Applications for New Awards; Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge; Phase 2, 58359-58364 [2012-23260]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 183 / Thursday, September 20, 2012 / Notices
Friday, September 14, 2012
2012–22718 (77 FR 56815–56817),
2012–22647 (77 FR 56821–56822),
2012–22689 (77 FR 56822–56824)
In each of these notices, the DATES
section is corrected to read as follows:
‘‘DATES: This proposed action will be
effective on October 16, 2012 unless
comments are received which result in
a contrary determination. Comments
will be accepted on or before October
15, 2012.’’
Dated: September 17, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
TRICARE Management Activity has
updated the monthly premiums for CY
2013 as shown below:
MONTHLY TYA PREMIUMS FOR CY
2013
Type of coverage
Monthly rate
TRICARE Standard Plans ........
TRICARE Prime Plans .............
$152
176
The above premiums are effective for
services rendered on or after January 1,
2013.
Dated: September 17, 2012.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison
Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2012–23240 Filed 9–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
[FR Doc. 2012–23251 Filed 9–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–06–P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Office of the Secretary
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
TRICARE, Formerly Known as the
Civilian Health and Medical Program of
the Uniformed Services; Calendar Year
2013 TRICARE Young Adult Program
Premium Update
Office of the Secretary of
Defense, Department of Defense.
ACTION: Notice of Updated TRICARE
Young Adult Premiums for Calendar
Year 2013.
AGENCY:
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Applications for New Awards; Race to
the Top—Early Learning Challenge;
Phase 2
Department of Education and
Department of Health and Human
Services.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice provides the
updated TRICARE Young Adult
program premiums for Calendar Year
(CY) 2013.
DATES: The CY 2013 rates contained in
this notice are effective for services on
or after January 1, 2013.
ADDRESSES: TRICARE Management
Activity, Policy and Benefits Branch,
7700 Arlington Boulevard, Suite 5101,
Falls Church, Virginia 22042–5101.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Mark A. Ellis, (703) 681–0039.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
interim final rule published in the
Federal Register (FR) on April 27, 2011
(76 FR 23479–23485) set forth rules to
implement the TRICARE Young Adult
(TYA) program as required by Title 10,
United States Code, Section 1110b.
Included in this interim final rule were
provisions for updating the TYA
premiums for each CY. By law, qualified
young adult dependents are charged
TYA premiums that represent the full
government cost of providing such
coverage. Until premiums can be based
on actual current year TYA costs, TYA
premiums are based on the actual costs
during preceding CYs for providing
benefits to a similarly aged group of
dependents that are TRICARE eligible.
SUMMARY:
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Overview Information; Race to the
Top—Early Learning Challenge; Phase 2
Notice Inviting Applications for New
Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.412A.
DATES: Applications Available:
September 20, 2012.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting:
September 25, 2012. Deadline for
Transmittal of Applications: October 26,
2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Race to the Top-Early Learning
Challenge (RTT–ELC) program is to
improve the quality of early learning
and development and close the
achievement gap for children with high
needs. This program focuses on
improving early learning and
development for young children by
supporting States’ efforts to increase the
number and percentage of low-income
and disadvantaged children, in each age
group of infants, toddlers, and
preschoolers, who are enrolled in highquality early learning and development
programs; and to design and implement
an integrated system of high-quality
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early learning and development
programs and services.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY
2011 RTT–ELC competition identified
five key reform areas representing the
foundation of an effective early learning
and development reform agenda that is
focused on school readiness and
ongoing educational success. These
areas, which provided a framework for
the competition’s priorities,
requirements, and selection criteria, are:
(A) Successful State Systems;
(B) High-Quality, Accountable
Programs;
(C) Promoting Early Learning and
Development Outcomes for Children;
(D) A Great Early Childhood
Education Workforce; and
(E) Measuring Outcomes and Progress.
The first two of these reform areas, (A)
and (B), are core areas of focus for this
program (hereafter ‘‘Core Areas’’), and
applicants under the FY 2011 RTT–ELC
competition were required to respond to
all selection criteria under these Core
Areas. The reform areas in (C), (D), and
(E) are areas (hereafter ‘‘Focused
Investment Areas’’) where applicants
directed targeted attention to specific
activities that were relevant to their
State’s context. Applicants were
required to address each Focused
Investment Area but not all of the
selection criteria under them.
In December 2011, the Departments
made awards to the nine highest scoring
applications from the FY 2011 RTT–ELC
competition: California, Delaware,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota,
North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, and
Washington.
On December 23, 2011, the President
signed into law Public Law 112–74, the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012,
which made $550 million available for
the Race to the Top Fund. This
legislation authorized the Secretary of
Education to make Race to the Top
Fund awards on ‘‘the basis of previously
submitted applications.’’ The
Department of Education must obligate
these funds by December 31, 2012.
On April 9, 2012, the Departments
announced that approximately $133
million of the $550 million appropriated
for the Race to the Top Fund would be
made available to the next five highest
scoring applicants from the FY 2011
RTT–ELC competition. These five
applicants, each of which received
approximately 75 percent or more of the
available points under the competition,
are Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico,
Oregon, and Wisconsin. These States are
referred to as ‘‘eligible applicants’’ for
Phase 2 of the RTT–ELC program, under
which the Departments will fund down
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the slate of applications from the FY
2011 RTT–ELC competition.
While $133 million can support only
a selection of the activities in the plans
submitted by these States in the FY
2011 RTT–ELC competition, the
Secretaries believe that supporting with
FY 2012 funding high-scoring
applicants that did not receive funding
under the FY 2011 RTT–ELC
competition will help build on the
momentum from the FY 2011 RTT–ELC
competition and engage more States in
transforming the patchwork of
disconnected early childhood programs
into a coordinated and high-quality
system. Therefore, we will make FY
2012 funds available to the eligible
applicants at up to 50 percent of the
amount each requested in its
application under the FY 2011 RTT–
ELC competition.
The Department of Education may use
any unused funds from Phase 2 of the
RTT–ELC program to make awards in
the FY 2012 Race to the Top District
competition, which was announced in a
separate notice published in the Federal
Register on August 16, 2012 (77 FR
49654). Conversely, the Department of
Education may use any unused FY 2012
funds from the Race to the Top District
competition to supplement the awards
for Phase 2 RTT–ELC.
Requirements
Except where otherwise indicated in
this notice inviting applications or in
the notice of final requirements for the
RTT–ELC Phase 2 competition,
published elsewhere in this issue of the
Federal Register, the applicable final
requirements and definitions of key
terms from the notice inviting
applications, published in the Federal
Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR
53564), apply to the RTT–ELC Phase 2
application process. The following
application requirements are from the
RTT–ELC Phase 2 notice of final
requirements published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register and
apply to this program.
Award Process: To receive a Phase 2
RTT–ELC award, an eligible applicant
must submit—
(a) An application, consistent with its
FY 2011 RTT–ELC application, that—
(1) Meets the application
requirements described in the
Application Requirements section of
this notice; and
(2) Provides the assurances described
in the Application Assurances section of
this notice; and
(b) For review and approval by both
Departments, a detailed plan and budget
describing the activities selected from
its FY 2011 RTT–ELC application that
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would be implemented with Phase 2
RTT–ELC funding, in accordance with
the Budget Requirements section in this
notice.
Note: We encourage eligible applicants to
partner with each other and currently funded
RTT–ELC grantees in carrying out specific
activities (such as validation of a State’s
Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement
System (TQRIS), implementation of
longitudinal data systems, or development of
a kindergarten entry assessment). Each
eligible applicant may apply for Phase 2
RTT–ELC awards individually or as a
member of a consortium (with other eligible
applicants) under 34 CFR 75.127–129. A
consortium can be formed only with other
eligible applicants and requires a single
application. A partnership can be described
in the application of an individual State or
a consortium and can include eligible
applicants as well as currently-funded
grantees. In any event, an eligible applicant
must propose activities for Phase 2 of the
RTT–ELC program that are consistent with its
FY 2011 RTT–ELC application.
Eligibility Requirements: Eligible
applicants for Phase 2 RTT–ELC awards
are those States that applied for funding
under the FY 2011 RTT–ELC
competition and received approximately
75 percent or more of the available
points but that did not receive grant
awards under that competition.
Therefore, only the States of Colorado,
Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and
Wisconsin are eligible to apply for
Phase 2 RTT–ELC awards.
Application Requirements: Eligible
applicants must meet the following
requirements to receive Phase 2 RTT–
ELC awards:
(a) Each eligible applicant must
describe how it would implement an
organizational structure for managing
the Phase 2 RTT–ELC grant that is
consistent with the activities and
commitments described in response to
selection criterion A(3)(a)(1)1 of its FY
2011 RTT–ELC application, and
describe how it would implement the
activities described in response to Core
Area B (selection criteria one through
five) of its FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application using a Phase 2 RTT–ELC
award. The FY 2011 RTT–ELC Core
Area B criteria promote broad
participation in the State’s TQRIS across
a range of programs, active and
continuous program quality
improvement, and the publication of
program ratings so that families can
make informed decisions about which
programs can best serve the needs of
their children. Specifically, in Core Area
B of its FY 2011 RTT–ELC application,
1 The selection criteria from the FY 2011 RTT–
ELC application can be found at https://
www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetopearlylearningchallenge/2011-412.doc (pp. 26–74).
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each applicant had to demonstrate that
it had developed and adopted, or had a
high-quality plan to develop and adopt,
a TQRIS. In addition, each eligible
applicant must also implement the
activities it proposed under Competitive
Preference Priority 2, including all early
learning and development programs in
the TQRIS.
(b) In addition to addressing the
requirements in paragraph (a) of this
section, each eligible applicant must
select and describe how it will
implement activities that it identified in
its FY 2011 RTT–ELC application in
response to Focused Investment Areas
C, D, or E. The eligible applicant must
select activities from two or more of the
three Focused Investment Areas C, D,
and E, and the activities must be
responsive to one or more of the
selection criteria under the Focused
Investment Areas chosen by the
applicant. (Eligible applicants may
implement additional activities
proposed under more than one selection
criterion within each Focused
Investment Area.) In determining which
selection criteria to address given the
amount of available funds under Phase
2 of the RTT–ELC program, each eligible
applicant must give consideration to
those activities that will have the
greatest impact on improving access to
high-quality early learning programs for
children with high needs.
Note: In light of the reduced funding
available, applicants may make adjustments
in the scope of services provided to meet
selection criteria in Core Area A(3)(a)(1),
Core Area B, Competitive Preference Priority
2, and Focused Investment Areas C, D, and
E. For example, an applicant may propose to
serve fewer programs or regions of the State
than it proposed to serve in its FY 2011 RTT–
ELC application. The eligible applicant must
provide a detailed explanation of its rationale
for such adjustments and also must amend its
targets in Tables B(2)(c) and B(4)(c)(1–2) of
the FY 2011 RTT–ELC application, as
needed. The adjustments may not diminish
the program’s impact on improving access to
high-quality early learning programs for
children with high needs. In addition, if the
scope of work is adjusted by targeting
specific regions in the State, the activities
must be consistent across regions. In making
these adjustments, the Departments strongly
encourage eligible applicants to consider
how to use other appropriate Federal, State,
private, and local resources to support their
selected activities.
(c) In addition, each eligible applicant
may implement the activities it
proposed in response to the Invitational
Priorities from its FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application. Eligible applicants that
wrote to Invitational Priority 2 are
encouraged to enter into public-private
partnerships if doing so would augment
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total funds available for carrying out the
activities described in their FY 2011
RTT–ELC applications. Note: We
encourage grantees to enter into
consortia, where relevant, in order to
maximize the use of available funds.
Please refer to section (V)(b).
(d) The Departments will use Phase 2
RTT–ELC funding to support only those
activities included in an eligible
applicant’s FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application. Therefore, an eligible
applicant must not include new
activities in its Phase 2 RTT–ELC
application.
(e) Each Phase 2 RTT–ELC application
must include current signatures by the
eligible applicant’s Governor or an
authorized representative signing on
behalf of the Governor; an authorized
representative from the eligible
applicant’s Lead Agency; and an
authorized representative from each
Participating State Agency.
(f) Each Phase 2 RTT–ELC application
must include a newly-signed
Memorandum of Understanding and a
preliminary scope of work for each
Participating State Agency. Application
Assurances: Each eligible applicant
must include in its Phase 2 RTT–ELC
application the following assurances
from its Governor or authorized
representative of the Governor of its
State:
(a) While the State may make
appropriate adjustments to the scope,
budget, timelines, and performance
targets, consistent with the reduced
amount of funding that is available
under Phase 2 RTT–ELC, the State will
maintain consistency with the absolute
priority and meet all program and
eligibility requirements of the FY 2011
RTT–ELC competition.
(b) The State must update tables 1–5
from section (A)(1) of its FY 2011
application. In addition, if the State has
made any significant changes to the
commitments, financial investments,
numbers of children served, legislation,
policies, practices, or other key areas of
the program described in section (A)(1)
of its FY 2011 application, it must
submit an explanation of those changes,
including updates to tables 6–13 from
section (A)(1) as needed.
The State will maintain, in a manner
consistent with its updates to tables 1–
13, its commitment to and investment in
high-quality, accessible early learning
and development programs and services
for children with high needs, as
described in section (A)(1) of its FY
2011 RTT–ELC application.
(c) Subject to adjustments made
because of the reduced amount of
funding available under the Phase 2
RTT–ELC award process, the State will
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maintain its plan to establish strong
participation and commitment by
Participating State Agencies and other
early learning and development
stakeholders as described in section
(A)(3) of its FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application.
(d) The State will maintain its
commitment to integrating and aligning
resources and policies across
Participating State Agencies as
described in section (A)(3) of its FY
2011 RTT–ELC application.
(e) The State will comply with all of
the accountability, transparency, and
reporting requirements that applied to
the FY 2011 RTT–ELC competition. (See
the notice inviting applications for the
FY 2011 RTT–ELC competition,
published in the Federal Register on
August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564).)
(f) The State will comply with the
requirements of any evaluation of the
RTT–ELC program, or of specific
activities it proposes to pursue as part
of the program, conducted and
supported by the Departments.
Budget Requirements: An eligible
applicant may apply for up to 50
percent of the funds it requested in its
FY 2011 RTT–ELC application. The
following budget requirements apply to
the Phase 2 RTT–ELC award process:
(a) Budget Narrative. Each eligible
applicant must submit a detailed
narrative and budget, using the format
and instructions provided in the FY
2011 RTT–ELC application package,
which describes the activities it has
selected from its FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application that it proposes to
implement with a Phase 2 RTT–ELC
award. This detailed narrative must
include an explanation of why the
eligible applicant has selected these
activities and why the eligible applicant
believes they will have the greatest
impact on advancing its high-quality
plan for early learning. The narrative
must also explain where the applicant
has made adjustments (such as, a
reduction in the number of participating
programs or areas of the State served, or
the dedication of additional Federal,
State, local, or private funds to support
the plan) to ensure that the activities
can be carried out successfully with the
amount of funds available. In reviewing
the narrative, we may request that the
applicant submit revisions to address
concerns related to feasibility or the
strategic use of funds. (See the notice
inviting applications for the FY 2011
RTT–ELC competition, published in the
Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76
FR 53564).)
(b) Applying as a Consortium. As
discussed previously, we encourage
eligible applicants to form consortia
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58361
with each other or partner with
currently funded FY 2011 RTT–ELC
grantees in carrying out specific
activities (such as validation of a State’s
TQRIS, implementation of longitudinal
data systems, or development of a
kindergarten entry assessment). Eligible
applicants may apply individually or as
members of a consortium (with other
eligible applicants) under 34 CFR
75.127–129. A consortium can be
formed only with other eligible
applicants and requires a single
application. A partnership can be
described in the application of an
individual State or a consortium and
can include eligible applicants as well
as currently-funded grantees. Each
eligible applicant must propose
activities consistent with its FY 2011
RTT–ELC application. Therefore, each
eligible applicant that chooses to apply
as a member of a consortium or to
partner with a current RTT–ELC grantee
in carrying out project activities must
include in its revised budget narrative
an explanation of how the activities to
be undertaken by the consortium or
partnership are consistent with the
applicant’s FY 2011 RTT–ELC
application and how the consortium or
partnership will help the applicant
implement its selected activities. It is
important to note that an applicant may
propose some activities that it would
execute alone and others that it would
execute as part of a consortium.
(c) Available Funds. The maximum
amounts of funding for which each
eligible applicant may apply are shown
in the following table. The amounts in
this table are based on the requirement
that each eligible applicant may apply
for up to half of the amount it requested
in its FY 2011 RTT–ELC application.
State
Colorado ...............................
Illinois ....................................
New Mexico ..........................
Oregon ..................................
Wisconsin .............................
Maximum
amount
$29,925,888
34,798,696
25,000,000
20,508,902
22,701,389
Program Authority: Sections 14005 and
14006, Division A, of the American Recovery
and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111–
5), as amended by section 1832(b) of Division
B of Pub. L. 112–10, the Department of
Defense and Full-Year Continuing
Appropriations Act, 2011, and the
Department of Education Appropriations Act,
2012 (Title III of Division F of Public Law
112–74, the Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2012).
Applicable Regulations: The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
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34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85,
86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$132,934,875. Contingent upon the
availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make
supplemental awards in FY 2013 to
grantees that did not receive the total
amount requested in their FY 2011
applications.
Estimated Range of Awards: $20
million–$35 million.
Estimated Number of Awards: Up to
five.
Note: The Departments are not bound by
any estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States that
applied for funding under the FY 2011
RTT–ELC competition and received
approximately 75 percent or more of the
available points, but that did not receive
grant awards under that competition.
Therefore, only the States of Colorado,
Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and
Wisconsin are eligible to apply for
Phase 2 RTT–ELC awards.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
program does not require cost sharing or
matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This
competition involves supplement-notsupplant funding requirements.
Consistent with RTT–ELC program
requirement (J) in the notice inviting
applications that published in the
Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76
FR 53564), funds made available under
an RTT–ELC grant must be used to
supplement, not supplant, any Federal,
State, or local funds for activities such
as increasing access to and improving
the quality of early learning and
development programs. If a State is
using funds from another funding
source to support elements of its RTT–
ELC plan, the State must comply with
all applicable requirements associated
with that funding source, including any
match or maintenance-of-effort
requirements.
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IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: You can obtain an application
package via the Internet at the following
address: www.ed.gov/programs/
racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge.
Alternatively, an applicant may obtain
the application package by contacting:
Deborah Spitz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW.,
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room 3E230, Washington, DC 20202,
(202) 260–3793.
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 person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
section VII of this notice.
2.a. Content and Form of Application
Submission: Requirements concerning
the content of the application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: September
20, 2012.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting:
September 25, 2012.
To assist eligible applicants in
preparing an application and
responding to questions, the
Departments will host a Webinar for
eligible applicants shortly after the
publication of this notice. Because only
five States are eligible for these funds,
information about the Webinar will be
provided directly to those States.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: October 26, 2012.
We do not consider an application
that does not comply with the deadline
requirements.
We will provide Congress with the
names of the States that have submitted
applications, as well as post the names
of these States on the program’s Web
site. We will also post all applications
submitted by the States. Therefore,
please ensure that your application does
not include personally identifiable
information, proprietary information, or
other non-public information.
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 Departments provide 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 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. Data Universal Numbering System
Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry,
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and System for Award Management: To
do business with the Departments, 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) and, after July 24, 2012,
with the System for Award Management
(SAM), the Government’s primary
registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and
TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM
registration with current information
while your application is under review
by the Departments 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.
The CCR or SAM 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 annually. This may
take three or more business days to
complete. Information about SAM is
available at SAM.gov.
7. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
competition must be submitted by mail
or hand delivery. We strongly
recommend the use of overnight mail.
Applications postmarked on the
deadline date but arriving late will not
be read.
a. Application Submission Format
and Deadline.
Applications for grants under this
competition must be submitted in
electronic format on a CD or DVD, with
CD–ROM or DVD–ROM preferred. In
addition, applicants must submit a
signed paper original of the Application
Assurances and Certification and one
copy of that signed original. Autopen,
copies, PDFs (Adobe Portable Document
Format), and faxed copies of signature
pages are not acceptable originals.
We strongly recommend the applicant
to submit a CD or DVD of its application
that includes the following files:
1. A single file that contains the body
of the application, including required
budget tables, that has been converted
into a PDF (Portable Document) format
so that the PDF is searchable. Note that
a PDF created from a scanned document
will not be searchable.
2. A single file in a PDF format that
contains all of the required signature
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 183 / Thursday, September 20, 2012 / Notices
pages. The signature pages may be
scanned and turned into a PDF.
3. Copies of the completed electronic
budget spreadsheets with the required
budget tables, which should be in a
separate file from the body of the
application.
Each of these items must be clearly
labeled with the State’s name and any
other relevant identifying information.
States must not password-protect these
files.
We must receive all grant applications
by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date. We
will not accept an application for this
competition after 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that applicants
arrange for mailing or hand delivery of
their application in advance of the
application deadline date.
b. Submission of Applications by
Mail. States choosing to submit their
application (i.e., the CD or DVD, the
signed paper original of the Application
Assurances and Certifications, and the
copy of that original) by mail (either
through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) must mail the
original and two copies of the
application, on or before the application
deadline date, to the following mailing
address: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.412), LBJ Basement
Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20202–4260.
c. Submission of Applications by
Hand Delivery. States choosing to
submit their application (i.e., the CD or
DVD, the signed paper original of
section IV of the application, and the
copy of that original) by hand delivery
(including via a courier service) must
deliver the original and two copies of
the application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the
following address: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.412), 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.
If we receive an application after the
application deadline, we will not
consider that application.
d. Envelope requirements and receipt:
When an applicant submits its
application, whether by mail or hand
delivery—
(1) It must indicate on the envelope
that the CFDA number of the
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competition under which it is
submitting its application is 84.412; and
(2) The Application Control Center
will mail to the applicant a notification
of receipt of the grant application. If the
applicant does not receive this
notification, it should call the
Application Control Center at (202)
245–6288.
In accordance with 34 CFR 75.216(b)
and (c), an application will not be
evaluated for funding if the applicant
does not comply with all of the
procedural rules that govern the
submission of the application or the
application does not contain the
information required under the
program.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The RTT–ELC
program selection criteria, published in
the Federal Register on August 26, 2011
(76 FR 53564), apply to the RTT–ELC
Phase 2 application process.
2. Review and Selection Process:
Eligible applicants must submit a
complete application, as described in
this notice, for review and approval by
the Secretaries. Staff from both
Departments will review the Phase 2
RTT–ELC applications and conduct
budget reviews. Since Phase 2 is not a
competition and States will be
submitting applications that are
consistent with the content of their FY
2011 applications (which have already
been peer-reviewed), we will not
conduct a peer review by outside
experts. In reviewing the applications,
the Departments may request that
applicants submit revisions to address
concerns related to feasibility or the
strategic use of funds.
We remind potential applicants that
in reviewing applications in any
discretionary grant program, the
Secretaries 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 Secretaries may also
consider whether the applicant failed to
submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of questionable
quality.
In addition, the Secretaries also
require 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
80.12, special conditions may be
imposed on a grant if the grantee is not
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58363
financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a
financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 34
CFR part 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 an application is
successful, ED will notify the State’s
U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators
and send the applicant a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify the
State informally, also.
If an 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 the binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: The RTT–ELC reporting
requirements, published in the Federal
Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR
53564), apply to the RTT–ELC Phase 2
application process.
4. Evidence and Performance
Measures: The RTT–ELC performance
measures, published in the Federal
Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR
53564), apply to the RTT–ELC Phase 2
application process.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Deborah Spitz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW.,
room 3E230, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: 202–260–3793 or by email:
Deborah.Spitz@ed.gov or RTT.Early.
Learning.Challenge@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.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document 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.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 183 / Thursday, September 20, 2012 / Notices
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 these Departments
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 the site.
You may also access documents of
these Departments 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: September 17, 2012.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education, U.S. Department of
Education.
George Sheldon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and
Families, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2012–23260 Filed 9–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Environmental Management SiteSpecific Advisory Board, Oak Ridge
Reservation
Department of Energy.
Notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This notice announces a
meeting of the Environmental
Management Site-Specific Advisory
Board (EM SSAB), Oak Ridge
Reservation. The Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat.
770) requires that public notice of this
meeting be announced in the Federal
Register.
SUMMARY:
Wednesday, October 10, 2012,
6:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: Department of Energy
Information Center, Office of Science
and Technical Information, 1
Science.gov Way, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
37830.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Melyssa P. Noe, Federal Coordinator,
Department of Energy Oak Ridge
Operations Office, P.O. Box 2001, EM–
90, Oak Ridge, TN 37831. Phone (865)
241–3315; Fax (865) 576–0956 or email:
noemp@oro.doe.gov or check the Web
site at www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Purpose of the Board: The purpose of
the Board is to make recommendations
to DOE–EM and site management in the
areas of environmental restoration,
waste management, and related
activities.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Tentative Agenda
AGENCY:
• Welcome and Announcements
• Comments from the Deputy
Designated Federal Officer
• Comments from the DOE, Tennessee
Department of Environment and
Conservation, and Environmental
Protection Agency Liaisons
• Public Comment Period
• Presentation: Accumulated Waste
Disposition Activity
• Additions/Approval of Agenda
• Motions/Approval of September
Meeting Minutes
• Status of Recommendations with DOE
• Committee Reports
• Federal Coordinator Report
• Adjourn
Public Participation: The EM SSAB,
Oak Ridge, welcomes the attendance of
the public at its advisory committee
meetings and will make every effort to
accommodate persons with physical
disabilities or special needs. If you
require special accommodations due to
a disability, please contact Melyssa P.
Noe at least seven days in advance of
the meeting at the phone number listed
above. Written statements may be filed
with the Board either before or after the
meeting. Individuals who wish to make
oral statements pertaining to the agenda
item should contact Melyssa P. Noe at
the address or telephone number listed
above. Requests must be received five
days prior to the meeting and reasonable
provision will be made to include the
presentation in the agenda. The Deputy
Designated Federal Officer is
empowered to conduct the meeting in a
fashion that will facilitate the orderly
conduct of business. Individuals
wishing to make public comments will
be provided a maximum of five minutes
to present their comments.
Minutes: Minutes will be available by
writing or calling Melyssa P. Noe at the
address and phone number listed above.
Minutes will also be available at the
following Web site: https://
www.oakridge.doe.gov/em/ssab/
minutes.htm.
Issued at Washington, DC, on September
14, 2012.
LaTanya R. Butler,
Acting Deputy Committee Management
Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012–23236 Filed 9–19–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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Energy Information Administration
Agency Information Collection
Extension
Energy Information
Administration (EIA), Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Information collection
extension; notice and request for
comments.
EIA, pursuant to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
proposes to extend without changes for
three years the Form DOE–887, ‘‘DOE
Customer Surveys’’ with the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB).
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the agency, including
whether the information shall have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information,
including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c)
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including through the
use of automated collection techniques
or other forms of information
technology.
SUMMARY:
Comments regarding this
proposed information collection must
be received on or before November 19,
2012. If you anticipate difficulty in
submitting comments within that
period, contact the person listed in
ADDRESSES as soon as possible.
ADDRESSES: Written comments may be
sent to Colleen Blessing, EI–40, Energy
Information Administration,
Department of Energy, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585, or by fax at
(202) 586–0114, or by email at
colleen.blessing@eia.gov. Alternatively,
Colleen Blessing may be contacted by
telephone at (202) 586–6482.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Requests for additional information or
copies of the information collection
instrument and instructions should be
directed to Colleen Blessing at the
address listed, above.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
information collection request contains:
(1) OMB No.: 1901–0302;
(2) Information Collection Request
Title: ‘‘DOE Customer Surveys;’’
(3) Type of Request: Three-year
extension without changes;
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58359-58364]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23260]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Applications for New Awards; Race to the Top--Early Learning
Challenge; Phase 2
AGENCY: Department of Education and Department of Health and Human
Services.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information; Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge;
Phase 2 Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.412A.
DATES: Applications Available: September 20, 2012.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: September 25, 2012. Deadline for
Transmittal of Applications: October 26, 2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Race to the Top-Early
Learning Challenge (RTT-ELC) program is to improve the quality of early
learning and development and close the achievement gap for children
with high needs. This program focuses on improving early learning and
development for young children by supporting States' efforts to
increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged
children, in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, who
are enrolled in high-quality early learning and development programs;
and to design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early
learning and development programs and services.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition identified
five key reform areas representing the foundation of an effective early
learning and development reform agenda that is focused on school
readiness and ongoing educational success. These areas, which provided
a framework for the competition's priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria, are:
(A) Successful State Systems;
(B) High-Quality, Accountable Programs;
(C) Promoting Early Learning and Development Outcomes for Children;
(D) A Great Early Childhood Education Workforce; and
(E) Measuring Outcomes and Progress.
The first two of these reform areas, (A) and (B), are core areas of
focus for this program (hereafter ``Core Areas''), and applicants under
the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition were required to respond to all
selection criteria under these Core Areas. The reform areas in (C),
(D), and (E) are areas (hereafter ``Focused Investment Areas'') where
applicants directed targeted attention to specific activities that were
relevant to their State's context. Applicants were required to address
each Focused Investment Area but not all of the selection criteria
under them.
In December 2011, the Departments made awards to the nine highest
scoring applications from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition: California,
Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio,
Rhode Island, and Washington.
On December 23, 2011, the President signed into law Public Law 112-
74, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012, which made $550 million
available for the Race to the Top Fund. This legislation authorized the
Secretary of Education to make Race to the Top Fund awards on ``the
basis of previously submitted applications.'' The Department of
Education must obligate these funds by December 31, 2012.
On April 9, 2012, the Departments announced that approximately $133
million of the $550 million appropriated for the Race to the Top Fund
would be made available to the next five highest scoring applicants
from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition. These five applicants, each of
which received approximately 75 percent or more of the available points
under the competition, are Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and
Wisconsin. These States are referred to as ``eligible applicants'' for
Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program, under which the Departments will fund
down
[[Page 58360]]
the slate of applications from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition.
While $133 million can support only a selection of the activities
in the plans submitted by these States in the FY 2011 RTT-ELC
competition, the Secretaries believe that supporting with FY 2012
funding high-scoring applicants that did not receive funding under the
FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition will help build on the momentum from the FY
2011 RTT-ELC competition and engage more States in transforming the
patchwork of disconnected early childhood programs into a coordinated
and high-quality system. Therefore, we will make FY 2012 funds
available to the eligible applicants at up to 50 percent of the amount
each requested in its application under the FY 2011 RTT-ELC
competition.
The Department of Education may use any unused funds from Phase 2
of the RTT-ELC program to make awards in the FY 2012 Race to the Top
District competition, which was announced in a separate notice
published in the Federal Register on August 16, 2012 (77 FR 49654).
Conversely, the Department of Education may use any unused FY 2012
funds from the Race to the Top District competition to supplement the
awards for Phase 2 RTT-ELC.
Requirements
Except where otherwise indicated in this notice inviting
applications or in the notice of final requirements for the RTT-ELC
Phase 2 competition, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal
Register, the applicable final requirements and definitions of key
terms from the notice inviting applications, published in the Federal
Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2
application process. The following application requirements are from
the RTT-ELC Phase 2 notice of final requirements published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register and apply to this program.
Award Process: To receive a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award, an eligible
applicant must submit--
(a) An application, consistent with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC
application, that--
(1) Meets the application requirements described in the Application
Requirements section of this notice; and
(2) Provides the assurances described in the Application Assurances
section of this notice; and
(b) For review and approval by both Departments, a detailed plan
and budget describing the activities selected from its FY 2011 RTT-ELC
application that would be implemented with Phase 2 RTT-ELC funding, in
accordance with the Budget Requirements section in this notice.
Note: We encourage eligible applicants to partner with each
other and currently funded RTT-ELC grantees in carrying out specific
activities (such as validation of a State's Tiered Quality Rating
and Improvement System (TQRIS), implementation of longitudinal data
systems, or development of a kindergarten entry assessment). Each
eligible applicant may apply for Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards individually
or as a member of a consortium (with other eligible applicants)
under 34 CFR 75.127-129. A consortium can be formed only with other
eligible applicants and requires a single application. A partnership
can be described in the application of an individual State or a
consortium and can include eligible applicants as well as currently-
funded grantees. In any event, an eligible applicant must propose
activities for Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program that are consistent
with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application.
Eligibility Requirements: Eligible applicants for Phase 2 RTT-ELC
awards are those States that applied for funding under the FY 2011 RTT-
ELC competition and received approximately 75 percent or more of the
available points but that did not receive grant awards under that
competition. Therefore, only the States of Colorado, Illinois, New
Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply for Phase 2 RTT-ELC
awards.
Application Requirements: Eligible applicants must meet the
following requirements to receive Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards:
(a) Each eligible applicant must describe how it would implement an
organizational structure for managing the Phase 2 RTT-ELC grant that is
consistent with the activities and commitments described in response to
selection criterion A(3)(a)(1)\1\ of its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application,
and describe how it would implement the activities described in
response to Core Area B (selection criteria one through five) of its FY
2011 RTT-ELC application using a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award. The FY 2011
RTT-ELC Core Area B criteria promote broad participation in the State's
TQRIS across a range of programs, active and continuous program quality
improvement, and the publication of program ratings so that families
can make informed decisions about which programs can best serve the
needs of their children. Specifically, in Core Area B of its FY 2011
RTT-ELC application, each applicant had to demonstrate that it had
developed and adopted, or had a high-quality plan to develop and adopt,
a TQRIS. In addition, each eligible applicant must also implement the
activities it proposed under Competitive Preference Priority 2,
including all early learning and development programs in the TQRIS.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The selection criteria from the FY 2011 RTT-ELC application
can be found at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge/2011-412.doc (pp. 26-74).
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(b) In addition to addressing the requirements in paragraph (a) of
this section, each eligible applicant must select and describe how it
will implement activities that it identified in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC
application in response to Focused Investment Areas C, D, or E. The
eligible applicant must select activities from two or more of the three
Focused Investment Areas C, D, and E, and the activities must be
responsive to one or more of the selection criteria under the Focused
Investment Areas chosen by the applicant. (Eligible applicants may
implement additional activities proposed under more than one selection
criterion within each Focused Investment Area.) In determining which
selection criteria to address given the amount of available funds under
Phase 2 of the RTT-ELC program, each eligible applicant must give
consideration to those activities that will have the greatest impact on
improving access to high-quality early learning programs for children
with high needs.
Note: In light of the reduced funding available, applicants may
make adjustments in the scope of services provided to meet selection
criteria in Core Area A(3)(a)(1), Core Area B, Competitive
Preference Priority 2, and Focused Investment Areas C, D, and E. For
example, an applicant may propose to serve fewer programs or regions
of the State than it proposed to serve in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC
application. The eligible applicant must provide a detailed
explanation of its rationale for such adjustments and also must
amend its targets in Tables B(2)(c) and B(4)(c)(1-2) of the FY 2011
RTT-ELC application, as needed. The adjustments may not diminish the
program's impact on improving access to high-quality early learning
programs for children with high needs. In addition, if the scope of
work is adjusted by targeting specific regions in the State, the
activities must be consistent across regions. In making these
adjustments, the Departments strongly encourage eligible applicants
to consider how to use other appropriate Federal, State, private,
and local resources to support their selected activities.
(c) In addition, each eligible applicant may implement the
activities it proposed in response to the Invitational Priorities from
its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application. Eligible applicants that wrote to
Invitational Priority 2 are encouraged to enter into public-private
partnerships if doing so would augment
[[Page 58361]]
total funds available for carrying out the activities described in
their FY 2011 RTT-ELC applications. Note: We encourage grantees to
enter into consortia, where relevant, in order to maximize the use of
available funds. Please refer to section (V)(b).
(d) The Departments will use Phase 2 RTT-ELC funding to support
only those activities included in an eligible applicant's FY 2011 RTT-
ELC application. Therefore, an eligible applicant must not include new
activities in its Phase 2 RTT-ELC application.
(e) Each Phase 2 RTT-ELC application must include current
signatures by the eligible applicant's Governor or an authorized
representative signing on behalf of the Governor; an authorized
representative from the eligible applicant's Lead Agency; and an
authorized representative from each Participating State Agency.
(f) Each Phase 2 RTT-ELC application must include a newly-signed
Memorandum of Understanding and a preliminary scope of work for each
Participating State Agency. Application Assurances: Each eligible
applicant must include in its Phase 2 RTT-ELC application the following
assurances from its Governor or authorized representative of the
Governor of its State:
(a) While the State may make appropriate adjustments to the scope,
budget, timelines, and performance targets, consistent with the reduced
amount of funding that is available under Phase 2 RTT-ELC, the State
will maintain consistency with the absolute priority and meet all
program and eligibility requirements of the FY 2011 RTT-ELC
competition.
(b) The State must update tables 1-5 from section (A)(1) of its FY
2011 application. In addition, if the State has made any significant
changes to the commitments, financial investments, numbers of children
served, legislation, policies, practices, or other key areas of the
program described in section (A)(1) of its FY 2011 application, it must
submit an explanation of those changes, including updates to tables 6-
13 from section (A)(1) as needed.
The State will maintain, in a manner consistent with its updates to
tables 1-13, its commitment to and investment in high-quality,
accessible early learning and development programs and services for
children with high needs, as described in section (A)(1) of its FY 2011
RTT-ELC application.
(c) Subject to adjustments made because of the reduced amount of
funding available under the Phase 2 RTT-ELC award process, the State
will maintain its plan to establish strong participation and commitment
by Participating State Agencies and other early learning and
development stakeholders as described in section (A)(3) of its FY 2011
RTT-ELC application.
(d) The State will maintain its commitment to integrating and
aligning resources and policies across Participating State Agencies as
described in section (A)(3) of its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application.
(e) The State will comply with all of the accountability,
transparency, and reporting requirements that applied to the FY 2011
RTT-ELC competition. (See the notice inviting applications for the FY
2011 RTT-ELC competition, published in the Federal Register on August
26, 2011 (76 FR 53564).)
(f) The State will comply with the requirements of any evaluation
of the RTT-ELC program, or of specific activities it proposes to pursue
as part of the program, conducted and supported by the Departments.
Budget Requirements: An eligible applicant may apply for up to 50
percent of the funds it requested in its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application.
The following budget requirements apply to the Phase 2 RTT-ELC award
process:
(a) Budget Narrative. Each eligible applicant must submit a
detailed narrative and budget, using the format and instructions
provided in the FY 2011 RTT-ELC application package, which describes
the activities it has selected from its FY 2011 RTT-ELC application
that it proposes to implement with a Phase 2 RTT-ELC award. This
detailed narrative must include an explanation of why the eligible
applicant has selected these activities and why the eligible applicant
believes they will have the greatest impact on advancing its high-
quality plan for early learning. The narrative must also explain where
the applicant has made adjustments (such as, a reduction in the number
of participating programs or areas of the State served, or the
dedication of additional Federal, State, local, or private funds to
support the plan) to ensure that the activities can be carried out
successfully with the amount of funds available. In reviewing the
narrative, we may request that the applicant submit revisions to
address concerns related to feasibility or the strategic use of funds.
(See the notice inviting applications for the FY 2011 RTT-ELC
competition, published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76
FR 53564).)
(b) Applying as a Consortium. As discussed previously, we encourage
eligible applicants to form consortia with each other or partner with
currently funded FY 2011 RTT-ELC grantees in carrying out specific
activities (such as validation of a State's TQRIS, implementation of
longitudinal data systems, or development of a kindergarten entry
assessment). Eligible applicants may apply individually or as members
of a consortium (with other eligible applicants) under 34 CFR 75.127-
129. A consortium can be formed only with other eligible applicants and
requires a single application. A partnership can be described in the
application of an individual State or a consortium and can include
eligible applicants as well as currently-funded grantees. Each eligible
applicant must propose activities consistent with its FY 2011 RTT-ELC
application. Therefore, each eligible applicant that chooses to apply
as a member of a consortium or to partner with a current RTT-ELC
grantee in carrying out project activities must include in its revised
budget narrative an explanation of how the activities to be undertaken
by the consortium or partnership are consistent with the applicant's FY
2011 RTT-ELC application and how the consortium or partnership will
help the applicant implement its selected activities. It is important
to note that an applicant may propose some activities that it would
execute alone and others that it would execute as part of a consortium.
(c) Available Funds. The maximum amounts of funding for which each
eligible applicant may apply are shown in the following table. The
amounts in this table are based on the requirement that each eligible
applicant may apply for up to half of the amount it requested in its FY
2011 RTT-ELC application.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Maximum amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colorado................................................ $29,925,888
Illinois................................................ 34,798,696
New Mexico.............................................. 25,000,000
Oregon.................................................. 20,508,902
Wisconsin............................................... 22,701,389
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program Authority: Sections 14005 and 14006, Division A, of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5), as
amended by section 1832(b) of Division B of Pub. L. 112-10, the
Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act,
2011, and the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2012
(Title III of Division F of Public Law 112-74, the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2012).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
[[Page 58362]]
34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $132,934,875. Contingent upon the
availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make
supplemental awards in FY 2013 to grantees that did not receive the
total amount requested in their FY 2011 applications.
Estimated Range of Awards: $20 million-$35 million.
Estimated Number of Awards: Up to five.
Note: The Departments are not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States that applied for funding under the
FY 2011 RTT-ELC competition and received approximately 75 percent or
more of the available points, but that did not receive grant awards
under that competition. Therefore, only the States of Colorado,
Illinois, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply for
Phase 2 RTT-ELC awards.
2.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. Consistent with RTT-ELC program
requirement (J) in the notice inviting applications that published in
the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), funds made
available under an RTT-ELC grant must be used to supplement, not
supplant, any Federal, State, or local funds for activities such as
increasing access to and improving the quality of early learning and
development programs. If a State is using funds from another funding
source to support elements of its RTT-ELC plan, the State must comply
with all applicable requirements associated with that funding source,
including any match or maintenance-of-effort requirements.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet at the following address:
www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-earlylearningchallenge. Alternatively,
an applicant may obtain the application package by contacting: Deborah
Spitz, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW., room 3E230,
Washington, DC 20202, (202) 260-3793.
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 person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
2.a. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of the application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: September 20, 2012.
Date of Pre-Application Meeting: September 25, 2012.
To assist eligible applicants in preparing an application and
responding to questions, the Departments will host a Webinar for
eligible applicants shortly after the publication of this notice.
Because only five States are eligible for these funds, information
about the Webinar will be provided directly to those States. Deadline
for Transmittal of Applications: October 26, 2012.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
We will provide Congress with the names of the States that have
submitted applications, as well as post the names of these States on
the program's Web site. We will also post all applications submitted by
the States. Therefore, please ensure that your application does not
include personally identifiable information, proprietary information,
or other non-public information.
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 Departments provide 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 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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, Central Contractor Registry, and System for Award Management:
To do business with the Departments, 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) and, after July 24, 2012, with the System for
Award Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR or SAM registration with current
information while your application is under review by the Departments
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.
The CCR or SAM 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 annually. This may take three or
more business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted by mail or hand delivery. We
strongly recommend the use of overnight mail. Applications postmarked
on the deadline date but arriving late will not be read.
a. Application Submission Format and Deadline.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted in
electronic format on a CD or DVD, with CD-ROM or DVD-ROM preferred. In
addition, applicants must submit a signed paper original of the
Application Assurances and Certification and one copy of that signed
original. Autopen, copies, PDFs (Adobe Portable Document Format), and
faxed copies of signature pages are not acceptable originals.
We strongly recommend the applicant to submit a CD or DVD of its
application that includes the following files:
1. A single file that contains the body of the application,
including required budget tables, that has been converted into a PDF
(Portable Document) format so that the PDF is searchable. Note that a
PDF created from a scanned document will not be searchable.
2. A single file in a PDF format that contains all of the required
signature
[[Page 58363]]
pages. The signature pages may be scanned and turned into a PDF.
3. Copies of the completed electronic budget spreadsheets with the
required budget tables, which should be in a separate file from the
body of the application.
Each of these items must be clearly labeled with the State's name
and any other relevant identifying information. States must not
password-protect these files.
We must receive all grant applications by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time, on the application deadline date. We will not accept an
application for this competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly
recommend that applicants arrange for mailing or hand delivery of their
application in advance of the application deadline date.
b. Submission of Applications by Mail. States choosing to submit
their application (i.e., the CD or DVD, the signed paper original of
the Application Assurances and Certifications, and the copy of that
original) by mail (either through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) must mail the original and two copies of the
application, on or before the application deadline date, to the
following mailing address: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.412), LBJ Basement Level 1,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
c. Submission of Applications by Hand Delivery. States choosing to
submit their application (i.e., the CD or DVD, the signed paper
original of section IV of the application, and the copy of that
original) by hand delivery (including via a courier service) must
deliver the original and two copies of the application, on or before
the application deadline date, to the following address: U.S.
Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA
Number 84.412), 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.
If we receive an application after the application deadline, we
will not consider that application.
d. Envelope requirements and receipt: When an applicant submits its
application, whether by mail or hand delivery--
(1) It must indicate on the envelope that the CFDA number of the
competition under which it is submitting its application is 84.412; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to the applicant a
notification of receipt of the grant application. If the applicant does
not receive this notification, it should call the Application Control
Center at (202) 245-6288.
In accordance with 34 CFR 75.216(b) and (c), an application will
not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all
of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application
or the application does not contain the information required under the
program.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The RTT-ELC program selection criteria,
published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564),
apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2 application process.
2. Review and Selection Process: Eligible applicants must submit a
complete application, as described in this notice, for review and
approval by the Secretaries. Staff from both Departments will review
the Phase 2 RTT-ELC applications and conduct budget reviews. Since
Phase 2 is not a competition and States will be submitting applications
that are consistent with the content of their FY 2011 applications
(which have already been peer-reviewed), we will not conduct a peer
review by outside experts. In reviewing the applications, the
Departments may request that applicants submit revisions to address
concerns related to feasibility or the strategic use of funds.
We remind potential applicants that in reviewing applications in
any discretionary grant program, the Secretaries 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
Secretaries may also consider whether the applicant failed to submit a
timely performance report or submitted a report of questionable
quality.
In addition, the Secretaries also require 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 80.12, special conditions may
be imposed on a grant if the 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 part 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 an application is successful, ED will notify
the State's U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators and send the
applicant a Grant Award Notification (GAN). We may notify the State
informally, also.
If an 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 the binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: The RTT-ELC reporting requirements, published in the
Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR 53564), apply to the RTT-ELC
Phase 2 application process.
4. Evidence and Performance Measures: The RTT-ELC performance
measures, published in the Federal Register on August 26, 2011 (76 FR
53564), apply to the RTT-ELC Phase 2 application process.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Spitz, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Ave. SW., room 3E230, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: 202-260-3793 or by email: Deborah.Spitz@ed.gov or
RTT.Early.Learning.Challenge@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.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document 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.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal
[[Page 58364]]
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 these Departments
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 the site.
You may also access documents of these Departments 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: September 17, 2012.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S.
Department of Education.
George Sheldon,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Children and Families, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-23260 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
