[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 14 (Tuesday, January 22, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4393-4399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01176]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Applications for New Awards; Minorities and Retirement Security 
Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education; 
Office of Retirement and Disability Policy, Social Security 
Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Minorities and Retirement Security Program
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2013.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.414A.


DATES: Applications Available: January 22, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 25, 2013.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 22, 2013.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Minorities and Retirement Security (MRS) 
Program is a new discretionary grant program jointly administered by 
the United States Department of Education (ED or the Department) and 
the United States Social Security Administration (SSA). The MRS Program 
will provide grants to support research by graduate students at 
selected graduate institutions with high proportions of minority and 
low-income students (referred to in this notice as Minority Serving 
Institutions (MSIs)) in the areas of retirement security, financial 
literacy, and financial decisionmaking (personal savings, labor force 
planning, personal debt, etc.)

[[Page 4394]]

within minority and low-income communities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SSA will provide the grant funds and will 
share responsibility with ED for selecting reviewers and monitoring the 
funded projects. ED is responsible for administration of the grant 
competition, making the grant awards, and monitoring the grantees' 
compliance with ED's financial requirements.
    The grantee may be eligible for funding for up to five years, 
depending upon performance of the grantee and budget constraints of SSA 
and/or ED. If funding is available after the first year, ED will make 
continuation awards after considering SSA's assessments of the 
grantees' project progress. If a grantee receives a continuation award 
it must continue to use the funds to support graduate students who 
conduct research on retirement security, financial literacy, and 
financial decisionmaking within minority and low-income communities. An 
institution may only receive one MRS Program award in any given fiscal 
year.
    Priority, Definitions, and Requirement: We are establishing this 
priority, these definitions, and this requirement for the FY 2013 grant 
competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the 
list of unfunded applicants from this competition, in accordance with 
section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 
U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is: Retirement Security, Financial Literacy, and 
Financial Decisionmaking.
    Background:
    ED has partnered with the SSA to establish the MRS Program to 
increase the capacity for producing, and quality of, published research 
by MSIs in the areas of retirement security, financial literacy, and 
financial decisionmaking within minority and low-income communities. 
These grants also seek to expand the talent pool of scientists and 
researchers from MSIs who are prepared to conduct rigorous research in 
this area. Grants will be awarded to eligible MSIs that are conducting 
research across a variety of relevant disciplines and fields (for 
example, business, economics, education, human development, political 
science, public policy, psychology, sociology, and statistics).
    Priority:
    The purpose of this program is to increase the number of 
researchers at MSIs who conduct high quality retirement security 
research within minority and low-income communities. Grantees are to 
conduct research in the areas of retirement security, financial 
literacy, and financial decisionmaking within minority and low-income 
communities. Grantees are expected to produce research findings for 
publication, and to submit them to peer reviewed journals for 
consideration. Grantees are also required to disseminate their research 
findings through published papers and conference presentations, or such 
other means as proposed in its grant application. The grantee may, at 
its discretion, either: Develop a tool or program in the areas of 
retirement security, financial literacy, and financial decisionmaking 
within minority and low-income communities and evaluate the efficacy of 
that tool or program; or may evaluate the efficacy of an existing tool 
or program in the areas of retirement security, financial literacy, and 
financial decisionmaking within minority and low-income communities.
    Such activities must be principally conducted by graduate students 
at the grantee MSI. Faculty at the grantee MSI must mentor students 
doing the research.
    Research activities may include:
    1. Empirical research using extant microlevel data to document the 
retirement security of minorities and the early, mid-life, and late-
life causes of inadequate retirement income among minority and low-
income households. Examples of extant microlevel data studies where the 
focus is on individual respondents (as opposed to organizations or 
groups) that may be used for this purpose are the Health and Retirement 
Study, the Survey of Consumer Finances, the Survey of Program 
Participation, the Current Population Survey, the American Life Panel, 
the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics, individual-level databases 
maintained by the National Center for Education Statistics, and other 
large-scale individual-level databases. The surveys listed as examples 
have public use files, which are subject to an expedited Institutional 
Review Board (IRB) review. Applicants using other data sources must 
submit their proposed research through a regular IRB review, which may 
take longer. IRB reviews are not required at the time of application. 
However, if funded, all applicants must follow their IRB review 
procedures.
    2. Evaluation of pre-existing or development and evaluation of 
original research-based financial literacy and financial decisionmaking 
interventions for students at eligible MSIs, especially minority and 
low-income students. Interventions may include, but are not limited to: 
Counseling; workshops; publications; or programs on effective money 
management, debt, and staying in and paying for college. These 
interventions may include behavioral economic concepts designed to 
teach students how to make optimal financial decisions.
    3. Evaluation of pre-existing or development and evaluation of 
original research-based financial literacy and financial decisionmaking 
interventions for members of minority and low-income communities, 
including students at postsecondary institutions. Interventions may 
include, but are not limited to: Counseling; workshops; publications; 
adult education courses; or other programs on financial literacy and 
financial decisionmaking, debt management and reduction, credit report 
and score improvements, and personal savings plans, such as for 
retirement, a child's education, or an emergency fund. These 
interventions may include behavioral economic concepts designed to 
teach members of minority and low-income communities how to make 
optimal financial decisions.
    4. Evaluation of pre-existing or development and evaluation of 
original research-based high school or college curricula for minority 
and low-income students designed to improve these students' financial 
literacy and financial decisionmaking. The curricula may be designed as 
entire courses or as new modules to be included within an already 
existing course (e.g., integrating financial literacy and financial 
decisionmaking topics into math, economics, or psychology courses).
    5. Evaluation of pre-existing or development and evaluation of 
original research-based professional development programs on financial 
literacy and financial decisionmaking for librarians, social workers, 
counselors, and others working in community-based organizations in 
minority and low-income communities. These programs should use a 
``train-the-trainer'' model where librarians, social workers, 
counselors, and others are trained in financial literacy and financial 
decisionmaking issues germane to the minority and low-income 
communities they serve so that they can educate those same communities 
through financial counseling, literature, seminars, or workshops.
    6. Other research projects that support activities within minority 
and low-income communities designed to improve financial literacy and 
financial

[[Page 4395]]

decisionmaking related to educational attainment, labor market 
outcomes, and retirement security.
    Requirement: Each applicant must conduct a literature review that 
summarizes current research and practice supporting the significance of 
its project. Each applicant must indicate whether the project would 
take a new direction or build on current or previous national, State, 
or community efforts that have shown promise of effectiveness.
    Definitions:
    Financial literacy means the ability to make informed judgments and 
to take effective actions regarding the current and future use and 
management of money. It includes the ability to understand financial 
choices, plan for the future, spend wisely, and manage the challenges 
associated with life events such as a job loss, saving for retirement, 
or paying for a child's education. (www.financialeducatorscouncil.org/financial-literacy-definition.html)
    Good standing means the status of a grantee that has not been found 
to be a significant project or institutional risk, as indicated by ED's 
risk management review, which includes an assessment of the 
institution's ED grant project, financial standing, audits, and 
accreditation agency reports.
    Low-income means income of less than 50 percent of the median 
household income--less than $31,200 in 2011. Grantees may suggest other 
measures of low income as appropriate to their research focus--for 
instance, State-specific levels of median household income, or median 
rural household income. These measures must be derived from nationally 
recognized sources such as Federal statistical agencies or the Census 
Bureau.
    Personal debt means debts that are owed as a result of purchasing 
goods that are consumable or do not appreciate. (www.investopedia.com/terms/c/consumer-debt.asp#axzz1VyK6apGi)
    Personal savings means savings by households. Personal savings 
equals disposable personal income minus spending for consumption and 
interest payments. (www.teachmefinance.com/Financial_Terms/personal_saving.html)
    Personal savings rate means personal savings as a percentage of 
disposable personal income.
    Retirement security means an individual's level of comfort with the 
resources that are intended to support such individual through 
retirement and provide a standard of living similar to what was 
experienced before retirement. (www.annuitydigest.com/retirement-security/definition)
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, definitions, and 
requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary 
to exempt from rulemaking requirements, regulations governing the first 
grant competition under a new or substantially revised program 
authority. This is the first grant competition for this program under 
section 1110(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1310(a)) and 
therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant 
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the 
priority, definitions, and requirement under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. 
This priority, definitions, and requirement will apply to the FY 2013 
grant competition and any subsequent year in which we make awards from 
the list of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Program Authority: Section 1110(a) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1310(a)).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Education Department debarment 
and suspension regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Social Security 
Administration program regulations in 20 CFR parts 435 and 437.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $440,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $60,000-$120,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $90,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 4.

    Note: ED and SSA are not bound by any estimates in this notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs) 
that currently are grantees under one of the following programs: 
Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) 
[84.031B]; Master's Degree Programs at Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities (HBCU) [84.382G]; Promoting Postbaccalaureate 
Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) [84.031M], and Master's 
Degree Programs at Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI) [84.382D]. In 
addition, to be eligible for this program, an applicant must be in good 
standing in regard to its other grants from ED.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Karen Epps, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6012, Washington, DC 
20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-7774 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 to no more than 
40 pages. The application's Appendix should only include the 
information requested. For the purpose of determining compliance with 
the page limit, each page on which there are words will be counted as 
one full page. Applicants 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. Page numbers and an 
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
figures and graphs. Text in charts and tables may be single-spaced. You 
should also include a table of contents in the application narrative, 
which will not be counted against the 40-page limit.
     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 and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I--Application for Federal 
Assistance

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(SF 424); Supplemental SF 424 Part II--Budget Information, Non-
Construction Programs (ED Form 524); the one-page Project Abstract 
form; or Part IV--Assurances and Certifications. However, the page 
limit does apply to all the application's narrative section (Part III--
Selection Criteria) and the entire appendix. We will reject your 
application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: January 22, 2013.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 25, 2013.
    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: May 22, 2013.
    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: Applicants are subject to the ED funding 
restrictions outlined in the Applicable Regulations section of this 
notice.
    Only IHEs that currently have a grant from one of the following 
programs may apply: Strengthening Historically Black Graduate 
Institutions (HBGI) [84.031B]; Master's Degree Programs at Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) [84.032G]; Promoting 
Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) 
[84.031M]; and Master's Degree Programs at Predominantly Black 
Institutions (PBI) [84.382D]. Funds can only be used to cover research 
activities related to retirement security, financial literacy, and 
financial decisionmaking within minority and low-income communities 
conducted by graduate students.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management: 
To do business with the Department, 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)--and, after July 24, 2012, with the System 
for Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant 
database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM 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 or SAM 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 registration annually. This may take three or more 
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at 
SAM.gov.
    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 Minorities and Retirement 
Security Program, CFDA Number 84.414A, 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 Minorities 
and Retirement Security Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for 
the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA 
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search 
(e.g., search for 84.414, not 84.414A).
    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

[[Page 4397]]

depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at 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: 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), 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--
     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: John Clement, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 6006, Washington, DC 
20006-8510. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail

    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.414A), 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.


[[Page 4398]]



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 84.414A) 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 
were developed pursuant to a waiver of rulemaking under section 
437(d)(1) of GEPA 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 making a competitive grant award, Federal agencies require 
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).
    ED will be responsible for receiving and reviewing all applications 
for eligibility. A review panel selected by ED and SSA that consists of 
at least three persons will be formed. Each panelist will objectively 
review and score applications using the selection criteria. All three 
scores will be added and divided by three, providing the overall score 
of each application. A slate with all applicants' overall scores will 
be prepared. Applications will be funded in rank order.
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
of Education and the SSA Commissioner 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we will 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 requirement in 2 CFR 170 should 
you receive the 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 other specific requirements on 
reporting, please go to http://www.ssa.gov/oag/grants/grantspolicyhandbk.pdf.
    4. Performance Measures: The success of this SSA-ED joint grant 
program will be measured by the quality and usefulness of grantees' 
research and development and evaluation activities, as evidenced by the 
publication of research findings in peer-reviewed journals or other 
publications, the presentation of research findings at conferences, and 
the development of materials or curricula based on research findings.
    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.'' In determining whether a grantee has 
made substantial progress, the Secretary will consider SSA's 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, 
as monitored by ED. 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 ED (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding the program: 
Karen Epps, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., room 6012, 
Washington, DC 20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-7774 or by email: 
[email protected].
    Or contact John Clement, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street NW., room 6006, Washington, DC 20006-8510. Telephone: (202) 502-
7520 or by email: [email protected].
    For application content-related questions contact: David Rogofsky, 
Office of Policy Research, Social Security Administration, 500 E Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20254-0003.

[[Page 4399]]

Telephone: (202) 358-6209 or by email: [email protected].
    Or contact John Murphy, Office of Policy Research, Social Security 
Administration, 500 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20254-0003. Telephone: 
(202) 358-6033 or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD or 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 
one of the program contact persons 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 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: January 16, 2013.
Laura Haltzel,
Acting Deputy Associate Commissioner for the Office of Retirement 
Policy, Social Security Administration.
David A. Bergeron,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education, Department of 
Education.
[FR Doc. 2013-01176 Filed 1-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P