American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program; Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, 4330-4334 [2011-1510]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4330-4334]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-1510]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) Program; Office of 
Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; American Overseas 
Research Centers (AORC) Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.274A.

    Dates:
    Applications Available: January 25, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2011.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 6, 2011.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The American Overseas Research Centers (AORC) 
Program makes awards to any American overseas research center that is a 
consortium of institutions of higher education to enable the center to 
promote postgraduate research, exchanges, and area studies.
    AORC grants may be used to pay all or a portion of the cost of 
establishing or operating a center or program, including the cost of 
operation and maintenance of overseas facilities; the cost of 
organizing and managing conferences; the cost of teaching and research 
materials; the cost of acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of 
library collections; the cost of bringing visiting scholars and faculty 
to the center to teach or to conduct research; the cost of faculty and 
staff stipends and salaries; the cost of faculty, staff, and student 
travel; and the cost of publication and dissemination of materials for 
the scholarly and general public.
    Priorities: Under this competition we are particularly interested 
in applications that address the following priority.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2011, this priority is an 
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or 
absolute preference over other applications.
    This priority is:
    Applications that propose teaching or research activities conducted 
by visiting scholars and faculty in one of the 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.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1128a.
    Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$108,360,000 for the International Education and Foreign Language 
Studies: Domestic Programs, of which we intend to allocate $1,400,000 
for new awards for this competition in FY 2011. 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: $80,000-$130,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $116,667.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $130,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Any American overseas research center that 
is a consortium of institutions of higher education that receives more 
than 50 percent of its funding from public or private United States 
sources; has a permanent presence in the country in which the center is 
located; and is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the 
Internal Revenue Code of 1993, which is exempt from taxation under 
section 501(a) of the Code.
    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 6084, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7631 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. 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 to the equivalent of no more 
than 25 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. If you use charts, 
tables, figures, and graphs in the

[[Page 4331]]

application narrative, you may single space these. Charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward the 
number of pages specified for the application narrative page limit.
     Use a font that is either 12-point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). You may, however, 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, Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget 
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances 
and certifications; the one-page abstract, the resumes, or the proposed 
objectives for the project; the letters of support, and the list of 
institutions of higher education that constitute the consortium 
(center). However, the page limit does apply to all of the application 
narrative section.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or, 
if you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page 
limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: January 25, 2011.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 5, 2011.
    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to section IV.7. 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.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 6, 2011.
    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 of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central 
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant 
database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one business day.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to 
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not 
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN 
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will 
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take 
three or more business days to complete.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the 
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see https://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationbrochure.pdf).
    7. 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 American Overseas Research 
Centers Program, CFDA number 84.274A, must be submitted electronically 
using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. 
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit 
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the AORC 
program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include 
the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.274, 
not 84.274A).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary

[[Page 4332]]

depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this program to ensure that you 
submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov system. 
You can also find the Education Submission Procedures pertaining to 
Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 system home 
page at https://www.G5.gov.
     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 .PDF (Portable Document) format only. If you upload a 
file type other than a .PDF or submit a password-protected file, we 
will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.


    Note:  The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system; and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days; or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevent you from using the Internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Cheryl E. Gibbs, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6083, 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 84.274A), 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

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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 84.274A), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.

    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: Pursuant to 34 CFR 75.209(a) in EDGAR, 
selection criterion (1) is from section 609(a) of the HEA, and the 
remaining selection criteria are from 34 CFR 75.210 in EDGAR. The 
selection criteria are as follows:
    (1) Meets the purpose of the authorizing statute (up to 20 points).
    The Secretary evaluates an application by determining how well the 
project proposed by the applicant promotes postgraduate research, 
exchanges, and area studies.
    (2) Need for project (up to 15 points).
    In determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary 
considers--
    (a) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.
    (b) 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 nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project will prepare personnel 
for fields in which shortages have been demonstrated.
    (3) Significance (up to 10 points).
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers--
    (a) The national significance of the proposed project.
    (b) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed by the 
proposed project.
    (4) Quality of the project design (up to 10 points).
    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, 
the Secretary considers--
    (a) 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.
    (b) The extent to which the proposed activities constitute a 
coherent, sustained program of training in the field.
    (c) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (5) Quality of project services (up to 10 points).
    In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers--
    (a) 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.
    (b) 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.
    (6) Quality of project personnel (up to 10 points).
    In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers--
    (a) 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.
    (b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (7) Adequacy of resources (up to 10 points).
    In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, 
the Secretary considers--
    (a) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project.
    (b) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
number of persons to be served and to the anticipated results and 
benefits.
    (8) Quality of the project evaluation (up to 15 points).
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers--
    (a) 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.
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate 
to the context within which the project operates.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary 
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is 
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; 
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the 
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled 
the conditions of a prior grant; or, is otherwise not responsible.

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

[[Page 4334]]

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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) 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. 
Annual performance reports and final reports for the AORC Program must 
be submitted into the International Resource Information System (IRIS) 
online data and reporting system. You can view the performance report 
screens and instructions at https://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/AORC.pdf.
    4. Performance Measures: The AORC Program provides grants to 
consortia of institutions of higher education to establish or operate 
overseas research centers that promote postgraduate research, 
exchanges, and area studies. The Department has established the 
following measures as indicators of success for the AORC Program: Each 
grantee will be required to provide, in its annual performance and 
final reports, data about its progress in meeting these measures.
    AORC Performance Measure 1: Percentage of AORC projects judged to 
be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information 
provided in annual performance reports.
    AORC Performance Measure 2: Percentage of scholars who indicated 
they were ``highly satisfied'' with the services the center provided.
    AORC Performance Measure 3: Cost per high-quality, successfully-
completed AORC project.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the 
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a 
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives 
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review 
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes 
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds 
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and 
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Cheryl E. Gibbs, International and 
Foreign Language Education (IFLE) Service, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6083, Washington, DC 20006-8521. 
Telephone: (202) 502-7634 or by e-mail: cheryl.gibbs@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. You can view this document in text or PDF at the following 
site, also: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsaorc/applicant.html.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register.
    Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal 
Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO 
Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/.


    Dated: January 20, 2011.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-1510 Filed 1-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P