Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Overview Information, Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities and Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities-National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006, 76039-76044 [E5-7720]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices Abstract: Data collection to identify adult education sites eligible to participate in the Adult ESL Explicit Literacy Impact Study. A sample of adult education program coordinators are the primary respondents. Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from https:// edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ‘‘Browse Pending Collections’’ link and by clicking on link number 2907. When you access the information collection, click on ‘‘Download Attachments ‘‘ to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202–4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to the Internet address OCIO_RIMG@ed.gov or faxed to 202–245–6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be directed to Kim Rudolph, Docket Manager at her e-mail address Kim.Rudolph@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1– 800–877–8339. [FR Doc. E5–7654 Filed 12–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The Leader, Information Management Case Services Team, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of the Chief Information Officer invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before January 23, 2006. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Rachel Potter, Desk Officer, Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or faxed to (202) 395–6974. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES DATES: VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:55 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency’s ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Leader, Information Management Case Services Team, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. Dated: December 15, 2005. Angela C. Arrington, Leader, Information Management Case Services Team, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of the Chief Information Officer. Institute of Education Sciences Type of Review: Revision. Title: Evaluation of States’ Monitoring and Improvement Practices Under IDEA: Site Visit Data Collection. Frequency: Two times. Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Gov’t, SEAs or LEAs. Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden: Responses: 440. Burden Hours: 1,100. Abstract: States’ monitoring and improvement practices under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are vital to ensuring that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education and that infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services. The purpose of this study is to evaluate states’ monitoring and related improvement practices under IDEA. This study will describe the nature and scope of monitoring as implemented by the 50 states and the District of Columbia for Parts B and C of IDEA, assess the effect of the quality of states’ monitoring and related improvement practices on key outcomes of Parts B and C of IDEA, and identify and develop recommendations for potential best practices in PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 76039 monitoring and identify areas for ongoing technical assistance. Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from https:// edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ‘‘Browse Pending Collections’’ link and by clicking on link number 2909. When you access the information collection, click on ‘‘Download Attachments’’ to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202–4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to Kim.Rudolph@ed.gov or faxed to 202– 245–6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to Kim Rudolph, Docket Manager at her e-mail address Kim.Rudolph@ed.gov. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877– 8339. [FR Doc. E5–7656 Filed 12–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Overview Information, Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities and Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities—National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are Deaf-Blind Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326T. Dates: Applications Available: December 22, 2005. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 10, 2006. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 11, 2006. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under State law, institutions of higher education (IHEs), other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations. E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 76040 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested $49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,850,000 for the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind competition. The Administration has also requested $90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program, of which we intend to use an estimated $250,000 to support the personnel training activities of the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind. The actual levels of funding, if any, depend on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $2,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. A minimum of $250,000 must be budgeted in each budget period of 12 months for the personnel training activities described under the heading Activity Area (3) in the Priority section of this notice because the Secretary intends to support these activities of the project from funds provided under section 662 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change these maximum amounts through a notice published in the Federal Register. Number of Awards: 1. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Up to 60 months. Full Text of Announcement cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program promotes academic achievement and improves results for children with disabilities by supporting technical assistance, model demonstration projects, dissemination of useful information, and implementation activities that are supported by scientifically based research. The purposes of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-identified VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:55 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 needs for highly qualified personnel—in special education, related services, early intervention, and regular education—to work with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel have the skills and knowledge—derived from practices that have been determined through research and experience to be successful—that are needed to serve those children. Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 662(b)(2)(C), 663, and 681(d) of IDEA). Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority. This priority is: National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind. Background IDEA requires that each child with a disability be provided appropriate special education and related services that meet the child’s individual educational needs. For children who are deaf and blind to receive such services, intensive technical assistance is needed to enable SEAs and LEAs to appropriately address the special needs of these children. In addition, given the low-incidence nature of the deaf-blind population, many early intervention programs and educational agencies lack personnel with the training or experience to serve the unique needs of these children. Priority This priority supports one center (the Center) to provide specialized technical assistance, training, dissemination, and informational services to States, families, and agencies and organizations that are responsible for the provision of early intervention, special education, and related and transitional services for children through age 26 who are deafblind. This priority emphasizes building capacity and the implementation of systems interventions so that quality outcomes can be achieved for all children who are deaf-blind. Under this priority, the Center’s activities must address gaps in the knowledge of service providers, including knowledge of evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for the deaf-blind population. The Center must accomplish this mission through a combination of activities in the following areas: (1) Technical assistance, (2) information and dissemination, and (3) personnel training. Activity Area (1): The Center’s technical assistance activities must PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) Identifying specific project goals, objectives, and activities for providing an array of services to States, families, and agencies and organizations that are responsible for providing services to children who are deaf-blind. (b) Assisting SEAs and LEAs, including those receiving funds under the Projects for Children who are DeafBlind competition—CFDA 84.326C (State Projects), and other related agencies and organizations, in developing and implementing systemicchange goals supported by available evidence-based research for children with deaf-blindness. (c) Providing assistance to State Projects and agencies to increase the States’ capacities to improve early intervention, special education, and related and transitional services to improve outcomes for children who are deaf-blind and their families. (d) Facilitating activities and enhancing collaborative partnerships that build the capacity of children who are deaf-blind and their families for advocacy, empowerment, and increased knowledge. (e) Communicating, collaborating, and forming partnerships as appropriate, and as directed by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), with others to improve results for children who are deaf-blind and their families. (f) Gathering, maintaining, and analyzing demographic information of children who are deaf-blind for the purpose of developing project priorities based on data documenting the needs of these children. (g) Convening topical meetings, at the request of OSEP, to study issues and develop recommendations for addressing challenges related to issues in the field of deaf-blindness. (h) Assisting State Projects, agencies, and organizations to strengthen collaborative partnerships with parents and families, and developing strategies to more effectively serve families representing different cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds. (i) Assisting State Projects in identifying effective evaluation strategies for collecting and analyzing data to improve results for children. (j) Promoting the improvement of student achievement in language arts, science, and math for children who are deaf-blind. Activity Area (2): The Center’s information and dissemination activities must include, but are not limited to, the following: (a) Identifying, collecting, organizing, and disseminating information related E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices to deaf-blindness, including researchbased and other practices that are supported by evidence-based research that demonstrates their effectiveness in improving results for children who are deaf-blind. (b) Responding to information requests from professionals, parents, students, institutions of higher education, and others, and developing and implementing appropriate strategies for disseminating information to underrepresented groups, including those with limited English proficiency. (c) Developing a broad, coordinated network of professionals, parents, related organizations and associations, mass media, and others for promoting awareness of issues related to deafblindness. This may include using the Internet and other cost-effective methods to share information with the international deaf-blindness community. (d) Expanding and broadening the use of current informational resources by developing materials that synthesize evidence-based research, best practices, and emerging knowledge into easily understandable products with accessible formats. (e) Developing and disseminating materials and products to supplement technical assistance and training, including synthesized research findings on relevant topics such as communication, assessments, accommodations, alternate assessments, and data analysis. (f) Maintaining a Web site, with a dedicated URL, on which all ongoing, and completed products, as well as related information, are available in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility. The Web site also must contain other features that facilitate communication and links to other Web sites that are appropriate and helpful to users. Activity Area (3): The Center’s personnel training activities must consist of activities authorized under section 662(b)(2)(C) of IDEA, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) Implementing and maintaining an assessment of the needs of individual States and the overall needs of States to determine the array, type, and intensity of personnel training to be provided. (b) Providing personnel training that focuses on the implementation of IDEA specific to children who are deaf-blind and their families. (c) Providing personnel training that focuses on the implementation of research-based, effective practices that will result in improved capacity of SEAs and LEAs to provide appropriate VerDate Aug<31>2005 17:05 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 assessment, planning, placement, and transitional services. (d) Assisting personnel training programs to work collaboratively in order to assist a greater number of teachers and paraprofessionals. This includes facilitating career development activities by promoting internships, mentorships, and other strategies to address the shortage of leadership and highly qualified personnel in the field of deaf-blindness. General Activities. The Center also must: (a) Annually, provide OSEP with a report analyzing policies and emerging issues that are of significant national concern in the field of deaf-blindness. This report must include a narrative description that reflects important demographic characteristics, data, and trends; (b) Annually, establish and implement a comprehensive system of evaluation to determine the impact of the Center’s activities on children with deaf-blindness, identify relevant achievements, and identify strategies for improvement; (c) Collaborate with the OSEP Project Officer in planning and conducting the annual Project Directors’ Meeting in Washington, DC, and budget funds for that purpose; and (d) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to assist in promoting project activities. The committee must include at least one individual with deaf-blindness, one parent of a child with deaf-blindness, one representative of an SEA, and at least three professionals with training and experience in serving children with deaf-blindness. Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in addition: (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts selected by the Secretary, which review will be conducted during the last half of the project’s second year in Washington, DC. Projects must budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive review; (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the Center. (c) The degree to which the project promotes best practices in the area of services to children who are deaf-blind. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 76041 generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on a proposed priority. However, section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements under the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462(b)(2)(C), 1463, and 1481(d). Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. 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 IHEs only. II. Award Information Type of Award: Cooperative agreement. Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested $49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,850,000 for the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind competition. The Administration has also requested $90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program, of which we intend to use an estimated $250,000 to support the personnel training activities of the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind. The actual levels of funding, if any, depend on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $2,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. A minimum of $250,000 must be budgeted in each budget period of 12 months for the personnel training activities described under the heading Activity Area (3) in the Priority section of this notice because the Secretary intends to support these activities of the project from funds provided under section 662 of IDEA. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change these maximum amounts through a notice published in the Federal Register. Number of Awards: 1. E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 76042 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Up to 60 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools that are LEAs under State law, IHEs, other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost sharing or matching. 3. Other: General Requirements—(a) The projects funded under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA). (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA). cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794–1398. Telephone (toll free): 1– 877–433–7827. FAX: (301) 470–1244. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1–877–576–7734. You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: https://www.ed.gov/pubs/ edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov. If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.326T. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. 2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this competition. Page Limit: The application narrative (part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:55 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 your application. You must limit part III to the equivalent of no more than 70 pages, using 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). The 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; the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in part III. We will reject your application if: • You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or • You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit. 3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: December 22, 2005. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 10, 2006. Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice. We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 11, 2006. 4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this competition. 5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. 6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. a. Electronic Submission of Applications. PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department’s e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President’s Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. The National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind-CFDA Number 84.326T is one of the competitions included in this project. We request your participation in Grants.gov. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the Grants.gov Apply site at https:// www.Grants.gov Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. You may access the electronic grant application for The National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind at: https:// www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search. Please note the following: • Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary. • 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. • Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. • The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov. • You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are included in the application package for this competition to ensure that you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to Grants.gov at https://eGrants.ed.gov/help/ GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf. • To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see https://www.Grants.gov/ GetStarted). These steps include (1) registering your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see https:// www.grants.gov/assets/ GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov. • You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format. • You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material. • Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice. • After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:55 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application). • We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted. Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system. b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address: By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.326T), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202– 4260, or By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center—Stop 4260, PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 76043 Attention: (CFDA Number 84.326T), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785–1506. Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following: (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark, (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service, (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing: (1) A private metered postmark, or (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service. If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application. Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office. c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery. If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.326T), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays. Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department: (1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 4 of ED 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application. (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245– 6288. V. Application Review Information Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are from 34 E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1 76044 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 245 / Thursday, December 22, 2005 / Notices CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package. VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. 4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will yield information on various aspects of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program. These measures focus on: the extent to which projects provide high quality products and services, the relevance of project products and services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice. We will notify grantees if they will be required to provide any information related to these measures. Grantees will also be required to report information on their projects’ performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590). cchase on PROD1PC60 with NOTICES VII. Agency Contact FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Freeman, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4097, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–7347. VerDate Aug<31>2005 16:55 Dec 21, 2005 Jkt 208001 If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1– 800–877–8339. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request by contacting the following office: The Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245– 7363. VIII. Other Information Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/ fedregister. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1– 888–293–6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512–1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/ index.html. Dated: December 19, 2005. John H. Hager, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. E5–7720 Filed 12–21–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has plans to set aside $33,024,000 for the Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects for American Indians With Disabilities program for FY 2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $2,700,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Estimated Median Amount of Awards: The estimated median amount of an award is $500,000, which means that one-half of the awards will be over $500,000 and one-half of the awards will be under $500,000, with the majority of awards in the range of approximately $350,000 to $575,000. Maximum Award: There is no maximum award amount for the first project year. However, when preparing your submission, applicants should be aware that we anticipate an increase of about three percent in the award amounts for this program compared to FY 2005. In addition, the Secretary may limit any proposed increases in funding for project years two through five to the annual estimated percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPIU). The current estimated percentage increase in the CPIU over the prior year for project years two through five is as follows: FY 2007—2.9 percent, FY 2008—2.4 percent, FY 2009—2.4 percent, and FY 2010—2.4 percent. Estimated Number of Awards: 5. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Up to 60 months. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview Information, Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Projects for American Indians With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.250B. Dates: Applications Available: December 27, 2005. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 21, 2005. Eligible Applicants: The governing bodies of Indian tribes (and consortia of those governing bodies) located on Federal and State reservations. PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide vocational rehabilitation services to American Indians with disabilities who reside on or near Federal or State reservations, consistent with their individual strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities, capabilities, and informed choices, so that they may prepare for and engage in gainful employment, including selfemployment, telecommuting, or business ownership. Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority is from section 121(b)(4) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 741). E:\FR\FM\22DEN1.SGM 22DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 245 (Thursday, December 22, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76039-76044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-7720]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Overview 
Information, Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services 
and Results for Children with Disabilities and Personnel Development to 
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities--National 
Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children Who Are 
Deaf-Blind Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year 
(FY) 2006

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326T.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: December 22, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 10, 2006.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 11, 2006.
    Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local 
educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under 
State law, institutions of higher education (IHEs), other public 
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely 
associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-
profit organizations.

[[Page 76040]]

    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve 
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 
2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,850,000 for the 
National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who 
are Deaf-Blind competition. The Administration has also requested 
$90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and 
Results for Children with Disabilities program, of which we intend to 
use an estimated $250,000 to support the personnel training activities 
of the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for 
Children who are Deaf-Blind. The actual levels of funding, if any, 
depend on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $2,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. A 
minimum of $250,000 must be budgeted in each budget period of 12 months 
for the personnel training activities described under the heading 
Activity Area (3) in the Priority section of this notice because the 
Secretary intends to support these activities of the project from funds 
provided under section 662 of the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act (IDEA). The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services may change these maximum amounts through a 
notice published in the Federal Register.
    Number of Awards: 1.


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Technical Assistance and Dissemination to 
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program 
promotes academic achievement and improves results for children with 
disabilities by supporting technical assistance, model demonstration 
projects, dissemination of useful information, and implementation 
activities that are supported by scientifically based research. The 
purposes of the Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results 
for Children with Disabilities program are to (1) help address State-
identified needs for highly qualified personnel--in special education, 
related services, early intervention, and regular education--to work 
with children with disabilities; and (2) ensure that those personnel 
have the skills and knowledge--derived from practices that have been 
determined through research and experience to be successful--that are 
needed to serve those children.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 
662(b)(2)(C), 663, and 681(d) of IDEA).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is: National Technical Assistance and Dissemination 
Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind.

Background

    IDEA requires that each child with a disability be provided 
appropriate special education and related services that meet the 
child's individual educational needs. For children who are deaf and 
blind to receive such services, intensive technical assistance is 
needed to enable SEAs and LEAs to appropriately address the special 
needs of these children. In addition, given the low-incidence nature of 
the deaf-blind population, many early intervention programs and 
educational agencies lack personnel with the training or experience to 
serve the unique needs of these children.

Priority

    This priority supports one center (the Center) to provide 
specialized technical assistance, training, dissemination, and 
informational services to States, families, and agencies and 
organizations that are responsible for the provision of early 
intervention, special education, and related and transitional services 
for children through age 26 who are deaf-blind. This priority 
emphasizes building capacity and the implementation of systems 
interventions so that quality outcomes can be achieved for all children 
who are deaf-blind. Under this priority, the Center's activities must 
address gaps in the knowledge of service providers, including knowledge 
of evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for the deaf-blind 
population. The Center must accomplish this mission through a 
combination of activities in the following areas: (1) Technical 
assistance, (2) information and dissemination, and (3) personnel 
training.
    Activity Area (1): The Center's technical assistance activities 
must include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (a) Identifying specific project goals, objectives, and activities 
for providing an array of services to States, families, and agencies 
and organizations that are responsible for providing services to 
children who are deaf-blind.
    (b) Assisting SEAs and LEAs, including those receiving funds under 
the Projects for Children who are Deaf-Blind competition--CFDA 84.326C 
(State Projects), and other related agencies and organizations, in 
developing and implementing systemic-change goals supported by 
available evidence-based research for children with deaf-blindness.
    (c) Providing assistance to State Projects and agencies to increase 
the States' capacities to improve early intervention, special 
education, and related and transitional services to improve outcomes 
for children who are deaf-blind and their families.
    (d) Facilitating activities and enhancing collaborative 
partnerships that build the capacity of children who are deaf-blind and 
their families for advocacy, empowerment, and increased knowledge.
    (e) Communicating, collaborating, and forming partnerships as 
appropriate, and as directed by the Office of Special Education 
Programs (OSEP), with others to improve results for children who are 
deaf-blind and their families.
    (f) Gathering, maintaining, and analyzing demographic information 
of children who are deaf-blind for the purpose of developing project 
priorities based on data documenting the needs of these children.
    (g) Convening topical meetings, at the request of OSEP, to study 
issues and develop recommendations for addressing challenges related to 
issues in the field of deaf-blindness.
    (h) Assisting State Projects, agencies, and organizations to 
strengthen collaborative partnerships with parents and families, and 
developing strategies to more effectively serve families representing 
different cultural, ethnic, and linguistic backgrounds.
    (i) Assisting State Projects in identifying effective evaluation 
strategies for collecting and analyzing data to improve results for 
children.
    (j) Promoting the improvement of student achievement in language 
arts, science, and math for children who are deaf-blind.
    Activity Area (2): The Center's information and dissemination 
activities must include, but are not limited to, the following:
    (a) Identifying, collecting, organizing, and disseminating 
information related

[[Page 76041]]

to deaf-blindness, including research-based and other practices that 
are supported by evidence-based research that demonstrates their 
effectiveness in improving results for children who are deaf-blind.
    (b) Responding to information requests from professionals, parents, 
students, institutions of higher education, and others, and developing 
and implementing appropriate strategies for disseminating information 
to under-represented groups, including those with limited English 
proficiency.
    (c) Developing a broad, coordinated network of professionals, 
parents, related organizations and associations, mass media, and others 
for promoting awareness of issues related to deaf-blindness. This may 
include using the Internet and other cost-effective methods to share 
information with the international deaf-blindness community.
    (d) Expanding and broadening the use of current informational 
resources by developing materials that synthesize evidence-based 
research, best practices, and emerging knowledge into easily 
understandable products with accessible formats.
    (e) Developing and disseminating materials and products to 
supplement technical assistance and training, including synthesized 
research findings on relevant topics such as communication, 
assessments, accommodations, alternate assessments, and data analysis.
    (f) Maintaining a Web site, with a dedicated URL, on which all 
ongoing, and completed products, as well as related information, are 
available in a format that meets a government or industry-recognized 
standard for accessibility. The Web site also must contain other 
features that facilitate communication and links to other Web sites 
that are appropriate and helpful to users.
    Activity Area (3): The Center's personnel training activities must 
consist of activities authorized under section 662(b)(2)(C) of IDEA, 
including, but not limited to, the following:
    (a) Implementing and maintaining an assessment of the needs of 
individual States and the overall needs of States to determine the 
array, type, and intensity of personnel training to be provided.
    (b) Providing personnel training that focuses on the implementation 
of IDEA specific to children who are deaf-blind and their families.
    (c) Providing personnel training that focuses on the implementation 
of research-based, effective practices that will result in improved 
capacity of SEAs and LEAs to provide appropriate assessment, planning, 
placement, and transitional services.
    (d) Assisting personnel training programs to work collaboratively 
in order to assist a greater number of teachers and paraprofessionals. 
This includes facilitating career development activities by promoting 
internships, mentorships, and other strategies to address the shortage 
of leadership and highly qualified personnel in the field of deaf-
blindness.
    General Activities. The Center also must:
    (a) Annually, provide OSEP with a report analyzing policies and 
emerging issues that are of significant national concern in the field 
of deaf-blindness. This report must include a narrative description 
that reflects important demographic characteristics, data, and trends;
    (b) Annually, establish and implement a comprehensive system of 
evaluation to determine the impact of the Center's activities on 
children with deaf-blindness, identify relevant achievements, and 
identify strategies for improvement;
    (c) Collaborate with the OSEP Project Officer in planning and 
conducting the annual Project Directors' Meeting in Washington, DC, and 
budget funds for that purpose; and
    (d) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to assist in 
promoting project activities. The committee must include at least one 
individual with deaf-blindness, one parent of a child with deaf-
blindness, one representative of an SEA, and at least three 
professionals with training and experience in serving children with 
deaf-blindness.

Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project

    In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), and in addition:
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary, which review will be conducted during the 
last half of the project's second year in Washington, DC. Projects must 
budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive 
review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
Center.
    (c) The degree to which the project promotes best practices in the 
area of services to children who are deaf-blind.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on a proposed priority. However, 
section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements under the 
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462(b)(2)(C), 1463, and 1481(d).

    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.


    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 IHEs only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$49,397,000 for the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve 
Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program for FY 
2006, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,850,000 for the 
National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who 
are Deaf-Blind competition. The Administration has also requested 
$90,626,000 for the Personnel Development to Improve Services and 
Results for Children with Disabilities program, of which we intend to 
use an estimated $250,000 to support the personnel training activities 
of the National Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for 
Children who are Deaf-Blind. The actual levels of funding, if any, 
depend on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $2,100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. A 
minimum of $250,000 must be budgeted in each budget period of 12 months 
for the personnel training activities described under the heading 
Activity Area (3) in the Priority section of this notice because the 
Secretary intends to support these activities of the project from funds 
provided under section 662 of IDEA. The Assistant Secretary for Special 
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change these maximum amounts 
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Number of Awards: 1.



[[Page 76042]]


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


    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools that are 
LEAs under State law, IHEs, other public agencies, private nonprofit 
organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes 
or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in 
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of 
IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition 
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals 
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll 
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 
1-877-576-7734.
    You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: https://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: 
edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify 
this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.326T.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts 
Services Team listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section 
VII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you 
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
    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. You must limit part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 70 pages, using 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).
    The 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; the one-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
However, you must include all of the application narrative in part III.
    We will reject your application if:
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: December 22, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 10, 2006.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by 
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission 
Requirements in this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 11, 2006.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by 
mail or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    We have been accepting applications electronically through the 
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on 
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide 
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. The National Technical Assistance and 
Dissemination Center for Children who are Deaf-Blind-CFDA Number 
84.326T is one of the competitions included in this project. We request 
your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Grants.gov Apply site at https://www.Grants.gov Through this 
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, 
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You 
may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for The National 
Technical Assistance and Dissemination Center for Children who are 
Deaf-Blind at: https://www.grants.gov. You must search for the 
downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. 
Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     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.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and 
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application 
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we 
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are 
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the 
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application

[[Page 76043]]

deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at https://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see 
https://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1) registering 
your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR 
by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see https://www.grants.gov/assets/
GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to 
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative 
sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich 
text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type 
other than the three file types specified above or submit a password 
protected file, we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your 
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying 
number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting 
your application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an 
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, 
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the 
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your 
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with 
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a 
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.


    Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the 
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. 
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register 
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date 
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to 
the Grants.gov system.


    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326T), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326T), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing 
consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service,
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier, or
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark, or
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.


    Note:  The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with 
your local post office.


    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of 
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, 
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.326T), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.

The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 
a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and 
Federal holidays.


    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 4 of ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix 
letter, if any--of the competition under which you are submitting 
your application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are 
from 34

[[Page 76044]]

CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will 
yield information on various aspects of the Technical Assistance and 
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with 
Disabilities program. These measures focus on: the extent to which 
projects provide high quality products and services, the relevance of 
project products and services to educational and early intervention 
policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve 
educational and early intervention policy and practice.
    We will notify grantees if they will be required to provide any 
information related to these measures.
    Grantees will also be required to report information on their 
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles Freeman, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4097, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7347.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request by contacting the following office: The Grants and 
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. 
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.


    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/.


    Dated: December 19, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E5-7720 Filed 12-21-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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