[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71492-71498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25058]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Upward Bound Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
Upward Bound Program
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2017.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.047A.
Dates:
Applications Available: October 17, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 28, 2016.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 25, 2017.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Upward Bound (UB) Program is one of the
seven programs known as the Federal TRIO Programs. The UB Program is a
discretionary grant program that supports projects designed to provide
students with the skills and motivation necessary to complete a program
of secondary education and to enter into and succeed in a program of
postsecondary education. There are three types of grants under the UB
Program: UB; Veterans UB; and UB Math and Science grants. In this
notice we invite applications for UB grants only. We will invite
applications for Veterans UB grants and UB Math and Science grants in
forthcoming notices. Required services under the UB Program are
specified in sections 402C(b) and (c) of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-13), and permissible services
under the UB Program are specified in section 402C(d) of the HEA.
Background: The Federal TRIO programs, including the UB Program,
represent a national commitment to education for all students
regardless of race, ethnic background, disability status, or economic
circumstances. The Department has a strong interest in ensuring that
groups traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education, such
as low-income students, first-generation college students, students
with limited English proficiency, students with disabilities, homeless
students, students who are in foster care or aging out of foster care,
and other disconnected students, receive services provided by the UB
Program.
The Department views the UB Program as a critical component of its
efforts to improve college access and completion for students who have
been traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary education by
focusing on improving college readiness. To more strategically align UB
grants with broader reform strategies intended to improve postsecondary
access and completion, this notice includes a competitive preference
priority that encourages applicants to propose activities that are
supported by moderate evidence of effectiveness (as defined in this
notice). The Department is particularly interested in receiving
applications that include plans to provide services for students,
supported by evidence, that increase the likelihood that students will
complete high school and enroll in and complete a program of
postsecondary education. The Department is not specifying a particular
service such as tutoring or mentoring that must be tied to evidence,
but is providing an opportunity for the applicant to decide which
statutorily authorized service the project will implement based on
available evidence of effectiveness.
Additionally, this notice includes an invitational priority
encouraging applicants to focus on increasing opportunities for
students to accumulate postsecondary credits while in high school. Some
of these opportunities for postsecondary coursework may be available
through dual enrollment programs. Dual enrollment programs allow high
school students to enroll in credit-bearing college courses while
enrolled in high school. In various forms and under different names,
dual enrollment programs exist in all 50 States.\1\
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\1\ Education Commission of the States, ``Individual State
Profile,'' http://ecs.force.com/mbdata/mbprofallRT?Rep=DE15A.
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Recent research \2\ suggests that participation in dual enrollment
programs can lead to improved academic outcomes, especially for
students from low-income households and first generation college
students. Such participation can lead to better grades in high school,
increased enrollment in college following high school, greater college
credit accumulation, and higher rates of persistence in college.
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\2\ An, B.P. (2012). ``The Impact of Dual Enrollment on College
Degree Attainment: Do Low-SES Students Benefit?'' Educational
Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 35, 57-75.
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Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference
priority and one invitational priority. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priority is from 34 CFR
75.226. Applicants must include in the one-page abstract submitted with
the application a statement indicating if they addressed the
competitive preference priority and/or the invitational priority.
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award three additional
points to an application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
[[Page 71493]]
Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness (3 points).
Applications supported by evidence of effectiveness that meets the
conditions set out in the definition of ``moderate evidence of
effectiveness'' in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
Invitational Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for 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:
The Secretary encourages applicants to propose projects designed to
increase opportunities for participants to earn postsecondary credits
in high school, such as through providing connections to dual
enrollment programs.
Definitions: These definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1.
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
WWC 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 WWC), and includes
a sample that overlaps with the populations or 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
WWC 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 WWC), 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 a local education agency, locality, or State.
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.
What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set
forth in the WWC 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. 1070a-11 and 1070a-13.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except for
75.215 through 75.221), 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The
Office of Management and Budget 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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 645.
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: The Administration has requested
$900,000,000 for the Federal TRIO Program for FY 2017, of which we
intend to use an estimated $273,000,000 for UB awards. The actual level
of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we
are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant
process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $257,500-$768,622.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $335,890.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding the applicable maximum amount listed here for a single
budget period of 12 months. We will also reject any application for new
applicants that proposes a budget to serve fewer than 60 participants
or, for applicants that are current grantees, any application with a
proposed budget to serve fewer than the number of participants the
applicant was approved to serve in FY 2016.
For an applicant that is not currently receiving a UB
Program grant, the maximum award amount is $257,500, based upon a per-
participant cost of no more than $4,292 and a minimum of 60
participants.
For an applicant that is currently receiving a UB Program
grant, the maximum award amount is an amount equal to the applicant's
base award amount for FY 2016.
Estimated Number of Awards: 813.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, public
and private agencies, and organizations including community-based
organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth,
combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and
secondary schools.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An applicant may submit more than one application for a
UB Program grant so long as each application describes a project that
serves a different target area or target school (34 CFR 645.20(a)). The
Secretary is not designating any additional populations for which an
applicant may submit a separate application under this competition (34
CFR 645.20(b)).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Ken Waters, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E103,
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-6273 or by email:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc)
[[Page 71494]]
by contacting the program contact person listed in this section.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the
application narrative, which includes the budget narrative, to no more
than 65 pages using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
Each page on which there is text or graphics will be
counted as one full page.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including charts, tables,
figures, and graphs. Titles, headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions may be singled spaced.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for
Federal Assistance Face Sheet (SF 424); Part II, the Budget Information
Summary form (ED Form 524); Part III, the UB Program Profile form; Part
III, the one-page Project Abstract form; and Part IV, the Assurances
and Certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of
contents, which you should include in the application narrative. If you
include any attachments or appendices, these items will be counted as
part of Part III, the application narrative, for purpose of the page-
limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the
selection criteria in Part III, the application narrative.
Any application addressing the competitive preference priority may
include up to four additional pages for the priority. These additional
pages must be used to discuss how the application meets the competitive
preference priority. Any application addressing the invitational
priority may include up to two additional pages for the priority. These
additional pages must be used to discuss how the application meets the
invitational priority. The additional pages allotted to address the
competitive preference priority and the invitational priority cannot be
used for or transferred to the application narrative or any other
section of the application.
We will reject your application if--
You do not apply these standards; or
You exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: October 17, 2016.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 28, 2016.
Applications for grants under this program 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
the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact
in section VII in 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: January 25, 2017.
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 specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR
645.41. We reference additional 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), 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 Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
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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 UB Program, CFDA number 84.047A,
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 UB 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 84.047, not
84.047A).
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:
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 application
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 then 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
[[Page 71496]]
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 program
contact 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 Grants.gov 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: Gaby Watts, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E119,
Washington, DC 20202. Fax: (202) 260-7464.
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 84.047A), 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 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 84.047A)
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 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 grant notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are in 34 CFR 645.31 and listed in the application package.
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 assistance from the Department of
Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
For this competition, a panel of non-Federal reviewers will review
each application in accordance with the selection criteria in 34 CFR
645.31 and the competitive preference priority. The individual scores
of the reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the number of
reviewers to determine the peer review score received in the review
process. Additionally, in accordance with 34 CFR 645.32, the Secretary
will award prior experience points to applicants that conducted a UB
Program project during budget periods 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16,
based on their documented experience. Prior experience points, if any,
will be added to the application's average reader score to determine
the total score for each application.
If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same
total scores, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications so
as to serve geographic
[[Page 71497]]
areas and eligible populations that have been underserved by the UB
Program.
3. 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.
4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
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: The success of the UB Program will be
measured by the percentage of UB participants who enroll in and
complete postsecondary education. The following performance measures
have been developed to track progress toward achieving program success:
1. The percentage of UB students who took two years of mathematics
beyond Algebra I by the 12th grade;
2. The percentage of UB students who graduated from secondary
school with a regular secondary school diploma;
3. The percentage of UB students who enrolled in postsecondary
education;
4. The percentage of UB students who enrolled in a program of
postsecondary education by the fall term following graduation from high
school and who in the first year of postsecondary education placed into
college-level math and English without need for remediation;
5. The percentage of former UB students who enrolled in a program
of postsecondary education and graduated on time--within four years for
the bachelor's degree and within two years for the associate's degree;
6. The percentage of UB participants who enrolled in a program of
postsecondary education and attained either an associate's degree
within three years or a bachelor's degree within six years of
enrollment;
7. The percentage of UB students expected to graduate high school
in the reporting year who complete a Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA); and
8. The cost per successful participant.
Grant recipients must collect and report data on steps they have
taken toward achieving these goals. Accordingly, we request that
applicants include these performance measures in conceptualizing the
design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects.
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 management requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Ken Waters, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E103, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 453-6273 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-
8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 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
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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 this 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 feature at
this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the
Department.
Dated: October 12, 2016.
Lynn B. Mahaffie,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation,
Delegated the Duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 2016-25058 Filed 10-14-16; 8:45 am]
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