[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 102 (Thursday, May 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29740-29744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12800]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview 
Information; Gulf Coast Recovery Grant Initiative; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215C.

    Dates: Applications Available: May 27, 2010.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 21, 2010.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 2010.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 2010.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Gulf Coast Recovery Grant 
Initiative is to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in improving 
education in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav.
    Priority: We are establishing this priority for the FY 2010 grant 
competition only, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Competitive Preference Priority: This priority is a competitive 
preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an 
additional 5 points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:

Serving Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools

    Five additional points will be awarded to an application that 
proposes to serve at least one school designated by the State as a 
``persistently lowest-achieving school'' for purposes of using school 
improvement funds under section 1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary 
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). A 
``persistently lowest-achieving school'' under section 1003(g) means a 
school, as defined by each State, that falls into one of the following 
groups:
    (1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or 
restructuring that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five percent of 
Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring in 
the State (or the lowest-achieving five such schools, whichever number 
of schools is greater) or (ii) is a Title I high school that has had a 
graduation rate that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
    (2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not 
receive, Title I funds that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five 
percent of secondary schools in the State (or the lowest-achieving five 
secondary schools, whichever number of schools is greater) that are 
eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds or (ii) is a high 
school that has had a graduation rate that is less than 60 percent over 
a number of years.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, requirements, and 
selection criteria. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the 
Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, regulations governing 
the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised 
program authority. This is the first grant competition for the Gulf 
Coast Recovery Grant Initiative and therefore qualifies for this 
exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has 
decided to forgo public comment on the priority, requirements, and 
selection criteria under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. This priority, 
requirements, and selection criteria will apply to the FY 2010 grant 
competition only.

    Program Authority: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. 
L. 111-117).

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

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $12,000,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$3,000,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000.

    Note: An eligible LEA may request up to $500,000 per year for 
each school it intends to serve through the grant under this 
competition. To ensure that sufficient funds are available to 
support awards to LEAs of all sizes, and not only the largest LEAs, 
an applicant may not include more than three schools in a single 
application for a grant. We will reject any application that 
includes more than three schools in its proposal.


[[Page 29741]]


    The following chart provides the maximum award amounts for 
applicants that propose to serve one, two, or three schools per grant 
with a one-year or two-year project period:

                             Maximum Awards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                  Project Period
        Number of schools served         -------------------------------
                                              1 year          2 years
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.......................................        $500,000      $1,000,000
2.......................................       1,000,000       2,000,000
3.......................................       1,500,000       3,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The actual size of awards will be based on a number of factors, 
including the scope, quality, and comprehensiveness of the proposed 
project.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding the maximum amounts specified in the Maximum Awards 
chart.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 6-10.

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

    Project Period: Up to 24 months.

    Note: Budgets should be developed for a single award with a 
project period of up to 24 months. No continuation awards will be 
provided.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs located in counties in Louisiana, 
Mississippi, and Texas designated by the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA) as counties eligible for individual assistance due to 
damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav.
    For the convenience of applicants, the Department has posted lists 
of LEAs that are eligible to apply under this competition (organized by 
State). These lists are available on the Gulf Coast Recovery Grant 
Initiative Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/gulf/eligibility.html. These lists are based on the most recent information 
provided by each State and the Bureau of Indian Education to the 
Department. Although the lists attempt to identify all eligible 
applicants, it is possible that the lists are not exhaustive. 
Therefore, if an LEA believes it is eligible, but is not included on 
the lists, it should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice to determine 
eligibility.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition 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 at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/gulf/applicant.html, or by contacting April Bolton-Smith, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1475 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 accessible 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 competition.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: June 21, 2010.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than 
20 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, and 
quotations.
     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 the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; the one-page abstract; or the appendices. However, 
the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: May 27, 2010.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 21, 2010.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 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.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 7, 2010.
    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.

[[Page 29742]]

    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 Gulf Coast Recovery Grant 
Initiative--CFDA Number 84.215C 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 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: April Bolton-Smith, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304, 
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
    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

[[Page 29743]]

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 84.215C), 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 84.215C), 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

    1. Selection Criteria: The maximum score for all of the selection 
criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion and factor 
is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for this 
competition are as follows:
    (a) Need for the project. (40 points) The Secretary considers the 
need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The severity of the impact of the hurricane(s) on each school 
targeted for services under the project (10 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
including quantitative data, qualitative data, or both, on the 
status of each targeted school prior to the hurricane, as well as 
the impact of the hurricane(s) on each targeted school.

    (ii) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out at each targeted school (10 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
including quantitative data, qualitative data, or both, highlighting 
the specific needs resulting from the impact of the hurricane(s).

    (iii) The extent to which other sources of funds (including FEMA 
reimbursement, private insurance, other funds) are not available to 
meet the needs of the targeted schools (20 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
describing the financial resources needed for recovery efforts at 
each targeted school, and the extent to which current or future 
funding exists to meet these needs.

    (b) Project design and services. (30 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project and the 
proposed services. In determining the quality of the design and 
services, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the proposed project services will 
successfully address the needs of each targeted school (15 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
proposing services that focus on restoring the learning environment 
and that respond to the specific recovery needs of the targeted 
schools.

    (ii) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the 
proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of 
students as measured against rigorous academic achievement standards 
(10 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
including an explanation of how the proposed recovery efforts will 
result in the increased academic achievement of students.

    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners in 
order to maximize the effectiveness of proposed project services (5 
points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
identifying how the proposed recovery efforts will be coordinated 
with other entities to meet the needs of the targeted schools.

    (c) Project management. (30 points) The Secretary considers the 
quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining 
the quality of the management plan, the Secretary considers the 
following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key personnel (10 points).
    (ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget (8 points).
    (iii) The extent to which the management plan articulates clearly 
defined responsibilities and includes realistic timelines and 
milestones for accomplishing project tasks (5 points).
    (iv) The extent to which the applicant has a sound financial 
management system, including effective internal controls, to administer 
the grant funds (7 points).

    Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider 
including an overview of their financial management system, 
including how they maintain effective internal controls and fund-
accountability procedures.

    2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in 
selecting an application for an award are in 34 CFR 75.217. These 
factors include the applicant's performance and use of funds under a 
previous award under any Department program.

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

[[Page 29744]]

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 measure: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the Department has developed the following 
performance measure for measuring the overall effectiveness of the Gulf 
Coast Recovery Grant Initiative: the percentage of grantees that 
successfully accomplish their project goals and objectives. The 
Department will collect data for this measure from grantees' final 
performance reports.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: April Bolton-Smith, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1475 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    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.

    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 24, 2010.
Thelma Mel[eacute]ndez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-12800 Filed 5-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P