Applications for New Awards; Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, 8228-8233 [2012-3421]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8228-8233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-3421]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Developing Hispanic-Serving 
Institutions Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions 
(HSI) Program Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal 
year (FY) 2012.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031S.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: February 14, 2012. Deadline for Transmittal 
of Applications: March 15, 2012. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: 
May 14, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program

    The HSI Program provides grants to assist HSIs to expand 
educational opportunities for, and improve the academic attainment of, 
Hispanic students. The HSI Program grants also enable HSIs to expand 
and enhance their academic offerings, program quality, and 
institutional stability.

General Background

    In 2008, the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) was amended by the 
Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEA). The HEOA made a number 
of changes to the HSI program. The regulations for the HSI Program in 
34 part 606 have not been updated since before the HEA was amended by 
the HEOA. Therefore, we encourage applicants to carefully read this 
notice, which references the statutory provisions when the 
corresponding regulatory provisions for this program have not been 
updated.
    For example, section 501 of the HEOA amended section 503(b) of the 
HEA to include, among the authorized activities under the HSI Program--
    (1) Activities to improve student services, including innovative 
and customized instruction courses designed to help retain students and 
move the students into core courses;
    (2) Articulation agreements and student support programs designed 
to facilitate the transfer of students from 2-year to 4-year 
institutions; and
    (3) Providing education, counseling services, or financial 
information designed to improve the financial and economic literacy of 
students or their families.
    (4) The list of authorized activities in section 503(b) of the HEA 
was also amended to use the term ``distance education technologies'' in 
place of ``distance learning academic instruction capabilities.'' 
Therefore, notwithstanding the description of authorized activities in 
Sec.  606.10, applicants may include these activities in their 
proposals under this competition.

Priorities

    This notice contains three competitive preference priorities. These 
priorities are from the notice of final supplemental priorities and 
definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal 
Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 
2011 (76 FR 27637).

Competitive Preference Priorities

    For FY 2012, and any subsequent year in which we make awards from 
the list of unfunded applicants from the competition, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we 
award up to an additional 9 points total to an application, depending 
on how well the application meets all competitive preference 
priorities. Applicants must address all competitive preference 
priorities in order to receive any additional points. Applicants who do 
not address all three competitive preference priorities will not 
receive any additional points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Increasing Postsecondary 
Success.
    Projects that are designed to increase the number and proportion of 
high-need students (as defined in this notice) who persist in and 
complete college or other postsecondary education and training.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Enabling More Data-Based 
Decision-Making.
    Projects that are designed to collect (or obtain), analyze, and use 
high-quality and timely data, including data on program participant 
outcomes, in accordance with privacy requirements (as defined in this 
notice), in the following priority area: improving postsecondary 
student outcomes relating to enrollment, persistence, and completion 
and leading to career success.
    Competitive Preference Priority 3: Improving Productivity.
    Projects that are designed to significantly increase efficiency in 
the use of time, staff, money, or other resources while improving 
student learning or other educational outcomes (i.e., outcome per unit 
of resource). Such projects may include innovative and sustainable uses 
of technology, modification of school schedules and teacher 
compensation systems, use of open educational resources (as defined in 
this notice), or other strategies.

    Note:
     The types of projects identified in Competitive Preference 
Priority 3 are suggestions for ways to improve productivity. The 
Department recognizes that some of these examples, such as 
modification of teacher compensation systems, may not be relevant 
for the context of this program. Accordingly, applicants might want 
to consider responding to this competitive preference priority in a 
way that improves productivity in a relevant, higher education 
context.

Definitions

    The following definitions are from the notice of final supplemental 
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs published 
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and 
corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and apply to the priorities in 
this notice:
    High-need children and high-need students means children and 
students at risk of educational failure, such as children and students 
who are living in poverty, who are English learners, who are far below 
grade level, or who are not on track to becoming college- or career-
ready by graduation, who have left school or college before receiving, 
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or 
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time, 
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or parenting 
teenagers, who have been incarcerated,

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who are new immigrants, who are migrant, or who have disabilities.
    Open educational resources (OER) means teaching, learning, and 
research resources that reside in the public domain or have been 
released under an intellectual property license that permits their free 
use or repurposing by others.
    Privacy requirements means the requirements of the Family 
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and its 
implementing regulations in 34 CFR part 99, the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 
552a, as well as all applicable Federal, State, and local requirements 
regarding privacy.

    Program Authority:  20 U.S.C. 1101-1101d; 1103-1103g.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34 
CFR part 606. (c) The notice of final supplemental priorities and 
definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal 
Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12, 
2011 (76 FR 27637).

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


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

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual 
Development Grants and Five-year Cooperative Arrangement Development 
Grants will be awarded in FY 2012. Planning grants will not be awarded 
in FY 2012.
    Estimated Available Funds: $11,676,476.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $535,000-$775,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grants: 
$560,000. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants: $640,000.
    Maximum Awards: Individual Development Grants: $650,000. 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants: $775,000. We will not fund 
any application at an amount exceeding these maximum amounts for a 
single budget period of 12 months. We may choose not to further 
consider or review applications with budgets that exceed the maximum 
amounts specified, if we conclude, during our initial review of the 
application, that the proposed goals and objectives cannot be obtained 
with the specified maximum amount. The Assistant Secretary for the 
Office of Postsecondary Education may change the maximum amount through 
a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: Individual Development Grants: 14. 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants: 6.

    Note:  The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. Applicants should periodically check the HSI program Web 
site for further information. The address is: www.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs that qualify as eligible HSIs are 
eligible to apply for new Individual Development Grants and Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grants under the HSI program. To be an eligible 
HSI, an IHE must--
    (a) Have an enrollment of needy students, as defined in section 
502(b) of the HEA (section 502(a)(2)(A)(i) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 
1101a(a)(2)(A)(i));
    (b) Have, except as provided in section 522(b) of the HEA, average 
educational and general expenditures that are low, per full-time 
equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student, in comparison with the average 
educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate student of 
institutions that offer similar instruction (section 502(a)(2)(A)(ii) 
of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(ii));

    Note:  To demonstrate an enrollment of needy students and low 
average educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate 
student, an IHE must be designated as an ``eligible institution'' in 
accordance with 34 CFR 606.3 through 606.5 and the notice inviting 
applications for designation as an eligible institution for the 
fiscal year for which the grant competition is being conducted.

    For purposes of establishing eligibility for this competition, the 
Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as Eligible Institution 
for FY 2012 was published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2011 
(76 FR 77982). Only institutions that submitted the required 
application and received designation through this process are eligible 
to submit applications for this competition.
    (c) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or 
association that the Secretary has determined to be a reliable 
authority as to the quality of education or training offered, or making 
reasonable progress toward accreditation, according to such an agency 
or association (section 502(a)(2)(A)(iv) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 
1101a(a)(2)(A)(iv));
    (d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provide within the State, 
an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor's 
degree (section 502(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the HEA or a junior or community 
college; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(iii)); and
    (e) Have an enrollment of undergraduate FTE students that is at 
least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year 
immediately preceding the date of application (section 502(a)(5)(B) of 
the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)(B)).

    Note 1:  Funds for the HSI Program will be awarded each fiscal 
year; thus, for this program, the ``end of the award year 
immediately preceding the date of application'' refers to the end of 
the fiscal year prior to the application due date. The end of the 
fiscal year occurs on September 30 for any given year.


    Note 2:  In considering applications for grants under this 
program, the Department will compare the data and documentation the 
institution relied on in its application with data reported to the 
Department's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), 
the IHE's State-reported enrollment data, and the institutional 
annual report. If different percentages or data are reported in 
these various sources, the institution must, as part of the 25 
percent assurance verification, explain the reason for the 
differences. If the IPEDS data show that less than 25 percent of the 
institution's undergraduate FTE students are Hispanic, the burden is 
on the institution to show that the IPEDS data are inaccurate. If 
the IPEDS data indicate that the institution has an undergraduate 
FTE less than 25 percent, and the institution fails to demonstrate 
that the IPEDS data are inaccurate, the institution will be 
considered ineligible.\1\

    \1\ For purposes of making the determination described in 
paragraph (e) of the Eligibility Criteria for this competition, IHEs 
must report their undergraduate Hispanic FTE percent based on the 
student enrollment count closest to, but not after, September 30, 
2010.
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Relationship Between HSI and Title III, Part A Programs

    Note 1:  A grantee under the HSI Program, which is authorized by 
Title V of the HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, Title 
III, Part A or Part B Program (section 505 of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 
1101D). The Title III, Part A Programs include: the Strengthening 
Institutions Program; the American Indian Tribally Controlled 
Colleges and Universities Program; the Alaska Native and Native 
Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs; the Asian American and 
Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions Program; and 
the Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions Program. 
Furthermore, a current HSI Program grantee may not give up its HSI

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grant in order to receive a grant under any Title III, Part A 
Program (Sec.  606.2(c)(1)).


    Note 2:  An HSI that does not fall within the limitation 
described in Note 1 may apply for a FY 2012 grant under all Title 
III, Part A Programs, for which it is eligible, as well as under the 
HSI Program. However, a successful applicant may receive only one 
grant.


    Note 3:  An eligible HSI that submits multiple applications may 
only be awarded one Individual Development Grant and/or one 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant in a fiscal year (34 CFR 
606.9 and 606.13). In addition, the Secretary will not award a 
second Individual Development Grant to an HSI with a current five-
year Individual Development Grant as described in 34 CFR 
606.9(b)(1).


    Note 4:  An eligible HSI that submits a Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant with a partnering branch campus that is a part of 
the same institution will not be awarded a grant (34 CFR 606.7(b)).

    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching requirements unless the grantee uses a portion of 
its grant for establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee 
uses a portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match 
those grant funds with non-Federal funds (section 503(c)(2) of the HEA; 
20 U.S.C. 1101b(c)(2)).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Carnisia M. Proctor, 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6060, 
Washington, DC 20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7606 or by email: 
Carnisia.Proctor@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), 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 compact disc) 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 Limits: The application narrative (Part III of the 
application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection 
criteria and the competitive priorities that reviewers use to evaluate 
your application. We have established mandatory page limits for both 
the Individual Development Grant and the Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant applications. You must limit the application 
narrative (Part III) to no more than 55 pages for the Individual 
Development Grant application and no more than 75 pages for the 
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant application.

    Note:  Please include a separate heading when responding to the 
competitive priorities. If you do not wish to address the 
competitive priorities, you must limit your application narrative to 
no more than 50 pages for the Individual Development Grant 
application and no more than 70 pages for the Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grant application 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.


    Note:  For purposes of determining compliance with the page 
limits, each page on which there are words will be counted as one 
full page.

     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, 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).
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font 
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance (SF 424); the Department of Education Supplemental 
Information form (SF 424); Part II, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524); Part IV, the assurances and 
certifications; or the one-page project abstract, program activity 
budget detail form and supporting narrative, and the five-year plan. 
However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative 
section (Part III), including the budget narrative of the selection 
criteria and the competitive priorities. 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.

    Note:  The narrative response to the budget selection criteria 
is not the same as the activity detail budget form and supporting 
narrative. The supporting narrative for the activity detail budget 
form lists the requested budget items line by line.

    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 14, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 15, 2012.
    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: May 14, 2012.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section 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 you DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information 
while your

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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 at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications:
    Applications for grants under the HSI Program, CFDA Number 84.031S, 
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 email an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for Developing 
Hispanic-Serving Institutions 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 84.031, not 84.031S).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we 
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline 
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov 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 (ED 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 upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) 
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable 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 email. 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

[[Page 8232]]

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: Carnisia M. Proctor, 
U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6060, 
Washington, DC 20006-8513. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail 
the original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.031S), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    Note:  The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a 
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with 
your local post office.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.031S), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, 
Sundays, and Federal holidays.

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

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
in 34 CFR 606.22. In addition to these selection criteria, we evaluate 
an applicant's performance under a previous development grant under 34 
CFR 606.24.
    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).
    Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an 
award are as follows:
    (A) Documentation of at least 25 Percent Hispanic Undergraduate FTE 
students. Applicants must provide, as an attachment to the application, 
the documentation the IHE relied upon in determining that at least 25 
percent of the IHE's undergraduate FTE students are Hispanic.

    Note:  The 25 percent requirement applies only to undergraduate 
Hispanic students and is calculated based upon FTE students as 
defined in section 502(a)(4) of the HEA. Instructions for formatting 
and submitting the verification documentation to Grants.gov are in 
the application package for this competition.

    (B) Tiebreaker for Development Grants. In tie-breaking situations 
for development grants described in 34 CFR 606.23(b), the HSI Program 
regulations require that we award one additional point to an 
application from an IHE that has an endowment fund of which the current 
market value, per FTE enrolled student, is less than the average 
current market value of the endowment funds, per FTE enrolled student, 
at comparable institutions that offer similar instruction. We also 
award one

[[Page 8233]]

additional point to an application from an IHE that had expenditures 
for library materials per FTE enrolled student that are less than the 
average expenditures for library materials per FTE enrolled student at 
comparable institutions that offer similar instruction.
    For the purpose of these funding considerations, we use 2009-2010 
data.
    If a tie remains after applying the tiebreaker mechanism above, 
priority will be given (a) for Individual Development Grants, to 
applicants that addressed the statutory priority found in section 
521(d) of the HEA, as amended; and (b) for Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grants, to applicants in accordance with section 524(b) of 
the HEA, under which the Secretary determines that the cooperative 
arrangement is geographically and economically sound or will benefit 
the applicant HSI.
    If a tie still remains after applying the additional point(s) and 
the relevant statutory priority, we will determine the ranking of 
applicants based on the lowest endowment values per FTE enrolled 
student.
    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 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the 
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of 
the HSI program:
    1. The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, of the 
number of full-time degree-seeking undergraduate students enrolled at 
HSIs.
    2. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students who were in their first year of postsecondary 
enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at 
the same two-year Hispanic-serving institution.
    3. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students who were in their first year of postsecondary 
enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at 
the same four-year Hispanic-serving institution.
    4. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at four-year HSIs graduating within six 
years of enrollment.
    5. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at two-year HSIs graduating within 
three years of enrollment.
    6. Federal cost per undergraduate and graduate degree at 
institutions in the HSI Program.
    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 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: Carnisia M. Proctor, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6060, Washington, DC 
20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7606 or by email: 
Carnisia.Proctor@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) on request to 
the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact 
in section VII of this notice.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: February 9, 2012.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-3421 Filed 2-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P