[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 145 (Monday, August 2, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41454-41458]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-16348]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Notice Inviting Applications for Funds Under the Higher Education
Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), Section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan
(ARP) for Institutions of Higher Education That Meet the Criteria for
the Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary is announcing the availability of new HEERF
funding for the ARP (a)(2) grant program authorized under ARP section
2003(2) and inviting applications under Assistance Listing Number
(ALN)84.425L from eligible public and private nonprofit IHEs to address
needs directly related to the coronavirus. These awards are in addition
to the ARP (a)(1) grants and have been allocated by the Secretary
proportionally to funding for MSI programs in the Further Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2020. The institutions eligible for this funding
include institutions that generally would be eligible to apply for the
following grant programs under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended (HEA), and that are listed on the ARP (a)(2) MSI Allocation
Table: Title V, part A Developing Hispanic Serving Institutions, Title
V, part B Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic
Americans, and the following Title III Part A programs: Strengthening
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving
Institutions (AANAPISI), Strengthening Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions (ANNH), Strengthening Native American-
Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI), and Strengthening
Predominantly Black Institutions (PBI). This notice relates to the
approved information collection
[[Page 41455]]
under OMB control number 1840-XXXX.
DATES:
Applications Available: August 2, 2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: Applications will be
accepted on a rolling basis until October 1, 2021.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses to obtain and submit an application,
please refer to the Common Instructions for Applicants to the
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/02/13/2019-02206/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Epps, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 250-64, Washington, DC 20202.
Department of Education HEERF Customer Care Center Phone: (202) 377-
3711. Email: [email protected]. Please also visit the HEERF III website at:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/arp.html.
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
Background: On March 11, 2021, the President signed the ARP into
law (Pub. L. 117-2). This law makes available approximately $39.6
billion for IHEs under HEERF, with funding appropriated through
existing programs authorized under the CRRSAA.
With this notice, the Secretary is announcing the availability of
HEERF grant funds under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program (ALN 84.425L).
Eligible institutions are IHEs, as defined in sections 101 and
102(c) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1001 and 1002(c). Allocations for eligible
IHEs will be calculated according to the formulas found in ARP section
2003(2) and section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA. Under ARP section 2003,
grant awards under this program may be used to (1) defray expenses
associated with the coronavirus, including lost revenue, reimbursement
for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a
transition to distance education, faculty and staff training, and
payroll; and (2) provide financial aid grants to students (including
students exclusively enrolled in distance education), which may be used
for any component of the student's cost of attendance or for emergency
costs that arise due to the coronavirus, such as tuition, food,
housing, health care, mental health care, or childcare. In making
financial aid grants to students, an IHE must prioritize grants to
students with exceptional need, such as Pell recipient students. IHEs
are urged to devote the maximum amount of funds possible to student
financial aid grants.
Additionally, under ARP section 2003(5), institutions must use a
portion of their funds under ALN 84.425L to (1) implement evidence-
based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in accordance with
the public health guidelines; and (2) conduct direct outreach to
financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a financial
aid adjustment due to recent unemployment status or other changes in
financial circumstances as described in section 479A of the HEA (20
U.S.C. 1087tt).
The Department is not requiring IHEs that received grants under
section 314(a)(2) of the CRRSAA to submit a new or revised application
to receive funding under the ARP (a)(2) MSI program. As a result, the
Department will award supplemental funds to eligible IHEs that received
a section 314(a)(2) award under the CRRSAA, ALN 84.425L (identified by
a Grant Award beginning with P425Lxx). No action is required by
eligible IHEs to receive these supplemental awards. The project
director identified on the most current Grant Award Notification (GAN)
will automatically receive an email indicating a supplemental award has
been made to your institution. Please note that drawing down any amount
of these supplemental funds constitutes an institution's acceptance of
the new ARP terms and conditions and a new Supplemental Agreement,
which are attached to this notice for reference.
IHEs that have not yet complied with the reporting requirements of
the HEERF grant program may receive delayed supplemental ARP (a)(2)
awards and/or may receive awards with a restriction on the ability to
draw down those awarded funds (route payment status) until the
institution has satisfied its HEERF reporting obligations.
IHEs that did not receive a CRRSAA section 314(a)(2) MSI award but
that are on the Department's section 2003(2) ARP MSI Allocation Table
may apply for and receive an ARP (a)(2) MSI grant award. The Department
must receive an application from such institutions within 60 days of
the publication of this notice.
Program Authority: Section 2003 of the ARP and section 314 of the
CRRSAA.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97,
98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)
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.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Formula grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $767.3 million.
Grant Period: Institutions must expend funds received under this
program within 12 months of the obligation of the funds by the
Department.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Public and private nonprofit IHEs, as
defined in sections 101 and 102(c) of the HEA, that are eligible for
certain programs under part A of title III and parts A and B of title V
of the HEA.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Subgrantees: Subgrantees are not allowed under this program.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
submit their applications using Grants.gov. To register for Grants.gov,
please visit their ``How to Apply for Grants'' web page (https://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html) or call their
Applicant Support helpdesk at 1-800-518-4726.
Each completed application must consist of--
A complete SF-424;
Supplemental Information for the SF-424; and
The Certification and Agreement (C&A) for an Award under
Section 2003 for ARP (a)(2).
Note: The applicant must submit the corresponding C&A for the funds
requested. Each C&A must be completed and include the correct OPEID and
DUNS number of the institution requesting funds. Each grantee will
receive the amount calculated for them
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and listed in the ARP (a)(2) MSI Allocation Table.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. However, under 34
CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review to make timely awards.
3. Funding Restrictions: We specify funding restrictions in the
Certificate and Agreement.
4. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and System for Award Management: In general, to do business
with the Department, 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 SAM 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 at the following website: 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. If you 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.
If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make
any changes. However, please make sure that the TIN associated with
your DUNS number is correct. Also, note that you will need to update
your registration annually. This process 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, please see our SAM.gov Tip
Sheet, at: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
In addition, in order to submit your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) register as an applicant using your DUNS number and (2) be
designated by your organization's E-Biz Point of Contact as an
Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Details on these steps
are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
V. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If you receive a grant award under this program,
we will send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN) or an email
containing a link to access an electronic version of your GAN.
2. Reporting: Reporting requirements are specified in the C&A.
VI. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format on request to the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The Department
will provide the requestor with an accessible format that may include
Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3
file, braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other
accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov/. At this site, you can view
this document, and other documents of this Department published in the
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use
PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov/. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Annmarie Weisman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office
of Postsecondary Education.
American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
Supplemental Agreement for an Award Under ARP (a)(2) (ALN 84.425 J, K,
L, M)
Supplemental Grant Funds
The terms, conditions, and requirements governing your
institution's (Recipient's) use of these supplemental grant funds
awarded pursuant to section 2003 of the American Rescue Plan Act of
2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2) (supplemental award or grant) by the U.S.
Department of Education (Department) are governed by section 2003 of
the ARP and section 314 of the Coronavirus Response and Relief
Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA) (Pub. L. 116-260) and
the following terms and conditions of this Supplemental Agreement.
BY DRAWING DOWN THESE GRANT FUNDS, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE
CONDITIONS SET FORTH ON BEHALF OF THE INSTITUTION YOU REPRESENT, AND
YOU WARRANT THAT YOU HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO BIND THE INSTITUTION TO THE
FOLLOWING CONDITIONS
Use of Supplemental Grant Funds
1. Section 314(a)(2) of CRRSAA authorizes the Secretary to make
additional awards under parts A and B of title III, parts A and B of
title V, and subpart 4 of part A of title VII of the Higher Education
Act of 1965, as amended (``HEA''), to address needs directly related to
the coronavirus. These awards are in addition to awards made in Section
2003 for the ARP funding stream and have been allocated by the
Secretary proportionally to such programs based on the relative share
of funding appropriated to such programs in the Further Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94).
2. Pursuant to Section 314(c) of CRRSAA, Recipient may use this
award to defray expenses associated with the coronavirus (including
lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology
costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and
staff trainings, and payroll); and make additional emergency financial
grants to students, which may be used for any component of the
student's cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to
[[Page 41457]]
coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including
mental health care), or child care.
3. Under section 2003(5) of the ARP, Recipient must use a portion
of their funds received under this supplemental award to (a) implement
evidence-based practices to monitor and suppress coronavirus in
accordance with public health guidelines and (b) conduct direct
outreach to financial aid applicants about the opportunity to receive a
financial aid adjustment due to the recent unemployment of a family
member or independent student, or other circumstances, described in
section 479A of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087tt).
4. The Secretary urges Recipient to devote the maximum amount of
funds possible to emergency financial aid grants to students. The
Secretary urges Recipient to take strong measures to ensure that
emergency financial aid grants to students are made to the maximum
extent possible.
5. Recipient acknowledges that no supplemental grant funds may be
used to fund construction; acquisition of real property; contractors
for the provision of pre-enrollment recruitment activities; marketing
or recruitment; endowments; capital outlays associated with facilities
related to athletics, sectarian instruction, or religious worship;
senior administrator or executive salaries, benefits, bonuses,
contracts, incentives; stock buybacks, shareholder dividends, capital
distributions, and stock options; or any other cash or other benefit
for a senior administrator or executive.
6. Recipient acknowledges that it may voluntarily decline all or a
portion of its ARP (a)(2) funds. The recipient may indicate this by
submitting the Voluntary Decline of HEERF form (OMB Control Number
1840-0856) to the Department by August 11, 2021. Recipient further
acknowledges if it submits this form, it will be ineligible for the
future redistribution of ARP HEERF grant funds to other institutions
with greater needs due to the coronavirus.
Grant Administration
7. Recipient acknowledges that consistent with 2 CFR 200.305, it
must minimize the time between drawing down funds from G5 and paying
incurred obligations (liquidation). Recipient further acknowledges that
if it draws down funds and does not pay the incurred obligations
(liquidates) within three calendar days it may be subject to heightened
scrutiny by the Department, Recipient's auditors, and/or the
Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG). Recipient further
acknowledges that returning funds pursuant to mistakes in drawing down
excessive grant funds in advance of need may also be subject to
heightened scrutiny by the Department, Recipient's auditors, and/or the
Department's OIG. Finally, Recipient acknowledges that it must maintain
drawn down grant funds in an interest-bearing account, and any interest
earned on all Federal grant funds above $500 (all Federal grants
together) during an institution's fiscal year must be returned
(remitted) to the Federal government via a process described here:
https://www2.ed.gov/documents/funding-101/g5-returning-interest.pdf.
8. Recipient may charge indirect costs to supplemental funds made
available under this award consistent with its negotiated indirect cost
rate agreement. If Recipient does not have a current negotiated
indirect cost rate with its cognizant agency for indirect costs, it may
appropriately charge the de minimis rate of ten percent of Modified
Total Direct Costs (MTDC) under 2 CFR 200.414. Recipient may also
charge reasonable direct administrative costs to the supplemental funds
made available under this award.
9. Recipient acknowledges that any obligation under this grant
(pre-award costs pursuant to 2 CFR 200.458) must have been incurred on
or after March 13, 2020, the date of the declaration of a National
Emergency Concerning the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak
(85 FR 15337).
10. Recipient must promptly and to the greatest extent practicable
expend all grant funds from this award within the one-year period of
performance (2 CFR 200.77) specified in Box 6 of this Grant Award
Notification (GAN).
11. Recipient must, to the greatest extent practicable, continue to
pay its employees and contractors during the period of any disruptions
or closures related to coronavirus pursuant to section 315 of the
CRRSAA.
12. Recipient acknowledges that its failure to draw down any amount
($1 or more) of its HEERF grant funds from the institution's HEERF
account within 90 days of the date of this supplemental award will
constitute nonacceptance of the terms, conditions, and requirements of
this Supplemental Agreement and of these supplemental grant funds. In
such event, the Department, in its sole discretion, may choose to
deobligate these supplemental grant funds or take other appropriate
administrative action, up to and including terminating the grant award
pursuant to 2 CFR 200.340.
Reporting and Accountability
13. Recipient must promptly and timely provide a detailed
accounting of the use and expenditure of the funds provided by this
supplemental award in such manner and with such frequency as the
Secretary may require. Recipient acknowledges the Department may
require additional or more frequent reporting to be specified by the
Secretary.
14. Recipient must comply with all requirements of the Single Audit
Act Amendments of 1996, 31 U.S.C. 7501, et seq. (Single Audit Act) and
all applicable auditing standards. Considering that the HEERF grant
program is a new program not previously audited or subjected to
Department oversight, and the inherent risk that comes with a new
program, the Department strongly suggests that the HEERF grant program
be audited as a major program in the first fiscal year(s) that the
institution received a HEERF grant.
15. Recipient acknowledges it is under a continuing affirmative
duty to inform the Department if Recipient is to lose its
accreditation, close or terminate operations as an institution, or
merge with another institution. In such cases, Recipient must promptly
notify in writing the assigned education program officer contact in Box
3. Additionally, Recipient must promptly notify the assigned education
program officer if the Recipient's Authorized Representative changes.
16. Recipient must cooperate with any examination of records with
respect to the advanced funds by making records and authorized
individuals available when requested, whether by (a) the Department
and/or its OIG; or (b) any other Federal agency, commission, or
department in the lawful exercise of its jurisdiction and authority.
Recipient must retain all financial records, supporting documents,
statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent
to a Federal award for a period of three years from the date of
submission of the final expenditure report pursuant to 2 CFR 200.334.
17. Recipient acknowledges that failure to comply with this
Supplemental Agreement, its terms and conditions, and/or all relevant
provisions and requirements of the CRRSAA or ARP or any other
applicable law may result in Recipient's liability under the False
Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729, et seq.; OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of
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the Department in 2 CFR part 3485; 18 U.S.C. 1001, as appropriate; and
all of the laws and regulations referenced in the ``Applicable Law''
section of this Supplemental Agreement, below.
Applicable Law
18. Recipient must comply with all applicable assurances in OMB
Standard Forms (SF) SF-424B and SF-424D (Assurances for Non-
Construction and Assurances for Construction Programs), including the
assurances relating to the legal authority to apply for assistance;
access to records; conflict of interest; nondiscrimination; Hatch Act
provisions; labor standards; Single Audit Act; and the general
agreement to comply with all applicable Federal laws, executive orders,
and regulations.
19. Recipient certifies that with respect to the certification
regarding lobbying in Department Form 80-0013, no Federal appropriated
funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or
attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member
of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a
Member of Congress in connection with the making or supplementing of
Federal grants under this program; Recipient must complete and submit
Standard Form-LLL, ``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' when
required (34 CFR part 82, Appendix B).
20. Recipient must comply with the provisions of all applicable
acts, regulations and assurances; the following provisions of Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 34 CFR parts 75,
77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99; 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; and 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.
[FR Doc. 2021-16348 Filed 7-30-21; 8:45 am]
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