[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 80 (Tuesday, April 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24537-24542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08827]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Veterans Upward Bound Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, 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
Veterans Upward Bound (VUB) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.047V.
This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB
control number 1840-0823.
DATES:
Applications Available: April 26, 2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 10, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 9, 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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979. Please note that these Common
Instructions supersede the version published on February 13, 2019, and,
in part, describe the transition from the requirement to register in
SAM.gov a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the
implementation of the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). More information
on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Foushee, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2C221, Washington, DC 20202-
4260. Telephone: (202) 453-7417. Email: [email protected] or Dana
Foreman, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room
2C142, Washington, DC 20202-4260. Telephone: (202) 453-7396. Email:
[email protected].
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Upward Bound (UB) Program is one of the
seven programs collectively 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 enter into and succeed
in a program of postsecondary education. There are three types of
grants under the UB Program: UB; VUB; and UB Math and Science. In this
notice we invite applications for VUB grants only. The invitation to
apply for UB grants was published in the Federal Register on December
16, 2021, and is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/16/2021-27235/applications-for-new-awards-upward-bound-program. We will invite applications for UB Math and Science
grants in a separate notice.
The VUB Program supports projects designed to prepare, motivate,
and assist military veterans in the development of academic and other
skills necessary for acceptance into and success in a program of
postsecondary education.
VUB grantees are required to provide the services listed in section
402C(b) and (c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)
(20 U.S.C. 1070a-13(b), (c)). Permissible services under the VUB
Program are specified in section 402C(d) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-
13(d)).
Priorities: This notice contains three competitive preference
priorities. Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the Secretary's
Notice of Administrative Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640)
(Administrative Priorities). Competitive Preference Priorities 2 and 3
are from the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for
Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on
December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities).
Note: Applicants must include in the one-page abstract submitted
with the application an indication of which, if any, competitive
preference priorities are addressed. If the applicant has addressed one
or more of the competitive preference priorities, this information must
also be listed on the VUB Program Profile Form.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional
nine points to an application, depending on how well the application
meets the priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications that Demonstrate a
Rationale (Up to 3 points).
Under this priority, an applicant proposes a project that
demonstrates a rationale (as defined in this notice).
Note: A list of evidence-based practices that are relevant to the
VUB Program is available at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/triovub/applicant.html. This list is not exhaustive. Additional information
regarding What Works Clearinghouse practice guides and intervention
reports that could also be relevant is posted on the Department's
website at www.ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc.
Competitive Preference Priority 2: Meeting Student Social,
Emotional, and Academic Needs (Up to 3 points).
Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional,
academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students,
through the following priority areas:
(a) Developing and supporting educator and school capacity to
support social and emotional learning and development that is trauma-
informed, such as addressing exposure to community-based violence and
trauma specific to military- or veteran-connected students (as defined
in this notice); and
(b) Creating education or work-based settings that are supportive,
positive, identify-safe and inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity,
culture, language, and disability status, through developing trusting
relationships between students (including underserved students),
educators, families, and community partners.
Note: Because the VUB Program supports students and not the
professional development of educators, applicants should address
supports for students only.
Competitive Preference Priority 3: Strengthening Cross-Agency
Coordination and Community Engagement to Advance Systemic Change (Up to
3 points).
Projects that are designed to take a systemic evidence-based
approach to improving outcomes for underserved students by establishing
cross-agency partnerships, or community-based partnerships with local
nonprofit organizations, businesses, philanthropic organizations, or
others, to meet family well-being needs.
Definitions: The definitions below are from 34 CFR 77.1, the
Supplemental Priorities, and the UB regulations at 34 CFR 645.6.
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Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve
relevant outcomes.
Evidence-based means the proposed project component is supported by
evidence that demonstrates a rationale.
Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a
framework that identifies key components of the proposed project,
product (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project
components and relevant outcomes.
Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use
resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory Program's (REL
Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp. Other sources include:
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.pdf,
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.
Military- or veteran-connected student means a student who is a
member of the uniformed services, a veteran of the uniformed services,
or the spouse of a service member or veteran.\1\
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\1\ In accordance with the VUB regulations, ``military- and
veteran-connected student'' is limited to those who qualify as
``veterans'' under 34 CFR 645.6(b), namely ``a person who--
(1) Served on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the
United States for a period of more than 180 days and was discharged
or released under conditions other than dishonorable;
(2) Served on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the
United States and was discharged or released because of a service
connected disability;
(3) Was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of
the United States and was called to active duty for a period of more
than 30 days; or
(4) Was a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of
the United States who served on active duty in support of a
contingency operation (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(13)
of title 10, United States Code) on or after September 11, 2001.''
34 CFR 645.6(b).
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Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention,
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s)
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the
specific goals of the program.
Underserved student means a student in one or more of the following
subgroups:
(a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
(b) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
(c) A student who is the first in their family to attend
postsecondary education.
(d) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in
postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.
Application Requirements: The following application requirements
for FY 2022 are from section 402C(e) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1070a-13(e))
and the program regulations at 34 CFR 645.21.
An applicant must submit the following, as part of the
application--
(1) Not less than two-thirds of the project's participants will be
low-income individuals who are potential first- generation college
students;
(2) The remaining participants will be low-income individuals,
potential first-generation college students, or veterans who have a
high risk for academic failure; and
(3) The project will collaborate with other Federal TRIO projects
or programs serving similar populations in the target area in order to
minimize the duplication of services and promote collaborations so that
more students can be served.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 1070a-13.
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal
civil rights laws.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 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. (e) The Administrative Priorities. (f) The
Supplemental Priorities.
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 received
$1,137,000,000 for the Federal TRIO Programs for FY 2022, of which we
intend to use an estimated $19,288,880 for the VUB Program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $287,537-$460,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $373,768.
Maximum Award: The maximum award varies based on whether the
applicant is currently receiving a VUB Program grant, as well as the
number of participants served.
For an applicant that is not currently receiving a VUB
Program grant, the maximum award amount is $287,537, based upon a per-
participant cost of no more than $2,300 and a minimum of 125
participants.
For an applicant that is currently receiving a VUB Program
grant, the maximum award amount is equal to the applicant's base award
amount for FY 2021, and the minimum number of participants is the
number of participants in the project's FY 2021 grant award
notification.
Estimated Number of Awards: 60.
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; organizations, including community-based
organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth; secondary
schools; and combinations of such institutions, agencies, and
organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training
indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an
entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total
direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information
regarding
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training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more information
regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate,
please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
4. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
5. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
6. Other: An applicant may submit more than one application for a
VUB Program grant so long as each application describes a project that
serves a different target area (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)). The term ``target area'' is defined as a discrete local or
regional geographical area served by a project (34 CFR 645.6(b)).
IV. Application 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 December 27, 2021 (86 FR 73264) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/d/2021-27979, which contain requirements and
information on how to submit an application. Please note that these
Common Instructions supersede the version published on February 13,
2019, and, in part, describe the transition from the requirement to
register in SAM.gov a DUNS number to the implementation of the UEI.
More information on the phase-out of DUNS numbers is available at
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ofo/docs/unique-entity-identifier-transition-fact-sheet.pdf.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the
application narrative, which includes the budget narrative, to no more
than 65 pages and (2) use the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, excluding titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs, which may be single-spaced.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, and no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract. However, the
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
We recommend that any application addressing the competitive preference
priorities include no more than three additional pages for each
priority, for a total of up to nine additional pages for the
competitive preference priorities if the three competitive preference
priorities are addressed.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria are from 34
CFR 645.31.
We will award up to 100 points to an application under the
selection criteria and up to 9 additional points to an application
under the competitive preference priorities, for a total score of up to
109 points. The maximum number of points available for each criterion
is indicated in parentheses.
(a) Need for the project. (Up to 24 points). The Secretary
evaluates the need for a VUB project in the proposed target area on the
basis of clear evidence that shows--
(i) The proposed target area lacks the services for eligible
veterans that the applicant proposes to provide; (Up to 6 points)
(ii) A large number of veterans who reside in the target area are
low income and potential first-generation college students; (Up to 6
points)
(iii) A large number of veterans who reside in the target area who
have not completed high school, or have completed high school but have
not enrolled in a program of postsecondary education; (Up to 6 points)
and
(iv) Other indicators of need for a VUB project, including the
presence of unaddressed academic or socio-economic problems of veterans
in the area. (Up to 6 points)
(b) Objectives. (Up to 9 points). The Secretary evaluates the
quality of the applicant's objectives and proposed targets
(percentages) in the following areas on the basis of the extent to
which they are both ambitious, as related to the need data provided
under selection criterion (a), and attainable, given the project's plan
of operation, budget, and other resources:
(i) Academic performance (standardized test scores) (2 points);
(ii) Education program retention and completion (3 points);
(iii) Postsecondary enrollment (3 points); and
(iv) Postsecondary completion (1 point).
(c) Plan of operation. (Up to 30 points). The Secretary determines
the quality of the applicant's plan of operation by assessing the
quality of--
(1) The plan to inform the faculty and staff at the applicant
institution or agency and the interested individuals and organizations
throughout the target area of the goals and objectives of the project
(Up to 3 points);
(2) The plan for identifying, recruiting, and selecting
participants to be served by the project (Up to 3 points);
(3) The plan for assessing individual participant needs and for
monitoring the academic progress of participants while they are in VUB
(Up to 3 points);
(4) The plan for locating the project within the applicant's
organizational structure (Up to 3 points);
(5) The curriculum, services and activities that are planned for
participants in both the academic year and summer components (Up to 3
points);
(6) The planned timelines for accomplishing critical elements of
the project (Up to 3 points);
(7) The plan to ensure effective and efficient administration of
the project, including, but not limited to, financial management,
student records management, and personnel management (Up to 3 points);
(8) The applicant's plan to use its resources and personnel to
achieve project objectives and to coordinate the VUB project with other
projects for disadvantaged students (Up to 3 points);
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(9) The plan to work cooperatively with parents and key
administrative, teaching, and counseling personnel at the target
schools to achieve project objectives (Up to 3 points); and
(10) A follow-up plan for tracking graduates of VUB as they enter
and continue in postsecondary education (Up to 3 points).
(d) Applicant and community support. (Up to 16 points). The
Secretary evaluates the applicant and community support for the
proposed project on the basis of the extent to which--
(1) The applicant is committed to supplementing the project with
resources that enhance the project such as: Space, furniture and
equipment, supplies, and the time and effort of personnel other than
those employed in the project (Up to 8 points).
(2) Resources secured through written commitments from community
partners (Up to 8 points).
(i) An applicant that is an institution of higher education must
include in its application commitments from the target schools and
community organizations;
(ii) An applicant that is a secondary school must include in its
application commitments from institutions of higher education,
community organizations, and, as appropriate, other secondary schools
and the school district;
(iii) An applicant that is a community organization must include in
its application commitments from the target schools and institutions of
higher education.
(e) Quality of personnel. (Up to 8 points). To determine the
quality of personnel the applicant plans to use, the Secretary looks
for information that shows--
(1) The qualifications required of the project director, including
formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives
of the project and experience in designing, managing, or implementing
similar projects (Up to 3 points);
(2) The qualifications required of each of the other personnel to
be used in the project, including formal training or work experience in
fields related to the objectives of the project (Up to 3 points); and
(3) The quality of the applicant's plan for employing personnel who
have succeeded in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the
project's target population (Up to 2 points).
(f) Budget and cost effectiveness. (Up to 5 points). The Secretary
reviews each application to determine the extent to which--
(1) The budget for the project is adequate to support planned
project services and activities (Up to 3 points); and
(2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives and scope of
the project (Up to 2 points).
(g) Evaluation plan. (Up to 8 points). The Secretary evaluates the
quality of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the
extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation--
(1) Are appropriate to the project and include both quantitative
and qualitative evaluation measures (Up to 4 points); and
(2) Examine in specific and measurable ways the success of the
project in making progress toward achieving its process and outcomes
objectives (Up to 4 points).
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 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. The individual scores of the reviewers will be added and the
sum divided by the number of reviewers to determine the average peer
reviewer 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 VUB Program project
during budget periods 2017-18, 2018-2019, 2019-20, and 2020-21, based
on their documented experience. Prior experience points, if any, will
be added to the application's averaged 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 areas in which there is a significant
concentration of veterans, that have been underserved by the VUB
program, in accordance with 34 CFR 645.30(c) and the following
procedures. The Secretary will identify and recommend an award for--
First, applicants in the funding band that are located
within a Congressional District (a) that did not have a VUB project
during the prior grant cycle and (b) that have the highest percentage
of veterans among the general population of their district. If this
first tie-breaker provision exhausts available funds, then no further
action is taken.
Second, the remaining applicants in the funding band that
have the highest percentage of veterans among the general population of
their district.
Note: In applying the tie-breaker criteria, the Department will use
the most current data available. With respect to Congressional
Districts and percentages of veterans among the general population
within Congressional Districts, the most recent available data from the
National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics Veterans
Population Tables for Congressional Districts is for the 116th
Congress. Therefore, the geographical boundaries used for the tie-
breaker are drawn from the 116th Congress.
3. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
200.208, the Secretary may impose special 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)),
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accessible through the System for Award Management (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.
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 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
5. Performance Measures: The success of the VUB Program will be
measured by the percentage of VUB participants who enroll in and
complete a postsecondary education program. The following performance
measures have been developed to track progress toward achieving program
success:
(a) The percentage of VUB participants who enrolled in a program of
postsecondary education;
(b) The percentage of former VUB participants who enrolled in a
program of postsecondary education and who attained either an
associate's degree within three years or a bachelor's degree within six
years;
(c) The percentage of former VUB participants who enrolled in a
program of postsecondary education and who in the first year of the
program placed into college-level math and English without the need for
remediation; and
(d) The percentage of former VUB participants who enrolled in a
program of postsecondary education and graduated on time--within four
years for a bachelor's degree and within two years for an associate's
degree.
All VUB Program grantees will be required to submit APRs.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, whether
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance
targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package 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
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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.
Michelle Asha Cooper,
Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2022-08827 Filed 4-25-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P