[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 90 (Tuesday, May 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27994-27999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10001]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal
Institutions 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
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program,
Assistance Listing Number 84.031X. This notice relates to the approved
information collection under OMB control number 1840-0816.
DATES:
Applications Available: May 10, 2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 11, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 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: Don Crews, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B110, Washington, DC 20202-
4260. Telephone: (202) 453-7920. 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 NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible
institutions of higher education (IHEs) to enable them to improve and
expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income
individuals. Institutions may use the grants to plan, develop,
undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand their
capacity to serve Native American and low-income students.
Background: Students' sense of belonging impacts postsecondary
retention.\1\ Creating that sense of belonging begins with ensuring the
institution's ability to serve students well. Research shows that
implementing intrusive advising practices \2\ and other proactive
strategies to directly support underserved students can lead to
successful outcomes. Such proactive practices may be increasingly
important as institutions reengage postsecondary students following
enrollment decreases due to COVID-19.
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\1\ Davis, G.M., Hanzsek-Brill, M.B., Petzold, M.C., and
Robinson, D.H., ``Students' Sense of Belonging: The Development of a
Predictive Retention Model.'' Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching
and Learning, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 117-27 (Feb. 2019).
\2\ Museus, S.D., Ravello, J.N., ``Characteristics of Academic
Advising That Contribute to Racial and Ethnic Minority Student
Success at Predominantly White Institutions.'' NACADA Journal, vol.
41, no. 1, pp. 13-25 (2021). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1300278.pdf.
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Proactive practices alone may not be sufficient to retain students
who suffer from financial hardship, however. Data have shown that
higher education opportunity and outcomes are highly inequitable across
family income groups.\3\ Therefore, implementing or expanding supports
that provide students with financial literacy, paid internship
placement, and other services that help to alleviate financial
stressors further support student retention.
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\3\ ``Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United
States: 2016 Historical Trend Report,'' The Pell Institute and
PennAHEAD (Jan. 2016). https://firstgen.naspa.org/report/indicators-of-higher-education-equity-in-the-united-states-2016-historical-trend-report.
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Through this grant program, the Department encourages Native
American-serving nontribal institutions to develop, create, or enhance
programs that foster students' sense of belonging and to implement
services that will help students complete their degree programs.
Through the competitive preference priorities for this grant
competition, the Department invites applicants to submit proposals to
provide high-quality learning, improve student engagement, and reduce
the cost of obtaining a college degree for Native American and low-
income students. Although the most effective strategy to reduce the
cost of attending college may vary across IHEs, we encourage applicants
to consider strategies that reduce a student's need to incur debt to
earn a degree, for example, by reducing the time to degree completion.
Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference
priorities. The priorities are from the Secretary's Supplemental
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grants Programs, published
in the Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612)
(Supplemental Priorities).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022 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 up to an additional 5
points to an application for each priority, depending on how well the
application meets the priorities. Applicants may respond to one or both
priorities, for a total of up to 10 additional points.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Meeting Student Social,
Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 5 points).
Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional,
academic, and career development, with a focus on underserved students
(as defined in this notice), by creating a positive, inclusive, and
identity-safe climate at IHEs through one or more of the following
activities:
(a) Fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion for underserved
students.
(b) Implementing evidence-based practices for advancing student
success for underserved students.
(c) Providing evidence-based professional development opportunities
designed to build asset-based mindsets for faculty and staff on campus
and that are inclusive with regard to race, ethnicity, culture,
language, and disability status.
[[Page 27995]]
Competitive Preference Priority 2: Increasing Postsecondary
Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment
Success (up to 5 points).
Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access,
affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by
addressing one or more of the following priority areas:
(a) Increasing postsecondary education access and reducing the cost
of college by creating clearer pathways for students between
institutions and making transfer of course credits more seamless and
transparent.
(b) Increasing the number and proportion of underserved students
who enroll in and complete postsecondary education programs, which may
include strategies related to college preparation, awareness,
application, selection, advising, counseling, and enrollment.
(c) Reducing the net price or debt-to-earnings ratio for
underserved students who enroll in or complete college, other
postsecondary education, or career and technical education programs.
(d) Supporting the development and implementation of student
success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence-
based services or initiatives, such as academic advising, structured/
guided pathways, career services, credit-bearing academic undergraduate
courses focused on career, and programs to meet basic needs, such as
housing, childcare and transportation, student financial aid, and
access to technological devices.
Note: Applicants must include in the one-page abstract submitted
with the application a statement indicating that they are addressing
one or both competitive preference priorities. If the applicant has
addressed one or both competitive preference priorities, this
information also must be listed on the NASNTI Program Profile form in
the application booklet.
Definitions: The definitions below are from 34 CFR 77.1, 20 U.S.C.
1059f, and the Supplemental Priorities.
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.
Department means the U.S. Department of Education.
Fiscal Year means the Federal fiscal year--a period beginning on
October 1 and ending on the following September 30.
Grantee means the legal entity to which a grant is awarded and that
is accountable to the Federal Government for the use of the funds
provided. The grantee is the entire legal entity even if only a
particular component of the entity is designated in the grant award
notice (GAN). For example, a GAN may name as the grantee one school or
campus of a university. In this case, the granting agency usually
intends, or actually intends, that the named component assume primary
or sole responsibility for administering the grant-assisted project or
program. Nevertheless, the naming of a component of a legal entity as
the grantee in a grant award document shall not be construed as
relieving the whole legal entity from accountability to the Federal
Government for the use of the funds provided. (This definition is not
intended to affect the eligibility provision of grant programs in which
eligibility is limited to organizations that may be only components of
a legal entity.) The term ``grantee'' does not include any secondary
recipients, such as subgrantees and contractors, that may receive funds
from a grantee pursuant to a subgrant or contract.
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed
project (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.
Native American means an individual who is of a tribe, people, or
culture that is indigenous to the United States.
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 postsecondary education or
career and technical education, and adult learners, as appropriate, in
one or both of the following subgroups:
(a) A student who is living in poverty.
(b) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian
Tribe.\4\
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\4\ The NASNTI Program serves Native American and low-income
students. For the subgroup of ``underserved students'' described in
paragraph (b) of this definition, for the purpose of this program,
we refer to those students who are Native American, as defined in 20
U.S.C. 1059f.
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Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1059f (title III, part A of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)).
Note: In 2008, the HEA was amended by the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), Public Law 110-315. Please note that
the regulations in 34 CFR part 607 have not been updated to reflect
these statutory changes.
Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the
Federal civil rights laws.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations 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 607. (e)
The Supplemental Priorities.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual
Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants will
be awarded in FY 2022.
Note: A cooperative arrangement is an arrangement to carry out
allowable grant activities between an institution eligible to receive a
grant under this part and another eligible or ineligible IHE, under
which the resources of the cooperating institutions are combined and
shared to better achieve the purposes of this part and avoid costly
duplication of effort.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,200,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of
[[Page 27996]]
unfunded applications from this competition.
Individual Development Grants:
Estimated Range of Awards: $250,000-$350,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $300,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $350,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6.
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants:
Estimated Range of Awards: $400,000-$550,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $475,000 per year.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $550,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 2.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: This program is authorized by title III,
part A, of the HEA. At the time of submission of their applications,
applicants must certify their total undergraduate headcount enrollment
and that not less than 10 percent of the IHE's enrollment is Native
American. An official for the applicant must execute and submit an
assurance form, which is included in the application materials for this
competition.
To qualify as an eligible institution under the NASNTI Program, an
institution must--
(i) Be accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized
accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to
be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training
offered;
(ii) Be legally authorized by the State in which it is located to
be a junior or community college or to provide an educational program
for which it awards a bachelor's degree;
(iii) Be designated as an ``eligible institution,'' by
demonstrating that it: (1) Has an enrollment of needy students as
described in 34 CFR 607.3; and (2) has low average education and
general expenditures per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate
student as described in 34 CFR 607.4.
Note: The notice announcing the FY 2022 process for designation of
eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of
eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on
December 16, 2021 (86 FR 71470). The Department reopened the process
for applications in a notice published in the Federal Register on
February 7, 2022 (87 FR 6855). Only institutions that the Department
determines are eligible, or which are granted a waiver under the
process described in that notice, may apply for a grant in this
program.
An eligible IHE that submits applications for an Individual
Development Grant and a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant in
this competition may be awarded both in the same fiscal year. A grantee
with an Individual Development Grant or a Cooperative Arrangement
Development Grant may be a partner in one or more Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grants. The lead institution in a Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grant must be an eligible institution. Partners
are not required to be eligible institutions. Tribally Controlled
Colleges and Universities, as authorized by title III of the HEA, may
participate in more than one Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant
as a partner.
Relationship Between the Title III, Part A Programs and the Developing
Hispanic-Serving Institutions (DHSI) Program
A grantee under the DHSI program, which is authorized under title V
of the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, title III, part A
program. The title III, part A programs are: Strengthening Institutions
Program; the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; the
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program; the
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving
Institutions Program; and the NASNTI Program. Furthermore, a current
DHSI program grantee may not give up its HSI grant to receive a grant
under any title III, part A program as described in 34 CFR 607.2(g)(1).
An eligible HSI that is not a current grantee under the DHSI
program may apply for a FY 2022 grant under all title III, part A
programs for which it is eligible, as well as receive consideration for
a grant under the DHSI program. However, a successful applicant may
receive only one grant as described in 34 CFR 607.2(g)(1).
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant
for establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee uses a
portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match those
grant funds with non-Federal funds (20 U.S.C. 1057(d)(1)-(2)).
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Grant funds must be used so that they
supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the funds that would
otherwise be available for the activities to be carried out under the
grant and in no case supplant those funds (34 CFR 607.30(b)).
c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: A grantee may not use an
indirect cost rate to determine allowable cost under its grant (34 CFR
607.30(c)).
d. 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.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its 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 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
607.10(c). 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)
[[Page 27997]]
limit the application narrative to no more than 55 pages for Individual
Development Grants and no more than 75 pages for Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grants and (2) use the standards below. If you
are addressing one or both competitive preference priorities, we
recommend that you limit your response to no more than an additional 10
pages total, four additional pages for Competitive Preference Priority
1 and six additional pages for Competitive Preference Priority 2.
Please include a separate heading when responding to one or both
competitive preference priorities.
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, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
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 and the
bibliography. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of
the application narrative.
Note: The Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs Form (ED
524) Sections A-C are not the same as the narrative response to the
Budget section of the selection criteria.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria for this
competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. Applicants should address each of
the following selection criteria separately for each proposed activity.
The selection criteria are worth a total of 100 points; the maximum
score for each criterion is noted in parentheses.
(a) Need for project. (Up to 15 points) The Secretary considers the
need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (5 points)
(2) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (5
points)
(3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
(b) Quality of the project design. (Up to 25 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(10 points)
(2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs. (5 points)
(3) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a
rationale (as defined in this notice). (10 points)
(c) Quality of project services. (Up to 10 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed
project.
(1) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. (4 points)
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or
beneficiaries of those services. (4 points)
(ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and
effective practice. (2 points)
(d) Quality of project personnel. (Up to 20 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed
project.
(1) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. (9 points)
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator. (3 points)
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel. (8 points)
(e) Adequacy of resources. (Up to 5 points) The Secretary considers
the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers:
(1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project. (3 points)
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
(2 points)
(f) Quality of the management plan. (Up to 15 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks. (8 points)
(2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (2 points)
(3) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project. (5 points)
(g) Quality of the project evaluation. (Up to 10 points) The
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of
the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the
Secretary considers:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (5 points)
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 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
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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
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
A panel of three non-Federal reviewers will review and score each
application in accordance with the selection criteria. A rank order
funding slate will be made from this review. Awards will be made in
rank order according to the average score received from the peer review
and from the competitive preference priority, if addressed by the
applicant.
In tie-breaking situations for development grants, under 34 CFR
607.23(b), we award one additional point to an application from an IHE
that has an endowment fund of which the current market value, per FTE
enrolled student, is less than the average current market value of the
endowment funds, per FTE enrolled student, at comparable type
institutions that offer similar instruction. We award one additional
point to an application from an IHE that has expenditures for library
materials per FTE enrolled student that are less than the average
expenditure for library materials per FTE enrolled student at similar
type institutions. We also add one additional point to an application
from an IHE that proposes to carry out one or more of the following
activities:
(1) Faculty development.
(2) Funds and administrative management.
(3) Development and improvement of academic programs.
(4) Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening
management and academic programs.
(5) Joint use of facilities.
(6) Student services.
For the purpose of these funding considerations, we use 2019-2020
data.
If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above,
priority will be given to applicants that have the lowest endowment
values per FTE enrolled student.
3. Risk Assessment and Specific 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 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 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
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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 Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
NASNTI:
(a) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students at 4-year NASNTIs who were in their first year
of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in
the current year at the same NASNTI;
(b) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students at 2-year NASNTIs who were in their first year
of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in
the current year at the same NASNTI;
(c) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at 4-year NASNTIs who graduate within 6
years of enrollment; and
(d) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at 2-year NASNTIs who graduate within 3
years of enrollment.
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 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. 2022-10001 Filed 5-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P