[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 235 (Friday, December 10, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70477-70480]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-26765]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Research Networks Focused on 
Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice, and Improving 
Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for the 
Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and 
Practice, and the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education 
Agencies, Assistance Listing Numbers 84.305N and 84.305X. This notice 
relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 
4040-0001.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: December 16, 2021.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 10, 2022.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an 
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the Research Networks Focused on 
Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice competition 
(84.305N): Erin Higgins. Telephone: (202) 706-8509. Email: 
[email protected]. For the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in 
Education Agencies competition (84.305X): Allen Ruby. Telephone: (202) 
245-8145. Email: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text

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telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: Through the National Center for Education 
Research (NCER), the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) 
provides support for programs of research in areas of demonstrated 
national need. The Institute's research grant programs are designed to 
provide interested individuals and the general public with reliable and 
valid information about education practices that support learning and 
improve academic achievement and access to education opportunities for 
all learners.
    Through the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of 
Education Policy and Practice grant program, NCER focuses resources and 
attention on specific education problems or issues that are a high 
priority for the Nation. NCER also establishes both a structure and 
process for researchers who are working on these issues to share ideas, 
build new knowledge, and strengthen their research and dissemination 
capacity. Through this program, NCER seeks to establish the Leveraging 
Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide Network.
    Through the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education 
Agencies grant program, NCER seeks to establish two research networks, 
with one examining recovery activities in prekindergarten through grade 
12 and the other examining recovery activities in community colleges.
    Competitions in This Notice: The Institute's NCER is announcing two 
competitions--one focused on leveraging evidence to accelerate recovery 
and one on improving pandemic recovery activities in education 
agencies.
    Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy 
and Practice. Under this competition, NCER will consider only 
applications that address the following topic:
     Leveraging Evidence to Accelerate Recovery Nationwide 
Network, which includes:
    [cir] Network Scaling Lead.
    [cir] Product Teams.
    Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies. Under 
this competition, NCER will consider only applications that address one 
of the following topics:
     Pre-K through Grade 12 Recovery Research Network, which 
includes:
    [cir] Network Lead.
    [cir] Research Teams.
     Community College Recover Research Network, which 
includes:
    [cir] Network Lead.
    [cir] Research Teams.
    Exemption from Proposed Rulemaking: Under section 191 of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act, 20 U.S.C. 9581, the Institute is not 
subject to section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 
U.S.C. 1232(d), and is therefore not required to offer interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on priorities, selection criteria, 
definitions, and requirements.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq. and the American Rescue 
Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (Pub. L. 117-2) Sec. 2010.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 
and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, 
except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 
75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-
(c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, 75.230, and 75.708. (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.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.
    Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not 
apply for these competitions.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.

II. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Cooperative agreements.
    Fiscal Information: These competitions will be supported with funds 
appropriated through the ARP. Note that ARP funds may only be used to 
support activities that involve ``research related to addressing 
learning loss caused by the coronavirus among the student subgroups 
described in section 1111(b)(2)(B)(xi) of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6311(b)(2)(B)(xi)) and students 
experiencing homelessness and children and youth in foster care, and to 
disseminate such findings to State educational agencies and local 
educational agencies and other appropriate entities.''
    Estimated Range of Awards: For the Research Networks Focused on 
Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice competition 
(84.305N): $1,000,000 to $3,000,000. For the Improving Pandemic 
Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies competition (84.305X): 
$1,000,000 to $3,000,000. The size of the awards will depend on the 
type and scope of the projects proposed.
    Maximum Awards: For all of the Institute's competitions, 
applications should include budgets no higher than the relevant maximum 
award as set out in the relevant RFA. The Institute will not make an 
award exceeding the maximum award amounts identified in the RFA and in 
this notice. For the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of 
Education Policy and Practice competition, the maximum awards are 
$1,000,000 for the product team grants and $3,000,000 for the network 
scaling lead grant. For the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in 
Education Agencies competition, the maximum awards are $3,000,000 for 
the research team grants and $3,000,000 for the network lead grants.
    Estimated Number of Awards: The number of awards made under each 
competition will depend on the quality of the applications received, 
the availability of funds, and the following limits on awards for the 
Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education Policy and 
Practice competition and the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in 
Education Agencies competition.
    The Institute may waive any of the following limits on awards for 
both competitions in the special case that the peer review process 
results in a tie between two or more grant applications, making it 
impossible to adhere to the limits without funding only some of the 
equally ranked applications. In that case, the Institute may make a 
larger number of awards to include all applications of the same rank.
    For the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Education 
Policy and Practice competition, we intend to fund up to 10 grants for 
Product Teams and one grant for the Network Scaling Lead. However, 
should funding be available, we may consider making additional awards 
to high-quality applications that remain unfunded after these maximum 
limits are met.

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    For the Improving Pandemic Recovery Efforts in Education Agencies 
competition, we intend to fund up to five research teams and one 
network lead under the Prekindergarten through Grade 12 Recovery 
Research Network and up to five research teams and one network lead 
under the Community College Recovery Research Network. However, should 
funding be available, we may consider making additional awards to high-
quality applications that remain unfunded after these maximum limits 
are met.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Applicants that have the ability and 
capacity to conduct scientifically valid research are eligible to 
apply. These include, but are not limited to, nonprofit and for-profit 
organizations and public and private agencies and institutions of 
higher education, such as colleges and universities. For the Improving 
Pandemic Recovery Activities in Education Agencies, research team 
applications must include an eligible education agency or community 
college system. Eligible education agencies are State and local 
agencies (including U.S. Territory and Tribal agencies) that oversee 
prekindergarten, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and/or adult 
education as well as State and city community college systems 
implementing the recovery programs or policies.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: These competitions do not require 
cost sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: For information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this 
competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project 
activities described in its application--to the following types of 
entities: Nonprofit and for-profit organizations and public and private 
agencies and institutions of higher education. The grantee may award 
subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
    2. Other Information: Information regarding program and application 
requirements for the competitions will be contained in the NCER 
Requests for Applications (RFAs), which will be available on or before 
December 16, 2021, on the Institute's website at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/. Application packages for these competitions will be available 
on or before December 16, 2021.
    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for 
the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the 
application package for the specific competition.
    4. Submission Deadline: March 10, 2022, 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    5. Intergovernmental Review: These competitions are not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: For all of its grant competitions, the 
Institute uses selection criteria based on a peer-review process that 
has been approved by the National Board for Education Sciences. The 
Peer Review Procedures for Grant Applications can be found on the 
Institute's website at https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/application_review.asp.
    For the 84.305N competition, peer reviewers will be asked to 
evaluate the significance of the application; the quality of the 
product improvement plan or network and scaling activities (depending 
on the type of application); the qualifications and experience of the 
personnel; the resources of the applicant to support the proposed 
activities; and the quality of the dissemination history and 
dissemination plan if the application is for the Product Teams role. 
These criteria are described in greater detail in the RFA.
    For the 84.305X competition, peer reviewers will be asked to 
evaluate the significance of the application, the quality and logic of 
the research plan, the quality and appropriateness of the personnel, 
the quality and availability of resources, and the quality and 
relevance of the dissemination history and plan. These criteria are 
described in greater detail in the RFA.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Institute 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 Institute 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 Institute 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under these competitions, the 
Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 
CFR 200.208, the Institute may impose specific conditions and, under 2 
CFR 3474.10, 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 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(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 the System for Award Management. 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

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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.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with:
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

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 will 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. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual 3-
day meeting for project directors to be held in Washington, DC.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under one of the 
competitions announced in this notice, 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 
Institute. 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 Institute under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Institute 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.
    5. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
education research grant programs, the Institute annually assesses the 
percentage of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications and 
the number of Institute-supported interventions with evidence of 
efficacy in improving learner education outcomes. These measures were 
established under the authority in 34 CFR 75.110.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Institute 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 
Institute has established performance measurement requirements, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance 
targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Institute 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. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the appropriate program contact 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with 
disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the RFA in an 
accessible format. 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, as well as all 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.

Mark Schneider,
Director, Institute of Education Sciences.
[FR Doc. 2021-26765 Filed 12-9-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P