[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 115 (Tuesday, June 17, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25593-25600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-11105]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; National Vocational Rehabilitation
Technical Assistance Center
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Education (Department) is issuing a
notice inviting applications (NIA) for fiscal year (FY) 2025 for the
National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center
(NVRTAC).
DATES:
Applications Available: June 20, 2025.
Application Deadline: July 25, 2025.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 23, 2025.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: OSERS will provide resources
specific to this competition, which will be available at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx. OSERS invites you to send questions to
[email protected].
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on December 23, 2024 (89 FR 104528) and available at
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2024-30488.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roslyn Thomas, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 4A10, Washington, DC 20202-
2800. Telephone: (202) 987-0105. Email: [email protected].
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide
competitive grants, including cooperative
[[Page 25594]]
agreements, to, or enter into contracts with, eligible entities to
expand and improve the provision of vocational rehabilitation (VR) and
other services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
(Rehabilitation Act) or to further the purposes and policies in
sections 2(b) and (c) of the Rehabilitation Act by supporting
activities that increase the provision, extent, availability, scope,
and quality of rehabilitation services under the Act. Under the
Rehabilitation Act, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
Commissioner is authorized to make grants to, and enter into contracts
with States and public or nonprofit agencies and organizations
(including institutions of higher education (IHEs)) to support projects
that assist state and other agencies in providing VR and other services
to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment,
independence, and integration into the community and the competitive
labor market, and provide training and technical assistance designed to
assist in increasing the numbers of, and upgrading the skills of,
qualified personnel (especially rehabilitation counselors) who are
trained in providing VR services as well as other services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act.
Assistance Listing Number: 84.264L.
OMB Control Number: 1894-0006.
Eligible Applicants: States and public or private nonprofit
agencies and organizations, including Indian Tribes and institutions of
higher education.
Type of Award: Discretionary grant negotiated as cooperative
agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $6,000,000.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $6,000,000 for a
single budget period of 12 months.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Estimated Number of Awards: One.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Absolute Priority: This competition includes one absolute priority.
The priority is from the notice of final priorities, requirements, and
definitions for this program published elsewhere in this issue of the
Federal Register (NFP). We consider only applications that meet this
priority.
Absolute Priority: National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical
Assistance Center
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish a National Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance
Center (NVRTAC).
The NVRTAC will provide intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to State VR agencies that will enable
VR agencies to improve VR program management and performance and, most
importantly, to improve employment outcomes achieved by individuals
with disabilities.
Regarding program management and performance, the NVRTAC's training
and technical assistance will support the assessment, development, and
enhancement of VR State agency leaders and staff knowledge, skills, and
abilities to improve service delivery and employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities and to perform the following functions:
(a) Implementing State VR agency-level best practices and policies
for maximizing engagement and achieving Competitive Integrated
Employment (CIE) for individuals with disabilities. The center will
provide VR agency personnel with technical assistance on evaluating
whether the management strategies they adopt have been shown to
increase the percentage of participants who achieve an MSG/credential
and exit the program with an employment outcome and modifying those
strategies, if necessary, to achieve continuous program improvement.
The NVRTAC will provide intensive training and technical assistance,
targeted training and technical assistance, and universal training and
technical assistance to State VR agencies to improve or develop a broad
range of management policies and practices, both programmatic and
fiscal, to address needs common to many agencies;
(b) Disseminating clear, consistent messages on RSA priorities for
the development and implementation of sound management and financial
systems and strong internal controls;
(c) Identifying strengths and weaknesses in the agency's capacity
to understand factors affecting program effectiveness and timeliness
(such as the ability to analyze case service data to identify trends
and disparities in employment outcomes achieved by various groups of
individuals with disabilities) and designing management strategies to
address these deficits;
(d) Analyzing the VR agency's human resource management for
inclusion of best practice for recruitment, retention, and onboarding
strategies including orientation training for new VR agency directors;
(e) Understanding statutory and regulatory requirements related to
performance management, including calculations for the common
performance measures required under the Workforce Innovation and
Opportunity Act (WIOA);
(f) Monitoring and improving financial and program data reporting
and accuracy;
(g) Conducting performance evaluation and quality assurance
improvement activities, including the use of data for performance
management systems and the implementation of the common performance
measures required by WIOA;
(h) Conducting strategic planning and implementing the strategies
to address aspects of a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats (SWOT) assessment that pose challenges and barriers to
improving service delivery and employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, including those with significant and the most significant
disabilities, and students and youth with disabilities;
(i) Developing and implementing effective and efficient program and
fiscal policies for delivering pre-employment transition services under
section 113, VR services under section 103(a), and supported employment
services under title VI of the Rehabilitation Act;
(j) Implementing proactive strategies for the State VR agency to
collaborate and engage with educational agencies, Centers for
Independent Living, American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation agencies,
and community rehabilitation programs;
(k) Implementing strategies to maximize timely and meaningful
engagement of VR clients during application and eligibility
determination, career planning, development of the Individualized Plan
for Employment (IPE), and service delivery;
(l) Accurately addressing the required descriptions in the VR
services portion of the WIOA Unified or Combined State Plan,
particularly in setting goals and strategies that can improve
performance;
(m) Coordinating efforts with the State Rehabilitation Council;
(n) Developing relationships with public policymakers and
optimizing the VR agency's presence and visibility by marketing the
program in accordance with the requirements in the Guidance for Federal
Financial Assistance at 2 CFR 200.467 and RSA guidance;
(o) Understanding the key resource management elements, including
but not limited to financial management, human resources management,
and program management and their relevance to important VR program
outcomes and various cost containment measures, such as implementing an
order of selection giving priority for
[[Page 25595]]
services to individuals with the most significant disabilities,
assessing the need for and impact of implementing a financial needs
test and cost participation in services, and implementing the
requirement to seek comparable services and benefits for certain
services, among others; and
(p) Resolving corrective action plans and strategies to increase
compliance and reduce future noncompliance.
Regarding effective resource management, the NVRTAC will support
the assessment, development, and enhancement of staff knowledge,
skills, and abilities to ensure that--
(a) Resources, including program funds and personnel, are being
used for allowable purposes, are appropriately allocated, and support
innovation in compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements;
(b) Internal controls and reporting systems upon which State VR
agencies base fiscal and programmatic forecasting and decision-making
are improved and reliable to support attainment of program goals and
objectives; and
(c) Resources, including program funds and personnel, are fully
used in ways that meet existing program needs, priorities, and expected
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
The following are TA project activities the NVRTAC will undertake
to address weaknesses in resource management:
(a) Assess performance of grantees' financial management processes
used to support attainment of fiscal and programmatic outcomes (for
example, whether an agency's fiscal processes support the accurate
tracking and reporting of non-Federal funds to maximize the drawdown of
Federal award funds to support attainment of employment outcomes); and
use the assessment to identify areas for improvement in fiscal
processes that will assist the agency in meeting program goals.
(b) Assess personnel training and technical assistance needs to
identify gaps in fiscal knowledge, skills, and abilities that prevent
the agency from the effective and efficient use of resources necessary
to achieve employment outcomes.
(c) Provide intensive training and technical assistance on
financial planning, to maximize program resources and attainment of
program goals and objectives, maximize opportunities for non-Federal
sources of match, avoid potential maintenance of effort deficits and
match penalties, and meet the reservation of funds requirement for pre-
employment transition services.
(d) Provide technical assistance on implementing Federal, State,
and program fiscal requirements, including internal controls, in an
efficient and effective manner to reduce unnecessary burden and to
focus efforts on program outcomes.
(e) Provide technical assistance on the identification, collection,
and analysis of program and fiscal data necessary for program
management and maximizing available resources to plan and support
consumer services.
Requirements: For FY 2025, applicants must meet the project and
application requirements from the NFP.
Project Requirements
To meet the requirements of this priority, the NVRTAC must, at a
minimum, conduct the following activities through innovative
approaches:
(a) Establish an advisory committee for the NVRTAC. The committee
members must include individuals with disabilities, representatives
from State VR agencies, including business specialists, individuals
with VR subject matter expertise, business representatives, community
rehabilitation providers, individuals with subject matter expertise in
assistive technology and advance technology for individuals with
disabilities, and individuals with subject matter expertise in
financial management and resources management for VR programs. The
committee members will provide input and recommendations pertaining to
the project design, project implementation, and the project evaluation.
At a minimum, the committee should meet semi-annually.
(b) Establish a state-of-the-art NVRTAC website with information
technology platform for communicating with State VR agencies and
providing training and TA to state VR agencies' personnel. NVRTAC must
ensure that all products produced by the NVRTAC and posted on the
website have been developed in collaboration with RSA and meet
government and industry-recognized standards for accessibility and
security.
The website will serve as a key training and technical assistance
delivery vehicle; peer-to-peer communication hub; stakeholder convening
platform; and the central repository of information about technical
assistance and training materials and resources developed and provided
by the NVRTAC, including training modules for State VR agency
leadership and VR counseling professionals, as well as for new
employees onboarding resources. In addition, the system must have the
capacity to track training completion or related records, as
applicable.
(c) Conduct nationwide technical assistance and training needs
assessment of State VR agencies' personnel during the first six months
of the project. The needs assessment must include the areas of VR
program management, financial and resource management, service
delivery, and employment outcomes and should be informed by the
following--
(1) Input from RSA staff, RSA monitoring reports, and State VR
agency corrective action plans;
(2) Input from State VR agencies and workforce development
partners, including community rehabilitation programs, about their
needs, priorities, and innovative approaches to program and resource
management that lead to improved service delivery;
(3) Information regarding the latest National trends, barriers,
challenges, and opportunities; and
(4) Information regarding effective and efficient program and
resource management strategies, techniques, and practices that may be
applicable to State VR agencies.
(d) Develop a training and technical assistance plan. Based on the
results of the needs assessment, develop an overarching training and
technical assistance plan that must include, at a minimum--
(1) Management strategies and practices that result in improved
service delivery and employment outcomes for individuals with
disabilities, including the rationale for their selection;
(2) Conceptual framework for the selected strategies and practices,
including key assumptions, expectations, and presumed relationships or
linkages among strategies and practices;
(3) Nature and scope of the intensive training and technical
assistance, targeted training and technical assistance, and universal
training and technical assistance to be provided in support of the
selected strategies and practices;
(4) Protocols and timelines for requesting, obtaining, and
completing training and technical assistance; and
(5) Protocols and timelines for transitioning the State VR agency's
technical assistance, upon completion of the technical assistance
agreement, to the designated RSA State Liaison, when appropriate.
(e) Provide intensive training and technical assistance to State VR
agencies consistent with the technical assistance
[[Page 25596]]
plan based on a review of a wide variety of information sources,
including, but not limited to, RSA's monitoring reports and
corresponding State VR agency corrective action plans; State audit
reports; WIOA State plans, particularly the VR portion of these State
plans; RSA staff feedback; and the results of comprehensive statewide
needs assessments. Intensive training and technical assistance may be
provided on-site, over a specified time period, under the terms of
signed intensive training and technical assistance agreements between
the NVRTAC and the participating State VR agencies. Numerical targets
for the number of intensive training and technical assistance
agreements will be included in the cooperative agreement between RSA
and the NVRTAC.
The intensive training and technical assistance agreements between
the NVRTAC and the requesting State VR agencies must include the
following components:
(1) Management strategies and practices to be implemented by the
State VR agency that are designed to improve service delivery and
maximize quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
(2) Nature and scope of the training and technical assistance to be
provided by the NVRTAC. Topic areas addressed within the intensive
training and technical assistance agreements may include the priority's
broad management, performance, or resource management areas or the
targeted and universal training and technical assistance topics in
paragraph (g), below.
(3) Roles and responsibilities of the NVRTAC, State VR agency, RSA,
and other workforce development partners, including the commitment of
resources.
(4) Logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) that is specific to the
intensive need being addressed and that includes performance outcomes,
targets, and baselines; project activities, inputs, and outputs; and
data collection and analysis commitments.
(f) Implement a plan for project evaluation, which includes a
timeline for the evaluation and measurement benchmarks, that will
evaluate the impact of the center's training and technical assistance
on the performance of the VR agencies that received the center's
services. As part of the evaluation plan, there must be a logic model
that includes data elements, inputs, activities, outputs, and short-
term and long-term performance indicators regarding--
(1) Quantitative outcomes resulting from the program management and
employment strategies and practices, including--
(i) Timeliness of the VR processes and services;
(ii) Number of employment outcomes;
(iii) VR participants' employment or career-readiness;
(iv) Cost-effectiveness; and
(v) Sustainability;
(2) Quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's training
and technical assistance activities;
(3) Quantitative or qualitative insights about the relationship
between strategies, practices, and training and technical assistance
activities on critical outcomes for VR personnel, VR clients, and key
partners, including through--
(i) Pre- and post-training assessments;
(ii) Focus groups; and
(iii) Success stories.
(g) Develop and implement models and materials for targeted and
universal training and technical assistance for VR agency personnel, on
state VR program and fiscal management, and employment strategies for
individuals with disabilities, which must include the following--
(1) Integration of assistive technology and artificial intelligence
tools to fuel CIE in the 21st century for individuals with
disabilities;
(2) Career pathways education, internships, apprenticeships,
training, and supports in high-demand occupations, including those in
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields,
advanced technology;
(3) Registered and industry-recognized apprenticeships, pre-
apprenticeships, and on-the-job training;
(4) Supported employment and customized employment;
(5) Customized training and credential programs to meet employers'
demand;
(6) Self-employment and entrepreneurship, including services
available under the Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facility Program;
(7) Business engagement and employer supports including dual
customer models such as Progressive Employment;
(8) Practices to enhance the employment capacity of individuals
with the most significant disabilities receiving supported employment
services, such as the Individual Placement and Support model;
(9) Pre-employment transition services that prepare students with
disabilities and transition services that prepare youth with
disabilities to identify career interests through work-based learning
and early career exploration opportunities, including career pathways,
internships, and job shadowing, with a focus on high-demand and STEM
careers;
(10) Career counseling techniques and resources, including labor
market information tools such as Career Index Plus;
(11) Collaboration with workforce development partners, community
rehabilitation programs, and other community-based organizations to
provide the comprehensive support services that individuals with
significant and the most significant disabilities, and students and
youth with disabilities, need to succeed, such as the Integrated
Resource Teams model;
(12) Approaches that encourage VR clients to consider jobs in the
advanced technology fields that respond to expected labor market needs;
(13) Approaches that encourage VR clients to enter and remain
engaged in the VR process, such as rapid engagement, motivational
interviewing, benefits counseling, and financial empowerment training,
and vehicles such as the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) tax-
free accounts for individuals with disabilities and flexibilities
associated with Social Security Income; and
(14) Community outreach strategies to expand the pool of potential
VR applicants and referral sources.
Application Requirements
Applicants must--
(a) Provide a landscape analysis of current challenges,
opportunities, and initiatives in national VR technical assistance and
training. The landscape analysis must address the following:
(1) Knowledge about--
(i) State VR program challenges in performance, including barriers
and trends regarding program and resource management and employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities especially those with
significant and the most significant disabilities, and students and
youth with disabilities, particularly as noted in recent RSA monitoring
reports and State VR agency corrective action plans; and
(ii) Federal and State initiatives and best practices to improve
program and resource management and employment outcomes for individuals
with disabilities, particularly in response to requirements under WIOA.
(2) The proposed project's potential to contribute to these Federal
and State initiatives by assisting State VR agencies in equipping
personnel with the necessary skills and training to implement the
substantive provisions of
[[Page 25597]]
the Rehabilitation Act introduced by WIOA that are designed to improve
the employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
(b) Provide an implementation plan. The implementation plan must
describe 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 meeting expected outcomes.
(c) Describe the plans to establish a state-of-the-art NVRTAC
website and information technology platform.
(d) Describe plans for completing the national technical assistance
and training needs assessment.
(e) Specify strategies to maximize coordination between the NVRTAC
and other TA centers and seek opportunities to coordinate with other
training and technical assistance investments, including those funded
by the U.S. Departments of Education, Labor, and Health and Human
Services, in the provision of training and technical assistance to
State VR agencies.
(f) Describe the proposed evaluation plan and logic model for the
project.
(g) Provide a dissemination plan. The dissemination plan must
describe plans to disseminate its summative findings and results at
national conferences, regional forums, or specialized meetings starting
after the first year of the performance period, including cost-
effective approaches such as virtual convenings, to engage State VR
agencies and other potential Federal, State, local, and nongovernment
partners, including--
(1) Types of events (e.g., conferences, forums, specialized
meetings);
(2) Target audience (e.g., by event type); and
(3) Convening modes (in-person, virtual).
Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria are from 34
CFR 75.210. In responding to the selection criteria, applications
should show how the proposed project meets the absolute priority and
requirements outlined in this NIA.
(a) Significance. (10 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 potential contribution of the proposed project to improve
the provision of rehabilitative services, increase the number or
quality of rehabilitation counselors, or develop and implement
effective strategies for providing vocational rehabilitation services
to individuals with disabilities.
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates that it
is designed to build capacity and yield sustainable results that will
extend beyond the project period.
(b) Quality of the project design. (40 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 design of the proposed project
demonstrates meaningful community engagement and input to ensure that
the project is appropriate to successfully address the needs of the
target population or other identified needs and will be used to inform
continuous improvement strategies.
(iii) 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.
(iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the
use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project
resources.
(c) 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 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.
(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(d) 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 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.
(iii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
(e) Quality of the project evaluation or other evidence-building.
(10 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 thorough, feasible, relevant, and appropriate to
the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed project.
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation or other
evidence-building will provide guidance for quality assurance and
continuous improvement.
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 NVRTAC. These measures
are:
(a) Number and percentage of participating State VR agencies
reporting improved coordination and collaboration with Federal, State,
or local organizations as a result of the training and technical
assistance.
(b) Number and percentage of VR agency personnel reporting that the
training and technical assistance is high in quality, relevant, and
useful to their work.
(c) Of State VR agencies that received training and technical
assistance, the percentage change in consumers
[[Page 25598]]
achieving an employment outcome compared to the prior year.
(d) Of State VR agencies that received training and technical
assistance, the number and percentage of agencies that achieved their
negotiated level of performance for the measurable skill gains
indicator in the VR Program Year.
(e) The number and percentage of participating State VR agencies
that adopt quality management and quality employment strategies and
practices as a result of training and technical assistance provided
under this grant.
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 ``intensive training and
technical assistance,'' ``targeted training and technical assistance,''
and ``universal training and technical assistance'' are from the NFP.
Intensive training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance provided to State VR agencies and State VR agency
personnel, in consultation with RSA, primarily on-site for a specific
issue and a set period of time negotiated between the State VR agency
and NVRTAC. Intensive training and technical assistance is based on an
ongoing relationship between the training and technical assistance
center staff and State VR agencies and State VR agency personnel under
the terms of a signed intensive training and technical assistance
agreement.
Targeted training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance based on needs common to one or more State VR
agencies and State VR agency personnel on a time-limited basis and with
limited commitment of training and technical assistance center
resources. Targeted training and technical assistance are delivered
through virtual, or in-person methods tailored to the identified needs
of the participating State VR agencies and State VR agency personnel.
Universal training and technical assistance means training and
technical assistance broadly available to State VR agencies and State
VR agency personnel and other interested parties through their own
initiative, resulting in minimal interaction with training and
technical assistance center staff. Universal training and technical
assistance include generalized presentations, products, and related
activities available through a website or through brief contacts with
the training and technical assistance center staff.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772(a)(1).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86,
97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR parts 385.
(e) The NFP published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
Cost Sharing or Matching: The Department determined that cost
sharing of 10 percent of total cost of the project (i.e., based on the
sum of Federal and non-Federal project costs) is required of the
grantee under 84.264L. Any program income incurred during the period of
performance may be directed only towards advancing activities in the
approved grant application and may not be used towards the 10 percent
cost share requirement. Eligible entities must identify appropriate
cost share funds in the proposed budget.
Indirect Cost Rate Information: Under 34 CFR 75.562(c), an indirect
cost reimbursement on a training grant is limited to the recipient's
actual indirect costs, as determined by its negotiated indirect cost
rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base,
whichever amount is less. Indirect costs in excess of the limit may not
be charged directly, used to satisfy matching or cost-sharing
requirements, or charged to another Federal award.
Subawards: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this
competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out
project activities described in its application. Under 34 CFR
75.708(e), a grantee may contract for supplies, equipment, and other
services in accordance with 2 CFR part 200.
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 (89 FR 104528, December 23,
2024).
2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of
projects that may be proposed in applications for the Innovative
Rehabilitation Training competition, your application may include
business information that you consider proprietary. We define
``business information'' and describe the process we use in determining
whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected
from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act.
Because we plan to make successful applications available to the
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business
information.
Please designate in your application any information that you
believe is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of
Information Act.
In the appropriate Appendix section of your application, under
``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page number or numbers on
which we can find this information.
3. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
intergovernmental review under Executive Order 12372. Information about
this process is in the application package.
4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of
the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend
that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 45 pages
and (2) use the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the
[[Page 25599]]
one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of
support. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of the
application narrative.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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 may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements should you receive
funding under the competition. This does not apply if you have an
exception.
(b) At the end of your project's period of performance, you must
submit a final performance report, including financial information, as
directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must
submit semiannual and annual performance reports that provide 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.
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.
[[Page 25600]]
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.
Diana Diaz,
Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2025-11105 Filed 6-16-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P