[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 102 (Thursday, May 26, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32007-32012]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-11343]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education--Open Textbooks Pilot 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
Open Textbooks Pilot program conducted under the Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), Assistance Listing
Number (ALN) 84.116T. This notice relates to the approved information
collection under OMB control number 1894-0006.
DATES: Applications Available: May 26, 2022.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 25, 2022.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 23, 2022.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grants 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: Kurrinn Abrams, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 2nd floor, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 987-1920. 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 Open Textbooks Pilot program supports
projects at eligible institutions of higher education (IHEs) that
create new open textbooks (as defined in this notice) and expand the
use of open textbooks and course materials in courses that are part of
a degree-granting program, particularly those with high enrollments.
Applicants are encouraged to develop projects that demonstrate the
greatest potential to achieve the highest level of savings for students
through sustainable, expanded use of open educational resources in
high-enrollment courses (as defined in this notice) or in programs that
prepare individuals for in-demand fields.
Background: The cost of attending college has steadily increased
over the last ten years, driven in part by the increased cost of
college textbooks. College textbook costs increased 41 percent between
2011 and 2018.\1\ Although they decreased slightly between 2019 and
2021, the cost of college textbooks was still 36 percent higher in 2021
than in 2011.\2\
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\1\ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Dept. of Labor, The
Economics Daily, ``Cost of college tuition has remained stable since
September 2019'' (Aug. 31, 2021), available at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2021/cost-of-college-tuition-has-remained-stable-since-september-2019.htm.
\2\ Ibid.
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Increasing textbook costs introduce an additional barrier to
college access and completion, particularly for low-income students. In
recent years, the development of open textbooks and other open
educational resources has emerged as a potential solution. In fact, in
a study conducted by the Open Textbook Alliance, switching from
textbooks to open educational resources nationwide in the ten
introductory core-curriculum courses surveyed in the study would save
students an estimated $1.5 billion per year on course materials.\3\
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\3\ Student Public Interest Research Groups, ``Open 101: An
Action Plan for Affordable Textbooks'' (Jan. 25, 2018), available at
https://studentpirgs.org/2018/01/25/open-101-action-plan-affordable-textbooks/.
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In addition to the cost-saving benefits of open resources, there
are additional benefits for students and faculty. Open textbooks and
open educational resources increase equity because institutions are
able to freely distribute these resources and provide students access
to high-quality, up-to-date, and relevant content and materials; and
access to open resources can empower faculty to customize learning
materials to better meet the needs of their students. Open textbooks
and open educational resources can further provide students the
opportunity to reallocate financial aid money to other important
educational resources and necessary costs of attending college.\4\
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\4\ U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational
Technology, ``Open Education: Why Use Openly Licensed Educational
Resources?'', available at https://tech.ed.gov/open/.
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While open textbooks often are available for general education or
introductory courses, the Department seeks to promote degree completion
by supporting the development of open textbooks at all levels within an
academic program. This program therefore emphasizes expanding the use
of existing open textbooks in general education or introductory
courses, as well as developing open textbooks for several required
courses in one or more high-enrollment majors to ensure that students
will benefit from cost savings throughout their programs.
Priorities: These priorities are from the Notice of Final
Priorities, Requirements, and Definitions (NFP) for this program
published in the Federal Register on September 15, 2020 (85 FR 57138).
Absolute 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 absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet each of these
priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Improving Collaboration and Dissemination.
To meet this priority, an eligible applicant must propose to lead
and carry out projects that involve a consortia of institutions,
instructors, and subject matter experts, including no less than three
IHEs, along with relevant employers, workforce stakeholders (as defined
in this notice), and/or trade or professional associations (as defined
in this notice). Applicants must explain how the members of the
consortium will work together to develop and implement open textbooks
that: (a) Reduce the cost of college for large numbers of students
through a variety of cost saving measures; and (b) contain
instructional content and ancillary instructional materials that align
student learning objectives with the skills or knowledge required by
large numbers of students (at a given institution or nationally), or in
the case of a career and technical postsecondary program, meet industry
standards in in-demand industry sectors or in-demand occupations (as
defined in this notice).
[[Page 32008]]
Absolute Priority 2--Addressing Gaps in the Open Textbook
Marketplace and Bringing Solutions to Scale.
To meet this priority, an applicant must identify the gaps in the
open textbook marketplace in courses that are part of a degree-granting
program that it seeks to address and propose how to close such gaps. An
applicant must propose a comprehensive plan to: (a) Identify and assess
existing open educational resources in the proposed subject area before
creating new ones, such as by identifying any existing open textbooks
that could potentially be used as models for the design of the project
or ancillary learning resources that would support the development of
courses that use open textbooks; (b) focus on the creation and
expansion of education and training materials that can be scaled,
within and beyond the participating consortium members, to reach a
broad range of students participating in high-enrollment courses or
preparing for in-demand industry sectors or in-demand occupations; (c)
create and disseminate protocols to review any open textbooks created
or adapted through the project for accuracy, rigor, and accessibility
for students with disabilities; (d) disseminate information about the
results of the project to other IHEs, including promoting the adoption
of any open textbooks created or adapted through the project, or
adopting open standard protocols and processes that support the
interoperability for any digital assets created; (e) include
professional development to build capacity of faculty, instructors, and
other staff to adapt and use open textbooks; and (f) describe the
courses for which open textbooks and ancillary materials are being
developed.
Absolute Priority 3--Promoting Student Success.
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose to build upon
existing open textbook materials and/or develop new open textbooks for
high-enrollment courses or high-enrollment programs in order to achieve
the highest level of savings for students.
Additionally, this priority requires the applicant to include plans
for: (a) Promoting and tracking the use of open textbooks in
postsecondary courses across participating members of the consortium,
including an estimate of the projected direct cost savings for students
that will be reported during the annual performance review; (b)
monitoring the impact of open textbooks on instruction, learning
outcomes, course outcomes, and educational costs; (c) investigating and
disseminating evidence-based practices associated with using open
textbooks that improve student outcomes; and (d) updating the open
textbooks beyond the funded period.
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2022, and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 5
points to an application, depending on how well the application meets
this priority.
This priority is:
Using Technology-Based Strategies for Personalized Learning and
Continuous Improvement (up to 5 points).
To meet this priority, an applicant must propose a project that
focuses on improving instruction and student learning outcomes by
integrating technology-based strategies, such as personalized learning,
and providing support to faculty, instructors, and other staff who are
delivering courses using these techniques. The project must enable
students to tailor and monitor their own learning and/or allow
instructors to monitor the individual performance of each student in
the classes or courses for which the applicant proposes to develop open
textbooks. In addition, online and technology-enabled content and
courses developed under this project must incorporate the principles of
universal design in order to ensure that they are readily accessible by
all students, including students with disabilities. The openly licensed
resources that are developed should support traditional, text-based
materials, including through such tools as adaptive learning modules,
digital simulations, and tools to assist student engagement.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2022, and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other
applications.
This priority is:
Participation by Minority-Serving Institutions and Community
Colleges.
An application from a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) (as
defined in this notice) or community college (as defined in this
notice) that leads the activities of the consortium and serves as the
fiscal agent; or an application from a consortium in which an MSI or
community college is a member of the consortium but not the lead
applicant.
For the purpose of this priority, the definition of ``minority-
serving institution'' is from the Supplemental Priorities and section
437(d)(1) of GEPA. The definition of ``community college'' is from
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)
(20 U.S.C 1058(f)). These definitions apply to this competition for FY
2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Community college means an institution that meets the definition in
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1058(f)).
Minority-Serving Institution means an institution that is eligible
to receive assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A of title
III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA.
Note: The list of institutions currently designated as eligible
under title III and title V is available at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html#el-inst.
Requirements: These requirements are from the NFP and apply to this
competition for FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Accessibility: All digital content developed under this grant
program must incorporate the principles of universal design (https://udlguidelines.cast.org/) to ensure that they are accessible to
individuals with disabilities. The content and courses must be in full
compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, Level AA (www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/).
Technical Standards for Interoperability: All digital assets
developed under this grant program must be produced to maximize
interoperability, exchange, and reuse and must conform to industry-
recognized open standards and specifications. Applicants must identify
the industry standard they will use. All digital assets created in
whole or in part under this grant program must be licensed for free,
attributed public use and distribution as required under 2 CFR 3474.20.
Definitions: The following definitions are from the NFP and apply
to this competition for FY 2022 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition.
High-enrollment courses means courses that are required for a
degree-granting program offered by an eligible
[[Page 32009]]
IHE that either have total student enrollments within the top third of
courses: (a) At the lead institution, if applicable, or at one or more
of the consortia partner institutions; (b) in the State; or (c)
nationally as compared to other academic or career and technical
education courses.
High-enrollment program means a program that yields a postsecondary
degree that either has total student enrollments within the top third
of programs: (a) At the lead institution, if applicable, or at one or
more of the consortia partner institutions; (b) in the State; or (c)
nationally as compared to other academic or career and technical
education programs.
In-demand industry sector means an industry sector that has a
substantial current or potential impact (including through jobs that
lead to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) on
the State, regional, or local economy, as appropriate, and that
contributes to the growth or stability of other supporting businesses,
or the growth of other industry sectors.
In-demand occupation means an occupation that currently has or is
projected to have a number of positions (including positions that lead
to economic self-sufficiency and opportunities for advancement) in an
industry sector so as to have a significant impact on the State,
regional, or local economy, as appropriate.
Open textbook means a textbook that is licensed under a worldwide,
nonexclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, and irrevocable license to the
public to exercise any of the rights under copyright conditioned only
on the requirement that attribution be given as directed by the
copyright owner. An open textbook may also include a variety of open
educational resources or materials used by instructors in the
development of a course and those learning activities necessary for
successful completion of a course by students. These include any
learning exercises, technology-enabled experiences (e.g., simulations),
and adaptive support and assessment tools.
Sector partner means a member of a workforce collaborative,
convened by or acting in partnership with a State board or local board,
that organizes key stakeholders interconnected by labor markets,
technologies, and worker skill needs into a working group that focuses
on shared goals and resource needs.
Trade or professional association means a membership organization
that inspects employers or practitioners, or leads credentialing
programs, in a specific industry or sector.
Workforce stakeholder means an individual or organization with an
interest in the employability of others either for self-interest or the
interest of other employers.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d; the Explanatory Statement
accompanying Division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022
(Pub. L. 117-103).
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 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 NFP. (e) The Supplemental Priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $2,627,000.
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 for this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000-$2,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,000,000.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $2,000,000 for
the entire project period of 36 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1-5.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are IHEs as defined in
section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001), or State higher education
agencies that:
(a) Lead the activities of a consortium that is comprised of at
least:
(i) Three IHEs as defined in section 101 of the HEA;
(ii) An educational technology or electronic curriculum design
expert (which may include such experts that are employed by one or more
of the consortium institutions); and
(iii) An advisory group of at least three employers, workforce
organizations, or sector partners; and
(b) Have demonstrated experience in the development and
implementation of open educational resources.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an
unrestricted indirect cost rate. 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.
c. 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: 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 entities listed in the
grant 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. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Open Textbook
Pilot program, your application may include business information that
you consider proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business
information'' and describe the process we use in determining whether
any of that information is proprietary
[[Page 32010]]
and, thus, protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom
of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended).
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your
application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. 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 to no more than 60 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 all text in the application narrative,
including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and
captions.
Use a readable 12-point font such as Times New Roman,
Courier, Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended 60-page limit applies only to the application
narrative and does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV,
the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. We recommend that
any application addressing the competitive preference priority include
no more than three additional pages for the priority, if the priority
is addressed.
6. Program Profile: Applicants must indicate in the recommended
one-page abstract and on the FY 2022 Open Textbook Pilot program
profile form in the application package all of the IHEs that comprise
the consortium, and whether they addressed the competitive preference
priority and the invitational priority.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all of the selection
criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion is
included in parentheses following the title of the specific selection
criterion. Each criterion also includes the factors that reviewers will
consider in determining the extent to which an applicant meets the
criterion.
Points awarded under the competitive preference priority are in
addition to any points an applicant earns for all of the selection
criteria in this notice. The maximum score that an application may
receive under the competitive preference priority and the selection
criteria is 105. The selection criteria are as follows:
a. Significance. (up to 20 points)
The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.
In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build
local capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the
needs of the target population (up to 10 points).
(2) The potential replicability of the proposed project or
strategies, including, as appropriate, the potential for implementation
in a variety of settings (up to 10 points).
b. Quality of the Project Design. (up to 16 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 the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable
(up to 4 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 (up to 4 points).
(3) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of
Federal financial assistance (up to 4 points).
(4) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach to the priority or priorities established for the
competition (up to 4 points).
c. Quality of Project Services. (up to 15 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be provided
by the proposed project. 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. In addition, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the proposed
project will lead to improvements in the achievement of students as
measured against rigorous academic standards (up to 5 points).
(2) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services (up to 5 points).
(3) The extent to which the training or professional development
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice
among the recipients of those services (up to 5 points).
d. Quality of Project Personnel. (up to 9 points)
The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project. 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. In addition, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator (up to 5 points).
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel (up to 4 points).
e. Adequacy of Resources. (up to 20 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 the following factors:
(1) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project
(up to 10 points).
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives,
[[Page 32011]]
design, and potential significance of the proposed project (up to 10
points).
f. Quality of the Management Plan. (up to 10 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 the following factors:
(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 (up to 5 points).
(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project
(up to 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 the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project (up to 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 (up to 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 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).
For this competition, a panel of external reviewers will read,
prepare a written evaluation of, and score all eligible applications
using the selection criteria and the competitive preference priority,
if applicable, provided in this notice. The individual scores of the
reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the number of reviewers
to determine the peer review score. The Department may use more than
one tier of reviews in evaluating grantees. The Department will prepare
a rank order of applications based solely on the evaluation of their
quality according to the selection criteria and competitive preference
priority points.
In the event there are two or more applications with the same final
score in the rank order listing, and there are insufficient funds to
fully support each of these applications, the Department will apply the
following procedure to determine which application or applications will
receive an award:
First Tiebreaker: The first tiebreaker will be the highest average
score for the selection criterion ``Quality of the Project Design.'' If
a tie remains, the second tiebreaker will be utilized.
Second Tiebreaker: The second tiebreaker will be the highest
average score for the selection criterion ``Significance.'' If a tie
remains, the third tiebreaker will be utilized.
Third Tiebreaker: The third tiebreaker will be the highest average
score for the competitive preference priority. If a tie remains, the
fourth tiebreaker will be utilized.
Fourth Tiebreaker: The fourth tiebreaker will be the applicant that
proposes the highest projected savings for students in response to
Absolute Priority 3.
3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition 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 will 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.
[[Page 32012]]
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: For the purposes of Department reporting
under 34 CFR 75.110, we have established the following set of
performance measures for the Open Textbooks Pilot program grants:
a. The number of students who enrolled in courses that use open
textbooks and/or ancillary materials developed through the grant;
b. The number of students who completed courses that used open
textbooks and/or ancillary materials developed through the grant;
c. The failure rate or withdrawal rate in courses that use open
textbooks and/or ancillary materials compared with equivalent courses
that used commercial textbooks;
d. The average grade of students who completed a course that used
open textbooks and/or ancillary materials developed through the grant
compared with the equivalent average grade of students who used
commercial textbooks;
e. The number of faculty/instructors that use open textbooks and/or
ancillary materials developed through the grant;
f. The number of institutions within the consortium, and the number
of institutions outside of the consortium, that adopted the open
textbooks and/or ancillary materials developed through the grant;
g. The number of courses among consortium members that adopted the
open textbooks and/or ancillary materials developed through the grant,
compared to those that continued to use commercial textbooks;
h. The number of faculty/instructors or institutions that use tools
for revising and remixing open educational resources content to
facilitate adoption of open textbooks and/or ancillary materials
developed through the grant;
i. The average cost savings per student; and
j. The total cost savings for students who used open textbooks and/
or ancillary materials developed through the grant compared to students
in the same course of study who used traditional textbooks.
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: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
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. 2022-11343 Filed 5-25-22; 8:45 am]
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