Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information: Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities-Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, 42333-42338 [E8-16632]
Download as PDF
<![CDATA[
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
The DoD ‘Blanket Routine Uses’ set
forth at the beginning of the Defense
Commissary Agency’s compilation of
systems of records notices apply to this
system.
POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING,
RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING, AND
DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
STORAGE:
Electronic storage media.
CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
The Defense Commissary Agency’s
rules for accessing records, for
contesting contents and appealing
initial agency determinations are
contained in Defense Commissary
Agency Directive 30–13; 32 CFR part
327; or may be obtained from the
Freedom Of Information Act/Privacy
Officer at 1300 E. Avenue, Fort Lee, VA
23801–1800.
RETRIEVABILITY:
RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
By customer’s name, case number,
and e-mail address.
Information is provided by the
individual.
SAFEGUARDS:
EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:
Automated records are stored in
rooms with restricted access in a secure
building. In addition, access is limited
to the Corporate Communications staff
in performance of their official duties.
Paper records are shredded once the
information is scanned into the
database. The database information is
destroyed after two years.
SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:
Customer Relations Specialist,
Corporate Communications, Defense
Commissary Agency, 1300 E. Avenue,
Fort Lee, VA 23801–1800.
NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE:
Individuals seeking to determine
whether this system of records contains
information about themselves should
address written inquiries to the
Freedom of Information Act/Privacy
Officer, Defense Commissary Agency,
1300 E. Avenue, Fort Lee, VA 23801–
1800.
The request should contain the
individual’s full name, address, and
telephone number. These items are
necessary for the retrieval of
information.
Requests submitted on behalf of other
persons must include their written
authorization.
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
Individuals seeking access to
information about themselves contained
in this system should address written
inquiries to the Freedom of Information
Act/Privacy Officer, Defense
Commissary Agency, 1300 E. Avenue,
Fort Lee, VA 23801–1800.
The request should contain the
individual’s full name, address, and
telephone number. These items are
necessary for the retrieval of
information.
Requests submitted on behalf of other
persons must include their written
authorization.
19:22 Jul 18, 2008
[FR Doc. E8–16602 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:
VerDate Aug<31>2005
None.
Jkt 214001
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information: Technology and Media
Services for Individuals With
Disabilities—Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for Children
With Disabilities; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.327A.
Note: This notice includes one absolute
priority with two phases, and funding
information for each phase of the
competition.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 21, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: See the chart in the
Award Information section of this notice
(Chart).
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: See Chart.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of
the Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities program
are to: (1) Improve results for children
with disabilities by promoting the
development, demonstration, and use of
technology; (2) support educational
media services activities designed to be
of educational value in the classroom
setting to children with disabilities; and
(3) provide support for captioning and
video description that are appropriate
for use in the classroom setting.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from
allowable activities specified in the
statute, or otherwise authorized in the
PO 00000
Frm 00021
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42333
statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2009 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards based on the list of unfunded
applications from this competition, this
priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only
applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Technology and Media Services for
Individuals With Disabilities—
Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children With
Disabilities
Background
The Department has made
Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with
Disabilities awards for several years
under the Technology and Media
Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program. Awards are made
in two phases: (1) Development and (2)
research on effectiveness. Abstracts of
projects funded under these two phases
can be found at https://www.nichcy.org/
directories/FY07-Vol%203-R_I_T_M.pdf
(see projects funded under CFDA
84.327A with Beginning Dates of June 1,
2007, or later).
Priority: The Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities absolute priority
requires grantees to develop,
implement, and evaluate innovative
technology approaches designed to
improve results for children with
disabilities. Phase 1 projects must
develop, refine, and test the feasibility
of technology-based approaches. Phase
2 projects must subject technologybased approaches to rigorous field-based
research to determine their
effectiveness.
To be considered for funding under
the Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with
Disabilities absolute priority, applicants
must meet the application requirements
contained in the priority. All projects
funded under the absolute priority also
must meet the programmatic and
administrative requirements specified in
the priority. The application,
programmatic, and administrative
requirements are as follows:
(a) In the application, an applicant
must—
(1) Describe a technology-based
approach for improving the results of (a)
early intervention programs, (b)
response-to-intervention (RTI)
assessment techniques, or (c) preschool,
elementary school, middle school, or
high school educational programs for
children with disabilities. The
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
42334
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
technology-based approach must be an
innovative combination of new
technology and additional materials and
methodologies that enable the
technology to improve early
intervention programs, RTI assessment
techniques, or educational results for
children with disabilities;
(2) Present a justification, based on
scientifically rigorous research or
theory, that supports the potential
effectiveness of the technology-based
approach described pursuant to
paragraph (a)(1) of this priority for
improving results for children with
disabilities. The approach must have the
potential to improve child outcomes,
not just parent or provider outcomes.
Child outcomes may include improved
academic or pre-academic skills,
improved behavioral or social
functioning, and improved functional
performance, provided that valid and
reliable measurement instruments are
employed to assess the outcomes.
Technology-based approaches intended
for use by providers or parents may not
be funded under this priority unless
child-level benefits are clearly
demonstrated. Technology-based
approaches for professional
development will not be funded under
this priority;
(3) Provide a detailed plan for
conducting work in one of the following
two phases:
(i) Phase 1—Development: Projects
funded under Phase 1 must develop and
refine a technology-based approach, and
test its feasibility for use with children
with disabilities. Activities under Phase
1 of the priority may include
development, adaptation, and
refinement of technology, materials, or
methodologies. Activities under Phase 1
of the priority must include a formative
evaluation of the technology-based
approach’s usability and feasibility for
use with children with disabilities. Each
project funded under Phase 1 must be
designed to develop, as its primary
product, a promising technology-based
approach that is suitable for field-based
evaluation of its effectiveness in
improving results for children with
disabilities.
(ii) Phase 2—Research on
Effectiveness: Projects funded under
Phase 2 must select a promising
technology-based approach that has
been developed and tested in a manner
consistent with the criteria for activities
funded under Phase 1, and subject the
approach to rigorous field-based
research to determine its effectiveness
in educational or early intervention
settings. Approaches studied under
Phase 2 may have been developed with
previous funding under Phase 1 of this
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:22 Jul 18, 2008
Jkt 214001
priority or with funding from other
sources. Phase 2 of this priority is
primarily intended to produce sound
research-based evidence demonstrating
that the technology-based approach can
improve educational or early
intervention results for children with
disabilities in a defined range of real
world contexts.
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this
priority must conduct research that
poses a causal question and must
employ randomized assignment to
treatment and comparison conditions,
unless a strong justification is made for
why a randomized trial is not possible.
If a randomized trial is not possible, the
applicant must employ alternatives that
substantially minimize selection bias or
allow the selection bias to be modeled.
These alternatives include appropriately
structured regression-discontinuity
designs and natural experiments in
which naturally occurring
circumstances or institutions (perhaps
unintentionally) divide people into
treatment and comparison groups in a
manner akin to purposeful random
assignment. In their applications,
applicants proposing to use an
alternative system must (1) make a
compelling case that randomization is
not possible, and (2) describe in detail
how the procedures will result in
substantially minimizing the effects of
selection bias on estimates of effect size.
Choice of randomizing unit or units
(e.g., students, classrooms, schools)
must be grounded in a theoretical
framework. Observational, survey, or
qualitative methodologies may
complement experimental
methodologies to assist in the
identification of factors that may
explain the effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of the technology-based
approach being evaluated. Applications
must provide research designs that
permit the identification and assessment
of factors that may have an impact on
the fidelity of implementation.
Mediating and moderating variables that
are both measured in the practice or
model condition and are likely to affect
outcomes in the comparison condition
must be measured in the comparison
condition (e.g., student time-on-task,
teacher experience, or time in position).
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this
priority must conduct comprehensive
research in order to provide convincing
evidence of the effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of the technology-based
approach under study, at least within a
defined range of settings. Applicants
must provide documentation that
available sample sizes, methodologies,
and treatment effects are likely to result
in conclusive findings regarding the
PO 00000
Frm 00022
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
effectiveness of the technology-based
approach;
(4) Provide a plan for forming
collaborative relationships with
vendors, other dissemination or
marketing resources, or both to ensure
that the technology-based approach can
be made widely available if sufficient
evidence of effectiveness is obtained.
Applicants should document the
availability and willingness of
dissemination or marketing resources to
participate. Applicants are encouraged
to plan these collaborative relationships
early in their projects, even in Phase 1
(if applicable), but should refrain from
widespread dissemination of the
technology-based approach to
practitioners until evidence of its
effectiveness is obtained in Phase 2; and
(5) Budget for the project director to
attend an annual three-day Project
Directors’ meeting in Washington, DC,
and another annual two-day trip to
Washington, DC to collaborate with the
Federal project officer and the other
projects funded under this priority to
share information, and to discuss
findings and methods of dissemination.
(b) The project also must conduct the
following activities:
(1) If the project maintains a Web site,
include relevant information and
documents in a format that meets a
government or industry-recognized
standard for accessibility.
(2) If the project produces
instructional materials for
dissemination, produce them in
accessible formats, including complying
with the National Instructional
Materials Accessibility Standard
(NIMAS) for textual materials.
Within this absolute priority, we are
particularly interested in applications
that address the following invitational
priorities.
Invitational Priorities: Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets one of these
invitational priorities a competitive or
absolute preference over other
applications.
These priorities are:
(1) Projects led by a project director or
principal investigator who is in the
initial phase of his or her career. For
purposes of this invitational priority,
the initial phase of an individual’s
career is considered to be the first three
years after the individual completes and
graduates from a doctoral program (i.e.,
for FY 2009 awards, projects may
support individuals who completed and
graduated from a doctoral program no
earlier than the 2005–2006 academic
year). To qualify for this invitational
priority, the applicant must explicitly
state and document, in its application,
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
42335
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
that the project director or principal
investigator is in the initial phase of his
or her career. At least 50 percent of that
individual’s time must be devoted to the
project.
(2) Projects focusing on technologybased approaches for children with
disabilities, ages birth to age three.
(3) Projects focusing on technologybased approaches to response-tointervention assessment techniques.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:
Under the Administrative Procedure Act
(APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department
generally offers interested parties the
opportunity to comment on proposed
priorities and requirements. Section
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the
public comment requirements of the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this
notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474
and 1481.
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.
availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional
awards in FY 2009 from the lists of
unfunded applicants from the
competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: See
Chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
See Chart.
Maximum Award: Phase 1: $200,000,
per year and Phase 2: $300,000, per
year. We will reject any application that
proposes a budget exceeding the
maximum award for a single budget
period of 12 months. The Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the
maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register .
Estimated Number of Awards: See
Chart.
Project Period: Projects funded under
Phase 1 will be funded for up to 24
months. Projects funded under Phase 2
will be funded for up to 24 months
unless a compelling rationale is
provided for funding up to 36 months.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
(IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The
Administration has requested
$30,949,000 for the Technology and
Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program for FY 2009, of
which we intend to use an estimated
$2,400,000 for the Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities competition. Please
refer to the ‘‘Estimated Range of
Awards’’ column in the Chart for the
estimated dollar amounts for the two
phases of 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. Contingent upon the
STEPPINGSTONES OF TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES APPLICATION NOTICE FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2009
Deadline for
transmittal of
applications
CFDA No. and name
84.327A—Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for
Children with Disabilities:
Phase 1—Development ......
Phase 2—Research on
Effectiveness.
Deadline for
Intergovernmental review
September 4,
2008.
September 4,
2008.
..........................
November 3,
2008.
November 3,
2008.
..........................
Estimated
available
funds
Estimated
range of
awards
Estimated
average size
of awards
Estimated
number of
awards
$1,200,000
$100,000–$200,000
$200,000
6
........................
..................................
........................
........................
1,200,000
200,000–300,000
300,000
4
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State
educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (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 forprofit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not require 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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:14 Jul 18, 2008
Jkt 214001
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), call, toll free: 1–877–
576–7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web
site, also: www.ed.gov/pubs/
edpubs.html or at its e-mail address:
edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
PO 00000
Frm 00023
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
If you request an application package
from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA Number
84.327A.
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 person or
team listed under Alternative Format in
section VIII 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
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
42336
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
your application. You must limit Part III
to the equivalent of no more than 50
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 two-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the
references, or the letters of support. The
page limit, however, does apply to the
application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if you
exceed the page limit; or if you use
other standards and exceed the
equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 21, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: See Chart.
Applications for grants under this
program 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 in paper format 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.
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.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: See Chart.
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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:22 Jul 18, 2008
Jkt 214001
is in the application package for this
competition.
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 may be submitted
electronically or in paper format by mail
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications.
To comply with the President’s
Management Agenda, we are
participating as a partner in the
Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site.
The Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with
Disabilities competition, CFDA Number
84.327A, is included in this project. We
request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your
application electronically, you must use
the Governmentwide 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 email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
You may access the electronic grant
application for the Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities competition, CFDA
Number 84.327A, at https://
www.Grants.gov. You must search for
the downloadable application package
for this competition by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA
number’s alpha suffix in your search
(e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327A).
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 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 4:30:00
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
PO 00000
Frm 00024
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
notify you if we are rejecting your
application because it was date and time
stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 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 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 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 submit your
application in paper format.
• If you submit your application
electronically, 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
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
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).
• If you 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 in this
paragraph or submit a passwordprotected 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 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 4:30:00 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
4:30:00 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
VerDate Aug<31>2005
20:08 Jul 18, 2008
Jkt 214001
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 4:30:00 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.
42337
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:
Note: The extensions to which we refer in
(CFDA Number 84.327A), 550 12th
this section apply only to the unavailability
of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
system. We will not grant you an extension
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260.
if you failed to fully register to submit your
The Application Control Center
application to Grants.gov before the
accepts hand deliveries daily between
application deadline date and time or if the
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,
technical problem you experienced is
DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,
unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
and Federal holidays.
b. Submission of Paper Applications
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper
by Mail.
Applications: If you mail or hand deliver
If you submit your application in
your application to the Department—
paper format by mail (through the U.S.
(1) You must indicate on the envelope
Postal Service or a commercial carrier),
and—if not provided by the Department—in
you must mail the original and two
Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number,
copies of your application, on or before
including suffix letter, if any, of the
competition under which you are submitting
the application deadline date, to the
your application; and
Department at the applicable following
(2) The Application Control Center will
address:
mail to you a notification of receipt of your
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: grant application. If you do not receive this
U.S. Department of Education,
notification within 15 business days from the
Application Control Center,
application deadline date, you should call
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A),
the U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center at (202) 245–
400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
6288.
Washington, DC 20202–4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier:
V. Application Review Information
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Stop
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
4260, Attention: (CFDA Number
criteria for this competition are from 34
84.327A), 7100 Old Landover Road,
CFR 75.210 and are listed in the
Landover, MD 20785–1506.
application package.
Regardless of which address you use,
2. Peer Review: In the past, the
you must show proof of mailing
Department has had difficulty finding
consisting of one of the following:
peer reviewers for certain competitions,
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service because so many individuals who are
postmark.
eligible to serve as peer reviewers have
(2) A legible mail receipt with the
conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel
date of mailing stamped by the U.S.
requirements under IDEA also have
Postal Service.
placed additional constraints on the
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or availability of reviewers. Therefore, the
receipt from a commercial carrier.
Department has determined that, for
(4) Any other proof of mailing
some discretionary grant competitions,
acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S.
applications may be separated into two
Department of Education.
or more groups and ranked and selected
If you mail your application through
for funding within specific groups. This
the U.S. Postal Service, we do not
procedure will make it easier for the
accept either of the following as proof
Department to find peer reviewers, by
of mailing:
ensuring that greater numbers of
(1) A private metered postmark.
individuals who are eligible to serve as
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by
reviewers for any particular group of
the U.S. Postal Service.
applicants will not have conflicts of
If your application is postmarked after interest. It also will increase the quality,
the application deadline date, we will
independence, and fairness of the
not consider your application.
review process while permitting panel
members to review applications under
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not
discretionary grant competitions for
uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before
PO 00000
Frm 00025
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
42338
Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 140 / Monday, July 21, 2008 / Notices
PWALKER on PROD1PC71 with NOTICES
which they also have submitted
applications. However, if the
Department decides to select an equal
number of applications in each group
for funding, this may result in different
cut-off points for fundable applications
in each group.
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 Notice (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
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: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
established a set of performance
measures, including long-term
measures, that are designed to yield
information on various aspects of the
effectiveness and quality of the
Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities program.
These measures focus on the extent to
which projects are of high quality, are
relevant to improving outcomes of
children with disabilities, and
contribute to improving outcomes for
children with disabilities. We will
collect data on these measures from the
projects funded under this competition.
Grantees also will be required to
report information on their projects’
performance in annual reports to the
Department (34 CFR 75.590).
VerDate Aug<31>2005
19:22 Jul 18, 2008
Jkt 214001
VII. Agency Contact
Tom
V. Hanley, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 4066, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP),
Washington, DC 20202–2550.
Telephone: (202) 245–7369.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, at 1–800–
877–8339.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 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)
by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll
free, at 1–800–877–8339.
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: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: July 15, 2008.
Tracy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E8–16632 Filed 7–18–08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education;
Overview Information; Jacob K. Javits
Fellowship Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.170A.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 21, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: September 4, 2008.
PO 00000
Frm 00026
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Deadline for Transmittal of the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA): January 31, 2009.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Jacob K. Javits (JKJ) Fellowship
Program is to award fellowships to
eligible students of superior ability,
selected on the basis of demonstrated
achievement, financial need, and
exceptional promise, to undertake
graduate study in specific fields in the
arts, humanities, and social sciences
leading to a doctoral degree or to a
master’s degree in those fields in which
the master’s degree is the terminal
highest degree awarded in the selected
field of study at accredited institutions
of higher education. The selected fields
in the arts are: Creative writing, music
performance, music theory, music
composition, music literature, studio
arts (including photography), television,
film, cinematography, theater arts,
playwriting, screenwriting, acting, and
dance. The selected fields in the
humanities are: Art history (including
architectural history), archeology, area
studies, classics, comparative literature,
English language and literature, folklore,
folk life, foreign languages and
literature, foreign languages that are less
commonly taught as follows: Arabic,
Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian,
Indic family (including Hindi, Urdu,
Sinhala, Bengali, Nepali, Punjabi,
Marathi, Gujarati, Oriya, Assamese);
Iranian family (including Dari, Farsi,
Tajiki, Kurdish, Pashto, Balochi); and
Turkic family (including Turkish,
Azerbaijani/Azeri, Kazakh, Kyrgyz,
Turkmen, Uzbek, Uyghur), history,
linguistics, philosophy, religion
(excluding study of religious vocation),
speech, rhetoric, and debate. The
selected fields in the social sciences are:
Anthropology, communications and
media, criminology, economics, ethnic
and cultural studies, geography,
political science, psychology (excluding
clinical psychology), public policy and
public administration, and sociology
(excluding the master’s and doctoral
degrees in social work).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1134–1134d.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 74, 75 (except as provided
in 34 CFR 650.3(b)), 77, 82, 84, 85, 86,
97, 98 and 99. (b) The regulations for
this program in 34 CFR part 650.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
E:\FR\FM\21JYN1.SGM
21JYN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 140 (Monday, July 21, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42333-42338]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-16632]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information: Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities--Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With
Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327A.
Note: This notice includes one absolute priority with two
phases, and funding information for each phase of the competition.
Dates:
Applications Available: July 21, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See the chart in the
Award Information section of this notice (Chart).
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See Chart.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Technology and Media
Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to: (1) Improve
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media
services activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom setting to children with disabilities; and (3) provide
support for captioning and video description that are appropriate for
use in the classroom setting.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or otherwise
authorized in the statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities
Background
The Department has made Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for
Children with Disabilities awards for several years under the
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities
program. Awards are made in two phases: (1) Development and (2)
research on effectiveness. Abstracts of projects funded under these two
phases can be found at https://www.nichcy.org/directories/FY07-Vol%203-
R_I_T_M.pdf (see projects funded under CFDA 84.327A with Beginning
Dates of June 1, 2007, or later).
Priority: The Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities absolute priority requires grantees to develop,
implement, and evaluate innovative technology approaches designed to
improve results for children with disabilities. Phase 1 projects must
develop, refine, and test the feasibility of technology-based
approaches. Phase 2 projects must subject technology-based approaches
to rigorous field-based research to determine their effectiveness.
To be considered for funding under the Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with Disabilities absolute priority, applicants
must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All
projects funded under the absolute priority also must meet the
programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.
The application, programmatic, and administrative requirements are as
follows:
(a) In the application, an applicant must--
(1) Describe a technology-based approach for improving the results
of (a) early intervention programs, (b) response-to-intervention (RTI)
assessment techniques, or (c) preschool, elementary school, middle
school, or high school educational programs for children with
disabilities. The
[[Page 42334]]
technology-based approach must be an innovative combination of new
technology and additional materials and methodologies that enable the
technology to improve early intervention programs, RTI assessment
techniques, or educational results for children with disabilities;
(2) Present a justification, based on scientifically rigorous
research or theory, that supports the potential effectiveness of the
technology-based approach described pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of
this priority for improving results for children with disabilities. The
approach must have the potential to improve child outcomes, not just
parent or provider outcomes. Child outcomes may include improved
academic or pre-academic skills, improved behavioral or social
functioning, and improved functional performance, provided that valid
and reliable measurement instruments are employed to assess the
outcomes. Technology-based approaches intended for use by providers or
parents may not be funded under this priority unless child-level
benefits are clearly demonstrated. Technology-based approaches for
professional development will not be funded under this priority;
(3) Provide a detailed plan for conducting work in one of the
following two phases:
(i) Phase 1--Development: Projects funded under Phase 1 must
develop and refine a technology-based approach, and test its
feasibility for use with children with disabilities. Activities under
Phase 1 of the priority may include development, adaptation, and
refinement of technology, materials, or methodologies. Activities under
Phase 1 of the priority must include a formative evaluation of the
technology-based approach's usability and feasibility for use with
children with disabilities. Each project funded under Phase 1 must be
designed to develop, as its primary product, a promising technology-
based approach that is suitable for field-based evaluation of its
effectiveness in improving results for children with disabilities.
(ii) Phase 2--Research on Effectiveness: Projects funded under
Phase 2 must select a promising technology-based approach that has been
developed and tested in a manner consistent with the criteria for
activities funded under Phase 1, and subject the approach to rigorous
field-based research to determine its effectiveness in educational or
early intervention settings. Approaches studied under Phase 2 may have
been developed with previous funding under Phase 1 of this priority or
with funding from other sources. Phase 2 of this priority is primarily
intended to produce sound research-based evidence demonstrating that
the technology-based approach can improve educational or early
intervention results for children with disabilities in a defined range
of real world contexts.
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct
research that poses a causal question and must employ randomized
assignment to treatment and comparison conditions, unless a strong
justification is made for why a randomized trial is not possible. If a
randomized trial is not possible, the applicant must employ
alternatives that substantially minimize selection bias or allow the
selection bias to be modeled. These alternatives include appropriately
structured regression-discontinuity designs and natural experiments in
which naturally occurring circumstances or institutions (perhaps
unintentionally) divide people into treatment and comparison groups in
a manner akin to purposeful random assignment. In their applications,
applicants proposing to use an alternative system must (1) make a
compelling case that randomization is not possible, and (2) describe in
detail how the procedures will result in substantially minimizing the
effects of selection bias on estimates of effect size. Choice of
randomizing unit or units (e.g., students, classrooms, schools) must be
grounded in a theoretical framework. Observational, survey, or
qualitative methodologies may complement experimental methodologies to
assist in the identification of factors that may explain the
effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach being
evaluated. Applications must provide research designs that permit the
identification and assessment of factors that may have an impact on the
fidelity of implementation. Mediating and moderating variables that are
both measured in the practice or model condition and are likely to
affect outcomes in the comparison condition must be measured in the
comparison condition (e.g., student time-on-task, teacher experience,
or time in position).
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct
comprehensive research in order to provide convincing evidence of the
effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach under
study, at least within a defined range of settings. Applicants must
provide documentation that available sample sizes, methodologies, and
treatment effects are likely to result in conclusive findings regarding
the effectiveness of the technology-based approach;
(4) Provide a plan for forming collaborative relationships with
vendors, other dissemination or marketing resources, or both to ensure
that the technology-based approach can be made widely available if
sufficient evidence of effectiveness is obtained. Applicants should
document the availability and willingness of dissemination or marketing
resources to participate. Applicants are encouraged to plan these
collaborative relationships early in their projects, even in Phase 1
(if applicable), but should refrain from widespread dissemination of
the technology-based approach to practitioners until evidence of its
effectiveness is obtained in Phase 2; and
(5) Budget for the project director to attend an annual three-day
Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC, and another annual two-
day trip to Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project
officer and the other projects funded under this priority to share
information, and to discuss findings and methods of dissemination.
(b) The project also must conduct the following activities:
(1) If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant
information and documents in a format that meets a government or
industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
(2) If the project produces instructional materials for
dissemination, produce them in accessible formats, including complying
with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
(NIMAS) for textual materials.
Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following invitational priorities.
Invitational Priorities: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give
an application that meets one of these invitational priorities a
competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
These priorities are:
(1) Projects led by a project director or principal investigator
who is in the initial phase of his or her career. For purposes of this
invitational priority, the initial phase of an individual's career is
considered to be the first three years after the individual completes
and graduates from a doctoral program (i.e., for FY 2009 awards,
projects may support individuals who completed and graduated from a
doctoral program no earlier than the 2005-2006 academic year). To
qualify for this invitational priority, the applicant must explicitly
state and document, in its application,
[[Page 42335]]
that the project director or principal investigator is in the initial
phase of his or her career. At least 50 percent of that individual's
time must be devoted to the project.
(2) Projects focusing on technology-based approaches for children
with disabilities, ages birth to age three.
(3) Projects focusing on technology-based approaches to response-
to-intervention assessment techniques.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
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 institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$30,949,000 for the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program for FY 2009, of which we intend to use an
estimated $2,400,000 for the Steppingstones of Technology Innovation
for Children with Disabilities competition. Please refer to the
``Estimated Range of Awards'' column in the Chart for the estimated
dollar amounts for the two phases of 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. Contingent
upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may
make additional awards in FY 2009 from the lists of unfunded applicants
from the competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: See Chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See Chart.
Maximum Award: Phase 1: $200,000, per year and Phase 2: $300,000,
per year. We will reject any application that proposes a budget
exceeding the maximum award for a single budget period of 12 months.
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in
the Federal Register .
Estimated Number of Awards: See Chart.
Project Period: Projects funded under Phase 1 will be funded for up
to 24 months. Projects funded under Phase 2 will be funded for up to 24
months unless a compelling rationale is provided for funding up to 36
months.
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deadline for Deadline for Estimated Estimated Estimated
CFDA No. and name transmittal of Intergovernmental available Estimated range of average size number of
applications review funds awards of awards awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.327A--Steppingstones of
Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities:
Phase 1--Development........... September 4, 2008.... November 3, 2008....... $1,200,000 $100,000-$200,000 $200,000 6
September 4, 2008.... November 3, 2008....... .............. ................... .............. ..............
Phase 2--Research on ..................... ....................... 1,200,000 200,000-300,000 300,000 4
Effectiveness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The Department of Education is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (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 require 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), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.ed.gov/pubs/
edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.327A.
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 person or team
listed under Alternative Format in section VIII 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
[[Page 42336]]
your application. You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more
than 50 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 two-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
The page limit, however, does apply to the application narrative in
Part III.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if
you use other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 21, 2008.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See Chart.
Applications for grants under this program 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 in
paper format 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.
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.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See Chart.
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 in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site.
The Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with
Disabilities competition, CFDA Number 84.327A, is included in this
project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Governmentwide 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
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities
competition, CFDA Number 84.327A, at https://www.Grants.gov. You must
search for the downloadable application package for this competition by
the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327A).
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 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 4:30:00
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
4:30:00 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 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 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 submit your application in paper format.
If you submit your application electronically, 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
[[Page 42337]]
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).
If you 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 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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00
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 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.
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 84.327A), 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
84.327A), 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 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
84.327A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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 competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
2. Peer Review: In the past, the Department has had difficulty
finding peer reviewers for certain competitions, because so many
individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts
of interest. The Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also have
placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers.
Therefore, the Department has determined that, for some discretionary
grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more
groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This
procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer
reviewers, by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are
eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants
will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality,
independence, and fairness of the review process while permitting panel
members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions
for
[[Page 42338]]
which they also have submitted applications. However, if the Department
decides to select an equal number of applications in each group for
funding, this may result in different cut-off points for fundable
applications in each group.
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 Notice
(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 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program. These measures focus on the extent to which
projects are of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of
children with disabilities, and contribute to improving outcomes for
children with disabilities. We will collect data on these measures from
the projects funded under this competition.
Grantees also will 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: Tom V. Hanley, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4066, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7369.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (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) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
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: 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: July 15, 2008.
Tracy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E8-16632 Filed 7-18-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
