Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Services Administration-Capacity Building Program for Traditionally Underserved Populations-Vocational Rehabilitation Training Institute for the Preparation of Personnel in American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects, 878-883 [2015-00022]
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In addition, all Rehabilitation LongTerm Training grantees must submit the
following quantitative and qualitative
data in an annual performance report:
(a) Program activities that occurred
during each fiscal year from October 1
to March 31 and projected program
activities to occur from April 1 to
September 30. For subsequent reporting
years, grantees confirm projections
made from the prior year;
(b) Summary of academic support and
counseling provided to scholars to
ensure successful completion;
(c) Summary of career counseling
provided to scholars upon program
completion to ensure that they have
support during their search for
qualifying employment, as well as
during their initial months of their
employment. This may include but is
not limited to informing scholars of
professional contacts, networks, and job
leads, matching scholars with mentors
in the field, and connecting scholars to
other necessary resources and
information;
(d) Summary of partnership and
coordination activities with State VR
agencies and community-based
rehabilitation providers. This may
include but is not limited to obtaining
input and feedback regarding curricula
from State VR agencies and communitybased rehabilitation providers;
organizing internships, practicum
agreements, job shadowing, and
mentoring opportunities; and assessing
scholars at the work site;
(e) Assistance provided to scholars
who may not be meeting academic
standards or who are performing poorly
in a practicum or internship setting;
(f) Results of the program evaluation,
as well as information describing how
these results will be used to make
necessary adjustments and
improvements to the program;
(g) Results from scholar internship,
practicum, job shadowing, or mentoring
assessments, as well as information
describing how those results will be
used to ensure that future scholars
receive all necessary preparation and
training prior to program completion;
(h) Results from scholar evaluations
and information describing how these
results will be used to ensure that future
scholars will be proficient in meeting
the needs and demands of today’s
consumers and employers;
(i) Number of scholars who began an
internship during the reporting period;
(j) Number of scholars who completed
an internship during the reporting
period;
(k) Number of scholars who dropped
out or were dismissed from the program
during the reporting period;
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(l) Number of scholars receiving RSA
scholarships during the reporting
period;
(m) Number of scholars who
graduated from the program during the
reporting period;
(n) Number of scholars who obtained
qualifying employment during the
reporting period;
(o) Number of vacancies filled in the
State VR agency with qualified
counselors from the program during the
reporting period;
(p) A budget and narrative detailing
expenditures covering the period of
October 1 through March 31 and
projected expenditures from April 1
through September 30. The budget
narrative must also verify progress
towards meeting the 10 percent match
requirement. For subsequent reporting
years, grantees will confirm projections
made from the prior year; and
(q) Other information, as requested by
RSA, in order to verify substantial
progress and effectively report program
impact to Congress and key
stakeholders.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a
continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among
other things: whether a grantee has
made substantial progress in achieving
the goals and objectives of the project;
whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its
approved application and budget; and,
if the Secretary has established
performance measurement
requirements, the performance targets in
the grantee’s approved application. 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:
RoseAnn Ashby, U.S. Department of
Education, Rehabilitation Services
Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Room 5055, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2800. Telephone: (202) 245–7258
or by email: roseann.ashby@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD or TTY, call the
Federal Relay Service, 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
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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 the 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: January 2, 2015.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2015–00024 Filed 1–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Rehabilitation Services
Administration—Capacity Building
Program for Traditionally Underserved
Populations—Vocational Rehabilitation
Training Institute for the Preparation of
Personnel in American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
Overview Information: Rehabilitation
Services Administration—Capacity
Building Program for Traditionally
Underserved Populations—Vocational
Rehabilitation (VR) Training Institute
for the Preparation of Personnel in
American Indian Vocational
Rehabilitation Services Projects
(Institute) Notice inviting applications
for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.315C.
DATES: Applications Available: January
7, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar:
January 22, 2015.
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Federal Register on August 14, 2014 (79
FR 47579).
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of the Program: The Capacity
Building Program for Traditionally
Underserved Populations under section
21(b)(2)(C) of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act)
(29 U.S.C. 718(b)(2)(C)), provides
outreach and technical assistance (TA)
to minority entities and American
Indian tribes to promote their
participation in activities funded under
the Rehabilitation Act, including
assistance to enhance their capacity to
carry out such activities.
Priorities: This notice includes two
absolute priorities. These priorities are
from the notice of final priorities for this
program, published in the Federal
Register on August 14, 2014 (79 FR
47579).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2015 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, these
priorities are absolute priorities. Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet both of these
priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1—Vocational
Rehabilitation Training Institute for the
Preparation of Personnel in American
Indian Vocational Rehabilitation
Services Projects.
Absolute Priority 2—Partnership
Between a Four-Year Institution of
Higher Education and a Two-Year
Community College or Tribal College.
Note: The full texts of the absolute
priorities are included in the notice of final
priorities for this program, published in the
Federal Register on August 14, 2014 (79 FR
47579), and in the application package.
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Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 718(b)(2)(C).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86
and 99. (b) The Office of Management
and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR
part 180, as adopted and amended as
regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as
adopted and amended in 2 CFR part
3474. (d) The notice of final priorities
for this program, published in the
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program after the Federal investment is
completed.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79
apply to all applicants except federally
recognized Indian tribes.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: March 9, 2015.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: May 7, 2015.
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III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs,
community colleges, and tribal colleges.
Applications must reflect a partnership
between a four-year IHE and a two-year
community college or tribal college.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
(IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $500,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any
application that proposes a budget
exceeding $500,000 for a single budget
period of 12 months. The Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services may change the
maximum amount through a notice
published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Note: Under 34 CFR 75.562(c), an indirect
cost reimbursement on a training grant is
limited to the recipient’s actual indirect
costs, as determined by its negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent
of a modified total direct cost base,
whichever amount is less. Indirect costs in
excess of the limit may not be charged
directly, used to satisfy matching or costsharing requirements, or charged to another
Federal award.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Continuing the Fourth and Fifth Years
of the Project:
In deciding whether to continue
funding the Institute for the fourth and
fifth years, the Department, as part of
the review of the cooperative agreement,
the application narrative, the
partnership agreement, and annual
performance reports will consider the
degree to which the Institute
demonstrates—
(a) Substantial progress in providing a
structured training program focused on
the VR process and practices and the
unique skills and knowledge necessary
to improve employment outcomes for
American Indians with disabilities.
(b) Substantial progress in improving
counseling and VR services in a
culturally appropriate manner to
American Indians with disabilities so
that they can prepare for, and engage in,
gainful employment consistent with
their informed choice.
(c) Effective collaboration between the
four-year IHE and the two-year
community college or tribal college that
demonstrates efficient and effective
program and fiduciary operations.
(d) A commitment to sustain the
collaboration and the structured training
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IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: You can obtain an application
package via the Internet, from the
Education Publications Center (ED
Pubs), or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use
the following address: www.ed.gov/
fund/grant/apply/grantapps/.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write,
fax, or call the following: ED Pubs, U.S.
Department of Education, P.O. Box
22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
Telephone, toll free: 1–877–433–7827.
FAX: (703) 605–6794. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), call,
toll free: 1–877–576–7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web
site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at its
email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED
Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.315C.
To obtain a copy from the program
office, contact Kristen RhinehartFernandez, U.S. Department of
Education, Rehabilitation Services
Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Room 5027, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202–2800.
Telephone: (202) 245–6103 or by email:
kristen.rhinehart@ed.gov.
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 or team listed
under Accessible Format in section VIII
of this notice.
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
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative
(Part III of the application) is where you,
the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate
your application. You must limit the
application narrative to the equivalent
of no more than 45 pages using the
following standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ × 11″, on one side
only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,
and both sides.
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• Double space (no more than three
lines per vertical inch) all text in the
application narrative, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, as well as all
text in charts, tables, figures, and
graphs.
• 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.
In addition to the page limit on the
application narrative section, you must
limit the partnership agreement to the
equivalent of no more than 15 pages and
the abstract to the equivalent of no more
than two pages. The standards listed
above, which also are applicable to the
application narrative, apply to these
sections.
We will reject your application if you
exceed the page limits, or if you apply
other standards and exceed the
equivalent of the page limits.
The only optional materials that will
be accepted are one-page resumes for
those identified as key personnel, not to
exceed a total of five pages. There are
no page standards associated with these
optional materials. Please note that
although optional materials exceeding
the page limit will not result in
automatic rejection of an application,
our reviewers are not required to read
optional materials and will not review
optional materials exceeding the page
limit.
Please note that any funded
applicant’s application abstract will be
made available to the public.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available January 7, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar:
Interested parties are invited to
participate in a pre-application webinar.
The pre-application webinar with staff
from the Department will be held at 2:00
p.m., Washington DC time, on
Thursday, January 22, 2015. The
webinar will be recorded. For further
information about the pre-application
webinar, contact the person listed under
For Further Information Contact in
section VII of this notice.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: March 9, 2015.
Applications for grants under this
competition 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
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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 7, 2015.
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 System for Award
Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the
Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the
Government’s primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and
TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM
registration with current information
while your application is under review
by the Department and, if you are
awarded a grant, during the project
period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from
Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one to two
business days.
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,
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please allow 2–5 weeks for your TIN to
become active.
The SAM registration process can take
approximately seven business days, but
may take upwards of several weeks,
depending on the completeness and
accuracy of the data entered into the
SAM database by an entity. Thus, if you
think you might want to apply for
Federal financial assistance under a
program administered by the
Department, please allow sufficient time
to obtain and register your DUNS
number and TIN. We strongly
recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active,
you will need to allow 24 to 48 hours for the
information to be available in Grants.gov and
before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with
SAM, 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 registration
annually. This may take three or more
business days.
Information about SAM is available at
www.SAM.gov. To further assist you
with obtaining and registering your
DUNS number and TIN in SAM or
updating your existing SAM account,
we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet,
which you can find at: https://
www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/samfaqs.html.
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/
web/grants/register.html.
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
Capacity Building Program for
Traditionally Underserved
Populations—Vocational Rehabilitation
Training Institute for the Preparation of
Personnel in American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects, CFDA number 84.315C, 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
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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 the Capacity Building
Program for Traditionally Underserved
Populations—Vocational Rehabilitation
Training Institute for the Preparation of
Personnel in American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects competition at www.Grants.gov.
You must search for the downloadable
application package for this competition
by the CFDA number. Do not include
the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.315, not
84.315C).
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
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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 www.G5.gov.
• You will not receive additional
point value because you submit your
application in electronic format, nor
will we penalize you if you qualify for
an exception to the electronic
submission requirement, as described
elsewhere in this section, and submit
your application in paper format.
• You must submit all documents
electronically, including all information
you typically provide on the following
forms: the Application for Federal
Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for
SF 424, Budget Information—NonConstruction 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, nonmodifiable format. Do not upload an
interactive or fillable PDF file. If you
upload a file type other than a readonly, 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 EDspecified 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
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contact the Grants.gov Support Desk,
toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must
obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from
electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline
date because of technical problems with
the Grants.gov system, we will grant you
an extension until 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, the following
business day to enable you to transmit
your application electronically or by
hand delivery. You also may mail your
application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this
notice.
If you submit an application after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
section VII of this notice and provide an
explanation of the technical problem
you experienced with Grants.gov, along
with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number. We will accept your
application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the
Grants.gov system and the 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
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exception prevents you from using the
Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to
the Department, it must be postmarked
no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the
Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks
before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your
statement to: Kristen RhinehartFernandez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5027, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202–2800.
FAX: (202) 245–7592.
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 84.315C), 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
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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 84.315C), 550 12th
Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–4260.
The Application Control Center
accepts hand deliveries daily between
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays,
and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper
Applications: If you mail or hand deliver
your application to the Department—
(1) You must indicate on the envelope
and—if not provided by the Department—in
Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number,
including suffix letter, if any, of the
competition under which you are submitting
your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will
mail to you a notification of receipt of your
grant application. If you do not receive this
notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call
the U.S. Department of Education
Application Control Center at (202) 245–
6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this competition are from 34
CFR 75.210 and are listed in the
application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We
remind potential applicants that in
reviewing applications in any
discretionary grant competition, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR
75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the
applicant in carrying out a previous
award, such as the applicant’s use of
funds, achievement of project
objectives, and compliance with grant
conditions. The Secretary may also
consider whether the applicant failed to
submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable
quality.
In addition, in making a competitive
grant award, the Secretary also requires
various assurances including those
applicable to Federal civil rights laws
that prohibit discrimination in programs
or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance from the Department of
Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4,
108.8, and 110.23).
3. Special Conditions: Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose
special conditions and, in appropriate
circumstances, high-risk 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
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that does not meet the standards in 2
CFR part 200, subpart D; 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); or we may send you an email
containing a link to access an electronic
version of your 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/
appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal
departments and agencies to improve
the effectiveness of programs by
engaging in strategic planning, setting
outcome-related goals for programs, and
measuring program results against those
goals.
The goal of the Capacity Building
Program for Traditionally Underserved
Populations—Vocational Rehabilitation
Training Institute for the Preparation of
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 4 / Wednesday, January 7, 2015 / Notices
Personnel in American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects is to improve the knowledge
and skills of such personnel so that they
can provide appropriate, effective, and
culturally relevant VR services to assist
American Indians with disabilities
prepare for, and engage in, gainful
employment consistent with their
informed choice.
The cooperative agreement will
specify the measures that will be used
to assess the grantee’s performance
against the goals and objectives of the
project, including outcome measures
and measures that reflect the quality,
relevance, and usefulness of the training
and TA products developed by the
Institute.
In its annual and final performance
report to the Department, the grant
recipient will be expected to report the
data outlined in the cooperative
agreement that is needed to assess its
performance, including, at a minimum,
the following information related to the
performance measures for this project:
• The number of participants enrolled
in the Institute;
• The number of participants who
successfully completed the series of
trainings provided by the Institute; and
• The number of participants who
obtained a VR certificate.
The cooperative agreement and
annual report will be reviewed by RSA
and the grant recipient between the
third and fourth quarter of each project
period. Adjustments will be made to the
project accordingly in order to ensure
demonstrated progress towards meeting
the goal and outcomes of the project.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a
continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among
other things: whether a grantee has
made substantial progress in achieving
the goals and objectives of the project;
whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its
approved application and budget; and,
if the Secretary has established
performance measurement
requirements, the performance targets in
the grantee’s approved application. 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:
Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, U.S.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:01 Jan 06, 2015
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Department of Education, Rehabilitation
Services Administration, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 5027, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202–2800.
Telephone: (202) 245–6103 or by email:
kristen.rhinehart@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 the 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: January 2, 2015.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2015–00022 Filed 1–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
National Coal Council
Department of Energy.
Notice of open meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
This notice announces one
virtual meeting of the National Coal
Council (NCC). The Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, 86 Stat.
770) requires that public notice of these
meetings be announced in the Federal
Register.
DATES: Thursday, January 29, 2015,
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: If you wish to join the
meeting you must forward an email
address to robert.wright@hq.doe.gov by
SUMMARY:
PO 00000
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883
close of business, Friday, January 23,
2015, with your name, organization,
email address, telephone number and a
request to join the meeting. Three days
before the meeting, instructions on how
to join the WebEx webinar will be
forwarded to your email address. WebEx
requires a computer, web browser and
an installed application (free).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr.
Robert J. Wright, U.S. Department of
Energy, 4G–036/Forrestal Building,
1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0001;
Telephone: 202–586–0429.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of the Council: The National
Coal Council provides advice and
recommendations to the Secretary of
Energy, on general policy matters
relating to coal and the coal industry.
Purpose of Meeting: The National
Coal Council (the Council) will hold a
virtual meeting via Cisco WebEx at
11:00 a.m. (EST) on Thursday, January
29, 2015, for the sole purpose of
receiving a report, ‘‘Bridging the CCS
Chasm: An Assessment of Opportunities
to Advance CCS/CCUS Deployment’’,
from the Council Policy Committee. The
Council membership will be asked to
accept the study and forward it to the
U. S. Secretary of Energy.
The draft report to be presented will
be available eight days in advance
(Wednesday, January 21, 2015) at the
following URL: https://
www.nationalcoalcouncil.org/
newsletter/Bridging_the_CCS_
Chasm.pdf.
Public Participation: The meeting is
open to the public. If you would like to
file a written statement with the
Council, you may do so either before or
up to 5 days after the meeting. Please
contact Dr. Wright at the address or
telephone number listed above.
Minutes: A link to the audio/video
recording of the meeting will be posted
on the NCC Web site at: https://
www.nationalcoalcouncil.org/.
Issued at Washington, DC on December 31,
2014.
LaTanya R. Butler,
Deputy Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015–00026 Filed 1–6–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
Combined Notice of Filings #1
Take notice that the Commission
received the following electric rate
filings:
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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 4 (Wednesday, January 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 878-883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00022]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Services
Administration--Capacity Building Program for Traditionally Underserved
Populations--Vocational Rehabilitation Training Institute for the
Preparation of Personnel in American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation
Services Projects
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview Information: Rehabilitation Services Administration--
Capacity Building Program for Traditionally Underserved Populations--
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Training Institute for the Preparation
of Personnel in American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects (Institute) Notice inviting applications for new awards for
fiscal year (FY) 2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.315C.
DATES: Applications Available: January 7, 2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: January 22, 2015.
[[Page 879]]
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 9, 2015.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 7, 2015.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of the Program: The Capacity Building Program for
Traditionally Underserved Populations under section 21(b)(2)(C) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation Act) (29 U.S.C.
718(b)(2)(C)), provides outreach and technical assistance (TA) to
minority entities and American Indian tribes to promote their
participation in activities funded under the Rehabilitation Act,
including assistance to enhance their capacity to carry out such
activities.
Priorities: This notice includes two absolute priorities. These
priorities are from the notice of final priorities for this program,
published in the Federal Register on August 14, 2014 (79 FR 47579).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet both of these
priorities.
These priorities are:
Absolute Priority 1--Vocational Rehabilitation Training Institute
for the Preparation of Personnel in American Indian Vocational
Rehabilitation Services Projects.
Absolute Priority 2--Partnership Between a Four-Year Institution of
Higher Education and a Two-Year Community College or Tribal College.
Note: The full texts of the absolute priorities are included in
the notice of final priorities for this program, published in the
Federal Register on August 14, 2014 (79 FR 47579), and in the
application package.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 718(b)(2)(C).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82,
84, 86 and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to
Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in
2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department
in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The notice of final
priorities for this program, published in the Federal Register on
August 14, 2014 (79 FR 47579).
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: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $500,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $500,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Note: Under 34 CFR 75.562(c), an indirect cost reimbursement on
a training grant is limited to the recipient's actual indirect
costs, as determined by its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement,
or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever
amount is less. Indirect costs in excess of the limit may not be
charged directly, used to satisfy matching or cost-sharing
requirements, or charged to another Federal award.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Continuing the Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project:
In deciding whether to continue funding the Institute for the
fourth and fifth years, the Department, as part of the review of the
cooperative agreement, the application narrative, the partnership
agreement, and annual performance reports will consider the degree to
which the Institute demonstrates--
(a) Substantial progress in providing a structured training program
focused on the VR process and practices and the unique skills and
knowledge necessary to improve employment outcomes for American Indians
with disabilities.
(b) Substantial progress in improving counseling and VR services in
a culturally appropriate manner to American Indians with disabilities
so that they can prepare for, and engage in, gainful employment
consistent with their informed choice.
(c) Effective collaboration between the four-year IHE and the two-
year community college or tribal college that demonstrates efficient
and effective program and fiduciary operations.
(d) A commitment to sustain the collaboration and the structured
training program after the Federal investment is completed.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs, community colleges, and tribal
colleges. Applications must reflect a partnership between a four-year
IHE and a two-year community college or tribal college.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following:
ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA
22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If
you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.315C.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact Kristen
Rhinehart-Fernandez, U.S. Department of Education, Rehabilitation
Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5027, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-
6103 or by email: kristen.rhinehart@ed.gov.
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 or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
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 competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the
application narrative to the equivalent of no more than 45 pages using
the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
[[Page 880]]
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
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.
In addition to the page limit on the application narrative section,
you must limit the partnership agreement to the equivalent of no more
than 15 pages and the abstract to the equivalent of no more than two
pages. The standards listed above, which also are applicable to the
application narrative, apply to these sections.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limits, or
if you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page
limits.
The only optional materials that will be accepted are one-page
resumes for those identified as key personnel, not to exceed a total of
five pages. There are no page standards associated with these optional
materials. Please note that although optional materials exceeding the
page limit will not result in automatic rejection of an application,
our reviewers are not required to read optional materials and will not
review optional materials exceeding the page limit.
Please note that any funded applicant's application abstract will
be made available to the public.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available January 7,
2015.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: Interested parties are invited to
participate in a pre-application webinar. The pre-application webinar
with staff from the Department will be held at 2:00 p.m., Washington DC
time, on Thursday, January 22, 2015. The webinar will be recorded. For
further information about the pre-application webinar, contact the
person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of
this notice.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 9, 2015.
Applications for grants under this competition 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 7, 2015.
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 System for Award Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the
Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one to two business days.
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 SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department,
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through
Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, 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 registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
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/web/grants/register.html.
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 Capacity Building Program for
Traditionally Underserved Populations--Vocational Rehabilitation
Training Institute for the Preparation of Personnel in American Indian
Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects, CFDA number 84.315C, 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
[[Page 881]]
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 the Capacity
Building Program for Traditionally Underserved Populations--Vocational
Rehabilitation Training Institute for the Preparation of Personnel in
American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services Projects competition
at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application
package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the
CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.315, not
84.315C).
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 www.G5.gov.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must 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 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 the 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
[[Page 882]]
exception prevents you from using the Internet to submit your
application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Kristen Rhinehart-
Fernandez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room
5027, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2800. FAX: (202)
245-7592.
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 84.315C), 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 84.315C), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Special Conditions: Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may
impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk
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 2 CFR part
200, subpart D; 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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the
effectiveness of programs by engaging in strategic planning, setting
outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program results
against those goals.
The goal of the Capacity Building Program for Traditionally
Underserved Populations--Vocational Rehabilitation Training Institute
for the Preparation of
[[Page 883]]
Personnel in American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Projects is to improve the knowledge and skills of such personnel so
that they can provide appropriate, effective, and culturally relevant
VR services to assist American Indians with disabilities prepare for,
and engage in, gainful employment consistent with their informed
choice.
The cooperative agreement will specify the measures that will be
used to assess the grantee's performance against the goals and
objectives of the project, including outcome measures and measures that
reflect the quality, relevance, and usefulness of the training and TA
products developed by the Institute.
In its annual and final performance report to the Department, the
grant recipient will be expected to report the data outlined in the
cooperative agreement that is needed to assess its performance,
including, at a minimum, the following information related to the
performance measures for this project:
The number of participants enrolled in the Institute;
The number of participants who successfully completed the
series of trainings provided by the Institute; and
The number of participants who obtained a VR certificate.
The cooperative agreement and annual report will be reviewed by RSA
and the grant recipient between the third and fourth quarter of each
project period. Adjustments will be made to the project accordingly in
order to ensure demonstrated progress towards meeting the goal and
outcomes of the project.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application. 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: Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, U.S.
Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5027, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2800.
Telephone: (202) 245-6103 or by email: kristen.rhinehart@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 the
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: January 2, 2015.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-00022 Filed 1-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
