[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 93 (Friday, May 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27318-27322]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11607]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Rehabilitation Capacity Building for Traditionally 
Underserved Populations--Technical Assistance for American Indian 
Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.406.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: May 14, 2010.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 28, 2010.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 27, 2010.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Capacity Building Program for Traditionally 
Underserved Populations under section 21(b)(2)(C) of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973, as amended (the Act), (29 U.S.C. 718(b)(2)(C)) provides 
outreach and technical assistance to minority entities and American 
Indian Tribes in order to enhance their capacity to carry out 
activities funded under the Act and to promote their participation in 
activities funded under the Act.
    Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priority for 
this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register.
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of approved but unfunded applicants from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:

Capacity Building Programs for Traditionally Underserved Populations: 
Technical Assistance for American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation 
Services (AIVRS) Projects

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 718(b)(2)(C); American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. L. 111-5 (ARRA).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 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 institutions of 
higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $280,000 per budget year, $1,400,000 
over a five-year period from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 
of 2009, Public Law 111-5 (ARRA).
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $280,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for OSERS 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: A State or a public or private nonprofit 
agency or organization, such as an institution of higher education or 
an Indian Tribe.
    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

[[Page 27319]]

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: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 
22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: 
(703) 605-6794. 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.EDPubs.gov or 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 84.406.
    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 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 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 (characters 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: May 14, 2010.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 28, 2010.
    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.7. 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: August 27, 2010.
    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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the 
Department of Education, (1) you must have a Data Universal Numbering 
System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN); (2) 
you must register both of those numbers with the Central Contractor 
Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant database; and (3) 
you must provide those same numbers on your application.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one business day.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to 
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not 
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN 
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will 
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take 
three or more business days to complete.
    7. 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 Capacity Building 
for Traditionally Underserved Populations, CFDA number 84.406, 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 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

[[Page 27320]]

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: Tom Finch, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5147, Potomac 
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2800. FAX: (202) 245-7591.
    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 84.406), 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

[[Page 27321]]

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 84.406), 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 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 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.
    The funds awarded through this program were appropriated under the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5 
(ARRA), and are subject to additional accountability and transparency 
reporting requirements, which are described in section 1512(c) of the 
ARRA. Grantees receiving funds provided by the ARRA must be able to 
distinguish these funds from any other funds they receive through this 
program. Recipients of ARRA funds will be required to submit quarterly 
reports on the expenditure of these funds no later than 10 days after 
the end of each calendar quarter through a centralized reporting Web 
site administered by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB): http://www.federalreporting.gov. The information reported at this Web site 
will be available to the Department, the White House, OMB, and the 
public on http://www.Recovery.gov. Further detail on the reporting 
requirements under ARRA can be found at http://www.recovery.gov/?q=node/579.
    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 purpose of the Capacity Building 
Program for Traditionally Underserved Populations: Technical Assistance 
Center for American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) 
Projects is to establish a training and technical assistance center 
(the AIVRS TA Center) to support projects funded under the AIVRS 
program authorized under section 121 of the Act in order to improve the 
provision of VR services to, and the employment outcomes of, American 
Indians with disabilities.
    In order to measure the success of the AIVRS TA Center in helping 
AIVRS project grantees to meet this goal, the AIVRS TA Center grantee 
is required to evaluate its activities based upon clear, specific 
performance and outcome measures and report the results of the 
evaluation in its annual performance report. In addition to providing 
comprehensive qualitative and quantitative information regarding the 
number of AIVRS project grantees served, Tribal affiliation, geographic 
distribution and services provided, the annual performance reports must 
include data on the following performance measures:
    Objective 1: Reduce the number of AIVRS grantees with excessive 
balances remaining in their grant accounts by 20 percent by the end of 
the first year of the AIVRS TA Center's grant and by 10 percent each 
subsequent year through the provision of targeted technical assistance.
    Measure 1: Of those AIVRS grantees with excessive balances that 
received assistance from the AIVRS TA Center, the percent change in the 
number of AIVRS grantees with excessive balances in their account.
    Objective 2: Reduce the number of AIVRS grantees that may be 
considered high risk, as identified by the Department in 34 CFR 
80.12(a), by 20 percent by the end of the first year of the AIVRS TA 
Center's grant and by 10 percent each subsequent year through the 
provision of targeted technical assistance.
    Measure 2: Of those AIVRS grantees that are considered high risk, 
as identified by the Department in 34 CFR 80.12(a), that received 
assistance from the AIVRS TA Center, the percent change in the number 
of AIVRS grantees that are considered high risk, by the end of the 
first year of the grant.
    Objective 3: Measurably increase the employment outcome rate of the 
AIVRS projects through the provision of targeted technical assistance.
    Measure 3: The percentage of AIVRS projects receiving targeted 
technical assistance from the AIVRS TA Center that demonstrate a 
measurable increase in their employment outcome rate.
    These three measures constitute the Department's indicators of 
success for this program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under 
this program are advised to give careful consideration to these three 
measures in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation 
of their proposed project.
    Applicants will also be required to provide a description on how 
they plan to satisfy this requirement. Successful applicants will be 
required to collect, and report quantitative data used to calculate the 
results submitted in their annual performance reports and must be able 
to demonstrate that the data used is valid and verifiable.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Tom Finch, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5147, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7343 or by e-mail: [email protected].

[[Page 27322]]

    If you use 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) 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.

    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: May 11, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-11607 Filed 5-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P