Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, 28913-28918 [E9-14357]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 116 / Thursday, June 18, 2009 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Department of Education.
The Director, Information
Collection Clearance Division,
Regulatory Information Management
Services, Office of Management invites
comments on the submission for OMB
review as required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995.
DATES: Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before July 20,
2009.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be addressed to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Education Desk Officer,
Office of Management and Budget, 725
17th Street, NW., Room 10222, New
Executive Office Building, Washington,
DC 20503, be faxed to (202) 395–5806 or
send e-mail to
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY:
Section
3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires
that the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) provide interested
Federal agencies and the public an early
opportunity to comment on information
collection requests. OMB may amend or
waive the requirement for public
consultation to the extent that public
participation in the approval process
would defeat the purpose of the
information collection, violate State or
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burden. OMB invites public comment.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Dated: June 15, 2009.
Angela C. Arrington,
Director, Information Collection Clearance
Division, Regulatory Information
Management Services, Office of Management.
Federal Student Aid
Type of Review: Extension.
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Title: Federal Perkins Loan Program/
National Direct Student Loan (NDSL)
Assignment Form.
Frequency: On occasion.
Affected Public: Businesses or other
for-profit; not-for-profit institutions.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour
Burden:
Responses: 21,262.
Burden Hours: 8,505.
Abstract: The Federal Perkins Loan
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school has exhausted all of its efforts in
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Requests may also be electronically
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deaf (TDD) may call the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.
[FR Doc. E9–14318 Filed 6–17–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education;
Overview Information; Promoting
Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for
Hispanic Americans (PPOHA)
Program; Notice Inviting Applications
for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY)
2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.031M.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 18, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: July 20, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: September 16, 2009.
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Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Promoting
Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for
Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program
provides grants to: (1) Expand
postbaccalaureate educational
opportunities for, and improve the
academic attainment of, Hispanic
students; and (2) expand the
postbaccalaureate academic offerings as
well as enhance the program quality in
the institutions of higher education that
are educating the majority of Hispanic
college students and helping large
numbers of Hispanic and low-income
students complete postsecondary
degrees.
PPOHA Program Requirements
Background: The PPOHA Program is
a new program established under
sections 511 through 514 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended
(HEA). The PPOHA Program supports
Hispanic-serving institutions that offer a
postbaccalaureate certificate or degree
granting program. To define the term
‘‘Hispanic-serving institution’’ for
purposes of the PPOHA Program,
Congress adopted the definition of that
term in the existing Hispanic-Serving
Institutions (HSI) Program authorized by
sections 501 to 504 of the HEA. In
addition, the PPOHA Program provides
development grants like the HSI
Program. Moreover, Congress also
applied the general provisions of the
HSI Program to the PPOHA Program.
See Title V, Part C, sections 521–528, of
the HEA. In light of the overlap of these
definitions and requirements, the
Secretary has determined that it is
appropriate to adopt some of the
requlatory requirements relating to
eligibility criteria and tie-breaking
factors from the HSI Program for use for
the first grant competition in the
PPOHA Program.
Eligibility Criteria (Use of 34 CFR
606.2(a) and (b), 606.3 through 606.5).
For purposes of the PPOHA Program, an
eligible institution is an institution of
higher education that: (1) Is an
Hispanic-serving institution as defined
in section 502 of the HEA; and (2) offers
a postbaccalaureate certificate or degree
granting program. As noted earlier in
this notice, the term ‘‘Hispanic-serving
institution’’ under section 502 of the
HEA has already been defined in the
regulations for the HSI Program. For the
competition announced in this notice,
the Secretary has decided to use the
specific eligibility criteria for Hispanicserving institution in 34 CFR 606.2(a)
and (b) and 606.3, 606.4 and 606.5 of
those regulations. The use of these
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regulations will enable applicants to
determine whether they meet the
definitional requirements of an
Hispanic-serving institution under this
program.
Tie-breaker for Development Grants
(Use of 34 CFR 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2)).
The PPOHA Program will be providing
Development Grants like those currently
awarded under the HSI Program. In light
of the similar eligibility criteria for these
two programs, the Secretary has decided
to adopt for this first PPOHA Program
competition the regulations for tiebreakers used in the HSI Program. These
tie-breaker regulations are set forth in
the Review and Selection Process
section of this notice (section v.2.b.).
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking:
Under the Administrative Procedure Act
(5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally
offers interested parties the opportunity
to comment on proposed program
requirements. Section 437(d)(1) of
GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to
exempt from rulemaking requirements,
regulations governing the first grant
competition under a new or
substantially revised program authority.
This is the first grant competition for
this program under section 511 through
514 of the Higher Education Act of
1965, as amended (HEA), and therefore
qualifies for this exemption. In order to
ensure timely grant awards, the
Secretary has decided to forego public
comment on using the eligibility criteria
from 34 CFR 606.2(a) (except (a)(2)) and
(b) and 606.3 through 606.5 and the tiebreaker for development grants
regulations from 34 CFR 606.23(b)(1)
and (b)(2) for the PPOHA Program.
These eligibility criteria and regulations
will apply to the PPOHA Program FY
2009 grant competition only.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1102–
1102c.
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) 34 CFR 606.2(a)
(except (a)(2)) and (b), 606.3, 606.4,
606.5, and 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2).
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds:
$11,500,000.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$385,000–575,000.
Estimate Average Size of Awards:
$500,000 (for an Individual
Development Grant).
Maximum Awards: We will not fund
any application for a PPOHA Program
individual development grant at an
amount exceeding $575,000 for a single
budget period of 12 months. During our
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initial review of applications, we may
choose not to further consider or review
an application with a budget that
exceeds the maximum amount. The
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education may change the maximum
amount through a notice published in
the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23
Individual Development Grants.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice. Applicants should
periodically check the PPOHA Program Web
site for further information. The address is:
https://www.ed.gov/programs/ppoha/
index.html.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of
higher education (IHEs) that offer a
postbaccalaureate certificate or
postbaccalaureate degree program and
qualify as eligible Hispanic-serving
institutions (HSIs) under section 502 of
the HEA. To qualify as an eligible HSI
for the PPOHA Program under section
502 of the HEA, an IHE must—
(a) Have an enrollment of needy
students, as required by section 502(b)
of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(i));
(b) Have, except as provided in
section 522(b) of the HEA, average
educational and general expenditures
that are low, per full-time equivalent
(FTE) undergraduate student, in
comparison with the average
educational and general expenditures
per full-time equivalent undergraduate
student of institutions that offer similar
instruction (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)
(A)(ii));
Note: To demonstrate an enrollment of
needy students (paragraph (a) of this section)
and low average educational and general
expenditures per FTE undergraduate student
(paragraph (b) of this section), an IHE must
be designated as an ‘‘eligible institution’’ in
accordance with 34 CFR 606.3 through 606.5
and the notice inviting applications for
Designation as Eligible Institutions for FY
2009 (74 FR 3579).
(c) Be accredited by a nationally
recognized accrediting agency or
association that the Secretary has
determined to be a reliable authority as
to the quality of education or training
offered, or is making reasonable
progress toward accreditation, according
to such an agency or association (20
U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iv));
(d) Be legally authorized to provide,
and provides within the State, an
educational program for which the
institution awards a bachelor’s degree
(20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iii)); and
(e) Have an enrollment of
undergraduate FTE students that is at
least 25 percent Hispanic students at the
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end of the award year immediately
preceding the date of application (20
U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)(B)).
Note 1: Funds for the PPOHA Program will
be awarded each fiscal year; thus, for this
program, the ‘‘end of the award year
immediately preceding the date of
application’’ refers to the end of the fiscal
year prior to the application due date. The
end of the fiscal year occurs on September 30
for any given year. Therefore, for purposes of
making the determination described in
paragraph (e) of this section, IHEs must
report their undergraduate Hispanic FTE
percent based on the student enrollment
count closest to, but not after, September 30,
2008.
Note 2: In considering applications for
grants under this program, the Department
will compare the data and documentation the
institution relied on in its application with
data reported to the Department’s Integrated
Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS), the IHE’s State-reported enrollment
data, and the institutional annual report. If
different percentages or data are reported in
these various sources, the institution must, as
part of the eligibility process, explain the
reason for the differences. If the IPEDS data
show that less than 25 percent of the
institution’s undergraduate full-time
equivalent (FTE) students are Hispanic, the
burden is on the institution to show that the
IPEDS data are inaccurate. If the IPEDS data
indicate that the institution has an
undergraduate FTE less than 25 percent, and
the institution fails to demonstrate that the
IPEDS data are inaccurate, the institution
will be considered ineligible.
Note 3: As noted elsewhere in this notice,
to be eligible for a grant under the PPOHA
Program, an institution must be designated as
an eligible institution under 34 CFR 606.5.
For this competition, the Notice Inviting
Applications for Designation as Eligible
Institutions for FY 2009 was published in the
Federal Register on January 21, 2009 (74 FR
3579), and the deadline for applications was
February 20, 2009. Only institutions that
submitted the required application and
received designation through that process are
eligible to submit an application for this
competition.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
3. Other: An eligible HSI will not be
awarded more than one Individual
Development Grant under the PPOHA
Program (20 U.S.C. 1101c(c)).
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address To Request Application
Package: Dr. Maria E. Carrington, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street,
NW., Room 6033, Washington, DC
20006–8513. Telephone: (202) 502–7548
or by e-mail: Maria.Carrington@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), call the
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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.
Page Limit: The application narrative
(Part III) is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your
application. We have established
mandatory page limits for the PPOHA
Program—Individual Development
Grant application. You must limit the
section of the narrative that addresses
the selection criteria to 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, except titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, captions, and all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs,
which may be single-spaced.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or
larger; or, no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch).
• 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 the
cover sheet; the budget section,
including the budget narrative
justification; the assurances and
certifications, or the one-page abstract.
We will reject your application if you
exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 18, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: July 20, 2009.
Applications for grants under this
program must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application site (e-Application)
accessible through the Department’s eGrants system. 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.
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Other Submission Requirements of
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 accessible
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: September 16, 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.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference
regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
program must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in
accordance with the instructions in this
section.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications.
Applications for grants under the
Promoting Postbaccalaureate
Opportunities for Hispanic Americans
Program—CFDA Number 84.031M must
be submitted electronically using eApplication, accessible through the
Department’s e-Grants Web site at:
https://e-grants.ed.gov.
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.
While completing your electronic
application, you will be entering data
online that will be saved into a
database. You may not e-mail an
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28915
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
Please note the following:
• You must complete the electronic
submission of your grant application by
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date. E–
Application will not accept an
application for this program after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application
deadline date to begin the application
process.
• The hours of operation of the eGrants Web site are 6:00 a.m. Monday
until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00
a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday,
Washington, DC time. Please note that,
because of maintenance, the system is
unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on
Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and
between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and
6:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington,
DC time. Any modifications to these
hours are posted on the e-Grants Web
site.
• 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: the 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.
• Prior to submitting your electronic
application, you may wish to print a
copy of it for your records.
• After you electronically submit
your application, you will receive an
automatic acknowledgment that will
include a PR/Award number (an
identifying number unique to your
application).
• Within three working days after
submitting your electronic application,
fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the
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Application Control Center after
following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant’s Authorizing
Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the
upper right hand corner of the hardcopy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the
Application Control Center at (202)
245–6272.
• We may request that you provide us
original signatures on other forms at a
later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension
in Case of e-Application Unavailability:
If you are prevented from electronically
submitting your application on the
application deadline date because eApplication is unavailable, we will
grant you an extension of one business
day to enable you to transmit your
application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this
extension if—
(1) You are a registered user of eApplication and you have initiated an
electronic application for this
competition; and
(2)(a) E-Application is unavailable for
60 minutes or more between the hours
of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington,
DC time, on the application deadline
date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for
any period of time between 3:30 p.m.
and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm
these periods of unavailability before
granting you an extension. To request
this extension or to confirm our
acknowledgment of any system
unavailability, you may contact either
(1) the person listed elsewhere in this
notice under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2)
the e-Grants help desk at 1–888–336–
8930. If e-Application is unavailable
due to technical problems with the
system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be
sent to all registered users who have
initiated an e-Application. Extensions
referred to in this section apply only to
the unavailability of e-Application.
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
e-Application because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to eApplication; and
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• 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 prevents 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: Dr. Maria E. Carrington,
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K
Street, NW., Room 6033, Washington,
DC 20006–8513. FAX: (202) 502–7861.
Your paper application must be
submitted in accordance with the mail
or hand delivery instructions described
in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications
by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
may mail (through the U.S. Postal
Service or a commercial carrier) your
application to the Department. You
must mail the original and two copies
of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the
Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.031M), 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
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relying on this method, you should check
with your local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications
by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the
electronic submission requirement, you
(or a courier service) may deliver your
paper application to the Department by
hand. You must deliver the original and
two copies of your application, by hand,
on or before the application deadline
date, to the Department at the following
address: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.031M), 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
grant notification within 15 business days
from the application deadline date, you
should call the U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center at (202) 245–
6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this program are from section
75.210 of the Education Department
General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.210) and are as
follows. Applicants must address each
of the selection criteria (separately for
each proposed activity). The total
weight of the selection criteria is 100
points; the weight of each criterion is
noted in parentheses.
(a) Need for project. (Maximum 20
points) In determining the need for the
proposed project, the Secretary
considers:
(i) The magnitude of the need for the
services to be provided or the activities
to be carried out by the proposed
project. (10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the proposed
project will focus on serving or
otherwise addressing the needs of
disadvantaged individuals. (5 points)
(iii) The extent to which specific gaps
or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have
been identified and will be addressed by
the proposed project, including the
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nature and magnitude of those gaps or
weaknesses. (5 points)
(b) Quality of the project design.
(Maximum 15 points) In determining
the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the goals,
objectives, and outcomes to be achieved
by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable. (10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the design of
the proposed project is appropriate to,
and will successfully address, the needs
of the target population or other
identified needs. (5 points)
(c) Quality of project services.
(Maximum 15 points) In determining
the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the quality and
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring
equal access and treatment for eligible
project participants who are members of
groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color,
national origin, gender, age, or
disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers:
(i) The extent to which the services to
be provided by the proposed project are
appropriate to the needs of the intended
recipients or beneficiaries of those
services. (10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the services
to be provided by the proposed project
reflect up-to-date knowledge from
research and effective practice. (5
points)
(d) Quality of project personnel.
(Maximum 10 points) In determining
the quality of project personnel, the
Secretary considers the extent to which
the applicant encourages applications
for employment from persons who are
members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin,
gender, age, or disability. In addition,
the Secretary considers:
(i) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of the
project director or principal
investigator. (5 points)
(ii) The qualifications, including
relevant training and experience, of key
project personnel. (5 points)
(e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum
5 points) In determining the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the budget is
adequate to support the proposed
project. (3 points)
(ii) The extent to which the costs are
reasonable in relation to the objectives,
design, and potential significance of the
proposed project. (2 points)
(f) Quality of the management plan.
(Maximum 20 points) In determining
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the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary
considers:
(i) The adequacy of the management
plan to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and
milestones for accomplishing project
tasks. (10 points)
(ii) The adequacy of procedures for
ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the
proposed project. (5 points)
(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for
ensuring high-quality products and
services from the proposed project. (5
points)
(g) Quality of the project evaluation.
(Maximum 15 points) In determining
the quality of the evaluation, the
Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the proposed project. (5
points)
(ii) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation include the use of
objective performance measures that are
clearly related to the intended outcomes
of the project and will produce
quantitative and qualitative data to the
extent possible. (5 points)
(iii) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation will provide performance
feedback and permit periodic
assessment of progress toward achieving
intended outcomes. (5 points)
2. Review and Selection Process:
(a) Applicants must provide, as an
attachment to the application, the
documentation the institution relied
upon in determining that at least 25
percent of the institution’s
undergraduate FTE students are
Hispanic.
Note: The 25 percent requirement applies
only to undergraduate Hispanic students and
is calculated based upon FTE students.
Instructions for formatting and submitting
the verification documentation to eApplication are in the application package
for this competition.
(b) Tie-breaker for Development
Grants. In tie-breaking situations for
development grants, the Department
will award one additional point to an
application from an IHE that has an
endowment fund for which the market
value per FTE student is less than the
comparable average per FTE student at
a similar type IHE. We will also award
one additional point to an application
from an IHE that had expenditures for
library materials per FTE student that
are less than the comparable average per
FTE student at a similar type IHE. (34
CFR 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2))
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28917
For the purpose of these funding
considerations, we will use 2006–2007
data.
If a tie remains after applying the tiebreaker mechanism above, priority will
be given for Individual Development
Grants to applicants that have the
lowest endowment values per FTE
student. (34 CFR 606.23(b)(1))
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 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: The
Secretary has established the following
key performance measures for assessing
the effectiveness of the PPOHA
Program:
(a) The percentage change, over the
five-year grant period, of the number of
full-time degree-seeking graduate and
professional students enrolled at HSIs
currently receiving an award under this
program.
(b) The percentage change, over the
five-year grant period, of the number of
master’s, doctoral and first-professional
degrees, and postbaccalaureate
certificates awarded at HSIs currently
receiving an award under this program.
(c) Cost per successful outcome:
Federal cost per master’s degree,
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doctoral and first-professional degree,
and post baccalaureate certificate at
HSIs currently receiving an award under
this program.
VII. Agency Contacts
For Further Information Contact: Dr.
Maria E. Carrington, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room
6033, Washington, DC 20006–8513.
Telephone: (202) 502–7548 or by e-mail:
Maria.Carrington@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.
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 functions of the Assistant
Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
Dated: June 15, 2009.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9–14357 Filed 6–17–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA Nos. 84.007, 84.032, 84.033, 84.038,
84.063, 84.069, 84.268, 84.375, 84.376, and
84.379]
Student Assistance General
Provisions, Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant,
Federal Family Education Loan,
Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins
Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnership,
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan,
Academic Competitiveness Grant,
National Science and Mathematics
Access To Retain Talent Grant, and
Teacher Education Assistance for
College and Higher Education
Programs
ACTION: Notice of deadline dates for
receipt of applications, reports, and
other records for the 2008–2009 award
year.
SUMMARY: The Secretary announces
deadline dates for the receipt of
documents and other information from
institutions and applicants for the
Federal student aid programs authorized
under Title IV of the Higher Education
Act of 1965, as amended, for the 2008–
2009 award year. The Federal student
aid programs include the Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grant, Federal Family Education Loan,
Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins
Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Leveraging
Educational Assistance Partnership,
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan,
Academic Competitiveness Grant
(ACG), National Science and
Mathematics Access to Retain Talent
Grant (National SMART Grant), and
Teacher Education Assistance for
College and Higher Education (TEACH)
programs.
These programs, administered by the
U.S. Department of Education
(Department), provide financial
assistance to students attending eligible
postsecondary educational institutions
to help them pay their educational
costs.
Deadline and Submission Dates: See
Tables A and B at the end of this notice.
Table A—Deadline Dates for
Application Processing and Receipt of
Student Aid Reports (SARs) or
Institutional Student Information
Records (ISIRs) by Institutions
Table A provides information and
deadline dates for application
processing, including receipt of the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) and corrections to and
signatures for the FAFSA, receipt of
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Sfmt 4703
SARs and ISIRs, and receipt of
verification documents.
The single date for the receipt of a
FAFSA is June 30, 2009, regardless of
the method that the applicant uses to
submit the FAFSA. The deadline date
for the receipt of a signature page for the
FAFSA (if required), corrections,
changes of addresses or schools, or
requests for a duplicate SAR is
September 21, 2009. Verification
documents must be received by the
institution no later than the earlier of
120 days after the student’s last date of
enrollment or September 28, 2009.
For all Federal student aid programs
except Parent PLUS, a SAR or ISIR with
an official expected family contribution
must be received by the institution no
later than the earlier of the student’s last
date of enrollment or September 28,
2009. For purposes of only the Federal
Pell Grant, ACG, or National SMART
Grant programs, a valid SAR or valid
ISIR for a student not meeting the
conditions for a late disbursement must
be received no later than the earlier of
the student’s last date of enrollment or
September 28, 2009. A valid SAR or
valid ISIR for a student meeting the
conditions for a late disbursement under
the Federal Pell Grant, ACG, or National
SMART Grant programs must be
received according to the deadline dates
provided in Table A.
In accordance with the regulations in
34 CFR 668.164(g)(4)(i), an institution
may not make a late disbursement later
than 180 days after the date of the
institution’s determination that the
student withdrew or, for a student who
did not withdraw, 180 days after the
date the student otherwise became
ineligible. Table A provides that an
institution must receive a valid SAR or
valid ISIR no later than 180 days after
its determination of a student’s
withdrawal or, for a student who did
not withdraw, 180 days after the date
the student otherwise became ineligible,
but not later than September 28, 2009.
Table B—Federal Pell Grant, ACG, and
National SMART Grant Programs
Submission Dates for Disbursement
Information by Institutions
Table B provides the earliest
submission and deadline dates for
institutions to submit Federal Pell
Grant, ACG, and National SMART Grant
disbursement records to the
Department’s Common Origination and
Disbursement (COD) System and
deadline dates for requests for
administrative relief if the institution
cannot meet the established deadline for
specified reasons.
In general, an institution must submit
Federal Pell Grant, ACG, or National
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 116 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28913-28918]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14357]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information;
Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans
(PPOHA) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031M.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 18, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 20, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 16, 2009.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities
for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) Program provides grants to: (1) Expand
postbaccalaureate educational opportunities for, and improve the
academic attainment of, Hispanic students; and (2) expand the
postbaccalaureate academic offerings as well as enhance the program
quality in the institutions of higher education that are educating the
majority of Hispanic college students and helping large numbers of
Hispanic and low-income students complete postsecondary degrees.
PPOHA Program Requirements
Background: The PPOHA Program is a new program established under
sections 511 through 514 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended (HEA). The PPOHA Program supports Hispanic-serving institutions
that offer a postbaccalaureate certificate or degree granting program.
To define the term ``Hispanic-serving institution'' for purposes of the
PPOHA Program, Congress adopted the definition of that term in the
existing Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program authorized by
sections 501 to 504 of the HEA. In addition, the PPOHA Program provides
development grants like the HSI Program. Moreover, Congress also
applied the general provisions of the HSI Program to the PPOHA Program.
See Title V, Part C, sections 521-528, of the HEA. In light of the
overlap of these definitions and requirements, the Secretary has
determined that it is appropriate to adopt some of the requlatory
requirements relating to eligibility criteria and tie-breaking factors
from the HSI Program for use for the first grant competition in the
PPOHA Program.
Eligibility Criteria (Use of 34 CFR 606.2(a) and (b), 606.3 through
606.5). For purposes of the PPOHA Program, an eligible institution is
an institution of higher education that: (1) Is an Hispanic-serving
institution as defined in section 502 of the HEA; and (2) offers a
postbaccalaureate certificate or degree granting program. As noted
earlier in this notice, the term ``Hispanic-serving institution'' under
section 502 of the HEA has already been defined in the regulations for
the HSI Program. For the competition announced in this notice, the
Secretary has decided to use the specific eligibility criteria for
Hispanic-serving institution in 34 CFR 606.2(a) and (b) and 606.3,
606.4 and 606.5 of those regulations. The use of these
[[Page 28914]]
regulations will enable applicants to determine whether they meet the
definitional requirements of an Hispanic-serving institution under this
program.
Tie-breaker for Development Grants (Use of 34 CFR 606.23(b)(1) and
(b)(2)). The PPOHA Program will be providing Development Grants like
those currently awarded under the HSI Program. In light of the similar
eligibility criteria for these two programs, the Secretary has decided
to adopt for this first PPOHA Program competition the regulations for
tie-breakers used in the HSI Program. These tie-breaker regulations are
set forth in the Review and Selection Process section of this notice
(section v.2.b.).
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed program requirements. Section
437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to exempt from
rulemaking requirements, regulations governing the first grant
competition under a new or substantially revised program authority.
This is the first grant competition for this program under section 511
through 514 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), and
therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on using the
eligibility criteria from 34 CFR 606.2(a) (except (a)(2)) and (b) and
606.3 through 606.5 and the tie-breaker for development grants
regulations from 34 CFR 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2) for the PPOHA Program.
These eligibility criteria and regulations will apply to the PPOHA
Program FY 2009 grant competition only.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1102-1102c.
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) 34 CFR 606.2(a) (except (a)(2)) and
(b), 606.3, 606.4, 606.5, and 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2).
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $11,500,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $385,000-575,000.
Estimate Average Size of Awards: $500,000 (for an Individual
Development Grant).
Maximum Awards: We will not fund any application for a PPOHA
Program individual development grant at an amount exceeding $575,000
for a single budget period of 12 months. During our initial review of
applications, we may choose not to further consider or review an
application with a budget that exceeds the maximum amount. The
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23 Individual Development Grants.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice. Applicants should periodically check the PPOHA Program Web
site for further information. The address is: https://www.ed.gov/programs/ppoha/.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education (IHEs)
that offer a postbaccalaureate certificate or postbaccalaureate degree
program and qualify as eligible Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs)
under section 502 of the HEA. To qualify as an eligible HSI for the
PPOHA Program under section 502 of the HEA, an IHE must--
(a) Have an enrollment of needy students, as required by section
502(b) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(i));
(b) Have, except as provided in section 522(b) of the HEA, average
educational and general expenditures that are low, per full-time
equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student, in comparison with the average
educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent
undergraduate student of institutions that offer similar instruction
(20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(ii));
Note: To demonstrate an enrollment of needy students (paragraph
(a) of this section) and low average educational and general
expenditures per FTE undergraduate student (paragraph (b) of this
section), an IHE must be designated as an ``eligible institution''
in accordance with 34 CFR 606.3 through 606.5 and the notice
inviting applications for Designation as Eligible Institutions for
FY 2009 (74 FR 3579).
(c) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association that the Secretary has determined to be a reliable
authority as to the quality of education or training offered, or is
making reasonable progress toward accreditation, according to such an
agency or association (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iv));
(d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provides within the
State, an educational program for which the institution awards a
bachelor's degree (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iii)); and
(e) Have an enrollment of undergraduate FTE students that is at
least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year
immediately preceding the date of application (20 U.S.C.
1101a(a)(5)(B)).
Note 1: Funds for the PPOHA Program will be awarded each fiscal
year; thus, for this program, the ``end of the award year
immediately preceding the date of application'' refers to the end of
the fiscal year prior to the application due date. The end of the
fiscal year occurs on September 30 for any given year. Therefore,
for purposes of making the determination described in paragraph (e)
of this section, IHEs must report their undergraduate Hispanic FTE
percent based on the student enrollment count closest to, but not
after, September 30, 2008.
Note 2: In considering applications for grants under this
program, the Department will compare the data and documentation the
institution relied on in its application with data reported to the
Department's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS),
the IHE's State-reported enrollment data, and the institutional
annual report. If different percentages or data are reported in
these various sources, the institution must, as part of the
eligibility process, explain the reason for the differences. If the
IPEDS data show that less than 25 percent of the institution's
undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) students are Hispanic, the
burden is on the institution to show that the IPEDS data are
inaccurate. If the IPEDS data indicate that the institution has an
undergraduate FTE less than 25 percent, and the institution fails to
demonstrate that the IPEDS data are inaccurate, the institution will
be considered ineligible.
Note 3: As noted elsewhere in this notice, to be eligible for a
grant under the PPOHA Program, an institution must be designated as
an eligible institution under 34 CFR 606.5. For this competition,
the Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as Eligible
Institutions for FY 2009 was published in the Federal Register on
January 21, 2009 (74 FR 3579), and the deadline for applications was
February 20, 2009. Only institutions that submitted the required
application and received designation through that process are
eligible to submit an application for this competition.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: An eligible HSI will not be awarded more than one
Individual Development Grant under the PPOHA Program (20 U.S.C.
1101c(c)).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package: Dr. Maria E. Carrington,
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6033,
Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7548 or by e-mail:
Maria.Carrington@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
[[Page 28915]]
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.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III) is where you, the
applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. We have established mandatory page limits
for the PPOHA Program--Individual Development Grant application. You
must limit the section of the narrative that addresses the selection
criteria to 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, except titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, captions, and all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs, which may be single-spaced.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger; or, no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
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 the cover sheet; the budget
section, including the budget narrative justification; the assurances
and certifications, or the one-page abstract.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 18, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 20, 2009.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application site (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system. 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 of 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 accessible 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: September 16, 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.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section in this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program must be submitted electronically unless you qualify for an
exception to this requirement in accordance with the instructions in
this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Promoting Postbaccalaureate
Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program--CFDA Number 84.031M must
be submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the
Department's e-Grants Web site at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
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.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
program after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
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: the
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.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the
[[Page 28916]]
Application Control Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2)(a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users
who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this
section apply only to the unavailability of e-Application.
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 e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application; 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
prevents 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: Dr. Maria E. Carrington,
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6033,
Washington, DC 20006-8513. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.031M), 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:
(CFDA Number 84.031M), 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 grant notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
from section 75.210 of the Education Department General Administrative
Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.210) and are as follows. Applicants must
address each of the selection criteria (separately for each proposed
activity). The total weight of the selection criteria is 100 points;
the weight of each criterion is noted in parentheses.
(a) Need for project. (Maximum 20 points) In determining the need
for the proposed project, the Secretary considers:
(i) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (5
points)
(iii) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the
[[Page 28917]]
nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
(b) Quality of the project design. (Maximum 15 points) In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs. (5 points)
(c) Quality of project services. (Maximum 15 points) In determining
the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for
ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants
who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented
based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. In
addition, the Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or
beneficiaries of those services. (10 points)
(ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and
effective practice. (5 points)
(d) Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 10 points) In
determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers
the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability. In addition, the Secretary
considers:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director or principal investigator. (5 points)
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of key project personnel. (5 points)
(e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary
considers:
(i) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the
proposed project. (3 points)
(ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed
project. (2 points)
(f) Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 20 points) In
determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks. (10 points)
(ii) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and
continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (5
points)
(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project. (5 points)
(g) Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 15 points) In
determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary considers:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project. (5 points)
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)
2. Review and Selection Process:
(a) Applicants must provide, as an attachment to the application,
the documentation the institution relied upon in determining that at
least 25 percent of the institution's undergraduate FTE students are
Hispanic.
Note: The 25 percent requirement applies only to undergraduate
Hispanic students and is calculated based upon FTE students.
Instructions for formatting and submitting the verification
documentation to e-Application are in the application package for
this competition.
(b) Tie-breaker for Development Grants. In tie-breaking situations
for development grants, the Department will award one additional point
to an application from an IHE that has an endowment fund for which the
market value per FTE student is less than the comparable average per
FTE student at a similar type IHE. We will also award one additional
point to an application from an IHE that had expenditures for library
materials per FTE student that are less than the comparable average per
FTE student at a similar type IHE. (34 CFR 606.23(b)(1) and (b)(2))
For the purpose of these funding considerations, we will use 2006-
2007 data.
If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above,
priority will be given for Individual Development Grants to applicants
that have the lowest endowment values per FTE student. (34 CFR
606.23(b)(1))
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 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: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
the PPOHA Program:
(a) The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, of the
number of full-time degree-seeking graduate and professional students
enrolled at HSIs currently receiving an award under this program.
(b) The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, of the
number of master's, doctoral and first-professional degrees, and
postbaccalaureate certificates awarded at HSIs currently receiving an
award under this program.
(c) Cost per successful outcome: Federal cost per master's degree,
[[Page 28918]]
doctoral and first-professional degree, and post baccalaureate
certificate at HSIs currently receiving an award under this program.
VII. Agency Contacts
For Further Information Contact: Dr. Maria E. Carrington, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6033, Washington, DC
20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7548 or by e-mail:
Maria.Carrington@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.
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
functions of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
Dated: June 15, 2009.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9-14357 Filed 6-17-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
