Applications for New Awards; American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services-Training and Technical Assistance, 43400-43406 [2015-17995]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 140 (Wednesday, July 22, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43400-43406]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17995]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; American Indian Vocational 
Rehabilitation Services--Training and Technical Assistance

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

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation 
Services--Training and Technical Assistance Notice inviting 
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2015.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.250Z.

DATES: Applications Available: July 22, 2015.
    Date of Pre-Application Webinar: July 30, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 21, 2015.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to provide 
training and technical assistance (TA) to governing bodies of Indian 
tribes that have received an American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation 
Services (AIVRS) grant under section 121(a) of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973, as amended (the Act). Under section 121(c)(3) of the Act, the 
Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) makes 
grants to, or enters into contracts or other cooperative agreements 
with, entities that have experience in the operation of AIVRS programs 
to provide such training and TA on developing, conducting, 
administering, and evaluating these programs.
    Priority: We are establishing this priority for the FY 2015 grant 
competition only in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General 
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
    Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 
CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this 
priority.
    Background: The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) 
(Pub. L. 113-128), enacted in July of 2014, made significant changes to 
the Act, including adding provisions to the AIVRS program that require 
the reservation of funds to support training and TA. In particular, the 
new section 121(c) of the Act requires the Commissioner of RSA to 
reserve not less than 1.8 percent and not more than 2 percent of the 
funds set aside from the State vocational rehabilitation (VR) program 
(section 110(d) of the Act) for the AIVRS program to provide training 
and TA to governing bodies of Indian tribes that have received AIVRS 
grants under section 121(a) of the Act.
    Under section 121(a) the Department currently supports 83 projects 
that provide VR services to American Indians with disabilities, 
consistent with each individual's strengths, resources, priorities, 
concerns, abilities, capabilities, interests, and informed choice, so 
that they may prepare for, and engage in, high-quality competitive 
integrated employment that will increase opportunities for economic 
self-sufficiency.
    To help determine funding priorities, section 121(c)(3) of the Act 
requires RSA to survey the governing bodies of Indian tribes operating 
AIVRS projects to identify their training and TA needs. RSA's survey of 
the AIVRS grantees conducted in January 2015 resulted in a 50 percent 
response rate and indicated training and TA needs in five primary 
areas: (1) Knowledge of applicable laws and regulations governing the 
AIVRS program; (2) staff development and service provision (e.g., best 
practices for serving individuals with physical and mental 
disabilities, case management and case record documentation, 
eligibility determinations, and developing individualized plans for 
employment); (3) financial management (e.g., budget management and 
compliance with applicable Federal grant administrative regulations and 
cost principles); (4) data collection, reporting, and performance 
measures; and (5) assistive technology (AT) (e.g., knowledge of what AT 
is, evaluating the need for AT, use of AT, access to AT). Beginning in 
FY 2016, this survey will be conducted each year as part of the AIVRS 
grantees' annual reporting to the Department. We will consider the 
results of the survey in determining specific training and TA topics to 
be included each year in the training and TA cooperative agreement.
    The priority is:
    American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services--Training and 
Technical Assistance Program.
    This priority supports a five-year cooperative agreement to 
establish an American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) 
Training and Technical Assistance Center (Center) to provide three 
different types of training and technical assistance (TA) for AIVRS 
projects: (1) Intensive, sustained training and TA; \1\ (2) targeted, 
specialized training and TA; \2\ and (3) universal, general training 
and TA.\3\ The Center will develop and

[[Page 43401]]

provide these types of training and TA for AIVRS projects in the 
following priority areas:
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    \1\ For the purposes of this priority, ``intensive, sustained 
training and technical assistance'' means TA services often provided 
on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the 
AIVRS--Training and Technical Assistance program staff and the 
training and TA recipient. ``Technical assistance services'' are 
defined as negotiated series of activities designed to reach a 
valued outcome. This category of training and TA should result in 
changes to policy, program, practice, or operations that support 
increased recipient capacity of improved outcomes at one or more 
systems levels.
    \2\ For the purposes of this priority, ``targeted, specialized 
training and technical assistance'' means TA based on needs common 
to multiple recipients and not extensively individualized. A 
relationship is established between the training and TA recipient 
and one or more training and TA center staff. This category of 
training and TA includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as 
facilitating strategic planning or hosting regional or national 
conferences. It can also include episodic, less labor-intensive 
events that extend over a period of time, such as facilitating a 
series of conference calls on single or multiple topics that are 
designed around the needs of the recipients. Facilitating 
communities of practice can also be considered targeted, specialized 
training and TA.
    \3\ For the purposes of this priority, ``universal, general 
training and technical assistance'' means training and TA and 
information provided to independent users through their own 
initiative, resulting in minimal interaction with training and TA 
center staff and including one-time, invited or offered conference 
presentations by training and TA center staff. This category of 
training and TA also includes information or products, such as 
newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the 
training and TA center's Web site by independent users. Brief 
communications by training and TA center staff with recipients, 
either by telephone or email, are also considered universal, general 
training and TA.
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    (a) Applicable laws and regulations governing the AIVRS program;
    (b) Promising practices for providing services to American Indians 
with disabilities;
    (c) The delivery of services to American Indians with disabilities, 
including the determination of eligibility, case management, case 
record documentation, assessment, development of the individualized 
plan for employment, and placement into competitive integrated 
employment;
    (d) Knowledge of assistive technology (AT), including what AT is, 
how to evaluate the need for AT, use of AT, and access to AT;
    (e) Implementing professional development practices to ensure 
effective project coordination, administration, and management;
    (f) Implementing appropriate financial and grant management 
practices to ensure compliance with OMB's Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) 
and the Education Department General Administrative Regulations 
(EDGAR); and
    (g) Evaluating program performance, including data collection, data 
analysis, and reporting.
    Specific topics for training and TA in each of these priority areas 
will be identified on an annual basis and in coordination with the 
Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).

Project Activities

    To be considered for funding under this priority, the Center must, 
at a minimum, conduct the following activities in a culturally 
appropriate manner:
    (a) Develop and provide intensive, sustained training and TA to a 
minimum of three AIVRS projects in the first year. For future years, 
the minimum number of AIVRS projects to receive intensive, sustained 
training and TA will be negotiated through the Cooperative Agreement. 
The Center must--
    (1) Develop and implement training and TA consistent with AIVRS 
project activities and tailored to the specific needs and challenges of 
the AIVRS project receiving the intensive training and TA;
    (2) Provide training and TA under an agreement with each AIVRS 
project receiving intensive training and TA that, at a minimum, details 
the purpose of the training and TA, intended outcomes, and requirements 
for the subsequent evaluation of the training and TA; and
    (3) Assess the results of the training and TA 90 days after its 
completion to ensure that the recipient is able to apply effectively 
the training and TA, identify any issues or challenges in its 
implementation, and provide additional training and TA, either 
virtually or on-site, as needed;
    (b) Provide a range of targeted, specialized training and TA in the 
topic areas described in this priority based on needs common to 
multiple AIVRS projects. The Center must follow-up with recipients of 
targeted, specialized training and TA in order to determine the 
effectiveness of the training and TA;
    (c) Provide universal, general training and TA in the topic areas 
in this priority;
    (d) Provide a minimum of two Webinars or video conferences in each 
of the topic areas in this priority to describe and disseminate up-to-
date information, guides, examples, and emerging and promising 
practices in each area; and
    (e) Develop new information technology (IT) platforms and systems, 
or modify existing platforms and systems, as follows:
    (i) Develop and maintain a state-of-the-art IT platform sufficient 
to support Webinars, teleconferences, video conferences, and other 
virtual methods of dissemination of information and TA;
    (ii) Develop and maintain a state-of-the-art archiving and 
dissemination system that is open and available to all AIVRS projects 
and that provides a central location for training and TA products for 
later use, including course curricula, audiovisual materials, Webinars, 
examples of promising practices related to the topic areas in this 
priority, the primary areas identified through the annual surveys 
completed by AIVRS projects, other topics identified by RSA, and other 
relevant TA products;
    Note: All products produced by the Center must meet government and 
industry-recognized standards for accessibility; and
    (iii) Ensure that all products, resources, and materials developed 
by the Center are widely disseminated across the AIVRS projects and 
reflect the AIVRS population and diversity among its communities to the 
maximum extent possible;
    (f) Establish a community of practice \4\ that will act as a 
vehicle for communication, an exchange of information among AIVRS 
projects, and a forum for sharing the results of training and TA 
projects that are in progress or have been completed;
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    \4\ For more information on communities of practice, see: 
www.tadnet.org/pages/510.
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    (g) Conduct outreach to AIVRS projects so that they are aware of, 
and can participate in, training and TA activities; and
    (h) Conduct an evaluation to determine the quality, relevance, and 
usefulness of the Center's training and TA, including the impact of the 
Center's activities on the ability of AIVRS grantees to manage 
effectively their projects and improve the delivery of VR services to 
American Indians with disabilities.

Application Requirements

    To be funded under this priority, applicants must meet the 
application and administrative requirements in this priority. RSA 
encourages innovative approaches to meet these requirements, which are:
    (a) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance of the Proposed Project'' how the proposed project 
will--
    (1) Use the applicant's knowledge and experience in the operation 
of AIVRS projects in order to provide training and TA for these 
projects;
    (2) Address the AIVRS grantees' capacity to implement effectively 
an AIVRS project. To meet this requirement, the applicant must:
    (i) Demonstrate knowledge of emerging and promising practices in 
the topic areas in this priority;
    (ii) Demonstrate knowledge of current RSA guidance and Federal 
initiatives designed to improve the functioning of grant programs in 
general and grant programs for American Indian tribes in particular; 
and
    (iii) Present information about the difficulties that AIVRS 
grantees have encountered in implementing effective AIVRS projects;
    (b) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Design'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
    (i) Measurable intended project outcomes;
    (ii) A plan for how the proposed project will achieve its intended 
outcomes;

[[Page 43402]]

    (iii) A plan for communicating and coordinating with RSA and key 
staff in AIVRS projects; and
    (iv) A draft training module for one of the topic areas in this 
priority to demonstrate how participants would be trained in that area. 
The module is a required attachment in the application and must 
include, at a minimum, the following:
    (A) The goals and objectives of this training module;
    (B) A specific list of what participants should know and be able to 
do as a result of successfully completing the module;
    (C) Up-to-date resources, publications, applicable laws and 
regulations, and other materials that may be used to develop the 
module;
    (D) Exercises that will provide an opportunity for application of 
the subject matter; and
    (E) A description of how participant knowledge, skills, and 
abilities will be measured;
    (2) Use a logic model \5\ to develop project plans and activities 
that includes, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and 
outcomes of the proposed project;
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    \5\ For purposes of this priority, a ``logic model'' is as 
defined in 34 CFR 77.1(c). The following Web sites provide more 
information on logic models: www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and www.tadnet.org/pages/589.
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    (3) Be based on current research and make use of emerging and 
promising practices, and evidence-based practices, where available. To 
meet this requirement the applicant must describe--
    (i) The current research on the emerging and promising practices in 
the topic areas in this priority; and
    (ii) How the Center will incorporate current research and promising 
and evidence-based practices, including research about adult learning 
principles and implementation science, in the development and delivery 
of its products and services;
    (4) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality 
and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes 
of the proposed project. To address this requirement the applicant must 
describe--
    (i) Its proposed approach to universal, general training and TA;
    (ii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized training and 
TA, which must identify--
    (A) The intended recipients of the products and services under this 
approach, including the categories of personnel that would be receiving 
the training and TA;
    (B) Its proposed medium for providing targeted, specialized 
training and TA; and
    (C) Its proposed methodology for determining topics for the 
targeted, specialized training and TA;
    (iii) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained training and 
TA, which must identify--
    (A) Its proposed approach to identifying recipients for intensive, 
sustained training and TA;
    (B) Its proposed methodology for providing intensive, sustained 
training and TA to recipients; and
    (C) Its proposed approach to assessing the training and TA needs of 
recipients, including their ability to respond effectively to the 
training and TA;
    (5) Develop products and implement services to maximize the 
proposed project's efficiency. To address this requirement, the 
applicant must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the 
intended project outcomes; and
    (ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the 
intended outcomes of this collaboration;
    (c) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of Project Resources'' how--
    (1) The applicant and any key partners possess adequate resources 
to carry out the proposed activities; and
    (2) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits;
    (d) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Personnel'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment 
from persons who are members of groups that have historically been 
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
disability, as appropriate; and
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to provide 
training and TA to AIVRS projects in each of the topic areas in this 
priority and to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (e) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the Management Plan'' how the proposed management plan 
will ensure that the project's intended outcomes will be achieved on 
time and within budget. To address this requirement, the applicant must 
describe--
    (1) Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for two full-time 
key project personnel designated to the Center through the entire 
project period and for consultants and subcontractors, as applicable;
    (2) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
    (3) By using a personnel loading chart, detail project activities 
through the entire project period, key personnel and any consultants or 
subcontractors that will be allocated to each activity, and the 
designated level of effort for each of those activities;
    (4) How the personnel allocations in the personnel loading chart 
are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project's intended 
outcomes, including an assurance that all personnel will communicate 
with stakeholders and RSA in a timely fashion;
    (5) How the proposed management plan will ensure that the training 
and TA products developed through this cooperative agreement are 
complete, accurate, and of high quality; and
    (6) How the proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including AIVRS projects and consumers, State VR 
agencies, TA providers, and policy makers, in its development and 
operation;
    (f) Demonstrate in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the Evaluation Plan'' how the applicant proposes to 
collect and analyze data on specific and measurable goals, objectives, 
and intended outcomes of the project, including the effectiveness of 
the training and TA provided. To address this requirement, the 
applicant must describe--
    (i) Its proposed evaluation methodologies, including instruments, 
data collection methods, and analyses;
    (ii) Its proposed standards or targets for determining 
effectiveness;
    (iii) How it will use the evaluation results to examine the 
effectiveness of its implementation and its progress toward achieving 
the intended outcomes; and
    (iv) How the methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data that demonstrate whether the project and individual 
training and TA activities achieved their intended outcomes.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties 
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 437(d)(1) of 
GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking 
requirements regulations governing the first grant competition under a 
new or substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant 
competition for this program under the revised authority in section 
121(c) of the

[[Page 43403]]

Rehabilitation Act and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order 
to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forego 
public comment on the priority under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. This 
priority will apply to the FY 2015 grant competition only.
    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 741.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 
84, and 86. (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, and 
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: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $704,880.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Continuing the Fourth and Fifth Years of the Program:
    In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Department, as part of the review of the 
cooperative agreement, the application narrative, and the annual 
performance reports will consider the degree to which the Center 
demonstrates substantial progress in providing intensive, sustained 
training and TA to AIVRS projects; targeted, specialized training and 
TA to AIVRS projects; and universal, general training and TA to AIVRS 
projects, and the extent to which the training and TA provided has had 
an impact on the ability of AIVRS projects to implement appropriate 
practices in the seven areas outlined in the priority.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State, local, or tribal governments, non-
profit organizations, or institutions of higher education that have 
experience in the operation of AIVRS programs.
    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 Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). 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 84.250Z.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
    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. Because of the limited time 
available to review applications and make a recommendation for funding, 
we strongly encourage applicants to limit the application narrative to 
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 guidance on the application narrative 
section, we recommend that you adhere to the following page limits, 
using the standards listed above: (1) The abstract should be no more 
than one page, (2) the resumes of key personnel should be no more than 
two pages per person, and (3) the bibliography should be no more than 
three pages. A personnel loading chart and a draft training model are 
required attachments in the application. There are no page limits or 
standards for these attachments. The only optional materials that will 
be accepted are letters of support. Please note that our reviewers are 
not required to read optional materials.
    Please note that any funded applicant's application abstract will 
be made available to the public.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: July 22, 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 on July 30, 2015, at 2:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time. 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: August 21, 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 subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34

[[Page 43404]]

CFR part 79. However, under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental 
review in order to make an award by the end of FY 2015.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly the Central Contractor Registry (CCR)), the 
Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number 
can be created within one to two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: 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 AIVRS--Training and Technical 
Assistance program, CFDA number 84.250Z, 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 AIVRS_
Training and Technical Assistance 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 84.250, not 84.250Z).
    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

[[Page 43405]]

password-protected file, we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by email. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this 
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you 
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk 
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a 
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that the 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The 
Department will contact you after a determination is made on whether 
your application will be accepted.

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

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system;

and

     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an 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: Thomas Finch, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5147, 
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 84.250Z) 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 84.250Z) 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 of EDGAR 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

[[Page 43406]]

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance 
of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as the 
applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Special Conditions: Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may 
impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk 
conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is not financially 
stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or 
other management system that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 
200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or 
is otherwise not responsible.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the 
effectiveness of their programs by engaging in strategic planning, 
setting outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program 
results against those goals.
    The goal of this grant is to provide training and TA to governing 
bodies of Indian tribes located on Federal and State reservations (and 
consortia of such governing bodies) that receive grants under section 
121(a) of the Act.
    Pursuant to GPRA, the Department is in the process of developing 
performance measures for this program to assess the success of the 
grantee in meeting the training and TA goals of this program. In 
general, these measures will assess the quality, relevance, and 
usefulness of the training and TA provided by the Center, as well as 
the performance of the Center in achieving the project's intended 
outcomes with respect to the specific topics in each of the priority 
areas specified annually by RSA in the cooperative agreement. The 
grantee will be required to collect and annually report qualitative and 
quantitative data related to its performance on these measures in the 
Center's annual and final performance reports to the Department. The 
data used must be valid and verifiable.
    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: Thomas Finch, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5147, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7343 or by 
email: tom.finch@ed.gov.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), 
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting 
Wendell Bell, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
    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: July 17, 2015.
Michael K. Yudin,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2015-17995 Filed 7-21-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P