[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20475-20482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08681]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; State Tribal Education Partnership
Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
State Tribal Education Partnership Program (STEP) Notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.415A.
[[Page 20476]]
DATES:
Applications Available: April 16, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: April 30, 2015.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 21, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 15, 2015.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 14, 2015.
Deadline for Submission of Final Agreement: March 31, 2016.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purposes of Program: The purposes of this program are to: (1)
Promote increased collaboration between tribal education agencies
(TEAs) and the State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational
agencies (LEAs) that serve students from the affected tribes; and (2)
build the capacity of TEAs to conduct certain administrative functions
under certain Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)
formula grant programs for eligible schools, as determined by the TEA,
SEA, and LEA.
Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final
priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for this
program (NFP), published in the Federal Register on March 4, 2015 (80
FR 11550).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet these priorities.
These priorities are:
Priority 1--Established TEAs.
To meet this priority, a TEA must be an established TEA.
Priority 2--TEAs with Limited Prior Experience.
To meet this priority, a TEA with limited prior experience is, for
any STEP competition, a TEA that does not meet the definition of an
``established TEA.''
Requirements: Applicants must meet the following requirements from
the NFP:
Schools and ESEA Formula Grant Programs Included in Project:
(a) Schools. (1) Projects must include at least two eligible
schools, at least one of which must be a public school.
(2) All schools included in the project must receive services or
funds for the specific ESEA formula grant program(s) selected by the
applicant.
(3) For projects that include one or more tribally controlled
schools--
(i) The applicant TEA must include in its application evidence that
it submitted a copy of the application to BIE; and
(ii) If the proposed project includes SEA-type functions with
regard to the tribally controlled school, the TEA may be required by
BIE to enter into an agreement with BIE, to be submitted to the
Department at the same time as the final agreement.
(b) ESEA Formula Grant Programs. Projects must include at least one
ESEA formula grant program that is State-administered.
Preliminary Agreement: An applicant must submit with its
application for funding a signed preliminary agreement among the TEA,
SEA, and LEA. Letters of support from an SEA or LEA will not meet this
requirement and will not be accepted as a substitute.
The preliminary agreement must include:
(a) An explanation of how the parties will work collaboratively to:
(1) Administer selected ESEA formula grant programs in eligible
schools; and
(2) Cooperate on administering other educational programs or
services as agreed to by the parties.
(b) The primary ESEA formula grant program(s) for which the TEA
will assume SEA-type or LEA-type administrative functions;
(c) A description of the primary SEA-type or LEA-type
administrative functions that the TEA will assume;
(d) The training and other activities that the SEA or LEA, as
appropriate, will provide for the TEA to gain the knowledge and skills
needed to administer ESEA formula programs;
(e) The assistance that the TEA will provide to the SEA or LEA, as
appropriate, to facilitate the project, such as cultural competence
training;
(f) A statement concerning student data that--
(1) Acknowledges that access by the TEA to data on students who are
tribal members is important to building the capacity of the TEA, and,
depending on the project design, may be one of the factors the
Secretary considers in determining whether a grantee has made
substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the
project for the purpose of making continuation awards; and
(2) Commits the parties to making their best efforts to:
(i) Participate in training and technical assistance, provided by
or through the Department, on the requirements of section 444 of the
General Education Provisions Act (commonly referred to as the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA) and on the possible ways
in which the TEA could be provided access to tribal student data
consistent with FERPA; and
(ii) Reach agreement on and include as part of the Final Agreement
to be submitted during year 1 of the grant, a provision on data sharing
that is consistent with FERPA, if data sharing is required by the
project design;
(g) The names of at least one LEA and two or more eligible schools,
at least one of which must be a public school, that are expected to
participate in the project;
(h) An explanation of how the STEP funds will be used to build on
existing activities or add new activities rather than replace tribal or
other funds; and
(i) Signatures of the authorized representatives of the TEA, SEA,
participating LEA(s), and any BIE-funded tribally controlled school
that is included in the project.
Final Agreement: Each grantee must submit to the Department a final
agreement by March 31, 2016. The final agreement must contain:
(a) All of the elements from the preliminary agreement, in final
form;
(b) A timetable for accomplishing each of the objectives and
activities that the parties will undertake;
(c) Goals of the project and measureable objectives towards
reaching the goals; and
(d) The actions that the parties will take to sustain the
relationships and activities established in the agreement after the
project ends.
ISDEAA Hiring Preference:
(a) Awards that are primarily for the benefit of Indians are
subject to the provisions of section 7(b) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93-638). That
section requires that, to the greatest extent feasible, a grantee--
(1) Give to Indians preferences and opportunities for training and
employment in connection with the administration of the grant; and
(2) Give to Indian organizations and to Indian-owned economic
enterprises, as defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of
1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(e)), preference in the award of contracts in
connection with the administration of the grant.
(b) For purposes of this section, an Indian is a member of any
federally recognized Indian tribe.
Definitions: The following definitions are from the NFP and apply
to this competition:
Cultural competency means the use of culturally responsive
education that takes into account a student's own cultural experiences,
creates connections between home and school experiences, and uses the
cultural
[[Page 20477]]
knowledge, prior experiences, and learning styles of diverse students
to make learning more appropriate and effective.
Eligible Indian tribe means a federally recognized or a State-
recognized tribe.
Eligible school means a school that is included in the applicant's
preliminary and final agreements, and that is:
(a) A public school, including a public charter school, or
(b) A BIE-funded tribally controlled school.
Established TEA means, for purposes of this competition, a TEA
that:
(a) Previously received a STEP grant, or
(b) Has an existing prior relationship with an SEA or LEA as
evidenced by a prior written agreement between the TEA and SEA or LEA,
and meets two or more of the following criteria:
(i) Has an existing tribal education code;
(ii) Has administered at least one education program (for example,
a tribally operated preschool or afterschool program) within the past
five years; or
(iii) Has administered at least one Federal, State, local, or
private grant within the past five years.
ESEA formula grant program means one of the following programs
authorized under the ESEA, for which SEAs or LEAs receive formula
funding:
(a) Improving Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged (title I,
part A);
(b) School Improvement Grants (section 1003(g));
(c) Migrant Education (title I, part C);
(d) Neglected and Delinquent State Grants (title I, part D);
(e) Improving Teacher Quality State Grants (title II, part A);
(f) English Learner Education State Grants (title III, part A);
(g) 21st Century Community Learning Centers (title IV, part B); and
(h) Indian Education Formula Grants (title VII, part A).
Note: State-administered ESEA formula grant programs are the
programs identified in paragraphs (a)-(g) of the definition of ESEA
formula grant program. If an applicant chooses the Indian Education
Formula Grants program (title VII, part A), which makes direct
grants to LEAs, it must also choose at least one State-administered
program listed in (a)-(g), as required by paragraph (b) of Schools
and ESEA Formula Grant Programs Included in Project, in the
Requirements section of this notice. Applicants can still choose
SEA- or LEA-type functions for the State-administered ESEA formula
grant.
LEA-type function means the type of activity that LEAs typically
conduct, such as direct provision of educational services to students,
grant implementation, school district curriculum development, staff
professional development pursuant to State guidelines, and data
submissions.
SEA-type function means the type of activity that SEAs typically
conduct, such as overall education policy development, supervision and
monitoring of school districts, provision of technical assistance to
districts, statewide curriculum development, collecting and analyzing
performance data, and evaluating programs.
Tribal educational agency (TEA) means the agency, department, or
instrumentality of an eligible Indian tribe that is primarily
responsible for supporting tribal students' elementary and secondary
education, which may include early learning.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7451(a)(4).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82,
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement) in 2 CFR
part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2
CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The NFP published
in the Federal Register on March 4, 2015 (80 FR 11550).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,950,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2016 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: Awards for a single TEA range from
$150,000 to $330,000; awards for a consortium of TEAs range from
$300,000 to $500,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $390,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application from a single TEA
that proposes a budget exceeding $330,000 for a single budget period of
12 months, or from a consortium of TEAs that proposes a budget
exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education may change
the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4-6.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) A TEA that is from an eligible Indian
tribe and authorized by its tribe to administer this program; or (b) a
consortium of such TEAs.
To be eligible for an award, an applicant must include, as a part
of its application, certification by the eligible Indian tribe that the
applicant is the agency, department, or instrumentality of the eligible
Indian tribe that is primarily responsible for supporting the
elementary and secondary education of the tribe's students.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: (a) To be eligible for an award, a TEA must submit a
preliminary agreement, signed by an SEA and at least one LEA, with its
application.
(b) Projects funded under this competition must budget funds for a
representative from the TEA, a representative from the SEA, and a
representative from at least one LEA to attend a two-day Project
Director's meeting in the Washington, DC area during each year of the
project period.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Shahla Ortega, U.S.
Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 3W223, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-5602
or by email: [email protected].
To obtain a copy of the application package via the Internet, use
the following address: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/step/index.html.
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 competition.
[[Page 20478]]
Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to review
grant applications more efficiently if we know the approximate number
of applicants that intend to apply. Therefore, the Assistant Secretary
strongly encourages each potential applicant to notify us of their
intent to submit an application for funding no later than May 21, 2015.
To do so, please email [email protected] with the subject line
``Intent to Apply,'' and include the following information:
1. Applicant's name, mailing address, and phone number;
2. Contact person's name and email address;
3. Name of SEA; and
4. Whether the applicant intends to apply as a single TEA or a
consortium of TEAs.
Applicants that do not submit a notice of intent to apply may still
apply for funding; applicants that do submit a notice of intent to
apply are not bound to apply or bound by the information provided.
Pre-Application Webinar: The Department intends to hold a pre-
application webinar designed to provide technical assistance to
interested applicants. Information about webinar times and instructions
for registering are on the Department Web site at http://www2.ed.gov/
programs/STEP/index.html.
Page Limit: The project narrative (Part IV) is where you, the
applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. You must limit the project narrative to no
more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 16, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: April 30, 2015.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 21, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 15, 2015.
Deadline for Submission of Final Agreement: March 31, 2016.
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 or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 14, 2015.
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 competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and System for Award Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly 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 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 to two business days.
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 SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department,
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
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.
[[Page 20479]]
Applications for grants under STEP, CFDA number 84.415A, 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 STEP 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 84.415, not
84.415A).
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 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: 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--
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.
[[Page 20480]]
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: Shahla Ortega, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W223,
Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 401-0606.
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 84.415A), 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 84.415A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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 the NFP and from 34 CFR 75.210. We will award up to 100 points
to an application under the selection criteria; the total possible
points for each selection criterion are noted in parentheses.
a. Need for Project (Maximum 5 points). In determining the need for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the extent to which the
goals and objectives in the preliminary agreement, including the TEA
capacity-building activities, address identified educational needs of
the Indian students to be served.
b. Quality of the Project Design (Maximum 35 points). In
determining the quality of project design, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project would recognize and
support tribal sovereignty. (5 points)
(ii) The extent to which the preliminary agreement defines goals,
objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project that are likely to be
achieved by the end of the project period. (10 points)
(iii) The extent to which the proposed project would build
relationships and better communication among the TEA, SEA, and LEA, as
well as families and communities, to the benefit of Indian students in
the selected schools, including by enhancing the cultural competency of
SEA and LEA staff. (10 points)
(iv) The extent to which the proposed project would enhance the
capacity of the TEA to administer ESEA formula grants during the grant
period and beyond. (10 points)
c. Adequacy of Resources (Maximum 5 points). In determining the
adequacy of resources, the Secretary considers the extent to which the
TEA has established, prior to developing the preliminary agreement, a
relationship with either the SEA or an LEA that will enhance the
likelihood of the project's success.
d. Quality of the Management Plan (Maximum 25 points). In
determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks. (10 points)
(ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (5
points)
(iii) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of
perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed
project, including those of parents, teachers, the business community,
a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or
beneficiaries of the services, or others, as appropriate. (10 points)
Note: In addressing the third subpart of the Quality of the
Management Plan selection criteria, applicants may want to consider
describing the involvement of the SEA and LEA in the project, in
addition to the input of other affected groups, as appropriate.
e. Quality of Project Personnel (Maximum 15 points). In determining
the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to
which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons
who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In
addition, the Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project director has
experience in education and in administering Federal grants. (5 points)
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel. (5 points)
(iii) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in
[[Page 20481]]
practice among the recipients of those services. (5 points)
Note: Please note that section 7(b) of the Indian Self-
Determination and Education Assistance Act requires that to the
greatest extent feasible, a grantee must give to Indians preference
and opportunities in connection with the administration of the
grant, and give Indian organizations and Indian-owned economic
enterprises, as defined in section 3 of the Indian Financing Act of
1974 (25 U.S.C. 1452(e)), preference in the award of contracts in
connection with the administration of the grant.
In addressing the third subpart of the Quality of Project Personnel
selection criterion, applicants may want to consider including the
context of training or professional development among all three
entities--TEA, SEA, and LEA. For example, the SEA or LEA could provide
training to TEA staff with regard to Federal grant administration, and
the TEA could provide training to SEA and LEA staff with regard to
cultural competence.
f. Quality of Project Evaluation (Maximum 15 points). In
determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (5 points)
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies. (5
points)
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Special Conditions: Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may
impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk
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 2 CFR part
200, subpart D; 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 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 Department has established the
following Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA)
performance measures:
(1) Number of TEA grantees that report increased collaboration
among TEAs, SEAs, and LEAs.
(2) The number of SEA-type and LEA-type administrative functions
for which the TEA grantees have assumed responsibility.
These measures constitute the Department's indicators of success
for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant
under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in
developing the proposed project and identifying the method of
evaluation. Each grantee will be required to provide, in its annual
performance and final reports, data about its progress in meeting these
measures.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application. 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: Shahla Ortega, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W223, Washington, DC 20202-
6450. Telephone: (202) 453-5602 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
[[Page 20482]]
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: April 10, 2015.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2015-08681 Filed 4-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P