[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 4 (Friday, January 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1723-1729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-32046]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad 
Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2017.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.021A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: January 6, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 7, 2017.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Fulbright-Hays Group 
Projects Abroad (GPA) Program is to promote, improve, and develop 
modern foreign languages and area studies at varying levels of 
education. The program provides opportunities for faculty, teachers, 
and undergraduate and graduate students to conduct individual and group 
projects overseas to carry out research and study in the fields of 
modern foreign languages and area studies. This competition will 
support both Fulbright-Hays GPA short-term projects (GPA short-term 
projects) and Fulbright-Hays GPA long-term projects (GPA long-term 
projects).
    There are three types of GPA short-term projects: (1) Short-term 
seminar

[[Page 1724]]

projects of four to six weeks in length designed to increase the 
linguistic or cultural competency of U.S. students and educators by 
focusing on a particular aspect of area study, such as the culture of 
an area or country of study (34 CFR 664.11); (2) curriculum development 
projects of four to eight weeks in length that provide participants an 
opportunity to acquire resource materials for curriculum development in 
modern foreign language and area studies for use and dissemination in 
the United States (34 CFR 664.12); and (3) group research or study 
projects of three to twelve months in duration designed to give 
participants the opportunity to undertake research or study in a 
foreign country (34 CFR 664.13).
    GPA long-term projects are advanced overseas intensive language 
projects that may be carried out during a full year, an academic year, 
a semester, a trimester, a quarter, or a summer. GPA long-term projects 
are designed to take advantage of the opportunities in the foreign 
country that are not present in the United States when providing 
intensive advanced foreign language training. Only participants who 
have successfully completed at least two academic years of training in 
the language to be studied are eligible for language training under 
this program. In addition, the language to be studied must be 
indigenous to the host country and maximum use must be made of local 
institutions and personnel (34 CFR 664.14).
    Applicants may submit only one GPA short-term or GPA long-term 
application under this notice and must identify whether they are 
applying for a GPA short-term project or a GPA long-term project.
    Priorities: This notice contains one absolute priority and four 
competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute priority is from the regulations for 
this program (34 CFR 664.32). Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 
are from the notice of final priorities and definitions (NFP) published 
in the Federal Register on June 16, 2016 (81 FR 39196). Competitive 
Preference Priority 3 is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 
664.32), and Competitive Preference Priority 4 is from the notice of 
final priorities published in the Federal Register on September 24, 
2010 (75 FR 59050).
    Absolute 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 an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:

Specific Geographic Regions of the World

    A group project that focuses on one or more of the following 
geographic regions of the world: Africa, East Asia, South Asia, 
Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the Western Hemisphere (Central and 
South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean), Eastern and Central Europe 
and Eurasia, and the Near East.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2017 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 three additional points to 
an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1; three 
additional points to an application that meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 2; one additional point to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 3; and up to an additional three points 
to an application, depending on how well the application meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 4. Applicants for GPA short-term 
projects may address Competitive Preference Priorities 1, 3, and 4. 
Applicants for GPA long-term projects may address Competitive 
Preference Priorities 2 and 3. An applicant must identify the priority 
or priorities that it believes it meets and provide documentation 
supporting its claims.
    These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications for GPA Short-Term 
Projects From Selected Institutions and Organizations (3 Points)

    Applications for GPA short-term projects from the following types 
of institutions and organizations:

[cir] Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs)
[cir] Community colleges
[cir] New applicants
[cir] State educational agencies (SEAs)

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Applications for GPA Long-Term 
Projects From MSIs (3 Points)

    Applications for GPA long-term advanced overseas intensive language 
training projects from MSIs.

Competitive Preference Priority 3: Substantive Training and Thematic 
Focus on Priority Languages (1 Point)

    Applications that propose GPA short-term or GPA long-term projects 
that provide substantive training and thematic focus on any of the 78 
priority languages selected from the U.S. Department of Education's 
list of Less Commonly Taught Languages: Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, 
Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), Armenian, Azeri (Azerbaijani), Balochi, 
Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara, Mandikan, Mandingo, Maninka, Dyula), 
Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), Berber (all languages), Bosnian, 
Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), Chechen, Chinese (Cantonese), 
Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Min), Chinese (Wu), 
Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa, Hebrew (Modern), 
Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, 
Khmer (Cambodian), Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kurdish 
(Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), Malayalam, Marathi, 
Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Polish, 
Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, 
Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, 
Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur/
Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.

Competitive Preference Priority 4: Inclusion of K-12 Educators (Up to 3 
Points)

    Applications that propose short-term projects abroad that develop 
and improve foreign language studies, area studies, or both at 
elementary and secondary schools by including K-12 teachers or K-12 
administrators as at least 50 percent of the project participants.
    Definitions: The following definitions are from the NFP and are 
designed to provide clarity for applicants addressing the competitive 
preference priorities.
    Community college means an institution that meets the definition in 
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) 
(20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); or an institution of higher education (IHE) (as 
defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that awards degrees 
and certificates, more than 50 percent of which are not bachelor's 
degrees (or an equivalent).
    Minority-serving institution (MSI) means an institution that is 
eligible to receive assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A 
of title III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA.
    New applicant means any applicant that has not received a 
discretionary grant from the Department of Education under the 
Fulbright-Hays Act prior to the deadline date for applications under 
this program.
    State educational agency (SEA) means the State board of education 
or other

[[Page 1725]]

agency or officer primarily responsible for the supervision of public 
elementary and secondary schools in a State. In the absence of this 
officer or agency, it is an officer or agency designated by the 
Governor or State law.

    Program Authority:  22 U.S.C. 2452(b)(6).

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 664. (e) 
The NFP. (f) The notice of final priorities for this program published 
in the Federal Register on September 24, 2010 (75 FR 59050).
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,792,440.
    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:
    GPA short-term projects: $50,000--$100,000.
    GPA long-term projects: $50,000--$250,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards:
    GPA short-term projects: $80,059.
    GPA long-term projects: $185,025.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any GPA short-term project 
application that proposes a budget exceeding $100,000 for a single 
project period of 18 months. We will reject any GPA long-term project 
application that proposes a budget exceeding $250,000 for a single 
budget period of 24 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 20.
    GPA short-term projects: 5.
    GPA long-term projects: 15.

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

    Project Period:
    GPA short-term projects: Up to 18 months.
    GPA long-term projects: Up to 24 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) IHEs, (2) State departments of 
education, (3) Private nonprofit educational organizations, and (4) 
Consortia of these entities.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program 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.Grants.gov. 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 84.021A.
    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 listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    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) is where you, the 
applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative to 
no more than 40 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side 
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs in the application narrative may be single spaced 
and will count toward the page limit.
     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, and graphs.
     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 40-page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information 
form required by the Department of Education; Part II, Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524); Part IV, assurances, 
certifications, and the response to section 427 of the General 
Education Provisions Act; the table of contents; the one-page project 
abstract; the appendices; or the line-item budget. However, the page 
limit does apply to all of the application narrative. If you include 
any attachments or appendices not specifically requested, these items 
will be counted as part of the application narrative for purposes of 
the page-limit requirement.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: January 6, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 7, 2017.
    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 person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII 
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
664.33. We

[[Page 1726]]

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: 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 Fulbright-Hays GPA Program, CFDA 
number 84.021A, 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 Fulbright-Hays GPA 
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 84.021, 
not 84.021A).
    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

[[Page 1727]]

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 Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement for Fulbright-Hays GPA to: 
Reha Mallory, Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad Program, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E213, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 453-7502.
    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 84.021A), 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

[[Page 1728]]

date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.021A), 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 664.31 and are as follows: (a) Plan of operation (20 
points); (b) Quality of key personnel (10 points); (c) Budget and cost 
effectiveness (10 points); (d) Evaluation plan (20 points); (e) 
Adequacy of resources (5 points); (f) Potential impact of the project 
on the development of the study of modern foreign languages and area 
studies in American education (15 points); (g) The project's relevance 
to the applicant's educational goals and its relationship to its 
program development in modern foreign languages and area studies (10 
points); and (h) The extent to which direct experience abroad is 
necessary to achieve the project's objectives and the effectiveness 
with which relevant host country resources will be utilized (10 
points). Additional information about these criteria is in the 
application package for this program.
    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 
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).
    For FY 2017, GPA short-term project applications will be reviewed 
by separate panels according to world area. GPA long-term projects will 
be reviewed by one panel across world areas. A rank order from highest 
to lowest score will be developed for each of the two types of projects 
and will be used for funding purposes.
    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. Grantees are required to use the electronic data instrument 
International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete the final 
report. 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: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the following measure will be used by the 
Department to evaluate the success of the GPA short-term program: The 
percentage of GPA short-term project participants who disseminated 
information about or materials from their group project abroad through 
more than one outreach activity within six months of returning to their 
home institution. The following

[[Page 1729]]

measure will be used by the Department to evaluate the success of the 
GPA long-term program: The percentage of GPA long-term project 
participants who increased their reading, writing, and/or listening/
speaking foreign language scores by one proficiency level. The 
efficiency of the GPA short-term program and the GPA long-term program 
will be measured by considering the cost per GPA participant who 
increased his/her foreign language score in reading, writing, and/or 
listening/speaking by at least one proficiency level.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for this measure. 
Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at:
    http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_director.pdf and http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/gpa_participant.pdf.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reha Mallory, Fulbright-Hays Group 
Projects Abroad Program, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW., Room 3E213, Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 453-7502 
or by email: [email protected].
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service, toll 
free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
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: December 30, 2016.
Mohamed Abdel-Kader,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Languages.
[FR Doc. 2016-32046 Filed 1-5-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P