Applications for New Awards; Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program, 71466-71470 [2021-27230]

Download as PDF 71466 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 239 / Thursday, December 16, 2021 / Notices What are the terms of office for the committee members? The term of office of each member is six years. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term. khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Who are the current members of the committee? The current members of the NACIQI are: Members Appointed by the Secretary of Education with Terms Expiring September 30, 2025: • Ronnie L. Booth, Ph.D., Former President, Tri-County Technical College, Anderson, South Carolina. • Wallace E. Boston, Ph.D., President Emeritus, American Public University System, Inc. Charles Town, West Virginia. • David A. Eubanks, Ph.D., Assistant Vice President for Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina. • Molly Hall-Martin, Student Member, University of Iowa, College of Education, Higher Education & Student Affairs, Coralville, Iowa. • D. Michael Lindsay, Ph.D., President, Taylor University, Upland, Indiana. • Mary Ellen Petrisko, Ph.D., Former President, WASC Senior College and University Commission, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Members Appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives with Terms Expiring September 30, 2026: • Kathleen Sullivan Alioto, Ed.D., Strategic Advisor, Fundraiser, and Consultant, New York, New York, San Francisco, California, and Boston, Massachusetts. • Roslyn Clark Artis, Ed.D., President, Benedict College, Columbia, South Carolina. • Jennifer Blum, J.D., Principal, Blum Higher Education Advising, PLLC, Washington, DC. • Arthur E. Keiser, Ph.D., Chancellor, Keiser University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. • Robert Mayes, Jr., CEO, Columbia Southern Education Group, Elberta, Alabama. • Robert Shireman, Director of Higher Education Excellence and Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, Berkeley, California. Members Appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate with Terms Expiring September 30, 2022: • Jill Derby, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, Association of Governing Boards of VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Dec 15, 2021 Jkt 256001 Universities and Colleges, Gardnerville, Nevada. • Paul J. LeBlanc, Ph.D., President, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire. • Claude O. Pressnell Jr., Ed.D., President, Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association, Nashville, Tennessee. • Steven Van Ausdle, Ph.D., President Emeritus, Walla Walla Community College, Walla Walla, Washington. Electronic Access to this Document: The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System at www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site. You may also access documents of the Department published in the Federal Register by using the article search feature at: www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published by the Department. Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1011c. Miguel A. Cardona, Secretary of Education. Pre-Application Webinar information: The Department held a pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants on November 10, 2021. The link for the webinar is located on the International and Foreign Language Education website at https:// www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/ applicant.html. Additionally, for new potential grantees unfamiliar with grantmaking at the Department, please consult our funding basics resources at https:// www2.ed.gov/documents/funding-101/ funding-101-basics.pdf. 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: Timothy Duvall, U.S. Department of Education, International and Foreign Language Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 2B225, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453–7521. Email: NRC-FLAS@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: [FR Doc. 2021–27271 Filed 12–15–21; 8:45 am] Full Text of Announcement BILLING CODE 4000–01–P I. Funding Opportunity Description DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Applications for New Awards; Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships Program Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2022 for the Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS) Program, Assistance Listing Number 84.015B. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1840–0807. DATES: Applications Available: December 16, 2021. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 14, 2022. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 15, 2022. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00050 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Purpose of Program: The FLAS Program allocates academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and consortia of such institutions to assist meritorious undergraduate and graduate students receiving modern foreign language training in combination with area studies, international studies, or the international aspects of professional studies. FLAS fellowships may also assist graduate students engaged in predissertation-level study, preparation for dissertation research, dissertation research abroad, or dissertation writing. Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference priorities. Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the notice of final priorities for the FLAS Program published in the Federal Register on May 30, 2014 (79 FR 31031) (NFP), and Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from 34 CFR 657.22(a), which provides that the Secretary may designate specific languages as a priority for the allocation of fellowships. E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM 16DEN1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 239 / Thursday, December 16, 2021 / Notices Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022, these priorities are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(C)(2)(i), we award an additional five points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1, and an additional five points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. An applicant may receive a total of up to 10 additional points under the competitive preference priorities. These priorities are: Competitive Preference Priority 1— FLAS Fellowships for Students Who Demonstrate Financial Need. (0 or 5 points) Applications that propose to give preference when awarding fellowships to undergraduate students, graduate students, or both, to students who demonstrate financial need as indicated by the students’ expected family contribution, as determined under part F of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). This need determination will be based on the students’ financial circumstances and not on other aid. The applicant must describe how it will ensure that all fellows who receive such preference show potential for high academic achievement based on such indices as grade point average, class ranking, or similar measures that the institution may determine. Competitive Preference Priority 2— Academic Year FLAS Fellowships Awarded in the Less Commonly Taught Languages. (0 or 5 points) Applications that propose to award at least 25 percent of academic year FLAS fellowships in modern foreign languages other than French, German, and Spanish. Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1122. Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal civil rights laws. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 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 parts 655 and 657. (e) The NFP. VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Dec 15, 2021 Jkt 256001 Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1121(c)), the Secretary consulted with a wide range of Federal agencies and received recommendations regarding national need for expertise in foreign language and world regions. These agencies’ recommendations may be viewed on this web page: https:// www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/ iegps/languageneeds.html. II. Award Information Type of Award: Discretionary grants. Estimated Available Funds: $31,236,116. Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FYs 2023, 2024, and 2025 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition. Estimated Range of Awards: $154,500–$351,000 per year. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $202,500 per year. Estimated Number of Awards: 100. FLAS Fellowship Subsistence Allowances: The subsistence allowance for a graduate student academic year fellowship is $20,000; the subsistence allowance for an undergraduate student academic year fellowship is $5,000. The subsistence allowance for a summer fellowship is $2,500 for graduate and undergraduate students. FLAS Fellowship Institutional Payments: The institutional payment for a graduate student academic year fellowship is $18,000; the institutional payment for an undergraduate student academic year fellowship is $10,000. The institutional payment for a summer fellowship is $5,000 for graduate and undergraduate students. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. The estimated range and average size of awards are based on a single 12-month budget period. Project Period: Up to 48 months. III. Eligibility Information 1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs (as defined in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or consortia of IHEs. 2. Eligible Participants: A student is eligible to receive a fellowship if the student— (a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States; or (2) Is a permanent resident of the United States; (b) Is accepted for enrollment or is enrolled— (1) In an institution receiving an allocation of fellowships; and (2) In a program that combines modern foreign language training with (i) area or international studies; or (ii) PO 00000 Frm 00051 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 71467 research and training in the international aspects of professional and other fields of study; (c) Shows potential for high academic achievement based on such indices as grade point average, class ranking, or similar measures that the institution may determine; (d) Is enrolled in a program of modern foreign language training in a language for which the institution has developed or is developing performance-based instruction; (e) In the case of an undergraduate student, is in the intermediate or advanced study of a less commonly taught language; and (f) In the case of a graduate student, is engaged in— (1) Predissertation-level study; (2) Preparation for dissertation research; (3) Dissertation research abroad; or (4) Dissertation writing. 3.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching. b. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not allow administrative expenses. 4. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under the FLAS Program may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application. 5. Other: (a) Reasonable and Necessary Costs: Applicants must ensure that all costs included in the proposed budget are necessary and reasonable to meet the goals and objectives of the proposed project. Any costs determined by the Secretary to be unreasonable or unnecessary will be removed from the final approved budget. (b) Audits: (i) A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more during the non-Federal entity’s fiscal year in Federal awards must have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR part 200. (2 CFR 200.501(a)) (ii) A non-Federal entity that expends less than $750,000 during the nonFederal entity’s fiscal year in Federal awards is exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.503 (Relation to Other Audit Requirements), but records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). (2 CFR 200.501(d)) IV. Application and Submission Information 1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM 16DEN1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 71468 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 239 / Thursday, December 16, 2021 / Notices 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 656.30(b) and 657.33. We reference additional regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice. 4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) is where you, the applicant, address the priorities, selection criteria, and application requirements that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the application narrative to no more than 50 pages for single institution applications, and to no more than 60 pages for consortia applications 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, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-point font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs. • Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. The recommended page limit applies to the entirety of the application narrative. The recommended page limit does not apply to the Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental SF 424 form; Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524); the detailed line item budget; the assurances and certifications, and the response to section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act; the project abstract, the table of contents, the list of acronyms, the response to the diverse perspectives/ areas of need requirements, the FLAS VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Dec 15, 2021 Jkt 256001 project profile form, the FLAS-eligible languages form, or the appendices (curriculum vitae, course list, letters of support). 5. Award Basis: In determining whether to approve a grant award and the amount of such award, the Department will consider, among other things, the applicant’s performance and use of funds under a previous or existing award under any Department program (34 CFR 75.217(d)(3)(ii) and 75.233). In assessing the applicant’s performance and use of funds under a previous or existing award, the Secretary will consider, among other things, the outcomes the applicant has achieved and the results of any Departmental grant monitoring, including the applicant’s progress in remedying any deficiencies identified in such monitoring. V. Application Review Information 1. General: For the FY 2022 FLAS competition, all applications will be assigned to peer review panels based on world region—such as Africa, South Asia, the Middle East—or international in focus as specified in the FLAS application. Readers who serve on the peer review panels are selected based on their expertise in the specialized area studies, international studies, and modern foreign language(s) necessary to effectively review, score, and rank the applications assigned to them. For the FLAS competition, the Department will select applications for funding consideration based on the ranking of each application within its distinct regional panel. 2. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 657.21. The maximum score under the selection criteria, taken together with the maximum number of points awarded to applicants that address the competitive preference priorities, is 110 points. (a) Commitment to the subject area on which the applicant focuses (up to 5 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine— (1) The extent to which the institution provides financial and other support to the operation of the applicant, teaching staff for the applicant’s subject area, library resources, and linkages with institutions abroad; and (2) The extent to which the institution provides financial support to students in fields related to the applicant’s teaching program. (b) Quality of the applicant’s language instructional program (up to 14 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine— PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 (1) The extent to which the applicant provides instruction in the languages of the applicant’s subject area and the extent to which students enroll in the study of the languages of the subject area through programs or instruction offered by the applicant or other providers; (2) The extent to which the applicant provides three or more levels of language training and the extent to which courses in disciplines other than language, linguistics, and literature are offered in appropriate foreign languages; (3) Whether sufficient numbers of language faculty are available to teach the languages and the levels of instruction described in the application and the extent to which language teaching staff (including faculty and instructional assistants) have been exposed to current language pedagogy training appropriate for performancebased teaching; and (4) The quality of the language program as measured by the performance-based instruction being used or developed, the adequacy of resources for language teaching and practice, and language proficiency requirements. (c) Quality of the applicant’s nonlanguage instructional program (up to 14 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information to determine— (1) The quality and extent of the applicant’s course offerings in a variety of disciplines, including the extent to which courses in the applicant’s subject matter are available in the institution’s professional schools; (2) The extent to which the applicant offers depth of specialized course coverage in one or more disciplines on the applicant’s subject area; (3) The extent to which the institution employs a sufficient number of teaching faculty to enable the applicant to carry out its purposes and the extent to which instructional assistants are provided with pedagogy training; and (4) The extent to which interdisciplinary courses are offered for students. (d) Quality of curriculum design (up to 13 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine— (1) The extent to which the applicant’s curriculum provides training options for students from a variety of disciplines and professional fields and the extent to which these programs and their requirements (including language requirements) are appropriate for an applicant in this subject area and result in graduate training programs of high quality; E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM 16DEN1 khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 239 / Thursday, December 16, 2021 / Notices (2) The extent to which the applicant provides academic and career advising services for students; and (3) The extent to which the applicant has established formal arrangements for students to conduct research or study abroad and the extent to which these arrangements are used; and the extent to which the institution facilitates student access to other institutions’ study abroad and summer language programs. (e) Quality of staff resources (up to 13 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine— (1) The extent to which teaching faculty and other staff are qualified for the current and proposed activities and training programs, are provided professional development opportunities (including overseas experience), and participate in teaching, supervising, and advising students; (2) The adequacy of applicant staffing and oversight arrangements and the extent to which faculty from a variety of departments, professional schools, and the library are involved; and (3) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its non-discriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly. (f) Strength of library (up to 6 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine— (1) The strength of the institution’s library holdings (both print and nonprint, English and foreign language) for students; and the extent to which the institution provides financial support for the acquisition of library materials and for library staff in the subject area of the applicant; and (2) The extent to which research materials at other institutions are available to students through cooperative arrangements with other libraries or on-line databases. (g) Impact and evaluation (up to 25 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine— (1) The extent to which the applicant’s activities and training programs have contributed to an improved supply of specialists on the program’s subject area as shown through indices such as undergraduate and graduate enrollments and placement data; and the extent to which the applicant supplies a clear description of how the applicant will provide equal access and treatment of eligible project participants who are members of groups that have been traditionally VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Dec 15, 2021 Jkt 256001 underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly; (2) The applicant’s record of placing students into post-graduate employment, education, or training in areas of national need and the applicant’s stated efforts to increase the number of such students that go into such placements; (3) The degree to which fellowships awarded by the applicant address national needs; and (4) The extent to which the applicant provides an evaluation plan that is comprehensive and objective and that will produce quantifiable, outcomemeasure-oriented data; and the extent to which recent evaluations have been used to improve the applicant’s program. (h) Foreign language and area studies fellowships awardee selection procedures (up to 10 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine whether the selection plan is of high quality, showing how awards will be advertised, how students apply, what selection criteria are used, who selects the fellows, when each step will take place, and how the process will result in awards being made to correspond to any announced priorities. 3. 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). 4. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00053 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 71469 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. 5. 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 (SAM). You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS. Please note that if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000. 6. 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 E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM 16DEN1 71470 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 239 / Thursday, December 16, 2021 / Notices khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES 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 also notify you informally. 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 VerDate Sep<11>2014 16:54 Dec 15, 2021 Jkt 256001 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. Performance reports for the FLAS Program must be submitted electronically into the Office of International and Foreign Language Education web-based reporting system, International Resource Information System (IRIS). For information about IRIS and to view the reporting instructions, please go to: https:// iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/FLAS_director.pdf. (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. If a grantee is provided additional funding for this purpose, the Secretary establishes a data collection period. 5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, the following measures will be used by the Department to evaluate the success of the FLAS program: (a) Percentage of FLAS-graduated fellows who secured employment that utilizes their foreign language and area studies skills within eight years after graduation, based on the FLAS tracking survey. (b) Percentage of FLAS master’s and doctoral graduates who studied priority languages as defined by the Secretary of Education. (c) Percentage of FLAS fellows who increased their foreign language reading, writing, and/or listening/speaking scores by at least one proficiency level. (d) Efficiency: Cost per FLAS fellowship program fellow who increased his/her reading, writing, and/ or listening/speaking language score by at least one proficiency level. The information provided by grantees in their performance reports submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at: https:// iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/FLAS_director.pdf. 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 PO 00000 Frm 00054 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 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 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, 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. Annmarie Weisman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office of Postsecondary Education. [FR Doc. 2021–27230 Filed 12–15–21; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000–01–P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Eligibility Designations and Applications for Waiving Eligibility Requirements; Programs Under Parts A and F of Title III and Programs Under Title V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA) Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education (Department). AGENCY: E:\FR\FM\16DEN1.SGM 16DEN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 239 (Thursday, December 16, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71466-71470]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27230]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Foreign Language and Area Studies 
Fellowships 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 fiscal year (FY) 2022 for the Foreign 
Language and Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS) Program, Assistance 
Listing Number 84.015B. This notice relates to the approved information 
collection under OMB control number 1840-0807.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: December 16, 2021.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 14, 2022.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 15, 2022.
    Pre-Application Webinar information: The Department held a pre-
application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants on November 
10, 2021. The link for the webinar is located on the International and 
Foreign Language Education website at https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsnrc/applicant.html.
    Additionally, for new potential grantees unfamiliar with 
grantmaking at the Department, please consult our funding basics 
resources at https://www2.ed.gov/documents/funding-101/funding-101-basics.pdf.

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: Timothy Duvall, U.S. Department of 
Education, International and Foreign Language Education, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW, Room 2B225, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7521. 
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 FLAS Program allocates academic year and 
summer fellowships to institutions of higher education (IHEs) and 
consortia of such institutions to assist meritorious undergraduate and 
graduate students receiving modern foreign language training in 
combination with area studies, international studies, or the 
international aspects of professional studies. FLAS fellowships may 
also assist graduate students engaged in predissertation-level study, 
preparation for dissertation research, dissertation research abroad, or 
dissertation writing.
    Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference 
priorities. Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the notice of 
final priorities for the FLAS Program published in the Federal Register 
on May 30, 2014 (79 FR 31031) (NFP), and Competitive Preference 
Priority 2 is from 34 CFR 657.22(a), which provides that the Secretary 
may designate specific languages as a priority for the allocation of 
fellowships.

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    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2022, these priorities 
are competitive preference priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(C)(2)(i), we 
award an additional five points to an application that meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 1, and an additional five points to an 
application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. An applicant 
may receive a total of up to 10 additional points under the competitive 
preference priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--FLAS Fellowships for Students 
Who Demonstrate Financial Need. (0 or 5 points)
    Applications that propose to give preference when awarding 
fellowships to undergraduate students, graduate students, or both, to 
students who demonstrate financial need as indicated by the students' 
expected family contribution, as determined under part F of title IV of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA). This need 
determination will be based on the students' financial circumstances 
and not on other aid. The applicant must describe how it will ensure 
that all fellows who receive such preference show potential for high 
academic achievement based on such indices as grade point average, 
class ranking, or similar measures that the institution may determine.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Academic Year FLAS Fellowships 
Awarded in the Less Commonly Taught Languages. (0 or 5 points)
    Applications that propose to award at least 25 percent of academic 
year FLAS fellowships in modern foreign languages other than French, 
German, and Spanish.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1122.
    Note: Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements contained in Federal 
civil rights laws.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 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 parts 655 and 
657. (e) The NFP.
    Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the 
HEA (20 U.S.C. 1121(c)), the Secretary consulted with a wide range of 
Federal agencies and received recommendations regarding national need 
for expertise in foreign language and world regions. These agencies' 
recommendations may be viewed on this web page: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/languageneeds.html.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $31,236,116.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FYs 2023, 2024, and 2025 
from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $154,500-$351,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $202,500 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 100.
    FLAS Fellowship Subsistence Allowances: The subsistence allowance 
for a graduate student academic year fellowship is $20,000; the 
subsistence allowance for an undergraduate student academic year 
fellowship is $5,000. The subsistence allowance for a summer fellowship 
is $2,500 for graduate and undergraduate students.
    FLAS Fellowship Institutional Payments: The institutional payment 
for a graduate student academic year fellowship is $18,000; the 
institutional payment for an undergraduate student academic year 
fellowship is $10,000. The institutional payment for a summer 
fellowship is $5,000 for graduate and undergraduate students.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. 
The estimated range and average size of awards are based on a single 
12-month budget period.
    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs (as defined in section 101 of the HEA 
(20 U.S.C. 1001)) or consortia of IHEs.
    2. Eligible Participants: A student is eligible to receive a 
fellowship if the student--
    (a)(1) Is a citizen or national of the United States; or (2) Is a 
permanent resident of the United States;
    (b) Is accepted for enrollment or is enrolled--
    (1) In an institution receiving an allocation of fellowships; and
    (2) In a program that combines modern foreign language training 
with (i) area or international studies; or (ii) research and training 
in the international aspects of professional and other fields of study;
    (c) Shows potential for high academic achievement based on such 
indices as grade point average, class ranking, or similar measures that 
the institution may determine;
    (d) Is enrolled in a program of modern foreign language training in 
a language for which the institution has developed or is developing 
performance-based instruction;
    (e) In the case of an undergraduate student, is in the intermediate 
or advanced study of a less commonly taught language; and
    (f) In the case of a graduate student, is engaged in--
    (1) Predissertation-level study;
    (2) Preparation for dissertation research;
    (3) Dissertation research abroad; or
    (4) Dissertation writing.
    3.a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not allow 
administrative expenses.
    4. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c), a grantee under the 
FLAS Program may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out 
project activities described in its application.
    5. Other: (a) Reasonable and Necessary Costs: Applicants must 
ensure that all costs included in the proposed budget are necessary and 
reasonable to meet the goals and objectives of the proposed project. 
Any costs determined by the Secretary to be unreasonable or unnecessary 
will be removed from the final approved budget.
    (b) Audits: (i) A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more 
during the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards must have 
a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in 
accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR part 200. (2 CFR 200.501(a))
    (ii) A non-Federal entity that expends less than $750,000 during 
the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards is exempt from 
Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 
200.503 (Relation to Other Audit Requirements), but records must be 
available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal 
agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office 
(GAO). (2 CFR 200.501(d))

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to

[[Page 71468]]

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 
656.30(b) and 657.33. We reference additional regulations outlining 
funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this 
notice.
    4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of 
the application) is where you, the applicant, address the priorities, 
selection criteria, and application requirements that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 50 pages for single institution 
applications, and to no more than 60 pages for consortia applications 
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, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-
point font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.
    The recommended page limit applies to the entirety of the 
application narrative. The recommended page limit does not apply to the 
Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the 
supplemental SF 424 form; Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs 
(ED 524); the detailed line item budget; the assurances and 
certifications, and the response to section 427 of the General 
Education Provisions Act; the project abstract, the table of contents, 
the list of acronyms, the response to the diverse perspectives/areas of 
need requirements, the FLAS project profile form, the FLAS-eligible 
languages form, or the appendices (curriculum vitae, course list, 
letters of support).
    5. Award Basis: In determining whether to approve a grant award and 
the amount of such award, the Department will consider, among other 
things, the applicant's performance and use of funds under a previous 
or existing award under any Department program (34 CFR 75.217(d)(3)(ii) 
and 75.233). In assessing the applicant's performance and use of funds 
under a previous or existing award, the Secretary will consider, among 
other things, the outcomes the applicant has achieved and the results 
of any Departmental grant monitoring, including the applicant's 
progress in remedying any deficiencies identified in such monitoring.

V. Application Review Information

    1. General: For the FY 2022 FLAS competition, all applications will 
be assigned to peer review panels based on world region--such as 
Africa, South Asia, the Middle East--or international in focus as 
specified in the FLAS application. Readers who serve on the peer review 
panels are selected based on their expertise in the specialized area 
studies, international studies, and modern foreign language(s) 
necessary to effectively review, score, and rank the applications 
assigned to them. For the FLAS competition, the Department will select 
applications for funding consideration based on the ranking of each 
application within its distinct regional panel.
    2. Selection Criteria: The following selection criteria for this 
program are from 34 CFR 657.21. The maximum score under the selection 
criteria, taken together with the maximum number of points awarded to 
applicants that address the competitive preference priorities, is 110 
points.
    (a) Commitment to the subject area on which the applicant focuses 
(up to 5 points). The Secretary reviews each application for 
information to determine--
    (1) The extent to which the institution provides financial and 
other support to the operation of the applicant, teaching staff for the 
applicant's subject area, library resources, and linkages with 
institutions abroad; and
    (2) The extent to which the institution provides financial support 
to students in fields related to the applicant's teaching program.
    (b) Quality of the applicant's language instructional program (up 
to 14 points). The Secretary reviews each application for information 
to determine--
    (1) The extent to which the applicant provides instruction in the 
languages of the applicant's subject area and the extent to which 
students enroll in the study of the languages of the subject area 
through programs or instruction offered by the applicant or other 
providers;
    (2) The extent to which the applicant provides three or more levels 
of language training and the extent to which courses in disciplines 
other than language, linguistics, and literature are offered in 
appropriate foreign languages;
    (3) Whether sufficient numbers of language faculty are available to 
teach the languages and the levels of instruction described in the 
application and the extent to which language teaching staff (including 
faculty and instructional assistants) have been exposed to current 
language pedagogy training appropriate for performance-based teaching; 
and
    (4) The quality of the language program as measured by the 
performance-based instruction being used or developed, the adequacy of 
resources for language teaching and practice, and language proficiency 
requirements.
    (c) Quality of the applicant's non-language instructional program 
(up to 14 points). The Secretary reviews each application for 
information to determine--
    (1) The quality and extent of the applicant's course offerings in a 
variety of disciplines, including the extent to which courses in the 
applicant's subject matter are available in the institution's 
professional schools;
    (2) The extent to which the applicant offers depth of specialized 
course coverage in one or more disciplines on the applicant's subject 
area;
    (3) The extent to which the institution employs a sufficient number 
of teaching faculty to enable the applicant to carry out its purposes 
and the extent to which instructional assistants are provided with 
pedagogy training; and
    (4) The extent to which interdisciplinary courses are offered for 
students.
    (d) Quality of curriculum design (up to 13 points). The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine--
    (1) The extent to which the applicant's curriculum provides 
training options for students from a variety of disciplines and 
professional fields and the extent to which these programs and their 
requirements (including language requirements) are appropriate for an 
applicant in this subject area and result in graduate training programs 
of high quality;

[[Page 71469]]

    (2) The extent to which the applicant provides academic and career 
advising services for students; and
    (3) The extent to which the applicant has established formal 
arrangements for students to conduct research or study abroad and the 
extent to which these arrangements are used; and the extent to which 
the institution facilitates student access to other institutions' study 
abroad and summer language programs.
    (e) Quality of staff resources (up to 13 points). The Secretary 
reviews each application to determine--
    (1) The extent to which teaching faculty and other staff are 
qualified for the current and proposed activities and training 
programs, are provided professional development opportunities 
(including overseas experience), and participate in teaching, 
supervising, and advising students;
    (2) The adequacy of applicant staffing and oversight arrangements 
and the extent to which faculty from a variety of departments, 
professional schools, and the library are involved; and
    (3) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its non-
discriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have been 
traditionally underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic 
minority groups, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly.
    (f) Strength of library (up to 6 points). The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine--
    (1) The strength of the institution's library holdings (both print 
and non-print, English and foreign language) for students; and the 
extent to which the institution provides financial support for the 
acquisition of library materials and for library staff in the subject 
area of the applicant; and
    (2) The extent to which research materials at other institutions 
are available to students through cooperative arrangements with other 
libraries or on-line databases.
    (g) Impact and evaluation (up to 25 points). The Secretary reviews 
each application to determine--
    (1) The extent to which the applicant's activities and training 
programs have contributed to an improved supply of specialists on the 
program's subject area as shown through indices such as undergraduate 
and graduate enrollments and placement data; and the extent to which 
the applicant supplies a clear description of how the applicant will 
provide equal access and treatment of eligible project participants who 
are members of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, 
such as members of racial or ethnic minority groups, women, persons 
with disabilities, and the elderly;
    (2) The applicant's record of placing students into post-graduate 
employment, education, or training in areas of national need and the 
applicant's stated efforts to increase the number of such students that 
go into such placements;
    (3) The degree to which fellowships awarded by the applicant 
address national needs; and
    (4) The extent to which the applicant provides an evaluation plan 
that is comprehensive and objective and that will produce quantifiable, 
outcome-measure-oriented data; and the extent to which recent 
evaluations have been used to improve the applicant's program.
    (h) Foreign language and area studies fellowships awardee selection 
procedures (up to 10 points). The Secretary reviews each application to 
determine whether the selection plan is of high quality, showing how 
awards will be advertised, how students apply, what selection criteria 
are used, who selects the fellows, when each step will take place, and 
how the process will result in awards being made to correspond to any 
announced priorities.
    3. 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).
    4. 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 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    5. 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 (SAM). 
You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a 
Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    6. 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

[[Page 71470]]

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 also notify you 
informally.
    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.
    Performance reports for the FLAS Program must be submitted 
electronically into the Office of International and Foreign Language 
Education web-based reporting system, International Resource 
Information System (IRIS). For information about IRIS and to view the 
reporting instructions, please go to: https://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/FLAS_director.pdf.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. If 
a grantee is provided additional funding for this purpose, the 
Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the following measures will be used by the 
Department to evaluate the success of the FLAS program:
    (a) Percentage of FLAS-graduated fellows who secured employment 
that utilizes their foreign language and area studies skills within 
eight years after graduation, based on the FLAS tracking survey.
    (b) Percentage of FLAS master's and doctoral graduates who studied 
priority languages as defined by the Secretary of Education.
    (c) Percentage of FLAS fellows who increased their foreign language 
reading, writing, and/or listening/speaking scores by at least one 
proficiency level.
    (d) Efficiency: Cost per FLAS fellowship program fellow who 
increased his/her reading, writing, and/or listening/speaking language 
score by at least one proficiency level.
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via IRIS will be the source of data for these measures. 
Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at: https://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/FLAS_director.pdf.
    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 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, 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.

Annmarie Weisman,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning and Innovation, Office 
of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2021-27230 Filed 12-15-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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