Applications for New Awards; Educational Opportunity Centers Program, 2658-2663 [2021-00329]
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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. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the
program contact person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT,
individuals with disabilities can obtain
this document and a copy of the
application package in an accessible
format. The Department will provide the
requestor with an accessible format that
may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or
text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3
file, braille, large print, audiotape, or
compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. 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 Portable Document Format
(PDF). To use PDF you must have
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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.
Frank T. Brogan,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and
Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021–00540 Filed 1–11–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2020–SCC–0168]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
Comprehensive Transition Program
(CTP) for Disbursing Title IV Aid to
Students With Intellectual Disabilities
Expenditure Report
Federal Student Aid (FSA),
Department of Education (ED).
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ED is
proposing an extension without change
of a currently approved collection.
SUMMARY:
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Interested persons are invited to
submit comments on or before February
12, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for proposed
information collection requests should
be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/
do/PRAMain. Find this information
collection request by selecting
‘‘Department of Education’’ under
‘‘Currently Under Review,’’ then check
‘‘Only Show ICR for Public Comment’’
checkbox. Comments may also be sent
to ICDocketmgr@ed.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
specific questions related to collection
activities, please contact Beth
Grebeldinger, (202) 377–4018.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
Department of Education (ED), in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C.
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general
public and Federal agencies with an
opportunity to comment on proposed,
revised, and continuing collections of
information. This helps the Department
assess the impact of its information
collection requirements and minimize
the public’s reporting burden. It also
helps the public understand the
Department’s information collection
requirements and provide the requested
data in the desired format. ED is
soliciting comments on the proposed
information collection request (ICR) that
is described below. The Department of
Education is especially interested in
public comment addressing the
following issues: (1) Is this collection
necessary to the proper functions of the
Department; (2) will this information be
processed and used in a timely manner;
(3) is the estimate of burden accurate;
(4) how might the Department enhance
the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (5) how
might the Department minimize the
burden of this collection on the
respondents, including through the use
of information technology. Please note
that written comments received in
response to this notice will be
considered public records.
Title of Collection: Comprehensive
Transition Program (CTP) for Disbursing
Title IV Aid to Students with
Intellectual Disabilities Expenditure
Report
OMB Control Number: 1845–0113.
Type of Review: Extension without
change of a currently approved
collection.
Respondents/Affected Public: State,
Local, and Tribal Governments; Private
Sector Total Estimated Number of
Annual Responses: 104.
DATES:
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Total Estimated Number of Annual
Burden Hours: 208.
Abstract: The Higher Education
Opportunity Act, Public Law 110–315,
added provisions to the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended, in
section 750 and 766 that enable eligible
students with intellectual disabilities to
receive Federal Pell Grant, Federal
Supplemental Educational Opportunity
Grant, and Federal Work Study funds if
they are enrolled in an approved
program. The Comprehensive Transition
Program (CTP) for Disbursing Title IV
Aid to Students with Intellectual
Disabilities expenditure report is the
tool for reporting the use of these
specific funds. The data is used by the
Department to monitor program
effectiveness and accountability of fund
expenditures. The data is used in
conjunction with institutional program
reviews to assess the administrative
capability and compliance of the
applicants.
Dated: January 8, 2021.
Kate Mullan,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and
Clearance Governance and Strategy Division,
Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of
Planning, Evaluation and Policy
Development.
[FR Doc. 2021–00566 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[Docket No.: ED–2020–SCC–0154]
Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget for Review
and Approval; Comment Request;
Quarterly Budget and Expenditure
Reporting Under CARES Act Sections
18004(a)(1) Institutional Portion,
18004(a)(2), and 18004(a)(3)
Correction
In notice document 2020–28000,
appearing on page 83068 in the issue of
Monday, December 21, 2020, make the
following correction:
On page 83068, in the second column,
in the DATES section, change ‘‘January
20, 2021’’ to read ‘‘January 21, 2021.’’
[FR Doc. C1–2020–28000 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1301–00–D
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards;
Educational Opportunity Centers
Program
Office of Postsecondary
Education, Department of Education.
AGENCY:
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ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Education
(Department) is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal
year (FY) 2021 for the Educational
Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program,
Assistance Listing Number 84.066A.
This notice relates to the approved
information collection under OMB
control number 1840–0820.
DATES:
Applications Available: January 13,
2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: March 1, 2021.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: April 28, 2021.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for
obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common
Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary
Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 13, 2019
(84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-201902-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Rachael Wiley Ed.D, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 271–24, Washington, DC 20202–
4260. Telephone: (202) 453–6078.
Email: Rachael.Wiley@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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
SUMMARY:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of
the EOC Program are to: Provide
information regarding financial and
academic assistance available for
qualified individuals who want to enter
or continue to pursue a program of
postsecondary education; provide
assistance to those individuals in
applying for admission to institutions
that offer programs of postsecondary
education, including assistance in
preparing necessary applications for use
by admissions and financial aid officers;
and improve the financial and economic
literacy of program participants.
Priorities: This notice contains three
competitive preference priorities.
Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and
2 are from the Secretary’s Notice of
Final Supplemental Priorities and
Definitions for Discretionary Grant
Programs, published in the Federal
Register on March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096)
(Supplemental Priorities). Competitive
Preference Priority 3 is from the
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Secretary’s Notice of Administrative
Priorities and Definitions for
Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on
March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640)
(Administrative Priorities).
Note: Applicants must include, in the onepage abstract submitted with the application,
a statement indicating which, if any, of the
competitive preference priorities are
addressed. If the applicant has addressed the
competitive preference priorities, this
information must also be listed on the EOC
Program Profile Form.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For
FY 2021 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications from this
competition, these priorities are
competitive preference priorities. Under
34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an
application up to two additional points
for each priority, for a total of up to six
additional points, depending on how
well the application meets each of these
priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1:
Ensuring that Service Members,
Veterans, and Their Families Have
Access to High-Quality Educational
Options (up to 2 points).
Projects that are designed to address
the academic needs of military- or
veteran-connected students (as defined
in this notice).
Competitive Priority 2: Fostering
Flexible and Affordable Paths to
Obtaining Knowledge and Skills (up to
2 points).
Projects that are designed to create or
expand opportunities for individuals to
obtain recognized postsecondary
credentials through the demonstration
of prior knowledge and skills, such as
competency-based learning. Such
credentials may include an industryrecognized certificate or certification, a
certificate of completion of an
apprenticeship, a license recognized by
the State involved or Federal
Government, or an associate or
baccalaureate degree.
Competitive Priority 3: Applications
that Demonstrate a Rationale (up to 2
points).
Under this priority, an applicant
proposes a project that demonstrates a
rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1).
Definitions: The definitions below are
from 34 CFR 77.1 and the Supplemental
Priorities.
Demonstrates a rationale means a key
project component included in the
project’s logic model is informed by
research or evaluation findings that
suggest the project component is likely
to improve relevant outcomes.
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Logic model (also referred to as a
theory of action) means a framework
that identifies key project components
of the proposed project (i.e., the active
‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to
be critical to achieving the relevant
outcomes) and describes the theoretical
and operational relationships among the
key project components and relevant
outcomes.
Note: In developing logic models,
applicants may want to use resources such as
the Regional Educational Laboratory
Program’s (REL Pacific) Education Logic
Model Application, available at https://
ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/
elm.asp, to help design their logic models.
Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/
ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_
2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/
regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and
https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/
northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.
Military- or veteran-connected student
means a student who is a member of the
uniformed services, a veteran of the
uniformed services, or the spouse of a
service member or veteran.
Note: For the purpose of this definition,
‘‘student’’ may include a prospective student.
Project component means an activity,
strategy, intervention, process, product,
practice, or policy included in a project.
Evidence may pertain to an individual
project component or to a combination
of project components (e.g., training
teachers on instructional practices for
English learners and follow-on coaching
for these teachers).
Relevant outcome means the student
outcome(s) or other outcome(s) the key
project component is designed to
improve, consistent with the specific
goals of the program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a–
11 and 20 U.S.C. 1070–16.
Note: Projects must be awarded and
operated in a manner consistent with the
nondiscrimination requirements contained in
the U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil
rights laws.
Application Requirements: For FY
2021 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications from this
competition, applicants must meet the
following application requirements from
34 CFR 644.11.
An applicant must submit, as part of
its application, assurances that—
(a) At least two-thirds of the
individuals it serves under its proposed
EOC project will be low-income
individuals who are potential firstgeneration college students;
(b) The project will collaborate with
other Federal TRIO projects, GEAR UP
projects, or programs serving similar
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populations that are serving the same
target schools or target area in order to
minimize the duplication of services
and promote collaborations so that more
students can be served;
(c) The project will be located in a
setting or settings accessible to the
individuals proposed to be served by
the project; and
(d) If the applicant is an institution of
higher education, it will not use the
project as a part of its recruitment
program.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR
parts 75 (except for §§ 75.215 through
75.221), 77, 79, 81, 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 644. (e) The Supplemental
Priorities. (f) The Administrative
Priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR 86 apply
to institutions of higher education (IHEs)
only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds:
$55,994,306.
Contingent upon the availability of
funds and the quality of applications,
we may make additional awards in
subsequent years from the list of
unfunded applications from this
competition.
Estimated Range of Awards:
$232,050–$1,280,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards:
$273,793.
Maximum Award: The maximum
award varies based on whether the
applicant is currently receiving an EOC
Program grant, as well as the number of
participants served.
• For an applicant that is not
currently receiving an EOC Program
grant, the maximum award amount is
$232,050. Applicants must have a perparticipant cost of no more than $273
and propose to serve a minimum of 850
participants.
• For an applicant that is currently
receiving an EOC Program grant—
1. The applicant may request a
maximum award amount that is an
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amount equal to 100 percent of the
applicant’s base award amount for FY
2020 to serve a minimum number of
participants equal to the applicant’s
approved FY 2020 participant number;
or
2. If the applicant proposes to reduce
the number of participants to be served
below the amount served in FY 2020,
the proposed number of participants
must be at least 850 and the perparticipant cost must not exceed the
applicant’s cost per participant for FY
2020 or $273, whichever is greater. For
example, if an applicant’s per
participant cost for FY 2020 is $344 and
the applicant is proposing to serve 850
participants under the FY 2021
competition, the applicant would be
eligible to request a $292,400 grant
($344 × 850 = $292,400).
Note: Applicants currently receiving an
EOC Program grant in FY 2020 are strongly
encouraged to continue to serve the same
number of participants under the proposed
project.
Estimated Number of Awards: 140.
Note: The Department is not bound by any
estimates in this notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs; public
and private agencies and organizations,
including community-based
organizations with experience in serving
disadvantaged youth; secondary
schools; and combinations of such
institutions, agencies, and
organizations.
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization,
under 34 CFR 75.51, you may demonstrate
your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof
that the Internal Revenue Service currently
recognizes the applicant as an organization to
which contributions are tax deductible under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing
body or the State attorney general certifying
that the organization is a nonprofit
organization operating within the State and
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully
benefit any private shareholder or individual;
(3) a certified copy of the applicant’s
certificate of incorporation or similar
document if it clearly establishes the
nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any
item described above if that item applies to
a State or national parent organization,
together with a statement by the State or
parent organization that the applicant is a
local nonprofit affiliate.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This
competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This
program uses a training indirect cost
rate. This limits indirect cost
reimbursement to an entity’s actual
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indirect costs, as determined in its
negotiated indirect cost rate agreement,
or eight percent of a modified total
direct cost base, whichever amount is
less. For more information regarding
training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR
75.562. For more information regarding
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated
indirect cost rate, please see
www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/
intro.html.
c. Administrative Cost Limitation:
This program does not include any
program-specific limitation on
administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be
reasonable and necessary and conform
to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR
part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this
competition may not award subgrants to
entities to directly carry out project
activities described in its application.
4. Other: An applicant may submit
more than one application for an EOC
Program grant so long as each
application describes a project that
serves a different target area (34 CFR
644.10(a)). The term ‘‘target area’’ is
defined as a geographic area served by
a project (34 CFR 644.7(b)).
IV. Application and Submission
Information
1. Application Submission
Instructions: Applicants are required to
follow the Common Instructions for
Applicants to Department of Education
Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on
February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and
available at www.govinfo.gov/content/
pkg/FR–2019–02–13/pdf/2019–
02206.pdf, which contain requirements
and information on how to submit an
application.
2. 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.
3. Funding Restrictions: We specify
unallowable costs in 34 CFR 644.31. We
reference additional regulations
outlining funding restrictions in the
Applicable Regulations section of this
notice.
Requirements concerning the content
of an application, together with the
forms you must submit, are in the
application package for this program.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The
application narrative is where you, the
applicant, address the selection criteria
that reviewers use to evaluate your
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application. We recommend that you (1)
limit the application narrative, which
includes the budget narrative, to no
more than 60 pages and (2) use the
following standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ × 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, and no smaller than 10 pitch
(characters per inch).
• Use one of the following fonts:
Times New Roman, Courier, Courier
New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not
apply to the cover sheet; the budget
section, including the narrative budget
justification; the assurances and
certifications; or the one-page abstract.
However, the recommended page limit
does apply to all of the application
narrative.
We recommend that any application
addressing the competitive preference
priorities include no more than three
additional pages for each priority
addressed.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection
criteria for this competition are from 34
CFR 644.21. We will award up to 100
points to an application under the
selection criteria and up to 6 additional
points to an application under the
competitive preference priorities, for a
total score of up to 106 points. The
maximum number of points available
for each criterion is indicated in
parentheses.
(a) Need for the project (24 points).
The Secretary evaluates the need for an
EOC project in the proposed target area
on the basis of the extent to which the
application contains clear evidence of—
(1) A high number or percentage, or
both, of low-income families residing in
the target area;
(2) A high number or percentage, or
both, of individuals residing in the
target area with education completion
levels below the baccalaureate level;
(3) A high need on the part of
residents of the target area for further
education and training from programs of
postsecondary education in order to
meet changing employment trends; and
(4) Other indicators of need for an
EOC project, including the presence of
unaddressed educational or socioeconomic problems of adult residents in
the target area.
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(b) Objectives (8 points). The
Secretary evaluates the quality of the
applicant’s objectives and proposed
targets (percentages) in the following
areas on the basis of the extent to which
they are both ambitious, as related to the
need data provided under selection
criterion (a), and attainable, given the
project’s plan of operation, budget, and
other resources—
(1) Secondary school diploma or
equivalent (2 points).
(2) Postsecondary enrollment (3
points).
(3) Financial aid applications (1.5
points).
(4) College admission applications
(1.5 points).
(c) Plan of operation (30 points). The
Secretary evaluates the quality of the
applicant’s plan of operation on the
basis of the following—
(1) The plan to inform the residents,
schools, and community organizations
in the target area of the goals, objectives,
and services of the project and the
eligibility requirements for participation
in the project (4 points);
(2) The plan to identify and select
eligible participants and ensure their
participation without regard to race,
color, national origin, gender, or
disability (4 points);
(3) The plan to assess each
participant’s need for services provided
by the project (2 points);
(4) The plan to provide services that
meet the participants’ needs and
achieve the objectives of the project (12
points); and
(5) The management plan to ensure
the proper and efficient administration
of the project including, but not limited
to, the project’s organizational structure,
the time committed to the project by the
project director and other personnel,
and, where appropriate, its coordination
with other projects for disadvantaged
students (8 points).
(d) Applicant and community support
(16 points). The Secretary evaluates the
applicant and community support for
the proposed project on the basis of the
extent to which the applicant has made
provision for resources to supplement
the grant and enhance the project’s
services, including—
(1) Facilities, equipment, supplies,
personnel, and other resources
committed by the applicant (8 points);
and
(2) Resources secured through written
commitments from schools, community
organizations, and others (8 points).
(e) Quality of personnel (9 points). (1)
The Secretary evaluates the quality of
the personnel the applicant plans to use
in the project on the basis of the
following—
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(i) The qualifications required of the
project director.
(ii) The qualifications required of each
of the other personnel to be used in the
project.
(iii) The plan to employ personnel
who have succeeded in overcoming
disadvantages or circumstances like
those of the population of the target
area.
(2) In evaluating the qualifications of
a person, the Secretary considers his or
her experience and training in fields
related to the objectives of the project.
(f) Budget (5 points). The Secretary
evaluates the extent to which the project
budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and
adequate to support the project.
(g) Evaluation plan (8 points). The
Secretary evaluates the quality of the
evaluation plan for the project on the
basis of the extent to which the
applicant’s methods of evaluation—
(1) Are appropriate to the project’s
objectives;
(2) Provide for the applicant to
determine, using specific and
quantifiable measures, the success of the
project in—
(i) Making progress toward achieving
its objectives (a formative evaluation);
and
(ii) Achieving its objectives at the end
of the project period (a summative
evaluation); and
(3) Provide for the disclosure of
unanticipated project outcomes, using
quantifiable measures if appropriate.
2. Review and Selection Process: We
remind potential applicants that, in
making a competitive grant award, the
Secretary 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 (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
For this competition, a panel of nonFederal reviewers will review each
application in accordance with the
selection criteria in 34 CFR 644.21. The
individual scores of the reviewers will
be added and the sum divided by the
number of reviewers to determine the
peer review score received in the review
process. Additionally, in accordance
with 34 CFR 644.22, the Secretary will
award prior experience points to
applicants that conducted an EOC
Program project during budget periods
2017–18, 2018–19, and 2019–20, based
on their documented experience. Prior
experience points, if any, will be added
to the application’s averaged reader
score to determine the total score for
each application.
If there are insufficient funds for all
applications with the same total scores,
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the Secretary will choose among the tied
applications so as to serve geographic
areas and eligible populations that have
been underserved by the EOC Program.
3. Risk Assessment and Specific
Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under
this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by
applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the
Secretary may impose specific
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 $250,000), 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 the System for
Award Management. 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.
5. In General: In accordance with the
Office of Management and Budget’s
guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all
applicable Federal laws, and relevant
Executive guidance, the Department
will review and consider applications
for funding pursuant to this notice
inviting applications in accordance
with—
(a) Selecting recipients most likely to
be successful in delivering results based
on the program objectives through an
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objective process of evaluating Federal
award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain
telecommunication and video
surveillance services or equipment in
alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of
2019 (Pub. L. 115–232) (2 CFR 200.216);
(c) Promoting the freedom of speech
and religious liberty in alignment with
Promoting Free Speech and Religious
Liberty (E.O. 13798) and Improving Free
Inquiry, Transparency, and
Accountability at Colleges and
Universities (E.O. 13864) (2 CFR
200.300, 200.303, 200.339, and
200.341);
(d) Providing a preference, to the
extent permitted by law, to maximize
use of goods, products, and materials
produced in the United States (2 CFR
200.322); and
(e) Terminating agreements in whole
or in part to the greatest extent
authorized by law if an award no longer
effectuates the program goals or agency
priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
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. Open Licensing Requirements:
Unless an exception applies, if you are
awarded a grant under this competition,
you will be required to openly license
to the public grant deliverables created
in whole, or in part, with Department
grant funds. When the deliverable
consists of modifications to pre-existing
works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately
identified and only to the extent that
open licensing is permitted under the
terms of any licenses or other legal
restrictions on the use of pre-existing
works. Additionally, a grantee or
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subgrantee that is awarded competitive
grant funds must have a plan to
disseminate these public grant
deliverables. This dissemination plan
can be developed and submitted after
your application has been reviewed and
selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing
requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
5. Performance Measures: Under the
Government Performance and Results
Act of 1993, the following measure will
be used by the Department to evaluate
the success of the EOC Program:
Participants’ success in completing a
secondary school diploma or its
equivalent, completion of applications
for student financial aid, submission of
applications for postsecondary
admission, and postsecondary
enrollment. All EOC Program grantees
will be required to submit annual
performance reports.
6. 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 award, 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
E:\FR\FM\13JAN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices
receiving Federal financial assistance
from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Christopher J. McCaghren,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the
program contact person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT,
individuals with disabilities can obtain
this document and a copy of the
application package in an accessible
format. The Department will provide the
requestor with an accessible format that
may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or
text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3
file, braille, large print, audiotape, or
compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. 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 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
[FR Doc. 2021–00329 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Arbitration Panel Decisions Under the
Randolph-Sheppard Act
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice lists arbitration
panel decisions under the RandolphSheppard Act issued from April 1, 2020
to July 31, 2020. This notice also lists
any older decisions that the Department
of Education (Department) has made
publicly available in accessible
electronic format during that period. All
decisions are available on the
Department’s website and by request.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
James McCarthy, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW,
Room 5064D, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202–2800.
Telephone: (202) 245–6703. Email:
james.mccarthy@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service, toll-free, at 1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For the
purpose of providing individuals who
SUMMARY:
Case name
Docket No.
Illinois v. The Department of Energy ...........................................................................................
Oklahoma v. the Department of the Army, Fort Sill ....................................................................
These decisions and other decisions
that we have already posted are
searchable by key terms, are accessible
under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act, and are available in Portable
Document Format (PDF) on the
Department’s website at www.ed.gov/
programs/rsarsp/arbitrationdecisions.html or by request to the
Case name
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18:08 Jan 12, 2021
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Text Format (RTF) or text format (txt),
a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc, or
other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document:
The official version of this document is
the document published in the Federal
PO 00000
R–S/16–12
R–S/18–09
Frm 00027
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
Date
4/30/2020
6/22/2020
State
Illinois.
Oklahoma.
person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
At the same site, we have posted the
following older, archived decision from
2019.
Docket No.
The Florida Department of Education, Division of Blind Services v. The Department of the Air
Force, Hurlburt Field.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format on request to the
contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. The Department
will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich
are blind with remunerative
employment, enlarging their economic
opportunities, and stimulating greater
efforts to make themselves selfsupporting, the Randolph-Sheppard
Act, 20 U.S.C. 107 et seq. (Act),
authorizes individuals who are blind to
operate vending facilities on Federal
property and provides them with a
priority for doing so. The vending
facilities include, among other things,
cafeterias, snack bars, and automatic
vending machines. The Department
administers the Act and designates an
agency in each State—the State
licensing agency (SLA)—to license
individuals who are blind to operate
vending facilities on Federal and other
property in the State.
The Act provides for arbitration of
disputes between SLAs and vendors
who are blind and between SLAs and
Federal agencies before three-person
panels, convened by the Department,
whose decisions constitute final agency
action. 20 U.S.C. 107d–1. The Act also
makes these decisions matters of public
record and requires their publication in
the Federal Register. 20 U.S.C. 107d–
2(c).
The Department publishes lists of
Randolph-Sheppard Act arbitration
panel decisions in the Federal Register
and the full text of the decisions listed
are available on the Department’s
website (see below) or by request (see 84
FR 41941). Older, archived decisions are
also added to the Department’s website
as they are digitized.
In the second quarter of 2020,
Randolph-Sheppard arbitration panels
issued the following decisions.
R–S/17–03
Date
6/13/2019
State
Florida.
Register. You may access the official
edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can
view this document, as well as all other
documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
E:\FR\FM\13JAN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 8 (Wednesday, January 13, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2658-2663]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-00329]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Educational Opportunity Centers
Program
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
[[Page 2659]]
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the
Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) Program, Assistance Listing
Number 84.066A. This notice relates to the approved information
collection under OMB control number 1840-0820.
DATES:
Applications Available: January 13, 2021.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 1, 2021.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 28, 2021.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachael Wiley Ed.D, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 271-24, Washington, DC 20202-
4260. Telephone: (202) 453-6078. Email: [email protected].
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.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the EOC Program are to: Provide
information regarding financial and academic assistance available for
qualified individuals who want to enter or continue to pursue a program
of postsecondary education; provide assistance to those individuals in
applying for admission to institutions that offer programs of
postsecondary education, including assistance in preparing necessary
applications for use by admissions and financial aid officers; and
improve the financial and economic literacy of program participants.
Priorities: This notice contains three competitive preference
priorities. Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2 are from the
Secretary's Notice of Final Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for
Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on
March 2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities). Competitive
Preference Priority 3 is from the Secretary's Notice of Administrative
Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary Grant Programs, published
in the Federal Register on March 9, 2020 (85 FR 13640) (Administrative
Priorities).
Note: Applicants must include, in the one-page abstract
submitted with the application, a statement indicating which, if
any, of the competitive preference priorities are addressed. If the
applicant has addressed the competitive preference priorities, this
information must also be listed on the EOC Program Profile Form.
Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2021 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award an application up to
two additional points for each priority, for a total of up to six
additional points, depending on how well the application meets each of
these priorities.
These priorities are:
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Ensuring that Service Members,
Veterans, and Their Families Have Access to High-Quality Educational
Options (up to 2 points).
Projects that are designed to address the academic needs of
military- or veteran-connected students (as defined in this notice).
Competitive Priority 2: Fostering Flexible and Affordable Paths to
Obtaining Knowledge and Skills (up to 2 points).
Projects that are designed to create or expand opportunities for
individuals to obtain recognized postsecondary credentials through the
demonstration of prior knowledge and skills, such as competency-based
learning. Such credentials may include an industry-recognized
certificate or certification, a certificate of completion of an
apprenticeship, a license recognized by the State involved or Federal
Government, or an associate or baccalaureate degree.
Competitive Priority 3: Applications that Demonstrate a Rationale
(up to 2 points).
Under this priority, an applicant proposes a project that
demonstrates a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1).
Definitions: The definitions below are from 34 CFR 77.1 and the
Supplemental Priorities.
Demonstrates a rationale means a key project component included in
the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation
findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve
relevant outcomes.
Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a
framework that identifies key project components of the proposed
project (i.e., the active ``ingredients'' that are hypothesized to be
critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the
theoretical and operational relationships among the key project
components and relevant outcomes.
Note: In developing logic models, applicants may want to use
resources such as the Regional Educational Laboratory Program's (REL
Pacific) Education Logic Model Application, available at https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/elm.asp, to help design their
logic models. Other sources include: https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014025.pdf, https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/pacific/pdf/REL_2014007.pdf, and https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/northeast/pdf/REL_2015057.pdf.
Military- or veteran-connected student means a student who is a
member of the uniformed services, a veteran of the uniformed services,
or the spouse of a service member or veteran.
Note: For the purpose of this definition, ``student'' may
include a prospective student.
Project component means an activity, strategy, intervention,
process, product, practice, or policy included in a project. Evidence
may pertain to an individual project component or to a combination of
project components (e.g., training teachers on instructional practices
for English learners and follow-on coaching for these teachers).
Relevant outcome means the student outcome(s) or other outcome(s)
the key project component is designed to improve, consistent with the
specific goals of the program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1070a-11 and 20 U.S.C. 1070-16.
Note: Projects must be awarded and operated in a manner
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the
U.S. Constitution and the Federal civil rights laws.
Application Requirements: For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, applicants must meet the following application
requirements from 34 CFR 644.11.
An applicant must submit, as part of its application, assurances
that--
(a) At least two-thirds of the individuals it serves under its
proposed EOC project will be low-income individuals who are potential
first-generation college students;
(b) The project will collaborate with other Federal TRIO projects,
GEAR UP projects, or programs serving similar
[[Page 2660]]
populations that are serving the same target schools or target area in
order to minimize the duplication of services and promote
collaborations so that more students can be served;
(c) The project will be located in a setting or settings accessible
to the individuals proposed to be served by the project; and
(d) If the applicant is an institution of higher education, it will
not use the project as a part of its recruitment program.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75 (except for Sec. Sec.
75.215 through 75.221), 77, 79, 81, 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 644. (e)
The Supplemental Priorities. (f) The Administrative Priorities.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR 86 apply to institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $55,994,306.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $232,050-$1,280,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $273,793.
Maximum Award: The maximum award varies based on whether the
applicant is currently receiving an EOC Program grant, as well as the
number of participants served.
For an applicant that is not currently receiving an EOC
Program grant, the maximum award amount is $232,050. Applicants must
have a per-participant cost of no more than $273 and propose to serve a
minimum of 850 participants.
For an applicant that is currently receiving an EOC
Program grant--
1. The applicant may request a maximum award amount that is an
amount equal to 100 percent of the applicant's base award amount for FY
2020 to serve a minimum number of participants equal to the applicant's
approved FY 2020 participant number; or
2. If the applicant proposes to reduce the number of participants
to be served below the amount served in FY 2020, the proposed number of
participants must be at least 850 and the per-participant cost must not
exceed the applicant's cost per participant for FY 2020 or $273,
whichever is greater. For example, if an applicant's per participant
cost for FY 2020 is $344 and the applicant is proposing to serve 850
participants under the FY 2021 competition, the applicant would be
eligible to request a $292,400 grant ($344 x 850 = $292,400).
Note: Applicants currently receiving an EOC Program grant in FY
2020 are strongly encouraged to continue to serve the same number of
participants under the proposed project.
Estimated Number of Awards: 140.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs; public and private agencies and
organizations, including community-based organizations with experience
in serving disadvantaged youth; secondary schools; and combinations of
such institutions, agencies, and organizations.
Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51,
you may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof
that the Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant
as an organization to which contributions are tax deductible under
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from
a State taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that
the organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the
State and that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any
private shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the
applicant's certificate of incorporation or similar document if it
clearly establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4)
any item described above if that item applies to a State or national
parent organization, together with a statement by the State or
parent organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit
affiliate.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require
cost sharing or matching.
b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses a training
indirect cost rate. This limits indirect cost reimbursement to an
entity's actual indirect costs, as determined in its negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement, or eight percent of a modified total
direct cost base, whichever amount is less. For more information
regarding training indirect cost rates, see 34 CFR 75.562. For more
information regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated
indirect cost rate, please see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform
Guidance.
3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities
described in its application.
4. Other: An applicant may submit more than one application for an
EOC Program grant so long as each application describes a project that
serves a different target area (34 CFR 644.10(a)). The term ``target
area'' is defined as a geographic area served by a project (34 CFR
644.7(b)).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
2. 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.
3. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR
644.31. We reference additional regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
Requirements concerning the content of an application, together
with the forms you must submit, are in the application package for this
program.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your
[[Page 2661]]
application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative,
which includes the budget narrative, to no more than 60 pages and (2)
use 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, and no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract. However, the
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.
We recommend that any application addressing the competitive
preference priorities include no more than three additional pages for
each priority addressed.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 644.21. We will award up to 100 points to an
application under the selection criteria and up to 6 additional points
to an application under the competitive preference priorities, for a
total score of up to 106 points. The maximum number of points available
for each criterion is indicated in parentheses.
(a) Need for the project (24 points). The Secretary evaluates the
need for an EOC project in the proposed target area on the basis of the
extent to which the application contains clear evidence of--
(1) A high number or percentage, or both, of low-income families
residing in the target area;
(2) A high number or percentage, or both, of individuals residing
in the target area with education completion levels below the
baccalaureate level;
(3) A high need on the part of residents of the target area for
further education and training from programs of postsecondary education
in order to meet changing employment trends; and
(4) Other indicators of need for an EOC project, including the
presence of unaddressed educational or socio-economic problems of adult
residents in the target area.
(b) Objectives (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality of
the applicant's objectives and proposed targets (percentages) in the
following areas on the basis of the extent to which they are both
ambitious, as related to the need data provided under selection
criterion (a), and attainable, given the project's plan of operation,
budget, and other resources--
(1) Secondary school diploma or equivalent (2 points).
(2) Postsecondary enrollment (3 points).
(3) Financial aid applications (1.5 points).
(4) College admission applications (1.5 points).
(c) Plan of operation (30 points). The Secretary evaluates the
quality of the applicant's plan of operation on the basis of the
following--
(1) The plan to inform the residents, schools, and community
organizations in the target area of the goals, objectives, and services
of the project and the eligibility requirements for participation in
the project (4 points);
(2) The plan to identify and select eligible participants and
ensure their participation without regard to race, color, national
origin, gender, or disability (4 points);
(3) The plan to assess each participant's need for services
provided by the project (2 points);
(4) The plan to provide services that meet the participants' needs
and achieve the objectives of the project (12 points); and
(5) The management plan to ensure the proper and efficient
administration of the project including, but not limited to, the
project's organizational structure, the time committed to the project
by the project director and other personnel, and, where appropriate,
its coordination with other projects for disadvantaged students (8
points).
(d) Applicant and community support (16 points). The Secretary
evaluates the applicant and community support for the proposed project
on the basis of the extent to which the applicant has made provision
for resources to supplement the grant and enhance the project's
services, including--
(1) Facilities, equipment, supplies, personnel, and other resources
committed by the applicant (8 points); and
(2) Resources secured through written commitments from schools,
community organizations, and others (8 points).
(e) Quality of personnel (9 points). (1) The Secretary evaluates
the quality of the personnel the applicant plans to use in the project
on the basis of the following--
(i) The qualifications required of the project director.
(ii) The qualifications required of each of the other personnel to
be used in the project.
(iii) The plan to employ personnel who have succeeded in overcoming
disadvantages or circumstances like those of the population of the
target area.
(2) In evaluating the qualifications of a person, the Secretary
considers his or her experience and training in fields related to the
objectives of the project.
(f) Budget (5 points). The Secretary evaluates the extent to which
the project budget is reasonable, cost-effective, and adequate to
support the project.
(g) Evaluation plan (8 points). The Secretary evaluates the quality
of the evaluation plan for the project on the basis of the extent to
which the applicant's methods of evaluation--
(1) Are appropriate to the project's objectives;
(2) Provide for the applicant to determine, using specific and
quantifiable measures, the success of the project in--
(i) Making progress toward achieving its objectives (a formative
evaluation); and
(ii) Achieving its objectives at the end of the project period (a
summative evaluation); and
(3) Provide for the disclosure of unanticipated project outcomes,
using quantifiable measures if appropriate.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 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 (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
644.21. The individual scores of the reviewers will be added and the
sum divided by the number of reviewers to determine the peer review
score received in the review process. Additionally, in accordance with
34 CFR 644.22, the Secretary will award prior experience points to
applicants that conducted an EOC Program project during budget periods
2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20, based on their documented experience.
Prior experience points, if any, will be added to the application's
averaged reader score to determine the total score for each
application.
If there are insufficient funds for all applications with the same
total scores,
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the Secretary will choose among the tied applications so as to serve
geographic areas and eligible populations that have been underserved by
the EOC Program.
3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose specific 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
$250,000), 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 the System for Award Management. 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.
5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting
applications in accordance with--
(a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115-232) (2 CFR
200.216);
(c) Promoting the freedom of speech and religious liberty in
alignment with Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty (E.O. 13798)
and Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at
Colleges and Universities (E.O. 13864) (2 CFR 200.300, 200.303,
200.339, and 200.341);
(d) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
(e) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).
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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the following measure will be used by the
Department to evaluate the success of the EOC Program: Participants'
success in completing a secondary school diploma or its equivalent,
completion of applications for student financial aid, submission of
applications for postsecondary admission, and postsecondary enrollment.
All EOC Program grantees will be required to submit annual performance
reports.
6. 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 award, 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
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receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.
Christopher J. McCaghren,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021-00329 Filed 1-12-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P