[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 114 (Tuesday, June 16, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28488-28491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14142]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Rehabilitation Training--Rehabilitation Continuing 
Education Programs (RCEP)--Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI); 
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.264C.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: June 16, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 29, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Rehabilitation Continuing Education 
Programs--
    (1) Train newly employed State agency staff at the administrative, 
supervisory, professional, paraprofessional, or clerical levels in 
order to develop needed skills for effective agency performance;
    (2) Provide training opportunities for experienced State agency 
personnel at all levels of State agency practice to upgrade their 
skills and to develop mastery of new program developments dealing with 
significant issues, priorities, and legislative thrusts of the State 
and Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) program; and
    (3) Develop and conduct training programs for staff of--
    (a) Private rehabilitation agencies and facilities that cooperate 
with State VR units in providing VR and other rehabilitation services;
    (b) Centers for independent living; and
    (c) Client assistance programs.
    Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final 
priorities for this program, published in the Federal Register on 
October 23, 2003 (68 FR 60828).
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet both of these 
priorities.

    Note: Previously the Rehabilitation Services Administration 
(RSA) has funded multiple grants per fiscal year under these 
priorities. For FY 2009, we will fund only one grant under these 
priorities. While RSA had made multiple awards to carry out IRI 
activities in the past, we have decided to make only one IRI award 
for FY 2009 to improve the efficiency of the monitoring process and 
the quality of the products produced under this competition. Thus, 
all references to projects should be interpreted as meaning one 
project and that project will be responsible for two Primary Study 
Groups and the National Forum.

    These priorities are:

Priority 1--Leadership of IRI Primary Study Group (PSG)

    This priority funds projects to lead a PSG on a topic selected by 
the IRI Planning Committee. Projects must demonstrate the ability to 
provide leadership to members of the PSG that results in the production 
of a high quality document in the assigned topic area. Projects must 
ensure that documents are relevant to the public rehabilitation system 
and to the work of VR counselors and accurately interpret and integrate 
the current body of knowledge of the selected topic contained in 
published professional research and demonstrations.
    Specifically, projects must demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of 
and understanding of relevant current and emerging issues in the public 
rehabilitation system, the public VR program, and the continuing 
education needs of VR personnel and related professionals. Projects 
must have the demonstrated ability to direct a rehabilitation research 
investigation in cooperation with a variety of experienced 
participants.
    Projects must provide leadership to all phases of the IRI process, 
including assisting PSG members to define the areas of focus for the 
designated topic, to identify and address the continuing education 
needs of personnel of the public rehabilitation system, and to plan and 
write the project document. Projects must ensure that the group product 
meets the expectation of the IRI Planning Committee in terms of content 
areas and depth of review. At the conclusion of the National IRI Forum, 
projects must submit the final version of the IRI document to RSA for 
approval. Projects must distribute the approved document to State VR 
agencies and to others in an accessible format on request for use in 
staff development, training, and service planning.
    Projects must include a plan to meet the communication, 
coordination, logistical, and budgetary requirements necessary to 
conduct at least three in person meetings of the PSG, one of which must 
take place at the National IRI Forum in Washington, DC, at the end of 
the project year.

Priority 2--Leadership of the National IRI Forum

    This priority funds projects to plan and to lead the annual 
National IRI Forum of PSG members and other stakeholders in each year 
of the project period. Projects must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of 
current, relevant issues in the public rehabilitation system and of 
methods to facilitate professional development and continuing education 
activities. Project staff, in cooperation with the IRI Planning 
Committee, must identify and solicit key stakeholders to provide input 
and feedback on selected IRI topics, and facilitate discussion and 
input sessions of diverse individuals with a wide variety of 
backgrounds so that each of the two IRI PSGs receives feedback on its 
draft document in a collaborative and positive manner.
    Projects must provide a detailed plan for all aspects of the 
planning and coordination of the meeting, including, but not limited 
to, facilitation of document feedback sessions, site planning, 
coordination of accommodations and travel for PSG members funded by the 
project, coordination of accommodations requested by other 
participants, and the provision of on-site support services, including 
the provision of reasonable accommodations upon request. Projects must 
include a description of a process and methods that will result in high

[[Page 28489]]

quality input on the IRI documents presented for review.

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) 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. (b) The regulations for this 
program in 34 CFR parts 385 and 389.

    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 institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $190,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $190,000 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.
    Estimated 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 and public or nonprofit agencies and 
organizations, including Indian Tribes and institutions of higher 
education.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing of at least 10 percent of 
the total cost of the project is required of grantees under the RCEP 
(34 CFR 389.40).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package

    You can obtain an application package via the Internet or from the 
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the 
Internet, use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, 
or call the following: Education Publications Center, 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), 
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this program as follows: CFDA number 84.264C.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII 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 
program.
    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 the 
application narrative [Part III] to the equivalent of no more than 45 
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 (character per inch).
     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 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; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page 
limit does apply to all of the application narrative section [Part 
III].
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit or if 
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Applications Available: June 16, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV. 6., Other Submission 
Requirements of 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 
of 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 29, 2009.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    This competition 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 must be submitted 
electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement 
in accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
    Applications for grants under the Rehabilitation Continuing 
Education Programs competition--CFDA Number 84.264C must be submitted 
electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department's 
e-Grants Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding

[[Page 28490]]

calculation of the date that is two weeks before the application 
deadline date is provided later in this section under Exception to 
Electronic Submission Requirement.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this 
competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait 
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
     The 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, because of 
maintenance, 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. Any modifications to these hours are 
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format. You must submit all documents 
electronically, including all information you typically provide on the 
following forms: the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the 
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
     You must attach any narrative sections of your application 
as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (Rich Text), or .PDF (Portable 
Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file 
types specified in this paragraph 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.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number 
(an identifying number unique to your application).
     Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard-copy signature page of the 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 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting 
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application 
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by 
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
    (1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have 
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
    (2) (a) E-Application 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) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between 
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application 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 e-Application.
    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through e-Application because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
e-Application; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Edwin W. Powell, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5038, Potomac 
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 245-7505.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.264C), 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.
    (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

[[Page 28491]]

accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

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

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.264C), 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 4:30:00 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this grant notification 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 
from 34 CFR 75.210 and 34 CFR 389.30(a).

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 notify you informally, also.
    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 directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

4. Performance Measures

    The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 directs 
Federal departments and agencies to improve the effectiveness of their 
programs by engaging in strategic planning, setting outcome-related 
goals for programs, and measuring program results against those goals.
    The goal of RSA's RCEP Institute on Rehabilitation Issues program 
is to synthesize and disseminate information about relevant topics in 
the form of publications that are used in educating VR professionals 
and as technical assistance resources for other stakeholders in the VR 
program. In order to measure the performance of this project, we 
require the grantee to collect data on the number of IRI documents 
disseminated; the types of individuals requesting the documents, e.g., 
State agencies, training programs; the opinion of State VR directors 
and training program directors regarding the quality of the IRI 
publications; and the number of citations of IRI publications in other 
literature. The grantee is required to report this information annually 
to RSA using the RSA Grantee Reporting Form, OMB number 1820-0617, an 
electronic reporting system. This form allows RSA to measure results 
against the goals of the project. Performance will be measured by 
assessment of (a) the number of State VR directors and training grant 
project directors who deem the IRI products to be of high quality and 
useful to the field and (b) the number of citations of IRI publications 
in other literature.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin W. Powell, U.S. Department of 
Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue, 
SW., room 5038, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-
7505 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, 
at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by 
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, 
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    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.

    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Andrew J. Pepin, Executive Administrator for the Office of 
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, to perform the functions 
of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.

    Dated: June 11, 2009.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. E9-14142 Filed 6-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P