[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 18 (Friday, January 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5222-5226]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-01443]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; American Overseas Research Centers
Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting
applications for fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the American Overseas
Research Centers (AORC) program, Assistance Listing Number 84.274A.
This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB
control number 1840-0006.
DATES:
Applications Available: January 26, 2024.
Pre-Application Webinar Information: The Department will hold a
pre-application webinar for prospective applicants. Detailed
information regarding the webinar, including date and time, will be
provided on the website for the AORC program at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsaorc/applicant.html.
Additionally, for prospective applicants that have never received a
grant from the Department and those that are interested in learning
more about the process, please review the grant funding basics resource
at https://www2.ed.gov/documents/funding-101/funding-101-basics.pdf.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 26, 2024.
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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede
the version published on December 27, 2021.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5C103, Lyndon Baines Johnson
(LBJ) Building, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-5690. 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 AORC program provides grants to consortia
of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States to
establish or operate an overseas research center (Center) to promote
postgraduate research, exchanges, and area studies. AORC grants may be
used for all or a portion of the costs to operate and maintain the
overseas Center; organize and manage conferences; develop or acquire
teaching and research materials; acquire or preserve library
collections; bring scholars and faculty to the Center to teach or
conduct research; support the salaries for Center staff and visiting
faculty and professional development stipends and fellowships; pay the
travel costs for Center staff and project participants; and to publish
and disseminate materials for the academic community and the public.
Priorities: Under this competition we are particularly interested
in applications that address the following priorities.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are invitational priorities.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets
these invitational priorities a competitive or an absolute preference
over other applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1--Professional Development Opportunities for
Participants from Community Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions.
Projects that provide professional development opportunities to
participants from community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and
Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions. The opportunities may
be provided domestically or overseas and may include curriculum
development workshops to create new courses or to incorporate global
content and competencies into existing courses, language instructional
programs for the beginning to advanced levels, or participation in
academic conferences relevant to the Center's focus.
For the purpose of this invitational priority--
Community college means ``junior or community college'' as defined
in section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)
(20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); or an ``institution of
[[Page 5223]]
higher education'' as defined in section 101 of the HEA, that awards
degrees and certificates, more than 50 percent of which are not
bachelor's (or an equivalent) or master's, professional, or other
advanced degrees.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities means colleges and
universities that meet the criteria set out in 34 CFR 608.2.
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 institutions currently designated eligible under title
III and title V of the HEA may be viewed at the following link: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html.
Invitational Priority 2--Open Access to Center-related Research,
Instructional, and Scholarly Resources.
Projects that provide open access to Center-related research
studies, conference proceedings, online libraries, digital archives,
instructional materials, scholarly publications, and other resources
related to the scholarly and cultural foci of the Center.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1128a and 1132-1132-7.
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, 81, 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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Department estimates that $1,347,635
will be available for new awards in the AORC program in FY 2024. The
actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process before the end of the current fiscal year, if
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $53,000-$82,000 for each budget period
of 12 months.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $58,000 for each budget period of
12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 17.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Consortia of United States (U.S.) IHEs that
receive more than 50 percent of their funding from public or private
U.S. sources, have a permanent presence in the country where the Center
is located, and are organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code, which are exempt from taxation under section
501(a) of such Code.
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) proof that the
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 8 percent
restricted 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: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
4. Build America, Buy America Act: This program is not subject to
the Build America, Buy America Act (Pub. L. 117-58) domestic sourcing
requirements.
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 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to
submit an application. Please note that these Common Instructions
supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the AORC grant
competition, 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 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 post on our website the abstracts of all funded
applications, 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 program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
[[Page 5224]]
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III) 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 30 pages and (2) use the
following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, except the text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or 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 Part I, Application
for Federal Assistance cover sheet (SF 424); the Supplemental
Information Form SF 424B; Part II, ED 524 (Summary Budget A) and the
detailed budget justification (Summary Budget C); or Part IV,
assurances, and certifications. The page limit also does not apply to
the one-page abstract, the curriculum vitae, the bibliography, or the
letters of support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to
the entirety of the application narrative.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The total maximum score for the selection
criteria is 100 points. The maximum number of points for each criterion
is indicated in parentheses.
The Secretary evaluates all applications for a project under this
program using the following criteria:
(a) Need for project (up to 20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project.
(2) In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers the magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (up to 20
points)
(b) Quality of the project design (up to 10 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(up to 5 points)
(ii) The extent to which fellowship recipients or other project
participants are to be selected based on academic excellence. (up to 5
points)
(c) Quality of project services (up to 25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) 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. (up to 5 points)
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(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. (up to 10 points)
(ii) 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 10 points)
(d) Quality of project personnel (up to 15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will
carry out the proposed project.
(2) 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. (up to 5 points)
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator. (up to 5 points)
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel. (up to 5 points)
(e) Adequacy of resources (up to 15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the
proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the
lead applicant organization. (up to 5 points)
(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project. (up to 5 points)
(iii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and
benefits. (up to 5 points)
(f) Quality of project evaluation (up to 15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate
to the context within which the project operates. (up to 5 points)
(ii) 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)
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
timely guidance for quality assurance. (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).
All applications submitted to the FY 2024 AORC program competition
will be evaluated and scored by peer reviewers with expertise in are
area studies, modern foreign languages, global competencies, and
postgraduate research.
The Department's G6 e-Reader system will produce the rank order
listing of all applications in the competition based
[[Page 5225]]
on the scores that peer reviewers assigned to the selection criteria.
In situations where two or more applications are tied with the same
overall score in the rank order listing, we will use the scores for
selection criterion (a) Need for the project as a tiebreaker. If this
criterion does not resolve the tied scores, we will use the scores for
criterion (c) Quality of project services as the tiebreaker.
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 program
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.
Note: Grantees under this competition will submit their performance
reports electronically using the International Resource Information
System (IRIS), the web-based reporting system for the International and
Foreign Language Education office. Information about the reporting
system and the AORC performance report instructions may be viewed at
http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/AORC.pdf.
5. Performance Measures: IFLE has established the following
performance measure for the AORC program for the purpose of Department
reporting under 34 CFR 75.110:
The number of individuals conducting postgraduate research
utilizing the services of the overseas Centers.
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
[[Page 5226]]
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.
Nasser H. Paydar,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-01443 Filed 1-25-24; 8:45 am]
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