[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

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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

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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

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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]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P