualifications of the applicant (40 points): In determining the 
qualifications of the applicant, the Secretary considers (1) The 
overall strength of the applicant's academic record (teaching, 
research, contributions, professional association activities) (10 
points); (2) The applicant's excellence as a teacher or researcher, or 
both, in his or her area or areas of specialization (10 points); (3) 
The applicant's proficiency in one or more of the languages (other than 
English and the applicant's native language) of the country or 
countries of research, and the specific measures to be taken to 
overcome any anticipated language barriers (15 points); and (4) The 
applicant's ability to conduct research in a foreign cultural context, 
as evidenced by the applicant's previous overseas experience, or 
documentation provided by the sponsoring institution, or both (5 
points).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If a faculty application is successful, we notify 
the IHE's U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send the IHE a 
Grant Award Notice (GAN). We may notify the IHE informally, also.
    If a faculty application is not evaluated or not selected for 
funding, we notify the IHE.
    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 in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates its approved application as part of its binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of the project period, the IHE must submit 
a final performance report, including the final reports of all of the 
IHE's fellows, and financial information, as directed by the Secretary. 
The IHE and fellows are required to use the electronic reporting 
International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete the final 
report.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the objective of the Fulbright-Hays Faculty 
Research Abroad (FRA) Fellowship Program is to provide grants to 
institutions of higher education to fund faculty to maintain and 
improve their area studies and language skills by conducting research 
abroad for periods of 3-to-12 months.
    The Department will use the following FRA measures to evaluate its 
success in meeting this objective.
    Performance Measure 1: The average language competency score of 
Fulbright-Hays Faculty Research Abroad program recipients at the end of 
their period of

[[Page 62973]]

research minus their average language competency at the beginning of 
the period.
     Performance Measure 2: Percentage of projects judged successful by 
program officers, based on information provided in annual performance 
reports.
     Efficiency measure: Cost per fellow increasing language competency 
by at least one level in one (or all three) area.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance report 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for this measure. 
Reporting screens for institutions and fellows may be viewed at: http://www.ieps-iris.org/iris/pdfs/FRA_ fellow.pdf, http://www.ieps-iris.org/iris/pdfs/FRA_director.pdf.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carla White, International Education 
Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 
Room 6000, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7631 or by 
e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

     Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on 
request to the program contact person under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT in Section VII in this notice.
     Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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 17, 2008.
Cheryl A. Oldham,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
 [FR Doc. E8-25184 Filed 10-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P