[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 132 (Tuesday, July 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40591-40596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-16839]


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

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Veterans Upward Bound Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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

Overview Information; Veterans Upward Bound Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.047V.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: July 10, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 9, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Upward Bound (UB) Program is one of the 
seven programs known as the Federal TRIO Programs, which provide 
postsecondary educational support for qualified individuals from 
disadvantaged backgrounds. The UB Program is a discretionary grant 
program that supports projects designed to provide the skills and 
motivation necessary to complete a program of secondary education and 
to enter and succeed in a program of postsecondary education. There are 
three types of grants under the UB Program: Regular UB grants, UB Math 
and Science (UBMS) grants, and Veterans UB (VUB) grants. This notice 
announces the deadlines and other information only for VUB grants.
    The VUB Program supports projects designed to prepare, motivate, 
and assist military veterans in the development of academic and other 
skills necessary for acceptance into and success in a program of 
postsecondary education.
    The President has set a clear goal for our education system: By 
2020, the United States will once again lead the world in college 
attainment. The Department views the VUB Program as a critical 
component in the effort to improve the quality of educational 
opportunities so that more veterans are well prepared for college and 
careers. To more strategically align VUB with overarching reform 
strategies for postsecondary completion, the Department is announcing 
two competitive preference priorities for this competition.
    Priorities: There are two competitive preference priorities in this 
notice: Competitive Preference Priority 1--Enabling More Data-Based 
Decision-Making and Competitive Preference Priority 2--Improving 
Productivity. The two priorities are from the notice of final 
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant 
programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 
78486) and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637).
    For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in which the Department makes 
awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), we award additional points (up to 5 points for 
Competitive Preference Priority 1 and up to 5 points for Competitive 
Preference Priority 2) to an application, depending on how well the 
application meets each of these priorities.

    Note: Applicants must include in the one-page abstract submitted 
with the application a statement indicating which competitive 
preference priority or priorities they have addressed. The priority 
or priorities addressed in the application must also be listed on 
the VUB Program Profile Sheet.

    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Enabling More Data-Based 
Decision-Making (Up to 5 additional points).
    Background: The Department is using Competitive Preference Priority 
1--Enabling More Data-Based Decision-Making because data can be a 
crucial source of information in helping programs better serve the 
needs of participants and increase the odds that participants will 
pursue and succeed in postsecondary education. For VUB grantees, 
accurate and trustworthy data--particularly information from 
postsecondary education data systems about the outcomes of prior 
participants the grantee has served--provides an important way to gauge 
effectiveness and guide decisions regarding resource allocation and 
improvements.
    Priority: Projects that are designed to collect (or obtain), 
analyze, and use high-quality and timely data, including data on 
program participant outcomes, in accordance with privacy requirements 
(as defined in this notice), in the following priority areas:
    (a) Improving postsecondary student outcomes relating to 
enrollment, persistence, and completion and leading to career success, 
and
    (b) Providing reliable and comprehensive information on the 
implementation of Department of Education programs, and participant 
outcomes in these programs, by using data from State longitudinal data 
systems or by obtaining data from reliable third-party sources.

    Note: Applicants proposing to use data to improve decision-
making might want to

[[Page 40592]]

consider demonstrating their ability to access, through the State's 
longitudinal data system or other reliable third-party sources, 
high-quality, timely, accurate, and reliable data on postsecondary 
enrollment, course taking, persistence, and completion. Applicants 
may also want to consider discussing how they would incorporate 
these data into their projects to increase transparency and improve 
decision making on the part of veteran participants, especially with 
respect to preparing for, evaluating, and selecting a program of 
postsecondary education.

    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Improving Productivity (Up to 5 
additional points).
    Background: The Department is using Competitive Preference Priority 
2--Improving Productivity because it believes that it is more important 
than ever to support projects that are designed to significantly 
increase efficiency in the use of resources while improving student 
outcomes. A key performance measure for the VUB Program is the 
efficiency measure--cost per successful outcome, where a successful 
outcome is defined by the percentage of students enrolling in 
postsecondary education one year after program completion. Applicants 
proposing projects designed to decrease their cost per participant 
while improving student outcomes will be more likely to perform well on 
this efficiency measure.
    Priority: Projects that are designed to significantly increase 
efficiency in the use of time, staff, money, or other resources while 
improving student learning or other educational outcomes (i.e., outcome 
per unit of resource). Such projects may include innovative and 
sustainable uses of technology, modification of school schedules and 
teacher compensation systems, use of open educational resources (as 
defined in the notice), or other strategies.

    Note: The types of projects identified above are suggestions for 
ways to improve productivity. The Department recognizes that some of 
these examples, such as modification of teacher compensation 
systems, may not be relevant for this notice. Other strategies for 
productivity could include the use of technology, coordination of 
services, or innovative collaboration with local, State or Federal 
agencies that have an interest in serving veterans.


    Note: Applicants addressing this priority might want to consider 
explaining how they will serve the same or an increased number of 
students at a lower cost per participant while improving or keeping 
steady student outcomes. Applicants might also want to consider 
describing how they will achieve this productivity by increasing 
efficiency in the use of resources.

    Definitions: The following definitions are from the notice of final 
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant 
programs, published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 
78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and apply to 
Competitive Preference Priority 1 and Competitive Preference Priority 
2.
    Open educational resources (OER) means teaching, learning, and 
research resources that reside in the public domain or have been 
released under an intellectual property license that permits their free 
use or repurposing by others.
    Privacy requirements means the requirements of the Family 
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and its 
implementing regulations in 34 CFR part 99, the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 
552a, as well as all applicable Federal, State, and local requirements 
regarding privacy.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 20 U.S.C. 1070a-13.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, (except for 
75.215 through 75.221), 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The 
Education Department suspension and debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 
3485. (c) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 645. (d) The 
notice of final supplemental priorities and definitions for 
discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 
27637).

    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 institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $10,124,058.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000 to $542,529.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $280,429.
    Maximum Award: For new applicants or existing grantees proposing to 
serve a new target area, the maximum award is equal to $250,000 to 
serve at least 125 eligible participants at a cost per participant that 
does not exceed $2,000.
    For existing grantees: For an applicant that is currently receiving 
a VUB Program grant and applying for a grant to serve the same target 
area, the maximum award amount is equal to the greater of: (a) $250,000 
to serve at least 125 participants or (b) an amount equal to the 
applicant's grant award amount for FY 2007, the first year of the 
previous grant cycle, to serve a number of participants such that the 
per participant cost does not exceed $2,250. The applicant must propose 
to serve at least 125 participants.
    For example, an applicant that is eligible for a grant of $294,750 
(an amount equal to the applicant's FY 2007 grant award) and is 
applying for the full $294,750 must propose to serve at least 131 
participants.
    For an applicant that is currently receiving a VUB Program grant 
that is serving at least 125 participants, but at a cost per 
participant exceeding $2,250, the applicant must either: (1) Propose to 
continue to serve at least 125 participants, but at a reduced award 
amount that is based on a $2,250 cost per participant (e.g. $281,250 to 
serve 125 participants at a $2,250 cost per participant); or (2) 
request an award amount equal to the applicant's grant award amount for 
FY 2007, but increase the number of participants proposed to be served, 
such that the per participant cost does not exceed $2,250.
    For an applicant that is currently receiving a VUB Program grant 
that serves fewer than 125 participants, the applicant must propose to 
serve at least 125 participants, even if current per participant cost 
levels are at or below $2,250. For example, an applicant that is 
eligible for a grant of $250,000 (an amount equal to the applicant's FY 
2007 grant award) and is applying for the full $250,000 must propose to 
serve at least 125 participants at a cost per participant of $2,000.
    Pursuant to 34 CFR 645.43(a), we will reject any application that 
proposes a budget exceeding the maximum amount described in this 
section for a single budget period of 12 months. We will also reject 
any application that proposes a budget to serve fewer than 125 
participants or proposes a budget that exceeds the maximum per 
participant cost, as explained earlier in this section.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 34.

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

    Project Period: 60 months.

[[Page 40593]]

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education; public 
and private agencies and organizations, including community-based 
organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth; secondary 
schools; and combinations of these institutions, agencies, and 
organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: An applicant may submit more than one application for a 
VUB grant as long as each application describes a project that serves a 
different target area or target school or another designated different 
population (34 CFR 645.20(a)). The Secretary is not designating any 
additional populations for which an applicant may submit a separate 
application under this competition (34 CFR 645.20(b)).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the Internet by downloading the package from 
the program Web site at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/triovub/index.html. You can also request a copy of the application package 
from: Kenneth Foushee, Veterans Upward Bound Program, U.S. Department 
of Education, 1990 K Street NW., suite 7000, Washington, DC 20006-8510. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7600 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), 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 compact disc) by contacting the program contact person listed in 
this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative 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 60 pages. However, any application addressing the competitive 
preference priorities may include up to four additional pages for each 
priority addressed (a total of eight pages if both priorities are 
addressed) in a separate section of the application submission to 
discuss how the application meets the competitive preference priority 
or priorities. These additional pages cannot be used for or transferred 
to the project narrative. Partial pages will count as a full page 
toward the page limit. For purpose of determining compliance with the 
page limit, each page on which there are words will be counted as one 
full page. Each applicant must use 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, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12-point or larger.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance Face Sheet (SF 424); Part II, the budget information 
summary form (ED Form 524); the assurances and certifications; the VUB 
Program Profile; or the one-page Project Abstract narrative. If you 
include any attachments or appendices, these items will be counted as 
part of Part III, the application narrative, for purposes of the page-
limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the 
selection criteria, which also includes the budget narrative, in Part 
III, the application narrative.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: July 10, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 9, 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 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 specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
645.41. We reference additional 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 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

[[Page 40594]]

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 Veterans Upward Bound Grant 
Competition, CFDA number 84.047V, 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 the Veterans 
Upward Bound Grant competition 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 84.047, not 84.047V).
    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) 
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 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--

[[Page 40595]]

     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: Kenneth Foushee, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K St. NW., Room 7000, Washington, DC 
20006-8510. Fax: (202) 502-7857.
    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 84.047V) 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 84.047V) 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. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 645.31 and are listed in the application package.

    Note:  With the changes made to the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, 
the VUB Program objectives have been standardized and the Department 
has updated 34 CFR 645.31(b) accordingly. (See 75 FR 65712, 65786-
65787 (October 26, 2010).) Please note that applicants are required 
to use these objectives to measure performance under the program. 
Specifically, under the ``Objectives'' section of the selection 
criterion, 34 CFR 645.31(b)(2), which is worth nine points, 
applicants should address the standardized objectives related to (a) 
academic performance on standardized test (2 points), (b) education 
program retention and completion (3 points), (c) postsecondary 
enrollment (3 points), and (d) postsecondary completion (1 point).

    2. Review and Selection Process: A panel of non-Federal readers 
will review each application in accordance with the selection criteria 
and the competitive preference priorities, pursuant to 34 CFR 645.30. 
The individual scores of the readers will be added and the sum divided 
by the number of readers to determine the reader score received in the 
review process. In accordance with 34 CFR 645.32, the Secretary will 
evaluate the prior experience (PE) of applicants that received a VUB 
Program project grant for project years 2008-2009, 2009-2010, and 2010-
2011. Based upon that evaluation, the Secretary adds PE points earned 
to the application's averaged reader score to determine the total score 
for each application. The Secretary makes new grants in rank order on 
the basis of the total of the average reader score and PE points 
awarded to each application. Pursuant to 34 CFR 645.30(c), if there are 
insufficient funds for all applications with the same total scores, the 
Secretary will choose among the tied applications so as to serve 
geographical areas that have been underserved by the VUB Program. The 
Secretary will not make a new grant to an applicant if the applicant's 
prior project involved the fraudulent use of program funds.
    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 
(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

[[Page 40596]]

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: The success of the VUB Program is measured 
by the percentage of VUB participants who enroll in and complete 
postsecondary education. The following performance measures have been 
developed to track progress toward achieving program success:
    1. The percentage of VUB participants who enrolled in postsecondary 
education;
    2. The percentage of VUB participants who enrolled in a program of 
postsecondary education and who attained either an associate's degree 
within three years or a bachelor's degree within six years;
    3. The percentage of VUB participants who enrolled in a program of 
postsecondary education and who in the first year of postsecondary 
education placed into college-level math and English without need for 
remediation;
    4. The percentage of VUB participants who enrolled in a program of 
postsecondary education and who graduated on time -within four years 
for the bachelor's degree and within two years for the associate's 
degree;
    5. The cost per successful participant.

    Note: To assess the fifth performance measure on efficiency of 
the program, the Department will track the average cost, in Federal 
funds, of achieving a successful outcome, where success is defined 
as enrollment in postsecondary education by a VUB participant no 
later than one year after program completion. These performance 
measures constitute the Department's indicators of the success of 
the VUB program.

    Grant recipients must collect and report data on steps they have 
taken toward achieving these goals. Accordingly, we request that 
applicants include these performance measures in conceptualizing the 
design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects.
    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: Kenneth Foushee, Veterans Upward Bound 
Program, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K St. NW., room 7000, 
Washington, DC 20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-7600 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: 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: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advance search 
feature on this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.
    You can view this document in text or PDF at this site, also 
www.ed.gov/programs/drugtesting/applicant.html.

    Dated: July 5, 2012.
David Bergeron,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-16839 Filed 7-9-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P