[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 251 (Friday, December 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82286-82291]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33607]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Disability and Rehabilitation 
Research Projects and Centers Program--Advanced Rehabilitation Research 
Training (ARRT) Projects

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--
Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training (ARRT) Projects.
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2012.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.133P-1.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: December 30, 2011.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: January 20, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 28, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide 
advanced research training and experience to individuals with 
doctorates, or similar advanced degrees, who have clinical or other 
relevant experience. ARRT projects train rehabilitation researchers, 
including researchers with disabilities, with particular attention to 
research areas that support the implementation and objectives of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Act), and that improve the 
effectiveness of services authorized under the Act.

    Note: This program is in concert with NIDRR's currently approved 
long range plan (the Plan). The Plan is comprehensive and integrates 
many issues relating to disability and rehabilitation research 
topics. The Plan, which was published in the Federal Register on 
February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8166), can be accessed on the Internet at 
the following site: http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2006-1/021506d.html

    Through the implementation of the Plan, NIDRR seeks to (1) improve 
the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation research; (2) 
foster an exchange of expertise, information, and training to 
facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding of the unique 
needs of individuals with disabilities from traditionally underserved 
populations; (3) determine the best strategies and programs to improve 
rehabilitation outcomes for individuals with disabilities from 
underserved populations; (4) identify research gaps; (5) identify 
mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and (6) disseminate 
findings.
    Priorities: This program contains one absolute and one invitational 
priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this absolute 
priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 350.12 and 
350.64 through 350.65).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2012, and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:

Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects

    ARRT projects must (1) recruit and select candidates for advanced 
research training; (2) provide a training program that includes 
didactic and classroom instruction, is multidisciplinary, and 
emphasizes scientific methodology, and may involve collaboration among 
institutions; (3) provide research experience, laboratory experience or 
its equivalent in a community-based research setting, and a practicum 
that involve each individual in clinical research and in practical 
activities with organizations representing individuals with 
disabilities; (4) provide academic mentorship or guidance, and 
opportunities for scientific collaboration

[[Page 82287]]

with qualified researchers at the host university and other appropriate 
institutions; and (5) provide opportunities for participation in the 
development of professional presentations and publications, and for 
attendance at professional conferences and meetings, as appropriate for 
the individual's field of study and level of experience.
    An ARRT project must provide training to individuals for at least 
one academic year, unless a longer training period is necessary to 
ensure that each trainee is qualified to conduct independent research 
upon completion of the course of training; and (2) require trainees to 
devote at least 80 percent of their time to the activities of the 
training program during the training period.

    Note:  We expect applicants to articulate goals, objectives, and 
expected outcomes for the research training activities. Applicants 
should describe expected public benefits of these training 
activities, especially benefits for individuals with disabilities, 
and propose projects that are optimally designed to demonstrate 
outcomes that are consistent with the proposed goals. Applicants are 
encouraged to include information describing how they will measure 
outcomes, including the indicators for determining that results have 
occurred. Submission of this measurement information is voluntary, 
except where required by the selection criteria listed in the 
application package.

    Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following invitational priority.
    Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    For FY 2012, the Secretary is particularly interested in 
applications that provide advanced research training to eligible 
individuals to enhance the capacity to conduct high-quality 
multidisciplinary disability policy research, aimed at improving the 
data sources, analytic strategies, and evidence base used to inform 
policy and program development affecting individuals with disabilities 
in the major life domains of employment, health and function and 
community living and participation.

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(k).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 
82, 84, 85, 86, and 97. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR 
part 350.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $600,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $147,000 to $150,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $150,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $150,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.

    Note: Consistent with 34 CFR 75.562, indirect cost reimbursement 
for a training grant is limited to eight percent of a modified total 
direct cost base, defined as total direct costs less stipends, 
tuition and related fees, equipment and the amount of each subaward 
in excess of $25,000. Indirect costs can also be determined in the 
grantee's negotiated indirect cost rate agreement if that amount is 
less than the amount calculated under the formula above.

    Estimated Number of Awards: 4.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months. We will reject any application 
that proposes a project period exceeding 60 months. The Assistant 
Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change 
the maximum project period through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching. However, any applicant may voluntarily promise to 
share in the cost of the ARRT project by supplementing the amount of 
the stipend paid to trainees with additional funds beyond the maximum 
awarded under this program. The policies governing grantee cost-sharing 
or matching are as follows:
    a. Cost-sharing or matching is the portion of project costs not 
borne by the Federal Government. Applications submitted under this 
program with voluntary cost-sharing to supplement trainee stipends must 
use funds from non-Federal sources.
    b. Any cost-sharing promised by the grantee in its application must 
be fully documented and accounted for in the grantee's budget and 
expenditure records and reports. Applications submitted for funding 
that have voluntary cost-sharing must include--
     The specific contributions proposed;
     The source of the cost-sharing; and
     In the case of in-kind contributions, a description of how 
the value was determined for the donated or contributed services or 
goods.
    c. It is the policy of the Department that this additional cost 
share or match becomes part of the grantee's budget and therefore a 
condition of the grant. According to 34 CFR 74.25, any changes to an 
applicant's budget can be made only with the prior written approval of 
the Department.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following 
address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S. 
Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. 
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: [email protected].
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this program as follows: CFDA number 84.133P.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, are in the application 
package for this program, including the requirement for an applicant to 
provide assurances that it will comply with 34 CFR 350.64 and 350.65. 
The application package also provides the forms you must submit. 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. We recommend that you limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 75 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all

[[Page 82288]]

text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page 
limit does apply to all of the application project narrative section 
(Part III).
    Applicants should consult NIDRR's Long-Range Plan when preparing 
their applications. The Plan is organized around the following research 
domains and arenas: (1) Community Living and Participation; (2) Health 
and Function; (3) Technology; (4) Employment; and (5) Demographics. 
Applicants should indicate, for each application, the domain or arena 
under which they are applying. In their applications, applicants should 
clearly indicate whether they are applying for a research grant in the 
area of (1) Community Living and Participation; (2) Health and 
Function; (3) Technology; (4) Employment; or (5) Demographics.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: December 30, 2011.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: Interested parties are invited to 
participate in a pre-application meeting and to receive information and 
technical assistance through individual consultation with NIDRR staff. 
The pre-application meeting will be held on January 20, 2012. 
Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call 
with NIDRR staff from the Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Washington, DC time. 
NIDRR staff also will be available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the same day, by telephone, to provide 
information and technical assistance through individual consultation. 
For further information or to make arrangements to participate in the 
meeting via conference call or for an individual consultation, contact 
Marlene Spencer, U.S. Department of Education, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), room 5133, 550 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: 
(202) 245-7532 or by email: [email protected].
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 28, 2012.
    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 
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 not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    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 at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
    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 ARRT Projects program, CFDA 
Number 84.133P-1, must be submitted electronically using the 
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at 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 email 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.
    You may access the electronic grant application for ARRT Projects 
at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application 
package for this program by CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA 
number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.133, not 
84.133P).
    Please note the following:

[[Page 82289]]

     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 
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 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 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 homepage 
at 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 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 upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a .PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable .PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable .PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not 
review that material. Additional, detailed information on how to attach 
files is in the application instructions.
     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 email. 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 theGrants.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 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 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 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 
prevent 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: Marlene Spencer, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5133, Potomac 
Center Plaza Washington, DC 20202-2700. FAX: (202) 245-7323.
    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 84.133P-1) LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland

[[Page 82290]]

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 84.133P-1), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 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 program 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 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 350.54 and are listed 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.
    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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
research program, NIDRR assesses the quality of its funded projects 
through review of grantee performance and products. Each year, NIDRR 
examines a portion of its grantees to determine the extent to which 
grantees are conducting high-quality research and related activities 
that lead to high quality products. Performance measures for the ARRT 
Projects program include--
     The percentage of NIDRR-supported fellows, post-doctoral 
trainees, and doctoral students who publish results of NIDRR-sponsored 
research in refereed journals.
     The average number of publications per award based on 
NIDRR-funded research and development activities in refereed journals.
    NIDRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their 
Annual Performance Reports (APRs) to assess performance. NIDRR also 
determines, using information submitted as part of the grantees' APR, 
the number of publications in refereed journals that are based on 
NIDRR-funded research and development activities.
    Department of Education program performance reports, which include 
information on NIDRR programs, are available on the Department's Web 
site: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/sas/index.html.
    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

[[Page 82291]]

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: Either Lynn Medley or Marlene Spencer 
as follows: Lynn Medley, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW., room 5140, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 
245-7338 or by email: [email protected]. Marlene Spencer, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5133, PCP, 
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7532 or by email: 
[email protected].
    If you use a TDD call the Federal Relay Service, 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 compact disc) by contacting 
the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, 
at 1-(800) 877-8339.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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: 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 the 
site. You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: December 27, 2011.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-33607 Filed 12-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P