[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 75 (Monday, April 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21738-21743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-09013]


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

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Applications for New Awards; National Institute on Disability, 
Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research --Rehabilitation 
Research and Training Centers

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and 
Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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

    Overview Information:
    National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)--Rehabilitation Research and Training 
Centers (RRTC)--Employment for Individuals with Blindness or other 
Visual Impairments.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2015.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.133B-5.

DATES: Applications Available: April 20, 2015.

    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: May 11, 2015.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 19, 2015.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program is to plan and 
conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related 
activities, including international activities to develop methods, 
procedures, and rehabilitation technology. The Program's activities are 
designed to 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 Rehabilitation Act of 
1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act).

Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers

    The purpose of the RRTCs, which are funded through the Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve 
the goals

[[Page 21739]]

of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the 
Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training, technical 
assistance, and dissemination activities in important topical areas as 
specified by NIDILRR. These activities are designed to benefit 
rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, family 
members, policymakers and other research stakeholders. Additional 
information on the RRTC program can be found at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/rrtc/index.html#types.
    Priorities: There are two priorities for the grant competition 
announced in this notice. The General RRTC Requirements priority is 
from the notice of final priorities for the Rehabilitation Research and 
Training Centers, published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2008 
(73 FR 6132). Priority two is from the notice of final priority for 
this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register.
    Absolute Priorities: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this 
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 45 CFR 
part 75 we consider only applications that meet these program 
priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Priority 1--General RRTC Requirements.

    Note: The full text of this priority is included in the notice 
of final priorities for the Rehabilitation Research and Training 
Centers, published in the Federal Register on February 1, 2008 (73 
FR 6132) and in the application package for this competition.

    Priority 2--RRTC on Employment for Individuals with Blindness or 
other Visual Impairments.

    Note: The full text of this priority is included in the notice 
of final priority published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register and in the application package for this competition.


    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Department of Health and Human 
Services General Administrative Regulations in 45 CFR part 75; (b) 
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 45 CFR part 75 Subpart F; (c) 
45 CFR part 75 Non-procurement Debarment and Suspension; (d) 45 CFR 
part 75 Requirement for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance); (e) 
The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 350; (f) The notice of 
final priorities for the RRTC Program published in the Federal Register 
on February 1, 2008 (73 FR 6132); and (g) The notice of final priority 
for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal 
Register.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $875,000.
    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 this 
competition.
    Maximum Award: $875,000.
    We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding the 
Maximum Amount for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Administrator of the Administration for Community Living may change the 
maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
    The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: 60 months.
    We will reject any application that proposes a project period 
exceeding 60 months. The Administrator of the Administration for 
Community Living may change the project period through a notice 
published in the Federal Register.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: States; public or private agencies, 
including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, 
including for-profit organizations; IHEs; and Indian tribes and tribal 
organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition 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 84.133B-5.
    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 the competition 
announced in this notice.
    Notice of Intent to Apply: Due to the open nature of the RRTC 
priority announced here, and to assist with the selection of reviewers 
for this competition, NIDILRR is requesting all potential applicants 
submit a letter of intent (LOI). The submission is not mandatory and 
the content of the LOI will not be peer reviewed or otherwise used to 
rate an applicant's application.
    Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include 
the following information: (1) The title of the proposed project, the 
name of the applicant, the name of the Project Director or Principal 
Investigator (PI), and the names of partner institutions and entities; 
(2) a brief statement of the vision, goals, and objectives of the 
proposed project and a description of its proposed activities at a 
sufficient level of detail to allow NIDILRR to select potential peer 
reviewers; (3) a list of proposed project staff including the Project 
Director or PI and key personnel; (4) a list of individuals whose 
selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest 
due to involvement in proposal development, selection as an advisory 
board member, co-PI relationships, etc.; and (5) contact information 
for the Project Director or PI. Submission of a LOI is not a 
prerequisite for eligibility to submit an application.
    NIDILRR will accept the optional LOI via mail (through the U.S. 
Postal Service or commercial carrier) or email, by May 26, 2015. The 
LOI must be sent to: Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services, 550 12th Street, SW., room 5142, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202; or by email to: [email protected].
    For further information regarding the LOI submission process, 
contact Patricia Barrett at (202) 245-6211.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you limit 
Part III to the equivalent of no more than 100 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.

[[Page 21740]]

    The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover 
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget 
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of 
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the 
application narrative section (Part III).

    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.

    An applicant should consult NIDRR's Long-Range Plan for Fiscal 
Years 2013-2017 (78 FR 20299) (Plan) when preparing its application. 
The Plan is organized around the following research domains: (1) 
Community Living and Participation; (2) Health and Function; and (3) 
Employment.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: April 20, 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 May 11, 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 the person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 19, 2015.
    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 delivery if you 
qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, 
please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission Requirements of this 
notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372.
    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 Health and Human Services, 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.
    Applications for grants under Employment for Individuals with 
Blindness or other Visual Impairments, CFDA Number 84.133B-5, must be 
submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site 
atwww.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

[[Page 21741]]

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 RRTC on 
Employment for Individuals with Blindness or other Visual Impairments 
competition atwww.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 84.133B).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 
system home page at http://www.G5.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not 
review that material. 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 Health and Human Services, 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.

[[Page 21742]]

    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 84.133B-5), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac 
Center Plaza, 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 program are 
from 34 CFR 350.54 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 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 Health and Human Services 
45 CFR part 75.
    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 financial information, as directed by the 
Administrator of the Administration for Community Living. 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 Administrator of the 
Administration for Community Living under 45 CFR part 75. All NIDILRR 
grantees will submit their annual and final reports through NIDILRR's 
online reporting system and as designated in the terms and conditions 
of your NOA. 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.
    (c) FFATA and FSRS Reporting
    The Federal Financial Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) 
requires data entry at the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (http://www.FSRS.gov) for all sub-awards and sub-contracts issued for $25,000 
or more as well as addressing executive compensation for both grantee 
and sub-award organizations.
    For further guidance please see the following link: http://www.acl.gov/Funding_Opportunities/Grantee_Info/FFATA.aspx.
    If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information. Annual and Final Performance reports 
will be submitted through NIDILRR's online Performance System and as 
designated in the terms and conditions of your NOA. At the end of your 
project period, you must submit a final performance report, including 
financial information.
    Note: NIDILRR will provide information by letter to successful 
grantees on how and when to submit the report.
    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 number of products (e.g., new or improved tools, 
methods, discoveries, standards, interventions, programs, or devices 
developed or tested with NIDILRR funding) that have been judged

[[Page 21743]]

by expert panels to be of high quality and to advance the field.
     The average number of publications per award based on 
NIDILRR-funded research and development activities in refereed 
journals.
     The percentage of new NIDILRR grants that assess the 
effectiveness of interventions, programs, and devices using rigorous 
methods.
    NIDILRR uses information submitted by grantees as part of their 
Annual Performance Reports for these reviews.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Administrator of the Administration for Community Living may consider, 
under 45 CFR part 75, the extent to which a grantee has made 
``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives in its approved 
application.'' This consideration includes the review of a grantee's 
progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes in its approved 
application, and whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner 
that is consistent with its approved application and budget. In making 
a continuation grant, the Administrator 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. Continuation funding 
is also subject to availability of funds.

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: April 14, 2015.
John Tschida,
Director, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 
Rehabilitation Research.
[FR Doc. 2015-09013 Filed 4-17-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4154-01-P