Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE); Head Start-University Partnership Research Grants: Curriculum Development and Enhancement for Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, 24068-24078 [05-9074]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Children and Families
• Children and Families Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 87 (Friday, May 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24068-24078]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9074]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE); Head Start-
University Partnership Research Grants: Curriculum Development and 
Enhancement for Head Start and Early Head Start Programs

    Announcement Type: Grant--Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2005-ACF-OPRE-YF-0070.
    CFDA Number: 93.600.
    Due Date for Letter of Intent or Preapplications: 6/03/2005.
    Due Date for Applications: 7/01/2005.
    Executive Summary: Funds are provided for Head Start-University 
Partnership Research Grants: Curriculum Development and Enhancement for 
Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, for research activities to 
develop and test curricular approaches, adaptations or targeted 
curriculum enhancements for use by Head Start and Early Head Start 
programs.
    This grant program is part of a larger Head Start research effort. 
Three other grant funding mechanisms are being offered concurrently 
with the one described in this announcement. They include: (1) American 
Indian-Alaska Native Head Start Research Center, (2) Head Start 
Graduate Student Research Grants, and (3) Head Start Graduate Student 
Research Partnership Development Grants. For more information, please 
see these other Head Start Research announcements listed in the Federal 
Register or listed on https://www.Grants.Gov, or send an e-mail inquiry 
to opre@xtria.com.
    Priority Area: Head Start-University Partnership Research Grants: 
Curriculum Development and Enhancement for Head Start and Early Head 
Start Programs.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Purpose

    The purpose of this announcement is to report the availability of 
funds to support research grants for the development of curricular 
approaches, adaptations or enhancements to practice for Head Start and 
Early Head Start programs. Grants will require researcher/program 
partnerships with Head Start and/or Early Head Start programs.

B. Statutory Authority

    Section 649 of the Head Start Act, as amended by the COATES Human 
Services Reauthorization Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-285) and 42 U.S.C. 
9844.

C. Background

Use of Curricula in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs
    The Head Start program has long served as a national laboratory for 
the development of innovative strategies in early childhood education. 
Head Start also emphasizes a process of continuous program improvement 
and has more recently been a leader in developing outcome-oriented 
accountability measures. Programs must comply with the Head Start 
performance standards, which provide a standard definition of quality 
services and serve as a training guide for staff and parents on the key 
elements of quality. Among other things, the performance standards 
require that all Head Start programs implement a curriculum; however, 
use of a particular curriculum is not prescribed. The standards specify 
that programs must, in collaboration with parents, implement a 
curriculum that:
    (i) Supports each child's individual pattern of development and 
learning;
    (ii) Provides for the development of cognitive skills by 
encouraging each child to organize his or her experiences, to 
understand concepts and to develop age appropriate literacy, numeracy, 
reasoning, problem solving and decision-making skills which form a 
foundation for school readiness and later school success;
    (iii) Integrates all educational aspects of the health, nutrition 
and mental health services into program activities;
    (iv) Ensures that the program environment helps children develop 
emotional security and facility in social relationships;
    (v) Enhances each child's understanding of self as an individual 
and as a member of a group;
    (vi) Provides each child with opportunities for success to help 
develop feelings of competence, self-esteem and positive attitudes 
toward learning; and
    (vii) Provides individual and small group experiences both indoors 
and outdoors.
    Additionally, the standards state that staff must use a variety of 
strategies to promote and support children's learning and developmental 
progress based on observations and on-going assessment of each child 
(see 45 CFR 1304.20(b), 1304.20(d) and 1304.20(e)).
    The annual Head Start Program Information Report (PIR) requests 
information from all Head Start and Early Head Start programs about the 
curricula they use. Data from the most recent PIR reveal that center-
based programs are most likely to use one of two curricula (Creative 
Curriculum and High/Scope). Locally designed curricula are the third 
most common category, and the High Reach curriculum is the fourth. A 
range of other curricula are utilized by the remaining programs.
The Head Start Child Outcomes Framework and National Studies
    Released in 2000, the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework is 
intended to guide Head Start programs in their curriculum planning and 
on-going assessment of progress and accomplishments of children. The 
Framework is composed of 8 general Domains, 27 Domain Elements and 
examples of specific indicators related to each Domain/Domain Element. 
For more information, see https://www.headstartinfo.org/publications/
hsbulletin76/hsb76_09.htm.
    The Head Start Child Outcomes Framework placed these outcomes in 
the context of a comprehensive focus on multiple domains of 
development. Programs are required to implement on-going developmental 
assessments across these domains, using measures aligned with their 
chosen curricula.
    A number of on-going national studies are contributing to our 
understanding of outcomes for children served in Head Start and Early 
Head Start programs:


[[Page 24069]]


--Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES).

    FACES is a national longitudinal study of the cognitive, social, 
emotional, and physical development of Head Start children; the 
characteristics, well-being, and accomplishments of families; the 
observed quality of Head Start classrooms; and the characteristics, 
needs, and opinions of Head Start teachers and other program staff. In 
three successive cohorts (1997, 2000 and 2003), data have been 
collected on a representative sample of children served in Head Start 
programs. Children and parents are studied at entry into the program, 
followed for one or two years of program participation and followed-up 
at the end of the kindergarten year. For more information, please see 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/faces/.
    The FACES study provides information about associations between use 
of certain curricula and measures of classroom quality, as well as 
child outcomes. However, these associations do not fill the gap in 
evidence about the relative efficacy of various types of standardized 
curricula. Moreover, what we do know is based primarily on observations 
and data collection in classroom-based programs. These data do not 
speak to the efficacy of standard curricula for children served in 
home-based settings or in Early Head Start programs, or for different 
populations of Head Start children, such as children with disabilities, 
English Language Learners, or those served in Migrant and Seasonal or 
American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start Programs.

--Head Start Impact Study.
    The Head Start reauthorization of 1998 (COATES, Pub. L. 105-285) 
mandated a study of the national impact of Head Start. The Head Start 
Impact Study is a longitudinal study involving approximately 5,000-
6,000 three- and four-year old preschool children across an estimated 
75 nationally representative grantee/delegate agencies in communities 
where there are more eligible children and families than can be served 
by the program. The children participating are randomly assigned to 
either a treatment group (which receives Head Start services) or a 
comparison group (which does not receive Head Start services). Data 
collection for this study began in the fall of 2002 and will continue 
through 2006, following children through the spring of their first 
grade year. It includes twice yearly in-person interviews with parents, 
in-person child assessments, annual surveys with care providers and 
teachers, direct observations of the quality of different care settings 
and teacher ratings of children. The FACES battery was updated for this 
study to focus particularly on measures likely to be responsive to 
intervention and appropriate for settings other than Head Start. For 
more information please see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/
impact_study/.

--Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project.

    In 1996, 17 Early Head Start (EHS) programs from across the country 
were selected to participate in a rigorous, large-scale, random-
assignment evaluation. The Congressionally-mandated Birth to Three 
Phase (1996-2001) included an Implementation Study, designed to study 
how these very first EHS programs grew over time, and an Impact 
Evaluation, designed to study program impacts on children and families 
through the children's second and third birthdays. In 2001, the 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF) funded the Pre-
Kindergarten Follow-up Phase (2001-2004) to build upon the earlier 
research and follow the children and families who were in the original 
study from the time they left the EHS program until they entered 
kindergarten. For more information please see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/
programs/opre/ehs/ehs_resrch/.

--National Reporting System (NRS).

    In April 2002, as part of the Good Start, Grow Smart initiative, 
President Bush announced a National Reporting System for Head Start to 
conduct direct assessments of Head Start children at the beginning and 
end of the year prior to kindergarten entry. Please see https://
www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/earlychildhood/earlychildhood.html. A brief 
child assessment battery was developed to assess all 4- and 5-year olds 
on a limited set of language, literacy and numeracy outcomes from the 
set of outcomes described in the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework. 
The system was launched in fall, 2003. For more information please see 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/pdf/NRS.pdf.
Related Research Efforts: Enhancing Program Quality and Improving 
Program Practice
    In recent years, a variety of efforts funded by ACF and in 
collaboration with other Federal agencies have been initiated to 
address program quality and to enhance program practice in Head Start 
and Early Head Start programs. As part of these efforts, several 
consortia and projects have been funded to examine use of specific 
approaches and curricula to enhance outcomes:

--Quality Research Center Consortium.

    In 2001, ACF funded a second round of cooperative agreements under 
the Head Start Quality Research Center (QRC) Consortium to promote the 
school readiness of preschool children in Head Start. These five-year 
grants funded partnerships between academic researchers and Head Start 
programs designed to improve child outcomes in the areas of literacy, 
social-emotional development and other domains of school readiness, 
through enhancements to curriculum, teacher training and mentoring, 
parent involvement and assessment practices. Research teams have 
implemented and evaluated their interventions with Head Start program 
partners in an initial site, and then replicated the interventions with 
additional sites. For more information, please see https://
www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/hs/qrc_two/.

--Interagency School Readiness Consortium.

    The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development 
(NICHD), ACF, and the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation 
(ASPE) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 
and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) 
in the U.S. Department of Education collaboratively funded eight 
projects as part of the Interagency School Readiness Consortium (ISRC). 
Grantees were to implement rigorous scientific studies of the 
effectiveness of integrative early childhood interventions and programs 
across a variety of early childhood settings in promoting school 
readiness for children from birth through age five who are at risk for 
school difficulties. Integrative programs were defined as ones that 
include components intended to promote children's school readiness 
across multiple domains of cognitive and socio-emotional functioning.

--Early Promotion and Intervention Research Consortium.

    In 2002, ACF awarded five cooperative agreements as part of the 
Early Promotion and Intervention Research Consortium (E-PIRC). These 
four-year grants funded partnerships between academic researchers and 
Early Head Start programs to develop and test approaches to supporting 
mental health of infants and toddlers and their families. This effort 
is part of the Early Head Start Mental Health initiative, which emerged 
from the Infant Mental Health Forum, a national meeting convened by the 
Head Start Bureau in

[[Page 24070]]

October 2000. Projects funded under the consortium are expected to 
provide empirically validated approaches to providing comprehensive 
mental health services for very young children and their families. For 
more information please see https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/ehs/
epirc/.

--Preschool Curriculum Evaluation Research Program.

    In an effort to address the lack of evidence regarding the 
effectiveness of classroom curricula, the U.S. Department of Education 
awarded seven grants in 2002 under the Preschool Curriculum Evaluation 
Research (PCER) Program. Grantees implemented rigorous evaluations 
(randomized clinical trails) of already developed classroom curricula 
to evaluate their effectiveness in terms of outcomes in areas such as 
language skill, pre-reading and pre-math abilities, cognition, general 
knowledge and social competence. The outcomes of greatest interest in 
the PCER program are those skills that are most highly predictive of 
academic success in the early years of elementary school and that are 
most amenable to influence by factors within the realm of classroom 
curricula and practice. Specific curricula being examined by grantees 
in the PCER Program include ones that are widely used by Head Start 
Programs (e.g., Creative Curriculum) as well as other curricula that 
target literacy and Pre-K mathematics skills. For more information, 
please see https://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2002/07/07252002.html.

--Innovation and Improvement Projects.

    In addition to the various consortia described above, the Head 
Start Bureau recently funded 30 grants to support Innovation and 
Improvement Projects. These projects are based on quality enhancement 
ideas generated by local Head Start programs and partners. Grants 
provide support for a planning period of nine months, and based on the 
results, the Bureau will select a subset to be funded for a three-year 
implementation period.

--Design Options for Studying Head Start Quality Enhancements.

    The goal of this project is to develop plans for systematically 
evaluating the effectiveness of quality enhancement efforts in Head 
Start. Reports from the project will describe advantages and 
disadvantages of various approaches to evaluation, and will discuss the 
challenges of implementing quality enhancement ideas in a way that they 
can be fairly and credibly evaluated. Reports will also identify 
measures of successful implementation of outcomes for children and of 
family and program characteristics.

D. Priorities

    This announcement should be considered in light of the existing 
research programs described in Section C. Several, including the ISRC 
and PCER program, are intended to support large-scale research studies 
documenting the characteristics and effectiveness of curricula, 
interventions or programs across a variety of early childhood settings. 
Funds available under this announcement will support projects that 
complement these efforts by developing and testing the next generation 
of curricula or targeted curriculum adaptations for use in Head Start 
and Early Head Start programs. These curricular approaches will be 
designed to enhance existing practice and support child outcomes by 
addressing special topics or population needs. In future years, larger-
scale studies may be considered to more widely test particularly 
promising approaches emerging from this program.
    Grants funded under this announcement will focus on one or more of 
the following priority areas:

--Curricula for working with Head Start or Early Head Start parents, 
children or staff that target specific outcomes (e.g., language and 
literacy, early mathematics, social-emotional functioning, social 
skills and parenting skills).
--Curricula targeted for specific service delivery modes (e.g., home-
based or family child care).
    Special priorities include curricula designed or adapted for use 
with:

--Under-served Head Start and Early Head Start populations such as 
English Language Learners, dual English/Native Language speakers; 
expectant women and families; American Indian/Alaska Natives, and 
Migrant and Seasonal children and families.
--Children and families considered to be at risk, such as children with 
disabilities (including behavioral disorders); children with 
developmental delays; families experiencing substance abuse or mental 
illness; and families involved in the child welfare system.

    Applicants funded under this announcement will provide plans for 
development, implementation and initial evaluation of the curricular 
approach. An important element of this announcement is the requirement 
that researchers demonstrate a partnership or partnerships with Head 
Start or Early Head Start programs during all of these phases. The 
first year of the grant is expected to be devoted to activities related 
to curriculum development and planning for implementation. The goals in 
this stage are to ensure that the theory guiding development of the 
approach is well-defined, implementation procedures and documentation 
are developed, measures of fidelity are established and appropriate 
outcome measures are selected or developed. During years two and three 
of the grant, implementation and initial evaluation of the approach 
will take place. The applicant should provide plans for conducting both 
a process and an outcome evaluation. The process evaluation will 
provide information about whether the approach can be implemented 
successfully and with a reasonable level of resources. The outcome 
evaluation will provide information about the effectiveness of the 
approach as implemented under favorable conditions (that is, in Head 
Start/Early Head Start programs working in partnership with the 
researcher).
    Based on availability of funds, successful grantees may be selected 
through a limited competition to conduct additional studies (including 
larger-scale studies incorporating treatment and control groups formed 
through random assignment) of selected approaches and to disseminate 
products in manualized form. Curricula developed under this 
announcement are governed by the terms of 45 CFR part 74.36 regarding 
subsequent sale and distribution.

Priority Area

1. Description

II. Award Information

    Funding Instrument Type: Grant.
    Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding: $1,000,000.
    Anticipated Number of Awards: 8 to 10.
    Ceiling on Amount of Individual Awards: $100,000 per budget period.
    Floor on Amount of Individual Awards: None.
    Average Projected Award Amount: $100,000 per budget period.
    Length of Project Periods: 36 month project with three 12 month 
budget periods.
    The Federal share of project costs shall not exceed $100,000 for 
the first 12-month budget period inclusive of indirect costs and shall 
not exceed $200,000 per year for the second through third 12-month 
budget periods. An application that exceeds the upper value dollar 
range specified will be considered ``non-responsive'' and be

[[Page 24071]]

returned to the applicant without further review. The project period 
will be up to three years. The initial award will be for the first one-
year budget period. Requests for a second and/or third year of funding 
within the project period should be identified in the current 
application (on SF-424A), but such requests will be considered in 
subsequent years on a noncompetitive basis, subject to the applicant's 
eligibility status, the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of 
the grantee, and a determination that continued funding would be in the 
best interest of the government.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
     State controlled institutions of higher education.
     Non-profits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other 
than institutions of higher education.
     Private institutions of higher education.
    Additional Information on Eligibility:
    A. Eligible applicants are universities, four-year colleges, and 
not-for-profit institutions on behalf of researchers who hold a 
doctorate degree or equivalent in their respective fields. The 
Principal Investigator must conduct research as a primary professional 
responsibility, and have published or have been accepted for 
publication in the major peer-reviewed research journals in the field 
as a first author or second author.
    B. An important element of this announcement is the requirement 
that researchers demonstrate a partnership or partnerships with Head 
Start or Early Head Start programs as part of the development, 
piloting, refinement, training, and use of curricula. The application 
must contain a ``Letter of Agreement'' from the Head Start or Early 
Head Start program certifying that they have entered into a partnership 
with the applicant and a separate letter stating that the application 
has been reviewed and approved by the Head Start or Early Head Start 
Policy Council (see Section IV. Application and Submission Information 
for further details about these letters).
    C. The Principal Investigator must agree to attend two meetings 
each year. The first is an annual grantee meeting, which is typically 
scheduled during the summer or fall of each year and is held in 
Washington, DC. The second meeting each year alternates between the 
biennial Head Start National Research Conference in Washington, DC 
(June 26-29, 2006) and the biennial meeting of the Society for Research 
in Child Development (SRCD). The budget should reflect travel funds for 
such purposes.
    Faith-based and community-based organizations are eligible to 
apply.
    Please see Section V.1 Evaluation Criteria for more information on 
how applications will be scored based on these program requirements.
    2. Cost Sharing/Matching: None.
    3. Other:
    All applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet number. On June 27, 
2003 the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal 
Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant 
applicants. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a 
Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when 
applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after 
October 1, 2003. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant 
is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide 
electronic portal (https://www.Grants.gov). A DUNS number will be 
required for every application for a new award or renewal/continuation 
of an award, including applications or plans under formula, entitlement 
and block grant programs, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
    Please ensure that your organization has a DUNS number. You may 
acquire a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free 
DUNS number request line on 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number 
on-line at https://www.dnb.com.
    Non-profit organizations applying for funding are required to 
submit proof of their non-profit status.
    Proof of non-profit status is any one of the following:
     A reference to the applicant organization's listing in the 
Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt 
organizations described in the IRS Code.
     A copy of a currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate.
     A statement from a State taxing body, State attorney 
general, or other appropriate State official certifying that the 
applicant organization has a non-profit status and that none of the net 
earning accrue to any private shareholders or individuals.
     A certified copy of the organization's certificate of 
incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit 
status.
     Any of the items in the subparagraphs immediately above 
for a State or national parent organization and a statement signed by 
the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-
profit affiliate.
    When applying electronically we strongly suggest you attach your 
proof of non-profit status with your electronic application.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Disqualification Factors:
    Applications that exceed the ceiling amount will be considered non-
responsive and will not be considered for funding under this 
announcement.
    Any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements 
referenced in Section IV.3 will be considered non-responsive and will 
not be considered for funding under this announcement.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Head Start Research 
Support Technical Assistance Team, OPRE Grant Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 
8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, Vienna, VA 22182, Phone: 877-663-0250, 
E-mail: opre@xtria.com.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission:
    Notice of Intent to Submit an Application:
    If you plan to submit an application, you must notify us by fax or 
e-mail by June 3, 2005. This information will be used only to determine 
the number of expert reviewers needed to review the applications. 
Include only the following information in this fax or e-mail: the 
number and title of this announcement; the names, addresses, telephone 
and fax numbers, e-mail addresses of the principle investigator and the 
fiscal agent (if known); and the name of the university, non-profit 
institution of higher education or other eligible organization. Do not 
include a description of your proposed project. Send this information 
to:
    ``Head Start Research Support Technical Assistance Team'', Fax: 1-
703-356-0472, E-mail: opre@xtria.com.
    Format and Organization: Applicants are strongly encouraged to 
limit their application to 100 pages, double-spaced, with standard one-
inch margins and 12 point fonts. This page limit applies to both 
narrative text and supporting materials but not the Standard Federal 
Forms (see list below). Applicants must number the pages of their 
application beginning with the Table of Contents.
    Applicants are advised to include all required forms and materials 
and to

[[Page 24072]]

organize these materials according to the format, and in the order, 
presented below:
    a. Cover letter.
    b. Contact information sheet (see details below).
    c. Standard Federal forms.
    Standard Application for Federal Assistance (form 424).
    Budget Information--Non-construction Programs (424A).
    Certifications regarding lobbying.
    Disclosures of lobbying activities (if necessary).
    Certification regarding environmental tobacco smoke.
    Assurance Regarding Non-construction Programs (form 424B).
    Assurance regarding protection of human subjects.
    d. Table of contents.
    e. Project abstract (not to exceed one page).
    f. Project narrative statement (see details below).
    g. Appendices.
    Proof of nonprofit status (see Section III.3).
    Letter(s) of agreement with Head Start program(s) (see details 
below).
    Letter(s) of agreement with Head Start Policy Council(s) (see 
details below).
    Curriculum vitae for principal investigators.
    Content of Contact Information Sheet: The contact information sheet 
should include complete contact information, including addresses, phone 
and fax numbers, and e-mail addresses, for the Principal 
Investigator(s), and the institution's grants/financial officer (person 
who signs the SF-424).
    Content of Project Narrative Statement: The project narrative 
should be carefully developed in accordance with ACF's research goals 
and agenda, as described in the Purpose, Background, and Priorities 
sections of this funding opportunity, and the structure requirements 
listed in Section V. Application Review Information.
    Content of Letters of Agreement: For research conducted with Head 
Start, the application must contain (A) an original copy of a letter 
from the Head Start or Early Head Start program certifying that they 
have entered into a research partnership with the applicant and (B) a 
separate letter certifying that the application has been reviewed and 
approved by the local Head Start Program Policy Council. This 
certification or approval or pending approval by the Policy Council 
must be an original letter from the official representative of the 
Policy Council itself.
    You may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper 
format. To submit an application electronically, please use the https://
www.Grants.gov/Apply site. If you use Grants.gov, you will be able to 
download a copy of the application package, complete it off-line, and 
then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. ACF 
will not accept grant applications via email or facsimile transmission.
    Please note the following if you plan to submit your application 
electronically via Grants.gov:
     Electronic submission is voluntary, but strongly 
encouraged.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation. We strongly recommend that you 
do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process through Grants.gov.
     We recommend you visit Grants.gov at least 30 days prior 
to filing your application to fully understand the process and 
requirements. We encourage applicants who submit electronically to 
submit well before the closing date and time so that if difficulties 
are encountered an applicant can still send in a hard copy overnight. 
If you encounter difficulties, please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk 
at 1-800-518-4276 to report the problem and obtain assistance with the 
system.
     To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a DUNS 
Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You 
should allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the SF 424 and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
     Your application must comply with any page limitation 
requirements described in this program announcement.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Children and 
Families will retrieve your application from Grants.gov.
     We may request that you provide original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
     You may access the electronic application for this program 
on https://www.Grants.gov.
     You must search for the downloadable application package 
by the CFDA number.
    Applicants that are submitting their application in paper format 
should submit an original and two copies of the complete application. 
The original and each of the two copies must include all required 
forms, certifications, assurances, and appendices, be signed by an 
authorized representative, have original signatures, and be submitted 
unbound.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Standard Forms and Certifications:
    The project description should include all the information 
requirements described in the specific evaluation criteria outlined in 
the program announcement under Section V Application Review 
Information. In addition to the project description, the applicant 
needs to complete all the standard forms required for making 
applications for awards under this announcement.
    Applicants seeking financial assistance under this announcement 
must file the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal 
Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; SF-
424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The forms may be 
reproduced for use in submitting applications. Applicants must sign and 
return the standard forms with their application.
    Applicants must furnish prior to award an executed copy of the 
Standard Form LLL, Certification Regarding Lobbying, when applying for 
an award in excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal 
funds for lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance 
under this announcement shall complete a disclosure form, if 
applicable, with their applications (approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget under control number 0348-0046). Applicants must 
sign and return the certification with their application.
    Applicants must also understand they will be held accountable for 
the smoking prohibition included within Pub. L. 103-227, Title XII 
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (also known as the PRO-KIDS Act of 1994). A 
copy of the Federal Register notice which implements the smoking 
prohibition is included with this form.

[[Page 24073]]

By signing and submitting the application, applicants are providing the 
certification and need not mail back the certification with the 
application.
    Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their 
compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. By 
signing and submitting the applications, applicants are providing the 
certification and need not mail back the certification form. Complete 
the standard forms and the associated certifications and assurances 
based on the instructions on the forms. The forms and certifications 
may be found at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Those organizations required to provide proof of non-profit status, 
please refer to Section III.3.
    Please see Section V.1 for instructions on preparing the full 
project description.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Due Date For Letter of Intent or Preapplications: 6/3/2005.
    Due Date for Applications: 07/1/2005.

Explanation of Due Dates

    The closing time and date for receipt of applications is referenced 
above. Applications received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the 
closing date will be classified as late.
    Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting an announced 
deadline if they are received on or before the deadline time and date 
referenced in Section IV.6. Applicants are responsible for ensuring 
applications are mailed or submitted electronically well in advance of 
the application due date.
    Applications hand carried by applicants, applicant couriers, other 
representatives of the applicant, or by overnight/express mail couriers 
shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are 
received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., eastern time, at the address referenced in Section 
IV.6., between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays).
    ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by facsimile. 
Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF by fax will not be accepted 
regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt.
    Late Applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria above 
are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant 
that its application will not be considered in the current competition.
    Any application received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the 
deadline date will not be considered for competition.
    Applicants using express/overnight mail services should allow two 
working days prior to the deadline date for receipt of applications. 
Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not 
always deliver as agreed.
    Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend application deadlines when 
circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur, or 
when there are widespread disruptions of mail service, or in other rare 
cases. A determination to extend or waive deadline requirements rests 
with the Chief Grants Management Officer.
    Receipt acknowledgement for application packages will be provided 
to applicants who submit their package via mail, courier services, or 
by hand delivery. Applicants will receive an electronic acknowledgement 
for applications that are submitted via https://www.Grants.gov.
    Checklist:
    You may use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your 
application package.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        What to submit              Required content                    Required form or format                              When to submit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Abstract..............  See Sections IV.2 and V.  Found in Sections IV.2 and V.......................  By application due date.
Project Description...........  See Sections IV.2 and V.  Found in Sections IV.2 and V.......................  By application due date.
Budget Narrative/Justification  See Sections IV.2 and V.  Found in Sections IV.2 and V.......................  By application due date.
SF424.........................  See Section IV.2........  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm..  By application due date.
SF-LLL Certification Regarding  See Section IV.2........  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm..  By date of award.
 Lobbying.
Certification Regarding         See Section IV.2........  See https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm..  By date of award.
 Environmental Tobacco Smoke.
Assurances....................  See Section IV.2........  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm......  By date of award.
Letter of Intent..............  See Section IV.2........  Found in Section IV.2..............................  06/03/2005.
Table of Contents.............  See Section IV.2........  Found in Section IV.2..............................  By application due date.
Support Letters...............  IV.2....................  IV.2...............................................  By application due date.
Proof of Non-Profit Status....  See Section III.3.......  Found in Section III.3.............................  By date of award.
Letters of Agreement with Head  IV.2....................  IV.2...............................................  By date of award.
 Start Program(s).
Letters of Agreement with Head  IV.2....................  IV.2...............................................  By date of award.
 Start Program(s)Policy
 Council.
Curriculum Vitae for Principal  IV.2....................  IV.2...............................................  By date of award.
 Investigators.
Assurance Regarding Protection  IV.2....................  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm......  By date of award.
 of Human Subjects.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Forms:
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

[[Page 24074]]



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        What to submit              Required content                    Required form or format                              When to submit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey for Private, Non-Profit  See form................  Found in https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ By application due date.
 Grant Applicants.                                         forms.htm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    4. Intergovernmental Review:

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC)

    This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services 
Programs and Activities.'' Under the Order, States may design their own 
processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance 
under covered programs.
    As of October 1, 2004, the following jurisdictions have elected to 
participate in the Executive Order process: Arkansas, California, 
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, 
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New 
Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South 
Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, American Samoa, Guam, 
North Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. As these 
jurisdictions have elected to participate in the Executive Order 
process, they have established SPOCs. Applicants from participating 
jurisdictions should contact their SPOC, as soon as possible, to alert 
them of prospective applications and receive instructions. Applicants 
must submit all required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate 
the date of this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is 
required) on the Standard Form 424, item 16a. Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2).
    A SPOC has 60 days from the application deadline to comment on 
proposed new or competing continuation awards. SPOCs are encouraged to 
eliminate the submission of routine endorsements as official 
recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly 
differentiate between mere advisory comments and those official State 
process recommendations which may trigger the ``accommodate or 
explain'' rule.
    When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be 
addressed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management, 
Division of Discretionary Grants, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 4th 
floor, Washington, DC 20447.
    Although the remaining jurisdictions have chosen not to participate 
in the process, entities that meet the eligibility requirements of the 
program are still eligible to apply for a grant even if a State, 
Territory, Commonwealth, etc. does not have a SPOC. Therefore, 
applicants from these jurisdictions, or for projects administered by 
federally-recognized Indian Tribes, need take no action in regard to 
E.O. 12372.
    The official list, including addresses, of the jurisdictions that 
have elected to participate in E.O. 12372 can be found on the following 
URL: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
    5. Funding Restrictions:
    Grant awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
    6. Other Submission Requirements:
    Submission by Mail: An applicant must provide an original 
application with all attachments, signed by an authorized 
representative and two copies. Please see Section IV.3 for an 
explanation of due dates. Applications should be mailed to: Head Start 
Research Support Technical Assistance Team, OPRE Grant Review Team, 
Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, Vienna, VA 22182.
    Hand Delivery: An applicant must provide an original application 
with all attachments signed by an authorized representative and two 
copies. The application must be received at the address below by 4:30 
p.m. eastern time on or before the closing date. Applications that are 
hand delivered will be accepted between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. Applications should be 
delivered to: Head Start Research Support Technical Assistance Team, 
OPRE Grant Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, 
Vienna, VA 22182.
    Electronic Submission: Please see Section IV.2 for guidelines and 
requirements when submitting applications electronically via https://
www.Grants.gov.

V. Application Review Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 25 hours per response, including the time for 
reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed and 
reviewing the collection information.
    The project description is approved under OMB control number 0970-
0139 which expires 4/30/2007.
    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.
    1. Criteria:
    The following are instructions and guidelines on how to prepare the 
``project summary/abstract'' and ``full project description'' sections 
of the application. Under the evaluation criteria section, note that 
each criterion is preceded by the generic evaluation requirement under 
the ACF Uniform Project Description (UPD).

Part I--The Project Description Overview

Purpose

    The project description provides a major means by which an 
application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications 
for available assistance. The project description should be concise and 
complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are 
being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can 
present information clearly and succinctly. In preparing your project 
description, information responsive to each of the requested evaluation 
criteria must be provided. Awarding offices use this and other 
information in making their funding recommendations. It is important, 
therefore, that this information be included in the application in a 
manner that is clear and complete.

General Instructions

    ACF is particularly interested in specific project descriptions 
that focus on outcomes and convey strategies for achieving intended 
performance. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of 
substance and measurable outcomes, not length. Extensive exhibits are 
not required. Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. 
Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly 
funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an 
integral part of the grant funded activity should be placed in an 
appendix.

[[Page 24075]]

    Pages should be numbered and a table of contents should be included 
for easy reference.

Project Summary/Abstract

    Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with 
reference to the funding request.

Results or Benefits Expected

    Identify the results and benefits to be derived.
    For example, explain how your proposed project will achieve the 
specific goals and objectives you have set. Or, explain how the 
expected results will benefit the population to be served in meeting 
its needs for early learning services and activities. What lessons will 
be learned which might help other agencies and organizations that are 
addressing the needs of a similar population?

Approach

    Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how 
the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or 
activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might 
accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the 
proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of 
the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in 
cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement.
    Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the 
accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such 
terms as the number of people to be served and the number of activities 
accomplished.

Evaluation

    Provide a narrative addressing how the conduct of the project and 
the results of the project will be evaluated. In addressing the 
evaluation of results, state how you will determine the extent to which 
the project has achieved its stated objectives and the extent to which 
the accomplishment of objectives can be attributed to the project. 
Discuss the criteria to be used to evaluate results, and explain the 
methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified and 
discussed are being met and if the project results and benefits are 
being achieved. With respect to the conduct of the project, define the 
procedures to be employed to determine whether the project is being 
conducted in a manner consistent with the work plan presented and 
discuss the impact of the project's various activities on the project's 
effectiveness.

Staff and Position Data

    Provide a biographical sketch and job description for each key 
person appointed. Job descriptions for each vacant key position should 
be included as well. As new key staff is appointed, biographical 
sketches will also be required.

Organizational Profiles

    Provide information on the applicant organization(s) and 
cooperating partners, such as organizational charts, financial 
statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed Public 
Accountants, Employer Identification Numbers, names of bond carriers, 
contact persons and telephone numbers, child care licenses and other 
documentation of professional accreditation, information on compliance 
with Federal/State/local government standards, documentation of 
experience in the program area, and other pertinent information. If the 
applicant is a non-profit organization, submit proof of non-profit 
status in its application.
    The non-profit agency can accomplish this by providing: (a) A 
reference to the applicant organization's listing in the Internal 
Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations 
described in the IRS Code; (b) a copy of a currently valid IRS tax 
exemption certificate, (c) a statement from a State taxing body, State 
attorney general, or other appropriate State official certifying that 
the applicant organization has a non-profit status and that none of the 
net earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals; (d) a 
certified copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation or 
similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status, (e) any of 
the items immediately above for a State or national parent organization 
and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant 
organization is a local non-profit affiliate.

Letters of Support

    Provide statements from community, public and commercial leaders 
that support the project proposed for funding. All submissions should 
be included in the application or by application deadline.

Budget and Budget Justification

    Provide a budget with line item detail and detailed calculations 
for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. 
Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit 
costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the 
calculation to be duplicated. Also include a breakout by the funding 
sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the 
categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, 
and allocability of the proposed costs.

General

    Use the following guidelines for preparing the budget and budget 
justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed 
and justified in the budget and narrative justification. ``Federal 
resources'' refers only to the ACF grant for which you are applying. 
``Non Federal resources'' are all other Federal and non-Federal 
resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be 
presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; 
second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), 
and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be a 
narrative.

Personnel

    Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.
    Justification: Identify the project director or principal 
investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time 
commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project 
(as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, 
wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel 
costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or businesses to 
be financed by the applicant.

Fringe Benefits

    Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as 
part of an approved indirect cost rate.
    Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages 
that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, 
retirement insurance, taxes, etc.

Travel

    Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the 
applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel).
    Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), 
travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if 
privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs 
and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF-
sponsored workshops should be detailed in the budget.

[[Page 24076]]

Equipment

    Description: ``Equipment'' means an article of nonexpendable, 
tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year 
and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of (a) the 
capitalization level established by the organization for the financial 
statement purposes, or (b) $5,000. (Note: Acquisition cost means the 
net invoice unit price of an item of equipment, including the cost of 
any modifications, attachments, accessories, or auxiliary apparatus 
necessary to make it usable for the purpose for which it is acquired. 
Ancillary charges, such as taxes, duty, protective in-transit 
insurance, freight, and installation shall be included in or excluded 
from acquisition cost in accordance with the organization's regular 
written accounting practices.)
    Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a 
description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, 
the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or 
disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An applicant 
organization that uses its own definition for equipment should provide 
a copy of its policy or section of its policy which includes the 
equipment definition.

Supplies

    Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than 
that included under the Equipment category.
    Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their 
costs. Show computations and provide other information which supports 
the amount requested.

Contractual

    Description: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except 
for those that belong under other categories such as equipment, 
supplies, construction, etc. Include third party evaluation contracts 
(if applicable) and contracts with secondary recipient organizations, 
including delegate agencies and specific project(s) or businesses to be 
financed by the applicant.
    Justification: Demonstrate that all procurement transactions will 
be conducted in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, 
open and free competition. Recipients and subrecipients, other than 
States that are required to use part 92 procedures, must justify any 
anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without 
competition and exceed the simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 
U.S.C. 403(11) (currently set at $100,000).
    Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-award 
review and procurement documents, such as request for proposals or 
invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc.

    Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the 
project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed 
budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency 
title, along with the required supporting information referred to in 
these instructions.

Other

    Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable 
and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, food, 
medical and dental costs (noncontractual), professional services costs, 
space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, 
training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development costs, 
and administrative costs.
    Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a 
justification for each cost under this category.

Indirect Charges

    Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should 
be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate 
approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or 
another cognizant Federal agency.
    Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the 
grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the 
applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or 
renegotiating a rate, upon notification that an award will be made, it 
should immediately develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal 
based on its most recently completed fiscal year, in accordance with 
the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, 
and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of 
their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. When an 
indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect 
cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. 
Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is 
allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the 
applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the 
applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.

Non-Federal Resources

    Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to 
support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be 
documented and submitted with the application so the applicant is given 
credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for 
each funding source.

Evaluation Criteria

    The following evaluation criteria appear in weighted descending 
order. The corresponding score values indicate the relative importance 
that ACF places on each evaluation criterion; however, applicants need 
not develop their applications precisely according to the order 
presented. Application components may be organized such that a reviewer 
will be able to follow a seamless and logical flow of information 
(i.e., from a broad overview of the project to more detailed 
information about how it will be conducted).
    In considering how applicants will carry out the responsibilities 
addressed under this announcement, competing applications for financial 
assistance will be reviewed and evaluated against the following 
criteria:

Approach--35 Points

    In reviewing the project approach, the following factors will be 
considered:

--The nature of the planned approach as well as the research questions 
are adequately described
--The planned approach addresses one or more of the priority areas 
identified in this announcement
--The applicant provides a clear description of how the proposed 
curriculum or enhancement is distinct from the existing program 
approach.
--The planned approach reflects sufficient input from and partnership 
with Head Start or Early Head Start program(s) during all phases of the 
project, including in the development, piloting, refinement, training, 
and use of curricula [The application must contain a ``Letter of 
Agreement'' from the Head Start or Early Head Start program certifying 
that they have entered into a partnership with the applicant and a 
separate letter stating that the application has been reviewed and 
approved by the Head Start or Early Head Start Policy Council, as 
required in section IV.2]
--The applicant describes steps to ensure appropriate accommodation for 
children with special needs or for children for whom English is not a 
native language when these groups of children are included in the study
--The applicant provides clearly articulated and well-founded goals and 
timeframes for completion of various phases of the project

[[Page 24077]]

(development, implementation, evaluation)
--The applicant provides a convincing plan for ensuring that the 
fidelity of the curricular approach will be maintained and that 
relevant training, materials and support are provided
--The applicant provides plans for developing appropriate documentation 
for use in training and dissemination
--The scope of the project is reasonable for the funds available for 
these grants

Staff and Position Data--20 Points

    In reviewing the staff and position data, the following factors 
will be considered:

--The extent to which the applicant is a university, four-year colleges 
and not-for-profit institutions on behalf of a Principal Investigator 
as defined below
--The extent to which the Principal Investigator and other key staff 
possess the programmatic and research expertise necessary to conduct 
the study, as demonstrated in the application and information contained 
in their vitae
--The extent to which the proposed staff have experience in working i