Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools; Overview Information; Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Using Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Funds for FY 2006, CFDA Number 84.255A [OSDFS]

FR Doc E6-2174
[Federal Register: February 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 31)]
[Notices]
[Page 7931-7934]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15fe06-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools; Overview Information; Life
Skills for State and Local Prisoners; Notice Inviting Applications for
New Awards Using Fiscal Year (FY) 2005 Funds for FY 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.255A

Dates: Applications Available: February 15, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 3, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 31, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: State or local correctional agencies and State
or local correctional education agencies.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,662,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $315,000-$475,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $388,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

Note: On October 28, 2005, the President submitted a request to
Congress to rescind (cancel) the funds that would otherwise be
available for grant awards under this competition. The rescission
request is still pending.

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

Project Period: Up to 18 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners
Program provides financial assistance for establishing and operating
programs designed to reduce recidivism through the development and
improvement of life skills necessary for reintegration of adult
prisoners into society.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from the statute for this program (20 U.S.C. 1211-2).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2006, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:

[[Page 7932]]

Grants for projects that assist State or local correctional
agencies and State or local correctional educational agencies in
establishing and operating programs designed to reduce recidivism
through the development and improvement of life skills necessary for
reintegration of adult prisoners into society.

Program Authority: Section 601 of P.L. 102-73, the National
Literacy Act of 1991 (20 U.S.C. 1211-2 (1991)), as incorporated by
the Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2005 (P.L. 108-447
at 118 Stat. 3145).

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.(b) The regulations for this program
in 34 CFR part 490.4.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,662,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $315,000-$475,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $388,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 12.

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

Project Period: Up to 18 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: State or local correctional agencies and
State or local correctional education agencies.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov

If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.255A. You may also download
the application from the Department of Education's Web site at:
http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in this section
VII. of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: February 15,
2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 3, 2006.
Applications under this grant competition may be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information about how to
submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery,
please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements in this
notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 31,
2006.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
We have been accepting applications electronically through the
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. Life Skills for State and Local
Prisoners--CFDA 84.255A is one of the programs included in this
project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.grants.gov.
Through this

site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You
may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for Life Skills for
State and Local Prisoners at: http://www.grants.gov.
You must search

for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA
number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search.
Please note the following:
Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov at
http://e-grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.

[[Page 7933]]

To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must
complete the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see
http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted
). These steps include: (1) Registering your

organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized Organization
Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your
organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-
step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf).
You must also provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration.
Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days
to complete and you must have completed all registration steps to allow
you to successfully submit an application via Grants.gov.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You may submit all documents electronically, including all
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (SF 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative
sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich
text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type
other than the three file types specified above or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying
number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.

Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System Unavailability

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date,
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and provide an explanation of the
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system.
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to
the Grants.gov system.

b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 84.255A), 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260, or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA 84.255A), 7100
Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.

Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.

c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA 84.255A), 550
12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays and Federal holidays.

Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (SF 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if any--of
the competition under which you are submitting your application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 of EDGAR and are as follows:

Note: The maximum score for all of these criteria is 100 points.
The maximum score for each criterion or factor under that criterion
is indicated in parentheses.

(1) Significance (20 points)--In determining the significance of
the

[[Page 7934]]

proposed project, the following factors are considered:
(a) The likelihood that the proposed project will result in system
change or improvement.
(b) The extent to which the proposed project is likely to yield
findings that may be utilized by other appropriate agencies and
organizations.
(2) Quality of the Project Design (35 points)--In determining the
quality of the design of the proposed project, the following factors
are considered:
(a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(b) The extent to which the proposed project represents an
exceptional approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.
(c) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project.
(d) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population.
(3) Quality of Project Services (15 points)--In determining the
quality of the services to be provided by the proposed project, the
following factors are considered:
(a) 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.
(b) The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed
project reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective
practice.
(c) The likely impact of the services to be provided by the
proposed project on the intended recipients of those services.
(4) Quality of the Management Plan (10 points)--In determining the
quality of the management plan for the proposed project, the following
factors are considered:
(a) 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.
(b) The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous
improvement in the operation of the proposed project.
(5) Quality of the Project Evaluation (20 points)--In determining
the quality of the evaluation, the following factors are considered:
(a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(b) The extent to which the evaluation will provide guidance about
effective strategies suitable for replication or testing in other
settings.

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). 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. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measure for assessing the effectiveness of
the Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners Program:
The number of prisoners who attain measurable gains in one or more
of the life skill domains taught under the Life Skills project. This
measure reflects the Department's indicator of success for this
program. Consequently, applicants for a grant under this program are
advised to give careful consideration to this measure in
conceptualizing the approach and evaluation of their proposed project.
If funded, applicants will be asked to collect and report data to the
Department about this measure in their final report.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carlette Huntley, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E216, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 205-7943: or by e-mail: Carlette.Huntley@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this
section.

VIII. Other Information

Electronic Access to This Document: You may 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) on the
Internet at the following site:
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

Note: 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 on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

Dated: February 9, 2006.
Deborah A. Price,
Assistant Deputy Secretary for Safe and Drug Free Schools.
[FR Doc. E6-2174 Filed 2-14-06; 8:45 am]

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