[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10846-10853]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04593]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal 
Institutions Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program.
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2016.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.382C.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 2, 2016.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 2, 2016.

[[Page 10847]]

    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 30, 2016.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible 
institutions of higher education (IHEs) that have an undergraduate 
enrollment of at least 10 percent Native American students to assist 
such institutions to plan, develop, undertake, and carry out activities 
to improve and expand such institutions' capacity to serve Native 
American and low-income individuals. The program is authorized under 
section 371 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
    Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority, two 
competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority. The 
absolute priority is from the Department's notice of final supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs 
(Supplemental Priorities), published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2014 (79 FR 73425). In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priorities are from 34 CFR 
75.226.
    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.
    This priority is:
    Supporting High-Need Students.
    (a) Projects that are designed to improve:
    (i) Academic outcomes;
    (ii) Learning environments; or
    (iii) Both,
    (b) For one or more of the following groups of students:
    (i) High-need students.
    (ii) Students with disabilities.
    (iii) English learners.
    (iv) Disconnected youth or migrant youth.
    (v) Low-skilled adults.
    (vi) Students who are members of federally recognized Indian 
tribes.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2016 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award one additional point 
to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 and 
three additional points to an application that meets Competitive 
Preference Priority 2. Applicants may address only one of the 
competitive preference priorities and must clearly indicate in their 
application which competitive preference priority they are addressing. 
Applicants that apply under Competitive Preference Priority 2, but 
whose applications do not meet the moderate evidence of effectiveness 
standard, may still be considered under Competitive Preference Priority 
1 to determine whether their applications meet the evidence of promise 
standard.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1 (One additional point) 
Applications supported by evidence of effectiveness that meets the 
conditions set out in the definition of ``evidence of promise.''
    Competitive Preference Priority 2 (Three additional points) 
Applications supported by evidence of effectiveness that meets the 
conditions set out in the definition of ``moderate evidence of 
effectiveness.''
    Invitational 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 invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this 
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications.
    This priority is:
    Projects that support activities that strengthen Native American 
language preservation and revitalization.
    Definitions: The following definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1 and the 
Supplemental Priorities.
    Disconnected youth means low-income individuals, ages 14-24, who 
are homeless, are in foster care, are involved in the justice system, 
or are not working or enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an 
educational institution.
    Evidence of promise means there is empirical evidence to support 
the theoretical linkage(s) between at least one critical component and 
at least one relevant outcome presented in the logic model for the 
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice. Specifically, 
evidence of promise means the conditions in both paragraphs (i) and 
(ii) of this definition are met:
    (i) There is at least one study that is a--
    (A) Correlational study with statistical controls for selection 
bias;
    (B) Quasi-experimental design study that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations; or
    (C) Randomized controlled trial that meets the What Works 
Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with or without reservations.
    (ii) The study referenced in paragraph (i) of this definition found 
a statistically significant or substantively important (defined as a 
difference of 0.25 standard deviations or larger) favorable association 
between at least one critical component and one relevant outcome 
presented in the logic model for the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice.
    High-minority school means a school as that term is defined by a 
local educational agency (LEA), which must define the term in a manner 
consistent with its State's Teacher Equity Plan, as required by section 
1111(b)(8)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (ESEA). The applicant must provide the definition(s) of high-
minority schools used in its application.
    High-need students means students who are at risk of educational 
failure or otherwise in need of special assistance and support, such as 
students who are living in poverty, who attend high-minority schools, 
who are far below grade level, who have left school before receiving a 
regular high school diploma, who are at risk of not graduating with a 
diploma on time, who are homeless, who are in foster care, who have 
been incarcerated, who have disabilities, or who are English learners.
    Large sample means an analytic sample of 350 or more students (or 
other single analysis units), or 50 or more groups (such as classrooms 
or schools) that contain 10 or more students (or other single analysis 
units).
    Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the 
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active 
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the 
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key 
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
    Low-skilled adult means an adult with low literacy and numeracy 
skills.
    Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of the following 
conditions is met:
    (i) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations, found 
a statistically significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome 
(with no statistically significant and overriding unfavorable impacts 
on that outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other 
studies of the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the What 
Works Clearinghouse), and includes a sample that overlaps with the 
populations or

[[Page 10848]]

settings proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or 
practice.
    (ii) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations, found a 
statistically significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome (with 
no statistically significant and overriding unfavorable impacts on that 
outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other studies of 
the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the What Works 
Clearinghouse), includes a sample that overlaps with the populations or 
settings proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or 
practice, and includes a large sample and a multi-site sample. Note: 
multiple studies can cumulatively meet the large and multi-site sample 
requirements as long as each study meets the other requirements in this 
paragraph.
    Multi-site sample means more than one site, where site can be 
defined as an LEA, locality, or State.
    Quasi-experimental design study means a study using a design that 
attempts to approximate an experimental design by identifying a 
comparison group that is similar to the treatment group in important 
respects. These studies, depending on design and implementation, can 
meet What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards with reservations (but 
not What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations).
    Randomized controlled trial means a study that employs random 
assignment of, for example, students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or 
districts to receive the intervention being evaluated (the treatment 
group) or not to receive the intervention (the control group). The 
estimated effectiveness of the intervention is the difference between 
the average outcome for the treatment group and for the control group. 
These studies, depending on design and implementation, can meet What 
Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards without reservations.
    Regular high school diploma means the standard high school diploma 
that is awarded to students in the State and that is fully aligned with 
the State's academic content standards or a higher diploma and does not 
include a General Education Development (GED) credential, certificate 
of attendance, or any alternative award.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate 
outcome if not related to students) the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice is designed to improve; consistent with the 
specific goals of a program.
    State means any of the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the District of Columbia, Guam, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, the 
Northern Mariana Islands, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific 
Islands.
    What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set 
forth in the What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook 
(Version 3.0, March 2014), which can be found at the following link: 
http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)(7) and (b)(2)(D)(iv).
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 
98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget (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 Supplemental 
Priorities.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,635,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2017 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$350,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $325,000 per year.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $350,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 11.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: An IHE is eligible to receive funds under 
the NASNTI Program if it qualifies as a Native American-Serving 
Nontribal Institution. At the time of application, IHEs applying for 
funds under the NASNTI Program must have an enrollment of undergraduate 
students that is at least 10 percent Native American, as defined as 
follows:
    Native American means a person who is of a tribe, people, or 
culture that is indigenous to the United States.
    At the time of submission of their applications, applicants must 
certify their total undergraduate headcount enrollment and that 10 
percent of the IHE's enrollment is Native American. An assurance form, 
which is included in the application materials for this competition, 
must be signed by an official for the applicant and submitted.
    To qualify as an eligible institution under the NASNTI Program, an 
institution must also be--
    (a) Accredited or pre-accredited by a nationally recognized 
accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to 
be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training 
offered;
    (b) Legally authorized by the State in which it is located to be a 
community college or to provide an educational program for which it 
awards a bachelor's degree; and
    (c) Designated as an ``eligible institution'' by demonstrating that 
it has: (i) An enrollment of needy students as described in 34 CFR 
607.3; and (ii) low average educational and general expenditures per 
full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student as described in 34 CFR 
607.4.

    Note: The notice announcing the FY 2016 process for designation 
of eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of 
eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on 
November 19, 2015 (80 FR 72422). Only institutions that the 
Department determines are eligible, or which are granted a waiver, 
may apply for a grant in this program.

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching unless funds are used for an endowment.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package:
    Don Crews, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Room 7E311, Washington, DC 20202. You may contact these individuals at 
the following email addresses or telephone numbers: [email protected]; 
(202) 453-7920.
    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.
    You can obtain an application via the Internet using the following 
address: www.Grants.gov.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc)

[[Page 10849]]

by contacting one of the program contact people listed in this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria, the absolute priority, the competitive 
preference priorities, and the invitational priority that reviewers use 
to evaluate your application. We have established mandatory page 
limits. You must limit the section of the application narrative that 
addresses:
     The selection criteria to no more than 50 pages.
     The absolute priority to no more than three pages.
     A competitive preference priority, to no more than three 
pages, if you address one.
     The invitational priority to no more than two pages, if 
you address it.
    Accordingly, under no circumstances may the application narrative 
exceed 58 pages. Include a separate heading for each priority that you 
address.
    For the purpose of determining compliance with the page limits, 
each page on which there are words will be counted as one full page. 
Applicants must use the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an 
identifier may be within the 1'' margins.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions and all text in charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs. These items may be single-spaced. Charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward 
the page limits.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-
point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.
     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.
    The page limit does not apply to the Application for Federal 
Assistance (SF 424); the Supplemental Information for SF 424 Form; the 
Budget Information Summary Form (ED Form 524) and Budget Narrative; and 
the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not apply 
to the table of contents, the one-page abstract, the resumes, the 
bibliography, the letters of support, program profile, or the studies. 
If you include any attachments or appendices, these items will be 
counted as part of the application narrative for purposes of the page-
limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the 
selection criteria and priorities in the application narrative.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limits.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 2, 2016.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 2, 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 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 
one of the program contact people 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: June 30, 2016.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference the 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: 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

[[Page 10850]]

Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the 
NASNTI 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 NASNTI Program, CFDA number 
84.382C, 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 NASNTI 
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program competition by the CFDA number. Do 
not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search 
for 84.382, not 84.382C).
    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. 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

[[Page 10851]]

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 one of the 
program contact people 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 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: Don Crews, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 7E311, 
Washington, DC 20202. FAX: (202) 205-0063.
    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 84.382C) 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 84.382C) 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 program are 
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 25 points) The Secretary considers 
the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    1. The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the 
activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (10 points)
    2. The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (10 
points)
    3. The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
    b. Quality of the project design. (Maximum 20 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:
    1. The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    2. 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. (10 points)
    c. Quality of project services. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible

[[Page 10852]]

project participants 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:
    1. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services. (5 points)
    2. The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective 
practice. (5 points)
    d. 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:
    1. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator. (5 points)
    2. The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (5 points)
    e. Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 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:
    1. The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project. (3 points)
    2. The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. 
(2 points)
    f. Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 15 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:
    1. 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)
    2. The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (2.5 points)
    3. The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (2.5 points)
    g. Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 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:
    1. 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)
    2. The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use of 
objective performance measures that are clearly related to the intended 
outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and qualitative 
data to the extent possible. (5 points)
    3. 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: Awards will be made in rank order 
according to the average score received from a panel of three readers.
    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 
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. Tie-breaker for Grants. To resolve ties in the reader scores of 
applications for grants, the Department will award one additional point 
to an application from an IHE that has an endowment fund for which the 
current market value, per FTE enrolled student, is less than the 
average current market value of the endowment funds, per FTE enrolled 
student, at comparable institutions that offer similar instruction. In 
addition, to resolve ties in the reader scores of applications for 
grants, the Department will award one additional point to an 
application from an IHE that has expenditures for library materials per 
FTE enrolled student that are less than the average expenditures for 
library materials per FTE enrolled student at comparable institutions 
that offer similar instruction. We also will add one additional point 
to an application from an IHE that proposes to carry out one or more of 
the following activities--
    a. Faculty development;
    b. Funds and administrative management;
    c. Development and improvement of academic programs;
    d. Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management and 
academic programs;
    e. Joint use of facilities; and
    f. Student services.
    For the purpose of these funding considerations, we will use the 
most recent complete data available (e.g., for FY 2016, we will use 
2013-2014 data).
    If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above, 
priority will be given to applicants that have the lowest endowment 
values per FTE enrolled student.
    4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition 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

[[Page 10853]]

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.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the NASNTI Program:
    a. The percentage change, over a five-year period, of the number of 
full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates enrolling at NASNTIs. Note 
that this is a long-term measure, which will be used to periodically 
gauge performance;
    b. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at four-year NASNTIs who were in their first 
year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled 
in the current year at the same NASNTI;
    c. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at two-year NASNTIs who were in their first year 
of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in 
the current year at the same NASNTI;
    d. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at four-year NASNTIs who graduate 
within six years of enrollment; and
    e. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at two-year NASNTIs who graduate within 
three years of enrollment.
    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 Contacts

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Don Crews, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 7E311, Washington, DC 20202. 
You may contact this individual at the following email address or 
telephone number: [email protected]; (202) 453-7920. 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 persons listed under For Further Information 
Contact in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or 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 26, 2016.
Lynn Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation 
Delegated the Duties of Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-04593 Filed 3-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P