The Administrative Conference Act, 5 U.S.C. 591-596, established the Administrative Conference of the United States. The Conference studies the efficiency, adequacy, and fairness of the administrative procedures used by Federal agencies and makes recommendations to agencies, the President, Congress, and the Judicial Conference of the United States for procedural improvements (5 U.S.C. 594(1)). For further information about the Conference and its activities, see www.acus.gov.

State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments (SLTTGs) play a critical role in administering many Federal programs. Approximately 81 percent of Federal statutes include provisions that contemplate some kind of collaboration—formal or informal—between Federal agencies and SLTTGs. When governments collaborate, they work together to produce more public value than they could produce on their own, promoting greater accountability, transparency, and innovation in the administration of Federal programs.

Such intergovernmental partnerships are critical for administering a wide array of Federal policies in myriad contexts. 1 For example, the Army collaborates with State and local environmental agencies when constructing water navigation projects. 2 Under the Affordable Care Act, States are responsible for implementing certain insurance-exchange provisions which the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) oversees. 3 In the law enforcement context, HHS and the Department of Justice are responsible for coordinating Federal, State, and local law enforcement programs to control fraud and abuse with respect to health plans, 4 while the Drug Enforcement Administration pursues its enforcement efforts under the Controlled Substances Act with the help of State and local task forces. 5 The Federal Highway Administration and Bureau of Indian Affairs work in partnership with Tribal governments to facilitate Tribal transportation planning on Tribal lands. 6 Finally, the Department of Homeland Security oversees a National Network of Fusion Centers, in coordination with SLTTGs and other Federal partners, to facilitate threat-related information sharing among such entities. 7 These are just some examples of the many ways in which Federal agencies and SLTTGs partner to more effectively and efficiently deliver public services.

For these partnerships to be successful, officials must coordinate and cooperate effectively across government. However, there is limited research on how Federal agencies and SLTTGs work together to achieve successful partnerships. Through this project, ACUS is seeking to learn more about the laws and policies that govern and shape intergovernmental partnerships; the frequency and scale of Federal collaboration with SLTTGs; practical considerations that policymakers evaluate in structuring, implementing, and maintaining such partnerships; and challenges that administrators face in managing them. The project will result in a set of recommended best practices that Federal agencies can use to coordinate and collaborate more effectively with SLTTG partners.

ACUS welcomes views, information, and data on all aspects of strategies and approaches that agencies are using or might use to collaborate with State, local, Tribal, and/or territorial governments in administering Federal programs. ACUS also seeks specific feedback on the following questions related to agencies' collaboration efforts:

1. What has been your experience regarding collaboration with a Federal agency to carry out a program?

2. If you have been involved in an intergovernmental partnership, who are (or were) your intergovernmental partners?

3. In your experience, what makes a collaboration successful? Are there practices that Federal and SLTTG officials could adopt to facilitate more productive collaborations?

4. In your experience, what challenges do Federal officials experience when interacting with SLTTG partners? What strategies have Federal and SLTTG officials used (or do use) to address these challenges? Were any strategies particularly effective or ineffective? Why or why not? Are there any lessons learned, policies, or practices that could be implemented to enhance intergovernmental partnerships?

5. In your experience, how do (or did) intergovernmental partners communicate with each other and with other interested persons? Has technology changed this dynamic, and, if so, how?

6. In your experience, to what extent do Federal agencies and SLTTG partners develop policies that govern their relationships? To what extent are such policies made publicly available?

7. To what extent are Federal officials and SLTTG partners aware of the laws governing their collaboration?

Chrysanthemum white rust (CWR) is a fungal disease caused by the basidiomycete Puccinia horiana, Henn. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) considers CWR a quarantine pest. Under international standards, a quarantine pest is defined as “a pest of potential economic importance to the area endangered by it and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed there and being officially controlled.”  1

Because CWR is considered a quarantine pest, APHIS' policy  2 has provided that any CWR detection domestically triggers an eradication protocol requiring complete destruction of symptomatic plants and those nearby. The policy also has required fungicidal treatments be applied to asymptomatic plants. Affected growers or entities have borne the eradication expense for CWR.

APHIS has also placed regulatory restrictions and prohibitions on the importation of host material for CWR to prevent its introduction into the United States through such importation. The regulations in 7 CFR 319.37-1 through 319.37-23 govern the importation of plants for planting into the United States. Section 319.37-4 of the regulations provides that certain taxa of plants for planting are not authorized for importation into the United States pending pest risk analysis (NAPPRA) to prevent the introduction of quarantine pests into the United States.

Accordingly, unrooted cuttings and in vitro plantlets of Chrysanthemum spp., Leucanthemella serotina, and Nipponanthemum nipponicum and synonymous taxa ( Dendranthema spp.,) from Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam have been NAPPRA or required post entry quarantine and additional entry requirements. These restrictions are in place due to the risk that such importation may pose of introducing CWR. Additionally, unrooted cuttings, in vitro plantlets, and plants with roots of the same taxa from Canada have had additional entry requirements due to CWR.

Paragraph (e) of § 319.37-4 describes the process for removing taxa from the NAPPRA list. After receiving a request to remove taxa from the NAPPRA list, APHIS will conduct a pest risk analysis in response to such a request and make the pest risk analysis available for public review and comment. Following the close of the comment period, we will review all comments received and announce our decision regarding the request in a subsequent notice.

In accordance with that process, on April 17, 2023, we published in the Federal Register (88 FR 23390-23391, Docket No. APHIS-2021-0081) a notice  3 of availability in which we announced the availability, for review and comment, of a pest risk analysis that evaluated the risks associated with the importation of unrooted cuttings and in vitro plantlets of Chrysanthemum spp. and synonymous genera under a systems approach from Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Germany, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam into the continental United States. We also made available a pest list and commodity import evaluation document (CIED) regarding the importation of unrooted cuttings, in vitro plantlets, and plants with roots of the same Chrysanthemum spp. and synonymous genera from Canada under a separate protocol. Additionally, we made available to the public an economic evaluation (EE) relative to deregulating CWR fungus as a quarantine pest. Related to this notice and based on the recommendations of APHIS' EE, we proposed to change APHIS' policy so that CWR would no longer be considered of quarantine significance if detected domestically or on imported plants for planting.

We solicited comments on the notice for 60 days, ending on June 16, 2023. We received 13 comments by that date. They were from businesses, industry trade groups, and government agencies.

Several commenters noted that we did not delineate “synonymous genera” in the initial notice and asked us what taxa were intended to be included by that term.

In consideration of the validity of these questions and after careful review, APHIS is modifying and updating the pest lists to clarify and refine references to regulatory taxa, consolidating into the pest list a separate pest list for Canada, and revising the CIED. We are also updating the list of affected nations and genera referenced in these documents to ensure all descriptions are clear and accurate in alignment with § 319.37-4 (which provides that certain taxa of plants for planting are not authorized for importation into the United States pending pest risk analysis); the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN) taxonomic data; the APHIS Plants for Planting Manual; and the Agricultural Commodity Import Requirements (ACIR) database.

We are reopening the comment period on Docket No. APHIS-2021-0081 for an additional 30 days. This action will allow interested persons time to review the updates and revisions to the pest risk analysis and to submit comments. The documents may be viewed on the Regulations.gov website or in our reading room (see ADDRESSES above for a link to Regulations.gov and information on the location and hours of the reading room). You may request paper copies of these documents by calling or writing to the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT . Please refer to the subject of the analysis you wish to review when requesting copies.

We will also consider all comments received between June 17, 2023 (the day after the close of the original comment period) and the date of this notice.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was established on January 1, 1995, as the common international institutional framework for the conduct of trade relations among its members in matters related to the Uruguay Round Trade Agreements. The WTO is the successor organization to the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). United States membership in the WTO was approved and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (Uruguay Round Agreements) was signed into law by the President on December 8, 1994, Public Law 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809. The Uruguay Round Agreements became effective with respect to the United States on January 1, 1995. The Uruguay Round Agreements amended the Trade Agreements Act of 1979. Pursuant to section 491 of the Trade Agreements Act of 1979, as amended, the President is required to designate an agency to be “responsible for informing the public of the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting organization” (19 U.S.C. 2578). The main international standard-setting organizations are the Codex Alimentarius (Codex), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The President, pursuant to Proclamation No. 6780 of March 23, 1995, (60 FR 15845), designated the U.S. Department of Agriculture as the agency responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of each international standard-setting organization. The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated to the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Mission Area the responsibility to inform the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex. The Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Mission Area has, in turn, assigned the responsibility for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex to the U.S. Codex Office (USCO).

Codex was created in 1963. Codex is the principal international organization for establishing standards for food. Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers, ensure fair practices in the food trade, and promote coordination of food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations. In the United States, U.S. Codex activities are managed and carried out by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC); and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

As the agency responsible for informing the public of the SPS standard-setting activities of Codex, the USCO publishes this notice in the Federal Register annually. Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex sets forth the following information:

1. The SPS standards under consideration or planned for consideration; and

2. For each SPS standard specified:

a. A description of the consideration or planned consideration of the standard;

b. Whether the United States is participating or plans to participate in the consideration of the standard;

c. The agenda for United States participation, if any; and

d. The agency responsible for representing the United States with respect to the standard.

To obtain copies of the standards listed in Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex, please contact the U.S. delegate or the U.S. Codex Office.

This notice also solicits public comment on standards that are currently under consideration or planned for consideration and recommendations for new standards. The U.S. delegate, in conjunction with the responsible agency, will take the comments received into account in participating in the consideration of the standards and in proposing matters to be considered by Codex.

The U.S. delegate will facilitate public participation in the United States Government's activities relating to Codex. The U.S. delegate will maintain a list of individuals, groups, and organizations that have expressed an interest in the activities of the Codex committees and will disseminate information regarding U.S. delegation activities to interested parties. This information will include the status of each agenda item; the U.S. Government's position or preliminary position on each agenda item; and the time and place of planning meetings and debriefing meetings following the Codex committee sessions. In addition, the USCO makes much of the same information available through its web page at http://www.usda.gov/codex. If you would like to access or receive information about specific committees, please visit the web page or notify the appropriate U.S. delegate or the U.S. Codex Office, Room 4861, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, Email: uscodex@usda.gov.

The information provided in Attachment 1: Sanitary and Phytosanitary Activities of Codex describes the status of Codex standard-setting activities by the Codex committees for the time periods from June 1, 2024 to May 31, 2025 and June 1, 2025 to May 31, 2026. A list of forthcoming Codex sessions may be found at: https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings/en.

Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, the USCO will announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the U.S. Codex web page located at: https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/us-codex-office.

This Committee meeting is available to the public through the registration link above. Any interested members of the public may attend this meeting. An open comment period will be provided to allow members of the public to make oral comments as time allows. Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, public minutes of the meeting will include a list of persons who are present at the meeting. If joining via phone, callers can expect to incur regular charges for calls they initiate over wireless lines, according to their wireless plan. The Commission will not refund any incurred charges. Callers will incur no charge for calls they initiate over land-line connections to the toll-free telephone number. Closed captioning is available by selecting “CC” in the meeting platform. To request additional accommodations, please email svillanueva@usccr.gov at least 10 business days prior to the meeting.

Members of the public are entitled to submit written comments; the comments must be received in the regional office within 30 days following the scheduled meeting. Written comments may be emailed to Sarah Villanueva at svillanueva@usccr.gov . Persons who desire additional information may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at (434) 515-0204.

Records generated from this meeting may be inspected and reproduced at the Regional Programs Coordination Unit Office, as they become available, both before and after the meeting. Records of the meetings will be available via the file sharing website, https://bit.ly/3YnhKJx . Persons interested in the work of this Committee are directed to the Commission's website, http://www.usccr.gov, or may contact the Regional Programs Coordination Unit at svillanueva@usccr.gov .

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) leads the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. Guided by the basic principle that sustainable economic development should be driven locally, EDA works directly with communities and regions to help them build the capacity for economic development based on local business conditions and needs. The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (PWEDA) (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq. ) is EDA's organic authority and is the primary legal authority under which EDA awards financial assistance. Under PWEDA, EDA provides financial assistance to both rural and urban distressed communities by fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and productivity through investments in infrastructure development, capacity building, and business development to attract private capital investments and new and better jobs to regions experiencing economic distress. Further information on EDA programs and financial assistance opportunities can be found at www.eda.gov.

To effectively administer and monitor its economic development assistance programs, EDA collects certain information from applicants for, and recipients of, EDA investment assistance. The purpose of this notice is to seek comments from the public and other Federal agencies on extending the information collection from recipients of awards under the EDA Good Jobs Challenge. This is aligned with ensuring that Federal workforce investments are evidence-based and data-driven, and accountable to participants and the public. The original data collection instrument was filed under OMB 0610-0109. This request is to extend the expiration of the survey from August 2025 to December 2028 and increase the number of respondents who will respond to the data collection. The survey will collect data from recipients, training providers, and participants under the FY 2021 and FY 2024 Good Jobs Challenge (GJC) Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO).

Data will be collected electronically.

OMB Control Number: 0610-0109.

Form Number(s): None.

Type of Review: Regular submission. Extension of an approved collection.

Affected Public: Recipients of the Good Jobs Challenge awards, which may include a(n): District Organization; Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a state or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or public or private non-profit organization or association, acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State. Additionally, training providers and participants in the regional workforce training systems will be affected.

Estimated Number of Respondents: System Lead Entities: 32 recipients funded under the FY 2021 Good Jobs Challenge (GJC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), responding semiannually, and 7-8 recipients funded under the FY 2024 Good Jobs Challenge NOFO, responding once at the end of the period of performance; Training Providers: 1,000 recipients under the FY 2021 GJC NOFO responding quarterly and 50 from the FY 2024 GJC NOFO, responding once at the end of the period of performance; and Participants: 15,000 respondents (5,000 per year for 3 years) from the FY 2021 GJC NOFO, responding quarterly. EDA requests the approved data collection instrument be extended until December 2028 to cover the remaining period of performance for recipients that received funding under the FY 2021 GJC NOFO, as well as extended to the additional recipients that received funding under the FY 2024 GJC NOFO.

Estimated Time per Response: System Lead Entity: 1 hour; Training Providers: 30 minutes per provider; Participants: 5 minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,728 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $262,727 (cost assumes application of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics third quarter 2024 mean hourly employer costs for employee compensation for professional and related occupations of $69.80).

Respondents' Obligation: Mandatory. System Lead Entities and Training Providers.

Legal Authority: The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq).

We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of public record. We will include or summarize each comment in our request to OMB to approve this Information Collection Review (ICR). Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personal identifying information—may be made publicly available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

On April 7, 2025, Commerce published its affirmative final determinations in the countervailing duty investigations of 2,4-D from China and India. 1 On May 16, 2025, the ITC notified Commerce of its final determinations, pursuant to section 705(d) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), that an industry in the United States is materially injured within the meaning of section 705(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act by reason of imports of 2,4-D from China and India. 2

Based on the final affirmative determinations by the ITC that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of subsidized imports of 2,4-D from China and India, 3 in accordance with section 705(c)(2) of the Act, Commerce is issuing these CVD orders. Because the ITC determined that imports of 2,4-D from China and India are materially injuring a U.S. industry, unliquidated entries of such merchandise entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, are subject to the assessment of countervailing duties.

Therefore, in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act, Commerce will direct CBP to assess, upon further instructions by Commerce, countervailing duties on unliquidated entries of 2,4-D from China and India entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after September 13, 2024, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determinations, 4 but will not include entries occurring after the expiration of the provisional measures period and before the publication of the ITC's final injury determination under section 705(b) of the Act, as further described below.

In accordance with section 706 of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to reinstitute the suspension of liquidation of 2,4-D from China and India, effective on the date of publication of the ITC's final affirmative injury determination in the Federal Register , and to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, countervailing duties on each entry of subject merchandise in an amount based on the net countervailable subsidy rates below. These instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.

Commerce also intends, pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, to instruct CBP to require cash deposits equal to the amounts as indicated below. Accordingly, effective on the date of publication of the ITC's final affirmative injury determination in the Federal Register , CBP will require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated customs duties on the subject merchandise, a cash deposit for each entry of subject merchandise equal to the subsidy rates listed below. 5 The all-others rates apply to all producers or exporters not specifically listed below, as appropriate.

The product covered by these orders is 2,4-D from China and India. For a complete description of the scope of these orders, see the appendix to this notice.

The estimated countervailable subsidy rates are as follows:

Section 703(d) of the Act states that the suspension of liquidation pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in effect for more than four months. In the underlying investigations, Commerce published the Preliminary Determinations on September 13, 2024. 9 As such, the four-month period beginning on the date of the publication of the Preliminary Determinations ended on January 10, 2025. Therefore, entries of 2,4-D from China and India made on or after January 11, 2025, and prior to the date of publication of the ITC's final determinations in the Federal Register , are not subject to the assessment of countervailing duties due to Commerce's discontinuation of the suspension of liquidation.

In accordance with section 703(d) of the Act, Commerce instructed CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to liquidate, without regard to countervailing duties, unliquidated entries of 2,4-D from China and India entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after January 11, 2025, the date on which the provisional CVD measures expired, through the day preceding the date of publication of the ITC final injury determinations in the Federal Register . Suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits will resume on the date of publication of the ITC final injury determinations in the Federal Register .

On September 20, 2021, Commerce published the final rule titled “ Regulations to Improve Administration and Enforcement of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Laws ” in the Federal Register . 10 On September 27, 2021, Commerce also published the notice titled “ Scope Ruling Application; Annual Inquiry Service List; and Informational Sessions ” in the Federal Register . 11 The Final Rule and Procedural Guidance provide that Commerce will maintain an annual inquiry service list for each order or suspended investigation, and any interested party submitting a scope ruling application or request for circumvention inquiry shall serve a copy of the application or request on the persons on the annual inquiry service list for that order, as well as any companion order covering the same merchandise from the same country of origin. 12

In accordance with the Procedural Guidance, for orders published in the Federal Register after November 4, 2021, Commerce will create an annual inquiry service list segment in Commerce's online e-filing and document management system, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Electronic Service System (ACCESS), available at https://access.trade.gov, within five business days of publication of the notice of the order. Each annual inquiry service list will be saved in ACCESS, under each case number, and under a specific segment type called “AISL—Annual Inquiry Service List.”  13

Interested parties who wish to be added to the annual inquiry service list for an order must submit an entry of appearance to the annual inquiry service list segment for the order in ACCESS within 30 days after the date of publication of the order. For ease of administration, Commerce requests that law firms with more than one attorney representing interested parties in an order designate a lead attorney to be included on the annual inquiry service list. Commerce will finalize the annual inquiry service list within five business days thereafter. As mentioned in the Procedural Guidance, the new annual inquiry service list will be in place until the following year, when the Opportunity Notice for the anniversary month of the order is published.

Commerce may update an annual inquiry service list at any time as needed based on interested parties' amendments to their entries of appearance to remove or otherwise modify their list of members and representatives, or to update contact information. Any changes or announcements pertaining to these procedures will be posted to the ACCESS website at https://access.trade.gov.

In the Final Rule, Commerce stated that, “after an initial request and placement on the annual inquiry service list, both petitioners and foreign governments will automatically be placed on the annual inquiry service list in the years that follow.”  14 Accordingly, as stated above, the petitioners and foreign governments should submit their initial entry of appearance after publication of this notice in order to appear in the first annual inquiry service list for those orders for which they qualify as an interested party. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.225(n)(3), the petitioners and foreign governments will not need to resubmit their entry of appearance each year to continue to be included on the annual inquiry service list. However, the petitioners and foreign governments are responsible for making amendments to their entries of appearance during the annual update to the annual inquiry service list in accordance with the procedures described above.

This notice constitutes the CVD orders with respect to 2, 4-D from China and India pursuant to section 736(a) of the Act. Interested parties can find a list of CVD orders currently in effect at https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/adcvd-proceedings.

These CVD orders are published in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.211(b).

In accordance with sections 705(d) and 777(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), on April 3, 2025, Commerce published its affirmative final determinations that countervailable subsidies are being provided to producers and exporters of epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan. 1 On April 9, 2025, the U.S. Epoxy Resin Producers Ad Hoc Coalition (the petitioner) timely alleged that Commerce made a ministerial error in the Taiwan Final Determination. 2 Section 705(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.224(f) define ministerial errors as errors in addition, subtraction, or other arithmetic function, clerical errors resulting from inaccurate copying, duplication, or the like, and any other type of unintentional error which Commerce considers ministerial. We reviewed the allegation and determined that we made a ministerial error in the Taiwan Final Determination. See “Amendment to the Taiwan Final Determination ” section below for further discussion.

On May 19, 2025, pursuant to section 705(d) of the Act, the ITC notified Commerce of its final affirmative determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of subsidized imports of epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan, within the meaning of section 705(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act. 3

The merchandise covered by these orders is epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan. For a complete description of the scope of the orders, see the appendix to this notice.

On April 9, 2025, the petitioner submitted a timely ministerial error allegation regarding the Taiwan Final Determination. 4 Commerce reviewed the record and, on April 25, 2025, agreed that the petitioner's allegation constituted a ministerial error within the meaning of section 705(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.224(f). 5 Specifically, Commerce determined that it had erred in applying a below- de minimis subsidy rate under 19 CFR 351.308(j)(3) as the adverse facts available rate for several unreported grants for Chang Chun Plastics Co. Ltd. (CCPC) discovered at verification. 6 Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce is amending the Taiwan Final Determination to correct this ministerial error as described in the Ministerial Error Memorandum. Correcting this error changes the ad valorem subsidy rate for CCPC, as well as the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters not individually examined. The revised rates are listed in the “Estimated Countervailing Duty Subsidy Rates” section, below.

As stated above, based on the ITC's affirmative final determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured within the meaning of section 705(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act by reason of subsidized imports of epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan, 7 in accordance with section 705(c)(2) of the Act, Commerce is issuing these CVD orders. Moreover, because the ITC determined that imports of epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan are materially injuring a U.S. industry, unliquidated entries of subject merchandise from Korea or Taiwan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, are subject to the assessment of countervailing duties.

Therefore, in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act, Commerce is directing U.S. Customs Border and Protection (CBP) to continue suspending liquidation of all relevant entries of epoxy resins from Korea, which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after April 3, 2025, the date of publication of the final determination. Additionally, in accordance with section 706(a) of the Act, Commerce intends to direct CBP to assess, upon further instructions by Commerce, countervailing duties on all relevant entries of epoxy resins from Taiwan, which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after September 13, 2024, the date of publication of the Taiwan Preliminary Determination, 8 but will not include entries occurring after the expiration of the provisional measures period and before the publication of the ITC's final injury determinations under section 705(b) of the Act, as further described in the “Provisional Measures” section of this notice.

In accordance with section 706 of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to continue suspending liquidation of epoxy resins from Korea, effective on the date of publication of the Korea Final Determination, to reinstitute the suspension of liquidation of epoxy resins from Taiwan, effective on the date of publication of the ITC's final affirmative injury determination in the Federal Register , and to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, pursuant to section 706(a)(1) of the Act, countervailing duties on each entry of subject merchandise in an amount based on the net countervailable subsidy rates below. On or after the date of publication of the ITC's final injury determination in the Federal Register , CBP must require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated customs duties on subject merchandise, a cash deposit equal to the rates listed in the table below. These instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice. The all-others rate applies to all producers or exporters not specifically listed below, as appropriate.

The estimated CVD subsidy rates are as follows:

Section 703(d) of the Act states that the suspension of liquidation pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in effect for more than four months. Commerce published the Taiwan Preliminary Determination on September 13, 2024. 13 As such, the four-month period beginning on the date of the publication of the Taiwan Preliminary Determination ended on January 10, 2025. 14

Therefore, in accordance with section 703(d) of the Act, we instructed CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to liquidate, without regard to countervailing duties, unliquidated entries of epoxy resins from Taiwan or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after January 11, 2025, the date on which the provisional measures expired, until and through the day preceding the date of publication of the ITC's final injury determination in the Federal Register . Suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits will resume on the date of publication of the ITC's final determinations in the Federal Register .

On September 20, 2021, Commerce published the Final Rule in the Federal Register . 15 On September 27, 2021, Commerce also published the Procedural Guidance in the Federal Register . 16 The Final Rule and Procedural Guidance provide that Commerce will maintain an annual inquiry service list for each order or suspended investigation, and any interested party submitting a scope ruling application or request for circumvention inquiry shall serve a copy of the application or request on the persons on the annual inquiry service list for that order, as well as any companion order covering the same merchandise from the same country of origin.

In accordance with the Procedural Guidance, for orders published in the Federal Register after November 4, 2021, Commerce will create an annual inquiry service list segment in Commerce's online e-filing and document management system, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Electronic Service System (ACCESS), available at https://access.trade.gov, within five business days of publication of the notice of the order. Each annual inquiry service list will be saved in ACCESS, under each case number, and under a specific segment type called “AISL-Annual Inquiry Service List.”  17

Interested parties who wish to be added to the annual inquiry service list for an order must submit an entry of appearance to the annual inquiry service list segment for the order in ACCESS within 30 days after the date of publication of the order. For ease of administration, Commerce requests that law firms with more than one attorney representing interested parties in an order designate a lead attorney to be included on the annual inquiry service list. Commerce will finalize the annual inquiry service list within five business days thereafter. As mentioned in the Procedural Guidance, 18 the new annual inquiry service list will be in place until the following year, when the Opportunity Notice for the anniversary month of the order is published.

Commerce may update an annual inquiry service list at any time as needed based on interested parties' amendments to their entries of appearance to remove or otherwise modify their list of members and representatives, or to update contact information. Any changes or announcements pertaining to these procedures will be posted to the ACCESS website at https://access.trade.gov.

In the Final Rule, Commerce stated that, “after an initial request and placement on the annual inquiry service list, both petitioners and foreign governments will automatically be placed on the annual inquiry service list in the years that follow.”  19 Accordingly, as stated above, the petitioner, the Government of Korea, and the Taiwan Authorities should submit their initial entries of appearance after publication of this notice in order to appear in the first annual inquiry service lists for these orders. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.225(n)(3), the petitioner, the Government of Korea, and the Taiwan Authorities will not need to resubmit their entries of appearance each year to continue to be included on the annual inquiry service list. However, the petitioner, the Government of Korea, and the Taiwan Authorities are responsible for making amendments to their entries of appearance during the annual update to the annual inquiry service list in accordance with the procedures described above.

This notice constitutes the CVD orders with respect to epoxy resins from Korea and Taiwan, pursuant to section 706(a) of the Act. Interested parties can find a list of antidumping duty and CVD orders currently in effect at https://www.trade.gov/datavisualization/adcvd-proceedings.

The amended Taiwan final determination and these CVD orders are issued and published in accordance with sections 705(e) and 706(a) of the Act, and 19 CFR 351.224(e) and 19 CFR 351.211(b).

In accordance with sections 735(d) and 777(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), on April 3, 2025, Commerce published its affirmative final determinations in the less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigations of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. 1 The U.S. Epoxy Resin Producers Ad Hoc Coalition (the petitioner) and Nan Ya Plastics Corporation (Nan Ya) timely alleged that Commerce made ministerial errors in the Taiwan Final Determination . 2 Section 351.224(f) of Commerce's regulations define ministerial errors as errors in addition, subtraction, or other arithmetic function, clerical errors resulting from inaccurate copying, duplication, or the like, and any other type of unintentional error which Commerce considers ministerial. We reviewed the allegations and determined that we made a ministerial error in the Taiwan Final Determination. See “Amendment to the Taiwan Final Determination ” section below for further discussion.

On May 19, 2025, pursuant to section 735(d) of the Act, the ITC notified Commerce of its final affirmative determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of LTFV imports of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand within the meaning of section 735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act. 3

The merchandise covered by these orders is epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. For a complete description of the scope of the orders, see the appendix to this notice.

On April 7, 2025, the petitioner and Nan Ya submitted timely ministerial error allegations in the Taiwan Final Determination . 4 Commerce reviewed the record and, on April 28, 2025, agreed that the petitioner's allegation constituted a ministerial error within the meaning of section 735(e) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.224(f). 5 Specifically, Commerce determined that it had erred in using an incorrect date format in the margin calculation program when correcting the payment date for a specific U.S. sale based on the findings at verification, as the petitioner alleged; however, Commerce also determined that, because Nan Ya's allegation regarding the implementation of partial adverse facts available for Nan Ya's U.S. packing costs pertained to a methodological decision, it was not a ministerial error. 6 Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.224(e), Commerce is amending the Taiwan Final Determination to reflect the correction of the ministerial error, as described in the Ministerial Error Memorandum. Correcting this error changes Nan Ya's final dumping margin, as well as the cash deposit rate for all other producers and exporters not individually examined. The amended estimated weighted-average dumping margins for Taiwan are listed in the “Estimated Weighted-Average Dumping Margins” section, below.

As stated above, based on the ITC's affirmative final determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured within the meaning of section 735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act by reason of LTFV imports of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, 7 in accordance with section 735(c)(2) of the Act, Commerce is issuing these AD orders. Moreover, because the ITC determined that imports of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand are materially injuring a U.S. industry, unliquidated entries of subject merchandise from Korea, Taiwan, or Thailand entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, are subject to the assessment of antidumping duties.

Therefore, in accordance with section 736(a)(1) of the Act, Commerce intends to direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess, upon further instructions by Commerce, antidumping duties equal to the amount by which the normal value of the merchandise exceeds the export price (or constructed export price) of the merchandise, on all relevant entries of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, which are entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption, on or after November 13, 2024, the date of publication of the Preliminary Determinations, 8 but will not include entries after the expiration of the provisional measures period and before publication of the ITC's final injury determinations under section 735(d) of the Act, as further described in the “Provisional Measures” section of this notice.

Except as noted in the “Provisional Measures” section of this notice, in accordance with section 735(c)(1)(B) of the Act, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation on all relevant entries of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. These instructions suspending liquidation will remain in effect until further notice.

Commerce will also instruct CBP to require cash deposits equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margins indicated in the tables below. Effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register of the notice of the ITC's final affirmative injury determinations, CBP will require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated customs duties on subject merchandise, a cash deposit equal to the rates listed in the table below. The all-others rate applies to all producers or exporters not specifically listed, as appropriate.

The estimated weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

Section 733(d) of the Act states that suspension of liquidation pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in effect for more than four months, except where exporters representing a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise request that Commerce extend the four-month period to no more than six months. At the request of exporters that account for a significant proportion of exports of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, Commerce extended the four-month period to six months in each of these investigations.

The extended provisional measures period, beginning on the date of publication of the Preliminary Determinations on November 13, 2024, 9 ended on May 11, 2025. Therefore, in accordance with section 733(d) of the Act and our practice, 10 Commerce will instruct CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to liquidate, without regard to antidumping duties, unliquidated entries of epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand entered or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after May 12, 2025, the date on which the provisional measures expired, until and through the day preceding the date of publication of the ITC's final affirmative injury determinations in the Federal Register . Suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits will resume on the date of publication of the ITC's final determinations in the Federal Register .

On September 20, 2021, Commerce published the Final Rule in the Federal Register . 11 On September 27, 2021, Commerce also published the Procedural Guidance in the Federal Register . 12 The Final Rule and Procedural Guidance provide that Commerce will maintain an annual inquiry service list for each order or suspended investigation, and any interested party submitting a scope ruling application or request for circumvention inquiry shall serve a copy of the application or request on the persons on the annual inquiry service list for that order, as well as any companion order covering the same merchandise from the same country of origin.

In accordance with the Procedural Guidance, for orders published in the Federal Register after November 4, 2021, Commerce will create an annual inquiry service list segment in Commerce's online e-filing and document management system, Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Electronic Service System (ACCESS), available at https://access.trade.gov, within five business days of publication of the notice of the order. Each annual inquiry service list will be saved in ACCESS, under each case number, and under a specific segment type called “AISL-Annual Inquiry Service List.”  13

Interested parties who wish to be added to the annual inquiry service list for an order must submit an entry of appearance to the annual inquiry service list segment for the order in ACCESS within 30 days after the date of publication of the order. For ease of administration, Commerce requests that law firms with more than one attorney representing interested parties in an order designate a lead attorney to be included on the annual inquiry service list. Commerce will finalize the annual inquiry service list within five business days thereafter. As mentioned in the Procedural Guidance, 14 the new annual inquiry service list will be in place until the following year, when the Opportunity Notice for the anniversary month of the order is published.

Commerce may update an annual inquiry service list at any time as needed based on interested parties' amendments to their entries of appearance to remove or otherwise modify their list of members and representatives, or to update contact information. Changes or announcements pertaining to these procedures will be posted to the ACCESS website at https://access.trade.gov .

In the Final Rule, Commerce stated that, “after an initial request and placement on the annual inquiry service list, both petitioners and foreign governments will automatically be placed on the annual inquiry service list in the years that follow.”  15 Accordingly, as stated above, the petitioner and foreign governments should submit their initial entry of appearance after publication of this notice in order to appear in the first annual inquiry service lists for these orders. Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.225(n)(3), the petitioner and foreign governments will not need to resubmit their entries of appearance each year to continue to be included on the annual inquiry service list. However, the petitioners and foreign governments are responsible for making amendments to their entries of appearance during the annual update to the annual inquiry service list in accordance with the procedures described above.

This notice constitutes the AD orders with respect to epoxy resins from Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand pursuant to section 736(a) of the Act. Interested parties can find a list of AD and countervailing duty orders currently in effect at https://www.trade.gov/data-visualization/adcvd-proceedings .

The amended Taiwan final determination and these AD orders are published in accordance with sections 735(e) and 736(a) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.224(e) and 19 CFR 351.211(b).

On August 23, 2024, Commerce published the Preliminary Results and invited interested parties to comment. 1 Commerce extended the deadline for these final results by 60 days until February 19, 2025. 2 On December 9, 2024, Commerce tolled certain deadlines in this review by 90 days. 3 For details regarding the events that occurred subsequent to the Preliminary Results, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum. 4 Commerce conducted this administrative review in accordance with section 751(a) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act).

The product covered by the Order includes dry xanthan gum, whether or not coated or blended with other products. For a full description of the scope of the Order, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

All issues raised in the case and rebuttal briefs are addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. A list of the issues parties raised and to which we responded in the Issues and Decision Memorandum is provided in Appendix I to this notice. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly at https://access.trade.gov/public/FRNoticesListLayout.aspx.

In the Preliminary Results, Commerce determined that Shanghai Smart and Deosen Biochemical Ltd. did not have shipments of subject merchandise during the POR. 6 As we received no information to contradict our preliminary determination with respect to Deosen Biochemical Ltd. and Shanghai Smart, we continue to find that they made no shipments of subject merchandise to the United States during the POR.

Based on a review of the record, findings at verification, and comments received from interested parties regarding our Preliminary Results, we made certain changes to the preliminary weighted-average dumping margin calculation for Deosen. For further discussion of these changes, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

No parties commented on our preliminary separate rate determinations. Therefore, we have continued to grant separate rate status to Fufeng, Deosen, and two other companies/company groups, Jianlong and CP Kelco (Shandong).

The statue and Commerce's regulations do not address what rate to apply to respondents not selected for individual examination when Commerce limits its examination in an administrative review pursuant to section 777A(c)(2) of the Act. Generally, Commerce looks to section 735(c)(5) of the Act, which provides instructions for calculating the all-others rate in an investigation, for guidance when calculating the rate for non-selected respondents that are not examined individually in an administrative review. Section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act states that the all-others rate should be calculated by averaging the weighted-average dumping margins calculated for individually-examined respondents, excluding dumping margins that are zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available. When the rates for individually examined companies are all zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available, section 735(c)(5)(B) of the Act provides that Commerce may use “any reasonable method” to establish the all-others rate. In this review, Commerce preliminarily found a zero rate for Fufeng. Therefore, the only rate that is not zero, de minimis or based entirely on facts otherwise available is the rate calculated for Deosen. Consequently, we have assigned the separate rate respondents a rate equal to the calculated weighted-average dumping margin for the mandatory respondent whose rate was not zero, de minimis, or based entirely on facts available ( i.e., the weighted-average dumping margin for Deosen). This approach is consistent with the intent of, and our use of, section 735(c)(5)(A) of the Act. 7

Under Commerce's policy regarding the conditional review of the China-wide entity, 8 the China-wide entity will not be under review unless a party specifically requests, or Commerce self-initiates, a review of the entity. Because no party requested a review of the China-wide entity in this review, the entity is not under review, and the entity's rate ( i.e., 154.07 percent) is not subject to change. 9 Consistent with the Preliminary Results, we have continued to deny separate rate status to the companies identified in Appendix II. 10

We determine that the following estimated dumping margins exist for the period July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023:

In accordance with sections 735(d) and 777(i) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act), on April 7, 2025, Commerce published its affirmative final determinations in the less-than-fair-value (LTFV) investigations of 2,4-D from India and China. 1 On May 16, 2025, pursuant to section 735(d) of the Act, the ITC notified Commerce of its final affirmative determinations that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of dumped imports of 2,4-D from India and China, within the meaning of section 735(b)(1)(A)(i) of the Act. 2

The product covered by these orders is 2,4-D from India and China. For a complete description of the scope of the orders, see the appendix to this notice.

Based on the above-referenced affirmative final determinations by the ITC that an industry in the United States is materially injured by reason of imports of 2,4-D from India and China sold at LTFV, and, in accordance with sections 735(c)(2) and 736 of the Act, Commerce is issuing these AD orders. Because the ITC determined that imports of 2,4-D from India and China are materially injuring a U.S. industry, unliquidated entries of such merchandise from India and China, entered or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, are subject to the assessment of antidumping duties.

Therefore, in accordance with section 736(a)(1) of the Act, Commerce will direct U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to assess, upon further instruction by Commerce, antidumping duties equal to the amount by which the normal value of the merchandise exceeds the export price (or constructed export price) of the merchandise on all relevant entries of 2,4-D from India and China. Antidumping duties will be assessed on unliquidated entries of 2,4-D entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after November 14, 2024, the date of publication of the LTFV Preliminary Determinations, 3 but will not include entries occurring after the expiration of the provisional measures period and before publication of the ITC's final injury determination, as further described below.

Except as noted in the “Provisional Measures” section of this notice, Commerce intends to instruct CBP to continue to suspend liquidation on all relevant entries of 2,4-D from India and China, in accordance with section 736 of the Act. These instructions suspending liquidations will remain in effect until further notice.

Commerce also intends to instruct CBP to require cash deposits equal to the estimated weighted-average dumping margins indicated in the tables below, adjusted by the relevant export subsidy offsets. Accordingly, effective on the date of publication in the Federal Register of the notice of the ITC's final affirmative injury determination, CBP must require, at the same time as importers would normally deposit estimated customs duties on subject merchandise, a cash deposit equal to the rates listed in the tables below. The all-others rate applies to all producers or exporters not specifically listed, as appropriate.

The estimated weighted-average dumping margins are as follows:

Section 733(d) of the Act states that suspension of liquidation pursuant to an affirmative preliminary determination may not remain in effect for more than four months, except where exporters representing a significant proportion of exports of the subject merchandise request that Commerce extend the four-month period to no more than six months. At the request of exporters that accounted for a significant proportion of exports of 2,4-D from India and China, Commerce extended the four-month period to no more than six months. 4

Commerce published the LTFV Preliminary Determinations on November 14, 2024; therefore, the six-month provisional measures period beginning on the date of the publication of the LTFV Preliminary Determinations ended on May 12, 2025. Therefore, in accordance with section 736(a)(1) of the Act and our practice, 5 Commerce will instruct CBP to terminate the suspension of liquidation and to liquidate, without regard to antidumping duties, unliquidated entries of 2,4-D from India and China entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after May 13, 2025, the first day provisional measures were no longer in effect, until and through the day preceding the date of publication of the ITC's final injury determination in the Federal Register .

Suspension of liquidation and the collection of cash deposits will resume on the date of publication of the ITC's final determination in the Federal Register .

On September 20, 2021, Commerce published the Final Rule in the Federal Register . 6 On September 27, 2021, Commerce also published the Procedural Guidance in the Federal Register . 7 The Final Rule and Procedural Guidance provide that Commerce will maintain an annual inquiry service list for each order or suspended investigation, and any interested party submitting a scope ruling application or request for circumvention inquiry shall serve a copy of the application or request on the persons on the annual inquiry service list for that order, as well as any companion order covering the same merchandise from the same country of origin.

On May 13, 2025, Commerce published in the Federal Register the Final Results of the 2022-2023 AD administrative review of oil country tubular goods from India. 1 In the “Cash Deposit Requirements” section of that notice, Commerce inadvertently listed an incorrect cash deposit rate of zero percent for all other producers and/or exporters (all-others). 2 The correct cash deposit rate for all-others is 0.60 percent. 3

In the Federal Register of May 13, 2025, in FR Doc 2025-08406, on page 20281, in the second and third column, correct the first sentence of the “Cash Deposit Requirements” section to read as follows:

This notice is issued and published in accordance with sections 751(c)(5)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, and 19 CFR 351.213(h).

The subject permit is requested under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA; 16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. ) and the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).

The applicant requests a 2-year permit to create a documentary film focused on Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus ) from the non-listed Eastern distinct population segment and their natural environment in the Pacific Northwest. Up to 30 Steller sea lions may be filmed by underwater and vessel-based platforms in Washington State. Up to 5 each non-target harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina ), harbor porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena ), and Dall's porpoises ( Phocoenoides dalli ) may be unintentionally harassed and opportunistically filmed.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ), an initial determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

Concurrent with the publication of this notice in the Federal Register , NMFS is forwarding copies of the application to the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors.

On March 28, 2025, notice was published in the Federal Register (90 FR 14121) that a request for a permit to conduct research on the species identified above had been submitted by the above-named applicant. The requested permit has been issued under the authority of the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1361 et seq. ), the regulations governing the taking and importing of marine mammals (50 CFR part 216).

The permit authorizes the holder to conduct research on bottlenose dolphins in the bays, sounds, estuaries, and near-shore coastal waters of Texas in the northwestern Gulf of America. The purpose of the research is to: (1) develop and maintain photo-identification catalogs; (2) characterize fine-scale population structure and dynamics; (3) establish baseline patterns of distribution, habitat use, health, and survival; (4) evaluate dolphin behavior in relation to anthropogenic activities; and (5) identify potential risks to the population. Researchers may take up to 8,670 dolphins annually during vessel surveys for counts, photo-identification, behavioral observation, and passive acoustic recordings. A subset of animals may be biopsy sampled or observed for photogrammetry and blow sampling via an unmanned aircraft system. Up to 50 non-target cetaceans may be unintentionally harassed during surveys and/or approached annually for counts and behavioral observation. The permit is valid for 10 years from the date of issuance.

In compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq. ), a final determination has been made that the activity proposed is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.

The primary purpose of the meeting is to address guidance received from the Pacific Council at their November 2024 meeting and work on their next report. The Workgroup may discuss and continue to develop new or updated tools for SRFC management for Pacific Council consideration. Additional discussions may include, but are not limited to, future meetings, workload planning, and 2025 Salmon Methodology Review topics.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt ( kris.kleinschmidt@pcouncil.org; (503) 820-2412) at least 10 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

The Scallop Advisory Panel will meet to review the outcomes of the Scallop Research Track Assessment and discuss implications for setting FY2026 scallop fishery specifications. They also plan to discuss the development of the Long-Term Scallop Strategic Plan. Other business will be discussed, if necessary.

Although non-emergency issues not contained on the agenda may come before this Council for discussion, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Council action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this notice and any issues arising after publication of this notice that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final action to address the emergency. The public also should be aware that the meeting will be recorded. Consistent with 16 U.S.C. 1852, a copy of the recording is available upon request.

This meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Cate O'Keefe, Executive Director, at (978) 465-0492, at least 5 days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

The June 11-16, 2025 meeting of the Pacific Council will be streamed live on the internet. The broadcasts begin initially at 9 a.m. PT Friday, June 13, and 8 a.m. Saturday, June 14 through Monday, June 16, 2025. Broadcasts end when business for the day is complete. Only the audio portion and presentations displayed on the screen at the Pacific Council meeting will be broadcast. The audio portion for the public is listen-only except that an opportunity for oral public comment will be provided prior to Council Action on each agenda item. Additional information and instructions on joining or listening to the meeting can be found on the Pacific Council's website (see www.pcouncil.org ).

The following items are on the Pacific Council agenda, but not necessarily in this order. Agenda items noted as “Final Action” refer to actions requiring the Pacific Council to transmit a proposed fishery management plan, proposed plan amendment, or proposed regulations to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, under Sections 304 or 305 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Additional detail on agenda items, Council action, and advisory entity meeting times, are described in Agenda Item A.3, Proposed Council Meeting Agenda, and will be in the advance June 2025 briefing materials and posted on the Pacific Council website at www.pcouncil.org no later than Friday, May 23, 2025.

Advisory body agendas will include discussions of relevant issues that are on the Pacific Council agenda for this meeting and may also include issues that may be relevant to future Pacific Council meetings. Proposed advisory body agendas for this meeting will be available on the Pacific Council website, www.pcouncil.org, no later than the end of the day Friday, May 23, 2025.

Although non-emergency issues not contained in the meeting agenda may be discussed, those issues may not be the subject of formal action during this meeting. Action will be restricted to those issues specifically listed in this document and any issues arising after publication of this document that require emergency action under section 305(c) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the intent to take final action to address the emergency.

Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to Mr. Kris Kleinschmidt ( kris.kleinschmidt@pcouncil.org; (503) 820-2412) at least 10 business days prior to the meeting date.

Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.

This 36(b)(5)(C) arms sales notification is published to fulfill the requirements of section 155 of Public Law 104-164 dated July 21, 1996. The following is a copy of a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives with attached Transmittal 24-0B.

(i) Purchaser: Government of the United Kingdom

(ii) Sec. 36(b)(1), AECA Transmittal No.: 18-40

Date: October 19, 2018

Implementing Agency: Army

(iii) Description: On October 19, 2018, Congress was notified by Congressional certification transmittal number 18-40 of the possible sale, under Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, of sixteen (16) H-47 Chinook (Extended Range) helicopters; thirty-six (36) T-55-GA-714A engines (32 installed, 4 spares); forty-eight (48) embedded GPS inertial navigation units (32 installed, 16 spares); twenty (20) common missile warning systems (16 installed, 4 spares); twenty-two (22) radio-frequency countermeasures (16 installed, 6 spares); nineteen (19) multi-mode radars (16 installed, 3 spares); nineteen (19) electro-optical sensor systems (16 installed, 3 spares); forty (40) M-134D-T miniguns, plus mounts and tools (32 installed, 8 spares); and forty (40) M240H machine guns, plus mounts and tools (32 installed, 8 spares). Also included was communications equipment; navigation equipment; aircraft survivability equipment; initial training equipment and services; synthetic training equipment; support package including spares and repair parts; special tools and test equipment; aviation ground support equipment; safety and air worthiness certification; technical support; maintenance support; technical and aircrew publications; mission planning system equipment and support; project management and governance; United States (U.S.) Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost was $3.5 billion. Major Defense Equipment (MDE) constituted $1.655 billion of this total.

This transmittal notifies the addition of the following MDE items:

Also included are Man-Portable Night Vision Devices. The estimated total value of these new items is $162 million, but their addition will not cause an increase in the total case value. The estimated total case value will remain at $3.5 billion. Major Defense Equipment (MDE) will remain at $1.655 billion of this total.

(iv) Significance: The proposed sale will enhance the United Kingdom's capabilities to provide national defense and contribute to NATO and coalition operations.

(v) Justification: This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the U.S. by improving the security of a NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe.

(vi) Sensitivity of Technology: CIRCM is the next-generation lightweight, laser-based, infrared countermeasure system for rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and small fixed-wing aircraft across the DoD. CIRCM provides near-spherical coverage of the host platform to defeat infrared (IR)-seeking threat missiles. CIRCM receives an angular bearing hand-off from the Missile Warning System (Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) or LIMWS) and employs a pointing and tracking system that acquires and tracks the incoming missile. CIRCM jams the missile by using modulated laser energy, thus degrading the tracking capability of the missile and causing it to miss the aircraft.

LIMWS will protect aircraft from missiles by deploying flares and by cueing laser-based countermeasure systems such as the CIRCM. The LIMWS A-kit is backwards compatible with CMWS. LIMWS maintains overmatch of quickly emerging threat technology and tactics by providing increased detection range, improved detection in clutter, and more agile algorithms to rapidly respond to emerging Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) threats. LIMWS utilizes IR-based sensors to detect incoming missiles and unguided hostile fire, fiber optic cables for high-speed data transmission from the sensors to the system processor and implements machine learning algorithms.

DVEPS provides overmatch by providing increased situational awareness to the aircrew in Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) conditions such as brownout, allowing Special Operations Aviation assets to execute missions in almost any environmental condition. DVEPS utilizes using three-dimensional (3D) imaging technology. DVEPS produces imagery, 3D conformal symbology, and system alerts to aid pilots in maintaining spatial awareness during and after transition from visual meteorological conditions (VMC) to DVE conditions. DVEPS includes a synthetic vision avionics backbone (SVAB), light detection and ranging (LiDAR), removable storage device, infrared camera, power distribution unit, and inertial measurement unit.

The highest level of classification of defense articles, components, and services included in this potential sale is SECRET.

(vii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 12, 2024

Applications funded under this notice will be funded in lieu of applications received under the notice that published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2024 (89 FR 81493).

Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in early intervention, special education, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children.

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.325K.

OMB Control Number: 1820-0028.

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481)). The competitive preference priority is from 34 CFR 75.225.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Interdisciplinary Preparation of Early Intervention, Special Education, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.

Background:

It is this Administration's priority that children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities (children with disabilities) who have high-intensity needs receive instruction and support from educators and related services personnel who are fully credentialed. Under this absolute priority, the Department will fund high-quality interdisciplinary projects that prepare personnel in early intervention, special education, and related services at the master's degree, educational specialist, or clinical doctorate degree levels for professional practice in a variety of education settings, including natural environments (the home and community settings in which infants and toddlers with and without disabilities participate), early childhood programs, classrooms, schools, and distance learning environments.

Absolute Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to increase the number and improve the quality of early intervention, special education, and related services  1 personnel who are fully credentialed to serve children who have high-intensity needs. 2 The priority will fund high-quality interdisciplinary  3 projects that use evidence-based  4 strategies to prepare scholars  5 at the master's, educational specialist, or clinical doctoral degree levels for professional practice in natural environments, early childhood programs, classrooms, school settings, and in distance learning environments serving children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

Specifically, an applicant must propose an interdisciplinary project supporting scholars from two or more graduate degree programs in special education or early intervention and one or more related services. An interdisciplinary project is a project that delivers core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field and clinical experiences as part of two or more master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree programs for scholars. Not all requirements ( e.g., courses and field or clinical experiences) of each participating graduate degree program must be shared across all degree programs participating in the interdisciplinary project, but the interdisciplinary project must: (a) identify the competencies needed to promote high expectations and address the individualized needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs using an interdisciplinary approach to service delivery; (b) outline how the project will build capacity in those areas through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars supported by the proposed project; and (c) identify the aspects of each graduate degree program that are shared across all participating degree programs and those that remain unique to each.

Note: Projects may include individuals who are not funded as scholars (see footnote 5), but are in degree programs ( e.g., general education, early childhood education, administration) that are cooperating with the grantee's project. These individuals may participate in the coursework, assignments, field or clinical experiences, and other opportunities required of scholars' program of study ( e.g., speaker series, monthly seminars) if doing so does not diminish the benefit for project-funded scholars ( e.g., by reducing funds available for scholar support or limiting opportunities for scholars to participate in project activities).

Note: Degree programs across more than one institution of higher education (IHE) may partner together within a project. Personnel preparation degree programs that prepare all scholars to be dually certified, including dually certified in special education and a related service, can qualify under this priority.

Personnel preparation programs that prepare individuals to be educational interpreters for the deaf at the bachelor's degree level can qualify under this priority and are exempted from (a) the interdisciplinary requirement and (b) the requirement for two or more graduate degree programs. All other priority requirements specified for graduate programs will apply to the bachelor's program. While interdisciplinary projects are not required for educational interpreters, they are encouraged.

Note: Applicants under this priority may not submit the same proposal under Personnel Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Other Minority Serving Institutions, ALN 84.325M. Applicants may submit substantively different proposals under ALN 84.325K and ALN 84.325M. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will not fund similar personnel preparation projects within the same IHE across the ALN 84.325K and 84.325M competitions.

Note: Eligible applicants may submit only one application under the 84.325K competition.

Focus Areas:

Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support interdisciplinary projects under the following two focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs; and (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs.

In this competition, Focus Areas (A) and (B) each constitute a separate funding category. The Secretary intends to award grants under each of these funding categories, provided that applications submitted are of sufficient quality.

Applicants must identify the specific focus area ( i.e., A or B) under which they are applying as part of the competition title on the application cover sheet (SF 424, line 12).

Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for interdisciplinary projects that deliver core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences for scholars across two or more graduate degree programs in early intervention or early childhood special education and one or more related services for infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children with disabilities or developmental delays who have high-intensity needs.

Early intervention personnel are those who are prepared to provide services to infants and toddlers with disabilities ages birth to three, and early childhood personnel are those who are prepared to provide services to children with disabilities ages three through five (and in States where the age range is other than ages three through five, we defer to the State's certification for early childhood special education). In States where certification in early intervention is combined with certification in early childhood special education, applicants may propose a combined early intervention and early childhood special education personnel preparation project under this focus area.

Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities who have High-Intensity Needs. This focus area is for interdisciplinary projects that deliver core content through shared coursework, group assignments, and extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences to scholars across two or more graduate degree programs in special education and one or more related services for school-age children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs.

Focus Areas A and B:

Prior to enrolling scholars, applicants may, but are not required to, use up to $100,000 of grant funds in the first budget period and up to the first 12 months of the performance period for project planning, including enhancing an existing program. If an applicant chooses to use up to the first 12 months for project planning, then the applicant must provide a comprehensive justification for the need for project planning and include the goals, objectives, and intended outcomes of the planning; a description of the proposed activities; and a timeline for the work. The plan may include activities such as—

(1) Developing new and updating current coursework, assignments, or extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to support interdisciplinary preparation for personnel in early intervention, special education, or related services serving children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(2) Building capacity ( e.g., hiring a field supervisor, providing professional development for faculty and field supervisors) of the personnel to prepare scholars to serve children with disabilities with high-intensity needs and their families;

(3) Purchasing needed resources ( e.g., additional teaching supplies or specialized equipment to enhance instruction); and

(4) Establishing relationships with early intervention and early childhood programs or schools to serve as sites for field or clinical experiences needed to support the project. These sites may include high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), 6 high-poverty schools, 7 schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement, 8 and schools implementing a targeted support and improvement plan  9 for children with disabilities; early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need LEA; and early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State.

In addition to requesting up to $100,000 for planning, additional Federal funds may also be used for scholar support and other grant activities occurring in year one of the project, provided that the total request for year one does not exceed the maximum award available for one budget period of 12 months ( i.e., $350,000). Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a new area of emphasis to early intervention, special education, or related services programs must provide, in their applications, information on how these new areas will be sustained once Federal funding ends.

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.250, project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months. Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars successfully complete the program within 60 months from the project start date. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any project in which scholar recruitment is not on track or scholars are not on track to complete the program within the project period. The Department intends to closely monitor unobligated balances and substantial progress under this program and may reduce or discontinue funding accordingly consistent with its authority in 34 CFR 75.253.

To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, all program applicants must meet the requirements contained in this priority.

To meet the application requirements of this priority an applicant must—

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance,” how—

(1) The proposed project will address the need in the proposed preparation area to prepare personnel who are fully qualified to serve children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(2) The proposed project will increase the number of personnel in the proposed preparation area who demonstrate the competencies needed to—

(i) Promote high expectations and improve outcomes, including literacy and math outcomes, for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs;

(ii) Differentiate curriculum and instruction;

(iii) Provide intensive, evidence-based individualized instruction and interventions in person and through distance learning technologies in a variety of early intervention, early childhood, and school settings ( e.g., natural environments; public schools, including charter schools; private schools; and other nonpublic education settings, including home education);

(iv) Collaborate with families and other providers using an interdisciplinary team approach to address the individualized developmental, learning, and academic needs of children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs, and support their successful transitions from early childhood to elementary, elementary to secondary, or transition to postsecondary education and the workforce; and

(vi) Exercise leadership to improve professional practice and services and education for children with disabilities who have high-intensity needs; and

(3) The applicant has successfully graduated students in their program, including data on the number of students who have graduated in the last five years.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design,” how—

(1) The project will conduct its planning activities, if the applicant will use any of the allowable first 12 months of the project period for planning;

(2) The project will recruit and retain scholars. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe—

(i) The selection criteria the project will use to identify applicants for admission in the program;

(ii) The specific recruitment strategies the project will use to attract applicants including applicants with disabilities; and

Note: The recruitment strategies and selection criteria the applicant intends to use must ensure equal access and treatment of all applicants seeking admission to the program and must be consistent with applicable law, including Federal civil rights law.

(iii) The approach that will be used to mentor and support all scholars for retention and completion of the program within 60 months of the project start date and preparing them for careers in early intervention or special education; and

(3) The project will be designed to promote the acquisition of the competencies needed by early intervention, special education, or related services personnel to support improved outcomes for children with disabilities with high-intensity needs. To address this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Describe how the proposed components, such as coursework, field or clinical experiences in early intervention, special education, or related services, work-based experiences, or other opportunities provided to scholars, and sequence of the project components will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by personnel working with children with disabilities with high-intensity needs;

(ii) Describe how the proposed project will reflect current evidence-based practices, including in personnel preparation, to prepare scholars to provide effective evidence-based instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities with high-intensity needs, in a variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention settings, including in-person and remote settings; and

(iii) Describe how the proposed project will engage parents, including parents with disabilities; public or private partnering agencies, schools, or programs; and youth with disabilities, to inform and support project components.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the management plan,” how—

(1) The project director and other key project personnel are qualified to prepare scholars in the project's preparation area;

(2) The project director and other key project personnel will manage the components of the project; and

(3) The time commitments of the project director and other key project personnel are adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources,” how—

(1) Accommodations and resources provided to support scholars will be individualized to support them in completing the program; and

(2) The budget is adequate for meeting the project objectives and mitigating financial burden to scholars in completing the program of study.

(3) Scholar support will be distributed to support scholars in completing their degrees. In distributing scholar support, the applicant must consider that—

(i) Scholar support does not need to be uniform for all scholars and should be customized for individual scholars based on scholars' financial needs, including consideration of all costs associated with the cost of attendance;

(ii) Scholar support can include support for cost of attendance ( e.g., tuition and fees; university student health insurance; an allowance for books, materials, and supplies; an allowance for miscellaneous personal expenses; an allowance for dependent care, such as child care; an allowance for transportation; and/or an allowance for room and board), travel in conjunction with training assignments including conference registration, and stipends to support scholars' completion of the program and professional development;

(iii) Projections for scholar support should consider tuition increases and cost of living increases over the project period; and

(iv) Projects that prepare personnel at the bachelor's degree level cannot provide scholar support during the first two years ( e.g., freshman and sophomore years) of the degree program to ensure that scholar support can lead to service obligation fulfillment.

(e) Describe, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building,” how the applicant will—

(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed project have been met. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe—

(i) The outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and

(ii) The evaluation methodologies, data collection methods, and data analyses that will be used; and

(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on scholars supported by the project to inform the project on an ongoing basis.

(f) Demonstrate, in the appendices or narrative under “Required project assurances” as directed, that the following requirements are met. The applicant must—

(1) Include in Appendix A of the application—

(i) Charts, tables, figures, graphs, and visuals that provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the narrative; and

(ii) A letter of support from a public or private partnering agency, school, or program, that states it will provide scholars with a field or clinical experience in a high-need LEA, a high-poverty school, a school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan, a school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan for children with disabilities, a State educational agency, an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA, or an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State;

(2) Include in Appendix B of the application—

(i) A table that lists the project's required coursework and includes the course title, brief description, learning goals, and relevant State or national professional organization personnel standards for each course; and

(ii) Four exemplar course syllabi required by the degree program that reflect evidence-based practices across the areas of assessment; inclusive practices; instructional strategies; and literacy and math, as appropriate;

(3) Include in the application budget attendance by the project director at a two-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, during each year of the project; and

(4) Provide an assurance that—

(i) The project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23, particularly those related to (A) informing all scholarship recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (B) disbursing scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements is a violation of the grant award that may result in the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to the Department;

(ii) The project will meet the statutory requirements in section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;

(iii) The project will be operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws;

(iv) All the syllabi for the project's required coursework will be provided if requested by OSEP;

(v) At least 65 percent of the total award over the project period ( i.e., up to 5 years) will be used for scholar support;

(vi) Scholar support provided by the project is not based on the condition that the scholar work for the grantee while enrolled in the program ( e.g., personnel at the IHE);

(vii) The project director, key personnel, and scholars will actively participate in learning opportunities ( e.g., webinars, briefings) supported by OSEP and intended to promote opportunities for participants to understand reporting requirements, share resources, and generate new knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants across projects, including Department priorities and needs in the field;

(viii) The project website, if applicable, will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(ix) Scholar accomplishments ( e.g., public service, awards, publications, conference presentations) will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and

(x) Annual data will be submitted on each scholar who receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to collect data for program performance measure reporting under 34 CFR 75.110. Data collection includes the submission of a signed, completed pre-scholarship agreement and exit certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (f)(4)(i) of this priority). Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection System website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information about this data collection requirement.

Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 5 points to an application that meets the competitive preference priority. Applicants should indicate in the abstract if they are addressing the competitive preference priority.

The competitive preference priority is:

Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 5 points).

(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant ( e.g., the IHE) has not had an active discretionary grant under the ALN 84.325K, 84.325M, or 84.325R, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 24 CFR 75.127 through 75.129 in the last five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under this program (ALN 84.325K).

(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1481(d)), however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the absolute priority in this notice.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.

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 (OMB) 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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $6,000,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2026 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000 per year.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,250,000 per project for a project period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $350,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 24.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are IHEs and private nonprofit organizations that have legal authority to enter into grants and cooperative agreements with the Federal government on behalf of an IHE.

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: Cost sharing or matching is not required for this competition.

b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division.

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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants—to directly carry out project activities described in its application—to the following types of entities: IHEs, nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application, and public agencies. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR 75.708(b)(2).

4. Other General Requirements:

a. Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

b. Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-30488, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 40 pages; (2) limit the whole application to no more than 100 pages; and (3) 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:

(a) Significance (10 points).

The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project, especially contributions toward improving teaching practice and student learning and achievement.

(b) Quality of the project design (35 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 services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and an evidence-based project component;

(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 build recipient and project capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services; and

(iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach to meeting program purposes and requirements and serving the target population.

(c) Quality of the management plan (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project, including formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project, and represent or have lived experiences of the target population;

(ii) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks; and

(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(d) Adequacy of resources (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the adequacy of resources of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the lead applicant organization; and

(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building (15 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building to be conducted of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project; and

(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

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).

In the event there are two or more applications with the same final score, and there are insufficient funds to fully support each of these applications, the scores under selection criterion (b) Quality of the project design will be used as a tiebreaker. If the scores remain tied, then the scores under selection criterion (d) Adequacy of resources will be used to break the tie.

3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting panel members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted applications.

4. 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.

5. 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), 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 System for Award Management's (SAM) Responsibility/Qualification reports (formerly referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in the Responsibility/Qualification reports in SAM.

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 SAM semiannually. Please review these requirements if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

6. 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).

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 also may notify you informally.

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 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: For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program. These measures include (1) the percentage of preparation programs that incorporate scientifically based practices or evidence-based practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and skilled in evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including literacy and math outcomes; (3) the percentage of scholars who exit the preparation program prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are working in the area(s) in which they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the Federal cost per scholar who completed the preparation program; (6) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in high-need districts; and (7) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and who are rated effective by their employers.

In addition, the Department will gather information on the following outcome measures: the number and percentage of scholars proposed by the grantee in their application that were enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress in the current academic year; the number and percentage of enrolled scholars who are on track to complete the training program by the end of the project's original grant period; and the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in the field of special education for at least two years.

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; 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; and whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

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).

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, 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 Department documents 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 Department documents 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.

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Parent Information and Training (PTI) centers is to meet the information and training needs of individuals with disabilities and their families, so that individuals with disabilities can achieve their employment and independent living goals. The Department intends to fund eight Regional Parent Information and Training Centers (PTIs) (Assistance Listing Number (ALN) 84.235F) and one National PTI Technical Assistance (TA) Center (ALN 84.235G) as part of this program administered by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).

Assistance Listing Number (ALN):

ALN 84.235F—Regional PTI Centers.

ALN 84.235G—National PTI TA Center.

OMB Control Number: 1820-0018.

Eligible Applicants: Private nonprofit organizations that meet the requirements in section 303(c)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act). An applicant must—

(a) Include information demonstrating the capacity and expertise of the organization to—

(i) Coordinate training and information activities with Centers for Independent Living;

(ii) Coordinate and work closely with PTIs established pursuant to section 671 of IDEA, the Community Parent Resource Centers pursuant to section 672 of IDEA, and the eligible entities receiving awards under section 673 of IDEA; and

(iii) Effectively conduct the training and information activities authorized in section 303(c) of the Rehabilitation Act;

(b) Be governed by a board of directors that—

(i) Includes professionals in the vocational rehabilitation (VR) field; and on which a majority of the members are individuals with disabilities or the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals (hereafter collectively referred to as “individuals with disabilities and their families”); or

(ii) Has a membership that represents the interests of individuals with disabilities; and establishes a special governing committee to operate a training and information program that includes professionals in the VR field and on which a majority of the members are individuals with disabilities and their families; and may include representatives from special education and other public and private agencies on the board, as appropriate; and

(c) Serve, and demonstrate the capacity for serving, individuals with a full range of disabilities, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or authorized representatives of the individuals.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds:

ALN 84.235F: $2,400,000.

ALN 84.235G: $300,000.

Maximum Award:

ALN 84.235F: $300,000.

ALN 84.235G: $300,000.

We will not make an award exceeding the maximum award amount for a single budget period of 12 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 9.

ALN 84.235F: 8.

ALN 84.235G: 1.

Based on the quality of applications received for projects under ALN 84.235F, the Department intends to fund one PTI in each of the eight regions listed below consistent with section 303(c)(3)(A) of the Rehabilitation Act. Note that the Office of Special Education Programs also funds Parent Training and Information Centers under the ALN 84.328M program. Previous cohorts funded under ALN 84.235 have been located at the same site as a ALN 84.328M center. Similar co-location of projects can occur with FY 2025 grants; such coordination and collaboration are encouraged, but not required. Based on the quality of applications received for projects under ALN 84.235G, the Department intends to fund one national PTI.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Background:

Based on program data from RSA's administration of the PTI program, individuals with disabilities and their families, particularly those from underserved populations, commonly experience difficulty acquiring accurate information from—and navigating—a complex VR system. The PTI centers can help improve understanding of the varied VR services and eligibility requirements for programs serving adults and youth with disabilities by coordinating and establishing partnerships with professionals to provide information to effectively access services. PTI centers also provide technical assistance (TA) for transition employment programs so that individuals with disabilities experience a smooth transition from secondary school to employment and other pre-employment and post-school activities.

Family engagement is also vital for successful post-school transitions. PTI centers assist families to engage more frequently and effectively in support of the education, employment, and independent living goals of individuals with disabilities.

In addition to family engagement, community involvement and collaboration has the potential to help enhance the impact of services for individuals with disabilities and their families. For example, parents can identify family volunteering opportunities that lead to service learning or work-based learning experiences critical for job training; this may also support ongoing civic engagement, integration into the community, and contributions as a member of society. PTI centers also create or expand partnerships with community-based organizations to enhance supports and services available to individuals with disabilities and their families.

Absolute Priorities: For FY 2025, there are two absolute priorities, one for regional PTIs (ALN 84.235F) and one for the national PTI (ALN 84.235G). The absolute priorities are from the allowable activities in the statute (see section 303(c)(2) of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 773(c)(2)). We will only consider applications that meet one of these priorities.

Each application should address only one priority. Applicants may apply for a regional PTI (ALN 84.235F) and the national PTI (ALN 84.235G) but must submit two separate applications (one for each ALN). For example, an applicant submitting for region C-1 and the National PTI must submit separate applications for each.

Priorities:

Absolute Priority 1, Regional PTI Centers: Under this priority, we provide grants to establish or continue regional Parent Information and Training Centers (Regional PTI Centers) that provide information and training to assist individuals with disabilities, and the parents, family members, guardians, advocates, or other authorized representatives of those individuals, to participate more effectively with professionals in meeting the vocational, independent living, and rehabilitation needs of individuals with disabilities.

Absolute Priority 2, National PTI Center: Under this priority, we provide a grant to establish or continue a National Parent Training and Information center (National PTI Center) that provides TA to the Regional PTI Centers and to coordinate the information and training provided by these Regional PTI Centers.

Under section 303(c)(2) of the Rehabilitation Act, a grantee must use the grant funds awarded to assist individuals with disabilities and their families to achieve the following outcomes:

(a) Better understand VR and independent living programs and services.

(b) Provide follow-up support for transition and employment programs.

(c) Communicate more effectively with transition and rehabilitation personnel and other relevant professionals.

(d) Provide support in the development of the individualized plan for employment.

(e) Provide support and expertise in obtaining information about rehabilitation and independent living programs, services, and resources that are appropriate.

(f) Provide support and guidance in helping individuals with significant disabilities, including students with disabilities, transition to competitive integrated employment.

(g) Understand the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act, particularly provisions relating to employment, supported employment, and independent living.

Note: In responding to the priorities and selection criteria, applicants for Regional PTI center grants should address how the proposed project will meet these program requirements; and applicants for the National PTI center should address how they will provide TA to regional centers to help them meet these program requirements.

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:

(a) Significance. (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in employment, independent living services, or both, as appropriate.

(ii) The extent to which the proposed project will provide support, resources, or services; or otherwise address the needs of the target population, including addressing the needs of underserved populations most affected by the issue, challenge, or opportunity, to be addressed by the proposed project and close gaps in educational opportunity.

(iii) The likely utility of the resources (such as materials, processes, techniques, or data infrastructure) that will result from the proposed project, including the potential for effective use in a variety of conditions, populations, or settings.

(iv) The extent to which the resources, tools, and implementation lessons of the proposed project will be disseminated in ways to the target population and local community that will enable them and others (including practitioners, researchers, education leaders, and partners) to implement similar strategies.

(b) Quality of the project design. (25 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, measurable, and ambitious yet achievable within the project period, and aligned with the purposes of the grant program.

(ii) The extent to which the proposed project includes explicit plans for authentic, meaningful, and ongoing community member and partner engagement, including their involvement in planning, implementing, and revising project activities for underserved populations.

(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project were determined with input from the community to be served to ensure that they are appropriate and responsive to the needs of the intended recipients or beneficiaries, including underserved populations, of those services.

(iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners, including those from underserved populations, to maximize the effectiveness of project services.

(v) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a rationale that is aligned with the purposes of the grant program.

(c) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building. (15 points)

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are appropriate to the context within which the project operates and the target population of the proposed project.

(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of the program toward achieving intended outcomes.

(iii) The extent to which the proposed project proposes specific, measurable targets, connected to strategies, activities, resources, outputs, and outcomes, and uses reliable administrative data to measure progress and inform continuous improvement.

(d) Adequacy of resources. (10 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 for the project, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the lead applicant organization.

(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the management plan. (30 points)

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

(ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality and accessible products and services from the proposed project for the target population.

(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(iv) The extent to which the project director or principal investigator, when hired, has the qualifications required for the project, including formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project and experience in designing, managing, or implementing similar projects for the target population to be served by the project.

(v) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.

Performance Measures:

For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established a set of performance measures that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the PTI centers. These measures are:

• Program Performance Measure 1: The percentage of individuals with disabilities and their families receiving PTI services who report enhanced knowledge and understanding of VR services; and

• Program Performance Measure 2: The percentage of all products and services developed to improve VR service utilization deemed to be useful by individuals with disabilities and their families receiving PTI services.

The data needed to support these measures will be collected by grantees via survey, assessed, and reported in the aggregate to RSA. Grantees will negotiate targets with RSA after the first year, which will be used to establish a baseline.

Definitions:

For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, the following definitions apply. The definitions for “continuous improvement,” “demonstrates a rationale,” “evaluation,” “evidence-building,” “logic model,” “project component,” and “relevant outcome” are from 34 CFR 77.1.

Continuous improvement means using plans for collecting and analyzing data about a project component's implementation and outcomes (including the pace and extent to which project outcomes are being met) to inform necessary changes throughout the project. These plans may include strategies to gather ongoing feedback from participants and stakeholders on the implementation of the project component.

Demonstrates a rationale means that there is a key project component included in the project's logic model that is supported by citations of high-quality research or evaluation findings that suggest that the project component is likely to significantly improve relevant outcomes.

Evaluation means an assessment using systematic data collection and analysis of one or more programs, policies, practices, and organizations intended to assess their implementation, outcomes, effectiveness, or efficiency.

Evidence-building means a systematic plan for identifying and answering questions relevant to programs and policies through performance measurement, exploratory studies, or program evaluation.

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.

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.

Program Authority: Section 303(c) of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 773(c)).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 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.

Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

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 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-30488, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372. Information about this process is in the application package.

3. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 50 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

4. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may consider 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.

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.

Note: A faith-based organization is eligible to apply for and receive a grant under this program on the same basis as any other private organization, consistent with Appendix A to 34 CFR part 75.

5. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Before awarding grants under this competition, the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. The Secretary may impose specific conditions and, 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.

6. 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), 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 System for Award Management's (SAM) Responsibility/Qualification reports (formerly referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in the Responsibility/Qualification reports in SAM.

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 SAM semiannually. Please review these requirements if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

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 also may notify you informally.

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 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 should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an exception.

(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. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports. For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.

(c) 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. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, 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; 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; and whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

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.

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, compact disc, or other accessible format.

Applications funded under this notice will be funded in lieu of applications received under the notice that published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2024 (89 FR 81484).

Purpose of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research, to be successful in serving those children.

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 84.325M.

OMB Control Number: 1820-0028.

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481)). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from 34 CFR 75.225.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Personnel Preparation of Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services Personnel at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Minority Serving Institutions.

Background:

It is this Administration's priority that children, including infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities (children with disabilities) receive instruction and support from educators and related services personnel who have the necessary qualifications.

Therefore, the Department places a high priority on increasing the number of personnel who provide services to children with disabilities. Further, the Department seeks to fund applications from new potential grantees that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services leadership personnel. To support these goals, under this absolute priority, the Department will fund projects within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) that prepare special education, early intervention, and related services personnel at the bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels to serve in a variety of settings, including natural environments (the home and community settings in which children with and without disabilities participate), early learning programs, child care, classrooms, and schools.

Absolute Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to prepare and increase the number of personnel who have the necessary qualifications to serve children with disabilities. Under this absolute priority, the Department will fund grantees from HBCUs, 1 TCCUs, 2 and other MSIs  3 that use evidence-based  4 strategies to prepare scholars  5 in special education, early intervention, and related services  6 at the bachelor's degree, certification, 7 master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree levels to serve in a variety of settings, including natural environments (the home and community settings in which children with and without disabilities participate), early learning programs, child care, classrooms, and schools. This priority will fund grantees to prepare personnel to help address identified needs for personnel with the knowledge and skills to promote high expectations and provide effective evidence-based interventions and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities.

Note: Projects may include individuals who are not funded as scholars (see footnote 5), but are in degree programs ( e.g., general education, early childhood education, administration) that are cooperating with the grantee's project. These individuals may participate in the coursework, assignments, field or clinical experiences, and other opportunities required by the scholars' program of study ( e.g., speaker series, monthly seminars) if doing so does not diminish the benefit for project-funded scholars ( e.g., by reducing funds available for scholar support or limiting opportunities for scholars to participate in project activities).

Note: Personnel preparation degree programs that prepare all scholars to be dually certified can qualify under this priority.

Note: Applicants under this priority may not submit the same proposal under Interdisciplinary Preparation in Special Education, Early Intervention, and Related Services for Personnel Serving Children With Disabilities Who Have High-Intensity Needs, ALN 84.325K. Applicants may submit substantively different proposals under ALN 84.325M and ALN 84.325K. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will not fund similar personnel preparation projects within the same institution of higher education (IHE) across ALN 84.325K and ALN 84.325M competitions.

Note: Eligible applicants may submit only one application under the 84.325M competition.

Focus Areas:

Within this absolute priority, the Secretary intends to support projects under the following two focus areas: (A) Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities; and (B) Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities.

In this competition, Focus Areas (A) and (B) each constitute a separate funding category. The Secretary intends to award grants under each of these funding categories, provided that applications submitted are of sufficient quality.

Applicants must identify the specific focus area ( i.e., A or B) under which they are applying as part of the competition title on the application cover sheet (SF 424, line 12).

Focus Area A: Preparing Personnel to Serve Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool-Age Children with Disabilities.

This focus area is for projects that prepare early intervention, early childhood special education, and related services personnel to provide services to infants, toddlers, and preschool children with disabilities. Programs preparing early intervention special educators and early childhood special educators must prepare graduates to meet State and national professional organization standards for early intervention special educators and early childhood special educators. In States where certification in early intervention is combined with certification in early childhood special education, applicants may propose a combined early intervention and early childhood special education personnel preparation project under this focus area. In States where the certification age range is other than birth through five, applicants must propose a preparation project that complies with the State's certification requirements for early intervention and early childhood special education personnel. Programs that prepare general early childhood educators are not eligible under this competition regardless of whether a degree in early childhood education complies with the State's certification requirements for early intervention special educators or early childhood special educators.

Focus Area B: Preparing Personnel to Serve School-Age Children with Disabilities.

This focus area is for projects that prepare special education and related services personnel to work with school-age children with disabilities.

Focus Areas A and B:

Applicants may, but are not required to, use up to the first 12 months of the project period and up to $100,000 of grant funds awarded in the first budget period for planning, including enhancing an existing program, without enrolling scholars. If an applicant chooses to use the up to the first 12 months for program planning, then the applicant must provide sufficient justification for requesting program planning time and include the goals, objectives, key personnel and collaborators, and intended outcomes of program planning in year one, a description of the proposed strategies and activities to be supported, and a timeline for the work. The proposed strategies may include activities such as—

(1) Updating coursework, course outcomes, scholar competencies, assignments, or extensive and coordinated field or clinical experiences needed to support preparation for special education, early intervention, or related services scholars;

(2) Building the capacity ( e.g., hiring a field supervisor, providing professional development for faculty and field supervisors) of the project to prepare scholars to serve children with disabilities and their families;

(3) Purchasing needed resources ( e.g., additional teaching supplies, technology-based resources, or other specialized equipment to enhance instruction); or

(4) Establishing relationships, which may include developing memorandums of understandings or other formal agreements, with early intervention and early childhood programs or schools, to serve as sites for field or clinical experiences needed to support the project. These sites may include high-need local educational agencies (LEAs), 8 high-poverty schools, 9 schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement, 10 and schools implementing a targeted support and improvement plan  11 for children with disabilities; early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographic boundaries of a high-need LEA; and early childhood and early intervention programs located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State.

In addition to requesting up to $100,000 for planning, additional Federal funds may also be requested for scholar support and other grant activities occurring in year one of the project, provided that the total request for year one does not exceed the maximum award available for one budget period of 12 months ( i.e., $350,000). Applicants proposing projects to develop, expand, or add a new area of emphasis within the curriculum of early intervention, special education, or related services programs must provide, in their applications, information on how these new areas will be sustained once Federal funding ends.

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.250, project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months. Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars successfully complete the program within 60 months from the project start date. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any project in which scholar recruitment is not on track or scholars are not on track to complete the program by the end of the 60 months.

To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

To meet the application requirements of this priority, an applicant must—

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance” how—

(1) The proposed project will address the need in the proposed preparation focus area to increase the number of personnel, who are prepared to provide effective and evidence-based interventions, and services that improve outcomes, including literacy and math outcomes, for children with disabilities;

(2) The proposed project will increase the number of personnel with competencies in the proposed preparation focus area to provide effective evidence-based instruction, interventions, and services, including through distance education, that improve outcomes, including literacy and math outcomes, for children with disabilities; and

(3) The applicant has successfully graduated students from its program and the number of students who have graduated in the last five years.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design,” how—

(1) The project will conduct its planning activities if the applicant elects to use up to the first 12 months of the project period and up to $100,000 awarded in the first budget period for planning;

(2) The project will recruit and retain scholars to participate in the project. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe—

(i) The selection criteria the project will use to identify program applicants for admission into the program;

(ii) The specific recruitment strategies the project will use to attract applicants, including applicants with disabilities; and

Note: The recruitment strategies and scholar selection criteria the applicant intends to use must ensure equal access and treatment of all applicants seeking admission to the program, and must be consistent with applicable law, including Federal civil rights laws.

(iii) The approach that will be used to mentor and support all scholars accepted into the program with the goal of helping them complete the program within 60 months of the project start date and preparing them for careers in special education, early intervention, or related services;

(3) The project will promote the acquisition of competencies needed by special education, early intervention, or related services personnel in the project's proposed preparation focus area to provide effective evidence-based interventions, and services that improve outcomes, including literacy and math outcomes, for children with disabilities. To address this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Describe how the proposed components, such as coursework; field or clinical experiences in early intervention, early childhood, or school settings; work-based experiences; or other opportunities provided to scholars, and sequence of the components will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by applicable personnel to serve children with disabilities in a school or early intervention setting;

(ii) Describe how the proposed project will reflect current evidence-based practices in personnel preparation to prepare scholars to provide effective evidence-based instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities, including literacy and math outcomes, in a variety of early childhood and early intervention settings or educational settings;

(iii) Describe the pedagogical practices that will be used to ensure that scholars are prepared to create supportive learning environments for children with disabilities; and

(iv) Describe how the project will engage parents, including parents with disabilities; public or private agencies, schools, or programs; and youth with disabilities, to inform and support project components.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the management plan,” how—

(1) The project director and other key project personnel are qualified to prepare scholars in the project's preparation focus area;

(2) The project director and other key project personnel will manage the components of the project; and

(3) The time commitments of the project director and other key project personnel are adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources,” how—

(1) Accommodations and resources provided to scholars will be individualized to support them in completing the program; and

(2) The budget is adequate for meeting the project objectives and mitigating financial burden to scholars in completing the program of study.

(3) Scholar support will be distributed to support scholars in completing their degrees. In distributing scholar support, the applicant must consider that—

(i) Scholar support does not need to be uniform for all scholars and should be customized for individual scholars based on scholars' financial needs, including consideration of all costs associated with the cost of attendance;

(ii) Scholar support can include support for cost of attendance ( e.g., tuition and fees; university student health insurance; an allowance for books, materials, and supplies; an allowance for miscellaneous personal expenses; an allowance for dependent care, such as child care; an allowance for transportation; and an allowance for room and board), travel in conjunction with training assignments, including conference registration, and stipends to support scholars' completion of the program and professional development;

(iii) Projections for scholar support should consider tuition increases and cost of living increases over the project period; and

(iv) Projects that prepare personnel at the bachelor's degree level may not provide scholar support during the first two years ( e.g., freshman and sophomore years) of the degree program.

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building,” how the applicant will—

(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed project have been met. To meet this requirement the applicant must describe—

(i) The relevant outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies; and

(ii) The evaluation methodologies, data collection methods, and data analyses that will be used; and

(2) Collect and analyze data on all scholars supported by the project to inform the proposed project on an ongoing basis.

(f) Demonstrate, in the appendices or narrative under “Required project assurances” as directed, that the following requirements are met. The applicant must—

(1) Include, in Appendix A of the application—

(i) Charts, tables, figures, graphs, and visuals that provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the narrative; and

(ii) A letter of support from a public or private partnering agency, school, or program, that states it will provide scholars with a field or clinical experience in a high-need LEA, a high-poverty school, a school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan, a school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan for children with disabilities, a State educational agency, an early childhood or early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA, or an early childhood or early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State;

(2) Include in Appendix B of the application—

(i) A table that lists the project's required coursework and includes the course title, brief description, learning goals, and relevant State or national professional organization personnel standards for each course; and

(ii) Four exemplars of course syllabi required by the degree program that reflect evidence-based practices across the areas of assessment; inclusive practices; instructional strategies; and literacy and math if appropriate;

(3) Include in the application budget attendance by the project director at a two-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, during each year of the project; and

(4) Provide an assurance that—

(i) The project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23, particularly those related to (A) informing all scholarship recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (B) disbursing scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements is a violation of the grant award that may result in the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to the Department;

(ii) The project will meet the statutory requirements in section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;

(iii) The project will be operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws;

(iv) All the syllabi for the project's required coursework will be provided at the request of OSEP;

(v) At least 65 percent of the total award over the project period ( i.e., up to 60 months) will be used for scholar support;

(vi) Scholar support provided by the project is not conditioned on scholars working for the grantee while enrolled in the program ( e.g., personnel at the IHE);

(vii) The project director, key personnel, and scholars will actively participate in learning opportunities ( e.g., webinars, briefings) supported by OSEP. This is intended to promote opportunities for participants to understand reporting requirements, share resources, and generate new ideas by discussing topics of common interest to participants across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;

(viii) The project website, if applicable, will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry-recognized standards for web accessibility;

(ix) Scholar accomplishments ( e.g., public service, awards, publications, conference presentations) will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and

(x) Annual data will be submitted on each scholar who receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to collect data for program performance measure reporting under 34 CFR 75.110. Data collection includes the submission of a signed, completed pre-scholarship agreement and exit certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (f)(4)(i) of this priority). Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection System website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information about this data collection requirement.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in 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 an additional 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 and an additional 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. Applicants should indicate in the abstract if competitive preference priorities are addressed, and which competitive preference priorities are being addressed.

The competitive preference priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications from HBCUs and TCCUs (0 or 5 points).

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the project will be implemented by or in partnership with one or both of the following entities:

(a) HBCUs (as defined in this notice).

(b) TCCUs (as defined in this notice).

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 5 points).

(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant ( e.g., the IHE) has not had an active discretionary grant under the ALN 84.325M, 84.325K, or 84.325R, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, in the last five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under ALN 84.325M.

(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant is active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1481(d)), however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the absolute priority and competitive preference priority 1 in this notice.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481

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 (OMB) 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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $4,500,000 for this competition.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2026 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$350,000 per year.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,000 per year.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $1,250,000 per project for a project period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $350,000 for any single budget period.

Note: Applicants must describe, in their applications, the amount of funding being requested for each 12-month budget period.

Estimated Number of Awards: 18.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.

Note: To meet the absolute priority, eligible applicants ( i.e., IHEs) must have a bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree program that prepare scholars in special education, early intervention, and related services at an HBCU, TCCU, or other MSI or be a private nonprofit organization that has the legal authority to enter into grants and cooperative agreements with the Federal government on behalf of an applicant ( i.e., IHE) that has a bachelor's degree, certification, master's degree, educational specialist degree, or clinical doctoral degree program that prepare scholars in special education, early intervention, and related services at an HBCU, TCCU, or other MSI.

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 a training indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division.

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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under this competition may award subgrants—to directly carry out project activities described in its application—to the following types of entities: IHEs, nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application, and other public agencies. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR 75.708(b)(2).

4. Other General Requirements:

a. Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

b. Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed projects relating to the absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-30488, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you limit the application narrative to no more than 40 pages and 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:

(a) Significance (10 points).

The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project, especially contributions toward improving teaching practice and student learning and achievement.

(b) Quality of the project design (45 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 services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and an evidence-based project component;

(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 build recipient and project capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services; and

(iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach to meeting program purposes and requirements and serving the target population.

(c) Quality of the management plan (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project, including formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project, and represent or have lived experiences of the target population;

(ii) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks; and

(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(d) Adequacy of resources (10 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the adequacy of resources of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the lead applicant organization; and

(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building (15 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building to be conducted of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project; and

(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

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).

In the event there are two or more applications with the same final score, and there are insufficient funds to fully support each of these applications, the scores under selection criterion (b) Quality of the project design will be used as a tiebreaker. If the scores remain tied, then the scores under selection criterion (d) Adequacy of resources will be used to break the tie.

3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting panel members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted applications.

4. 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.

5. 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), 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 System for Award Management's (SAM) Responsibility/Qualification reports (formerly referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in the Responsibility/Qualification reports in SAM.

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 SAM semiannually. Please review these requirements if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

6. In General: In accordance with the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance 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).

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 also may notify you informally.

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: For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program. These measures include: (1) the percentage of preparation programs that incorporate scientifically or evidence-based practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and skilled in evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities; (3) the percentage of scholars who exit the preparation program prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are working in the area(s) in which they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the Federal cost per scholar who completed the preparation program; (6) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in high-need districts; and (7) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and who are rated effective by their employers.

In addition, the Department will gather information on the following outcome measures: the number and percentage of scholars proposed by the grantee in its application that were enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress in the current academic year; the number and percentage of enrolled scholars who are on track to complete the training program by the end of the project's original grant period; and the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in the field of special education for at least two years.

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; 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; and whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

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).

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, 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 Department documents 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 Department documents 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.

There are no changes to the June 14, 2024, list of currently approved ATB Tests (89 FR 50584). This notice is a technical update to the effective dates for the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test under the heading ATB tests that are no longer approved. The Department updates the effective dates from July 1, 2015, through March 31, 2023 to October 25, 1996 through March 31, 2023.

In order for a student who does not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent to be eligible for title IV program assistance, the student must successfully complete one of the ATB alternatives (listed below) and be enrolled in an eligible career pathway program (ECPP)  1 pursuant to section 484(d)(1) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).

The ATB alternatives are—

* Passing an independently administered ATB test approved by the Secretary;

* Completing at least six credit hours, or the equivalent coursework (225 clock hours), that are applicable toward a degree or certificate offered by the postsecondary institution; or

* Completing a State process approved by the Secretary.

With respect to the ATB test alternative, there are specific requirements for students whose native language is not English, and who are not fluent in English. Those students must comply with one of the three following options to qualify for title IV program assistance:

1. A student who is enrolled in a program that is taught in the student's native language must take an approved test developed in the student's native language pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(1). Currently there are no approved ATB tests in a language other than English. Therefore, these students must use one of the remaining two ATB alternatives to qualify for title IV aid;

2. A student who is enrolled in a program that is taught in English must take an ATB test designed to measure the English language competence of a non-native speaker. Students who are enrolled in such a program that has an “English as a Second Language” (ESL) component and who are enrolled in the ESL component, must take an approved ATB test specifically for a student whose native language is not English and who is not fluent in English, pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2). Similarly, students who are enrolled in an ESL only program must take an approved ATB test specifically for a student whose native language is not English and who is not fluent in English, pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(2);

3. A student who is enrolled in a program that is taught in English without an ESL component or does not enroll in the ESL component of the program, must take an ATB test in English that assesses secondary school verbal and quantitative skills, pursuant to 34 CFR 668.153(a)(3).

List of approved tests and passing scores: The Secretary lists below all approved ATB tests and their passing scores. As noted above, there are no changes to the June 14, 2024, list of currently approved ATB Tests (89 FR 50584).

List of ATB tests that are no longer approved: The following tests are no longer included on the approved list of tests that may be used for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for title IV program assistance. Please note the effective dates for each test.

1. Test: The ACT Career Programs Assessment test (CPAt)—Forms B and C.

Effective Dates: November 1, 2002, through June 30, 2015.

Passing Scores: Language Usage (42), Reading (43), and Numerical (41).

Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168.

Contact: https://global.act.org/content/global/en/global-programs/contact-us.html.

2. Test: The ACT WorkKeys test—Reading for Information—Forms A01AA, A02AA, C01AA, & D10AA; Applied Mathematic—Forms A01BB, A02BB, C01BB, & D01BB.

Effective Dates: May 19, 2006, through June 30, 2015.

Passing Scores: Reading for Information Forms A01AA (76), A02AA (75), C01AA (77), & D10AA (77); Applied Mathematics Forms A01BB (73), A02BB (74), C01BB (73), & D01BB (73).

Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168.

Contact: https://global.act.org/content/global/en/global-programs/contact-us.html.

3. Test: The College Board DTLS and DTMS Forms M-K-3KDT and M-K-3LDT tests.

Effective Dates: November 1, 2002, through April 27, 2007.

Passing Scores: Reading Comprehension (108), Sentence Structure (9), Conventions of Written English (309), and Arithmetic (506).

Publisher: The College Board, 250 Vesey Street, New York, New York 10281.

Contact: ACCUPLACER Program; Telephone: (866) 630-9305. Email: https://form.collegeboard.org/f/send-message .

4. Test: ASSET: Basic Skills Test (Reading, Writing, and Numerical)—Forms B2, C2, D2, and E2.

Effective Dates: November 1, 2002, through October 31, 2015.

Passing Scores: Reading (35), Writing (35), and Numerical (33).

Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168.

Contact: https://global.act.org/content/global/en/global-programs/contact-us.html.

5. Test: COMPASS Subtests—Prealgebra/Numerical Skills.

Passing Scores: Prealgebra/Numerical (25), Reading (62), and Writing (32).

Effective Dates: November 1, 2002, through October 31, 2015.

Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168.

Contact: https://global.act.org/content/global/en/global-programs/contact-us.html.

6. Test: COMPASS ESL.

Passing Scores: Grammar/Usage (64), Reading (70), and Listening (70).

Effective Dates: May 19, 2006, through October 31, 2015.

Publisher: ACT, Inc., 500 ACT Drive, P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, IA 52243-0168.

Contact: https://global.act.org/content/global/en/global-programs/contact-us.html.

7. Test: Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (WBST) Verbal Forms VS-1 & VS-2, Quantitative Forms QS-1 & QS-2 Paper and pencil versions and online versions.

Effective Dates: October 25, 1996, through March 31, 2023.

Publisher: Wonderlic, Inc., 400 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 200, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.

Contact: https://wonderlic.com/contact-us/.

8. Test: Spanish Wonderlic Basic Skills Test (Spanish WBST) Verbal Forms VS-1 & VS-2, Quantitative Forms QS-1 & QS-2 Paper and pencil versions and online versions.

Effective Dates: July 1, 2015 through March 31, 2023.

Publisher: Wonderlic, Inc., 400 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 200, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.

Contact: https://wonderlic.com/contact-us/.

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in an accessible format ( e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT .

Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register . You may access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register , in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.

You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1091(d).

This document of the U.S. Department of Education was signed on May 20, 2025, by Christopher J. McCaghren, ED.D, Acting Assistant Secretary Office of Postsecondary Education. That document with the original signature and date is maintained by the U.S. Department of Education. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the undersigned has been authorized to sign the document in electronic format for publication, as an official document of the U.S. Department of Education. This administrative process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon publication in the Federal Register .

Applications funded under this notice will be funded in lieu of applications received under the notice that published in the Federal Register on October 8, 2024 (89 FR 81503).

Purposes of Program: The purposes of this program are to (1) help address State-identified needs for personnel preparation in special education, early intervention, related services, and regular education to work with children, including infants and toddlers, with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the necessary skills and knowledge, derived from practices that have been determined through scientifically based research and experience, to be successful in serving those children.

Assistance Listing Number: 84.325D.

OMB Control Number: 1820-0028.

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and two competitive preference priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority and Competitive Preference Priority 1 are from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662 and 681 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481). Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from 34 CFR 75.225.

Absolute Priority: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

This priority is:

Preparation of Special Education and Early Intervention Administrators.

Background:

It is this Administration's priority to prepare and increase the number of personnel who are well qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions in State educational agencies (SEAs), charter management organizations, charter school authorizers, lead agencies, local educational agencies (LEAs), private school networks, parochial schools, early intervention services programs, or schools. Special education and early intervention administrators play an essential role in planning for and supervising the provision of effective instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children, including infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities (children with disabilities) and their families.

Absolute Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to support doctoral degree programs to prepare and increase the number of personnel who are well-qualified for, and can act effectively in, leadership positions in SEAs, charter management organizations, charter school authorizers, lead agencies, LEAs, private school networks, parochial schools, early intervention services programs, or schools in positions such as SEA special education administrators, LEA or regional special education directors, school-based special education directors, preschool coordinators, and early intervention coordinators. Doctoral programs in educational administration that include a focus on special education or early intervention are eligible under this priority. Programs must culminate in a doctoral degree, which may include a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree. The preparation of school principals is not included under this priority.

Note: Eligible applicants include partnerships  1 that are comprised of two or three IHEs with doctoral programs that prepare scholars  2 and otherwise meet the eligibility requirements. For additional information regarding group applications, refer to 34 CFR 75.127, 75.128, and 75.129.

Note: Under 34 CFR 75.250, project periods under this priority may be up to 60 months. Projects should be designed to ensure that all proposed scholars successfully complete the program within 60 months from project start date. The Secretary may reduce continuation awards for any project in which scholars are not on track to complete the program by the end of that period.

To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, applicants must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.

To meet the application requirements of this priority, an applicant must—

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance,” how—

(1) The proposed project would address the need and increase the number of leadership personnel who are well qualified to plan for and supervise the provision of effective instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families;

(2) The doctoral program to date has been successful (including program data, if available) in producing leadership personnel. Applicants should include data for the number of students who have completed the doctoral program; the types of leadership positions that recent program graduates are employed in related to their preparation; the professional accomplishments of program graduates that demonstrate their leadership in special education or early intervention administrator roles ( e.g., public service, awards, publications); and the percentage of program graduates finding employment related to their preparation serving children with disabilities; and

Note: Data on the success of a doctoral program should be no more than 5 years old on the start date of the project proposed in the application. When reporting percentages, the denominator ( i.e., the total number of scholars or program graduates) must be provided.

(3) Scholar competencies to be acquired in the program relate to knowledge and skills needed by the leadership personnel in the project's proposed preparation focus area to plan for and supervise the provision of effective instruction, interventions, and services, including through distance learning environments, that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project design,” how—

(1) The applicant will recruit and retain scholars participating in the project. To meet this requirement, the narrative must describe—

(i) The selection criteria the applicant will use to identify doctoral applicants for admission to the program;

Note: Doctoral applicants admitted to the program must be newly enrolled in the doctoral training program within the proposed project's preparation focus area;

(ii) The recruitment strategies the project will use to attract doctoral applicants, including applicants with disabilities; and

Note: The recruitment strategies and scholar selection criteria the applicant intends to use must ensure equal access and treatment of all applicants seeking admission to the program and must be consistent with applicable law, including Federal civil rights laws.

(iii) The approach that will be used to mentor and support all scholars for retention and completion of the program within 60 months from the project start date and preparing them for careers as special education or early intervention administrators; and

(2) The project is designed to promote the acquisition of the competencies needed by leadership personnel in the project's proposed preparation focus area to plan for or supervise the provision of effective instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe how—

(i) The proposed project components, such as coursework, internship experiences, work-based experiences, program evaluation, and other opportunities provided to scholars, and how the sequence of the components will enable the scholars to acquire the competencies needed by leadership personnel;

Note: Applicants that propose partnership projects must describe how the project components and sequence of the components are designed to ensure that scholars have opportunities to acquire the competencies needed by leadership personnel through engaging and collaborating with faculty and scholars at each IHE participating in the partnership.

(ii) The proposed project components will prepare scholars to plan for or supervise the provision of effective instruction, interventions, and services that improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their families, in a variety of educational or early childhood and early intervention settings, including in-person and remote settings;

(iii) The proposed project will engage partners, including individuals and families, public or private entities ( e.g., organizations, centers, agencies, schools, programs) that provide services to children with disabilities and their families, to inform project components; and

(iv) The proposed project components will promote the acquisition of scholars' knowledge of strategies and approaches in attracting, preparing, and retaining future personnel who will work with, and provide effective instruction, interventions, and services to children with disabilities and their families.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the Management Plan,” how—

(1) The project director and other key project personnel are qualified to prepare scholars in the project's preparation focus area;

(2) The project director and other key project personnel will manage the components of the project;

(3) The time commitments of the project director and other key project personnel are adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project; and

(4) For proposed partnership projects, the project will establish policies, procedures, standards, and fiscal management of the partnership.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources,” how—

(1) Accommodations and resources provided to support scholars will be individualized to support them in completing the program; and

(2) The budget is adequate for meeting the project objectives and mitigating financial burden to scholars while completing the program of study.

(3) Scholar support will be distributed to support scholars in completing their degrees. In distributing scholar support, the applicant must consider that—

(i) Scholar support does not need to be uniform for all scholars and should be customized for individual scholars based on the scholar's financial needs, including a consideration of all costs associated with the attendance;

(ii) Scholar support can include support for cost of attendance ( e.g., tuition and fees; university student health insurance; an allowance for books, materials, and supplies; an allowance for miscellaneous personal expenses; an allowance for dependent care, such as childcare; an allowance for transportation; and an allowance for room and board), travel in conjunction with training assignments, including conference registration, and stipends to support scholars' completion of the program and professional development; and

(iii) Projections for scholar support should consider tuition increases and cost of living increases over the project period.

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building,” how the applicant will—

(1) Evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed leadership project have been met. The applicant must describe the outcomes to be measured for both the project and the scholars, particularly the acquisition of scholars' competencies, and the evaluation methodologies to be employed, data collection methods, and possible analyses; and

(2) Collect, analyze, and use data on scholars supported by the project to inform the proposed project on an ongoing basis.

(f) Demonstrate, in the appendices or narrative under “Required project assurances” as directed, that the following requirements are met. The applicant must—

(1) Include, in Appendix A of the application—

(i) Charts, tables, figures, graphs, and visuals that provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the narrative; and

(ii) A letter of support from a public or private partnering agency, school, or program, that states it will provide scholars with a field or clinic experience in a high-need LEA, 3 a high-poverty school, 4 a school implementing a comprehensive support and improvement plan, 5 a school implementing a targeted support and improvement plan  6 for children with disabilities, an SEA, an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of a high-need LEA, or an early childhood and early intervention program located within the geographical boundaries of an LEA serving the highest percentage of schools identified for comprehensive support and improvement or implementing targeted support and improvement plans in the State;

(2) Include in Appendix B of the application—

(i) A table that includes the project's required coursework that provides the title, description, and learning goals; and

(ii) Up to four exemplars of course syllabi in research methods, evaluation methods, or data analysis courses required by the degree program;

Note: Partnership projects should include two course syllabi from each participating IHE.

(3) Include in the application budget attendance by the project director at a two-day project directors' meeting in Washington, DC, during each year of the project. The budget may also provide for the attendance of scholars at the same two-day project directors' meetings in Washington, DC; and

(4) Provide an assurance that—

(i) The project will meet the requirements in 34 CFR 304.23, particularly those related to (A) informing all scholarship recipients of their service obligation commitment; and (B) disbursing scholarships. Failure by a grantee to properly meet these requirements is a violation of the grant award that may result in the grantee being liable for returning any misused funds to the Department;

(ii) The project will meet the statutory requirements in section 662(e) through (h) of IDEA;

(iii) The project will be operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and Federal civil rights laws;

(iv) All the syllabi for the project's required coursework will be provided if requested by OSEP;

(v) At least 65 percent of the total award over the project period ( i.e., up to 5 years) will be used for scholar support;

(vi) Scholar support provided by the project will not be conditioned on the scholar working for the grantee while enrolled in the program ( e.g., personnel at the IHE);

(vii) The project director, key personnel, and scholars will actively participate in the cross-project collaboration, advanced trainings, and cross-site learning opportunities ( e.g., webinars, briefings) supported by OSEP. This network is intended to promote opportunities for participants to share resources and generate new knowledge by addressing topics of common interest to participants across projects including Department priorities and needs in the field;

(viii) The project website, if applicable, will be of high quality, with an easy-to-navigate design that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(ix) Scholar accomplishments ( e.g., public service, awards, publications) will be reported in annual and final performance reports; and

(x) Annual data will be submitted on each scholar who receives grant support (OMB Control Number 1820-0686). The primary purposes of the data collection are to track the service obligation fulfillment of scholars who receive funds from OSEP grants and to collect data for program performance measure reporting under 34 CFR 75.110. Data collection includes the submission of a signed, completed pre-scholarship agreement and exit certification for each scholar funded under an OSEP grant (see paragraph (f)(4)(i) of this priority). Applicants are encouraged to visit the Personnel Development Program Data Collection System (DCS) website at https://pdp.ed.gov/osep for further information about this data collection requirement.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2025 and any subsequent year in 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 an additional 3 points to an application that meets the Competitive Preference Priority 1 and an additional 5 points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2.

Applicants should indicate in the abstract if the competitive preference priorities are addressed, and which competitive preference priorities are being addressed.

The competitive preference priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications from Historically Black Colleges and Universities  7 and Minority-Serving Institutions   8 (0 or 3 points) .

Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate the project will be implemented by or in partnership with one or both of the following entities:

(a) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (as defined in this notice).

(b) Minority-Serving Institutions (as defined in this notice).

Competitive Preference Priority 2: Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 5 points) .

(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant ( i.e., the IHE) has not had an active discretionary grant under the ALN 84.325D or 84.325H, including through membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, in the last 5 years before the deadline date for submission of applications under ALN 84.325D.

(b) For the purposes of this priority, a grant is active until the end of the grant's project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee's authority to obligate funds.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1481(d)), however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the absolute priority and competitive preference priority 1 in this notice.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462 and 1481.

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 (OMB) 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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 304.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to IHEs only.

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $1,500,000 for this competition.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2026 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$300,000 per year for an individual IHE; $300,000-$700,000 per year for a two-IHE partnership application; and $450,000-$1,050,000 per year for a three-IHE partnership application.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $250,00 per year for an individual IHE; $500,000 per year for a two-IHE group application; and $750,000 per year for a three-IHE group application.

Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding: $1,250,000 per project for a project period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $350,000 for any single budget period of 12 months for an individual IHE; $2,500,000 per project for a project period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $700,000 for any single budget period of 12 months for a two-IHE group application; and $3,750,000 per project for a project period of 60 months or an award that exceeds $1,050,000 for any single budget period of 12 months for a three-IHE group application.

Note: Applicants must describe, in their applications, the amount of funding being requested for each 12-month budget period.

Estimated Number of Awards: Up to six awards for individual IHEs. However, the total number of awards may change depending on the number of group application awards.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations.

Note: To meet the absolute priority, eligible applicants ( i.e., IHEs) must have a doctoral degree program that prepares scholars in special education or early intervention administration or be a nonprofit organization that has the legal authority to enter into grants and cooperative agreements with the Federal government on behalf of an applicant ( i.e., IHE) that has a doctoral degree program that prepares scholars in special education or early intervention administration.

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 a training indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please see www.ed.gov/about/ed-offices/ofo#Indirect-Cost-Division.

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 Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this competition may award subgrants—to directly carry out project activities described in its application—to the following types of entities: IHEs and private nonprofit organizations. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application or that it selects through a competition under procedures established by the grantee, consistent with 34 CFR 75.708(b)(2).

4. Other General Requirements:

a. Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

b. Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect to the aspects of their proposed projects relating to the absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-30488, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition.

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 40 pages; (2) limit the whole application to no more than 100 pages; and (3) 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances and certifications; or the abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are as follows:

(a) Significance (10 points).

The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project, especially contributions toward improving teaching practice and student learning and achievement.

(b) Quality of the project design (35 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 services to be provided by the proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and an evidence-based project component;

(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 build recipient and project capacity in ways that lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services; and

(iii) The extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional approach to meeting program purposes and requirements and serving the target population.

(c) Quality of the management plan (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the key personnel in the project, when hired, have the qualifications required for the proposed project, including formal training or work experience in fields related to the objectives of the project, and represent or have lived experiences of the target population;

(ii) The feasibility of the management plan to achieve project objectives and goals on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks; and

(iii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(d) Adequacy of resources (20 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the adequacy of resources of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The adequacy of support for the project, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant or the lead applicant organization; and

(ii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building (15 points).

(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building to be conducted of the proposed project.

(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation or other evidence-building, the Secretary considers the following factors:

(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building are thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project; and

(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other evidence-building will provide performance feedback and provide formative, diagnostic, or interim data that is a periodic assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

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).

In the event there are two or more applications with the same final score, and there are insufficient funds to fully support each of these applications, the scores under selection criterion (b) Quality of the project design will be used as a tiebreaker. If the scores remain tied, then the scores under selection criterion (d) Adequacy of resources will be used to break the tie.

3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting panel members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted applications.

4. 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.

5. 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), 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 System for Award Management's (SAM) Responsibility/Qualification reports (formerly referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)). You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in the Responsibility/Qualification reports in SAM.

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 SAM semiannually. Please review these requirements if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

6. In General: In accordance with the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance 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).

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 also may notify you informally.

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: For the purposes of Department reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program. These measures include (1) the percentage of preparation programs that incorporate scientifically based research or evidence-based practices into their curricula; (2) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are knowledgeable and skilled in evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for children with disabilities; (3) the percentage of scholars who exit the preparation program prior to completion due to poor academic performance; (4) the percentage of scholars completing the preparation program who are working in the area(s) in which they were prepared upon program completion; (5) the Federal cost per scholar who completed the preparation program; (6) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in high-need districts; and (7) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and who are rated effective by their employers.

In addition, the Department will gather information on the following outcome measures: (1) the number and percentage of scholars proposed by the grantee in their application that were enrolled and making satisfactory academic progress in the current academic year; (2) the number and percentage of enrolled scholars who are on track to complete the training program by the end of the project's original grant period; and (3) the percentage of scholars who completed the preparation program and are employed in the field of special education for at least two years.

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; 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; and whether the continuation of the project is in the best interest of the Federal Government.

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).

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, 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 Department documents 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 Department documents 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.

This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through May 31, 2025. An agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Public comments were previously requested via the Federal Register on September 5, 2024 during a 60-day comment period (89 FR 72393). This notice allows for an additional 30 days for public comments. Supporting documents, which explain in detail the information that the EPA will be collecting, are available in the public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.

Abstract: The Acid Rain Program was established under Title IV of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments to address acid deposition by reducing emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NO X ). This information collection extension is necessary to continue implementation of the Acid Rain Program. It includes burden and costs associated with developing and modifying permits, complying with NO X permitting requirements, monitoring emissions, transferring allowances, and participating in the annual allowance auctions.

Form Numbers: Agent Notice of Delegation #5900-172, Certificate of Representation #7610-1, General Account Form #7610-5, Allowance Transfer Form #7610-6, Retired Unit Exemption#7610-20, Allowance Deduction #7620-4, Acid Rain Permit Application #7610-16, Acid Rain NO X Compliance Plan #7610-28, Acid Rain NO X Averaging Plan #7610-29, New Unit Exemption #7610-19, Opt-In Permit Application #7610-26, Opt-In Utilization Report #7620-9, Letter of Credit #7610-7A, EPA Allowance Auctions—Additional Information for Certified Checks or Wire Transfers #7610-7, SO 2 Allowance Offer Form #7610-8, Thermal Energy Plan #7610-27, Notification For Distribution of Proceeds From EPA Auctions #7610-11, Opt-In Reduction from Improved Efficiency Confirmation Report #7620-8, Thermal Energy Compliance Report #7620-10.

Respondents/affected entities: Electricity generating plants, industrialsources, and other persons.

Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary and mandatory (Clean Air Act sections 403, 407, 408, 410, 412, and 416).

Estimated number of respondents: 1,195 (total).

Frequency of response: On occasion, quarterly, and annually.

Total estimated burden: 1,760,519 hours (per year). Burden is defined at 5 CFR 1320.03(b).

Total estimated cost: $286,211,330 (per year), which includes $123,208,182 annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.

Changes in the estimates: There is a decrease of 65,614 hours in the total estimated respondent burden compared with the ICR currently approved by OMB. This decrease is due to source retirements, which have both reduced the estimated overall number of affected sources and shifted the estimated mix of monitoring methodologies used. The other factors contributing to the decrease in burden are reductions in the estimated numbers of allowance transfer and deduction submissions, and allowance auction bids.

Reference: AP099782XX, AP099782XA, & AP099782XB.

Purpose and Use:

Brief description of the purpose of the transaction: To support the export of U.S.-manufactured commercial aircraft to Turkiye.

Brief non-proprietary description of the anticipated use of the items being exported: To provide passenger and cargo air transport between Turkiye and other countries.

To the extent that EXIM is reasonably aware, the item(s) being exported may be used to produce exports or provide services in competition with the exportation of goods or provision of services by a United States industry.

Parties:

Principal Supplier: The Boeing Company and GE Aerospace.

Obligor: Turk Hava Yollari A.O.

Guarantor(s): N/A.

Description of Items Being Exported: Boeing commercial jet aircraft.

Information on Decision: Information on the final decision for this transaction will be available in the “Board Agenda and Meeting Minutes” on https://www.exim.gov/news/meeting-minutes .

Confidential Information: Please note that this notice does not include confidential or proprietary business information; information which, if disclosed, would violate the Trade Secrets Act; or information which would jeopardize jobs in the United States by supplying information that competitors could use to compete with companies in the United States.

Authority: Section 3(c)(10) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended (12 U.S.C. 635a(c)(10)).

The meeting will be held Tuesday, June 24, 2025 from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. ET in person in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC, and via the internet at https://www.fcc.gov/live. While the meeting is open to the public, the FCC headquarters building is not open access, and all guests must check in with and be screened by FCC security at the main entrance on L Street. Attendees will not be required to have an appointment but must otherwise comply with protocols outlined at: https://www.fcc.gov/visit. Additionally, the meeting will be available to the public via live feed from the FCC's web page at http://www.fcc.gov/live. Open captioning will be provided online for this event. Other reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Requests for such accommodations should be submitted via email to fcc504@fcc.gov or by calling the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530. Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodation needed. In addition, please include a way for the FCC to contact the requester if more information is needed to fill the request. Please allow at least five days' advance notice for accommodation requests; last minute requests will be accepted but may not be possible to accommodate. Members of the public may submit comments to the NANC in the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System, ECFS, at www.fcc.gov/ecfs. Comments to the NANC should be filed in WC Docket No. 23-1.

This is a summary of the Commission's document in WC Docket No. 23-1, DA 25-407, released May 12, 2025.

Proposed Agenda: At the June meeting, the NANC will consider and vote on four reports and recommendations from the Numbering Administration Oversight Working Group: (1) the North American Numbering Plan Administrator Performance Review; (2) the Reassigned Numbers Database Administrator Performance Review; (3) the North American Numbering Plan Billing and Collection Agent Performance Review; and (4) the North American Numbering Plan Fund Size Projections and Contribution Factor. The NANC will also hear a report from the Billing & Collection Agent, Welch LLP, and routine status reports from the North American Portability Management, LLC, and the Secure Telephone Identity Governance Authority.

9000-0079, Travel Costs.

This clearance covers the information that contractors must submit to comply with the following FAR requirements:

1. FAR 31.205-46(a)(3)—In special or unusual situations, costs incurred by a contractor for lodging, meals, and incidental expenses, may exceed the per diem rates in effect as set forth in the Federal Travel Regulation (FTR) for travel in the contiguous 48 United States. The actual costs may be allowed only if the contractor provides the following:

a. FAR 31.205-46(a)(3)(ii)—A written justification for use of the higher amounts approved by an officer of the contractor's organization or designee to ensure that the authority is properly administered and controlled to prevent abuse.

b. FAR 31.205-46(a)(3)(iii)—Advance approval from the contracting officer if it becomes necessary to exercise the authority to use the higher actual expense method repetitively or on a continuing basis in a particular area.

c. FAR 31.205-46(a)(3)(iv)—Documentation to support actual costs incurred including a receipt for each expenditure of $75.00 or more.

2. FAR 31.205-46(c) requires firms to maintain and make available manifest/logs for all flights on company aircraft. As a minimum, the manifest/log must indicate:

a. Date, time, and points of departure;

b. Destination, date, and time of arrival;

c. Name of each passenger and relationship to the contractor

d. Authorization for trip; and

e. Purpose of trip.

The information required by (1) and (2) and the name of each passenger (required by (3)) are recordkeeping requirements already established by Federal Aviation Administration regulations. This information, plus the additional required information, is needed to ensure that costs of owned, chartered, or leased aircraft are properly charged against Government contracts and that directly associated costs of unallowable activities are not charged to Government contracts.

The contracting officer will use the information to ensure that the Government does not reimburse contractors for excessive travel costs. Also, the information is used by Government auditors to identify allowable and unallowable costs under Government contracts.

Respondents/Recordkeepers: 1,854.

Total Annual Responses: 12,680.

Total Burden Hours: 6,686 (3,170 reporting hours + 3,516 recordkeeping hours).

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 11977, on March 13, 2025. A comment was received; however, it did not change the estimate of the burden.

Comment: The proposed collection activity is a good way to ensure authorized travel and documentation for record keeping purposes in the event of an important event or scheduled activity.

Response: The respondents' input is appreciated.

Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing GSARegSec@gsa.gov. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0079, Travel Costs.

9000-0075, Government Property, Standard Forms 1428, and 1429.

This clearance covers the information that offerors and contractors must submit to comply with the following FAR requirements:

1. FAR clause 52.245-1, Government Property.

a. Paragraph (f)(1)(ii) requires contractors to document the receipt of Government property.

b. Paragraph (f)(1)(ii)(A) requires contractors to submit a written statement to the Property Administrator containing all relevant facts, such as cause or condition and a recommended course(s) of action, if overages, shortages, or damages and/or other discrepancies are discovered upon receipt of Government-furnished property.

c. Paragraph (f)(1)(iii) requires contractors to create and maintain records of all Government property accountable to the contract, including Government-furnished and Contractor-acquired property. Property records shall, unless otherwise approved by the Property Administrator, contain the following:

i. The name, part number and description, National Stock Number (if needed for additional item identification tracking and/or disposition), and other data elements as necessary and required in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract.

ii. Quantity received (or fabricated), issued, and balance-on-hand.

iii. Unit acquisition cost.

iv. Unique-item identifier or equivalent (if available and necessary for individual item tracking).

v. Unit of measure.

vi. Accountable contract number or equivalent code designation.

vii. Location.

viii. Disposition.

ix. Posting reference and date of transaction.

x. Date placed in service (if required in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract).

When approved by the Property Administrator, contractors may maintain, in lieu of formal property records, a file of appropriately cross-referenced documents evidencing receipt, issue, and use of material that is issued for immediate consumption.

d. Paragraph (f)(1)(iv) requires contractors to periodically perform, record, and disclose physical inventory results during contract performance, including upon completion or termination of the contract.

e. Paragraph (f)(1)(vii)(B) requires contractors, unless otherwise directed by the Property Administrator, to investigate and report all incidents of Government property loss as soon as the facts become known. Such reports shall, at a minimum, contain the following information:

i. Date of incident (if known).

ii. The data elements required under paragraph (f)(1)(iii)(A) of FAR 52.245-1.

iii. Quantity.

iv. Accountable contract number.

v. A statement indicating current or future need.

vi. Unit acquisition cost, or if applicable, estimated sales proceeds, estimated repair or replacement costs.

vii. All known interests in commingled material of which includes Government material.

viii. Cause and corrective action taken or to be taken to prevent recurrence.

ix. A statement that the Government will receive compensation covering the loss of Government property, in the event the Contractor was or will be reimbursed or compensated.

x. Copies of all supporting documentation.

xi. Last known location.

xii. A statement that the property did or did not contain sensitive, export controlled, hazardous, or toxic material, and that the appropriate agencies and authorities were notified.

f. Paragraph (f)(1)(viii) requires contractors to promptly disclose and report Government property in its possession that is excess to contract performance.

g. Paragraph (f)(1)(ix) requires contractors to disclose and report to the Property Administrator the need for replacement and/or capital rehabilitation.

h. Paragraph (f)(1)(x) requires contractors to perform and report to the Property Administrator contract property closeout.

i. Paragraph (f)(2) requires contractors to establish and maintain Government accounting source data, particularly in the areas of recognition of acquisitions, loss of Government property, and disposition of material and equipment.

j. Paragraphs (j)(2) and (3) require contractors to submit inventory disposal schedules to the Plant Clearance Officer using the Standard Form (SF) 1428, Inventory Disposal Schedule and if needed the SF 1429, Inventory Disposal Schedule-Continuation Sheet. Paragraph (j)(2)(iv) requires contractors to provide the following information:

i. Any additional information that may facilitate understanding of the property's intended use.

ii. For work-in-progress, the estimated percentage of completion.

iii. For precious metals in raw or bulk form, the type of metal and estimated weight.

iv. For hazardous material or property contaminated with hazardous material, the type of hazardous material.

v. For metals in mill product form, the form, shape, treatment, hardness, temper, specification (commercial or Government) and dimensions (thickness, width, and length).

This information is used to facilitate the management of Government property in the possession of the contractor.

Respondents/Recordkeepers: 4,702.

Total Annual Responses: 9,433,560.

Total Burden Hours: 4,662,001 (2,405,041 reporting hours + 2,256,960 recordkeeping hours).

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 11970, on March 13, 2025. A comment was received; however, it did not change the estimate of the burden.

Comment: The proposed collection should be reviewed in the same timeline of other agencies. The accuracy of the government property and reporting of the details and information of the case is crucial for record keeping purposes. Reports should be generated within each agency for analysis, perhaps with a certain threshold indicator on a continuous basis to determine significant changes in cost, to determine if the cost is valid or in need of revision to correct original documents.

Response: Consistent with the comment, agencies manage Government property closely. This is a request to the Office of Management and Budget to extend the clearance of a previously approved information collection requirement regarding Government property. There are no program changes. The FAR requirements remain the same.

Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing GSARegSec@gsa.gov. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0075, Government Property.

9000-0073, Certain Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 32 Requirements.

This justification supports the extension of OMB Control No. 9000-0073. This clearance covers the information that offerors and contractors must submit to comply with the following FAR requirements:

FAR 32.408, Application for advance payments. The authorities behind advance payments are 41 U.S.C. chapter 45; 10 U.S.C. chapter 277; Public Law 85-804 (50 U.S.C. 1431-1435); and Executive Order 10789, November 14, 1958. In accordance with FAR 32.408(b), contractors requesting advance payments must submit their request in writing to the contracting officer and provide the following information:

• A reference to the contract if the request concerns an existing contract, or a reference to the solicitation if the request concerns a proposed contract.

• A cash flow forecast showing estimated disbursements and receipts for the period of contract performance.

• The proposed total amount of advance payments.

• The name and address of the financial institution at which the contractor expects to establish a special account as depository for the advance payments.

• A description of the contractor's efforts to obtain unguaranteed private financing or a V-loan under eligible contracts.

• Other information appropriate to an understanding of

• the contractor's financial condition and need,

• the contractor's ability to perform the contract without loss to the Government, and

• financial safeguards needed to protect the Government's interest.

The information is used to determine if advance payments should be provided to the contractor. If advance payments are authorized, the information is used to ensure proper procedures are followed to protect the Government's interest.

FAR 52.232-1 through 52.232-4, 52.232-6, 52.232-7, and 52.232-10—Payments. The basic authority for the contract financing that is implemented in these clauses is contained in 41 U.S.C. chapter 45, Contract Financing, 10 U.S.C. chapter 277, and title III of the Defense Production Act of l950 (50 U.S.C. app. 2091). The following FAR clauses require the contractor to (as appropriate to the payment terms specified in the contract) provide a proper invoice or voucher.

• 52.232-1, Payments.

• 52.232-2, Payments under Fixed-Price Research and Development Contracts.

• 52.232-3, Payments under Personal Services Contracts.

• 52.232-4, Payments under Transportation Contracts and Transportation-Related Services Contracts.

• 52.232-6, Payment under Communication Service Contracts with Common Carriers.

• 52.232-7, Payments under Time-and-Materials and Labor-Hour Contracts.

• 52.232-10, Payments under Fixed-Price Architect-Engineer Contracts.

“Proper invoice” is defined in FAR part 2 as an invoice that meets the minimum standards specified in FAR 32.905(b), which include the following items:

• Name and address of the contractor.

• Invoice date and invoice number.

• Contract number or other authorization for supplies delivered or services performed (including order number and line item number).

• Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of supplies delivered or services performed.

• Shipping and payment terms.

• Name and address of contractor official to whom payment is to be sent.

• Name (where practicable), title, phone number, and mailing address of person to notify in the event of a defective invoice.

• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) if required by agency procedures.

• Electronic funds transfer (EFT) banking information if required by agency procedures.

• Any other information or documentation required by the contract ( e.g., evidence of shipment).

The information is used to determine the proper amount of payments to Federal contractors.

FAR 52.232-5, Payments under Fixed-Price Construction Contracts. This clause requires the contractor's request for progress payments to include the following substantiation:

• An itemization of the amounts requested, related to the various elements of work required by the contract covered by the payment requested.

• A listing of the amount included for work performed by each subcontractor under the contract.

• A listing of the total amount of each subcontract under the contract.

• A listing of the amounts previously paid to each such subcontractor under the contract.

• Additional supporting data in a form and detail required by the contracting officer.

Paragraph (c) of FAR clause 52.232-5 requires contractors to provide a certification with each request for progress payment certifying that—

• The amounts requested are only for performance in accordance with the specifications, terms, and conditions of the contract;

• All payments due to subcontractors and suppliers from previous payments received under the contract have been made, and timely payments will be made from the proceeds of the payment covered by the certification;

• The request for progress payment does not include any amounts which the prime contractor intends to withhold or retain from a subcontractor or supplier in accordance with the terms and conditions of the subcontract; and

• The certification is not to be construed as final acceptance of a subcontractor's performance.

Paragraph (d) of FAR clause 52.232-5 requires contractors to notify contracting officers, if the contractor, after making a certified request for progress payments, discovers that a portion or all of the request constitutes a payment for performance by the contractor that fails to conform to the specifications, terms, and conditions of the contract. Contractors must notify the contracting officer that the performance deficiency has been corrected.

The information is used to determine the proper amount of payments to Federal contractors for construction contracts.

FAR 52.232-12, Advance Payments. For authority behind this clause, see the authority for advance payments cited in the narrative above for FAR 32.408. If advance payments are authorized, this clause requires contractors to submit the following:

• Per paragraph (g)—The financial institution agreement, in the form prescribed by the administering office, establishing the special account, and clearly setting forth the special character of the account and the responsibilities of the financial institution under the account.

• Per paragraph (i)(3)—Notification of a lien in favor of the Government to a third person receiving any items or materials on which the Government has a lien, and a receipt from that third person acknowledging the existence of the lien. Contractors are also required to provide a copy of each receipt to the contracting officer.

• Per paragraph (m)—(1) Monthly, signed or certified balance sheets and profit and loss statements together with a report on the operation of the special account in the form prescribed by the administering office; and (2) If requested, other information concerning the operation of the contractor's business. (This same requirement is at paragraph (j) of the clause with its Alternate V.)

If advance payments are authorized, the information is used to ensure proper procedures are followed to protect the Government's interest.

FAR 52.232-20 and 52.232-22—Limitation of Costs or Funds. FAR clause 52.232-20, Limitation of Cost, requires the contractor to notify the contracting officer in writing whenever it has reason to believe that—

• The costs the contractors expect to incur under the contract in the next 60 days, when added to all costs previously incurred, will exceed 75 percent of the estimated cost of the contracts; or

• The total cost for the performance of the contract will be greater or substantially less than estimated.

As part of the notification, the contractor must provide a revised estimate of the total cost of performing the contract.

FAR clause 52.232-22, Limitation of Funds, requires the contractor to notify the contracting officer in writing whenever it has reason to believe that the costs it expects to incur under the contract in the next 60 days, when added to all costs previously incurred, will exceed 75 percent of (1) the total amount so far allotted to the contract by the Government or, (2) if this is a cost-sharing contract, the amount then allotted to the contract by the Government plus the contractor's corresponding share. The notice must state the estimated amount of additional funds required to continue performance for the contract period. Sixty days before the end of the contract period, the contractor must notify the contracting officer in writing of the estimated amount of additional funds, if any, required to continue performance under the contract, and when the funds will be required.

The information is used to avoid cost overruns and to ensure that funding is available to complete work under Federal contracts.

FAR 52.232-27, Prompt Payment for Construction Contracts. The authority for this FAR clause are the OMB prompt payment regulations at 5 CFR part 1315, which in turn implements the Prompt Payment statute. Paragraph (a)(6)(ii) of FAR clause 52.232-27 requires contractors making a written demand to the designated payment office for additional penalty payment to support their demand with the following data:

• Specifically assert that late payment interest is due under a specific invoice, and request payment of all overdue late payment interest penalty and such additional penalty as may be required;

• Attach a copy of the invoice on which the unpaid late payment interest was due; and

• State that payment of the principal has been received, including the date of receipt.

Paragraph (e)(5) of FAR clause 52.232-27 requires contractors to notify contracting officers upon—

• Reduction of the amount of any subsequent certified application for payment; or

• Payment to the subcontractor of any withheld amounts of a progress payment, specifying: the amounts withheld; and the dates that the withholding began and ended.

Paragraph (g) of FAR clause 52.232-27 requires contractors to issue a written notice of any withholding to a subcontractor (with copy to the contracting officer), specifying—

• The amount to be withheld;

• The specific causes for the withholding under the terms of the subcontract; and

• The remedial actions to be taken by the subcontractor in order to receive payment of the amounts withheld.

Paragraph (l) of FAR clause 52.232-27 requires contractors to remit overpayments to the payment office cited in the contract along with a description that includes the following:

• Circumstances of the overpayment ( e.g., duplicate payment, erroneous payment, liquidation errors, date(s) of overpayment);

• Affected contract number and delivery order number if applicable;

• Affected line item or subline item, if applicable; and

• Contractor point of contact.

Contractors are required to provide a copy of the remittance and supporting documentation to the contracting officer.

The information is used to understand when the contractor withholds amounts from subcontractors and suppliers after the Government has already paid the contractor the amounts withheld.

FAR 52.232-33, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—System for Award Management. FAR clause 52.232-33 requires contractors to provide updated EFT information in the System for Award Management (SAM) if their information changes. According to the SAM Entity Registration Checklist, the registration/renewal process asks entities to provide the account type, routing number, and account number for EFT. The burden associated with this clause is reflected under OMB Control Number 9000-0189, Certain Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 4 Requirements. OMB Control Number 9000-0189 accounts for new registrations and renewals in SAM, which includes providing EFT information as part of the registration and renewal process.

FAR 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer—Other than System for Award Management. This clause requires contractors to provide the following information to enable the Government to make payments under the contract by EFT:

• The contract number (or other procurement identification number).

• The contractor's name and remittance address.

• The signature, title, and telephone number of the contractor official authorized to provide this information.

• The name, address, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number of the contractor's financial agent.

• The contractor's account number and the type of account.

• If applicable, the Fedwire Transfer System telegraphic abbreviation of the contractor's financial agent.

• If applicable, the contractor must provide the name, address, telegraphic abbreviation, and 9-digit Routing Transit Number of the correspondent financial institution receiving the wire transfer payment if the contractor's financial agent is not directly on-line to the Fedwire Transfer System.

31 U.S.C.3332 requires, subject to implementing regulations of the Secretary of the Treasury at 31 CFR part 208, that EFT be used to make all contract payments.

The information is used to enable the Government to make contract payments by EFT.

Respondents: 273,518.

Total Annual Responses: 1,789,889.

Total Burden Hours: 462,859.

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 11979, on March 13, 2025. One comment was received; however, it did not change the estimate of the burden.

Comment: Respondent sought restoration or reinstatement of FAR clause 52.222-21, Prohibition of Segregated Facilities, after seeing reports on social media of a GSA memo which deleted the clause in federal contracts.

Response: This comment is outside the scope of this information collection. FAR clause 52.222-21 is not covered under this information collection; nor are FAR clauses deleted or restored through the process of extending previously approved information collection requirements.

Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing GSARegSec@gsa.gov. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0073, Certain Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 32 Requirements.

9000-0027, Value Engineering Requirements.

This clearance covers the information that contractors must submit to comply with the following Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements:

• FAR 52.248-1, Value Engineering; 52.248-2, Value Engineering-Architect-Engineer; and 52.248-3, Value Engineering-Construction. These clauses require contractors submitting Value Engineering Change Proposals (VECP's) to the Government to provide such details as: a description of the differences between the existing contract requirement and the proposed requirement, and the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each; a list and analysis of contract requirements that must be changed if the VECP is accepted; a detailed cost estimate showing anticipated reductions associated with the VECP; a statement of the time a modification accepting the VECP must be issued to achieve maximum cost reduction, and the effect on contract completion time; and identification of any previous submissions of the VECP; the agencies and contract numbers involved and previous Government actions, if known.

The Government will use the collected information to evaluate the VECP and, if accepted, to arrange for an equitable sharing plan.

Respondents: 90.

Total Annual Responses: 180.

Total Burden Hours: 2,700.

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 11975, on March 13, 2025. A comment was received; however, it did not change the estimate of the burden.

Comment: This collection should be modified to remove the automated collection techniques that are not currently approved within the contract properly. The incentive language should be removed from the existing agreement and contract regulations need to be followed by all parties involved in the agreement.

Response: The respondents' input is appreciated. Any changes to the collection will require rulemaking. The clauses at FAR 52.248-1, 52.248-2, and 52.248-3 require contractors submitting Value Engineering Change Proposals (VECP's) to provide enough details for the Government to evaluate the VECP and, if accepted, arrange for an equitable sharing plan.

Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing GSARegSec@gsa.gov. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0027, Value Engineering Requirements.

9000-0152, Service Contracting.

This clearance covers the information that offerors must submit to comply with the FAR requirements at FAR 52.237-10, Identification of Uncompensated Overtime. This provision requires offerors, when professional or technical services are acquired on the basis of the number of hours to be provided, to identify uncompensated overtime hours in excess of 40 hours per week, whether at the prime or subcontract level. This includes uncompensated overtime hours that are in indirect cost pools for personnel whose regular hours are normally charged direct.

The contracting officer will use the collected information to perform an adequate cost realism analysis of the offerors' proposed labor rates. Proposals which include unrealistically low labor rates, or which do not otherwise demonstrate cost realism, will be considered by the contracting officer in a risk assessment and evaluated appropriately. The primary purpose for obtaining the information and using it during the source selection process is to discourage the use of uncompensated overtime.

Respondents: 20,076.

Total Annual Responses: 20,076.

Total Burden Hours: 10,038.

A 60-day notice was published in the Federal Register at 90 FR 11974, on March 13, 2025. A comment was received; however, it did not change the estimate of the burden.

Comment: This collection is in need of changes to improve efforts to avoid duplication of personnel service hours charged and possible overcharge of hours worked that are not part of the original agreement. This would be a significant cost savings measure for the Government.

Response: The respondents' input is appreciated. Any changes to the collection will require rulemaking. The solicitation provision at FAR 52.237-10 requires offerors to identify uncompensated overtime hours in excess of 40 hours per week in their offers. The contracting officer will use the collected information to perform an adequate cost realism analysis of the offerors' proposed labor rates.

Obtaining Copies: Requesters may obtain a copy of the information collection documents from the GSA Regulatory Secretariat Division by calling 202-501-4755 or emailing GSARegSec@gsa.gov. Please cite OMB Control No. 9000-0152, Service Contracting.

Description: The EDE provides a centralized, secure system for authorized users in state CSAs to electronically exchange child support and spousal support case information with other state child support agencies. EDE benefits state CSAs by reducing delays, costs, and barriers associated with interstate case processing. It increases state collections, improves document security, standardizes data sharing, increases state participation, and improves case processing, resulting in better overall child and spousal support outcomes. OCSE made minor updates to the Portal screens to enhance functionality.

Respondents: State CSAs

Description: State child support agencies are statutorily required to annually assess the performance of their child support programs and to provide a report of the findings to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The information collected in the SARR is used as a management tool to determine whether states are complying with federal mandates and to help states evaluate their programs and assess performances. A related notice inviting public comment, which published September 4, 2024, (89 FR 71905) referenced edits to change OCSE to the Office of Child Support Services. This change is no longer relevant and has not been incorporated in the final version for OMB review. The contact information was updated with current information.

Respondents: States and territories administering a child support program under title IV-D of the Social Security Act.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 654(15)(A); 45 CFR 308.1(e).

Description: ORR has undertaken a reorganization of its information collections to promote operational efficiency. The reorganization will result in more collections that contain fewer forms under a single OMB number. This request is to create a new information collection that contains forms associated with the provision of critical assessments to UAC and their sponsors. This information collection will contain seven revised forms transferred from one existing information collection and two new forms. The forms and the information collections under which they are currently approved are as follows:

• Services Provided to Unaccompanied Alien Children (OMB #0970-0553)

• Newly Developed Category 4 Initiative Forms:

These forms are completed by care provider Case Managers and Clinicians at care provider facilities, and exclusively for the Sponsor Assessment (Form S-5), by Unification Specialists operating remotely. These forms assess the suitability of potential sponsors applying to reunify with a child; capture critical historical, biographic and medical data for children upon admission to the UAC Bureau care provider; assess the child for sexual abuse history and risk of abusive behavior towards others; review and update prior assessment data over time; and collaboratively identify potential sponsors for children without a viable sponsor (referred to as “Category 4” cases) utilizing child-friendly interactive techniques and extensive kinship network mapping. These forms are documentary in nature and a critical component of the child's case file.

In addition to grouping forms related to Assessments together in this information collection, ORR is proposing the following revisions:

○ Global Changes across all currently approved forms:

Replace “Minor” with “Child”; replace “UC” or “Unaccompanied Child” with “UAC” or “Unaccompanied Alien Child” wherever they appear in conformance with terminology originating in the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

Replace “Gender” with “Sex”; “male” and “female” as the only menu options in conformance with Executive Order (E.O.) 14168 ( Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government )

Replace “Primary” language with “Preferred”.

Simplify certain fields that capture both date and time to only capture the date when hour and minute of completion or certification is immaterial.

Include Physical Location of the Child field in the UAC Basic Information section across all forms to conform with changes concurrently proposed in the Services Provided to Unaccompanied Alien Children Information Collection (OMB #0970-0553).

Minor terminology edits to conform with UACB style guide standards as established in the UC Program Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410) as well as to improve clarity and consistency with other form titles and/or fields.

Add translator or interpreter certification to assessments requiring input directly from a child or sponsor, as relevant.

• Sponsor Assessment (Form S-5): Currently, there are two approved versions of this form-one for UAC Portal and one for the UC Path system, which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of this form, which was never deployed, and make the following revisions to the UAC Portal version.

○ Add new Current Sponsor Status field to the Sponsor Assessment to provide a high-level progress status for each assessment to inform concurrent planning efforts to identify alternative sponsors and Case Review (Form S-12).

○ Add Date Sponsor Identified to Adult Contact Profile section to improve data tracking for program performance evaluation.

○ Revise Proof of Identity Document Type options to conform with updated UAC Policy Guidance Section 2.2.4—Required Documents for Submission with the Application for Release, issued March 7th, 2025.

○ Revise Proof of Address Document Type options conform with updated UAC Policy Guidance Section 2.2.4—Required Documents for Submission with the Application for Release, issued March 7th, 2025.

○ Revise Proof of Address verification question “Dated within 2 months?” to “Dated within 30 days?”.

○ Revise Proof of Relationship Document Type options to conform with updated UAC Policy Guidance Section 2.2.4—Required Documents for Submission with the Application for Release, issued March 7th, 2025.

○ Add “Comment” field for Case Managers to document other proof of relationship submitted for Category 3 cases to reliably and sufficiently establish a bona-fide social relationship with the child and/or family in country of origin.

○ Revise Proof of Identity Document Type for Household Members to conform with updated UAC Policy Guidance Section 2.2.4—Required Documents for Submission with the Application for Release, issued March 7th, 2025.

○ Revise “Proof of Income” field under Employment section to a dropdown menu with the following options:

Previous Year's U.S. Tax Return;

Paystubs covering last 60 days continuous;

Original letter from employer on company letterhead verifying sponsor's employment and salary, dated within <60 days;

ORR Affidavit of support;

Bank statements;

Public Assistance Records—TANF;

Public Assistance Records—SSI;

Public Assistance Records—Cash Assistance;

Public Assistance Records—Other entitlement Program;

Records of interest or income earned from assets or investments.

○ Revise Proof of Identity Document Type options for Alternate Caregiver to conform with updated UAC Policy Guidance Section 2.2.4—Required Documents for Submission with the Application for Release, issued March 7th, 2025

○ Revise “Substance Abuse Disclosed by Sponsor” under Criminal History and Background Checks Self Disclosure section to read “Legal issues related to drug or alcohol use ( e.g., D.U.I., D.W.I., Possession, Manufacture. Distribution of controlled substances)” to better capture data concerning the sponsor's risk profile

○ Add several questions to the “Care Plan” section of the form to document the sponsor's awareness and ability to care for the child's healthcare needs

○ In response to public comment, add the following questions to the “Care Plan” section to document the actions ORR has taken to uphold its obligations under the Lucas R. Settlement Agreement:

Affirmative efforts to support children with identified disabilities and their sponsors with referral to appropriate community-based services;

Affirmative efforts to educate the potential sponsor on the child's specific disability-related needs;

Document any reasonable accommodation or modifications made to the sponsorship process to facilitate the safe release of a child to a sponsor with an identified disability.

○ Add functionality to add multiple adult caregivers to the “Care Plan” section of the form and identify one as the current or primary caregiver

○ Add a sponsor-child debt attestation question to the “Trafficking” and “Fraud” section of the form to document the sponsor's understanding and intent to comply with ORR policy prohibiting the sponsor from seeking or collecting any financial renumeration from the child or their family or encouraging the child to work counter to child labor laws or without a legal permit.

○ Rename “Summary Case Manager Assessment Tab” to “Sponsor Assessment Summary Tab” to reflect inclusion of the Unification Specialist role and emphasize that the summary step before certification of the form.

○ Add Unification Specialist role, contact information, and recommendation fields to the Summary Sponsor Assessment section.

○ Add the following fields in response to public comment to document the actions ORR has taken to uphold its obligations under the Lucas R. Settlement Agreement:

Under Unification Specialist Assessment, add a field to affirmatively document how the sponsor suitability recommendation considers the assistance ORR must provide to potential sponsors of children with disabilities.

Under the Case Manager Assessment, modify the assessment instructions to specifically direct the Case Manager to document their evaluation of the benefits of placing the child with this sponsor in the sponsor's community setting.

Under the Case Manager Assessment, add the following fields:

• “Do you have any outstanding concerns related to the child's disability? (Yes/No/Not Applicable).

• If you answered Yes, describe the steps ORR will take to help the sponsor better understand the child's needs related to the child's disability, the post-release services ORR will assist the sponsor in coordinating, and whether these efforts will enable the child's safe release.

• If you answered “Yes”, describe whether ORR has taken all actions contemplated by the transition plan in the child's 504 Service Plan.

○ Add an open text field that is triggered by conditional logic when the assessment is completed outside of the five-calendar day deadline, prompting the respondent to indicate a reason for the delay.

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a decrease in the number of children placed in ORR care reflect that the form is completed by four different groups of respondents, and to reflect a slight increase in the overall number of fields the respondents will need to complete. The annual number of Case Manager respondents increased from 216 to 300. The annual number of Unification Specialists is estimated to be approximately 680, the annual number of Interpreter respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of sponsors expected to participate in the assessment is expected to increase from 57,195 to 68,900. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per sponsor remains unchanged at 1, the number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 265 to 230, the number of responses per Unification Specialist is estimated to be 101, and the number of responses per Interpreter is estimated to be 230. The average burden hours per response remains unchanged at 1 hour, reflecting few substantive changes described above.

• Adult Contact Profile (Form S-7): The Adult Contact Profile was developed for the UC Path case management system which was never implemented; the Adult Contact Profile is currently approved under the Services Provided to Unaccompanied Alien Children information collection (OMB # 0970-0553) is being renewed with one substantive change. ORR plans to incorporate the adult contact profile with all UC Path features into the UAC Portal case management system at a future date, which will allow ORR to establish unique UAC Portal profiles for non-sponsor adults, such as household members, relatives in home country, and designated alternate caregivers. This will facilitate improved data tracking and flagging across cases should these individuals later apply to sponsor a child.

○ Remove the “Legal Status” question from the form as irrelevant and immaterial to facilitating better data tracking across cases.

• Initial Assessment (Form S-8): Currently, there are two approved versions of this form-one for UAC Portal, ORR's online case management system, and one for the UC Path system, a proposed replacement for the UAC Portal which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of this form, which was never deployed, and make the following revisions to the UAC Portal version.

○ Clarify instructions to the respondent mandating the assessment to be completed within 24 hours of admission to the care provider program.

○ Introduce questions related to languages spoken, fluency, and comprehension to document the child's understanding of the assessment questions.

○ Add a field to the “Family Information” section to indicate if a relative might be a potential sponsor.

○ Rephrase sensitive questions pertaining to mental health concerns using more specific and child-friendly terms and eliminating redundant questions.

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a projected increase in the number of children placed in ORR care since the form's last renewal and reflect that the form is completed by three different potential respondents with input from the child. The annual number of Case Manager respondents is expected to increase from 216 to 300, the annual number of Clinician respondents is estimated to be 300, the annual number of Interpreter respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of children projected to be referred in FY 2025 is expected to increase from 60,048 to 65,000. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per child remains unchanged at 1, the number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 265 to108, the number of responses per Clinician is estimated to be 108, and the number of responses per Interpreter is estimated to be 217. The average burden hours per response remains unchanged at .33 hours, reflecting the minimal substantive changes described above.

• Assessment for Risk (Form S-9): Currently, there are two approved versions of this form: one for UAC Portal, ORR's online case management system, and one for the UC Path system, a proposed replacement for UAC Portal which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of this form, which was never deployed, and make the following revisions to the UAC Portal version.

○ Clarify terminology concerning the purpose of the assessment in the instructions to the respondent.

○ Revise question text in the following ways:

Include more specific and child-friendly terminology concerning sensitive topics related to sexual activity and sexual abuse history.

Incorporate “suspected or diagnosed” terminology to questions pertaining to disabilities.

Add citation to the authorizing statute: ORR Standards to Prevent, Detect, and Respond to Sexual Abuse and Sexual Harassment Involving Unaccompanied Children (45 CFR 411.41-42).

○ Add fields to document the following:

If the child would like to be referred to a mental health counselor or clinician to discuss their past sexual activity and/or sexual abuse history.

If the child or caretaker in home country report any issues with the child's ability to carry out tasks of daily living that may affect the child's housing assignment while in ORR care.

The creation of an individual 504 plan under the “Actions Taken” question of the “Housing,” “Other Service Assignments,” and “Follow-Up” Section.

○ Remove question text specific to sexual orientation gender identity labels and replace with open-ended questions to elicit more discussion regarding sexual victimization risk factors identified in ORR regulation (45 CFR 411.41).

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a projected decrease in the number of children placed in ORR care since the form's last renewal and reflect that the form is completed by three different potential respondents with input from the child. The annual number of Case Manager respondents is expected to increase from 216 to 300 the annual number of Clinician respondents is estimated to be 300, the annual number of Interpreter respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of children projected to be referred in FY 2025 is expected to decrease from 120,096 to 65,000. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per child remains unchanged at 1, the number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 556 to 108, the number of responses per Clinician is estimated to be 108, and the number of responses per Interpreter is estimated to be 217. The average burden hours per response remains unchanged at .75 hours, reflecting the minimal substantive changes described above.

• UAC Assessment (Form S-11): ORR currently maintains two approved versions of this form under the Services Provided to Unaccompanied Alien Children information collection (OMB #0970-0553), one version for the UAC Portal case management system currently in use, and a second version developed for the UC Path system which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of the UAC Assessment, which was never deployed, renewing only the UAC Portal version with the changes described below:

○ Add the following fields to the “Journey and Apprehension” section:

What neighbors or other people were important in your daily life in Country of Origin (COO)?

Did someone you know come to the U.S. before you and tell you about opportunities?

Did you meet any adults along the journey with whom you built a trusting relationship? If yes, what are their names and where are they now?

Who are some trusted adults that the child knows at their intended destination?

As a sub-question to “Have you been to the U.S. before?”—Ask: “if yes, with whom did you live?”

○ Under the “Family/Significant Relationships” section, add:

Name, address, contact, and relationship of parent or legal guardian fields.

Field to capture current address/residence of other family remaining in country of origin.

Fields to capture contact info and indicate sponsorship potential of identified friends and/or family residing in the U.S.

A field to document any family members who previously lived in the U.S., their dates of residence and if they maintain contact with any former U.S.-based contacts.

○ Revise Medical Assessment questions to capture more specific health status and health concern data as follows:

Adding fields related to current health status, allergies, diet, mobility, and the child's need for assistance with daily activities.

Add field to capture if the child has any health concerns they would like to discuss with a health care provider.

Add fields to capture data concerning any medication the child arrived with, their prescribed dosing interval and last dose administered.

○ Add the following question to the Education section: “Have you ever been diagnosed with a learning disability (dyslexia, dysgraphia, auditory processing disorder, etc.)? (Yes/No) If yes, specify”.

○ Update terminology concerning the ORR mandated Legal Screening to read “Confidential Legal Consultation”, as required by the Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410.1309(a)(2)(v)).

○ Revise the Mental Health section of the form as follows:

Add “Future Oriented” option to “Thought Process” field.

Revise terminology throughout and split compound questions into simpler, distinct questions to improve child-friendliness of the assessment and the specificity of their responses.

Add question concerning the use of inhalants to the “Substance Use History” sub-section.

○ Revise the Criminal History section, adding questions to document gang affiliation history with the following fields to correspond with CBP referral data:

Known Gang Affiliation? (Yes/No/Unknown/Suspect);

Name of Gang: (Open Text Field);

Gang Affiliation Summary: (Open Text Field);

Determined by: (Self-admission of child/Gang Tattoos/Gang Affiliation Summary).

○ Revise the “Trafficking” section, adding questions to document contacts with others that the child made during their journey to the U.S. and capture their contact information.

○ Add explanatory text to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12102(1) citation under the “Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA)” section and the subsequent question documenting disability concerns that require further evaluation.

○ Add document upload field to “Additional Information” section to link the child's journey mapping file to the UAC Assessment.

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a projected decrease in the number of children placed in ORR care since the form's last renewal and reflect that the form is completed by three different potential respondents with input from the child. The annual number of Case Manager respondents is expected to increase from 216 to 300, the annual number of Clinician respondents is estimated to be 300, the annual number of Interpreter respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of children projected to be referred in FY 2025 is expected to decrease from 120,096 to 65,000. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per child remains unchanged at 1, the number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 556 to 108, the number of responses per Clinician is estimated to be 108, and the number of responses per Interpreter is estimated to be 217. The average burden hours per response is expected to increase from 2.0 to 2.25 hours, reflecting the addition of new fields described above.

• UAC Case Review (Form S-12): Currently, there are two approved versions of this form-one for UAC Portal and one for the UC Path system, which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of this form, which was never deployed, and make the following revisions to the UAC Portal version.

○ Revise the Medical Section with the following:

Remove the following fields:

• “List any allergies”;

• “Do you feel unwell”;

• “If yes, what are your symptoms?”;

• “Additional medical information”;

• Entire Medical History Checklist as redundant to information captured in the UAC Portal Health Tab;

• Entire Medication History subsection as redundant to information captured in the UAC Portal Health Tab.

Add the following fields:

• “Does the child have any health concerns (medical, mental health, dental) that have not been evaluated by a healthcare professional? If yes, specify:”

• “Does the child have any health-related travel restrictions? If yes, specify:”

• “Provide a short summary of the child's medical and/or psychological functioning:”

• “If the child is ready for discharge, does the child have any health problems, including dental and mental health, that requires follow-up after release from ORR care? If yes, specify:”

• “Describe follow-up care plan:”

○ Replace “Legal Screening” with “Confidential Legal Consultation” consistent with the UAC Program Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410.1309(a)(2)(v)).

○ Add “Criminal History and Gang Affiliation” section with the following sub-fields to capture updates from the UAC Assessment:

New Known Gang Affiliation? (Yes/No/Unknown/Suspect);

Name of Gang: (Open Text Field);

Gang Affiliation Summary: (Open Text Field);

Determined by: (Self-admission of child/Gang Tattoos/Gang Affiliation Summary).

○ Remove all fields from the “Mental Health” section to avoid duplication under the “Medical” section and remove “Axis” evaluation terminology which no longer conforms to standard psychiatric practice as specified in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-V).

○ Revise the TVPRA section as follows:

Mirror changes to the TVPRA section as pertaining to the addition of explanatory text for the 42 U.S.C. 12102(1) and related fields.

Add fields to document the recommended level of post release services and type of home study.

○ Revise the Recommendation section to include a concurrent planning subsection capturing the following:

If the case is undergoing concurrent planning;

Name, contact info, sponsor category, and status of additional potential sponsors.

○ Revise Care plan section as follows:

Add fields to capture and distinguish Unification Specialist, Clinician, and Case Manager comments.

Remove Legal comments as field duplicates information collected in Legal section.

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a projected decrease in the number of children placed in ORR care since the form's last renewal and reflect that the form is completed by three different potential respondents. The annual number of Case Manager respondents is expected to increase from 216 to 300, the annual number of Clinician respondents is estimated to be 300 the annual number of Unification Specialist respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of children projected to be referred in FY2025 is expected to decrease from 120,096 to 65,000. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 556 to 217, the number of responses per Clinician is estimated to be 217, and the number of responses per Unification Specialist is estimated to be 96. The average burden hours per response is expected to decrease from 2.0 to .5 hours, reflecting the removal of numerous fields described above.

• Individual Service Plan (Form S-13): Two versions of this form are approved under the Services Provided to Unaccompanied Alien Children information collection (OMB #0970-0553); one associated with the UAC Portal case management system, and another designed for the UC Path system which was never implemented. ORR plans to discontinue the UC Path version of this form, which was never deployed, and incorporate features from the UC Path version into UAC Portal with this transfer. ORR has made the following modifications to the form:

○ Add a field to the Data Entry—Admission Assessment Individual Service Plan to identify if the child has a 504 Service Plan to document any services or accommodations needed due to their disability status.

○ Add the following auto-populated and system generated fields to the UAC Portal Individual Service Plan display window:

Assessment Status;

Does the child have a 504 Service Plan?;

Submitted Date.

○ Remove certain fields native to the UC Path system which do not have a corresponding feature or function in the UAC Portal:

Under New Admission Assessment Section:

• Assessment ID;

• Admission.

Under New Service Mandatory Section:

• Contract Number (SYSTEM GENERATED);

• Individual Service Plan (SYSTEM GENERATED);

• Entity Name (AUTO-POPULATE).

Under Document Upload Tab Section:

• Verified by Government Agency/Consulate;

• Entity;

• Individual;

• Adult Contact Relationship.

Under Certification by Case Manager Section:

• Legacy ID (SYSTEM GENERATED).

○ Revise the Legal Orientation task from “Legal Screening” to “Confidential Legal Consultation” to conform with terminology presented in the Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule (45 CFR 410.1309(a)(2)(v)).

○ Replace “Contract” with “Service” where it appears on the form.

○ Display content entered in the New Contract “Notes” field to each internet Service Provider Service.

○ Adjust the burden estimate to account for a projected decrease in the number of children placed in ORR care since the form's last renewal and reflect that the form is completed by three different potential respondents with input from the child. The annual number of Case Manager respondents is expected to increase from 216 to 300, the annual number of Clinician respondents is estimated to be 300, the annual number of Interpreter respondents is estimated to be 300, and the number of children projected to be referred in FY 2025 is expected to decrease from 120,096 to 65,000. The annual number of responses per respondent changed as follows: The number of responses per Case Manager is expected to decrease from 694 to 108, the number of responses per Clinician is estimated to be 108, and the number of responses per Translator is estimated to be 217. The average burden hours per response remains unchanged at .33 hours reflecting the minimal substantive changes described above.

• Category 4 Reunification Case Review and Staffing (Form TBD-#): This is a new form created by ORR to support sponsor identification and outreach for children designated “Category 4” or without a viable sponsor. The form is completed by the care provider case manager, and in complex cases, by the care provider clinician in response to the child's Mobility Map, also submitted for approval under this information collection. The contents of the form, once complete, are shared with a concurrent planning team comprised of the care provider Case Manager, Supervising Case Manager, Clinician, Case Coordinator, and Federal Field Specialist at a staffing meeting to discuss findings and develop an action plan to identify a qualified sponsor for the child. The burden estimate for this form is as follows:

○ ORR estimates, based on historic averages that approximately 23,400 children or 36 percent of cases referred to ORR care and custody in FY 2025 will be designated “Category 4” at some point during their length of care. The number of case managers completing the form is estimated to be 300 annually, the number of clinicians completing the form is estimated to be 300 annually. The average number of responses per respondent is estimated to be approximately 98 per case manager and approximately 49 per clinician as clinicians will only complete the form if the case is deemed “complex” due to extended length of stay, medically fragile status of the child, trafficking, abuse, or neglect history concerns, or other extenuating circumstances that may make reunification with a vetted sponsor more difficult. The average burden hour per response associated with this form is estimated to be 1.88 hours for standard, non-complex cases involving only the child's case manager and 2.5 hours for complex cases requiring the involvement of a clinician.

• Family Finding and Mobility Mapping (Form TBD): This form is an instructional guide for use by care provider case managers and clinicians to facilitate the creation of a “Mobility Map” by a Category 4 child. The mobility map is a visual representation of the child's life in their home country and their journey to the U.S., which is intended to identify parents, legal guardians, extended family members, family friends, kinship networks, and other potential sponsor leads as well as identify potential sponsor fraud and parental rights violations. The Mobility Map is created by the child in response to child-friendly questions and facilitative techniques deployed by a care provider case manager, and potentially a clinician if the child's case is complex. The Family Finding and Mobility Mapping Guide provides instructions to care provider staff to engage the child safely and effectively in this Participatory Learning and Action process. The burden estimate for the Mobility Map is as follows:

○ ORR estimates, based on historic averages that approximately 23,400 children or 36 percent of cases referred to ORR care and custody in FY2025 will be designated “Category 4” at some point during their length of care. The number of children completing the form is estimated to be approximately 35,247, the number of case managers completing the form is estimated to be approximately 300, and the number of clinicians completing the form is estimated to be approximately 300. The average number of responses per respondent is estimated to be approximately 1.5 per child, approximately 117 per case manager and approximately 59 per clinician as clinicians will only participate in the Mobility Mapping process if the case is deemed “complex” due to extended length of stay, medically fragile status of the child, trafficking, abuse, or neglect history concerns, or other extenuating circumstances that may make reunification with a vetted sponsor more difficult. The average burden hour per response associated with this form is estimated to be 1.5 hours for the each of the respondents, including the child, case manager, and clinician.

Respondents: ORR grantee and contractor staff, unaccompanied alien children, and their sponsors.