Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information: Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP); Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, 21603-21607 [E8-8711]
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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 22, 2008 / Notices
incorporate elements of their training
into their classroom teaching.
b. The difference between the rate at
which students with documented
disabilities complete courses by faculty
trained through project activities, and
the rate at which other students
complete the same courses.
If funded, awardees will be asked to
collect and report data in their project’s
annual performance report (EDGAR, 34
CFR 75.590) on these two performance
measures.
Consequently, applicants are advised
to include these outcomes in
conceptualizing the design,
implementation, and evaluation of their
proposed projects. Their measurement
should be a part of the project
evaluation plan, along with measures of
your progress on the goals and
objectives specific to your project. All
grantees are expected to submit an
annual performance report documenting
their success in addressing these
performance measures.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Brenda Shade, Demonstration Program,
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K
Street, NW., room 7090, Washington,
DC 20006–8526. Telephone: (202) 502–
7773.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll
free, at 1–800–877–8339.
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VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, or computer diskette)
on request to the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII in
this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
You can 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.
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Dated: April 16, 2008.
Diane Auer Jones,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. E8–8699 Filed 4–21–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education;
Overview Information: Minority
Science and Engineering Improvement
Program (MSEIP); Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2008
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.120A.
Dates:
Applications Available: April 22,
2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 22, 2008.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The MSEIP is
designed to effect long-range
improvement in science and
engineering education at predominantly
minority institutions and to increase the
flow of underrepresented ethnic
minorities, particularly minority
women, into scientific and
technological careers.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), these priorities are from
allowable activities specified in section
352 of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C.
1067b(b)).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For
FY 2008, three priorities are competitive
preference priorities based on 34 CFR
637.31(c). Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)
we award an additional five (5) points
to an application that meets Competitive
Preference Priority 1. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii) we give preference to an
application that meets Competitive
Preference Priority 2 and Competitive
Preference Priority 3 over an application
of comparable merit that does not meet
these priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1.
Applications from institutions that have
not received an MSEIP grant within five
years prior to this competition.
Competitive Preference Priority 2.
Applications from previous grantees
with a proven record of success.
Competitive Preference Priority 3.
Applications that contribute to
achieving balance among funded
projects with respect to—(a) geographic
region; (b) academic discipline; and (c)
project type.
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Invitational Priorities: For FY 2008,
three priorities are invitational
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we
do not give an application that meets
these invitational priorities a
competitive or absolute preference over
other applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1. Applications
that focus on the development of bridge
or articulation programs that target prefreshmen entering into science,
technology, engineering, or mathematics
(STEM) fields.
Invitational Priority 2. Applications
that focus directly on student learning
and encourage and facilitate
implementation of pedagogical
approaches that have been proven
effective in increasing student retention
and achievement in STEM fields.
Invitational Priority 3. Applications
that focus on mentoring programs
designed to increase the number of
underrepresented students who
graduate with STEM undergraduate
degrees.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067–1067k.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 85,
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations
for this program in 34 CFR part 637.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds:
$2,932,725.
Estimated Range of Awards:
Institutional Project Grant: $25,000–
$200,000. Special Project Grant:
$25,000–$100,000. Cooperative Project
Grant: $100,000–$300,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
Institutional Project Grant: $120,000.
Special Project Grant: $50,000.
Cooperative Project Grant: $200,000.
Maximum Awards: Institutional
Project Grant: $200,000. Special Project
Grant: $100,000. Cooperative Project
Grant: $300,000. For each type of grant,
we will not fund any application at an
amount exceeding the specified
maximum amount for a single budget
period of 12 months. We may choose
not to further consider or review
applications with budgets that exceed
the maximum amounts; if we conclude,
during our initial review of the
application, that the proposed goals and
objectives cannot be obtained with the
specified maximum amount. The
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education may change the maximum
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amounts through a notice published in
the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards:
Institutional Project Grants: 10. Special
Project Grants: 10. Cooperative Project
Grants: 3.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice. Applicants should
periodically check the MSEIP Web site for
further information on this program. The
address is: https://www.ed.gov/programs/
iduesmsi/
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: The eligibility
of an applicant is dependent on the type
of MSEIP project. There are four types
of MSEIP projects: Institutional, design,
special projects, and cooperative. We
will not award design grants in the FY
2008 competition.
A. For institutional and special
projects described in 34 CFR 637.12
through 637.14, eligible applicants
include public and private nonprofit
minority institutions of higher
education as defined in section 361(1)
and (2) of the HEA.
B. For special projects described in 34
CFR 637.14(b) and (c), eligible
applicants are, in addition to those
described in paragraph A, nonprofit
science-oriented organizations,
professional scientific societies,
institutions of higher education that
award baccalaureate degrees and meet
the requirement of section 361(3) of the
HEA, and consortia of organizations that
meet the requirements of section 361(4)
of the HEA.
C. For cooperative projects described
in 34 CFR 637.15, eligible applicants are
groups of nonprofit accredited colleges
and universities whose primary fiscal
agent is an eligible minority institution
as defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b).
Note: As defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b), a
minority institution means an accredited
college or university whose enrollment of a
single minority group or a combination of
minority groups exceeds 50 percent of the
total enrollment.
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2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address To Request Application
Package: Dr. Bernadette M. Hence,
Institutional Development and
Undergraduate Education Service, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street,
NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC 20006–
8517. Telephone: (202) 219–7038 or
(202) 502–7777, by fax: (202) 502–7861,
or by e-mail: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov
or OPE.MSEIP@ED.GOV.
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If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at
1–800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an alternative format (e.g., Braille,
large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) by contacting the program
contact person listed in this section.
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
program.
Page Limit: The application narrative
(Part III of the application) is where you,
the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate
your application. We have established a
mandatory page limit for the narrative
portion for each type of project
application. The page limits are as
follows: Institutional Project
Application: 40 pages. Special Projects
Application: 35 pages. Cooperative
Project Application: 50 pages. You must
limit the application narrative (Part III)
to the equivalent of no more than these
page limits. You must use the following
standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side
only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,
and both sides. Page numbers and a
document identifier may be within the
1″ margin.
• Double space (no more than three
lines per vertical inch) all text in the
application narrative, except titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, captions, and all text in
charts, tables, and graphs.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or
larger or no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch). However, you may
use a 10-point font in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs.
• Use one of the following fonts:
Times New Roman, Courier, Courier
New, or Arial. An application submitted
in any other font (including Times
Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be
accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part
I, the Application for Federal Assistance
face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental
information form required by the
Department of Education; Part II, the
budget information summary form (ED
Form 524); or Part IV, the assurances
and certifications. The page limit also
does not apply to a table of contents. If
you include any attachments or
appendices not specifically requested,
these items will be counted as part of
the Program Narrative (Part III) for
purposes of the page limit requirement.
You must include your complete
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response to the selection criteria in the
program narrative.
We will reject your application if you
exceed the page limit; or if you apply
other standards and exceed the
equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 22,
2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: May 22, 2008.
Applications for grants under this
program must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov
Apply site (Grants.gov). For information
(including dates and times) about how
to submit your application
electronically, or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, 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.
Individuals with disabilities who
need an accommodation or auxiliary aid
in connection with the application
process should contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT in Section VII in this notice. If
the Department provides an
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an
individual with a disability in
connection with the application
process, the individual’s application
remains subject to all other
requirements and limitations in this
notice.
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
program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
program must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in
accordance with the instructions in this
section.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications.
Applications for grants under the
Minority Science and Engineering
Improvement Program (MSEIP), CFDA
Number 84.120A, must be submitted
electronically using the
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site
at: https://www.Grants.gov. Through this
site, you will be able to download a
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copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and
submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you
submit it in paper format unless, as
described elsewhere in this section, you
qualify for one of the exceptions to the
electronic submission requirement and
submit, no later than two weeks before
the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you
qualify for one of these exceptions.
Further information regarding
calculation of the date that is two weeks
before the application deadline date is
provided later in this section under
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant
application for MSEIP 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 (e.g., search
for 84.120, not 84.120A).
Please note the following:
• 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 date and time stamped. Your
application must be fully uploaded and
submitted and must be date and 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 accept your
application if it is received—that is date
and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system—after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time, on the application deadline
date. We do not consider an application
that does not comply with the deadline
requirements. When we retrieve your
application from Grants.gov, we will
notify you if we are rejecting your
application because it was date and 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
deadline date to begin the submission
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
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application package for this program 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 steps
in the Grants.gov registration process
(see https://www.grants.gov/applicants/
get_registered.jsp). These steps include
(1) registering your organization, a
multi-part process that includes
registration with the Central Contractor
Registry (CCR); (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/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 submit
successfully an application via
Grants.gov. In addition you will need to
update your CCR registration on an
annual basis. This may take three or
more business days to complete.
• You will not receive additional
point value because you submit your
application in electronic format, nor
will we penalize you if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, as described
elsewhere in this section, and submit
your application in paper format.
• You must submit all documents
electronically, including all information
you typically provide on the following
forms: Application for Federal
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for
SF 424, Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
Please note that two of these forms—the
SF 424 and the Department of Education
Supplemental Information for SF 424—
have replaced the ED 424 (Application
for Federal Education Assistance).
• 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 in this paragraph or
submit a password-protected file, we
will not review that material.
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• Your electronic application must
comply with any page-limit
requirements described in this notice.
• After you electronically submit
your application, you will receive from
Grants.gov an automatic notification of
receipt that contains a Grants.gov
tracking number. (This notification
indicates receipt by Grants.gov only, not
receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send a
second notification to you by e-mail.
This second notification indicates that
the Department has received your
application and has assigned your
application a PR/Award number (an EDspecified 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 Technical Issues with the
Grants.gov System: If you are
experiencing problems submitting your
application through Grants.gov, please
contact the Grants.gov Support Desk,
toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must
obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number and must keep a record of it.
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 described elsewhere in this
notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
section VII in this notice and provide an
explanation of the technical problem
you experienced with Grants.gov, along
with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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
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application to Grants.gov before the
application deadline date and time or if the
technical problem you experienced is
unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission
requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are
unable to submit an application through
the Grants.gov system because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to the
Grants.gov system; and
• No later than two weeks before the
application deadline date (14 calendar
days or, if the fourteenth calendar day
before the application deadline date
falls on a Federal holiday, the next
business day following the Federal
holiday), you mail or fax a written
statement to the Department, explaining
which of the two grounds for an
exception prevent you from using the
Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to
the Department, it must be postmarked
no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks
before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your
statement to: Karen W. Johnson, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20006–8517.
FAX: (202) 502–7861.
Your paper application must be
submitted in accordance with the mail
or hand delivery instructions described
in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications
by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
may mail (through the U.S. Postal
Service or a commercial carrier) your
application to the Department. 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 84.120A),
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
84.120A), 7100 Old Landover Road,
Landover, MD 20785–1506.
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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.
(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.
(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 qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
(or a courier service) may deliver your
paper application to the Department by
hand. You 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 84.120A), 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 11 of the SF 424
the CFDA number, including suffix
letter, if any, of the competition under
which you are submitting your
application; and
(2) The Application Control Center
will mail to you a notification of receipt
of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification 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.
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V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this program are from 34 CFR
637.32 (a) through (j), and are as
follows. Applicants must address each
of the section criteria. The total weight
of the selection criteria is 100 points;
the weight of each criterion is noted in
parentheses.
(a) Identification of need for the
project (Total 10 points).
(b) Quality of key personnel (Total 5
points).
(c) Budget and cost effectiveness
(Total 5 points).
(d) Evaluation plan (Total 10 points).
(e) Adequacy of resources (Total 5
points).
(f) Plan of operation (Total 15 points).
(g) Potential institutional impact of
the project (Total 10 points).
(h) Institutional commitment to the
project (Total 10 points).
(i) Expected Outcomes (Total 15
points).
(j) Scientific and educational value of
the proposed project (Total 15 points).
2. Review and Selection Process:
Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are
in 34 CFR 75.217.
Tiebreaker for Institutional, Special
Project, and Cooperative Grants. If there
are insufficient funds for all
applications with the same total scores,
applications will receive preference in
the following order: First, applications
that satisfy the requirement of
Competitive Preference Priority 1;
second, applications that satisfy the
requirements of both Competitive
Preference Priorities 2 and 3; and third,
applications that satisfy the
requirements of Competitive Preference
Priority 2.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application
is successful, we will notify your U.S.
Representative and U.S. Senators and
send you a Grant Award Notification
(GAN). We may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or
not selected for funding, we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy
requirements in the application package
and reference these and other
requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining
the terms and conditions of an award in
the Applicable Regulations section in
this notice and include these and other
specific conditions in the GAN. The
GAN also incorporates your approved
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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 directed by
the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. The
Secretary may also require more
frequent performance reports under 34
CFR 75.720(c). For specific
requirements on reporting, please go to
https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/
appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The
Secretary has established the following
key performance measures for assessing
the effectiveness of the MSEIP program:
(1) The percentage change in the
number of full-time, degree-seeking
minority undergraduate students at
grantee institutions enrolled in the
fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences, compared to the
average minority enrollment in the same
fields in the three-year period
immediately prior to the beginning of
the current grant; (2) the percentage of
full-time undergraduate minority
students who were in their first year of
postsecondary enrollment in the
previous year and are enrolled in the
current year at the same institution in
the fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences; and (3)(a) in fouryear grantee institutions, the percentage
of minority students who enrolled in the
fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences who graduate within
six years of enrollment; or (b) in twoyear grantee institutions, the percentage
of minority students enrolled in the
fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences who graduate within
three years of enrollment.
VII. Agency Contact
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document
and a copy of the application package in
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, or computer diskette)
on request to the program contact
persons listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII in
this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document:
You can 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: April 17, 2008.
Diane Auer Jones,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. E8–8711 Filed 4–21–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research—Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects
and Centers Program—Disability
Rehabilitation Research Projects
(DRRPs), Rehabilitation Research and
Training Centers (RRTCs), and
Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Centers (RERCs)
sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Karen W. Johnson, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th
Floor, Washington, DC 20006–8517.
Telephone: (202) 502–7642 or (202)
502–7777, by fax: (202) 502–7861, or by
e-mail: Karen.Johnson@ed.gov or Dr.
Bernadette M. Hence, U.S. Department
of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th
Floor, Washington, DC 20006–8517.
Telephone: (202) 219–7038 or (202)
502–7777, by fax (202) 502–7861, or by
e-mail: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov or
OPE.MSEIP@ED.GOV.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll
free, at 1–800–877–8339.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for
Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes certain funding
priorities for the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
Centers Program administered by the
National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Specifically, this notice proposes one
priority for a DRRP, one priority for an
VerDate Aug<31>2005
16:25 Apr 21, 2008
Jkt 214001
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities for
DRRPs, RRTCs, and RERCs.
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Frm 00029
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RRTC, and one priority for an RERC.
The Assistant Secretary may use these
priorities for competitions in fiscal year
(FY) 2008 and later years. We take this
action to focus research attention on
areas of national need. We intend these
priorities to improve rehabilitation
services and outcomes for individuals
with disabilities.
DATES: We must receive your comments
on or before May 22, 2008.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about
Priority 1—Centers on Research and
Capacity Building to Improve Outcomes
for Individuals With Disabilities from
Traditionally Underserved Racial and
Ethnic Populations to Marlene Spencer,
U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6026,
Potomac Center Potomac (PCP),
Washington, DC 20202–2700. If you
prefer to send your comments through
the Internet, use the following address:
marlene.spencer@ed.gov.
Address all comments about Priority
2—Individuals With Disabilities Living
in Rural Areas and Priority 3—
Technologies for Successful Aging With
Disability to Donna Nangle, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., room 6029, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202–2700. If you
prefer to send your comments through
the Internet, use the following address:
donna.nangle@ed.gov.
If you send your comments through
the Internet, you must include the
priority title in the subject line of your
electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information regarding Priority
1—Centers on Research and Capacity
Building to Improve Outcomes for
Individuals With Disabilities from
Traditionally Underserved Racial and
Ethnic Populations, contact Marlene
Spencer. Telephone: (202) 245–7532.
For further information regarding
Priority 2—Individuals With Disabilities
Living in Rural Areas and Priority 3—
Technologies for Successful Aging With
Disability, contact Donna Nangle.
Telephone: (202) 245–7462.
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 to the contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
This
notice of proposed priorities is in
concert with President George W.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\22APN1.SGM
22APN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 22, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21603-21607]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-8711]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information: Minority
Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP); Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.120A.
Dates:
Applications Available: April 22, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 22, 2008.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The MSEIP is designed to effect long-range
improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly
minority institutions and to increase the flow of underrepresented
ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and
technological careers.
Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), these
priorities are from allowable activities specified in section 352 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C.
1067b(b)).
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2008, three priorities
are competitive preference priorities based on 34 CFR 637.31(c). Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional five (5) points to an
application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii) we give preference to an application that meets
Competitive Preference Priority 2 and Competitive Preference Priority 3
over an application of comparable merit that does not meet these
priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1. Applications from institutions
that have not received an MSEIP grant within five years prior to this
competition.
Competitive Preference Priority 2. Applications from previous
grantees with a proven record of success.
Competitive Preference Priority 3. Applications that contribute to
achieving balance among funded projects with respect to--(a) geographic
region; (b) academic discipline; and (c) project type.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2008, three priorities are
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1. Applications that focus on the development
of bridge or articulation programs that target pre-freshmen entering
into science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) fields.
Invitational Priority 2. Applications that focus directly on
student learning and encourage and facilitate implementation of
pedagogical approaches that have been proven effective in increasing
student retention and achievement in STEM fields.
Invitational Priority 3. Applications that focus on mentoring
programs designed to increase the number of underrepresented students
who graduate with STEM undergraduate degrees.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82,
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34
CFR part 637.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $2,932,725.
Estimated Range of Awards: Institutional Project Grant: $25,000-
$200,000. Special Project Grant: $25,000-$100,000. Cooperative Project
Grant: $100,000-$300,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: Institutional Project Grant:
$120,000. Special Project Grant: $50,000. Cooperative Project Grant:
$200,000.
Maximum Awards: Institutional Project Grant: $200,000. Special
Project Grant: $100,000. Cooperative Project Grant: $300,000. For each
type of grant, we will not fund any application at an amount exceeding
the specified maximum amount for a single budget period of 12 months.
We may choose not to further consider or review applications with
budgets that exceed the maximum amounts; if we conclude, during our
initial review of the application, that the proposed goals and
objectives cannot be obtained with the specified maximum amount. The
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum
[[Page 21604]]
amounts through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: Institutional Project Grants: 10.
Special Project Grants: 10. Cooperative Project Grants: 3.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice. Applicants should periodically check the MSEIP Web site for
further information on this program. The address is: https://
www.ed.gov/programs/iduesmsi/
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: The eligibility of an applicant is
dependent on the type of MSEIP project. There are four types of MSEIP
projects: Institutional, design, special projects, and cooperative. We
will not award design grants in the FY 2008 competition.
A. For institutional and special projects described in 34 CFR
637.12 through 637.14, eligible applicants include public and private
nonprofit minority institutions of higher education as defined in
section 361(1) and (2) of the HEA.
B. For special projects described in 34 CFR 637.14(b) and (c),
eligible applicants are, in addition to those described in paragraph A,
nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional scientific
societies, institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate
degrees and meet the requirement of section 361(3) of the HEA, and
consortia of organizations that meet the requirements of section 361(4)
of the HEA.
C. For cooperative projects described in 34 CFR 637.15, eligible
applicants are groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities
whose primary fiscal agent is an eligible minority institution as
defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b).
Note: As defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b), a minority institution
means an accredited college or university whose enrollment of a
single minority group or a combination of minority groups exceeds 50
percent of the total enrollment.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package: Dr. Bernadette M. Hence,
Institutional Development and Undergraduate Education Service, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC
20006-8517. Telephone: (202) 219-7038 or (202) 502-7777, by fax: (202)
502-7861, or by e-mail: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov or OPE.MSEIP@ED.GOV.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed in this section.
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 program.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We have established a
mandatory page limit for the narrative portion for each type of project
application. The page limits are as follows: Institutional Project
Application: 40 pages. Special Projects Application: 35 pages.
Cooperative Project Application: 50 pages. You must limit the
application narrative (Part III) to the equivalent of no more than
these page limits. You must use the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and a document
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, captions, and all text in charts,
tables, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-point
font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for
Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information
form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the budget
information summary form (ED Form 524); or Part IV, the assurances and
certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of
contents. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically
requested, these items will be counted as part of the Program Narrative
(Part III) for purposes of the page limit requirement. You must include
your complete response to the selection criteria in the program
narrative.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: April 22, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 22, 2008.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, 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.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Minority Science and Engineering
Improvement Program (MSEIP), CFDA Number 84.120A, must be submitted
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at:
https://www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download
a
[[Page 21605]]
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.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for MSEIP 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 (e.g., search for 84.120, not
84.120A).
Please note the following:
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 date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and 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 accept your application if
it is received--that is date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and 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 deadline
date to begin the submission 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 program 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 steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see https://
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1)
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (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/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms:
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications. Please note that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the
Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424--have
replaced the ED 424 (Application for Federal Education Assistance).
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 in this paragraph 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application 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 Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
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 described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice and
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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
[[Page 21606]]
application to Grants.gov before the application deadline date and
time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the
Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Karen W. Johnson, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20006-8517.
FAX: (202) 502-7861.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. 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 84.120A), 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
84.120A), 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.
(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.
(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 qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You 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 84.120A), 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including suffix
letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your
application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification
of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this
notification 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
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 637.32 (a) through (j), and are as follows. Applicants must
address each of the section criteria. The total weight of the selection
criteria is 100 points; the weight of each criterion is noted in
parentheses.
(a) Identification of need for the project (Total 10 points).
(b) Quality of key personnel (Total 5 points).
(c) Budget and cost effectiveness (Total 5 points).
(d) Evaluation plan (Total 10 points).
(e) Adequacy of resources (Total 5 points).
(f) Plan of operation (Total 15 points).
(g) Potential institutional impact of the project (Total 10
points).
(h) Institutional commitment to the project (Total 10 points).
(i) Expected Outcomes (Total 15 points).
(j) Scientific and educational value of the proposed project (Total
15 points).
2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are in 34 CFR 75.217.
Tiebreaker for Institutional, Special Project, and Cooperative
Grants. If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the
same total scores, applications will receive preference in the
following order: First, applications that satisfy the requirement of
Competitive Preference Priority 1; second, applications that satisfy
the requirements of both Competitive Preference Priorities 2 and 3; and
third, applications that satisfy the requirements of Competitive
Preference Priority 2.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we will notify
your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved
[[Page 21607]]
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 directed by the Secretary
under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements
on reporting, please go to https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
the MSEIP program: (1) The percentage change in the number of full-
time, degree-seeking minority undergraduate students at grantee
institutions enrolled in the fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences, compared to the average minority enrollment in the
same fields in the three-year period immediately prior to the beginning
of the current grant; (2) the percentage of full-time undergraduate
minority students who were in their first year of postsecondary
enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at
the same institution in the fields of engineering or physical or
biological sciences; and (3)(a) in four-year grantee institutions, the
percentage of minority students who enrolled in the fields of
engineering or physical or biological sciences who graduate within six
years of enrollment; or (b) in two-year grantee institutions, the
percentage of minority students enrolled in the fields of engineering
or physical or biological sciences who graduate within three years of
enrollment.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen W. Johnson, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8517.
Telephone: (202) 502-7642 or (202) 502-7777, by fax: (202) 502-7861, or
by e-mail: Karen.Johnson@ed.gov or Dr. Bernadette M. Hence, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC
20006-8517. Telephone: (202) 219-7038 or (202) 502-7777, by fax (202)
502-7861, or by e-mail: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov or OPE.MSEIP@ED.GOV.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact persons listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in Section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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: April 17, 2008.
Diane Auer Jones,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. E8-8711 Filed 4-21-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
