[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38374-38380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16480]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Literacy Information and 
Communication System Regional Professional Development Centers

AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of 
Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

    Literacy Information and Communication System Regional Professional 
Development Centers Program Notice inviting applications for new awards 
using fiscal year (FY) 2010 funds for FY 2011.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.191B.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: June 30, 2011.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: July 11, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 1, 2011.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Literacy Information and Communication 
System (LINCS) Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs) 
program is authorized under title II of the Workforce Investment Act of 
1998 (WIA) (20 U.S.C. 9253(2)(H)), the Adult Education and Family 
Literacy Act (AEFLA). Under section 243 of the AEFLA, the Secretary is 
authorized to establish and carry out a program of national leadership 
activities to enhance the quality of adult education and literacy 
programs nationwide. Through the LINCS RPDC grants funded under this 
competition, we intend to support evidenced-based virtual or in-person 
adult education professional development (AEPD) activities in order to 
assist educators who provide adult education services \1\ or adult 
education instruction \2\ to adult learners (adult educators). In 
addition, the LINCS RPDC grants will enhance the quality of adult 
education and literacy nationwide by disseminating information to each 
eligible agency responsible for administering or supervising policy for 
adult education and literacy programs under section 203(4) of the AEFLA 
\3\ (eligible agency), and to adult education and related organizations 
within each State and outlying area.
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    \1\ Adult education services (e.g., career counseling, 
transportation counseling, education counseling) are provided to 
adult learners by educators who may include staff of eligible 
providers identified in section 203(5) of the AEFLA, as well as 
State staff responsible for the implementation of adult education 
programs.
    \2\ Adult education instruction (e.g., instruction in basic 
literacy, mathematics, and English language skills) is provided to 
adult learners by educators who may include adult education teachers 
and other instructional personnel of eligible providers identified 
in section 203(5) of the AEFLA.
    \3\ Section 203(4) of the AEFLA defines the term ``eligible 
agency'' as ``the sole entity or agency in a State or an outlying 
area responsible for administering or supervising policy for adult 
education and literacy in the State or outlying area, respectively, 
consistent with the law of the State or outlying area, 
respectively.''
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    Background: President Obama is committed to ensuring that America 
will once again lead the world in college completion by 2020. To help 
achieve this goal, the Department supports States to improve the 
effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, strengthen the use of 
data to improve instruction, provide high-quality instruction based on 
rigorous college- and career-ready standards, and measure students' 
mastery of standards using high-quality assessments aligned with those 
standards. Improving the education and literacy of the adult learner 
population is an important component in attaining the President's goal. 
Improving adult literacy hinges on the dissemination and effective 
delivery of high-quality, evidence-based AEPD. For the past 16 years, 
LINCS Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) have been supported by funding 
under section 242 of the AEFLA. The LINCS network provides information 
on a wide variety of literacy-related topics and resources \4\ to 
assist adult educators in providing adult education services. As part 
of the LINCS network, the Department currently funds three LINCS RRCs, 
which collaborate with adult education and related organizations to 
disseminate high-quality literacy education resources (e.g., online 
materials) to adult educators, as well as to provide virtual and in-
person AEPD and technical assistance to adult educators. The current 
RRCs provide training and workshops for adult educators using 
evidenced-based materials and assist adult educators in using online 
adult education instructional resources available through the LINCS 
network. The project period for the three LINCs RRCs will end on 
September 30, 2011.
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    \4\ The LINCS network provides a centralized point of access to 
information about adult literacy and an infrastructure to facilitate 
communication for adult educators (see http://lincs.ed.gov/). The 
components of the LINCS network, coordinated by the Department, 
currently include (1) A resource collection of research- and 
evidence-based resources and online discussion lists on topics such 
as reading, mathematics, English as a second language, transitions 
to postsecondary education, and workforce preparation (the Resource 
Collection); (2) a technology database and Web site infrastructure 
provided under a technical services contract; and (3) a regional 
system of three LINCS Regional Resource Centers.
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    Through this competition, the Department plans to award up to four 
cooperative agreements to entities to serve as LINCS RPDCs.\5\ As 
outlined in the Demonstrate capacity requirement in this notice, the 
RPDCs to be supported through this competition are designed to: (1) 
Disseminate information on the materials and the AEPD in the LINCS 
Resource Collection \6\ to each eligible agency in the region that the 
applicant proposes to serve pursuant to the Select a region requirement 
in this notice (the applicant's selected region), and to adult 
education and related organizations within each State and outlying area 
in that region; (2) collaborate closely with eligible agencies to 
organize and deliver virtual or in-person AEPD; and (3) foster the use 
of new technologies, including virtual moderated communities of 
practice \7\ (CoP), for adult educators. The Department plans to award 
grants for the RPDCs under the terms of cooperative agreements, giving 
the Department substantial direct operational involvement in the 
management and implementation of the activities undertaken by the 
RPDCs.
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    \5\ The current cooperative agreements under section 242 of the 
AEFLA for the three LINCS RRCs expire September 30, 2011. The three 
current RRCs develop and deliver professional development to 
recipients approved by the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL). 
Congress did not appropriate funds for NIFL in FY 2010. Therefore, 
the LINCS projects will be funded under section 243 of the AEFLA, 
National Leadership Activities. The LINCS RPDCs funded under this 
competition will be required to use professional development 
designed by the LINCS Resource Collection contractor with direction 
from and approval by the Department.
    \6\ For more information on the LINCS Resource Collection, see 
http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/resourcecollections/resource_collections.html.
    \7\ Communities of practice are groups of people who share a 
concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it 
better as they interact regularly (see http://www.ewenger.com/theory/).
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    In conducting the required activities under the cooperative 
agreements awarded under this competition, LINCS RPDC grantees must: 
(1) Use the LINCS Resource Collection materials and other AEPD 
materials available on the Department's LINCS Web site for 
dissemination and AEPD, and (2) work collaboratively with the 
Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor and the LINCS 
technical services contractor to meet the project's goals, objectives, 
and outcomes as required in paragraph (a) of the Develop a project 
design requirement in this notice. By structuring the required 
activities under

[[Page 38375]]

the cooperative agreements in this way, the Department can build on 
earlier investments in the LINCS network and support new projects that 
use evidenced-based learning practices to improve adult literacy.
    We are requiring that applicants select a single region that they 
propose to serve and agree to provide AEPD to each eligible agency in 
each State and outlying area in that region, as well as to adult 
education and related organizations within each State and outlying area 
in that region. This regional structure, which aligns with the 
Department's regional organization for the administration of adult 
education program services,\8\ is designed to ensure that adult 
educators and each eligible agency have direct access to AEPD through a 
LINCS RPDC.
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    \8\ Adult education services are those services provided by the 
Division of Adult Education and Literacy within the Office of 
Vocational and Adult Education to support States in the 
administration of formula and discretionary grants under the AEFLA.
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    Priority: We are establishing this priority for a competition using 
FY 2010 funds in FY 2011, and any subsequent year in which we make 
awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 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 up to an 
additional 15 points to an application, depending on how well the 
application meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Demonstrated Experience in Providing Evidence-Based Professional 
Development for a Diverse Population of Adult Educators.
    This priority provides a competitive preference for applicants that 
demonstrate that they have previous experience in facilitating AEPD for 
adult educators, using both virtual and in-person formats. To meet this 
priority, in its application, an applicant must--
    (a) Describe the applicant's previous experience in providing AEPD 
to adult educators, using virtual and in-person formats;
    (b) Describe the characteristics of the populations of adult 
educators to whom the applicant has provided AEPD in the past, 
including, at a minimum--
    (1) The type of geographic location (e.g., urban, rural, suburban) 
of the adult educators to whom the applicant has provided AEPD; and
    (2) The institutional affiliation (e.g., public school, community 
college, correctional facility, community-based organization) of the 
adult educators to whom the AEPD was provided; and
    (c) Provide supporting evidence of the quality of the applicant's 
past AEPD by including at least one of the following:
    (1) A summary of the participant evaluation ratings for at least 
three of its past AEPD training sessions of 12 hours of instruction or 
more.
    (2) Letters endorsing the quality of the applicant's past AEPD from 
eligible agencies in at least three States or outlying areas within the 
applicant's selected region. Requirements: We are establishing these 
requirements for a competition using FY 2010 funds for FY 2011, and for 
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded 
applicants from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) 
of GEPA, 20, U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    1. Select a region. To be eligible for funding under this 
competition, an applicant must, in its application, select one of the 
following regions to serve during the project period and describe its 
rationale for selecting that region:
    (a) Region 1--Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, 
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, 
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin 
Islands.
    (b) Region 2--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, 
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, 
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
    (c) Region 3--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, 
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
    (d) Region 4--Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, 
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Guam, 
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and 
the Republic of Palau.
    2. Demonstrate capacity. To receive a grant under this competition, 
an applicant must demonstrate, in its application, that it has the 
capacity to--
    (a) Implement effective approaches to AEPD by establishing 
collaborations with adult education and related organizations that help 
adult educators use evidence-based instructional practices in the 
applicant's selected region;
    (b) Disseminate information about the materials and the AEPD in the 
LINCS Resource Collection to the eligible agency in each State and 
outlying area in the applicant's selected region and to adult education 
and related organizations within each State and outlying area in that 
region;
    (c) Work with the Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor 
and the LINCS technical services contractor to achieve the project 
goals, objectives, and outcomes of the application;
    (d) Provide AEPD to adult educators using the evidence-based 
resources in the LINCS Resource Collection;
    (e) Provide virtual or in-person AEPD, using materials from the 
LINCS Resource Collection, to each eligible agency in the applicant's 
selected region that requests AEPD;
    (f) Provide virtual or in-person AEPD through collaborations with 
adult education and related organizations by using various formats 
(e.g., workshops, on-line courses, or other formats identified by the 
applicant) to help adult educators use evidence-based instructional 
practices designed to improve adult learners' basic literacy, 
mathematics, and English language skills and increase adult learners' 
rates of progression along their educational or occupational pathways;
    (g) Organize and deliver AEPD that addresses priority AEPD topics 
identified in collaboration with the Department at the Department's 
post-award meeting;
    (h) Foster the use of new technologies, including virtual moderated 
CoPs, and provide training for adult educators in the use of those 
technologies, including virtual moderated CoPs, to improve adult 
education teaching and learning; and
    (i) Collect data on and evaluate the effectiveness of the training 
that it provides.
    3. Provide a comprehensive high-quality regional AEPD and 
dissemination plan. The applicant must include in its application a 
plan for the development, implementation, and dissemination of 
comprehensive high-quality regional AEPD that improves adult learners' 
basic literacy, mathematics, and English language skills, and increases 
adult learners' rates of progression along their educational or 
occupational pathways. In the plan, the applicant must specify the 
procedures it will use to--
    (a) Ensure 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;
    (b) Disseminate information about the materials and the AEPD in the 
LINCS Resource Collection to each eligible agency in the applicant's 
selected region, and to adult education and related organizations 
within each State and outlying area in that region;

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    (c) Assess the AEPD needs of adult educators in each State and 
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that requests AEPD;
    (d) Based on the results of the assessment described in paragraph 
(c) of this section, identify and provide evidence-based, cost-
effective AEPD using materials in the LINCS Resource Collection to the 
adult educators in each State and outlying area in the applicant's 
selected region that requests AEPD;
    (e) Enhance capacity of the RPDC to use various approaches to 
providing AEPD (on helping adult educators use evidence-based 
instructional practices) for each eligible agency in the applicant's 
selected region that will be receiving AEPD by establishing 
collaborations with adult education and related organizations;
    (f) Identify the factors that it will consider when determining 
which formats (in accordance with paragraph (f) of the Demonstrate 
capacity requirement in this notice) to use for providing AEPD to adult 
educators;
    (g) Organize and manage the AEPD that the RPDC will provide using 
its own staff or recognized AEPD trainers from the LINCS Resource 
Collection directory of AEPD trainers \9\ (AEPD trainers), or both;
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    \9\ Under the new contract to be awarded for the LINCS Resource 
Collection, a directory of AEPD trainers will be developed in 
consultation with the RPDCs and the Department. The AEPD trainers 
listed in this directory will be selected based on criteria that 
include content area expertise, experience, and knowledge related to 
adult education.
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    (h) Foster the use of new technologies, including virtual moderated 
CoPs, and provide AEPD to adult educators in the use of those 
technologies to improve the technology skills of adult educators;
    (i) Assess the outcomes of the AEPD it provides and the outcomes of 
its dissemination of AEPD-related information;
    (j) Plan and implement, in coordination with the Department, no 
less than two five-day AEPD sessions using Learning to Achieve \10\ for 
a minimum of 40 adult educators from the applicant's selected region; 
and
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    \10\ ``Learning to Achieve'' is a program offered in conjunction 
with the Department that is designed to build State capacity to 
increase the achievement of students with learning disabilities. 
This program includes an integrated set of research-based resources, 
and professional development materials based on the latest rigorous 
research. These resources and materials are designed to increase 
teacher effectiveness in providing services to adults with learning 
disabilities. Information about this program can be found at http://lincs.ed.gov/programs/learningtoachieve/learningtoachieve.html.
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    (k) Implement the AEPD sessions described in paragraph (j) of this 
section, by at a minimum--
    (1) Securing meeting facilities;
    (2) Providing materials and supplies; and
    (3) Implementing meeting logistics, including by--
    (A) Coordinating with the LINCS Resource Collection to ensure that 
the appropriate number of qualified AEPD trainers is assigned to each 
session; and
    (B) Planning the budget for costs related to--
    (i) Travel, per diem, and lodging for participants and trainers;
    (ii) Meeting facilities and equipment rental; and
    (iii) Meeting materials and supplies.
    4. Identify advisory partners and the extent of their 
participation. An applicant that is awarded a cooperative agreement 
under this competition must--
    (a) Identify at least one advisory partner in each State and 
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that will--
    (1) Assist in the implementation of the project;
    (2) Ensure equitable access to virtual or in-person AEPD for each 
State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region that 
requests such AEPD; and
    (3) Ensure efficient use of resources;
    (b) Include an advisory partner participation plan that describes--
    (1) The rationale for selecting the advisory partners;
    (2) How each advisory partner will--
    (i) Participate in the proposed project through conference calls, 
in person meetings, or other means identified by the applicant; and
    (ii) Assist the RPDC in achieving its project goals, objectives, 
and outcomes described in the Develop a project design requirement in 
this notice.
    (c) Provide a letter of commitment from each advisory partner that 
indicates each advisory partner's capacity to--
    (1) Assist in the dissemination of information about the materials 
and the AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators in 
their State or outlying area in the applicant's selected region;
    (2) Assist in identifying the AEPD needs of adult educators and 
eligible agencies in their State or outlying area in the applicant's 
selected region that request such AEPD; and
    (3) Assist in providing AEPD to adult educators and eligible 
agencies in States and outlying areas in the applicant's selected 
region that request such AEPD.
    5. Develop a project design. The applicant must submit, as part of 
its application, a project design for the proposed project. The project 
design must include--
    (a) Project goals, objectives, and outcomes for the three years of 
the proposed project, including but not limited to--
    (1) The methods for dissemination of information about the 
materials and AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators 
in each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region, and 
to adult education and related organizations within each State and 
outlying area in that region;
    (2) How the applicant will determine (in accordance with paragraph 
(f) of the Develop capacity requirement in this notice) the formats it 
will use to provide AEPD to the adult educators in each State and 
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that requests such 
AEPD;
    (3) The number of adult educators it proposes to provide AEPD in 
each year of the project;
    (4) How the applicant will involve the advisory partners in 
achieving the project goals, objectives, and outcomes; and
    (5) How the applicant will assess--
    (A) The effectiveness of its dissemination of information about the 
materials and AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators 
in each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region; and
    (B) The quality of the AEPD it provides to adult educators in each 
State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region that 
requests such AEPD.
    (b) A description of the process for implementing the priorities 
that will be established in collaboration with the Department at the 
Department's post-award meeting, for providing virtual or in-person 
AEPD to each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region 
that requests such AEPD.
    (c) A description of how the applicant would use data and 
information on first-year outcomes in paragraph (a) of this section to 
modify project goals, objectives, and outcomes for years two and three 
of the project period.
    (d) A description of how progress on each project goal, objective, 
and outcome would be reported, on a quarterly basis, to the Department.
    6. Propose a management plan. The applicant must submit, as part of 
its application, a management plan for the proposed project that--
    (a) Identifies activities to be undertaken to accomplish each 
project goal, objective, and outcome, including, at a minimum, the 
required project

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activities described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section;
    (b) Assigns responsibility for the completion of the activities 
identified in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section to specific 
project personnel, with the assistance of one or more advisory partners 
identified in the Identify advisory partners participation and the 
extent of their participation requirement in this notice when 
appropriate, and specifies timelines that will result in the timely 
completion of all required project activities;
    (c) Describes how the applicant proposes to coordinate its project 
activities with--
    (1) Eligible agencies and organizations responsible for adult 
education projects in the applicants' selected region;
    (2) Other RPDCs;
    (3) The Department and, as appropriate, other similar projects 
funded by the Department, in order to maximize the impact of the RPDC's 
activities that, at a minimum, must include--
    (A) Attendance at the Department's biannual meetings of RPDC 
project directors and Department adult education project staff in order 
to--
    (i) Report to the Department on the progress of its project goals, 
objectives, and outcomes; and
    (ii) Identify and discuss common AEPD issues, strategies, and 
promising practices;
    (B) Participation in monthly conference calls and other telephone 
or electronic meetings with the Department, as necessary;
    (d) Provide assurance that the applicant will meet the following 
requirements--
    (1) Attend a post-award meeting in Washington, DC, in order to--
    (A) Discuss grantee project goals, objectives, outcomes, and 
activities;
    (B) Work with the Department and other grantees to develop a plan 
for the coordination of AEPD among RPDC grantees; and
    (C) Address management and accountability issues, such as, but not 
limited to--
    (i) Determining the methods for reporting the effectiveness of the 
RPDC's efforts to--
    (I) Disseminate information about the materials and AEPD in the 
LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators in each State and outlying 
area in the applicant's selected region; and
    (II) Provide AEPD to the adult educators in each State and outlying 
area that requests such AEPD in the applicant's selected region; and
    (ii) Establishing AEPD priorities in collaboration with the 
Department; and
    (2) Provide presentations related to the work of the grantee's RPDC 
at--
    (A) Department-sponsored meetings for eligible agency directors of 
adult education programs; and
    (B) The annual meeting of the Commission on Adult Basic Education 
(COABE);
    (e) Provides evidence that the time commitments of the project 
director and other key project personnel are appropriate to the 
activities assigned; and
    (f) Provides a plan for monitoring the implementation of the AEPD 
it will provide under the proposed project.
    7. Identify project personnel. In its application, the applicant 
must--
    (a) Identify 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.
    (b) Document the qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of the project director and key project personnel that 
clearly demonstrates their abilities to successfully implement assigned 
project tasks.
    8. Provide adequate resources. In its application, the applicant 
must--
    (a) Provide evidence of the level of support that the applicant and 
its advisory partners would provide to the proposed project (e.g., 
facilities, equipment, supplies, or other resources); and
    (b) Demonstrate that the applicant's proposed budget is adequate to 
support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation 
to the number of AEPD participants; the overall project goals, 
objectives, and outcomes; and the design of the proposed project.

    Note: As indicated elsewhere in this notice, we plan to make 
each award under this program under the terms of a cooperative 
agreement between each grantee and the Department. We expect to have 
substantial and direct operational involvement in the management of 
the funded RPDCs and to work closely with grantees on project 
implementation and on plans for AEPD and project activities, 
including by facilitating the collaboration between grantees and the 
Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor and the LINCS 
technical services contractor. We will review and approve all 
project activities based on the reports of progress on the goals, 
objectives, and outcomes during the project period. We will halt a 
project activity if it is not consistent with project requirements 
or does not align with the application's project goals, objectives, 
and outcomes.

    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 requirements, priorities, 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 this program 
under section 243 of the AEFLA and, therefore, qualifies for this 
exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has 
decided to forgo public comment on the priority and requirements in 
this notice under the authority of section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. The 
priority and requirements set forth in this notice apply to the 
competition using FY 2010 funds in FY 2011 and any subsequent year in 
which we make awards to grantees selected from the list of unfunded 
applicants from this competition.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 9253(2)(H).

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

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Cooperative agreements.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,475,000 is available from the FY 2010 
appropriations for the implementation of the AEFLA for the first 12 
months of this project period. Funding for years 2 through 3 is subject 
to the availability of funds and to a grantee meeting the requirements 
of 34 CFR 75.253.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000 to $386,000 for the first 12 
months.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $368,750 for the first budget 
period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 4.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months. Applicants under this competition 
are required to provide detailed budget information for each year of 
the proposed project and for the total grant. Continuation awards are 
contingent on a grantee's progress, as provided in section 75.253 of 
EDGAR, and on the availability of appropriations.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to 
apply under this competition:
    (a) Institutions of higher education.
    (b) Public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations.

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    (c) Consortia of eligible institutions, organizations, or agencies. 
Eligible applicants seeking to apply as a consortium must comply with 
the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, which address group 
applications.
    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: Noreen Lopez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 11012, Potomac 
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-
6309 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 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: The Department will be able to develop a 
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a 
better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for 
funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary encourages 
each potential applicant to notify the Department by sending a short e-
mail message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an application 
for funding. The e-mail should include only the applicant's intent to 
submit an application; it does not need to include information 
regarding the content of the proposed application. This e-mail 
notification should be sent no later than: July 11, 2011 to Noreen 
Lopez at: [email protected]. Please include ``LINCS RPDC 
Application'' in the subject line of your electronic message. We will 
consider an application submitted by the deadline date for transmittal 
of applications even if the applicant did not provide notice of its 
intent to apply. Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail 
notification may still apply for funding.
    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 on 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 12 point or larger or no smaller than 
10 pitch (charters 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, 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.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: June 30, 2011.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 11, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 1, 2011.
    Applications for grants under this project 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 
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.
    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, 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 competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in

[[Page 38379]]

accordance with the instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the LINCS Regional Professional 
Development Centers, CFDA Number 84.191B, must be submitted 
electronically using the Governmentwide 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. 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.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Noreen Lopez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., PCP, Room 11012, 
Washington, DC 20202-7240. FAX: (202) 245-7171.
    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 
84.191B), 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 84.191B), 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 selection criteria for this competition 
are from EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.210, and are as follows:
    Quality of the Project Design: (34 CFR 75.210(c)(1), (c)(2)(i) and 
(ii), (c)(2)(v), (c)(2)(x), (c)(2)(xiii), (c)(2)(xvii) and (c)(2)(xxi).
    Quality of Project Services: (34 CFR 75.210(d)(1), (d)(2), 
(d)(3)(i), (d)(3)(ii), (d)(3)(iii), (d)(3)(v), (d)(3)(ix) and 
(d)(3)(x)).
    Quality of Project Personnel: (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (e)(2), 
(e)(3)(i) and (e)(3)(ii)).
    Adequacy of Resources: (34 CFR 75.210(f)(1), (f)(2)(i), (f)(2)(ii), 
(f)(2)(iii) and (f)(2)(v)).
    Quality of the Management Plan: (34 CFR 75.210 (g)(1), and 
(g)(2)(i), (g)(2)(ii) and (g)(2)(iv)).
    The text of these selection criteria is provided in the application 
package.
    2. 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).
    3. 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 (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.

[[Page 38380]]

    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 each quarter you must submit to the Secretary a 
report on your progress in meeting each project goal, objective, and 
outcome.
    (c) 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: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, Federal departments and agencies must clearly 
describe the project objectives of programs, identify resources and 
actions needed to accomplish the project objectives, develop a means of 
measuring progress made, and regularly report on achievement. To assist 
the Department in determining the overall effectiveness of projects 
funded under this competition, grantees must be prepared to measure and 
report on the following measures of effectiveness:
    (a) The number of eligible agencies and adult education and related 
organizations to which the LINCS RPDC disseminates information 
regarding the materials and the AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection.
    (b) The number of adult educators participating in AEPD offered by 
the RPDC.
    (c) The number of hours of AEPD offered by the RPDC that are 
completed by adult educators.
    (d) The percentage of adult educators participating in the RPDC's 
AEPD who implemented evidence-based practices in their instruction as a 
result of their completion of the AEPD.
    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 grant, 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 Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noreen Lopez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 11012, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-6309, 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: 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.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: http://www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: June 27, 2011.
Brenda Dann-Messier,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-16480 Filed 6-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P