[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 50 (Monday, March 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13576-13580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05948]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Community Living
Applications for New Awards; National Institute on Disability,
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research--Research Fellowships
Program
AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Overview Information: National Institute on Disability,
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)--Research
Fellowships Program, Notice inviting applications for new awards for
fiscal year (FY) 2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.133F-1.
DATES: Applications Available: March 16, 2015.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Note: On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed the Workforce
Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was effective immediately.
One provision of WIOA transferred the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) from the Department
of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the
Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, NIDRR's name
was changed to the Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). For FY 2015, all NIDILRR priority
notices will be published as ACL notices, and ACL will make all
NIDILRR awards. During this transition period, however, NIDILRR will
continue to review grant applications using Department of Education
tools. NIDILRR will post previously-approved application kits to
grants.gov, and NIDILRR applications submitted to grants.gov will be
forwarded to the Department of Education's G-5 system for peer
review. We are using Department of Education application kits and
peer review systems during this transition year in order to provide
for a smooth and orderly process for our applicants.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: April 6, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2015.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Research Fellowships Program
is to build research capacity by providing support to highly qualified
individuals, including those who are individuals with disabilities, to
conduct research on the rehabilitation of individuals with
disabilities.
Fellows must conduct original research in an area authorized by
section 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Section 204
authorizes research, demonstration projects, training, and related
activities, the purposes of which are to develop methods, procedures,
and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full inclusion and
integration into society, employment, independent living, family
support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with
disabilities, especially individuals with the most severe disabilities,
and to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Act.
Note: An applicant should consult NIDRR's Long-Range Plan for
Fiscal Years 2013-2017 (78 FR 20299) (the Plan) when preparing its
application. The Plan is organized around the following outcome
domains: (1) Community living and participation; (2) health and
function; and (3) employment and can be accessed on the Internet at
the following site: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html.
Priority
The Research Fellowships Program permits two types of fellowships,
Distinguished and Merit. Under the Research Fellowships competition, we
are particularly interested in applications that address the following
program priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2015, this priority is an
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living is
particularly interested in applications from eligible applicants who
are individuals with disabilities.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(e).
[[Page 13577]]
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Department of Health and Human
Services General Administrative Regulations in 45 CFR part 75; (b) 45
CFR part 75 Non-procurement Debarment and Suspension; (c) 45 CFR part
75 Requirement for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance); (d) The
regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 356, 350.51 and 350.52.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $430,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2015 and any
subsequent year from the list of unfunded applicants from these
competitions.
Estimated Range of Awards: $69,500 to $70,000 for Merit Fellowships
and $79,500 to $80,000 for Distinguished Fellowships. (These
fellowships are described in the Eligible Applicant section of this
notice.)
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $75,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $70,000 for Merit Fellowships and $80,000 for
Distinguished Fellowships for a single year. The Administrator of
Community Living may change the maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: Six.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: 12 months. We will reject any application that
proposes a project period other than 12 months. The Administrator of
the Administration for Community Living may change the maximum project
period through a notice published in the Federal Register.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible individuals must: (1) Satisfy the
requirements of 45 CFR part 75 and (2) have training and experience
that indicate a potential for engaging in scientific research related
to the solution of rehabilitation problems of individuals with
disabilities.
The program provides two categories of research fellowships: Merit
Fellowships and Distinguished Fellowships.
(a) To be eligible for a Merit Fellowship, an individual must be in
the earlier stages of his or her career in research and have either
advanced professional training or experience in independent study in an
area which is directly pertinent to disability and rehabilitation.
(b) To be eligible for a Distinguished Fellowship, an individual
must have seven or more years of research experience in subject areas,
methods, or techniques relevant to rehabilitation research and must
have a doctorate, other terminal degree, or comparable academic
qualifications.
Note: Institutions are not eligible to be recipients of research
fellowships.
Applicants must submit an eligibility statement describing how they
meet the requirements for one of the two eligibility classifications
allowed under this program.
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: You can obtain an
application package via grants.gov, or by contacting Patricia Barrett:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5142, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-6211 or
by email: [email protected].
If you request an application from Patricia Barrett, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.133F.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition. 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 the equivalent of no more
than 24 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. You are not required to double
space titles, headings, footnotes, references, and captions, or text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The page limit for the application narrative does not apply to the
documents you upload to the Grants.gov Apply site under the other two
headings: ED Project Abstract and Other Attachments. The ED Project
Abstract Form should contain only your one-page abstract. The Other
Attachments Form should contain all other attachments, including your
bibliography, resume/curriculum vitae, letters of recommendation/
support, eligibility statement, and plan for spending one FTE on the
Fellowship project. Information regarding the protection of human
subjects, if applicable, should be included under the Other Attachments
Form or in the place provided on the SF-424 Supplemental Form. You do
not need to upload a table of contents for your application, as this
will be automatically generated by Grants.gov.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
Note: Please submit an appendix that lists every collaborating
organization and individual named in the application, including
staff, consultants, contractors, and advisory board members. We will
use this information to help us screen for conflicts of interest
with our reviewers.
In concert with the balance principle described in NIDRR's Long-
Range Plan, for Fiscal Years 2013-2017 (78 FR 20299), applicants for
these Fellowships should specify in their abstract and application
narrative which of NIDRR's major domains of individual well-being their
research will focus on: (a) Community living and participation, (b)
employment, or (c) health and function.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 16, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: Interested parties are invited to
participate in a pre-application meeting and to receive information and
technical assistance through individual consultation with NIDILRR
staff. The pre-application meeting will be held on April 6, 2015.
Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call
with NIDILRR staff from the Administration for Community Living between
1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., Washington, DC time. NIDILRR staff also will
be available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
same day, by telephone, to provide information and technical assistance
through individual consultation. For further information or to make
arrangements to participate in the meeting via conference call or to
arrange for an individual consultation, contact Carolyn Baron at
[email protected], or by telephone at 202-245-7244.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 15, 2015.
[[Page 13578]]
Applications for grants under this competition 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 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 competition is not subject to
Executive Order 12372.
5. Funding Restrictions: Applicants are not required to submit a
budget with their proposal.
Fellowship awards are a one full-time equivalent (FTE) award.
Fellows must work principally on the fellowship during the term of the
fellowship award. No fellow is allowed to be a direct recipient of
Federal government grant funds in addition to those provided by the
Fellowship grant (during the duration of the fellowship award
performance period). Fellows may, subject to compliance with their
institution's policy on additional employment, be the principal
investigator of or otherwise work on a Federal grant that has been
awarded to the fellow's institution. Fellows may be allowed to dedicate
additional time beyond their one FTE requirement for the fellowship to
other work during their fellowship grant performance period, if this is
in keeping with the guidelines offered by their home institutions. In
other words, NIDILRR defers to the guidelines of the fellows' home
institutions regarding the admissibility of work in excess of the one
FTE dedicated to the fellowship. NIDILRR strongly recommends that any
additional time be limited to .25 FTE, but requires that additional
time not exceed .5 FTE.
Applicants should submit a plan for how they will meet the one FTE
requirement. We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in
the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Requirements for Registering for Grants.gov and Submitting Your
Application: All individuals applying for a research fellowship must
register at www.Grants.gov prior to submitting their application. To
register with Grants.gov you must know the Funding Opportunity Number
(FON) of the grant opportunity you are applying for. You can obtain
this number by searching Grants.gov using the CFDA number, 84.133. This
search will lead you to available NIDILRR solicitations and identify
the FON for each. You will use the FON to register in Grants.gov. Once
you register with Grants.gov, to facilitate the safe and secure
transfer of your application to the Department, you will be asked to
create a profile with your username and password, which will be used to
identify you within the system, and create an electronic signature.
Details on registering with Grants.gov as an individual are outlined in
the following Grants.gov tutorial: www.grants.gov/assets/IndividualRegistrationOverview.html.
To register with Grants.gov, you do not have to provide a Data
Universal Numbering System Number, a Taxpayer Identification Number, or
your Social Security Number (SSN). You also do not have to complete a
Central Contractor Registry or System for Award Management registration
in order to access Grants.gov or submit your application.
However, your SSN is required to complete your application for a
research fellowship.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition 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 Research Fellowships Program,
CFDA Number 84.133F-1, must be submitted electronically using the
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You
may not email an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Research
Fellowships 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 84.133, not 84.133F).
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 program [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.
[[Page 13579]]
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, and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not
review that material. Additional, detailed information on how to attach
files is in the application instructions.
Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by email. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with 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. 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 the
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
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: Patricia Barrett, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5142, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700. FAX: (202) 245-7323.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail 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 84.133F-1), 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 Administrator of
the Administration for Community Living of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
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.
Note for Mail of Paper Applications: If you mail your
application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the program under which you are submitting
your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34
[[Page 13580]]
CFR 356.30 through 356.32 and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: Final award decisions will be made
by the Administrator, ACL. In making these decisions, the Administrator
will take into consideration: Ranking of the review panel; reviews for
programmatic and grants management compliance; the reasonableness of
the estimated cost to the government considering the available funding
and anticipated results; and the likelihood that the proposed project
will result in the benefits expected. Under Section 75.205, item (3)
history of performance is an item that is reviewed.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Administrator
of the Administration for Community Living requires various assurances
including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services.
3. Special Conditions: Under 45 CFR part 75 the Administrator of
the Administration for Community Living 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 45 CFR part 75,
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 send you a
Notice of Award (NOA); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your NOA. 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 NOA. The NOA 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 45 CFR part 75
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 45 CFR part 75.
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including summary financial information, as
directed by the Administrator of the Administration for Community
Living in 45 CFR part 75. The Administrator of the Administration for
Community Living may also require more frequent performance reports
under 45 CFR part 75. For specific requirements on reporting, please go
to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its
research program, NIDILRR assesses the quality of its funded projects
through a review of grantee performance and accomplishments. Each year,
NIDILRR examines a portion of its grantees to determine the extent to
which grantees are conducting high-quality research and related
activities that lead to high-quality products. Performance measures for
the Research Fellowships Program include:
The number of NIDILRR-supported fellows, post-doctoral
trainees, and doctoral students who publish results of NIDILRR-
sponsored research in refereed journals;
The percentage of grantee research and development that
has appropriate study design, meets rigorous standards of scientific
and/or engineering methods, and builds on and contributes to knowledge
in the field; and
The average number of publications per award based on
NIDILRR-funded research and development activities in refereed
journals.
NIDILRR evaluates the overall success of individual research and
development grants through a review of grantee performance and
products. For these reviews, NIDILRR uses information submitted by
grantees as part of their final performance report. Approved final
performance report guidelines require grantees to submit information
regarding research methods, results, outputs, and outcomes. Because
grants made under the Research Fellowships Program are limited to a
maximum of 12 months, they are not eligible for continuation awards.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5142, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-6211 or by email:
[email protected].
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS),
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
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: March 11, 2015.
John Tschida,
Director, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and
Rehabilitation Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-05948 Filed 3-13-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P