Applications for New Awards; Upward Bound Math and Science Program, 10348-10354 [2017-02714]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 27 (Friday, February 10, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10348-10354]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-02714]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Upward Bound Math and Science 
Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:
    Upward Bound Math and Science Program.
    Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 
2017.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.047M.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: February 10, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 22, 2017.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 22, 2017.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Upward Bound (UB) Program is one of the 
seven programs known as the Federal TRIO Programs. The UB Program is a 
discretionary grant program that supports projects designed to provide 
students with the skills and motivation necessary to complete a program 
of secondary education and to enter into, and succeed in, a program of 
postsecondary education. There are three types of grants under the UB 
Program: UB; Veterans UB; and UB Math and Science (UBMS) grants.
    In this notice we invite applications for UBMS grants only. The 
invitation to apply for UB grants has been announced and we will invite 
applications for Veterans UB grants in a forthcoming notice.
    The UBMS Program supports projects designed to prepare high school 
students for postsecondary education programs that lead to careers in 
the fields of math and science.
    UBMS grantees are required to provide the services listed in 
sections 402C(b) and (c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended (HEA) (20 U.S.C. 1070a-13). Grantees may also provide the 
permissible services in section 402C(d) of the HEA. UBMS Program 
grantees must also provide the services listed in 34 CFR 645.14(a) and 
may provide the services listed in 34 CFR 645.14(b).

Background

    The Federal TRIO programs, including the UBMS Program, represent a 
national commitment to education for all students regardless of race, 
ethnic background, disability status, or economic circumstances. The 
Department has a strong interest in ensuring that groups traditionally 
underrepresented in postsecondary education, such as low-income 
students, first-generation college students, students with limited 
English proficiency, students with disabilities, homeless students, 
students who are in foster care or aging out of foster care, and other 
disconnected students, receive services provided by the UBMS Program.
    The UBMS Program is a critical component of the Department's 
efforts to improve college readiness, access and completion for 
students who have been traditionally underrepresented in postsecondary 
education. To more strategically align UBMS grants with broader reform 
strategies intended to improve postsecondary access and completion, 
this notice includes a competitive preference priority that encourages 
applicants to propose activities that are supported by moderate 
evidence of effectiveness (as defined in this notice). The Department

[[Page 10349]]

is particularly interested in receiving applications that include plans 
to provide services for students, supported by evidence, that increase 
the likelihood that students will complete high school and enroll in 
and complete a program of postsecondary education. The Department is 
not specifying a particular service, such as tutoring or mentoring, 
that is tied to evidence, but is providing an opportunity for the 
applicant to decide which statutorily authorized service the project 
will implement based on available evidence of effectiveness.
    Additionally, this notice includes an invitational priority 
encouraging applicants to focus on increasing opportunities for 
students to earn postsecondary credits while in high school. Some of 
these opportunities for postsecondary coursework may be available 
through dual enrollment programs. Dual enrollment programs allow high 
school students to enroll in credit-bearing college courses while 
enrolled in high school. In various forms and under different names, 
dual enrollment programs exist in all 50 States and the District of 
Columbia.\1\
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    \1\ Education Commission of the States, ``Individual State 
Profile,'' https://ecs.force.com/mbdata/mbprofallRT?Rep=DE15A.
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    Recent research \2\ suggests that participation in dual enrollment 
programs can lead to improved academic outcomes, especially for 
students from low-income households and first generation college 
students. Such participation can lead to better grades in high school, 
increased enrollment in college following high school, greater college 
credit accumulation, and higher rates of persistence in college.
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    \2\ An, B.P. (2012). ``The Impact of Dual Enrollment on College 
Degree Attainment: Do Low-SES Students Benefit?'' Educational 
Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 35, 57-75.
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    Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference 
priority and one invitational priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 
75.105(b)(2)(ii), the competitive preference priority is from 34 CFR 
75.226. Applicants must include in the one-page abstract submitted with 
the application a statement indicating if they addressed the 
competitive preference priority and/or the invitational priority.
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2017 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 three additional 
points to an application that meets this priority.
    This priority is:
    Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness (3 points).
    Applications supported by evidence of effectiveness that meets the 
conditions set out in the definition of ``moderate evidence of 
effectiveness'' in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications for 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:
    The Secretary encourages applicants to propose projects designed to 
increase opportunities for participants to earn postsecondary credits 
in high school, such as through providing connections to dual 
enrollment programs.
    Definitions: These definitions are from 34 CFR 77.1.
    Moderate evidence of effectiveness means one of the following 
conditions is met:
    (i) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Evidence Standards without reservations, 
found a statistically significant favorable impact on a relevant 
outcome (with no statistically significant and overriding unfavorable 
impacts on that outcome for relevant populations in the study or in 
other studies of the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the 
WWC), and includes a sample that overlaps with the populations or 
settings proposed to receive the process, product, strategy, or 
practice.
    (ii) There is at least one study of the effectiveness of the 
process, product, strategy, or practice being proposed that meets the 
WWC Evidence Standards with reservations, found a statistically 
significant favorable impact on a relevant outcome (with no 
statistically significant and overriding unfavorable impacts on that 
outcome for relevant populations in the study or in other studies of 
the intervention reviewed by and reported on by the WWC), includes a 
sample that overlaps with the populations or settings proposed to 
receive the process, product, strategy, or practice, and includes a 
large sample and a multisite sample.

    Note:  Multiple studies can cumulatively meet the large and 
multisite sample requirements as long as each study meets the other 
requirements in this paragraph.

    Multisite sample means more than one site, where site can be 
defined as a local educational agency, locality, or State.
    Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) (or the ultimate 
outcome if not related to students) the proposed process, product, 
strategy, or practice is designed to improve; consistent with the 
specific goals of a program.
    What Works Clearinghouse Evidence Standards means the standards set 
forth in the WWC Procedures and Standards Handbook (Version 3.0, March 
2014), which can be found at the following link: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/DocumentSum.aspx?sid=19.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 1070a-13.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75 (except for 
75.215 through 75.221), 77, 79, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The 
Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 645.

    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions 
of higher education only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$900,000,000 for the Federal TRIO Program for FY 2017, of which we 
intend to use an estimated $44,000,000 for UBMS awards. The actual 
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete 
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $257,500-$382,896.

[[Page 10350]]

    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $266,511.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding the applicable maximum award amount listed immediately 
following this paragraph for a single budget period of 12 months. We 
will also reject any application for new applicants that proposes a 
budget to serve fewer than 60 participants or, for applicants that are 
current grantees, any application with a proposed budget to serve fewer 
than the number of participants the applicant was approved to serve in 
FY 2016.
     For an applicant that is not currently receiving a UBMS 
Program grant, the maximum award amount is $257,500, to serve a minimum 
of 60 participants.
     For an applicant that is currently receiving a UBMS 
Program grant, the maximum award amount is an amount equal to the 
applicant's base award amount for FY 2016.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 162.

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

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, public 
and private agencies, and organizations including community-based 
organizations with experience in serving disadvantaged youth, 
combinations of such institutions, agencies and organizations, and 
secondary schools.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: An applicant may submit more than one application for a 
UBMS Program grant so long as each application describes a project that 
serves a different target area or target school (34 CFR 645.20(a)). The 
Secretary is not designating any additional populations for which an 
applicant may submit a separate application under this competition (34 
CFR 645.20(b)).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Sharon Easterling, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E235, 
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7425 or by email: 
Sharon.Easterling@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 program contact person listed in 
this section.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the 
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this program.
    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, which includes the budget narrative, to no more 
than 65 pages using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an 
identifier may be within the 1'' margin.
     Each page on which there is text or graphics will be 
counted as one full page.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs. Titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, 
references, and captions may be single spaced.
     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 and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance Face Sheet (SF 424); Part II, the Budget Information 
Summary form (ED Form 524); Part III, the UBMS Program Profile form; 
Part III, the one-page Project Abstract form; and Part IV, the 
Assurances and Certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a 
table of contents, which you should include in the application 
narrative. If you include any attachments or appendices, these items 
will be counted as part of Part III, the application narrative, for 
purpose of the page-limit requirement. You must include your complete 
response to the selection criteria in Part III, the application 
narrative.
    Any application addressing the competitive preference priority may 
include up to four additional pages for the priority. These additional 
pages must be used to discuss how the application meets the competitive 
preference priority. Any application addressing the invitational 
priority may include up to two additional pages for the priority. These 
additional pages must be used to discuss how the application meets the 
invitational priority. The additional pages allotted to address the 
competitive preference priority and the invitational priority cannot be 
used for or transferred to the application narrative or any other 
section of the application.
    We will reject your application if--
     You do not apply these standards; or
     You exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: February 10, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 22, 2017.
    Applications for grants under this program 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 Other Submission Requirements in section 
IV 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 program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VII in this notice. If the Department provides an 
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in 
connection with the application process, the individual's application 
remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this 
notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 22, 2017.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 
12372 is in the application package for this program.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
645.41. 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--

[[Page 10351]]

    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), 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 at the 
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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 you enter into the SAM database. 
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, it may be 24 to 48 
hours before you can access the information in, and 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 program 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 UBMS Program, CFDA number 
84.047M, 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 UBMS 
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include 
the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.047, 
not 84.047M).
    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 program 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. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures 
for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the 
Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
     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: 
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 read-only, non-modifiable 
Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or 
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, 
non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a 
password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note 
that this could result in your application not being considered for 
funding because the material in question--for example, the application 
narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For 
that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload 
all material as PDF files. The Department

[[Page 10352]]

will not convert material from other formats to PDF.
     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. Grants.gov 
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all 
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors 
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a 
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an 
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will 
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you 
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
    Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
you an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
    These emails do not mean that your application is without any 
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully 
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application 
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application 
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure 
to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to 
submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant 
eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your 
submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.
     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 program 
contact 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. We will 
contact you after we determine 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 Grants.gov 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: Gaby Watts, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E119, 
Washington, DC 20202. Fax: (202) 260-7464.
    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 84.047M), 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.

    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.

    We will not consider applications postmarked after the deadline 
date.
    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 84.047M), 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--

[[Page 10353]]

    (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 grant 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 in 34 CFR 645.31 and 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 assistance from the Department of 
Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    For this competition, a panel of non-Federal reviewers will review 
each application in accordance with the selection criteria in 34 CFR 
645.31 and the competitive preference priority. The individual scores 
of the reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the number of 
reviewers to determine the average peer reviewer score received in the 
review process. Additionally, in accordance with 34 CFR 645.32, the 
Secretary will award prior experience points to applicants that 
conducted a UBMS Program project during budget periods 2013-14, 2014-
15, and 2015-16, based on their documented experience. Prior experience 
points, if any, will be added to the application's average reader score 
to determine the total score for each application.
    If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same 
total scores, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications so 
as to serve geographic areas and eligible populations that have been 
underserved by the UBMS Program.
    3. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. 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.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any 
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and 
that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

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 multiyear 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.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In 
this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    4. Performance Measures: The success of the UBMS Program will be 
measured by the percentage of UBMS participants who enroll in and 
complete postsecondary education. The following performance measures 
have been developed to track progress toward achieving program success:
    (a) The percentage of UBMS students who took two years of 
mathematics beyond Algebra I by the 12th grade;
    (b) The percentage of UBMS students who graduated from secondary 
school with a regular secondary school diploma;
    (c) The percentage of UBMS students who enrolled in postsecondary 
education;
    (d) The percentage of UBMS students who enrolled in a program of 
postsecondary education by the fall term following graduation from high 
school and who in the first year of postsecondary education placed into 
college-level math and English without need for remediation;
    (e) The percentage of former UBMS students who enrolled in a 
program of

[[Page 10354]]

postsecondary education and graduated on time--within four years for 
the bachelor's degree and within two years for the associate's degree;
    (f) The percentage of UBMS participants who enrolled in a program 
of postsecondary education and attained either an associate's degree 
within three years or a bachelor's degree within six years of 
enrollment;
    (g) The percentage of UBMS students expected to graduate high 
school in the reporting year who complete a Free Application for 
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and
    (h) The cost per successful participant.
    Grant recipients must collect and report data on steps they have 
taken toward achieving these goals. Accordingly, we request that 
applicants include these performance measures in conceptualizing the 
design, implementation, and evaluation of their proposed projects.
    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 management 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: Sharon Easterling, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5E235, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-7425 or by email: Sharon.Eastering@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 computer 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 PDF. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat 
Reader, which is available free at this 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 feature at 
this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the 
Department.

    Dated: February 6, 2017.
Linda Byrd-Johnson,
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Higher Education Programs, and 
Senior Director, Student Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-02714 Filed 2-9-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P