[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44829-44833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20961]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.021A.
    Dates: Applications Available: August 31, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 6, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 7, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad (PA) 
Program supports overseas projects in training, research, and 
curriculum development in modern foreign languages and area studies for 
groups of teachers, students, and faculty engaged in a common endeavor. 
Projects are short-term and include seminars, curriculum development, 
or group research or study.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), these 
priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 664.31(G) 
and 664.32).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2010, this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Specific geographic regions of the world: A group project funded 
under this priority must focus on one or more of the following 
geographic regions of the world: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, 
Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western Hemisphere (Central and 
South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), East Central Europe and 
Eurasia, and the Near East.
    Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities: Within this 
absolute priority, we are establishing the following competitive 
preference and invitational priorities.
    Competitive Preference Priority I: For FY 2010, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and 
664.31(g), we award up to an additional five (5) points to an 
application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Projects that provide substantive training and thematic focus, both 
during the pre-departure and in-country project phases, 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) found below.
    This list includes the following: 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, Tibetian, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur/
Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

[[Page 44830]]

    Competitive Preference Priority II: For FY 2010, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) and 
664.31(g), we award up to an additional five (5) points to a short-term 
project abroad application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Short-term projects abroad that develop and improve foreign 
language and/or area studies at elementary and secondary schools.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2010, this priority is an 
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Projects that, through collaborative efforts between colleges, 
departments, or schools of teacher education and other colleges, 
departments, or schools within a single institution of higher education 
or consortium of institutions of higher education, propose projects 
that provide pre-service training for K-12 teachers in foreign 
languages and international area studies in teacher education programs. 
Project activities should include pre-service teachers and teacher 
education students.

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

    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 part 664.

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$14,709,000 for the Fulbright-Hays programs (also referred to as the 
International Overseas programs) for FY 2010, of which we intend to 
allocate $2,320,000 for new short-term projects under the Fulbright-
Hays Group Projects Abroad Program. The actual level 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.

    Note: As part of its FY 2010 budget request, the Administration 
proposed to continue to allow funds under this program to be used to 
support the participation of individuals who plan to apply their 
language skills and knowledge of countries vital to the United 
States' national security in fields outside teaching, including 
government, the professions, or international development. 
Therefore, institutions of higher education may propose projects for 
visits and study in foreign countries by individuals in these 
fields, in additional to those planning a teaching career. However, 
whether authority exists to use funds for participants outside of 
the field of teaching depends on final Congressional action. 
Applicants will be given an opportunity to amend their applications 
if Congress does not provide this authority.

    Estimated Range of Awards: $30,000-$90,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $80,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any short-term GPA application that 
proposes a budget exceeding $90,000 for a single budget period of 12 
months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 29.

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

    Project Period: Up to 12 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) Institutions of higher education, (2) 
State departments of education, (3) Private nonprofit educational 
organizations, and (4) Consortia of these entities. Institutions that 
have never received an award under this program are encouraged to 
apply.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You 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://e-grants.ed.gov. 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 or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.021A.
    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 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 (Part III of the application) is the 
section in which the applicant addresses the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate the application. The application narrative 
must be limited to no more than 40 pages, using the following 
standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs in the application narrative may be single spaced 
and will count toward the page limit.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger; or, no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10 
point font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
     The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application 
for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental 
information form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the 
budget summary form (ED Form 524); Part IV, assurances, certifications, 
and the response to Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act 
(GEPA); the table of contents; the one-page project abstract; the 
appendices; or the line item budget. If you include any attachments or 
appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as 
part of the program narrative [Part III] for purposes of the page limit 
requirement.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: August 31, 
2009. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 6, 2009.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application site (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system. For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by

[[Page 44831]]

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 air 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: December 7, 2009.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an 
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in 
this section.

a. Electronic Submission of Applications

    Applications for grants under the GPA Program, CFDA number 84.021A, 
must be submitted electronically by using e-Application, accessible 
through the Department's e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. E-Application 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 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).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
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 (20 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

[[Page 44832]]

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: Michelle Guilfoil, 
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6098, Washington, DC 20006-8521. 
FAX: (202) 502-7860.
    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 84.021A), 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 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 84.021A), 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 4:30:00 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

    1. General: For FY 2010, short-term project applications will be 
reviewed by separate panels according to world area. Each panel 
reviews, scores, and ranks its applications separately from the 
applications assigned to the other world area panels. However, all 
applications will be ranked together from the highest to the lowest 
score for funding purposes.
    2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 664.31 and are as follows: (a) Plan of operation (20 
points); (b) Quality of key personnel (10 points); (c) Budget and cost 
effectiveness (10 points); (d) Evaluation plan (20 points); (e) 
Adequacy of resources (5 points); (f) Potential impact of the project 
on the development of the study of modern foreign languages and area 
studies in American education (15 points); (g) Relevance to the 
applicant's education goals and its relationship to its program 
development in modern foreign languages and area studies (5 points); 
(h) The extent to which direct experience abroad is necessary to 
achieve the project's objectives and the effectiveness with which 
relevant host country resources will be utilized (10 points); and (i) 
The extent to which the proposed project addresses the competitive 
preference priorities (10 points).

 VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may 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 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 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. Grantees are required to use the electronic data 
instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete 
the final report. 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: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the following measure will be used by the 
Department to evaluate the success of the program: Percentage of all 
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program projects judged to be 
successful by the program officer, based on a review of information 
provided in annual performance reports.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for this measure. 
Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at: http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_director.pdf and http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_participant.pdf

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Michelle Guilfoil, Fulbright-Hays 
Group Projects Abroad Program, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street,

[[Page 44833]]

NW., room 6098, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7625 or 
by e-mail: [email protected]. The agency contact person does not 
mail application materials and does not accept applications.
    If you use a TDD, call the 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) on 
request to the program contact person listed under For Further 
Information Contact in Section VII of 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.

    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy 
Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the 
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.

    Dated: August 26, 2009.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9-20961 Filed 8-28-09; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P