[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35080-35086]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-08328]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Student Support Services 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) 2025 for the 
Student Support Services (SSS) Program, Assistance Listing Number 
84.042A. This notice relates to the approved information collection 
under OMB control number 1840-0017.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 1, 2024.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 15, 2024.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 13, 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/d/2022-26554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lavelle Wright, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-
4260. Telephone: (202) 987-1300. 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 purpose of the SSS Program is to increase 
the number of disadvantaged students, including low-income college 
students, first-generation college students, and college students with 
disabilities, who successfully complete a program of study at the 
postsecondary level. The support services that are provided should 
increase the retention and graduation rates for these categories of 
students and facilitate their transfer from two-year to four-year 
colleges and universities. The support services should also foster an 
institutional climate that supports the success of students who are 
limited English proficient, students from groups that are historically 
underrepresented in postsecondary education, students with 
disabilities, students who are homeless children and youths, students 
who are in foster care or are aging out of the foster care system, and 
other disconnected students. Student support services should also 
improve the financial and economic literacy of students.
    Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference 
priorities. Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the 
Secretary's Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for 
Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612) (Supplemental Priorities).
    Note: Applicants must include, in the one-page abstract submitted 
with the application, a statement indicating which, if any, of the 
competitive preference priorities are addressed. If the applicant has 
addressed the competitive preference priorities, this information must 
also be listed on the SSS Program Profile Form.
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2025 and any subsequent 
year for which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 
eight points to an application, depending on how well the application 
meets these priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Meeting Student Social, 
Emotional, and Academic Needs (up to 3 points).
    Projects that are designed to improve students' social, emotional, 
academic, and career development needs, with a focus on underserved 
students, by creating education and work-based settings that are 
supportive, positive, identity-safe and inclusive, including with 
regard to race, ethnicity, culture, language, and disability status, 
through the following activity:

[[Page 35081]]

    Supporting students to engage in high-quality, real-world, hands-on 
learning that is aligned with classroom instruction and takes place in 
community-based settings, such as apprenticeships, pre-apprenticeships, 
work-based learning, and service learning, and in civic activities, 
that allow students to apply their knowledge and skills, strengthen 
their employability skills, such as critical thinking, complex problem 
solving, and effective communication, and access career exploration 
opportunities.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Increasing Postsecondary 
Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment 
Success (up to 5 points).
    Projects that are designed to increase postsecondary access, 
affordability, completion, and success for underserved students by 
addressing one or both of the following priority areas:
    (a) Increasing postsecondary education access and reducing the cost 
of college by creating clearer pathways for students between 
institutions and making transfer of course credits more seamless and 
transparent (up to 2 points).
    (b) Establishing a system of high-quality data collection and 
analysis, such as data on enrollment, persistence, retention, 
completion, and post-college outcomes, for transparency, 
accountability, and institutional improvement (up to 3 points).
    Definitions: The following definitions apply to this competition. 
The definitions of ``demonstrates a rationale,'' ``logic model,'' 
``project component,'' and ``relevant outcomes'' are from 34 CFR 77.1. 
The definitions of ``children or students with disabilities,'' 
``disconnected youth,'' ``English learner,'' ``military- or veteran-
connected student,'' and ``underserved student'' are from the 
Supplemental Priorities.
    Children or students with disabilities means children with 
disabilities as defined in section 602(3) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1401(3)) and 34 CFR 300.8, 
or students with disabilities, as defined in the Rehabilitation Act of 
1973 (29 U.S.C. 705(37), 705(202)(B)).
    Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in 
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation 
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve 
relevant outcomes.
    Disconnected youth means an individual, between the ages 14 and 24, 
who may be from a low-income background, experiences homelessness, is 
in foster care, is involved in the justice system, or is not working or 
not enrolled in (or at risk of dropping out of) an educational 
institution.
    English learner means an individual who is an English learner as 
defined in section 8101(20) of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965, as amended, or an individual who is an English language 
learner as defined in section 203(7) of the Workforce Innovation and 
Opportunity Act.
    Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a 
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed 
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be 
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the 
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project 
components and relevant outcomes.
    Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use 
resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory Program's (REL 
Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp to help design their 
logic models. Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.
    Military- or veteran-connected student means one or more of the 
following:
    (a) A child participating in an early learning program, a student 
enrolled in preschool through grade 12, or a student enrolled in career 
and technical education or postsecondary education who has a parent or 
guardian who is a member of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 
U.S.C. 101), in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, 
Space Force, National Guard, Reserves, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, or Public Health Service or is a veteran of the 
uniformed services with an honorable discharge (as defined by 38 U.S.C. 
3311).
    (b) A student who is a member of the uniformed services, a veteran 
of the uniformed services, or the spouse of a service member or 
veteran.
    (c) A child participating in an early learning program, a student 
enrolled in preschool through grade 12, or a student enrolled in career 
and technical education or postsecondary education who has a parent or 
guardian who is a veteran of the uniformed services (as defined by 37 
U.S.C. 101).
    Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention, 
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence 
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of 
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices 
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s) 
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the 
specific goals of the program.
    Underserved student means a student in one or more of the following 
subgroups:
    (a) A student who is living in poverty or is served by schools with 
high concentrations of students living in poverty.
    (b) A student of color.
    (c) A student who is a member of a federally recognized Indian 
Tribe.
    (d) An English learner.
    (e) A child or student with a disability.
    (f) A disconnected youth.
    (g) A student experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
    (h) A lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, or 
intersex (LGBTQI+) student.
    (i) A student who is in foster care.
    (j) A pregnant, parenting, or caregiving student.
    (k) A student impacted by the justice system, including a formerly 
incarcerated student.
    (l) A student who is the first in their family to attend 
postsecondary education.
    (m) A student enrolling in or seeking to enroll in postsecondary 
education for the first time at the age of 20 or older.
    (n) A student who is working full-time while enrolled in 
postsecondary education.
    (o) A student who is enrolled in or is seeking to enroll in 
postsecondary education who is eligible for a Pell Grant.
    (p) An adult student in need of improving their basic skills or an 
adult student with limited English proficiency.
    (q) A military- or veteran-connected student.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 20 U.S.C. 1070a-14.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except for 
75.215 through 75.221), 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

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Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards in 2 CFR part 200 (Uniform Guidance), as adopted and amended as 
regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations 
for this program in 34 CFR part 646. (e) The Supplemental Priorities.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$1,211,000,000 for the Federal TRIO Programs for FY 2025, of which we 
intend to use an estimated $381,883,715 for new SSS awards under this 
competition. 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 if Congress appropriates 
funds for the Federal TRIO Programs.
    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: $148,181-$1,659,366.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $324,456.
    Maximum Award: The maximum award varies based on whether the 
applicant is currently receiving an SSS grant, as well as the type of 
project and number of students served. For applicants not currently 
receiving an SSS Program grant, the maximum awards are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                          Maximum amount
                    Type of proposal                             *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regular SSS Proposal Serving a Minimum of 140 Student           $272,364
 Participants...........................................
Regular SSS Proposal Serving a Minimum of 100 Student            272,364
 Participants who are Students with Disabilities........
English as a Second Language (ESL) SSS Proposal Serving          272,364
 a Minimum of 140 Student Participants..................
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)         272,364
 and Health Science SSS Proposal Serving a Minimum of
 120 Student Participants...............................
Teacher Preparation SSS Proposal Serving a Minimum of            272,364
 140 Student Participants...............................
Veterans SSS Proposal Serving a Minimum of 120 Student           272,364
 Participants...........................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    For applicants proposing to serve fewer than the minimum number of 
student participants specified in the above table, the maximum award is 
an amount equal to: $1,945 per student participant for Regular, ESL, 
and Teacher Preparation proposals; $2,724 per student participant for 
projects serving Students with Disabilities (SWD proposals); and $2,270 
per student participant for STEM (including Health Science) and 
Veterans proposals.
    For applicants currently receiving an SSS Program grant, the 
maximum award amount is the greater of (a) $272,364 or (b) 100 percent 
of the applicant's base award amount for FY 2024.
    For any currently funded applicant that proposes to serve fewer 
students than it served in FY 2024, the maximum award is the amount 
that corresponds with the cost per participant previously established 
for the project in FY 2024.
    Estimated Number of New Awards: 1,159.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs or combinations of IHEs.
    Note: Combinations of IHEs under this competition must follow the 
procedures under 34 CFR 75.127-75.129 in developing a group 
application. This includes developing an agreement that details the 
activities that each member of the group plans to perform and binds 
each member of the group to every statement and assurance made by the 
applicant in the application. This agreement must be submitted with the 
application.
    2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: Section 402D(d)(4) of the HEA 
requires that all successful applicants that use SSS Program funds to 
provide grant aid to students pursuant to section 402D(d)(1) of the HEA 
must provide matching funds, in cash, from non-Federal funds, in an 
amount that is not less than 33 percent of the total amount of the SSS 
Program funds used for this aid. This matching requirement does not 
apply to a grant recipient that is an IHE eligible to receive funds 
under part A or part B of title III or under title V of the HEA.
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement, 
not supplant funding requirements. Under section 404B(e) of the HEA (20 
U.S.C. 1070a-22(e)), grant funds awarded under this program must be 
used to supplement, and not supplant, other Federal, State, and local 
funds that would otherwise be expended to carry out activities assisted 
under this program.
    c. Indirect Cost Rate Information: For entities eligible to apply 
to this competition, the program regulations at 34 CFR 694.11 limit 
indirect cost reimbursement to the rate determined in the entity's 
negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or 8 percent of a modified 
total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. 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.
    d. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application.
    4. Other: An applicant may submit multiple applications if each 
separate application describes a project that will serve a different 
campus or a different population (section 402A(c)(5) of the HEA).
    Under section 402A(h)(1) of the HEA, the term ``different campus'' 
means a site of an IHE that--(a) is geographically apart from the main 
campus of the institution; (b) is permanent in nature; and (c) offers 
courses in educational programs leading to a degree, certificate, or 
other recognized educational credential.
    Under section 402A(h)(2) of the HEA, the term ``different 
population'' means a group of individuals that an eligible entity 
desires to serve through an SSS grant that is separate and distinct 
from any other population that the entity has applied to serve using 
Federal TRIO Program funds, or, while sharing some of the same needs as 
another population that the eligible entity has applied to

[[Page 35083]]

serve using Federal TRIO Program funds, has distinct needs for 
specialized services. To implement the requirement in section 
402A(h)(2) of the HEA for this competition, the Secretary is 
designating the populations to be served as: participants who meet the 
specific requirements for SSS services, participants who are students 
with disabilities, participants who need ESL services, participants 
receiving services in the STEM fields, participants receiving Teacher 
Preparation Services, and participants who have served in the armed 
forces. These different populations need different types of services. 
Accordingly, the Secretary has determined that projects serving these 
different populations should be subject to different standards for the 
minimum number of participants. An applicant may submit more than one 
application as long as each application proposes to serve a different 
population. For project types other than a regular SSS project, an 
applicant must propose to serve 100 percent of the students in the 
specific project type.

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 
www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-26554, which contain requirements and 
information on how to submit an application.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
646.31. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative, Part III of 
the application, 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, which includes the budget 
narrative, to no more than 65 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, excluding titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12-point font 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 65-page limit does not apply to Part I, the 
Application for Federal Assistance cover sheet (SF 424); Part II, the 
Budget Information Summary form (ED Form 524); Part III-A, the SSS 
Program Profile form; Part III-B, the one-page Project Abstract form; 
or Part IV, the assurances and certifications. The recommended page 
limit also does not apply to a table of contents, which you should 
include in the application narrative. You must include your complete 
response to the selection criteria in the application narrative.
    We recommend that any application addressing the competitive 
preference priorities include no more than three additional pages each 
for priorities 1 and 2, if addressed. Applications that do not follow 
the page limit and formatting recommendations will not be penalized.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 646.21 and 75.210.
    We will award up to 105 points to an application under the 
selection criteria and up to 8 additional points to an application 
under the competitive preference priorities, for a total score of up to 
113 points. The maximum number of points available for each criterion 
is indicated in parentheses.
    (a) Need for the project. (up to 24 points)
    The Secretary evaluates the need for an SSS project proposed at the 
applicant institution on the basis of the extent to which the 
application contains clear evidence of--
    (1) A high number or percentage, or both, of students enrolled or 
accepted for enrollment at the applicant institution who meet the 
eligibility requirements of 34 CFR 646.3 (up to 8 points);
    (2) The academic and other problems that eligible students 
encounter at the applicant institution (up to 8 points); and
    (3) The differences between eligible SSS students compared to an 
appropriate group, based on the following indicators:
    (i) Retention and graduation rates.
    (ii) Grade point averages.
    (iii) Graduate and professional school enrollment rates (four-year 
colleges only).
    (iv) Transfer rates from two-year to four-year institutions (two-
year colleges only) (up to 8 points).
    (b) Objectives. (up to 8 points) The Secretary evaluates the 
quality of the applicant's proposed objectives in the following areas 
on the basis of the extent to which they are both ambitious, as related 
to the need data provided under paragraph (a) of this section, and 
attainable, given the project's plan of operation, budget, and other 
resources.
    (1) Retention in postsecondary education (3 points).
    (2) In good academic standing at grantee institution (2 points).
    (3) Two-year institutions only.
    (i) Certificate or degree completion (1 point); and
    (ii) Certificate or degree completion and transfer to a four-year 
institution (2 points).
    (4) Four-year institutions only. Completion of a baccalaureate 
degree (3 points).
    (c) Plan of operation. (up to 30 points) The Secretary evaluates 
the quality of the applicant's plan of operation on the basis of the 
following:
    (1) The plan to inform the institutional community (students, 
faculty, and staff) of the goals, objectives, and services of the 
project and the eligibility requirements for participation in the 
project (up to 3 points).
    (2) The plan to identify, select, and retain project participants 
with academic need (up to 3 points).
    (3) The plan for assessing each individual participant's need for 
specific services and monitoring his or her academic progress at the 
institution to ensure satisfactory academic progress (up to 4 points).
    (4) The plan to provide services that address the goals and 
objectives of the project (up to 10 points).
    (5) The applicant's plan to ensure proper and efficient 
administration of the project, including the organizational placement 
of the project; the time commitment of key project staff; the specific 
plans for financial management, student records management, and 
personnel management; and, where appropriate, its plan for coordination 
with other programs for disadvantaged students (up to 10 points).
    (d) Institutional commitment. (up to 16 points) The Secretary 
evaluates the institutional commitment to the proposed project on the 
basis of the extent to which the applicant has--

[[Page 35084]]

    (1) Committed facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and other 
resources to supplement the grant and enhance project services (up to 6 
points);
    (2) Established administrative and academic policies that enhance 
participants' retention at the institution and improve their chances of 
graduating from the institution (up to 6 points);
    (3) Demonstrated a commitment to minimize the dependence on student 
loans in developing financial aid packages for project participants by 
committing institutional resources to the extent possible (up to 2 
points); and
    (4) Assured the full cooperation and support of the Admissions, 
Student Aid, Registrar and data collection and analysis components of 
the institution (up to 2 points).
    (e) Quality of personnel. (up to 9 points) To determine the quality 
of personnel the applicant plans to use, the Secretary looks for 
information that shows--
    (1) The qualifications required of the project director, including 
formal education and training in fields related to the objectives of 
the project, and experience in designing, managing, or implementing SSS 
or similar projects (up to 3 points);
    (2) The qualifications required of other personnel to be used in 
the project, including formal education, training, and work experience 
in fields related to the objectives of the project (up to 3 points); 
and
    (3) The quality of the applicant's plan for employing personnel who 
have succeeded in overcoming barriers similar to those confronting the 
project's target population (up to 3 points).
    (f) Budget. (up to 5 points) The Secretary evaluates the extent to 
which the project budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and adequate to 
support the project.
    (g) Evaluation plan. (up to 8 points) The Secretary evaluates the 
quality of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the 
extent to which--
    (1) The applicant's methods for evaluation--
    (i) Are appropriate to the project and include both quantitative 
and qualitative evaluation measures (up to 2 points); and
    (ii) Examine in specific and measurable ways, using appropriate 
baseline data, the success of the project in improving academic 
achievement, retention and graduation of project participants (up to 2 
points); and
    (2) The applicant intends to use the results of an evaluation to 
make programmatic changes based upon the results of project evaluation 
(up to 4 points).
    (h) Quality of the project design. (up to 5 points)
    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, 
the Secretary considers the extent to which the proposed project 
demonstrates a rationale (as defined in this notice).
    Note: Under the ``Objectives'' selection criterion in paragraph (b) 
above, applicants must address the standardized objectives in 34 CFR 
646.21(b)(1) through (4) related to the participants' academic 
achievements, including retention, good academic standing, graduation, 
and transfer rates. The graduation objective should be measured by 
cohorts of students who become SSS Program participants in each year of 
the project and should be compared to a relevant and valid comparison 
group. The graduation, certificate, and transfer rates for two-year 
institutions should be measured over a four-year period and that of 
four-year institutions should be measured over a six-year period.
    Note: For the selection criterion ``Quality of personnel'' in 
paragraph (e), applicants are encouraged to include in their 
application that they are committed to paying their staff a living wage 
for the local area and providing benefits.
    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 non-Federal reviewers will review 
each application in accordance with the selection criteria in 34 CFR 
646.21 and 75.210 and the competitive preference priorities. The 
individual scores of the reviewers will be added and the sum divided by 
the number of reviewers to determine the peer review score received in 
the review process. Additionally, in accordance with 34 CFR 646.22, the 
Secretary will award up to 15 prior experience points to applicants 
that have conducted an SSS Program project within the last three 
Federal government fiscal years, based on their documented experience. 
Prior experience points, if any, will be added to the application's 
averaged reader score to determine the total score for each 
application.
    If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same 
total scores, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications so 
as to serve geographical areas that have been underserved by the SSS 
Program by first selecting applicants from institutions that are not 
already recommended for new awards on the SSS slates. If there are 
still insufficient funds for all applications with the same score, the 
Secretary will select applicants from institutions that are designated 
as eligible to apply under the HEA titles III and V programs according 
to the most recent version (at the time of publication of this notice) 
of the Eligibility Matrix.
    Finally, if there are still tied applications after implementing 
both of these tiebreakers, the Secretary will select applications from 
institutions with the highest percentage of undergraduate students who 
are Pell Grant recipients.
    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

[[Page 35085]]

and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency 
previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with--
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR 
3474.20.
    4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must 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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: The success of the SSS Program is measured 
by the percentage of SSS participants that complete a program of 
postsecondary education. The following performance measures have been 
developed to track progress toward achieving program success:
    (a) The percentage of first-time, full-time first-year SSS Program 
participants who are still enrolled at the beginning of the next 
academic year or have earned a degree at a two-year grantee institution 
or transferred from a two-year to a four-year institution.
    (b) The percentage of first-time, full-time first-year SSS Program 
participants at four-year institutions who received a bachelor's degree 
from the grantee institution within six years (Note: The Department 
will calculate this measure based both on 100 percent and 150 percent 
of normal completion time).
    (c) The percentage of first-time, full-time SSS Program 
participants at two-year institutions who received an associate's 
degree and/or transferred to a four-year institution within three years 
(Note: The Department will calculate this measure based both on 100 
percent and 150 percent of normal completion time).
    (d) The cost per successful outcome. All SSS Program grantees are 
required to submit an annual performance report documenting the 
persistence and degree attainment of their participants. Since students 
take different amounts of time to complete their degrees, multiple 
years of performance report data are needed to determine the degree 
completion rates of SSS Program participants. The Department will 
aggregate the data provided in the annual performance reports from all 
grantees to determine the overall program accomplishment level.
    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, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document and a copy of the

[[Page 35086]]

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, 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. 2024-08328 Filed 4-30-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P