Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; International Research and Studies (IRS) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, 58005-58009 [E9-27122]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Notices Comments received after the end of the comment period will be considered if possible, but their consideration cannot be assured. The Department will not accept comments accompanied by a request that a part or all of the material be treated confidentially because of its business proprietary nature or for any other reason. The Department will return such comments and materials to the persons submitting the comments and will not consider them. All comments submitted in response to this notice will be a matter of public record and will be available for public inspection and copying. The Office of Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce, displays public comments on the BIS Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Web site at https://www.bis.doc.gov/foia. This office does not maintain a separate public inspection facility. If you have technical difficulties accessing this Web site, please call BIS’s Office of Administration, at (202) 482–1093, for assistance. Dated: November 4, 2009. Matthew S. Borman, Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Administration. [FR Doc. E9–27053 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510–33–P DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors Closed Meeting srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: National Defense Intelligence College, Defense Intelligence Agency, DoD. ACTION: Notice of closed meeting. SUMMARY: Pursuant to the provisions of subsection (d) of section 10 of Public Law 92–463, as amended by section 5 of Public Law 94–409, notice is hereby given that a closed meeting of the Defense Intelligence Agency National Defense Intelligence College Board of Visitors has been scheduled for January 12 and 13, 2010. DATES: The meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12, 2010 (from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 (from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.). ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at the National Defense Intelligence College, Washington, DC 20340–5100. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. David R. Ellison, President, DIA National Defense Intelligence College, 16:45 Nov 09, 2009 Dated: November 5, 2009. Mitchell S. Bryman, Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense. [FR Doc. E9–26996 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; International Research and Studies (IRS) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.017A–1 and 84.017A–3. DATES: Applications Available: November 10, 2009. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 12, 2010. Full Text of Announcement Office of the Secretary VerDate Nov<24>2008 Washington, DC 20340–5100 (202/231– 3344). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The entire meeting is devoted to the discussion of classified information as defined in section 552b(c)(1), title 5 of the U.S. Code and therefore will be closed. The Board will discuss several current critical intelligence issues and advise the Director, DIA, as to the successful accomplishment of the mission assigned to the National Defense Intelligence College. Jkt 220001 I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The IRS Program provides grants to conduct research and studies to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields. Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), these priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 660.10 and 660.34). Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2010, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional five points to an application that meets one or more of these priorities. These priorities are: Competitive Preference Priority 1— Instructional Materials Applications. The development of specialized instructional or assessment materials focused on any of the following seventyeight (78) languages selected from the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs): Akan (Twi-Fante), Albanian, Amharic, Arabic (all dialects), PO 00000 Frm 00017 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58005 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. Competitive Preference Priority 2— Research, Surveys, and Studies Applications. Research, surveys, or studies relating to current needs for improving internationalization (including foreign language instruction, area studies, and international studies) in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Native American-serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), or Alaskan Native and/or Native Hawaiian institutions (as defined in Title III and Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended). Note: You will receive an additional five points for meeting a competitive preference priority in your application. Applicants are expected to address only one competitive preference priority in each application, but regardless of how many priorities are addressed, no more than five points in total can be awarded to a single application. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1125. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR parts 655 and 660. Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only. Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the E:\FR\FM\10NON1.SGM 10NON1 58006 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Notices Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1121(c), 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 links on the following Web sites: https:// www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/ policy.html and https://www.ed.gov/ programs/iegpsirs/legislation.html. Also included on these Web sites and links are the specific recommendations the Secretary received from Federal agencies. II. Award Information Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested $102,335,000 for the International Education and Foreign Language Studies: Domestic Programs for FY 2010, of which we intend to use an estimated $1,637,000 for awards under these competitions (84.017A–1 and 84.017A–3). The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000– $200,000 per year. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $164,000. Estimated Number of Awards: 10. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Up to 36 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants: Public and private agencies, organizations, institutions, and individuals. 2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching. srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Address To Request Application Package: Carla White, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6085, Washington, DC 20006–8521. Telephone: (202) 502–7636; or by email: carla.white@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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:45 Nov 09, 2009 Jkt 220001 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. The IRS Program has two application packages. Research, surveys, and studies applicants must use the application package for 84.017A–1. Instructional materials applicants must use the application package for 84.017A–3. 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] to the equivalent of no more than 30 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. 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 application 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); or Part IV, the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of contents. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically requested in the application package, these items will be counted as part of your 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 exceed the page limit. PO 00000 Frm 00018 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: November 10, 2009. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 12, 2010. Applications for grants under this program must be submitted electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-Application) accessible through the Department’s eGrants site. 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 accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual’s application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice. 4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 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 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 IRS Program, CFDA number 84.017A, 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 E:\FR\FM\10NON1.SGM 10NON1 srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Notices 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. EApplication 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 VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:45 Nov 09, 2009 Jkt 220001 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 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 PO 00000 Frm 00019 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58007 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 • 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: Carla White, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6085, Washington, DC 20006–8521. Fax: (202) 502–7860. 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 84.017A), 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. E:\FR\FM\10NON1.SGM 10NON1 58008 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Notices (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 84.017A), 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. srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD 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 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. General: Applications are divided into two groups, instructional materials (CFDA 84.017A–3) and research, surveys, and studies (CFDA 84.017A–1). Review panels will be assigned to read either instructional materials applications or research, surveys, and studies applications. The number of panels for each category will depend on the number of applications received. Each panel reviews, scores, and ranks its applications separately from the applications assigned to other panels. All instructional materials applications will be ranked together from the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes; and, all research, surveys, and studies applications will be ranked together from the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes. 2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:45 Nov 09, 2009 Jkt 220001 655.31, 660.31, 660.32, and 660.33 and are as follows: For instructional materials— Need for the project (10 points); Potential for the use of materials in other programs (5 points); Account of related materials (10 points); Likelihood of achieving results (10 points); Expected contribution to other programs (5 points); Plan of operation (10 points); Quality of key personnel (5 points); Budget and cost effectiveness (5 points); Evaluation plan (15 points); Adequacy of resources (5 points); Description of final form of materials (5 points); and Provisions for pretesting and revision (15 points). For research, surveys and studies— Need for the project (10 points); Usefulness of expected results (10 points); Development of new knowledge (10 points); Formulation of problems and knowledge of related research (10 points); Specificity of statement of procedures (5 points); Adequacy of methodology and scope of project (10 points); Plan of operation (10 points); Quality of key personnel (10 points); Budget and cost effectiveness (5 points); Evaluation plan (15 points); and Adequacy of resources (5 points). 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. Grantees are required to use the electronic data instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS), to PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 complete the final report. Electronically formatted instructional materials such as CDs, DVDs, videos, computer diskettes and books produced by the grantee as part of the grant approved activities are also acceptable as final reports. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/ appforms/appforms.html. 4. Performance Measures: The objective for the IRS Program is to support surveys, studies, and the development of instructional materials to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields. The Department will use the following measures to evaluate the success of the IRS Program: Performance Measure 1: Percentage of IRS Program projects judged to be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information provided in annual performance reports. Performance Measure 2: Number of outreach activities that are adopted or disseminated within a year, divided by the total number of IRS outreach activities conducted in the current reporting period. Efficiency Measure: Cost per highquality, successfully completed IRS project. The information provided by grantees in their performance reports submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. Reporting screens can be viewed at: https://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/ IRS.pdf. VII. Agency Contact For Further Information Contact: Beth MacRae, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6088, Washington, DC 20006–8521. Telephone: (202) 502–7596; or by email: beth.macrae@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 E:\FR\FM\10NON1.SGM 10NON1 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 216 / Tuesday, November 10, 2009 / Notices Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/ fedregister. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1– 888–293–6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512–1530. Note: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: 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 and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. Dated: November 4, 2009. Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis. [FR Doc. E9–27122 Filed 11–9–09; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION National Assessment Governing Board; Meeting srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES AGENCY: Department of Education, National Assessment Governing Board. ACTION: Notice of open meeting and partially closed meetings. SUMMARY: The notice sets forth the schedule and proposed agenda of a forthcoming meeting of the National Assessment Governing Board. This notice also describes the functions of the Board. Notice of this meeting is required under Section 10 (a) (2) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act. This document is intended to notify members of the general public of their opportunity to attend. Individuals who will need special accommodations in order to attend the meeting (e.g.; interpreting services, assistive listening devices, materials in alternative format) should notify Munira Mwalimu at 202– 357–6938 or at Munira.Mwalimu@ed.gov no later than November 10, 2009. We will attempt to meet requests after this date, but cannot guarantee availability of the requested accommodation. The meeting site is accessible to individuals with disabilities. November 19–21, 2009. Times: DATES: VerDate Nov<24>2008 16:45 Nov 09, 2009 Jkt 220001 November 19: Committee Meetings: Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Testing and Reporting on Students with Disabilities and English Language Learners: Open Session—2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Executive Committee: Open Session— 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Closed Session— 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. November 20: Full Board: Open Session—8:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.; Closed Session—11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Open Session—3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Committee Meetings: Assessment Development Committee: Closed Session—12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Open Session—2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Committee on Standards, Design and Methodology and Reporting and Dissemination Committee: Joint Closed Session—12:45 p.m. to 1:05 p.m. Committee on Standards, Design and Methodology: Closed Session—1:05 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.; Open Session—2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Reporting and Dissemination Committee: Open Session—1:05 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. November 21: Nominations Committee: Closed Session—7:45 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Full Board: Closed Session—8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.; Open Session—9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Location: Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, 421 S. Salisbury Street, Raleigh, NC 27601. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Munira Mwalimu, Operations Officer, National Assessment Governing Board, 800 North Capitol Street, NW., Suite 825, Washington, DC, 20002–4233, Telephone: (202) 357–6938. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The National Assessment Governing Board is established under section 412 of the National Education Statistics Act of 1994, as amended. The Board is established to formulate policy guidelines for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The Board’s responsibilities include selecting subject areas to be assessed, developing assessment specifications and frameworks, developing appropriate student achievement levels for each grade and subject tested, developing standards and procedures for interstate and national comparisons, developing guidelines for reporting and disseminating results, and releasing initial NAEP results to the public. On November 19, 2009, the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Testing and Reporting on Students with Disabilities (SD) and English Language Learners PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 58009 (ELL) will meet in open session from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thereafter, the Executive Committee will meet in open session from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and in closed session from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. During the closed session on November 19, 2009 the Executive Committee will receive a briefing from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) on options for NAEP contracts covering the 2010–2012 assessment years, based on funding for Fiscal Year 2010–2011. The discussion of contract options and costs will address the implications for congressionally mandated goals and adherence to Board policies on NAEP assessments. This part of the meeting must be conducted in closed session because public discussion of this information would disclose independent government cost estimates and contracting options, adversely impacting the confidentiality of the contracting process. Public disclosure of information discussed would significantly impede implementation of the NAEP contracts, and is therefore protected by exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. On November 20, the full Board will meet in open session from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. The Board will review and approve the meeting agenda and meeting minutes from the August 2009 Board meeting. Newly appointed Board members will then be introduced. The Board will also be addressed by North Carolina educators. This session will be followed by a report from the Governing Board’s Executive Director and an update from the Acting Commissioner of Education Statistics on the work of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). From 10:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., the full Board will receive a briefing on public comments received on recommendations of the Expert Panels on SD and ELL students from the Ad Hoc Committee on NAEP Testing and Reporting. The full Board will then meet in closed session from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to receive a briefing from NCES on the 2009 Trend Results for Reading. The Board will be provided with embargoed data that cannot be discussed in an open meeting prior to their official release. Premature disclosure of data would significantly impede implementation of the NAEP Trend Assessment program, and is therefore protected by exemption 9(B) of section 552b(c) of Title 5 U.S.C. From 12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on November 20, the Assessment Development Committee will meet in closed session to receive a briefing from Educational Testing Service on the 2009 E:\FR\FM\10NON1.SGM 10NON1

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[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 10, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58005-58009]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-27122]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; 
International Research and Studies (IRS) Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.017A-1 
and 84.017A-3.

Dates:
    Applications Available: November 10, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 12, 2010.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The IRS Program provides grants to conduct 
research and studies to improve and strengthen instruction in modern 
foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields.
    Priorities: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), these 
priorities are from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 660.10 and 
660.34).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2010, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we 
award an additional five points to an application that meets one or 
more of these priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Instructional Materials 
Applications.
    The development of specialized instructional or assessment 
materials focused on any of the following seventy-eight (78) languages 
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.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Research, Surveys, and Studies 
Applications.
    Research, surveys, or studies relating to current needs for 
improving internationalization (including foreign language instruction, 
area studies, and international studies) in Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities (HBCUs), Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs), 
Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and 
Universities (TCCUs), Asian American and Native American Pacific 
Islander-serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Native American-serving 
Nontribal Institutions (NASNTIs), or Alaskan Native and/or Native 
Hawaiian institutions (as defined in Title III and Title V of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended).

    Note: You will receive an additional five points for meeting a 
competitive preference priority in your application. Applicants are 
expected to address only one competitive preference priority in each 
application, but regardless of how many priorities are addressed, no 
more than five points in total can be awarded to a single 
application.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1125.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 
CFR parts 655 and 660.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education only.

    Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the

[[Page 58006]]

Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1121(c), 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 links on the following Web sites: https://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/policy.html and https://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsirs/legislation.html.
    Also included on these Web sites and links are the specific 
recommendations the Secretary received from Federal agencies.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$102,335,000 for the International Education and Foreign Language 
Studies: Domestic Programs for FY 2010, of which we intend to use an 
estimated $1,637,000 for awards under these competitions (84.017A-1 and 
84.017A-3). The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final 
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow 
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates 
funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000-$200,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $164,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 10.

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

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Public and private agencies, organizations, 
institutions, and individuals.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address To Request Application Package: Carla White, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6085, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7636; or by e-mail: 
carla.white@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. The IRS 
Program has two application packages. Research, surveys, and studies 
applicants must use the application package for 84.017A-1. 
Instructional materials applicants must use the application package for 
84.017A-3.
    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] to the 
equivalent of no more than 30 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. 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 application 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); or Part IV, the assurances and 
certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of 
contents. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically 
requested in the application package, these items will be counted as 
part of your 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 exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: November 10, 2009.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: January 12, 2010.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. 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 accommodation or 
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the 
application process, the individual's application remains subject to 
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    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 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 IRS Program, CFDA number 84.017A, 
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

[[Page 58007]]

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 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: Carla White, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6085, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. Fax: (202) 502-7860.
    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 84.017A), 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.

[[Page 58008]]

    (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 84.017A), 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. General: Applications are divided into two groups, instructional 
materials (CFDA 84.017A-3) and research, surveys, and studies (CFDA 
84.017A-1). Review panels will be assigned to read either instructional 
materials applications or research, surveys, and studies applications. 
The number of panels for each category will depend on the number of 
applications received. Each panel reviews, scores, and ranks its 
applications separately from the applications assigned to other panels. 
All instructional materials applications will be ranked together from 
the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes; and, all 
research, surveys, and studies applications will be ranked together 
from the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes.
    2. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 655.31, 660.31, 660.32, and 660.33 and are as follows:
    For instructional materials--
    Need for the project (10 points); Potential for the use of 
materials in other programs (5 points); Account of related materials 
(10 points); Likelihood of achieving results (10 points); Expected 
contribution to other programs (5 points); Plan of operation (10 
points); Quality of key personnel (5 points); Budget and cost 
effectiveness (5 points); Evaluation plan (15 points); Adequacy of 
resources (5 points); Description of final form of materials (5 
points); and Provisions for pretesting and revision (15 points).
    For research, surveys and studies--
    Need for the project (10 points); Usefulness of expected results 
(10 points); Development of new knowledge (10 points); Formulation of 
problems and knowledge of related research (10 points); Specificity of 
statement of procedures (5 points); Adequacy of methodology and scope 
of project (10 points); Plan of operation (10 points); Quality of key 
personnel (10 points); Budget and cost effectiveness (5 points); 
Evaluation plan (15 points); and Adequacy of resources (5 points).

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. Grantees are required to use the electronic data 
instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS), to 
complete the final report. Electronically formatted instructional 
materials such as CDs, DVDs, videos, computer diskettes and books 
produced by the grantee as part of the grant approved activities are 
also acceptable as final reports. The Secretary may also require more 
frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific 
requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The objective for the IRS Program is to 
support surveys, studies, and the development of instructional 
materials to improve and strengthen instruction in modern foreign 
languages, area studies, and other international fields. The Department 
will use the following measures to evaluate the success of the IRS 
Program:
    Performance Measure 1: Percentage of IRS Program projects judged to 
be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information 
provided in annual performance reports.
    Performance Measure 2: Number of outreach activities that are 
adopted or disseminated within a year, divided by the total number of 
IRS outreach activities conducted in the current reporting period.
    Efficiency Measure: Cost per high-quality, successfully completed 
IRS project.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. 
Reporting screens can be viewed at: https://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/IRS.pdf.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Beth MacRae, International 
Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street, NW., room 6088, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 
502-7596; or by e-mail: beth.macrae@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

[[Page 58009]]

Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: 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 and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.

    Dated: November 4, 2009.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. E9-27122 Filed 11-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
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