[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 72 (Thursday, April 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20962-20967]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-9117]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal 
Institutions Part F Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Part F 
Program.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards using fiscal year (FY) 
2010 funds.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.382C.

DATES: Applications Available: April 14, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 31, 2011.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2011.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The NASNTI Part F Program provides grants and 
related assistance to Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions to 
enable these institutions to improve and expand their capacity to serve 
Native Americans and low-income individuals by increasing their self-
sufficiency in improving academic programs, institutional management, 
and fiscal stability. To qualify for funds under the NASNTI Program, an 
institution of higher education (IHE) must; have an enrollment of 
undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Native American at 
the time of application for a grant; and not be a Tribal College or 
University under section 316 of the HEA.
    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 program requirements. Section 
437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however, 
allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, 
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or 
substantially revised program authority. The Health Care and Education 
Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (Reconciliation Act) 
provided new authority to implement the NASNTI Part F Program 
authorized under section 371 of the HEA. This is the first grant 
competition for this program since the Reconciliation Act; therefore, 
this competition qualifies for the exemption.
    Under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, in order to ensure timely grant 
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the 
following requirements for this competition: the requirements 
established in Notes 1 and 2 in the Relationship between the Title III, 
Part F Programs section of this notice.
    Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published 
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2011, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we 
award an additional two and one-half points to an application that 
meets one of the priorities, or an additional five points to an 
application that meets both of these priorities.
    These priorities are:

Priority I--Increasing Postsecondary Success

    Increasing the number and proportion of high-need students (as 
defined in this notice) who persist in and complete college or other 
postsecondary education and training; and,

Priority II--Enabling More Data-Based Decision-Making

    Projects that are designed to collect (or obtain), analyze, and use 
high-quality and timely data, including data on program participant 
outcomes, in accordance with privacy requirements (as defined in this 
notice), in the following priority area:
    Improving postsecondary student outcomes relating to enrollment, 
persistence, and completion and leading to career success.
    Definitions: These definitions are from the notice of final 
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant 
programs, published

[[Page 20963]]

in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010.
    High-need children and high-need students means children and 
students at risk of educational failure, such as children and students 
who are living in poverty, who are English learners, who are far below 
grade level or who are not on track to becoming college- or career-
ready by graduation, who have left school or college before receiving, 
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or 
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time, 
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or parenting 
teenagers, who have been incarcerated, who are new immigrants, or who 
have disabilities.
    Privacy requirements means the requirements of the Family 
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and its 
implementing regulations in 34 CFR part 99, the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 
552a, as well as all applicable Federal, State and local requirements 
regarding privacy.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067q.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The notice of final supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published 
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486).

    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: $5,000,000.

    Note: These funds were appropriated for FY 2010, but have been 
carried over into FY 2011 pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1067q (b)(1)(B) and 
are available for obligation in FY 2011.

    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000--$400,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the Title III Program's 
Web site for further information. The address is: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/index.html.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: An IHE is eligible to receive funds under 
this program if it is a Native American-Serving Nontribal Institution 
(NASNTI).
    Native American. The term `Native American' means an individual who 
is of a tribe, people, or culture that is indigenous to the United 
States. As part of the application for a grant, applicants will be 
required to complete and submit a certification assurance form on which 
the applicant provides their total undergraduate headcount enrollment 
and certifies that 10 percent of its enrollment is Native American for 
the purpose of the NASNTI Part F Program. The form must be submitted 
and signed by an official with the authority to represent the 
institution.
    To qualify as an eligible institution under the NASNTI Part F 
Program, an institution must, among other requirements--
    (1) Be accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized 
accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to 
be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training 
offered; and
    (2) Be legally authorized by the State in which it is located to be 
a junior college or to provide an educational program for which it 
awards a bachelor's degree; Relationship between the Title III, Part F 
Programs.

    Note 1: A grantee under the NASNTI Part F Program, the Asian 
American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions 
(AANAPISI), Hispanic Serving Institutions-STEM and Articulation 
(HSI-STEM), and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) programs 
authorized by Title III, Part F, section 371 of the HEA, may apply 
for a FY 2011 grant under all Title III, Part F programs for which 
it is eligible. However, a successful applicant may receive only one 
grant.


    Note 2: The Department will make grant awards in rank order from 
the funding slates according to the average score received from a 
panel of three readers.

    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: LaTonya Brown or Darlene 
Collins, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, 
Washington, DC 20006-8513. You may contact these individuals at the 
following e-mail addresses or telephone numbers:

[email protected]; (202) 502-7619,
[email protected]; (202) 502-7576.

    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 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 no more than 50 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. 
Page numbers and an identifier may be outside of the 1 
margin.
     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, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.
     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 Application for 
Federal Assistance (SF 424-cover sheet); the Supplemental Information 
for SF 424 Form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the 
budget section, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), 
including the Narrative Budget Justification; Part IV, the Assurances 
and Certifications; or the one-page word document Program 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]. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically 
requested in the program narrative, (Part III of the application) these 
items will be counted as part of the Program Narrative for purposes of 
the page limit requirement. You must include your complete response to 
the selection criteria in the program narrative.

[[Page 20964]]

    Note: Partial pages (pages on which the narrative or data do not 
take up the full page) are counted as whole pages for purposes of the 
page limitation.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: April 14, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 31, 2011.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov apply site (Grants.gov). 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 in 
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 
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice. Deadline for 
Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2011.
    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 the 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, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant 
database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    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.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
    7. 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 NASNTI Program, CFDA Number 
84.382C, must be submitted electronically using the Government-wide 
Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you 
will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it 
offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-
mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    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 to the electronic submission 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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for NASNTI Part F 
Program at http://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include 
the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.382, 
not 84.382C).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at http://www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for

[[Page 20965]]

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: 
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 upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a .PDF (Portable Document) 
format only. If you upload a file type other than a .PDF 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.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
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 Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

    Note:  The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time, or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    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 the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days; or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), 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: LaTonya Brown, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6029, Washington, DC 
20006-8513. Fax: (202) 502-7861.
    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 84.382C), 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 84.382C), 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

[[Page 20966]]

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 selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 75.210 in the Education Department General Administrative 
Regulations (EDGAR) and are described in the following paragraphs. 
Applicants must address each of the following selection criteria. The 
total weight of the selection criteria is 100 points; the weight of 
each criterion is noted in parentheses.
    (a) Need for the project. (Maximum 20 points) The Secretary 
considers the need for the proposed project. In determining the need 
for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (10 points)
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (5 
points)
    (3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
    (b) Quality of the project design. (Maximum 15 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs. (5 points)
    (c) Quality of project services. (Maximum 15 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary 
considers:
    (1) The extent to which the services provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services. (10 points)
    (2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice. (5 points)
    (d) Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    In addition, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator. (5 points)
    (2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (5 points)
    (e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) The Secretary 
considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In 
determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project. (3 points)
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. 
(2 points)
    (f) Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 20 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks. (10 points)
    (2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (5 points)
    (3) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (5 points)
    (g) Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (5 points)
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)
    (3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)
    2. Scoring Process: For five-year individual development grants, 
awards will be made in rank order according to the average score 
received from a panel of three readers. All NASNTI, Part F applications 
for individual development grants will be ranked together from the 
highest to the lowest score for funding purposes.
    3. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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

[[Page 20967]]

(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 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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) 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 Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the NASNTI Part F Program:
    a. The percentage change, over a five-year period, of the number of 
full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolling at NASNTIs. Note that 
this is a long-term measure, which will be used to periodically gauge 
performance;
    b. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at four-year NASNTIs who were in their first 
year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled 
in the current year at the same NASNTI;
    c. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at two-year NASNTIs who were in their first year 
of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in 
the current year at the same NASNTI;
    d. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at four-year NASNTIs who graduate 
within six years of enrollment; and
    e. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at two-year NASNTIs who graduate within 
three years of enrollment.
    In addition, the Department has developed the following efficiency 
measure for the NASNTI Part F Program. Efficiency measure: Federal cost 
per undergraduate degree at NASNTIs.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a 
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives 
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review 
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes 
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds 
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and 
budget. In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaTonya Brown or Darlene Collins, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC 
20006-8513. You may contact these individuals at the following e-mail 
addresses or telephone numbers:

[email protected]; (202) 502-7619,
[email protected]; (202) 502-7576.

    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 persons listed in section VII of this 
notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
this site.

    Dated: April 11, 2011.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-9117 Filed 4-13-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P