[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 39 (Monday, February 29, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10232-10239]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04260]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Indian Education Discretionary
Grants Programs--Demonstration Grants for Indian Children Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information Indian Education Discretionary Grants
Programs--Demonstration Grants for Indian Children Program Notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2016.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.299A.
Dates: Applications Available: February 29, 2016.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 29, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 31, 2016.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2016.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Demonstration Grants for
Indian Children program is to provide financial assistance to projects
that develop, test, and demonstrate the effectiveness of services and
programs to improve the educational opportunities and achievement of
preschool, elementary, and secondary Indian students.
Background: For FY 2016, the Department will continue to use the
priority for Native Youth Community Projects (NYCP) first used in FY
2015 to support community-led, comprehensive projects to help American
Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children become college- and career-ready.
NYCP funding is one of many efforts across the Federal government to
coordinate, measure progress, and make investments in Native youth
programs as part of the Generation Indigenous Initiative. These efforts
aim to address educational outcomes, access to the internet, the
availability of teacher housing, Indian Child Welfare Act
implementation, tribal criminal justice, and the suicide rate. The
Department intends to award several NYCP grants for communities to
improve educational outcomes, specifically college- and career-
readiness, through strategies tailored to address the specific
challenges and build upon the specific opportunities and culture within
a community. Due to increased funding for FY 2016, the Department
expects to support more comprehensive projects that implement multiple
strategies. Given the interconnectedness of in-school and out-of-school
factors that relate to student achievement and positive youth
development, grants will support a community-led approach to providing
academic, social-emotional, cultural, and other support services for
AI/AN students and students' family members. Recognizing the importance
of tribes to the education of Native youth, NYCP projects are based on
a partnership that includes at least one tribe and one school district
or BIE-funded school. We expect that this partnership will facilitate
capacity building within the community, generating positive results and
practices for student college- and career-readiness beyond the period
of Federal financial assistance. The requirement of a written
partnership agreement helps to ensure that all relevant partners needed
to achieve the project goals are included from the outset. Finally,
grantees' project evaluations should help inform future practices that
effectively improve outcomes for AI/AN youth.
Priorities: This competition contains one absolute priority and
three competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute priority is from the regulations at 34
CFR 263.21(c)(1) and 263.20. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(ii), competitive preference priority one is from Sec.
263.21(c)(5) of the regulations, competitive preference priority two is
from Sec. 263.21(b) of the regulations, and competitive preference
priority three paragraph (b) is from Sec. 263.21(c)(2) of the
regulations. Competitive preference priority three paragraph (a)
(relating to Promise Zones) is from the notice of final priority
published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2014 (79 FR 17035).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2016 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Native Youth Community Projects. A native youth community project
is--
(1) Focused on a defined local geographic area to be served by the
project;
(2) Centered on the goal of ensuring that Indian students are
prepared for college and careers;
(3) Informed by evidence, which could be either a needs assessment
conducted within the last three years or other data analysis, on--
(i) The greatest barriers, both in and out of school, to the
readiness of local Indian students for college and careers;
(ii) Opportunities in the local community to support Indian
students; and
(iii) Existing local policies, programs, practices, service
providers, and funding sources;
(4) Focused on one or more barriers or opportunities with a
community-based strategy or strategies and measurable objectives;
[[Page 10233]]
(5) Designed and implemented through a partnership of various
entities, which--
(i) Must include--
(A) One or more tribes or their tribal education agencies; and
(B) One or more Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian
Education (BIE)-funded schools, one or more local educational agencies
(LEAs), or both; and
(ii) May include other optional entities, including community-based
organizations, national nonprofit organizations, and Alaska regional
corporations; and
(6) Led by an entity that--
(i) Is eligible for a grant under the Demonstration Grants for
Indian Children program; and
(ii) Demonstrates, or partners with an entity that demonstrates,
the capacity to improve outcomes that are relevant to the project focus
through experience with programs funded through other sources.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2016 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional
10 points to an application, depending on how well the application
meets one or more of these priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority One. We award two points to an
application proposing to serve a rural local community. To meet this
priority, a project must include an LEA that is eligible under the
Small Rural School Achievement (SRSA) or Rural and Low-Income School
(RLIS) program, or a BIE-funded school that is located in an area
designated by the U.S. Census Bureau with a locale code of 42 or 43.
Competitive Preference Priority Two. Although all NYCP grantees are
required to have an eligible Indian tribe or its tribal education
agency (TEA) as a partner, we award four points to an application in
which the lead partner is an eligible Indian tribe or its TEA, an
Indian organization, or an Indian Institution of Higher Education
(IHE). See the definition of Indian IHE listed under Eligibility
Information in section III of this notice.
Competitive Preference Priority Three. We award four points to an
application that meets one of the following criteria--
(a) Designed to serve a local community within a federally
designated Promise Zone; or
(b) Submitted by a partnership or consortium in which the lead
applicant or one of its partners has received a grant in the last four
years under one or more of the following grant or enhancement programs:
(1) State Tribal Education Partnership (title VII, part A, subpart
3).
(2) Sovereignty in Indian Education Enhancements (Department of the
Interior).
(3) Alaska Native Education Program (title VII, part C).
(4) Promise Neighborhoods.
(5) Tribal Education Department Grants (Department of the
Interior).
Note: As a participant in the Administration's Promise Zone
Initiative, the Department is cooperating with the Departments of
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and, the Department of
Agriculture (USDA) and nine other Federal agencies to support
comprehensive revitalization efforts in 20 high-poverty urban,
rural, and tribal communities across the country. Each application
for NYCP funds that is accompanied by a Certification of Consistency
with Promise Zone Goals and Implementation (HUD Form 50153) signed
by an authorized representative of the lead organization of a
Promise Zone designated by HUD or USDA supporting the application
will receive four points, under Competitive Preference Priority
3(a). An application for NYCP grant funds that is not accompanied by
a signed certification (HUD Form 50153) will not receive points
under Competitive Preference Priority 3(a), but may still be
eligible to receive points under Competitive Preference Priority
3(b) if it received one of the grants listed. To view the list of
designated Promise Zones and lead organizations please go to
www.hud.gov/promisezones. The certification form is available at //
portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=HUD_Form_50153.pdf.
Note: An application will not receive points for both (a) and
(b).
Application Requirements: The following requirements apply to all
applications submitted under this competition and are from 34 CFR
263.20, 263.21, and 263.22. An applicant must include in its
application:
(a) A description of the defined geographic area to be served by
the project.
(b) Evidence, based on either a needs assessment conducted within
the last three years or other data analysis, of--
(1) The greatest barriers, both in and out of school, to the
readiness of local Indian students for college and careers;
(2) Opportunities in the local community to support Indian
students; and
(3) Existing local policies, programs, practices, service
providers, and funding sources.
(c) A project design and management plan that--
(1) Addresses one or more barriers or opportunities towards the
goal of ensuring that Indian students are prepared for college and
careers, as identified in the local needs assessment or other data
analysis; and
(2) Uses a community-based strategy (or strategies), and
measureable objectives for that strategy (or strategies) that can be
used to measure progress toward the goal.
(d) A copy of an agreement signed by the partners in the proposed
project, identifying the responsibilities of each partner in the
project. Signatories to the agreement must include at least one tribe
or its TEA and at least one LEA or BIE-funded school, as described in
the absolute priority above. Letters of support do not meet the
requirement for a signed agreement.
(e) Evidence that the applicant or one of its partners has
demonstrated the capacity to improve outcomes that are relevant to the
project focus through experience with programs funded through other
sources.
(f) A description of how Indian tribes and parents of Indian
children have been, and will be, involved in developing and
implementing the proposed activities.
(g) Information demonstrating that the proposed project is based on
scientific research, where applicable, or an existing program that has
been modified to be culturally appropriate for Indian students.
(h) A description of how the applicant will continue the proposed
activities once the grant period is over.
Statutory 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.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7441.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
[[Page 10234]]
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
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) 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 regulations for
this program in 34 CFR part 263.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: 17,400,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2017 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-1,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $900,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 19.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants for this program are
State educational agencies; LEAs, including charter schools that are
considered LEAs under State law; Indian tribes; Indian organizations;
BIE-funded schools; Indian institutions (including Indian IHEs); or a
consortium of any of these entities.
The absolute priority for NYCP requires that an applicant be a
member of a partnership that includes at least one tribe or its TEA and
at least one LEA or BIE-funded school. Applications will be rejected
that do not include at least these two types of partners.
Note: Including as a partner an Indian organization or Indian
IHE does not satisfy the requirement, under the absolute priority,
of including the tribe itself as one of the partners. A tribe may
designate another entity to apply on its behalf only if the entity
submits as part of its application a tribal resolution authorizing
the designation for the purpose of applying for and administering
this Demonstration grant.
Applicants applying as an Indian organization must demonstrate that
the entity meets the definition of ``Indian organization'' in 34 CFR
263.20.
The term ``Indian institution of higher education'' means an
accredited college or university within the United States cited in
section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994
(7 U.S.C. 301 note), any other institution that qualifies for funding
under the Tribally Controlled College or University Assistance Act of
1978 (25 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.), and Dine College (formerly Navajo
Community College) authorized in the Navajo Community College
Assistance Act of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 640a et seq.).
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 the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs).
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
www.ed.gov/gund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S.
Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY),
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: [email protected].
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.299A.
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 person or team listed under For
Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice.
2. a. 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.
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. 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. The defined local geographic area to be served by the project;
4. Name(s) of partnering LEA(s) or BIE-funded school(s);
5. Names of partnering tribe(s) or TEA(s); and
6. If appropriate, names of other partnering organizations.
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/indiandemo/applicant.html.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. The suggested page limit for the application narrative is
35 pages. The suggested standards for the narrative include:
A page is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' margins
at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space 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 12 point or larger but no smaller than
10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The suggested page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the budget narrative justification; the
consortium agreement or partnership agreement; the assurances and
certifications; or the abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or
other required attachments.
b. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Demonstration
Grants for Indian Children, an application may include business
information that the applicant considers proprietary. The Department's
regulations define ``business information'' in 34 CFR 5.11.
[[Page 10235]]
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you feel is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act. In the appropriate
Appendix section of your application, under ``Other Attachment Form,''
please list the page number or numbers on which we can find this
information. For additional information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 29, 2016.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: April 4, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 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 7. Other Submission Requirements in
section IV 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: July 28, 2016.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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), 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 at the
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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 you enter into the SAM database.
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, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and 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 program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications. Applications for grants
under the Indian Education--Demonstration Grants for Indian Children
program, CFDA number 84.299A, 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 Indian
Education_Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program at
www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA
number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.299, not
84.299A).
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.
[[Page 10236]]
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. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures
for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the
Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
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 read-only, non-modifiable
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note
that this could result in your application not being considered for
funding because the material in question--for example, the project
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload
all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material
from other formats to PDF.
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. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
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 the
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will
contact you after we determine 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
[[Page 10237]]
Department, we must receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks
before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: John Cheek, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W215,
Washington, DC 20202-6335. 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 84.299A) 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.
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.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
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 84.299A), 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
include general selection criteria from 34 CFR 75.210 and selection
criteria based on regulatory requirements in 34 CFR part 263, in
accordance with 34 CFR 75.209(a). 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 15 points). The Secretary considers
the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factor:
The extent to which the project is informed by evidence, which
could be either a needs assessment conducted within the last three
years or other data analysis, of:
(i) The greatest barriers both in and out of school to the
readiness of local Indian students for college and careers;
(ii) Opportunities in the local community to support Indian
students; and
(iii) Existing local policies, programs, practices, service
providers, and funding sources.
b. Quality of the project design (Maximum 30 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) (Up to 3 points) The extent to which the project is focused on
a defined local geographic area.
(ii) (Up to 3 points) The extent to which the proposed project is
based on scientific research, where applicable, or an existing program
that has been modified to be culturally appropriate for Indian
students.
(iii) (Up to 7 points) The extent to which the goals, objectives,
and outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable.
(iv) (Up to 10 points) The extent to which the design of the
proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the
needs of the target population or other identified needs.
(v) (Up to 7 points) The extent to which the services to be
provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of
appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project
services.
c. Quality of project personnel (Maximum 10 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project. 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 the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator.
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel.
(iii) The extent to which the applicant, or one of its partners,
demonstrates capacity to improve outcomes that are relevant to the
project focus through experience with programs funded through other
sources.
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.
d. Adequacy of resources (Maximum 10 points). The Secretary
considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In
determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
[[Page 10238]]
(ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits.
e. Quality of the management plan (Maximum 30 points). The
Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) (Up to 14 points) 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.
(ii) (Up to 3 points) The extent to which the methods of evaluation
will provide performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of
progress toward achieving intended outcomes.
(iii) (Up to 10 points) The extent to which Indian tribes and
parents of Indian children have been, and will be, involved in
developing and implementing the proposed activities.
(iv) (Up to 3 points) The extent to which the proposed project is
designed to build capacity and yield results that will extend beyond
the period of Federal financial assistance.
f. Quality of the project evaluation (Maximum 5 points). The
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of
the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the
Secretary considers the following factor:
The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other
settings.
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. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. 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 multiyear 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.
(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed the following
performance measures for measuring the overall effectiveness of the
Demonstration Grants for Indian Children program:
(1) The percentage of the annual measurable objectives, as
described in the application, that are met by grantees; and
(2) The percentage of grantees that report a significant increase
in community collaborative efforts that promote college and career
readiness of Indian children.
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 award, 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: John Cheek, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3W215, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 401-0274 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.
[[Page 10239]]
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact
in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or 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: February 23, 2016.
Ann Whalen,
Delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-04260 Filed 2-26-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P