Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Services Administration-Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program, 12465-12470 [2015-05432]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12465-12470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05432]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Services 
Administration--Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)--
    Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program
    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2015.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.246K.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: March 9, 2015.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinar: March 19, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 23, 2015.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 22, 2015.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program 
supports special seminars, institutes, workshops, and other short-term 
courses in technical matters relating to vocational, medical, social, 
and psychological rehabilitation programs; independent living service 
programs; and client assistance programs (CAPs).
    Priority: This notice includes one absolute priority. This priority 
is from the notice of final priority for this program (NFP), published 
in the Federal Register on February 15, 2000 (65 FR 7678).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2015, this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is: Client Assistance Program.
    Projects that:
    Provide training to Client Assistance Program (CAP) personnel on an 
as-needed basis, including--
    (1) Management training on skills needed for strategic and 
operational planning and direction of CAP services;
    (2) Advocacy training on skills and knowledge needed by CAP staff 
to assist persons with disabilities to gain access to and to use the 
services and benefits available under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended (Act), with particular emphasis on new statutory and 
regulatory requirements;
    (3) Systemic advocacy training on skills and knowledge needed by 
CAP staff to address programmatic issues of concern;
    (4) Training and technical assistance on CAP best practices; and
    (5) Training on skills and knowledge needed by CAP staff to perform 
additional responsibilities required by the Workforce Investment Act of 
1998, as amended.
    Coordinate training efforts with other training supported by RSA, 
as well as with the training supported by the Center for Mental Health 
Services and the Administration on Developmental Disabilities on common 
areas such as protection and advocacy, financial management, and trial 
advocacy.
    Include both national and regional training seminars in each 
project year.

    Note: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 
(WIOA) replaces the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, as amended 
(WIA). With regard to paragraph (2) of this priority, please note 
that WIOA amended section 112(a) of the Rehabilitation Act to 
emphasize CAP's role in informing and advising clients and client 
applicants on the availability of pre-employment transition services 
under the State Vocational Rehabilitation Service program (new 
section 113) and on the limited conditions under which an individual 
with a disability who is age 24 or younger can be compensated at a 
wage that is less than the Federal minimum wage (new section 511).

    With regard to paragraph (5) of this priority, please note that 
while WIA has been superseded by the passage of WIOA, a CAP's 
responsibilities under section 112 have not changed. Thus, applicants 
should continue to demonstrate how they will provide training on such 
responsibilities not covered in paragraphs (1) through (4).
    In addition, the Administration on Developmental Disabilities, 
referenced in the priority, is now referred to as the Administration on 
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The name change was made 
by amendments to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by WIOA.

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772.

    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 
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. (d) 34 CFR parts 385 and 390. (e) The NFP.

    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 only to 
institutions of higher education (IHEs).

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
    Estimated Available Funds: $200,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $200,000 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 Rehabilitation Short-
Term Training Program for the fourth and fifth years, the Department, 
as part of the review of the application narrative and annual 
performance reports will

[[Page 12466]]

consider the degree to which the program demonstrates--
    (a) Substantial progress in providing training to CAP personnel on 
an as-needed basis in the areas of management, advocacy, and systemic 
advocacy;
    (b) Substantial progress in providing training and technical 
assistance on CAP best practices;
    (c) Substantial progress in offering national and regional training 
seminars each project year; and
    (d) Effective coordination with RSA, as well as with training 
supported by the Center on Mental Health Services and the 
Administration on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities on common 
areas such as protection and advocacy, financial management, and trial 
advocacy.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: States and public or nonprofit agencies and 
organizations, including Indian tribes and IHEs.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing of at least 10 percent of 
the total cost of the project is required of grantees under the 
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program. The Secretary may waive 
part of the non-Federal share of the cost of the project after 
negotiations if the applicant demonstrates that it does not have 
sufficient resources to contribute the entire match (34 CFR 386.30).

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 84.246K.
    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.
     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 abstract to the equivalent of no more than two 
pages. The standards listed above, which also are applicable to the 
application narrative, apply to the abstract.
    You must limit the resumes to only those individuals identified as 
key personnel, not to exceed a total of five pages. There are no page 
standards associated with resumes.
    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. No optional materials will be accepted.
    Please note that any funded applicant's application abstract will 
be made available to the public.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: March 9, 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 Tuesday, March 19, 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: April 23, 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: June 22, 2015.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to E.O. 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under E.O. 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

[[Page 12467]]

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 
to complete.
    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 Rehabilitation Short-Term 
Training Program, CFDA number 84.246K, 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 
Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program 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 84.246, not 
84.246K).
    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).

[[Page 12468]]

     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

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

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system;
    and
     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
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 84.246K) 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 84.246K) 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).

[[Page 12469]]

    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 that provides cumulative performance and financial 
expenditure 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 
following quantitative and qualitative information must be included in 
the annual performance report:
    i. A description of completed formal training activities that 
occurred during each fiscal year from October 1 to March 31. This 
includes national or regional training seminars. The series of 
trainings may be offered in a traditional classroom setting, through 
distance learning, through day or week-long institutes, at regional 
trainings throughout the country as an extension of national 
conferences, and through other delivery methods, as appropriate, to 
meet the needs of the targeted audience. The information contained in 
this description should include, but is not limited to, the: Goal of 
the training; training topic or focus area; duration of training; 
targeted audience; total number of participants in each training; level 
of participant experience (i.e., 0-5 years of experience, 5-10 years, 
10 or more years); delivery method of training; utilization of existing 
materials, if any to support the training; utilization of existing 
materials or development of any new materials, if any, to support the 
training; and number of participants who successfully completed each 
training.
    ii. A description of projected formal training activities to occur 
from April 1 to September 30. The information contained in this 
description should include, as available, the following: Goal of the 
training; training topic or focus area; duration of training; targeted 
audience; total number of participants projected to participate in each 
training; projected level of participant experience (i.e., 0-5 years of 
experience, 5-10 years, 10 or more years); projected delivery method of 
training; and projected number of participants who will successfully 
complete each training. For subsequent reporting years, the grantee 
will confirm the information contained in the projections.
    iii. A description of technical assistance provided during each 
fiscal year from October 1 to March 31. The technical assistance may be 
a formal or informal request and is considered a non-training activity. 
A formal request may necessitate more in-depth involvement and 
communication. An informal request may be made by telephone or 
electronic communication and is typically resolved in a short period of 
time. The description may include, but is not limited to: The estimated 
number of technical assistance requests submitted formally and 
informally; the estimated number of formal and informal technical 
assistance requests that were adequately addressed during the reporting 
period; a brief summary of the types of formal and informal technical 
assistance requests received during the reporting period, such as key 
questions, issues, or topics, and noting, where possible, new and 
emerging issues and trends or ongoing issues that require further 
attention and input from RSA, and, as applicable, any technical 
assistance materials or formal training developed as a result of 
frequently asked questions or issues; in-depth technical assistance 
provided over a period of time as a result of complex questions or 
challenges; and requests for formal and informal technical assistance 
that were incorporated into a needs assessment or that contributed to 
an agenda for a national or regional training seminar or conference.
    iv. A description of completed dissemination activities that 
occurred during each fiscal year from October 1 to March 31 and 
projected dissemination activities to occur from April 1 to September 
30. The description may include, but is not limited to, the: Vehicles 
used to inform CAP staff about formal training; strategies used to 
inform CAP staff of technical assistance resources available; and steps 
taken to ensure that all materials developed during the reporting 
period for formal training, as well as materials that may have been 
developed to respond to frequently asked questions or other requests 
for technical assistance, as appropriate, are disseminated to all CAP 
staff in accessible formats. For subsequent reporting years, the 
grantee will confirm projections made from the prior year.
    v. Other program activities that occurred during each fiscal year 
from October 1 to March 31 and project program activities to occur from 
April 1 to September 30. For subsequent reporting years, the grantee 
will confirm projections made from the prior year.
    vii. A description of coordination efforts with RSA staff, as well 
as coordination efforts with other training supported by RSA and the 
Center for Mental Health Services and the Administration on 
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
    viii. A budget and narrative detailing expenditures covering the 
period of October 1 through March 31 and projected expenditures from 
April 1 to September 30. The budget narrative must also verify progress 
towards meeting the 10 percent match requirement. For subsequent 
reporting years, the grantee will confirm projections made from the 
prior year.
    ix. Other information, as requested by RSA, in order to verify 
substantial progress and effectively report on performance measures to 
Congress and key stakeholders. 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

[[Page 12470]]

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 Rehabilitation Short-Term Training Program is to 
upgrade the knowledge and skills of staff currently employed by CAPs, 
to educate CAP staff on new program developments, and to develop staff 
skills in strategic and operational planning and direction of CAP 
services, which will ultimately lead to increased responsiveness of the 
vocational rehabilitation system in order to better assist individuals 
with disabilities in obtaining competitive employment. In order to 
measure the success of the grantee in meeting this goal, the CAP 
training grantee is required to conduct an evaluation of the training 
activities provided.
    The performance measures for this project are:
     The percentage of CAP personnel with zero to five years of 
experience who reported increased or enhanced knowledge, skills, or 
abilities as a result of training;
     The percentage of CAP personnel with five to ten years of 
experience who reported increased or enhanced knowledge, skills, or 
abilities as a result of training;
     The percentage of CAP personnel with ten or more years of 
experience who reported increased or enhanced knowledge, skills, or 
abilities as a result of training;
     The percentage of CAP personnel who reported that the 
training provided was of sufficient quality, relevance, and 
demonstrated usefulness to their work;
     The percentage of CAP personnel who reported that the 
quality of technical assistance, including materials provided, were of 
sufficient quality, relevance, and demonstrated usefulness to their 
work; and
     The percentage of CAP personnel who reported that the 
technical assistance received adequately addressed their needs.
    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: March 4, 2015.
Sue Swenson,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-05432 Filed 3-6-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P