Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions Program, 28587-28592 [2021-11200]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 101 (Thursday, May 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28587-28592]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11200]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Native American-Serving Nontribal 
Institutions Program

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the 
Native American-Serving Nontribal Institutions (NASNTI) Program, 
Assistance Listing Number 84.382C. This notice relates to the approved 
information collection under OMB control number 1840-0816.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 27, 2021.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 12, 2021.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 9, 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: Don Crews, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B110, Washington, DC 20202-
4260. Telephone: (202) 453-7920. 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 NASNTI Program provides grants to eligible 
institutions of higher education (IHEs) to enable them to improve and 
expand their capacity to serve Native Americans and low-income 
individuals. Institutions may use the grants to plan, develop, 
undertake, and carry out activities to improve and expand their 
capacity to serve Native American and low-income students.
    Background: Colleges and universities that are eligible to 
participate in the NASNTI Program have a critical role in serving 
Native American students and eradicating systemic and institutional 
barriers that limit progress in improving educational outcomes for 
Native American students. To identify and address those barriers, 
applicants should consider data on existing gaps in retention and 
graduation rates. In developing their proposed projects, we strongly 
encourage applicants to propose high-impact services informed by data 
and to set specific targets and measures for each year of the project 
for how the proposed services will address those gaps and improve 
results for Native American students.
    Priorities: This notice contains one competitive preference 
priority and one invitational priority. The competitive preference 
priority is from the Notice of Administrative Priority and Definitions 
for Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on 
December 30, 2020 (85 FR 86545) (Remote Learning NFP).
    Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2021 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 up to an additional 5 
points to an application, depending on how well the application meets 
this priority.
    This priority is:
    Building Capacity for Remote Learning (up to 5 points).
    Background: Reports on students with disabilities reveal that the 
transition to remote learning presents new obstacles to educational 
accessibility.\1\ In rural reservation communities during the novel 
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, special education services for 
students with disabilities were significantly disrupted due, in part, 
to lack of access to high-speed internet and technology.\2\ Achieving 
educational equity for students with disabilities has long been a goal, 
but the pandemic has highlighted how advances toward equity are often 
lost during crises.\3\
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    \1\ https://reader.mediawiremobile.com/accessibility/issues/206098/articles/5eb34168a3bbc201b7822f5f/reader.
    \2\ Candi Running Bear, MA, William P.A. Terrill, MEd, Adriana 
Frates, MEd, Patricia Peterson, Ph.D., and Judith Ulrich, AA, 2021, 
``Challenges for Rural Native American Students With Disabilities 
During COVID-19,'' retrieved March 24, 2021 from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/8756870520982294.
    \3\ Carla D. Chugani and Amy Houtrow, ``Effect of the COVID-19 
Pandemic on College Students With Disabilities,'' American Journal 
of Public Health 110, no. 12 (December 1, 2020): pp. 1722-1723. 
https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305983.
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    Additionally, recent data indicates that homelessness affects 18 
percent of students at two-year institutions and 14 percent of students 
enrolled at four-year institutions. In a survey of 167,000 college 
students, 27 percent of American Indians or Alaska Native students that 
responded were homeless. Housing insecurity and homelessness have a 
particularly strong, statistically significant negative association 
with college completion rates, persistence, and credit attainment.\4\
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    \4\ https://hope4college.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/HOPE_realcollege_National_report_digital.pdf.
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    Through this priority, the Department invites applicants to submit 
proposals to provide high-quality remote learning to students with 
disabilities and students experiencing homelessness.
    Priority:
    Under this priority, an applicant must propose a project that is 
designed to provide high-quality remote learning specifically for one 
or more of the following student subgroups:
    (a) Children or students with disabilities; or
    (b) Homeless students.
    The remote learning environment must be accessible to individuals 
with disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as 
applicable. The remote learning environment must also provide 
appropriate remote learning language assistance services to English 
learners.
    Invitational Priority: For FY 2021 and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this

[[Page 28588]]

invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications.
    This priority is:
    Addressing the Impact of COVID-19 on Students' Mental Health and 
Academic Outcomes.
    Background: Recent data suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has 
created academic challenges and greatly exacerbated mental health 
issues among students. For example, in a recent survey conducted by the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 63 percent of 18- to 24-
year-olds reported symptoms of anxiety or depression.\5\
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    \5\ www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6932a1-H.pdf.
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    In addition, the transition to remote learning has introduced 
academic challenges for all students, particularly students from low-
income backgrounds, students of color, English learners, students with 
disabilities, and students living in rural communities. In particular, 
students with disabilities may not know where or how to access 
information about college services designed to meet the academic and 
health needs of students with disabilities.\6\
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    \6\ Zoe Meleo-Erwin, Ph.D., Betty Kollia, Ph.D., Joe Fera, 
Ph.D., Alyssa Jahren, BA, and Corey Basch, Ph.D., ``Online support 
information for students with disabilities in colleges and 
universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.'' American Journal of 
Public Health, December 2020, 1722-23.
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    Priority:
    Projects proposing to provide integrated student support services 
(also known as wrap-around services) for Native American students to 
address mental health and academic support due to the COVID-19 
pandemic. An applicant should describe in its application how it will 
collaborate to leverage grant funding to support students hit the 
hardest by COVID-19 and implement evidence-based practices to address 
the existing inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. Integrated 
services should meet the whole needs of Native American students and 
include mentoring, tutoring, and peer support groups designed to help 
ensure successful articulation from two-year to four-year academic 
programs and successful graduation with a credential.
    Definitions: The definitions below are from 34 CFR part 77.1 and 
the Remote Learning NFP.
    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. (34 CFR 77.1).
    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. (34 CFR 77.1).
    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.
    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). (34 
CFR 77.1).
    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. (34 CFR 77.1).
    Remote learning means programming where at least part of the 
learning occurs away from the physical building in a manner that 
addresses a learner's education needs. Remote learning may include 
online, hybrid/blended learning, or non-technology-based learning 
(e.g., lab kits, project supplies, paper packets). (Remote Learning 
NFP).
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067q (title III, part F, of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)).
    Note: In 2008, the HEA was amended by the Higher Education 
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA), Public Law 110-315. Please note that 
the regulations in 34 CFR part 607 have not been updated to reflect 
these statutory changes.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in the 
Federal civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 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 607. (e) 
The Remote Learning NFP.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Five-year Individual 
Development Grants and Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants will 
be awarded in FY 2021.
    Note: A cooperative arrangement is an arrangement to carry out 
allowable grant activities between an institution eligible to receive a 
grant under this part and another eligible or ineligible IHE, under 
which the resources of the cooperating institutions are combined and 
shared to better achieve the purposes of this part and avoid costly 
duplication of effort.
    Estimated Available Funds: $4,700,000.
    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.
    Individual Development Grants:
    Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000-$450,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $400,000 per year.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $450,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
    Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants:
    Estimated Range of Awards: $450,000-$550,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $500,000 per year.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $500,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 3.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: This program is authorized by title III, 
part F, of the HEA. At the time of submission of their applications, 
applicants must certify their total undergraduate headcount enrollment 
and that 10 percent of the IHE's enrollment is Native American. An 
assurance form, which is included in the application materials for this 
competition, must be signed by an official for the applicant and 
submitted.

[[Page 28589]]

    To qualify as an eligible institution under the NASNTI Program, an 
institution must--
    (i) Be accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized 
accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to 
be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training 
offered;
    (ii) Be legally authorized by the State in which it is located to 
be a junior or community college or to provide an educational program 
for which it awards a bachelor's degree; and
    (iii) Be designated as an ``eligible institution,'' by 
demonstrating that it: (1) Has an enrollment of needy students as 
described in 34 CFR 607.3; and (2) has low average educational and 
general expenditures per full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate 
student as described in 34 CFR 607.4.
    Note: The notice announcing the FY 2021 process for designation of 
eligible institutions, and inviting applications for waiver of 
eligibility requirements, was published in the Federal Register on 
March 4, 2021 (86 FR 12665). The Department extended the deadline for 
applications in a notice published in the Federal Register on April 13, 
2021 (86 FR 19231). Only institutions that the Department determines 
are eligible, or which are granted a waiver under the process described 
in the March 4, 2021 notice, may apply for a grant in this program.
    An eligible IHE that submits applications for an Individual 
Development Grant and a Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant in 
this competition may be awarded both in the same fiscal year. A grantee 
with an Individual Development Grant or a Cooperative Arrangement 
Development Grant may be a partner in one or more Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grants. The lead institution in a Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grant must be an eligible institution. Partners 
are not required to be eligible institutions. Tribally Controlled 
Colleges and Universities, as authorized by title III of the Higher 
Education Act of 1965, as amended, may participate in a Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grant as a partner.
    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. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This competition involves supplement-
not-supplant funding requirements. Grant funds must be used so that 
they supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the funds that 
would otherwise be available for the activities to be carried out under 
the grant and in no case supplant those funds (34 CFR 607.30(b)).
    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.

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 
607.10(c). We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 55 pages for Individual 
Development Grants and no more than 75 pages for Cooperative 
Arrangement Development Grants 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 and the 
bibliography. However, the recommended page limit does apply to all of 
the application narrative.
    Note: The Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs Form (ED 
524) Sections A-C are not the same as the narrative response to the 
Budget section of the selection criteria.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria for this 
competition are from 34 CFR 75.210. Applicants should address each of 
the following selection criteria separately for each proposed activity. 
The selection criteria are worth a total of 100 points; the maximum 
score for each criterion is noted in parentheses.
    (a) Need for project. (Maximum 15 points) The Secretary considers 
the need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or 
the activities to be carried out by the proposed project. (5 points)
    (2) The extent to which the proposed project will focus on serving 
or otherwise addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals. (5 
points)
    (3) The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the

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nature and magnitude of those gaps or weaknesses. (5 points)
    (b) Quality of the project design. (Maximum 25 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project. 
In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (2) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs. (5 points)
    (3) The extent to which the proposed project demonstrates a 
rationale (as defined in this notice). (10 points)
    (c) Quality of project services. (Maximum 10 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed 
project.
    (1) In determining the quality of the services to be provided by 
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the quality and 
sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for 
eligible project participants who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (4 points)
    (2) In addition, the Secretary considers:
    (i) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed 
project are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or 
beneficiaries of those services. (4 points)
    (ii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and 
effective practice. (2 points)
    (d) Quality of project personnel. (Maximum 20 points) The Secretary 
considers the quality of the personnel who will carry out the proposed 
project.
    (1) In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. (9 points)
    (2) In addition, the Secretary considers:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of the project director or principal investigator. (3 points)
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of key project personnel. (8 points)
    (e) Adequacy of resources. (Maximum 5 points) The Secretary 
considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project. In 
determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the 
proposed project. (3 points)
    (2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project. 
(2 points)
    (f) Quality of the management plan. (Maximum 15 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the proposed 
project. In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers:
    (1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks. (8 points)
    (2) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous 
improvement in the operation of the proposed project. (2 points)
    (3) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project. (5 points)
    (g) Quality of the project evaluation. (Maximum 10 points) The 
Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be conducted of 
the proposed project. In determining the quality of the evaluation, the 
Secretary considers:
    (1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (5 points)
    (2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
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).
    A panel of three non-Federal reviewers will review and score each 
application in accordance with the selection criteria. A rank order 
funding slate will be made from this review. Awards will be made in 
rank order according to the average score received from the peer review 
and from the competitive preference priority, if addressed by the 
applicant.
    In tie-breaking situations for development grants, under 34 CFR 
607.23(b) we award one additional point to an application from an IHE 
that has an endowment fund of which the current market value, per FTE 
enrolled student, is less than the average current market value of the 
endowment funds, per FTE enrolled student, at comparable type 
institutions that offer similar instruction. We award one additional 
point to an application from an IHE that has expenditures for library 
materials per FTE enrolled student that are less than the average 
expenditure for library materials per FTE enrolled student at similar 
type institutions. We also add one additional point to an application 
from an IHE that proposes to carry out one or more of the following 
activities:
    (1) Faculty development.
    (2) Funds and administrative management.
    (3) Development and improvement of academic programs.
    (4) Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management 
and academic programs.
    (5) Joint use of facilities.
    (6) Student services.
    For the purpose of these funding considerations, we use 2018-2019 
data.
    If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above, 
priority will be given to applicants that have the lowest endowment 
values per FTE enrolled student.
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this program the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 
3474.10, 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

[[Page 28591]]

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 200.206(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) 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
    (d) 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 and 34 CFR 75.110, the following performance 
measures will be used in assessing the effectiveness of NASNTI:
    (a) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at four-year NASNTIs who were in their first 
year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled 
in the current year at the same NASNTI;
    (b) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students at two-year NASNTIs who were in their first year 
of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in 
the current year at the same NASNTI;
    (c) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at four-year NASNTIs who graduate 
within six years of enrollment; and
    (d) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking 
undergraduate students enrolled at two-year NASNTIs who graduate within 
three years of enrollment.
    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, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving 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 
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

[[Page 28592]]

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.

Michelle Asha Cooper,
Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021-11200 Filed 5-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P