Applications for New Awards; Special Education Parent Information Centers-Technical Assistance for Parent Centers, 2078-2088 [2023-00535]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 8 (Thursday, January 12, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2078-2088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-00535]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Special Education Parent Information 
Centers--Technical Assistance for Parent Centers

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

ACTION: Notice. January 12, 2023.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2023 for 
Technical Assistance for Parent Centers, Assistance Listing Number 
84.328R. This notice relates to the approved information collection 
under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES: Applications Available: January 12, 2023.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 28, 2023.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 30, 2023.
    Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than January 17, 
2023, OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to 
provide technical assistance to interested applicants. The webinars may 
be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.

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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs. Please note that these Common Instructions supersede 
the version published on December 27, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5144, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: (202) 245-6595. Email: 
[email protected].
    If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability and 
wish to access telecommunications relay services, please dial 7-1-1.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Special Education Parent 
Information Centers program is to ensure that parents of children with 
disabilities receive high-quality, relevant, and useful training and 
information to help improve outcomes for their children.
    Priority: This competition includes one absolute priority and two 
focus areas. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in sections 670-673 and 681(d) 
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 U.S.C. 
1470-1473 and 1481(d). Within focus area 1 of the absolute priority, we 
include one competitive preference priority, and within focus area 2 of 
the absolute priority, we include two competitive preference 
priorities.
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2023 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Technical Assistance for Parent Centers.
    Background:
    The mission of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services (OSERS) is to improve early childhood, educational, and 
employment outcomes and raise expectations for all people with 
disabilities, their families, their communities, and the Nation. 
Section 673 of IDEA authorizes technical assistance (TA) for 
developing, assisting, and coordinating parent training and information 
programs carried out by parent training and information centers (PTIs) 
that receive assistance under section 671 of IDEA and by community 
parent resource centers (CPRCs) that receive assistance under section 
672 of IDEA (collectively, ``parent centers''). The purpose of this 
priority is to fund five cooperative agreements to establish and 
operate five parent technical assistance centers (PTACs) across two 
focus areas to provide TA to parent centers. A center for parent 
information and resources (CPIR) will focus on developing products for 
all parent centers (Focus Area 1). Four regional parent training and 
technical assistance centers (regional PTACs) will focus on

[[Page 2079]]

providing capacity-building TA to the parent centers in their regions 
(Focus Area 2).
    The work of the proposed centers is consistent with the following 
Secretary's Supplemental Priorities, which were published in the 
Federal Register on December 10, 2021 (86 FR 70612): Priority 2--
Promoting Equity in Student Access to Educational Resources and 
Opportunities; Priority 4--Meeting Student Social, Emotional, and 
Academic Needs; Priority 5--Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, 
Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success; and Priority 
6--Strengthening Cross-Agency Coordination and Community Engagement to 
Advance Systemic Change.
    The 90 parent center grants (www.parentcenterhub.org/find-your-center/) currently funded by the Department promote the effective 
education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities 
by ``strengthening the role and responsibility of parents and ensuring 
that families of such children have meaningful opportunities to 
participate in the education of their children at school and at home'' 
(section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA). For the past 40 years, parent centers, 
consistent with section 671(b) of IDEA, have helped parents navigate 
systems providing early intervention, special education and related 
services, general education, and postsecondary options; understand the 
nature of their children's disabilities; learn about their rights and 
responsibilities under IDEA; expand their knowledge of evidence-based 
\1\ practices (EBPs) to help their children succeed; strengthen their 
collaboration with educators and other professionals; locate resources 
for themselves and their children; and advocate for improved child 
outcomes and student achievement, increased graduation rates, and 
improved postsecondary outcomes for all children through participation 
in program and school reform activities. In addition, parent centers 
have helped youth with disabilities understand their rights and 
responsibilities and learn self-advocacy skills.
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    \1\ Evidence-based, as defined in 34 CFR 77.1, means the 
proposed project component is supported by one or more of strong 
evidence, moderate evidence, promising evidence, or evidence that 
demonstrates a rationale.
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    Consistent with the statute, PTACs provide support to parent 
centers to carry out these statutorily required activities and thereby 
help parents participate in the education of their children to improve 
their children's outcomes. In addition, section 673(b) of IDEA lists 
potential areas in which parent centers may also need TA from PTACs, 
such as: (1) coordinating parent training efforts; (2) disseminating 
evidence-based research and information; (3) promoting the use of 
technology, including assistive technology devices and services; (4) 
reaching underserved \2\ parents; (5) including children with 
disabilities in general education programs; (6) facilitating all 
transitions from early intervention through postsecondary environments; 
and (7) promoting alternative methods of dispute resolution, including 
mediation. Parent centers have also identified through needs assessment 
that they have a need for TA to increase their capacity to reach, and 
provide virtual and in-person services to, youth with disabilities and 
parents of infants, toddlers, and preschool children.
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    \2\ Consistent with the Secretary's Supplemental Priorities, 
underserved parents include: parents living in poverty; parents of 
color; parents who are members of a federally or state recognized 
Indian Tribe; parents who are English learners; parents with a 
disability; disconnected parents; technologically unconnected 
parents; migrant parents; parents experiencing homelessness or 
housing insecurity; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or 
questioning, or intersex (LGBTQI+) parents; foster parents; parents 
without documentation of immigration status; parents impacted by the 
justice system, including formerly incarcerated parents and parents 
of children in the juvenile justice system; parents in need of 
improving their basic skills or with limited literacy; and military- 
or veteran-connected parents.
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    PTACs provide needed support to parent centers on other topics as 
well, including current information on laws and policies; translating 
EBPs to improve outcomes for children with disabilities and their 
families; how to help parents learn about and access high-quality 
education options that allow their children to meet challenging 
objectives appropriate in light of the child's circumstances; and ways 
to effectively engage in education reform activities, including 
Federal, State, and local initiatives. Ongoing TA, responsive to the 
individual needs of parent centers, can increase parent center staff's 
knowledge and expertise on these topics. In addition, since many parent 
centers are grassroots organizations with small budgets, they often 
benefit from TA on managing a Federal grant, maximizing efficient use 
of their resources, meeting complex statutory and regulatory 
requirements for nonprofits, and providing professional development to 
staff. External evaluation reports, as part of the PTACs' annual 
performance reports (APRs), indicate that the TA they provided has 
substantially increased parent centers' capacity to respond effectively 
to parents and youth during disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The following website provides more information on the current 
parent centers, including links to each grantee's website: 
www.parentcenterhub.org.
    Priority:
    The purpose of this priority is to fund five cooperative agreements 
to establish and operate one CPIR (Focus Area 1) and four regional 
PTACs (Focus Area 2). The CPIR will develop and disseminate resources 
for all parent centers to use when working with parents of children 
with disabilities (hereafter ``parents'') and youth with disabilities 
(hereafter ``youth''). The CPIR will also develop and disseminate 
materials that all parent centers can use to train staff to effectively 
reach and serve all parents and youth. The four regional PTACs will 
provide TA to parent centers within their region to effectively manage 
their centers and reach and serve all parents and youth. The CPIR and 
regional PTACs will coordinate their efforts in order to maximize 
resources and avoid duplication. An applicant may submit applications 
in both focus areas; however, an applicant is limited to only one 
application in each focus area (e.g., apply for only one region under 
Focus Area 2).
    Focus Area 1:
    The CPIR will provide universal, general TA \3\ to the parent 
centers across the Nation and serve as a virtual hub for collaboration 
and training. The CPIR must achieve, at a minimum, the following 
expected outcomes:
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    \3\ ``Universal, general TA'' means TA and information provided 
to independent users through their own initiative, resulting in 
minimal interaction with TA center staff and including one-time, 
invited or offered conference presentations by TA center staff. This 
category of TA also includes information or products, such as 
newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the 
TA center's website by independent users. Brief communications by TA 
center staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also 
considered universal, general TA.
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    (a) Increased parent centers' knowledge, through the development 
and dissemination of high-quality information and products, of--
    (1) Early intervention and educational EBPs and current Federal, 
State, Tribal, and other laws and policies that impact children and 
youth with disabilities and their families;
    (2) Effective and equitable practices in carrying out parent center 
activities including outreach, family-centered services, and self-
advocacy skill building; and

[[Page 2080]]

    (3) Effective nonprofit management practices, to include developing 
a robust infrastructure for remote service provision; hiring strategies 
and succession planning; and board development.
    (b) Increased parent centers' use of high-quality materials and 
approaches to train--
    (1) Staff in effective and equitable practices in carrying out 
parent center activities including outreach, family-centered services, 
and self-advocacy skill building; and
    (2) Multilingual staff--in their native languages to the extent 
practicable--and to ensure the accuracy of the translation of materials 
they provide in languages other than English.
    In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered 
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application 
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Address parent centers' needs both for resources to effectively 
reach and serve all parents and youth, including underserved parents 
and youth, and for materials to train staff to effectively reach and 
serve all parents and youth. To meet this requirement, the applicant 
must--
    (i) Present applicable national data on the needs of parent 
centers; and
    (ii) Demonstrate knowledge of--
    (A) Current educational issues and policy initiatives relating to 
early childhood (ages birth through five), general and special 
education, secondary transition services, and postsecondary options; 
and
    (B) Best practices in--
    (1) Equitable outreach; family-centered services; and self-advocacy 
skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach and 
service provision to underserved parents and youth in urban, suburban, 
and rural communities;
    (2) Staff training, including training for multilingual staff; and
    (3) Nonprofit management, including remote service provision; 
hiring strategies and succession planning; and board development;
    (2) Increase the knowledge of parent centers on how to reach, and 
provide virtual and in-person services to, all parents and youth, to 
train staff using high-quality training materials, and to apply 
management best practices; and
    (3) Indicate the likely magnitude or importance of the improvements 
in parent centers' service provision.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that 
have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the 
applicant must describe how it will--
    (i) Identify the needs of the parent centers for TA and 
information;
    Note: The methods and tools to identify needs will be finalized in 
consultation with the regional PTACs and the Office of Special 
Education Programs (OSEP) project officers in order to assure 
coordination and avoid duplication; and
    (ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the parent 
centers;
    (2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
    (i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and
    (ii) In Appendix A, the logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) by 
which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes that 
depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, and outputs in addition 
to the intended outcomes of the proposed project;
    (3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) 
to develop project plans and activities, describing any underlying 
concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as 
the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any 
empirical support for this framework;
    Note: The following websites provide more information on logic 
models and conceptual frameworks: https://osepideasthatwork.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/ConceptualFramework_Updated.pdf and 
www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.
    (4) Be based on current research and make use of EBPs. To meet this 
requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) The current research on outreach, family-centered services, and 
self-advocacy skill building, including effective and equitable 
outreach and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff 
training, including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit 
management;
    (ii) The current research about adult learning principles and 
implementation science that will inform the proposed TA; and
    (iii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research 
and EBPs in the development and delivery of its products and services;
    (5) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality 
and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes 
of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant 
must describe--
    (i) How it proposes to identify how knowledgeable the parent 
centers are regarding outreach, family-centered services, and self-
advocacy skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach 
and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff training, 
including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit management;
    (ii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA, which must 
identify the intended recipients within the parent centers, including 
the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and 
services under this approach and must, at minimum, include how the 
project will--
    (A) Create, update, and maintain an online, annotated repository of 
high-quality resources produced by the CPIR, OSEP-funded projects, and 
other federally funded projects for parent centers' use with families, 
youth, staff members, and members of the boards of directors, including 
translations of materials as needed;
    (B) Develop, as needed, up-to-date, family-centered resources that 
parent centers can use with parents and youth in a variety of 
languages, formats, and reading levels, including when providing 
virtual services;
    (C) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources 
developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers such as the 
proposed Center on Dispute Resolution to provide all parents, 
particularly underserved parents, with information on their and their 
children's rights and responsibilities under IDEA and other Federal 
laws;
    (D) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources 
developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers to provide 
families with strategies to enhance their children's academic skills, 
self-advocacy, social emotional skills, and behavior and mental health 
at home, to include information about accessing Federal, State, and 
local programs, benefits, and resources that provide support;
    (E) Disseminate and modify, as needed, family-centered resources

[[Page 2081]]

developed by OSEP and other federally funded centers to provide 
families with strategies to enhance their children's preparation to 
transition from school to postsecondary education and training, and the 
workforce, including self-advocacy and skills needed for independent 
living, to include information about accessing Federal, State, and 
local programs, benefits, and resources that provide support;
    (F) Compile and create materials to train staff, including 
multilingual staff, to effectively provide services to underserved 
parents and youth; and
    (G) Compile and create materials on nonprofit management, as 
needed, and develop a process for an annual orientation of new parent 
center directors and other key personnel and members of the boards of 
directors that provides the new personnel with the information and 
resources they need to carry out their responsibilities;
    (6) Develop products and implement services that maximize 
efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the 
intended project outcomes;
    (ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the 
intended outcomes of this collaboration;
    (iii) How the proposed project will use existing knowledge and 
expertise within parent centers to achieve intended project outcomes; 
and
    (iv) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to 
achieve the intended project outcomes;
    (7) Develop a dissemination plan that describes how the applicant 
will systematically distribute information and products to parent 
centers, using a variety of dissemination strategies, to promote 
awareness and use of the CPIR's products and services; and
    (8) Assist parent centers in the collection of annual performance 
data required under section 671(b)(12) of IDEA, in consultation with 
the OSEP project officer.
    (c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the project evaluation,'' include an evaluation plan for the project 
developed in consultation with and implemented by a third-party 
evaluator.\4\ The evaluation plan must--
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    \4\ A ``third-party'' evaluator is an independent and impartial 
program evaluator who is contracted by the grantee to conduct an 
objective evaluation of the project. This evaluator must not have 
participated in the development or implementation of any project 
activities, except for the evaluation activities, nor have any 
financial interest in the outcome of the evaluation.
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    (1) Articulate formative and summative evaluation questions, 
including important process and outcome evaluation questions. These 
questions must be related to the project's proposed logic model 
required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this notice;
    (2) Describe how progress in and fidelity of implementation, as 
well as project outcomes, will be measured to answer the evaluation 
questions. Specify the measures and associated instruments or sources 
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions. Include information 
regarding reliability and validity of measures where appropriate;
    (3) Describe strategies for analyzing data and how data collected 
as part of this plan will be used to inform and improve service 
delivery over the course of the project and to refine the proposed 
logic model and evaluation plan, including subsequent data collection;
    (4) Provide a timeline for conducting the evaluation and include 
staff assignments for completing the plan. The timeline must indicate 
that the data will be available annually for the APR and in Year 2 for 
the review process described under the heading, Fourth and Fifth Years 
of the Project; and
    (5) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the 
costs of developing or refining the evaluation plan in consultation 
with a third-party evaluator, as well as the costs associated with the 
implementation of the evaluation plan by the third-party evaluator.
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage 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, as appropriate;
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the 
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the management plan,'' how--
    (1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's 
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To 
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, 
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
    (ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
    (2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors 
will be allocated and how these allocations are appropriate and 
adequate to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and 
services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to 
recipients; and
    (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including those of families, youth, educators, TA 
providers, researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its 
development and operation.
    (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative;
    (2) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:
    (i) A one and one-half day virtual kick-off meeting after receipt 
of the award, and an annual virtual planning meeting with the OSEP 
project officer and other relevant staff during each subsequent year of 
the project period.
    Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award 
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the 
grantee's project director or other authorized representative;
    (ii) A two and one-half day project directors' conference in 
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period. The project 
must reallocate funds for travel to the project directors' conference 
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period if the 
meeting is conducted virtually;
    (iii) One annual two-day trip to attend Department briefings, 
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by 
OSEP; and
    (iv) A one-day intensive virtual 3+2 review meeting during the last 
half of the second year of the project period;
    (3) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 
5 percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those 
needs are identified in consultation with, and approved by, the OSEP 
project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the 
project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside 
no later

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than the end of the third quarter of each budget period;
    (4) Maintain a high-quality website, with an easy-to-navigate 
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for 
accessibility;
    (5) Ensure that annual project progress toward meeting project 
goals is posted on the project website; and
    (6) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the 
transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the 
continuity of services to parent centers during the transition to this 
new award period and at the end of this award period, as appropriate.
    Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project:
    In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), including--
    (a) The recommendations of a 3+2 review team consisting of experts 
who have experience and knowledge in family-centered services. This 
review will be conducted during a one-day intensive meeting that will 
be held during the last half of the second year of the project period;
    (b) The timeliness with which, and how well, the requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's 
products and services and the extent to which the project's products 
and services are aligned with the project's objectives and likely to 
result in the project achieving its intended outcomes.
    Under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary may reduce continuation awards 
or discontinue awards in any year of the project period for excessive 
carryover balances or a failure to make substantial progress. The 
Department intends to closely monitor unobligated balances and 
substantial progress under this program and may reduce or discontinue 
funding accordingly.
    Focus Area 2:
    The four regional PTACs will provide targeted, specialized TA \5\ 
and intensive, sustained TA \6\ to the parent centers in their 
respective areas. The regional PTACs must achieve, at a minimum, the 
following expected outcomes:
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    \5\ ``Targeted, specialized TA'' means TA services based on 
needs common to multiple recipients and not extensively 
individualized. A relationship is established between the TA 
recipient and one or more TA center staff. This category of TA 
includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such as facilitating 
strategic planning or hosting regional or national conferences. It 
can also include episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend 
over a period of time, such as facilitating a series of conference 
calls on single or multiple topics that are designed around the 
needs of the recipients. Facilitating communities of practice can 
also be considered targeted, specialized TA.
    \6\ ``Intensive, sustained TA'' means TA services often provided 
on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the TA 
center staff and the TA recipient. ``TA services'' are defined as 
negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. 
This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program, 
practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or 
improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.
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    (a) Increased parent center capacity to inform and train parents 
both virtually and in person on--
    (1) Early intervention and educational EBPs;
    (2) Their rights and responsibilities under Federal, State, Tribal, 
and other laws and policies that impact children with disabilities and 
their families; and
    (3) Accessing Federal, State, and local programs, benefits, and 
resources that support children with disabilities, youth with 
disabilities, and their families;
    (b) Increased parent center capacity to reach more parents and 
youth and effectively provide equitable parent center services to help 
more parents improve outcomes for their children and to help youth 
build their self-advocacy skills;
    (c) Increased parent center capacity to provide effective and 
equitable outreach and service provision to all parents and youth; and
    (d) Increased parent center capacity to effectively manage their 
nonprofit organizations and projects and to provide high-quality 
training to staff, including multilingual staff, to reach and serve all 
parents and youth in their region.
    The geographic regions served by the four regional PTACs are 
generally aligned with the States served by the Equity Assistance 
Centers funded under Title IV of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, while also 
balancing the number of centers each regional PTAC will have in its 
region. This alignment will help the regional PTACs meet the 
requirement in section 673(c) of IDEA that the regional PTACs develop 
collaborative agreements with the geographically appropriate centers. 
The four regional PTACs will represent the following geographic 
regions:

    Region A PTAC: CT, DC, DE, ME, MA, MD, NH, NJ, NY, PA, Puerto 
Rico, RI, U.S. Virgin Islands, VT.
    Region B PTAC: AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA.
    Region C PTAC: IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, ND, OH, 
SD, WI, WV, WY.
    Region D PTAC: AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, the 
outlying areas of the Pacific Basin, the Freely Associated States.

    In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered 
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application 
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Address the needs of parent centers in its region for TA to 
increase their capacity to reach, and provide virtual and in-person 
services to, parents and youth in their areas, including underserved 
parents and youth; build youth's self-advocacy skills; train staff; and 
effectively manage their centers. To meet this requirement the 
applicant must--
    (i) Present applicable information on the needs of parent centers 
in the region; and
    (ii) Demonstrate knowledge of--
    (A) Current early intervention and educational issues and policy 
initiatives relating to early childhood, general and special education, 
secondary transition services, and postsecondary options; and
    (B) Best practices in--
    (1) Equitable outreach; family-centered services; and self-advocacy 
skill building, including effective and appropriate outreach and 
service provision to underserved parents and youth in urban, suburban, 
and rural communities;
    (2) Staff training, including training for multilingual staff; and
    (3) Nonprofit management, including remote service provision; 
hiring strategies and succession planning; and board development; and
    (2) Increase the capacity of parent centers to reach, and provide 
virtual and in-person services to, all parents and youth, train staff, 
and manage their projects; and indicate the likely magnitude or 
importance of the improvements.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of project services,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that 
have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the 
applicant must describe how it will--
    (i) Identify the needs of the parent centers in the proposed region 
for TA and information;
    Note: The methods and tools to identify needs will be finalized in 
consultation with the CPIR, other regional PTACs, and the OSEP project

[[Page 2083]]

officers in order to assure coordination and avoid duplication; and
    (ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the 
intended parent centers;
    (2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet 
this requirement, the applicant must provide--
    (i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and
    (ii) In Appendix A, the logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1) by 
which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes that 
depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, and outputs in addition 
to the intended outcomes of the proposed project;
    (3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) 
to develop project plans and activities, describing any underlying 
concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as 
the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any 
empirical support for this framework;
    Note: The following websites provide more information on logic 
models and conceptual frameworks: https://osepideasthatwork.org/sites/default/files/2021-12/ConceptualFramework_Updated.pdf and 
www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.
    (4) Be based on current research and make use of EBPs. To meet this 
requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) The current research on outreach, family-centered services, and 
self-advocacy skill building, including effective and equitable 
outreach and service provision to underserved parents and youth; staff 
training, including training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit 
management;
    (ii) The current research about adult learning principles and 
implementation science that will inform the proposed TA; and
    (iii) How the proposed project will incorporate current research 
and EBPs in the development and delivery of its products and services;
    (5) Develop products and provide services that are of high quality 
and sufficient intensity and duration to achieve the intended outcomes 
of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant 
must describe--
    (i) How it proposes to work with the CPIR to identify the materials 
and products on parental and child rights under Federal laws, outreach, 
family-centered services, and self-advocacy skill building, including 
effective and equitable outreach and virtual and in-person service 
provision to underserved parents and youth; staff training, including 
training for multilingual staff; and nonprofit management;
    (ii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA \7\ to the 
parent centers in the regions and how the project will--
    (A) Conduct at least one in-person, on-site visit to each parent 
center in the region during the course of the five-year project period;
    (B) Increase parent centers' capacity to reach and provide services 
to all parents and youth, including underserved parents and youth;
    (C) Increase parent centers' capacity to train staff, including 
multilingual staff, to provide effective and appropriate outreach and 
services to underserved parents and youth; and
    (D) Increase parent centers' capacity to effectively manage 
nonprofit organizations, including: developing the board of directors 
so that parent centers have the organizational policies, procedures, 
and structure in place to manage their grants effectively; providing 
remote services; developing and implementing hiring strategies; and 
developing succession plans; and
    (iii) Its proposed approach to intensive, sustained TA,\8\ which 
must identify--
    (A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of 
recipients, that will receive the products and services under this 
approach;
    (B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of the parent 
centers to work with the project;
    (C) Its proposed plan for assisting parent centers to build or 
enhance their staff training and professional development based on 
adult learning principles and coaching; and
    (D) Its proposed approach to providing intensive TA to parent 
centers when requested by OSEP project officers;
    (6) Develop products and implement services that maximize 
efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the 
intended project outcomes;
    (ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the 
intended outcomes of this collaboration;
    (iii) How the proposed project will use existing knowledge and 
expertise within parent centers to achieve intended project outcomes;
    (iv) How the proposed project will use the resources housed in and 
developed by the CPIR and build on the CPIR's universal TA; and
    (v) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to 
achieve the intended project outcomes; and
    (7) Develop a dissemination plan that describes how the applicant 
will systematically distribute information, products, and services to 
the parent centers in the region, using a variety of dissemination 
strategies, to promote awareness and use of the regional PTAC's 
products and services.
    (c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the project evaluation,'' include an evaluation plan for the project 
developed in consultation with and implemented by a third-party 
evaluator.\9\ The evaluation plan must--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ A ``third-party'' evaluator is an independent and impartial 
program evaluator who is contracted by the grantee to conduct an 
objective evaluation of the project. This evaluator must not have 
participated in the development or implementation of any project 
activities, except for the evaluation activities, nor have any 
financial interest in the outcome of the evaluation.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (1) Articulate formative and summative evaluation questions, 
including important process and outcome evaluation questions. These 
questions must be related to the project's proposed logic model 
required in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this notice;
    (2) Describe how progress in and fidelity of implementation, as 
well as project outcomes, will be measured to answer the evaluation 
questions. Specify the measures and associated instruments or sources 
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions. Include information 
regarding reliability and validity of measures where appropriate;
    (3) Describe strategies for analyzing data and how data collected 
as part of this plan will be used to inform and improve service 
delivery over the course of the project and to refine the proposed 
logic model and evaluation plan, including subsequent data collection;
    (4) Provide a timeline for conducting the evaluation and include 
staff assignments for completing the plan. The timeline must indicate 
that the data will be available annually for the APR; and
    (5) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the 
costs of developing or refining the evaluation plan in consultation 
with a third-party evaluator, as well as the costs associated with the 
implementation of the evaluation plan by the third-party evaluator.
    Note: The evaluations for all the regional PTACs will be developed 
in consultation with the regional PTACs and OSEP project officers for 
the regional PTACs.

[[Page 2084]]

    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage 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, as appropriate;
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the 
proposed activities and achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the management plan,'' how--
    (1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's 
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To 
address this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, 
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
    (ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;
    (2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors 
will be allocated and how these allocations are appropriate and 
adequate to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and 
services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to 
recipients; and
    (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives, including those of families, educators, TA providers, 
researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and 
operation.
    (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative;
    (2) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:
    (i) A one- and one-half day virtual kick-off meeting after receipt 
of the award, and an annual virtual planning meeting with the OSEP 
project officer and other relevant staff during each subsequent year of 
the project period.
    Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award 
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the 
grantee's project director or other authorized representative;
    (ii) A two- and one-half day project directors' conference in 
Washington, DC, or virtually, during each year of the project period. 
The project must reallocate funds for travel to the project directors' 
conference no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget 
period if the meeting is conducted virtually; and
    (iii) One annual two-day trip, or virtually, to attend Department 
briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as 
requested by OSEP;
    (3) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 
5 percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those 
needs are identified in consultation with, and approved by, the OSEP 
project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the 
project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside 
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period;
    (4) Maintain a high-quality website, with an easy-to-navigate 
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for 
accessibility;
    (5) Ensure that annual project progress toward meeting project 
goals is posted on the project website; and
    (6) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the 
transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the 
continuity of services to parent centers in the center's region during 
the transition to this new award period and at the end of this award 
period, as appropriate.
    Competitive Preference Priorities:
    Within this absolute priority, we give competitive preference to 
applications that address the following priorities. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(i), for an application under Focus Area 1, we will award 
five additional points if the application meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 1. For an application under Focus Area 2, we will award five 
additional points if the application meets Competitive Preference 
Priority 1 and five additional points if the application meets 
Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a total of 10 possible 
additional points.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1--Applicants That Are Parent 
Organizations (5 Points).
    Applicants under Focus Area 1 or Focus Area 2 that are ``parent 
organizations.'' A ``parent organization'' is a private nonprofit 
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that--
    (a) Has a board of directors--
    (1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities 
ages birth through 26;
    (2) That includes--
    (i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related 
services, and early intervention; and
    (ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
    (3) The parent and professional members of which are broadly 
representative of the population to be served, including low-income 
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
    (b) Has as its mission serving families of children with 
disabilities who--
    (1) Are ages birth through 26; and
    (2) Have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) 
of IDEA. (Section 671(a)(2) of IDEA)
    Competitive Preference Priority 2--Location (5 Points).
    Applicants under Focus Area 2 that are located in the region they 
propose to serve.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Section 
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the 
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1470-1473 and 1481.
    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, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 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.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreements.
    Available Funds: $2,940,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2024 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.

[[Page 2085]]

    Maximum Award:
    Focus Area 1: We will not make an award exceeding $840,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Focus Area 2: We will not make an award exceeding $525,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards:
    Focus Area 1: 1.
    Focus Area 2: 4.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Private nonprofit organizations.
    Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you 
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) proof that the 
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an 
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State 
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the 
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and 
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private 
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's 
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly 
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item 
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent 
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent 
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require 
cost sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All 
administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application. Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 
contract for supplies, equipment, and other services in accordance with 
2 CFR part 200.
    4. Other General Requirements:
    (a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive 
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) Applicants for, and recipients of, funding must, with respect 
to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the absolute 
priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of 
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, 
implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of 
IDEA).

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 December 7, 2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-of-education-discretionary-grant-programs, which contain requirements and information on how to 
submit an application. Please note that these Common Instructions 
supersede the version published on December 27, 2021.
    2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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 
competition.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We reference 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 70 pages and (2) use the 
following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as 
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
     Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
     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 abstract (follow the guidance 
provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the 
table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the 
reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the 
recommended page limit does apply to all of the application narrative, 
including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen 
shots.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed below:
    (a) Significance (10 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) 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 nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
    (ii) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely 
to be attained by the proposed project.
    (b) Quality of project services (35 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be 
provided by the proposed project.
    (2) 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.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers one or more of the 
following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying 
the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of 
that framework.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project

[[Page 2086]]

reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
    (iv) The extent to which the training or professional development 
services to be provided by the proposed project are of sufficient 
quality, intensity, and duration to lead to improvements in practice 
among the recipients of those services.
    (v) The extent to which the TA services to be provided by the 
proposed project involve the use of efficient strategies, including the 
use of technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of non-project 
resources.
    (c) Quality of the project evaluation (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers one or more of the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation provide for 
examining the effectiveness of project implementation strategies.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (d) Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel (15 
points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the 
proposed project and quality of the personnel who will carry out the 
proposed project.
    (2) 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.
    (3) In determining the adequacy of resources and quality of project 
personnel for the proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more 
of the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and 
experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (iii) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the 
lead applicant organization.
    (iv) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in 
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
    (v) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the 
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
    (e) Quality of the management plan (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers one or more of the following 
factors:
    (i) 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.
    (ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    (iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives 
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including 
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of 
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of 
services, or others, as appropriate.
    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).
    3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, 
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain 
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as 
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel 
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional 
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department 
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, 
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and 
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make 
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that 
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers 
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of 
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness 
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review 
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also 
have submitted applications.
    4. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition 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. 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,

[[Page 2087]]

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 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 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 APR 
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: For the purposes of Department reporting 
under 34 CFR 75.110, we have established a set of performance measures, 
including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on 
various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Special 
Education Parent Information Centers program. These measures are:
     Program Performance Measure #1: The percentage of 
materials used by Special Education Parent Information Centers Program 
projects deemed to be of high quality by an independent review panel of 
experts qualified to review the substantive content of the products or 
services.
     Program Performance Measure #2: The percentage of Special 
Education Parent Information Centers products and services deemed to be 
of high relevance to educational and early intervention policy or 
practice by an independent review panel of experts qualified to review 
the substantive content of the products or services.
     Program Performance Measure #3: The percentage of all 
Special Education Parent Information Centers products and services 
deemed by an independent review panel of qualified experts to be useful 
to improve educational or early intervention policy or practice.
     Program Performance Measure #4: An index of the Federal 
cost per unit of output provided by the Special Education Parent 
Information Centers.
    The following measures are collected through a survey of parent 
centers, as part of the CPIR data collection referenced in this notice.
     Long-term Program Performance Measure #1: Parents served 
by Special Education Parent Information Centers investments will be 
knowledgeable about their IDEA rights and responsibilities.
     Long-term Program Performance Measure #2: Parents served 
by the Special Education Parent Information Centers will be able to 
work with schools and service providers effectively in meeting the 
needs of their children.
    The measures apply to projects funded under this competition, and 
grantees are required to submit data on these measures as directed by 
OSEP.
    Grantees will be required to report information on their project's 
performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department 
(34 CFR 75.590).
    The Department will also closely monitor the extent to which the 
products and services provided by the Center meet needs identified by 
stakeholders and may require the Center to report on such alignment in 
its annual and final performance reports.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, 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).

[[Page 2088]]

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an 
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an 
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text 
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can view this 
document, as well as all other documents of this Department published 
in the Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format (PDF). To 
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at 
the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

Katherine Neas,
Deputy Assistant Secretary. Delegated the authority to perform the 
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for the Office of 
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2023-00535 Filed 1-11-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P