Applications for New Awards; Alaska Native Education Program, 10464-10468 [2015-04052]
Download as PDF
10464
ACTION:
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
Correction Notice.
ACTION:
On February 23, 2015 the U.S.
Department of Education published a
30-day comment period notice in the
Federal Register Pages 9447, Column 3;
Page 9448, Column 1 and 2 seeking
public comment for an information
collection entitled, ‘‘Personal
Authentication Service (PAS) for FSA
ID’’. ED is requesting a correction to the
agency contact information, total
estimated number of annual responses,
total estimated number of annual
burden hours and the abstract. The FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section
should read as: For specific questions
related to collection activities, please
contact Beth Grebeldinger, 202–377–
4018. The total estimated number of
annual responses should read as
55,300,000. The total estimated number
of annual burden hours should read as
7,370,000. The abstract should read as
Federal Student Aid (FSA) is replacing
the current PIN system with the
Personal Authentication Service (PAS)
which will employ an FSA ID, a
standard user name and password
solution. In order to create an FSA ID to
gain access to certain FSA systems
(FAFSA on the Web, NSLDS,
StudentLoans.gov, etc.) a user must
register on-line for an FSA ID account.
The FSA ID will allow the customer to
have a single identity, even if there is a
name change or change to other
personally identifiable information. The
information collected to create the FSA
ID enables electronic authentication and
authorization of users for FSA webbased applications and information and
protects users from unauthorized access
to user accounts on all protected FSA
sites.
The Acting Director, Information
Collection Clearance Division, Privacy,
Information and Records Management
Services, Office of Management, hereby
issues a correction notice as required by
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.
SUMMARY:
Dated: February 23, 2015.
Stephanie Valentine,
Acting Director, Information Collection
Clearance Division, Privacy, Information and
Records Management Services, Office of
Management.
[FR Doc. 2015–04037 Filed 2–25–15; 8:45 am]
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
BILLING CODE;P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Alaska
Native Education Program
Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
AGENCY:
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:27 Feb 25, 2015
Jkt 235001
Notice.
Overview Information: Alaska Native
Education Program.
Notice inviting applications for new
awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.356A.
DATES: Applications Available: February
26, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: April 27, 2015.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Alaska Native Education (ANE)
program is to support innovative
projects that enhance the educational
services provided to Alaska Native
children and adults. These projects may
include the activities authorized under
section 7304(a)(2) and (a)(3) of the
Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).
Note: Congress has expressly authorized
the use of FY 2015 program funds for
construction of facilities that support the
operation of ANE programs.
Priorities: This competition includes
one competitive preference priority and
one invitational priority. In accordance
with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), the
competitive preference priority is from
section 7304(c) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C.
7544(c)).
Competitive Preference Priority: For
FY 2015 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is a
competitive preference priority. Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an
additional 10 points to an application
that meets this priority.
This priority is:
Alaska Native Organizations.
Applications from an Alaska Native
organization, including an Alaska
Native regional nonprofit organization,
or a consortium that includes at least
one Alaska Native organization or
Alaska Native regional nonprofit
organization.
Note: In order to receive a competitive
preference under this priority, the applicant
must provide documentation supporting its
claim that it meets this priority.
Under this competition, we also are
particularly interested in applications
that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2015, and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition, this
priority is an invitational priority.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not
give an application that meets this
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other
applications.
This priority is:
Preservation of Native Culture and
Language.
Applications that propose to carry out
activities that preserve and strengthen
Alaska Native culture and language.
Definitions: These definitions are
from section 7306 of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 7546) and 34 CFR 77.1(c). For
purposes of this competition, the
following definitions apply:
Alaska Native has the same meaning
as the term ‘‘Native’’ has in section 3(b)
of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement
Act (43 U.S.C. 1602(b)).
Alaska Native organization means a
federally recognized tribe, consortium of
tribes, regional nonprofit Native
association, and another organization
that: Has or commits to acquire
expertise in the education of Alaska
Natives; and has Alaska Natives in
substantive and policymaking positions
within the organization.
Logic model (also referred to as theory
of action) means a well-specified
conceptual framework that identifies
key components of the proposed
process, product, strategy, or practice
(i.e., the active ‘‘ingredients’’ that are
hypothesized to be critical to achieving
the relevant outcomes) and describes
the relationships among the key
components and outcomes, theoretically
and operationally.
Strong theory means a rationale for
the proposed process, product, strategy,
or practice that includes a logic model.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7544.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in
34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97,
98, and 99. (b) The OMB 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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to institutions of higher education
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$16,808,028.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in FY
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
2016 from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000
to $1,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 33.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) Alaska
Native organizations; (b) educational
entities with experience in developing
or operating Alaska Native programs or
programs of instruction conducted in
Alaska Native languages; (c) cultural
and community-based organizations
with experience in developing or
operating programs to benefit Alaska
Natives; and (d) consortia of
organizations and entities described in
this paragraph.
Note: A State educational agency (SEA) or
local educational agency (LEA), including a
charter school that is considered to be an
LEA under State law, may apply for an award
under this program only as part of a
consortium involving an Alaska Native
organization. The Secretary encourages the
Alaska Native organization to serve as the
lead applicant and to play an active role in
carrying out grant activities. The consortium
may also include other eligible applicants.
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package: You can obtain an application
package via the Internet or from the
program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use
the following address: www2.ed.gov/
programs/alaskanative/. To
obtain a copy from the program office,
contact: Almita Reed, U.S. Department
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Room 3E210, Washington, DC
20202–6200. Telephone: (202) 260–1979
or by email: Almita.Reed@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an accessible format (e.g., braille,
large print, audiotape, or compact disc)
by contacting the 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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:27 Feb 25, 2015
Jkt 235001
with the forms you must submit, are in
the application package for this
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative
is where you, the applicant, address the
selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. You must
limit the application narrative to no
more than 25 pages, using the following
standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side
only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom,
and both sides.
• Double space (no more than three
lines per vertical inch) all text in the
application narrative, including titles,
headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, 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.
The page limit does not apply to the
cover sheet; the budget section,
including the narrative budget
justification; the assurances and
certifications; or the one-page abstract,
the resumes, the bibliography, or the
letters of support. However, the page
limit does apply to all of the application
narrative section.
Our reviewers will not read any pages
of your application that exceed the page
limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 26,
2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: April 27, 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
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
10465
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
competition is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: Under section
7304(b) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7544(b)),
not more than five percent of the funds
provided to a grantee under this
competition for any fiscal year may be
used for administrative purposes. We
reference additional 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
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
10466
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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 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: https://
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
ANE program, CFDA number 84.356A,
must be submitted electronically using
the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply
site at www.Grants.gov. Through this
site, you will be able to download a
copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and
submit your application. You may not
email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you
submit it in paper format unless, as
described elsewhere in this section, you
qualify for one of the exceptions to the
electronic submission requirement and
submit, no later than two weeks before
the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you
qualify for one of these exceptions.
Further information regarding
calculation of the date that is two weeks
before the application deadline date is
provided later in this section under
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant
application for the ANE program at
www.Grants.gov. You must search for
the downloadable application package
for this competition by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:27 Feb 25, 2015
Jkt 235001
number’s alpha suffix in your search
(e.g., search for 84.356, not 84.356A).
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—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
• 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 the 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
contact the Grants.gov Support Desk,
toll free, at 1–800–518–4726. You must
obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from
electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline
date because of technical problems with
the Grants.gov system, we will grant you
an extension until 4:30:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, the following
business day to enable you to transmit
your application electronically or by
hand delivery. You also may mail your
application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this
notice.
If you submit an application after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in
section VII of this notice and provide an
explanation of the technical problem
you experienced with Grants.gov, along
with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case
Number. We will accept your
application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the
Grants.gov system and that that problem
affected your ability to submit your
application by 4:30:00 p.m.,
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
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.
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Note: The extensions to which we refer in
this section apply only to the unavailability
of, or technical problems with, the Grants.gov
system. We will not grant you an extension
if you failed to fully register to submit your
application to Grants.gov before the
application deadline date and time or if the
technical problem you experienced is
unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission
Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission
requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are
unable to submit an application through
the Grants.gov system because—
• You do not have access to the
Internet; or
• You do not have the capacity to
upload large documents to the
Grants.gov system; and
• No later than two weeks before the
application deadline date (14 calendar
days or, if the fourteenth calendar day
before the application deadline date
falls on a Federal holiday, the next
business day following the Federal
holiday), you mail or fax a written
statement to the Department, explaining
which of the two grounds for an
exception 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: Almita Reed, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 3E210, Washington,
DC 20202–6200. FAX: (202) 260–8969.
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 84.356A), LBJ Basement
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:27 Feb 25, 2015
Jkt 235001
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 84.356A), 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
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
10467
CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all
criteria is 100 points. The maximum
possible score for each criterion is
indicated in parentheses. The selection
criteria for this competition are as
follows:
(a) Need for project (30 points). The
Secretary considers the need for the
proposed project. In determining the
need for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the magnitude of
the need for the services to be provided
or the activities to be carried out by the
proposed project.
(b) Quality of the project design (30
points). The Secretary considers the
quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the
design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following
factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals,
objectives, and outcomes to be achieved
by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable (15 points).
(ii) The extent to which the proposed
project is supported by strong theory (15
points).
(c) Quality of the management plan
(20 points). The Secretary considers the
quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the
quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management
plan to achieve the objectives of the
proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and
milestones for accomplishing project
tasks (10 points).
(ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for
ensuring high-quality products and
services from the proposed project (10
points).
(d) Adequacy of resources (10 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of
the resources for the proposed project.
In determining the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the relevance and
demonstrated commitment of each
partner in the proposed project to the
implementation and success of the
project.
(e) Quality of project evaluation (10
points). The Secretary considers the
quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and
appropriate to the goals, objectives, and
outcomes of the proposed project (5
points).
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
10468
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 38 / Thursday, February 26, 2015 / Notices
rmajette on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
(ii) The extent to which the methods
of evaluation are appropriate to the
context within which the project
operates (5 points).
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
VerDate Sep<11>2014
15:27 Feb 25, 2015
Jkt 235001
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: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has
developed the following performance
measures for measuring the overall
effectiveness of the ANE program: (1)
The percentage of Alaska Native
students in schools served by the
program who meet or exceed
proficiency standards in reading,
mathematics, and science on the Alaska
State assessments; (2) the percentage of
Alaska Native children participating in
early learning and preschool programs
who consistently demonstrate school
readiness in language and literacy as
measured by the Revised Alaska
Development Profile; and (3) the
percentage of Alaska Native students in
schools served by the program who
graduate from high school with a high
school diploma in four years.
All grantees will be expected to
submit an annual performance report
that includes data addressing these
performance measures, to the extent that
they apply to the grantee’s 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
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
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:
Almita Reed, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 3E210, Washington, DC 20202–
6200. Telephone: (202) 260–1979 or by
email: Almita.Reed@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: February 23, 2015.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2015–04052 Filed 2–25–15; 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
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\26FEN1.SGM
26FEN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10464-10468]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-04052]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Alaska Native Education Program
AGENCY: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Overview Information: Alaska Native Education Program.
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.356A.
DATES: Applications Available: February 26, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 27, 2015.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Alaska Native Education
(ANE) program is to support innovative projects that enhance the
educational services provided to Alaska Native children and adults.
These projects may include the activities authorized under section
7304(a)(2) and (a)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965, as amended (ESEA).
Note: Congress has expressly authorized the use of FY 2015
program funds for construction of facilities that support the
operation of ANE programs.
Priorities: This competition includes one competitive preference
priority and one invitational priority. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the competitive preference priority is from section
7304(c) of the ESEA (20 U.S.C. 7544(c)).
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, this priority is a competitive preference
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an additional 10
points to an application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
Alaska Native Organizations.
Applications from an Alaska Native organization, including an
Alaska Native regional nonprofit organization, or a consortium that
includes at least one Alaska Native organization or Alaska Native
regional nonprofit organization.
Note: In order to receive a competitive preference under this
priority, the applicant must provide documentation supporting its
claim that it meets this priority.
Under this competition, we also are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2015, and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Preservation of Native Culture and Language.
Applications that propose to carry out activities that preserve and
strengthen Alaska Native culture and language.
Definitions: These definitions are from section 7306 of the ESEA
(20 U.S.C. 7546) and 34 CFR 77.1(c). For purposes of this competition,
the following definitions apply:
Alaska Native has the same meaning as the term ``Native'' has in
section 3(b) of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.
1602(b)).
Alaska Native organization means a federally recognized tribe,
consortium of tribes, regional nonprofit Native association, and
another organization that: Has or commits to acquire expertise in the
education of Alaska Natives; and has Alaska Natives in substantive and
policymaking positions within the organization.
Logic model (also referred to as theory of action) means a well-
specified conceptual framework that identifies key components of the
proposed process, product, strategy, or practice (i.e., the active
``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the
relevant outcomes) and describes the relationships among the key
components and outcomes, theoretically and operationally.
Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product,
strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7544.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 81, 82, 84,
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB 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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $16,808,028.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY
[[Page 10465]]
2016 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000 to $1,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 33.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: (a) Alaska Native organizations; (b)
educational entities with experience in developing or operating Alaska
Native programs or programs of instruction conducted in Alaska Native
languages; (c) cultural and community-based organizations with
experience in developing or operating programs to benefit Alaska
Natives; and (d) consortia of organizations and entities described in
this paragraph.
Note: A State educational agency (SEA) or local educational
agency (LEA), including a charter school that is considered to be an
LEA under State law, may apply for an award under this program only
as part of a consortium involving an Alaska Native organization. The
Secretary encourages the Alaska Native organization to serve as the
lead applicant and to play an active role in carrying out grant
activities. The consortium may also include other eligible
applicants.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
www2.ed.gov/programs/alaskanative/. To obtain a copy from the
program office, contact: Almita Reed, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E210, Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone:
(202) 260-1979 or by email: Almita.Reed@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the 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 is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than
25 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, 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.
The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances
and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, the
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does
apply to all of the application narrative section.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that
exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 26, 2015.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 27, 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.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: Under section 7304(b) of the ESEA (20
U.S.C. 7544(b)), not more than five percent of the funds provided to a
grantee under this competition for any fiscal year may be used for
administrative purposes. We reference additional 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
[[Page 10466]]
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 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: https://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 ANE program, CFDA number 84.356A,
must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov
Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to
download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and
then upload and submit your application. You may not email an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the ANE program
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 84.356, not
84.356A).
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 the 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 that that
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m.,
[[Page 10467]]
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department
will contact you after a determination is made on whether your
application will be accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
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: Almita Reed, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E210,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
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 84.356A), 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 84.356A), 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. The maximum score for all criteria is 100
points. The maximum possible score for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses. The selection criteria for this competition are as
follows:
(a) Need for project (30 points). The Secretary considers the need
for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the magnitude of the need for the
services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the
proposed project.
(b) Quality of the project design (30 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. In
determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable
(15 points).
(ii) The extent to which the proposed project is supported by
strong theory (15 points).
(c) Quality of the management plan (20 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed project.
In determining the quality of the management plan for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks (10 points).
(ii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project (10 points).
(d) Adequacy of resources (10 points). The Secretary considers the
adequacy of the resources for the proposed project. In determining the
adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the
proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(e) Quality of project evaluation (10 points). The Secretary
considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project (5 points).
[[Page 10468]]
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are appropriate
to the context within which the project operates (5 points).
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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed the following
performance measures for measuring the overall effectiveness of the ANE
program: (1) The percentage of Alaska Native students in schools served
by the program who meet or exceed proficiency standards in reading,
mathematics, and science on the Alaska State assessments; (2) the
percentage of Alaska Native children participating in early learning
and preschool programs who consistently demonstrate school readiness in
language and literacy as measured by the Revised Alaska Development
Profile; and (3) the percentage of Alaska Native students in schools
served by the program who graduate from high school with a high school
diploma in four years.
All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance
report that includes data addressing these performance measures, to the
extent that they apply to the grantee's 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: Almita Reed, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 3E210, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1979 or by email: Almita.Reed@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: February 23, 2015.
Deborah S. Delisle,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2015-04052 Filed 2-25-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P