[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28582-28588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11680]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Undergraduate International Studies 
and Foreign Language (UISFL) Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

    Overview Information:
    Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) 
Program.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.016A.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: May 15, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 29, 2012.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 28, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The UISFL program provides grants to strengthen 
and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and 
foreign languages.
    Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference 
priorities and two invitational priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), Competitive Preference Priority 1--Increasing Foreign 
Language Capacity is from section 604(a)(5) of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965, as amended (HEA). In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), 
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Expanding Opportunities for Learning 
Foreign Languages and Increasing In-service Professional Development 
Opportunities for K-12 Teachers is from section 604(a)(2)(B)(ii) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2012, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we 
award an additional five points to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 1--Increasing Foreign Language Capacity 
and up to an additional five points to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 2--Expanding Opportunities for Learning 
Foreign Languages and Increasing In-service Professional Development 
Opportunities for K-12 Teachers.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Increasing Foreign Language 
Capacity. Applications from institutions of higher education (IHEs), 
consortia, or partnerships of these institutions that require entering 
students to have successfully completed at least two years of secondary 
school foreign language instruction or that require each graduating 
student to earn two years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language 
(or have demonstrated equivalent competence in the foreign language) 
or, in the case of a 2-year degree granting institution, offer two 
years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Expanding Opportunities for 
Learning Foreign Languages and Increasing In-service Professional 
Development Opportunities for K-12 Teachers.

[[Page 28583]]

Applications that expand opportunities for learning foreign languages, 
including less commonly taught languages; or that support in-service 
teacher professional development. Note: Applicants addressing the 
priority on expanding opportunities for learning foreign languages 
might want to consider projects that would expand curriculum offerings 
to include courses in any of the 78 priority languages selected from 
the U.S. Department of Education's list of less commonly taught 
languages (LCTLs) that would otherwise not be offered or courses that 
would enable undergraduates to achieve a more advanced level of 
proficiency in a less commonly taught language that would otherwise not 
have been possible.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 2012, these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an 
application that meets either of these priorities a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    These priorities are:
    Invitational Priority 1--Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and 
Community Colleges.
    Background: In the past, recipients of international education 
funding consisted primarily of traditional four-year institutions and 
few MSIs. The Secretary believes that international education 
opportunities should be available to all U.S. postsecondary students 
from all types of IHEs. Thus, the Secretary is interested in increasing 
the diversity of institutions funded through the UISFL program by 
inviting applicants representing a variety of types of institutions, 
including MSIs eligible for assistance under Part A or B of Title III 
or under Title V of the HEA and community colleges, to apply for 
funding under this competition.
    Priority:
    We encourage applications MSIs, especially those that are eligible 
to receive assistance under Part A or B of Title III or under Title V 
of the HEA, and from community colleges.
    Invitational Priority 2--Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs).
    We encourage applications that propose programs or activities 
focused on language instruction or the development of area or 
international studies programs to include language instruction in any 
of the 78 priority languages selected from the U.S. Department of 
Education's list of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs).
    This list includes the following: Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, 
Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), Armenian, Azeri (Azerbaijani), Balochi, 
Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara, Mandikan, Mandingo, Maninka, Dyula), 
Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), Berber (all languages), Bosnian, 
Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), Chechen, Chinese (Cantonese), 
Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Min), Chinese (Wu), 
Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa, Hebrew (Modern), 
Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, 
Khmer (Cambodian), Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kurdish 
(Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), Malayalam, Marathi, 
Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Polish, 
Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, 
Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, 
Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur/
Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

    Note: The Secretary developed this list of languages in 
accordance with section 601(c) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1121(c), in 
consultation with the head officials of a wide range of Federal 
agencies. As part of this consultation, the Secretary also received 
recommendations regarding national need for expertise in foreign 
languages and world regions. The Secretary has taken these 
recommendations into account in developing this this list of 
priority languages. A list of foreign languages and world regions 
identified as areas of national need may be found using at the 
following Web sites: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/languageneeds.html and http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/consultation-2012.pdf.

    Also included on these Web sites are the specific recommendations 
the Secretary received from Federal agencies.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1124.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (b) 
The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 
34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (c) The 
regulations in 34 CFR parts 655 and 658.

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


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $1,794,040.
    Estimated Range of Awards: For single applicant grants: $70,000-
$120,000. For consortia grants: $80,000-$200,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: For single applicant grants: 
$89,000. For consortia grants: $140,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $120,000 from a single applicant for a 12-month budget 
period, or a budget exceeding $200,000 from an applicant that is a 
consortium of IHEs/organizations/associations for a 12-month budget 
period. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change 
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 15.

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

    Project Period: For single applicant grants: Up to 24 months. For 
consortia grants: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) IHEs; (2) Consortia of IHEs; (3) 
Partnerships between nonprofit educational organizations and IHEs; and 
(4) Public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations, including 
professional and scholarly associations.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program has a matching 
requirement under section 604(a)(3) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1124(a)(3), 
and the regulations for this program in 34 CFR 658.41. UISFL program 
grantees must provide matching funds in either of the following ways: 
(i) Cash contributions from private sector corporations or foundations 
equal to one-third of the total project costs; or (ii) a combination of 
institutional and non-institutional cash or in-kind contributions 
including contributions from State and private sector corporations or 
foundations, equal to one-half of the total project costs. The 
Secretary may waive or reduce the required matching share for 
institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under part A or 
part B of Title III or under Title V of the HEA that have submitted an 
application that demonstrates a need for a waiver or reduction.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. See Part V. paragraph 5.(D) of this 
notice for further information regarding this requirement.

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,

[[Page 28584]]

use the following address: http://grants.gov. 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) or a text telephone (TTY), 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 the 
competition as follows: CFDA number 84.016A.
    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, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than 
40 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, 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, and graphs.
     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 40-page limit does not apply to Part I, the 
Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the 
supplemental information form required by the Department of Education; 
Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification (ED Form 524); Part IV, assurances, certifications, and 
the response to Section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act 
(GEPA); the table of contents; the one-page project abstract; or the 
appendices. If you include any attachments or appendices not 
specifically requested, these items will be counted as part of the 
program narrative [Part III] for purposes of the page limit 
requirement.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: May 15, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 29, 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 28, 2012.
    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 regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the 
Department of Education, (1) you must--
    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 two-to-five 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 UISFL program, CFDA number 
84.016A, 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

[[Page 28585]]

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 the UISFL 
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not 
include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 
84.016, not 84.016A).
    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 competition 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 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 
Format) 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.
     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 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 problems 
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: Michelle Guilfoil, 
Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., room 6098, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.
    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.

[[Page 28586]]

    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 84.016A), 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 84.016A), 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 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. General: For the FY 2012 UISFL competition, applications are 
randomly grouped regardless of language or area studies region. 
International education experts are organized into panels of three and 
will review each application.
    2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 658.31, 658.32, 658.33, and 655.32 and are listed in this 
section.
    All Applications. All applications will be evaluated based on the 
following criteria: (a) Plan of operation (15 points); (b) Quality of 
key personnel (10 points); (c) Budget and cost effectiveness (10 
points); (d) Evaluation plan (20 points); and (e) Adequacy of resources 
(5 points).
    Applications from IHEs, or combinations of IHEs.
    All applications submitted by an IHE or a consortium/partnership of 
IHEs will also be evaluated based on the following criteria: (a) 
Commitment to international education (15 points); (b) Elements of the 
proposed international studies program (10 points); and (c) Need for 
and prospective results of the proposed program (15 points).
    Applications from Educational Organizations and Associations. All 
applications from non-profit educational organizations and associations 
will also be evaluated based on the following criterion: (a) Commitment 
to international education (10 points); and (b) Need for and potential 
impact of the proposed project in improving international studies and 
the study of modern foreign language at the undergraduate level (30 
points).
    Additional information regarding these criteria is in the 
application package for this program. The total number of points 
available under these selection criteria, combined with the competitive 
preference priorities is as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                            UISFL             UISFL
         Selection criteria             institutional    organizations &
                                        applications      associations
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plan of Operation...................                15                15
Key Personnel.......................                10                10
Budget & Cost Effectiveness.........                10                10
Evaluation Plan.....................                20                20
Adequacy of Resources...............                 5                 5
Commitment to International                         15                10
 Education..........................
Elements of Proposed International                  10               n/a
 Studies Program....................
Need for & Prospective Results of                   15               n/a
 Proposed Program...................
Need for & Potential Impact of the                 n/a                30
 Proposed Project in Improving
 International Studies & the Study
 of Modern Foreign Languages at the
 Undergraduate Level................
Sub-Total...........................               100               100
Additional Competitive Preference                   10                10
 Priorities (Optional)..............
Total Possible Points...............               110               110
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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

[[Page 28587]]

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.
    5. Application Requirements: In addition to any other requirements 
outlined in the application package for this program, section 604(a)(7) 
of the HEA requires that each application include--
    (A) Evidence that the applicant has conducted extensive planning 
prior to submitting the application;
    (B) An assurance that the faculty and administrators of all 
relevant departments and programs served by the applicant are involved 
in ongoing collaboration with regard to achieving the stated objectives 
of the application;
    (C) An assurance that students at the applicant institutions, as 
appropriate, will have equal access to, and derive benefits from, the 
UISFL program;
    (D) An assurance that each institution, combination or partnership 
will use the Federal assistance provided under the UISFL program to 
supplement and not supplant non-Federal funds the institution expends 
for programs to improve undergraduate instruction in international 
studies and foreign languages;
    (E) A description of how the applicant will provide information to 
students regarding federally funded scholarship programs in related 
areas;
    (F) An explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will 
reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate 
debate on world regions and international affairs, where applicable; 
and
    (G) A description of how the applicant will encourage service in 
areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary.

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. Grantees are required to use the electronic data instrument 
International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete the final 
report. 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: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, recently updated with the GPRA Modernization Act 
of 2010 on January 4, 2011, the Department will use the following 
performance measure to evaluate the success of the UISFL program:
    Percentage of critical languages addressed/covered by foreign 
language major, minor, or certificate programs created or enhanced; or 
by language courses created or enhanced; or by faculty or instructor 
positions created with UISFL or matching funds in the reporting period.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for this measure. 
Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at: http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/uisfl.pdf.
    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: Michelle Guilfoil, Undergraduate 
International Studies and Foreign Language Program, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6098, Washington, DC 20006-8521. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7625 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) 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 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.


[[Page 28588]]


    Dated: May 9, 2012.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-11680 Filed 5-14-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P