[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 160 (Friday, August 19, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51070-51072]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-17847]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Lead of a Career and Technical 
Education (CTE) Network: Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems 
of Education Policy and Practice Program

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for the Lead of a Career and Technical Education 
(CTE) Network under the fiscal year (FY) 2023 Research Networks Focused 
on Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice Grant Program, 
Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.305N. This notice relates to the 
approved information collection under OMB control number 4040-0001.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: October 20, 2022.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 23, 2023.

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: Dr. Corinne Alfeld, Institute of 
Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Potomac Center Plaza, 
550 12th Street SW, Washington, DC 20202. Email: [email protected]. 
Telephone: (202) 245-8203.
    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: Through the National Center for Education 
Research (NCER), the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) provides 
support for programs of research in areas of demonstrated national 
need. The IES research grant programs are designed to provide 
interested individuals and the general public with reliable and valid 
information about education practices that support learning and improve 
academic achievement and access to education opportunities for all 
learners.
    Through the Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of 
Education Policy and Practice grant program, NCER focuses resources and 
attention on specific education problems or issues that are a high 
priority for the Nation. NCER also establishes both a structure and 
process for researchers who are working on these issues to share ideas, 
build new knowledge, and strengthen their research and dissemination 
capacity.
    Under this notice, NCER is inviting only applications that address 
the following topic:
     Career and Technical Education Research Network, Network 
Lead role only. The CTE Network will conduct research on CTE through 
projects funded by other IES grant competitions.
    This notice provides information about the Career and Technical 
Education Research Network. Requirements for applications for the 
Digital Learning Platforms Network are in the notice inviting 
applications for new awards under the Research Networks Focused on 
Critical Problems of Education Policy and Practice and Special 
Education Research and Development Center programs, published elsewhere 
in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Exemption from Proposed Rulemaking: Under section 191 of the 
Education Sciences Reform Act, 20 U.S.C. 9581, IES is not subject to 
section 437(d) of the General Education Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. 
1232(d), and is therefore not required to offer interested parties the 
opportunity to comment on matters relating to grants.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 2324(c)(1); 20 U.S.C. 9501 et seq.

    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 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 
and 99. In addition, the regulations in 34 CFR part 75 are applicable, 
except for the provisions in 34 CFR 75.100, 75.101(b), 75.102, 75.103, 
75.105, 75.109(a), 75.200, 75.201, 75.209, 75.210, 75.211, 75.217(a)-
(c), 75.219, 75.220, 75.221, 75.222, 75.230, 75.250(a), and 75.708. (b) 
The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.
    Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not 
apply to this competition.

II. Award Information

    Types of Awards: Discretionary grants and cooperative agreements.
    Fiscal Information: Although Congress has not yet enacted an 
appropriation for FY 2023, IES is inviting applications for this 
competition now so that applicants can have adequate time to prepare 
their applications. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on 
final congressional action.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $500,000 to $750,000. The size of the 
award will depend on the scope of the project proposed and the amount 
of available funds.
    Estimated Number of Awards: IES intends to fund one Network Lead.
    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 or private non-profit organizations and or

[[Page 51071]]

agencies, and consortia of such institutions, organizations, or 
agencies that have the ability and capacity to conduct scientifically 
valid research.
    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 to 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 the 
NCER Research Networks competition may award subgrants--to directly 
carry out project activities described in its application--to the 
following types of entities: nonprofit and for-profit organizations and 
public and private agencies and institutions of higher education. The 
grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an 
approved application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on 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. Other Information: Information regarding program and application 
requirements for the competition will be contained in the NCER RFA, 
which will be available on the IES website at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/ on or before October 20, 2022. The application package for 
this competition will also be available on or before October 20, 2022. 
Application submission information is available in the IES Application 
Submission Guide at: https://ies.ed.gov/funding/pdf/FY2023_submission_guide.pdf.
    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application are contained in the RFA for 
the specific competition. The forms that must be submitted are in the 
application package for the specific competition.
    4. Submission Date: The deadline date for transmittal of 
applications is February 23, 2023.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    5. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    6. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: For all of its grant competitions, IES uses 
selection criteria based on a peer review process that has been 
approved by the National Board for Education Sciences. The Peer Review 
Procedures for Grant Applications can be found on the IES website at 
https://ies.ed.gov/director/sro/peer_review/application_review.asp.
    For the 84.305N competition, CTE Research Network Lead topic, peer 
reviewers will be asked to evaluate the quality of the overall network 
administration and coordination plan, the quality of the research plan, 
the quality of the training plan, the quality of the leadership and 
dissemination plans, the qualifications and experience of the 
personnel, and the resources of the applicant to support the proposed 
activities. These criteria will be described in greater detail in the 
RFA.
    For all IES competitions, applications must include budgets no 
higher than the relevant maximum award as set out in the relevant RFA. 
IES will not make an award exceeding the maximum award amount as set 
out in the relevant RFA.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
IES 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, compliance with the 
IES policy regarding public access to research, and compliance with 
grant conditions. IES 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, IES requires 
various assurances including those applicable to Federal civil rights 
laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities receiving 
Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 
106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions:
    Consistent with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under this 
competition, the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by 
applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, IES 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

[[Page 51072]]

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. Grant Administration: Applicants should budget for an annual 
meeting of up to three days for project directors to be held in 
Washington, DC.
    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 
IES. 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 IES under 34 CFR 
75.118. IES may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 
CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to 
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    5. Performance Measures: To evaluate the overall success of its 
education research grant programs, IES annually assesses the percentage 
of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications and the number of 
IES-supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in improving 
learner education outcomes. School readiness outcomes include pre-
reading, reading, pre-writing, early mathematics, early science, and 
social-emotional skills that prepare young children for school. Student 
academic outcomes include learning and achievement in academic content 
areas, such as reading, writing, math, and science, as well as outcomes 
that reflect students' successful progression through the education 
system, such as course and grade completion; high school graduation; 
and postsecondary enrollment, progress, and completion. Social and 
behavioral competencies include social and emotional skills, attitudes, 
and behaviors that are important to academic and post-academic success. 
Employment and earnings outcomes include hours of employment, job 
stability, and wages and benefits, and may be measured in addition to 
student academic outcomes.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, IES 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; whether a grantee 
is in compliance with the IES policy regarding public access to 
research; and, if IES 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, IES 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 person listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities can obtain 
this document and a copy of the RFA in an accessible format. The 
Department will provide the requestor with an accessible format that 
may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt), a thumb drive, 
an MP3 file, braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc, or other 
accessible format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Mark Schneider,
Director, Institute of Education Sciences.
[FR Doc. 2022-17847 Filed 8-18-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P