Office of Postsecondary Education;, 14538-14543 [E9-7224]

Download as PDF 14538 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES (ii) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those services. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(iv)) (iii) The extent to which the training or professional development services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those services. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(v)) (iv) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed project are focused on those with greatest needs. (34 CFR 75.210(d)(3)(xi)) VI. Award Administration Information 1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also. If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you. 2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. 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 Department has developed the following three performance measures for evaluating the effectiveness of the T&FASEG program: (1) The percentage of teachers participating in professional development activities under the T&FASEG program who demonstrate progress toward State teacher certification; (2) The percentage of students participating in reading programs under VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 the T&FASEG program who score proficient or above in reading on State assessments; and (3) The percentage of students participating in mathematics programs under the T&FASEG program who score proficient or above in mathematics on State assessments. These measures constitute the Department’s indicators of success for this program. Consequently, we advise an applicant for a grant under this program to give careful consideration to these measures in conceptualizing the approach and evaluation for its proposed project. Each grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and final reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures. VII. Agency Contacts For Further Information Contact: Valerie Rogers, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W241, Washington, DC 20202– 6140. Telephone: (202) 260–2543 or by e-mail: Valerie.Rogers@ed.gov or Donna Sabis-Burns, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3W219, Washington, DC 20202– 6400. Telephone: (202) 260–1425 or by e-mail: Donna.Sabis-Burns@ed.gov. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339. VIII. Other Information Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to one of the program contact persons listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of 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. You can also view this document in text or PDF at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/programs/tfasegp/ applicant.html. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/ index.html. Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Joseph C. Conaty, Director, Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to perform the functions of the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Dated: March 26, 2009. Joseph C. Conaty, Director, Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs. [FR Doc. E9–7218 Filed 3–30–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards For Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.016A. Dates: Applications Available: March 31, 2009. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2009. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 29, 2009. Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) Program provides grants to strengthen and improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages. Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference priority and four invitational priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 658.35). Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2009, this priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional five points to an application that meets this priority. This priority is: Applications that (a) require entering students to have successfully completed at least two years of secondary school foreign language instruction; (b) require each graduating student to earn two years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language or to have E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices demonstrated equivalent competence in the foreign language; or (c) in the case of a two-year degree granting institution, offer two years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language. Under this competition, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following priorities. Invitational Priorities: For FY 2009, these 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 propose projects that provide inservice training for K–12 teachers in foreign languages and international studies and that strengthen instruction in foreign languages and international studies in teacher education programs. Invitational Priority 2: Applications that propose projects that include a plan for assessment of student foreign language competency. A plan of assessment should include clearly defined student-learning outcomes and externally validated assessment approaches. The applicant should describe procedures for utilizing the assessment data to improve foreign language program effectiveness. Invitational Priority 3: Applications that propose projects that support an increase in the number of underrepresented minorities who are studying foreign languages and area and international studies. Invitational Priority 4: Applications that focus on any of the seventy-eight (78) priority languages listed below that were selected from the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs): Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), Armenian, Azeri (Azerbaijani), Balochi, Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara, Mandikan, Mandingo, Maninka, Dyula), Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), Berber (all languages), Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), Chechen, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Min), Chinese (Wu), Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, Hausa, Hebrew (Modern), Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, Khmer (Cambodian), Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish (Kurmanji), Kurdish (Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian (Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 Tajik, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur/Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1124. 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 in 34 CFR parts 655 and 658. 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. Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1121(c)(1), the Secretary has consulted with and received recommendations regarding national need for expertise in foreign languages and world regions from the head officials of a wide range of Federal agencies. The Secretary has taken these recommendations into account and a list of foreign languages and world regions identified by the Secretary as areas of national need may be found on the following Web sites: https:// www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/ policy.html https://www.ed.gov/ programs/iegpsugisf/legislation.html. Also included on these Web sites are the specific recommendations the Secretary received from Federal agencies. II. Award Information Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Estimated Available Funds: $2,565,000. Estimated Range of Awards: Single Institution: $50,000–$90,000. Consortia/ Organizations/Associations: $80,000– $140,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: Single Institution: $82,000. Consortia/ Organizations/Associations: $110,000. Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $90,000 for a single budget period of 12 months for a single institution application, and $140,000 for a single budget period of 12 months for a consortia/organization/association application. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register. Estimated Number of Awards: 27. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Single Institutions: Up to 24 months. Consortia/Organizations/ Associations: Up to 36 months. PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14539 III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants: (1) Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs); (2) Combinations of IHEs; (3) Partnerships between nonprofit educational organizations and IHEs; and (4) Public and private nonprofit agencies and organizations, including professional and scholarly associations. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program has a matching requirement under section 604(a)(3) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1124(a)(3), and the regulations for this program in 34 CFR 658.41. UISFL Program grantees must provide matching funds in either of the following ways: (a) Cash contributions from private sector corporations or foundations equal to one-third of the total project costs; or (b) a combination of institutional and non-institutional cash or in-kind contributions including State and private sector corporation or foundation contributions, equal to onehalf of the total project costs. The Secretary may waive or reduce the required matching share for institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under part A or part B of Title III or under Title V of the HEA that have submitted an application that demonstrates a need for a waiver or reduction. IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address to Request Application Package: Christine Corey, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006–8521. Telephone: (202) 502–7629 or by e-mail: christine.corey@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 accessible 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 competition. Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative [Part III] that addresses the selection criteria to no more than 40 pages, using the following standards: • A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES 14540 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be outside of 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, figures and graphs. These items may be single spaced. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the program narrative count toward the page limit. • 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 and 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); and Part IV, the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of contents. However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section [Part III]. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as part of the application narrative [Part III] for purposes of the page limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the selection criteria in the application narrative. We will reject your application if you apply these standards and exceed the page limit. 3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: March 31, 2009. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2009. 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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 process should contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in Section VII of 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: June 29, 2009. 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 competition. 5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. 6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this program competition 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 Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) Program, CFDA number 84.016A, 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 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 the UISFL Program at https://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this program competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your PO 00000 Frm 00029 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 search (e.g., search for 84.016, not 84.016A). 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 4:30:00 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 program 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 E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices 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. • 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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 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 of 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. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00030 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14541 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: Christine Corey, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006–8521. FAX: (202) 502–7859. 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 following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.016A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202–4260. 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: E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 14542 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices (CFDA Number 84.016A), 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. tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES 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. General: For FY 2009, applications will be randomly divided and reviewed by separate panels of language and area studies experts. A rank order from highest to lowest score will be developed and used for funding purposes. 2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 658.31 through 658.34. The following criteria are used to evaluate all applications: (a) Plan of operation (15 points); (b) quality of key personnel (10 points); (c) budget and cost effectiveness (10 points); (d) adequacy of resources (5 points); and (e) evaluation plan (20 points). The following additional criteria are applied to applications submitted by an IHE or a combination of IHEs: (a) Commitment to international studies (10 points); (b) elements of the proposed international studies program (10 points); and (c) need for and prospective results of the proposed program (10 points). The following additional criterion is applied to applications from organizations and associations: Need for and potential impact of the proposed project in improving international studies and the study of modern foreign language at the undergraduate level (30 points). 3. Application Requirements: In addition to any other requirements outlined in the application package for this program, section 604(a)(7) of the HEA requires that each application must include— (A) Evidence that the applicant has conducted extensive planning prior to submitting the application; (B) An assurance that the faculty and administrators of all relevant VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 departments and programs served by the applicant are involved in ongoing collaboration with regard to achieving the stated objectives of the application; (C) An assurance that students at the applicant institutions, as appropriate, will have equal access to, and derive benefits from, the UISFL program; (D) An assurance that each institution, combination or partnership will use the Federal assistance provided under the UISFL program to supplement and not supplant non-Federal funds the institution expends for programs to improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign languages; (E) A description of how the applicant will provide information to students regarding federally funded scholarship programs in related areas; (F) An explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate debate on world regions and international affairs, where applicable; and (G) A description of how the applicant will encourage service in areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary. 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 of this notice. We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also incorporates your approved application as part of your binding commitments under the grant. 3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a final performance report, including financial information, as directed by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual performance report that provides the most current performance and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118. Grantees are required to use the electronic data instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete the final report. The Secretary PO 00000 Frm 00031 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 objective for the UISFL program is to meet the Nation’s security and economic needs through the development of a national capacity in foreign languages and area and international studies. The Department will use the following UISFL performance measures to evaluate its success in meeting this objective: Performance measure 1: Percentage of priority languages addressed/covered by foreign language major, minor, or certificate programs created or enhanced, by language courses created or enhanced, or by faculty or instructor positions created with UISFL or matching funds in the reporting period. Performance measure 2: Percentage of projects judged to be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information provided in annual performance reports. Efficiency measure: Cost per highquality, successfully completed project. The information provided by grantees in their performance reports submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. Reporting screens for institutions may be viewed at: https:// www.ieps-iris.org/iris/pdfs/uisfl.pdf. VII. Agency Contact For Further Information Contact: Christine Corey, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006–8521. Telephone: (202) 502–7629 or by e-mail: christine.corey@ed.gov. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339. VIII. Other Information Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an accessible 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 of 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. E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 31, 2009 / Notices 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. Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education to perform the function of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. Dated: March 25, 2009. Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. E9–7224 Filed 3–30–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY [Docket No. EA–98–L] Application To Export Electric Energy; Western Systems Power Pool AGENCY: Office Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, DOE. ACTION: Notice of Application. tjames on PRODPC61 with NOTICES SUMMARY: Thirteen members of the Western Systems Power Pool (WSPP) are authorized to transmit electric energy from the United States to Canada pursuant to section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act. One authorized exporter, TransCanada Energy Marketing ULC (TCEM), has transferred its wholesale electric trading operations to an affiliate and requests that the electricity export authorization contained in Order No. EA–98–K be amended to reflect this change. DATES: Comments, protests or requests to intervene must be submitted on or before April 30, 2009. ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, or requests to intervene should be addressed as follows: Office Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (Mail Code OE–20), U.S. Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20585–0350 (FAX 202–586–5860). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Russell (Program Office) 202–586– 9624 or Michael Skinker (Program Attorney) 202–586–2793. VerDate Nov<24>2008 14:35 Mar 30, 2009 Jkt 217001 Exports of electricity from the United States to a foreign country are regulated and require authorization under section 202(e) of the Federal Power Act (FPA) (16U.S.C. 824a(e)). On September 5, 1996, in Order No. EA–98–C, the Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) authorized 42 members of the WSPP to export electric energy to Canada. In several subsequent proceedings in the EA–98 docket, the list of members authorized to export was modified to add, delete, or reflect corporate name changes. The most recent order, EA–98– K, was issued on November 9, 2007, and authorizes 13 WSPP member companies individually to transmit electric energy to Canada. The international transmission facilities authorized for use by those exporters are owned by the Bonneville Power Administration, also a WSPP member. The facilities consist of two 500-kV transmission lines and one 230-kV transmission line that interconnect with facilities of BC Hydro, and one 230-kV line that interconnects with West Kootenay Power, Limited. The construction and operation of these international transmission facilities was previously authorized by Presidential Permits PP–10, PP–46, and PP–36, respectively. The current authorization to various members of the WSPP to export electric energy to Canada will expire on April 25, 2012. On February 23, 2009, WSPP submitted an application on behalf of TCEM, one of the 13 authorized exporters, informing DOE that TCEM would transfer its wholesale electric trading operations to its newly formed affiliate, TransCanada Energy Sales Ltd. (TES), effective March 1, 2009, and requested an order be issued to WSPP removing TCEM as an authorized exporter and adding TES. Procedural Matters: Any person desiring to become a party to this proceeding or to be heard by filing comments or protests to this application should file a petition to intervene, comment or protest at the address provided above in accordance with §§ 385.211 or 385.214 of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedures (18 CFR 385.211, 385.214). Fifteen copies of each petition and protest should be filed with DOE on or before the date listed above. Additional copies are to be filed directly with Matthew K. Segers, Wright & Talisman, P.C., 1200 G Street, NW., Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005–3802. A final decision will be made on this application after the environmental impacts have been evaluated pursuant to the National Environmental Policy SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PO 00000 Frm 00032 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 14543 Act of 1969, and a determination is made by DOE that the proposed action will not adversely impact on the reliability of the U.S. electric power supply system. Copies of this application will be made available, upon request, for public inspection and copying at the address provided above, by accessing the program Web site at https:// www.oe.energy.gov/ permits_pending.htm, or by e-mailing Odessa Hopkins at Odessa.Hopkins@hq.doe.gov. Issued in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2009. Anthony J. Como, Director, Permitting and Siting, Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. [FR Doc. E9–7167 Filed 3–30–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6450–01–P DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB) Department of Energy. Notice of open teleconference. AGENCY: ACTION: SUMMARY: This notice announces a teleconference of the State Energy Advisory Board (STEAB). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92– 463; 86 Stat.770) requires that public notice of these teleconferences be announced in the Federal Register. DATES: April 15, 2009 at 1–2 p.m. EDT. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Burch, STEAB Designated Federal Officer, Office of Commercialization and Project Management, Golden Field Office, U.S. Department of Energy, 1617 Cole Boulevard, Golden, CO 80401, Telephone 303–275–4801. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Purpose of the Board: To make recommendations to the Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy regarding goals and objectives, programmatic and administrative policies, and to otherwise carry out the Board’s responsibilities as designated in the State Energy Efficiency Programs Improvement Act of 1990 (Pub. L. No. 101–440). Tentative Agenda: Discuss ways STEAB can support DOE’s implementation of the Economic Recovery Act, commercialization efforts for both energy efficiency and renewable energy, consider potential collaborative activities involving the State Energy offices, and update members on their routine business matters. Public Participation: The teleconference is open to the public. E:\FR\FM\31MRN1.SGM 31MRN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 60 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14538-14543]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7224]


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

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education;

    Overview Information; Undergraduate International Studies and 
Foreign Language Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards 
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.016A.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: March 31, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2009.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 29, 2009.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Undergraduate International Studies and 
Foreign Language (UISFL) Program provides grants to strengthen and 
improve undergraduate instruction in international studies and foreign 
languages.
    Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference 
priority and four invitational priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priority is from the 
regulations for this program (34 CFR 658.35).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2009, this priority is a 
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award 
an additional five points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Applications that (a) require entering students to have 
successfully completed at least two years of secondary school foreign 
language instruction; (b) require each graduating student to earn two 
years of postsecondary credit in a foreign language or to have

[[Page 14539]]

demonstrated equivalent competence in the foreign language; or (c) in 
the case of a two-year degree granting institution, offer two years of 
postsecondary credit in a foreign language.
    Under this competition, we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following priorities. Invitational 
Priorities: For FY 2009, these 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 propose projects that 
provide in-service training for K-12 teachers in foreign languages and 
international studies and that strengthen instruction in foreign 
languages and international studies in teacher education programs.
    Invitational Priority 2: Applications that propose projects that 
include a plan for assessment of student foreign language competency. A 
plan of assessment should include clearly defined student-learning 
outcomes and externally validated assessment approaches. The applicant 
should describe procedures for utilizing the assessment data to improve 
foreign language program effectiveness.
    Invitational Priority 3: Applications that propose projects that 
support an increase in the number of underrepresented minorities who 
are studying foreign languages and area and international studies.
    Invitational Priority 4: Applications that focus on any of the 
seventy-eight (78) priority languages listed below that were selected 
from the U.S. Department of Education's list of Less Commonly Taught 
Languages (LCTLs):
    Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), 
Armenian, Azeri (Azerbaijani), Balochi, Bamanakan (Bamana, Bambara, 
Mandikan, Mandingo, Maninka, Dyula), Belarusian, Bengali (Bangla), 
Berber (all languages), Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cebuano (Visayan), 
Chechen, Chinese (Cantonese), Chinese (Gan), Chinese (Mandarin), 
Chinese (Min), Chinese (Wu), Croatian, Dari, Dinka, Georgian, Gujarati, 
Hausa, Hebrew (Modern), Hindi, Igbo, Indonesian, Japanese, Javanese, 
Kannada, Kashmiri, Kazakh, Khmer (Cambodian), Kirghiz, Korean, Kurdish 
(Kurmanji), Kurdish (Sorani), Lao, Malay (Bahasa Melayu or Malaysian), 
Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto, Persian 
(Farsi), Polish, Portuguese (all varieties), Quechua, Romanian, 
Russian, Serbian, Sinhala (Sinhalese), Somali, Swahili, Tagalog, Tajik, 
Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tibetan, Tigrigna, Turkish, Turkmen, Ukrainian, 
Urdu, Uyghur/Uigur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Wolof, Xhosa, Yoruba, and Zulu.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1124.
    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 in 34 CFR parts 655 and 
658.

    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.

    Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1121(c)(1), 
the Secretary has consulted with and received recommendations regarding 
national need for expertise in foreign languages and world regions from 
the head officials of a wide range of Federal agencies. The Secretary 
has taken these recommendations into account and a list of foreign 
languages and world regions identified by the Secretary as areas of 
national need may be found on the following Web sites: https://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/policy.html https://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsugisf/legislation.html. Also included on these Web sites 
are the specific recommendations the Secretary received from Federal 
agencies.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,565,000.
    Estimated Range of Awards: Single Institution: $50,000-$90,000. 
Consortia/Organizations/Associations: $80,000-$140,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Single Institution: $82,000. 
Consortia/Organizations/Associations: $110,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $90,000 for a single budget period of 12 months for a 
single institution application, and $140,000 for a single budget period 
of 12 months for a consortia/organization/association application. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 27.

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

    Project Period: Single Institutions: Up to 24 months. Consortia/
Organizations/Associations: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: (1) Institutions of Higher Education 
(IHEs); (2) Combinations of IHEs; (3) Partnerships between nonprofit 
educational organizations and IHEs; and (4) Public and private 
nonprofit agencies and organizations, including professional and 
scholarly associations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program has a matching 
requirement under section 604(a)(3) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1124(a)(3), 
and the regulations for this program in 34 CFR 658.41. UISFL Program 
grantees must provide matching funds in either of the following ways: 
(a) Cash contributions from private sector corporations or foundations 
equal to one-third of the total project costs; or (b) a combination of 
institutional and non-institutional cash or in-kind contributions 
including State and private sector corporation or foundation 
contributions, equal to one-half of the total project costs. The 
Secretary may waive or reduce the required matching share for 
institutions that are eligible to receive assistance under part A or 
part B of Title III or under Title V of the HEA that have submitted an 
application that demonstrates a need for a waiver or reduction.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Christine Corey, 
International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7629 or by e-mail: christine.corey@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 accessible 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 
competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, 
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your 
application. You must limit the application narrative [Part III] that 
addresses the selection criteria to no more than 40 pages, using the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom,

[[Page 14540]]

and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be outside of 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, figures and graphs. These items may be single spaced. Charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs in the program narrative count toward the 
page limit.
     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 and 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); and Part IV, the assurances and 
certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of 
contents. However, the page limit does apply to all of the application 
narrative section [Part III]. If you include any attachments or 
appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as 
part of the application narrative [Part III] for purposes of the page 
limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the 
selection criteria in the application narrative.
    We will reject your application if you apply these standards and 
exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 31, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2009.
    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 
of 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: June 29, 2009.
    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 competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program competition 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 Undergraduate International 
Studies and Foreign Language (UISFL) Program, CFDA number 84.016A, 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 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 the UISFL 
Program at https://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program competition by the CFDA number. Do 
not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search 
for 84.016, not 84.016A).
    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 4:30:00 
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 program 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

[[Page 14541]]

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.
     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 of 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.

    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: Christine Corey, 
International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006-8521. FAX: (202) 
502-7859.
    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 following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.016A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    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:

[[Page 14542]]

(CFDA Number 84.016A), 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. General: For FY 2009, applications will be randomly divided and 
reviewed by separate panels of language and area studies experts. A 
rank order from highest to lowest score will be developed and used for 
funding purposes.
    2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 658.31 through 658.34. The following criteria are used to 
evaluate all applications: (a) Plan of operation (15 points); (b) 
quality of key personnel (10 points); (c) budget and cost effectiveness 
(10 points); (d) adequacy of resources (5 points); and (e) evaluation 
plan (20 points). The following additional criteria are applied to 
applications submitted by an IHE or a combination of IHEs: (a) 
Commitment to international studies (10 points); (b) elements of the 
proposed international studies program (10 points); and (c) need for 
and prospective results of the proposed program (10 points). The 
following additional criterion is applied to applications from 
organizations and associations: Need for and potential impact of the 
proposed project in improving international studies and the study of 
modern foreign language at the undergraduate level (30 points).
    3. Application Requirements: In addition to any other requirements 
outlined in the application package for this program, section 604(a)(7) 
of the HEA requires that each application must include--
    (A) Evidence that the applicant has conducted extensive planning 
prior to submitting the application;
    (B) An assurance that the faculty and administrators of all 
relevant departments and programs served by the applicant are involved 
in ongoing collaboration with regard to achieving the stated objectives 
of the application;
    (C) An assurance that students at the applicant institutions, as 
appropriate, will have equal access to, and derive benefits from, the 
UISFL program;
    (D) An assurance that each institution, combination or partnership 
will use the Federal assistance provided under the UISFL program to 
supplement and not supplant non-Federal funds the institution expends 
for programs to improve undergraduate instruction in international 
studies and foreign languages;
    (E) A description of how the applicant will provide information to 
students regarding federally funded scholarship programs in related 
areas;
    (F) An explanation of how the activities funded by the grant will 
reflect diverse perspectives and a wide range of views and generate 
debate on world regions and international affairs, where applicable; 
and
    (G) A description of how the applicant will encourage service in 
areas of national need, as identified by the Secretary.

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 of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a 
final performance report, including financial information, as directed 
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an 
annual performance report that provides the most current performance 
and financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary 
under 34 CFR 75.118. Grantees are required to use the electronic data 
instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS) to complete 
the final report. 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 objective for the UISFL program is to 
meet the Nation's security and economic needs through the development 
of a national capacity in foreign languages and area and international 
studies.
    The Department will use the following UISFL performance measures to 
evaluate its success in meeting this objective:
    Performance measure 1: Percentage of priority languages addressed/
covered by foreign language major, minor, or certificate programs 
created or enhanced, by language courses created or enhanced, or by 
faculty or instructor positions created with UISFL or matching funds in 
the reporting period.
    Performance measure 2: Percentage of projects judged to be 
successful by the program officer, based on a review of information 
provided in annual performance reports.
    Efficiency measure: Cost per high-quality, successfully completed 
project.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. 
Reporting screens for institutions may be viewed at: https://www.ieps-iris.org/iris/pdfs/uisfl.pdf.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Christine Corey, International 
Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street, NW., room 6069, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 
502-7629 or by e-mail: christine.corey@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible 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 of 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.

[[Page 14543]]

    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/.

    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy 
Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education to perform the 
function of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

    Dated: March 25, 2009.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9-7224 Filed 3-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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