FR Doc E5-592
[Federal Register: February 14, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 29)]
[Notices]
[Page 7483-7486]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14fe05-44]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
Overview Information; Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation
Long-Term Training--Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2005.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.129B.
Dates:
Applications Available: February 14, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 24, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 23, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: States and public or nonprofit agencies and
organizations, including Indian tribes and institutions of higher
education, are eligible for assistance under the Rehabilitation
Training program.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,150,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $125,000-$150,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $137,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program
provides financial assistance for--
(1) Projects that provide basic or advanced training leading to an
academic degree in areas of personnel shortages in rehabilitation as
identified by the Secretary;
(2) Projects that provide a specified series of courses or program
of study leading to award of a certificate in areas of personnel
shortages in rehabilitation as identified by the Secretary; and
(3) Projects that provide support for medical residents enrolled in
residency training programs in the specialty of physical medicine and
rehabilitation.
Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priority for
this program, published in the Federal Register on January 15, 2003 (68
FR 2166). This priority is designed to increase the number of
rehabilitation counseling programs that provide experiential activities
for students, such as formal internships, practicum agreements, and
other partnership activities with State vocational rehabilitation (VR)
agencies. This priority supports a close relationship between the
educational institution and the State VR agency by creating or
increasing ongoing collaboration in order to increase the number of
graduates who seek employment in State VR agencies.
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Partnership With the State VR Agency
This priority supports projects that will increase the knowledge of
students of the role and responsibilities of the VR counselor and of
the benefits of counseling in State VR agencies. This priority focuses
attention on and intends to strengthen the unique role of
rehabilitation educators and State VR agencies in the preparation of
qualified VR counselors by increasing or creating ongoing collaboration
between institutions of higher education and State VR agencies.
Projects funded under this priority must include within the degree
program information about and experience in the State VR system.
Projects must include partnering activities for students with the State
VR agency including experiential activities, such as formal internships
or practicum agreements. In addition, experiential activities for
students with community-based rehabilitation service providers are
encouraged.
Projects must include an evaluation of the impact of project
activities.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772.
[[Page 7484]]
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in 34
CFR parts 385 and 386.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $3,150,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $125,000-$150,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $137,500.
Estimated Number of Awards: 23.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States and public or nonprofit agencies and
organizations, including Indian tribes and institutions of higher
education, are eligible for assistance under the Rehabilitation
Training program.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing of at least 10 percent of
the total cost of the project is required of grantees under the
Rehabilitation Training program (34 CFR 386.30).
Note: Under 34 CFR 75.562(c), an indirect cost reimbursement on
a training grant is limited to the recipient's actual indirect
costs, as determined by its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement,
or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever
amount is less. Indirect costs in excess of the eight percent limit
may not be charged directly, used to satisfy matching or cost-
sharing requirements, or charged to another Federal award.
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 84.129B.
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 Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 5075, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:
(202) 245-7363. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
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 competition.
Page Limit: Part III of the application, the application narrative,
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11,'' on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must
include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if--
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: February 14, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 24, 2005.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) 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 23, 2005.
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 competition.
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
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants
system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application
for this competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application
process.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor
[[Page 7485]]
will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Any narrative sections of your application should be
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement that will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other 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 the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of
one business day in order to transmit your application electronically,
by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all
registered users who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an
automatic acknowledgment of your submission, you may submit your
application in paper format by mail or by hand delivery in accordance
with the instructions in this notice.
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 send 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 Number
84.129B), 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 Number
84.129B), 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 Number
84.129B), 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 ED 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 and 34 CFR 386.20 and are in the application
package.
2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are the geographical distribution
of projects in each Rehabilitation Training program category in the
country (34 CFR 385.33(a)) and the past performance of the applicant in
carrying out similar training activities under previously awarded
grants, as indicated by factors such as compliance with grant
conditions, soundness of programmatic and financial management
practices, and attainment of established project objectives (34 CFR
385.33(b)).
[[Page 7486]]
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 will 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, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in 34
CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act
(GPRA) of 1993 directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the
effectiveness of their programs by engaging in strategic planning,
setting outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program
results against those goals. The Rehabilitation Services
Administration's (RSA) Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program is
designed to provide academic training in areas of personnel shortages.
The goal of this Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program is to
increase the number of qualified vocational rehabilitation counselors
working in State vocational rehabilitation agencies or related
agencies. Seventy-five percent of all grant funds must be used for
direct payment of student scholarships. Each grantee is required to
track students receiving scholarships and must maintain information on
the cumulative support granted to RSA scholars, scholar-debt in years,
program completion data for each scholar, dates each scholar's work
begins and is completed to meet his or her payback agreement, current
home address, and place of employment of individual scholars.
Each training grant recipient must provide this information to RSA
annually using the RSA Grantee Reporting Form, (OMB 1820-
0617), an electronic reporting system. The RSA Grantee Reporting Form
collects specific information regarding the number of RSA scholars
entering the rehabilitation workforce, in what rehabilitation field,
and in what type of employment (e.g. State agency, nonprofit service
provider, or practice group). The information provided on the On-Line
Grantee Reporting System will allow RSA to measure results against the
goal of increasing the number of qualified vocational rehabilitation
counselors working in State vocational rehabilitation agencies or
related agencies.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Smith, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5027, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7602.
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 8, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
FR Doc. E5-592 Filed 2-11-05; 8:45 am]
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