U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

 

FISCAL YEAR 2004

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)

 

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND RESULTS FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES (CFDA 84.324)

 

Initial Career Awards (CFDA 84.324N)

 

CLOSING DATE: May 26, 2004

 

FORM APPROVED - OMB No. 1820-0028, EXP. DATE:  05/31/06

Paperwork Burden Statement

 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1820-0028.  The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 45 hours and 40 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.  If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.  If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., MES 3527, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Applicant:

 

This application packet contains information and the required forms for you to use in submitting a new application for funding under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This packet covers one competition under the Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities (CFDA 84.324)  program--Initial Career Awards.

 

An application for an award must be:  (1) hand-delivered, submitted electronically, or mailed by the closing date; and, (2) have an original signature on at least one copy of the assurances and certifications (Part IV of the application form).  It is also important to include the appropriate Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) numeric and alpha in Item #3 on ED Form 424 (e.g., CFDA No. 84.324N).

 

Please note the following:

 

                          APPLICATION SUBMISSION.  Based on the precautionary procedures the U.S. Postal Service is using to process mail, we are experiencing delays in the delivery of mail to the Department.  Therefore, you may want to consider sending your application by overnight courier or submitting your application electronically.

 

              MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT.  In addition to providing detailed budget information for the total grant period requested, the competition included in this package has a maximum award amount (See Page B-4 of this package).  Please be advised that for the priority in this package, the maximum award amount covers all project costs including indirect costs.

 


              STRICT PAGE LIMITS.  The competition included in this package limits the Part III Application Narrative to a specified number of double-spaced pages.  This page limitation applies to all material presented in the application narrative -- including, for example, any charts, tables, figures, and graphs.  (See Pages B-4 and 5 of this package).  The Department will reject, and will NOT consider an application that does not adhere to the page limit requirements for the competition.

 

              FORMAT FOR APPLICATIONS.   Please note that additional information regarding formatting applications has been included on Pages C-3 and 4 of the “General Information on Completing An Application” section of this package.

 

              PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH.   The Application for Federal Education Assistance (Form ED 424) requires applicants to indicate whether they plan to conduct research involving human subjects at any time during the proposed project period.  (See section 12-12a of Form ED 424 and the Instructions and Definitions for Form ED 424).                                               The Definitions for Form ED 424 attachment includes information that applicants need to complete the protection of human subjects item and, as appropriate, to provide additional information to the Department regarding human subjects research projects.  Additional information on completing the protection of human subjects item is also available and can be accessed on the INTERNET at:

 

                                       http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html

                                       http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html

 

                            RESPONSE TO GPRA.  As required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 OSEP has developed a strategic plan for measuring GPRA performance.  The program included in this announcement is authorized under Part D National Programs of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  A copy of the Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program’s performance measures under GPRA is included in the back of this package.  Applicants are encouraged to consider this information as applications are prepared.

 


                            COPIES OF THE APPLICATION.   Current Government-wide policy requires that an original and two copies need to be submitted.  OSEP would appreciate receiving three additional copies to facilitate the peer review process.  This means an original and two copies are required but we would appreciate your voluntarily submitting an additional three copies (six applications in all).

 

               A program officer is available to provide information to you regarding this competition.  Please refer to the name of the program contact at the end of the priority description.  For information about other U.S. Department of Education grant and contract opportunities, we encourage you to use the Department's grant information web page which can be accessed on the INTERNET at:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html

 

We appreciate your efforts to improve the provision of services for individuals with disabilities.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Louis C. Danielson, Ph.D.

Director

Research to Practice Division

Office of Special Education

Programs


    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                PRIORITY DESCRIPTION

 

                                                           AND

 

                                         SELECTION CRITERIA

 

                                                      FOR THE

 

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION

 

TO IMPROVE SERVICES AND RESULTS

 

FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES PROGRAM


INITIAL CAREER AWARDS

(CFDA 84.324N)



DEADLINE: 05/26/04

 

ABSOLUTE PRIORITY:

           

            For FY 2004 this priority is an absolute priority.  Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.

 

Background:  There is a need to enable individuals in the initial phases of their careers to initiate and develop promising lines of research that would improve results for children with disabilities and their families through better early intervention services for infants and toddlers, and special education and related services for children with disabilities.  Support for research activities among individuals in the initial phases of their careers is intended to develop the capacity of the early intervention and special education research community to more effectively meet the needs of children with disabilities and their families.  The priority established in this notice also provides support for a broad range of field-initiated research projects -- focusing on the special education and related services for children with disabilities and early intervention for infants and toddlers -- consistent with the purpose of the program as described in section 672 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

 

Statement of Priority:

           

            This priority is:

           

            Grants to eligible applicants for the support of individuals in the initial phases of their careers to initiate and develop promising lines of research consistent with the purposes of the program.  For purposes of this priority, the initial phase of an individual’s career is considered to be the first three years after completing a doctoral program and graduating (i.e., for FY 2004 awards, projects may support individuals who completed a doctoral program and graduated no earlier than the 2000-2001 academic year).

 

At least 50 percent of the initial career researcher's time must be devoted to the project.

 

Projects must --

 

(a)  Pursue a line of research that is developed either from theory or a conceptual framework.  The line of research must establish directions for designing future studies extending beyond the support of this award.  The project is not intended to represent all inquiry related to the particular theory or conceptual framework; rather, it is expected to initiate a new line or advance an existing one;

 

(b)  Include, in design and conduct, sustained involvement with one or more nationally recognized experts. Such experts must have substantive or methodological knowledge and expertise relevant to the proposed research.  The experts do not have to be at the same institution or agency at which the project is located, but the interaction with the project must be sufficient to develop the capacity of the initial career researcher to effectively pursue the research into mid-career activities;

 

(c)  Prepare procedures, findings, and conclusions in a manner that advances professional practice by informing other interested researchers; and

 

(d)  Disseminate project procedures, findings, and conclusions to appropriate research institutes and technical assistance providers.

 

(e)  The projects funded under this priority must budget for a two-day Project Directors’ meeting in Washington, DC during each year of the project.

 

            (f)  The project’s Web site, must include relevant information and documents in an accessible form.

           

            Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following invitational priority.

 

Invitational Priority:  Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

 

This priority is:

 

Projects that include, in the design and conduct of the research project, a practicing teacher or clinician, in addition to the required involvement of nationally recognized experts.

 

PERFORMANCE MEASURES:   Under the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA), the Department is currently developing indicators and measures that will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program.  Included in these indicators and measures will be those that assess the quality and relevance of newly funded research projects.  Two indicators will address the quality of new projects.  First, an external panel of eminent senior scientists will review the quality of a randomly selected sample of newly funded research applications, and the percentage of new projects that are deemed to be of high quality will be determined.  Second, because much of the Department’s work focuses on questions of effectiveness, newly funded applications will be evaluated to identify those that address causal questions and then to determine what percentage of those projects use randomized field trials to answer the causal questions.  To evaluate the relevance of newly funded research projects, a panel of experienced education practitioners and administrators will review descriptions of a randomly selected sample of newly funded projects and rate the degree to which the projects are relevant to practice.

 

Other indicators and measures are still under development in areas such as the quality of project products and long-term impact.  Data on these measures will be collected from the projects funded under this notice.  Grantees will also be required to report information on their projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.590).

 

APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE:   April 22, 2004.

 

DEADLINE FOR TRANSMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS:  May 26, 2004.

 

ESTIMATED AVAILABLE FUNDS:  $300,000.

 

ESTIMATED AVERAGE SIZE OF AWARDS:  $75,000.

 

MAXIMUM AWARDS:  We will reject an application that proposes a budget exceeding $75,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.  The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

 

ESTIMATED NUMBER OF AWARDS:  4.

 

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

 

PROJECT PERIOD:  Up to 36 months.

 

PAGE LIMITS:  If you are an applicant, Part III of an application submitted under this notice, the application narrative, is where an applicant addresses the selection criteria that are used by reviewers to evaluate the application.  You must limit Part III to the equivalent of no more than 30 pages, using the following standards:

·                    A "page" is 8.5" x 11", (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom, and sides). 

 

·                    Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

 

·                    Use a font that is either 12-point or larger and no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).

           

            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, references, or the letters of support.  However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.

 

We will reject any application if --

 

·        You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or

·        You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.        

 

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:  (a)  Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project activities (see section 606 of IDEA); and

 

(b)  Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA);

 

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS:   (a)  The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) The selection criteria for this program are drawn from EDGAR in 34 CFR 75.210.

 

Note:  The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of higher education only.

 

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: 

       

            State educational agencies (SEAs); local educational agencies (LEAs); institutions of higher education (IHEs); other public agencies; nonprofit private organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

For further information about this priority contact:

 

Beverly Brightly, Competition Manager

Research to Practice Division
Office of Special Education Programs
Telephone: (202) 205-9567
FAX: (202) 205-8105
Internet: Beverly.Brightly@ed.gov
TDD: 1-800-877-8339

 


<!-- p align="center"><a href="../egApplication.asp?AppId=">Return to Application Start Page</a -->SELECTION CRITERIA AND FORMAT FOR THE INITIAL CAREER AWARDS (CFDA 84.324N) COMPETITION

 

Part III of the application form requires a narrative that addresses the selection criteria that will be used by reviewers in evaluating individual proposals.  Applications are more likely to receive favorable reviews by panels when they are organized according to the format suggested below.  This format addresses all the selection criteria used to evaluate applications required by regulations.  If you prefer to use a different format, you may wish to cross-reference the sections of your application to the selection criteria to be sure that reviewers are able to find all relevant information. 

 

The selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted to the projects for the Initial Career Awards (CFDA 84.324N) competition are the selection criteria for new grants required by the EDGAR general selection criteria menu.  The maximum score for all of the criteria is 100 points.

 

A one-page abstract should precede the application narrative.  The application narrative should

include the following sections in this order:

 

(a) Significance (20 points)

 

(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed project.

 

(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

 

(i) The significance of the problem or issue to be addressed by the proposed project;

 

(ii) The potential contribution of the proposed project to increase knowledge or understanding of educational problems, issues, or effective strategies;

 

(iii) The potential contribution of the proposed project to the development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of study; and

 

(iv) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or strategies.

 

(b) Quality of the project design (35 points)

 

(1)   The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed project.

 

(2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

 

(i) The extent to which there is a conceptual framework underlying the proposed research or demonstration activities and the quality of that framework;

 

(ii) The extent to which the proposed research design includes a thorough, high‑quality review of the relevant literature, a high‑quality plan for research activities, and the use of appropriate theoretical and methodological tools, including those of a variety of disciplines, if appropriate;

 

(iii) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental involvement; and

 

            (iv) The extent to which the proposed project encourages consumer involvement.

 

(c)   Quality of project personnel (20 points)

 

(1) The Secretary considers the 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 addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:

 

(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel; and

 

(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of project consultants or subcontractors.

 

(d)  Quality of the management plan (15 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 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 adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed project; and

 

(iii) 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.

 

 

(e) Adequacy of resources (10 points)

 

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed project.

 

(2) In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:

 

(i) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization;

 

(ii) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project;

 

(iii) The extent to which the budget is adequate to support the proposed project; and

 

            (iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.


 

 

 

 

 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

 

ON COMPLETING

 

AN APPLICATION

 


 

 

 GENERAL INFORMATION ON COMPLETING AN APPLICATION

 

Potential applicants frequently direct questions to officials of the Department regarding application notices and programmatic and administrative regulations governing various direct grant programs.  To assist potential applicants, the Office of Special Education Programs staff have assembled the following most commonly raised issues.  In general, this information applies to the grant competitions covered by this application package.

 

        EXTENSION OF DEADLINES

 

Waivers for individual applications are not granted, regardless of the circumstances.  Under very extraordinary circumstances a closing date may be changed.  Such changes are announced in the Federal Register.

                                                                               

        COPIES OF THE APPLICATION 

 

Current Government‑wide policy is that only an original and two copies need to be submitted.  OSEP would appreciate receiving three additional copies to facilitate the peer review process.  This would mean an original and two copies need to be submitted and we would appreciate your voluntarily submitting an additional three copies (six applications in all).  Copies of the application may be bound, but it is not necessary or required.  If bound, one copy should be left unbound to facilitate electronic scanning and any necessary reproduction.  Applicants should not use colored paper, foldouts, photographs, or other materials that are hard to duplicate.

 

        MAKING APPLICATIONS MORE ACCESSIBLE TO REVIEWERS WHO ARE BLIND OR HAVE LOW VISION

 

The Department will accept one copy of the application in an accessible format (i.e., IBM PC compatible WordPerfect or ASCII code diskette) along with the original and two print copies of the application.  The accessible format copy can be used with available software to convert the text of the application into Braille, or with text to voice applications.  If there are any differences in the print original provided on the disk and in print, the print original is assumed to be the correct version.  Please note that it is not a requirement that one copy of the application be in an accessible format.

 

        MISSED DEADLINES AND SUBMISSION UNDER OTHER COMPETITIONS

 

Should an application miss the deadline for a particular competition, it may be submitted to another competition.  However, if an application is properly prepared to meet the specifications of one competition, it is extremely unlikely that it would be favorably evaluated under a different competition.

 

       SUBMISSION TO MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM

 

Applications may be submitted to more than one Federal program if you are unsure of the most appropriate program.  Each application should be prepared following the instructions for that particular program as closely as possible (which may require some reformulation).  It is very helpful if each program is notified that an identical or similar application is being submitted to another program.

 

        HELP PREPARING APPLICATIONS

 

         We are happy to provide general program information.  Clearly it would not be appropriate for staff to participate in the actual writing of an application, but we can respond to specific questions about our application requirements and evaluation criteria, or about the announced priorities.  Applicants should understand that such previous contact is not required, nor does it guarantee the success of an application.

                                

        NOTIFICATION OF FUNDING

 

         The time required to complete the evaluation of applications is variable.  Once applications have been received staff must determine the areas of expertise needed to appropriately evaluate the applications, identify and contact potential reviewers, convene peer review panels, and summarize and review the recommendations of the review panels.  You can expect to receive notification within 3 to 6 months of the application closing date, depending on the number of applications received and the number of competitions with closing dates at about the same time.  The requested start date should therefore be a minimum of 6 months after the application closing date.

 

        POSSIBILITY OF LEARNING THE OUTCOME OF REVIEW PANELS PRIOR TO OFFICIAL NOTIFICATION

 

Every year we are called by a number of applicants who have legitimate reasons for needing to know the outcome of the review prior to official notification.  Some applicants need to make job decisions, some need to notify a local school district, etc.  Regardless of the reason, we cannot share information about the review with anyone until the Assistant Secretary has approved a slate of projects recommended for funding.  You will be notified as quickly as possible either by telephone  (if your application is recommended for funding), or through a letter (if your application is not successful).

 

        FORMAT FOR APPLICATIONS

 

The application narrative (Part III of the application form) should be organized to follow the exact sequence of the components in the selection criteria used to evaluate applications.  (The selection criteria for the competitions covered by this packet are listed following the specific competition information in section “B” of this packet.)  A table of contents, list of priority requirements, and a one-page abstract summarizing the objectives, activities, project participants, and expected outcomes of the proposed project should precede the application narrative.  If you prefer to use a different format, you may wish to cross-reference the sections of your application to the selection criteria to be sure that reviewers are able to find all relevant information.

 

To aid in screening and reviewing the application, applicants should list in Part II and prior to the abstract, all general, special, and other requirements for the priority and corresponding page number (s) where requirements are addressed within the application.  Page limits do not

apply to this list.  (All requirements are found in each priority description included in this application package.)  The format included below is an example of how you might provide this information in your application.

 

         Page #                       Requirements

 

______                     (a) Projects funded under this notice must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities in project activities.  (See Section 606 of IDEA)

 

______                     (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this notice must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects.

(See Section 661(f)(1)(A) of IDEA)

 

______                     (c) Applicant must describe steps to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs.  (See Section 427, GEPA)           

 

______                     (d) Projects funded under these priorities must budget for a two-day Project’s Directors’ meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of the project.

 

        BEST WAY TO PREPARE PROGRAM ABSTRACT

 

The program abstract should be one page in length.  It would be helpful if it included; the title of the program, the name of the Absolute Priority, and the CFDA Number (e.g., 84.324N, etc.).

 

        PAGE LIMITS

Please note that all applications submitted under the competition in this application package must adhere to the Part III - Application Narrative page limit requirements that are specified under each priority/competition description.  Your application should provide enough information to allow the review panel to evaluate the importance and impact of the project as well as to make knowledgeable judgments about the methods you propose to use (design, subjects, sampling procedures, measures, instruments, data analysis strategies, etc.).  It is often helpful to have:

 

(l)      Staff Vitae‑‑They should include each person's title and role in the proposed project and contain only information that is relevant to this proposed project's activities and/or publications.  Vitae for consultants and Advisory Council members should be similarly brief.

(2)     Instruments‑‑e­xcept in the case of generally available and well known instruments.

         (3)     Agreements‑‑when the participation of an agency other than the applicant is critical to the project.  This is particularly critical when an intervention will be implemented within an agency, or when subjects will be drawn from particular agencies.  Letters of cooperation should be specific, indicating agreement to implement a particular intervention or to provide access to a particular group of students. 

        

         The items listed above are not included under page limits.

 

 

 

        MAKING SURE APPLICATION IS ASSIGNED TO THE CORRECT COMPETITION

 

Applicants should clearly indicate in Item 3 on the application (ED Form 424) the CFDA number of the program priority (e.g., 84.324N, etc.) representing the competition in which the application should be considered.  If this information is not provided, your application may inadvertently be assigned and reviewed under a different competition from the one you intended.

 

        RETURN OF NON-FUNDED APPLICATIONS

 

We do not return original copies of applications.  Thus, applicants should retain at least one copy of the application.  Copies of reviewer comments will be mailed to all applicants.

 

        PROPOSED STAFF AVAILABILITY TO PROJECT

 

For each staff person named in the application, please provide documentation of all internal and external time commitments.  In instances where a staff person is committed on a federally supported project, please provide the project name, Federal office, program title, the project Federal award number, and the amount of committed time by each project year.  This information (e.g., Staff:  Jane Doe; Project Name: Succeeding in the General Curriculum; Federal office:  Office of Special Education Programs; Program title:  Field Initiated Research; Award number:  H324C980624; Time commitments:  Year 1—30%; Year 2—25% and Year 3—40%) can be provided as an Appendix to the application. 

 

In general, we will not reduce time commitments on currently funded grants from the time proposed in the original application.  Therefore, we will not consider for funding any application where key staff are bid above a time commitment level that staff have available to bid.  Further, the time commitments stated in newly submitted applications will not be negotiated down to permit the applicant to receive a new grant award.

 

        USE OF PERSON LOADING CHARTS

 

It is important for applicants to include proposed time commitments for all project personnel.  Also, program officials and applicants often find person loading charts useful formats for showing project personnel and their time commitments to individual activities.  A person loading chart is a tabular representation of major evaluation activities by number of days spent by each key person involved in each activity, as shown in the following example.


                                                                          Table #

                                          Person Loading Chart - Time in Day(s) by Person*

 

 

 

Activity

 

Time in Day(s) by Person

 

     Person A

 

     Person B

 

       Person C

 

      Person D

 

Library Research

 

15

 

20

 

0

 

0

 

Hire Staff

Prepare Materials

 

0

5

 

0

25

 

0

0

 

5

0

 

Train Raters

 

0

 

2

 

0

 

0

 

Data Collection

 

60

 

60

 

0

 

0

 

Data Analysis

 

0

 

0

 

25

 

5

 

Dissemination (manuscripts, etc.)

 

0

 

1

 

0

 

10

 *Note:  All figures represent FTE for the academic year.

 

        DELIVERING/SENDING APPLICATIONS TO THE COMPETITION MANAGER

 

Applications can be mailed or hand delivered, or submitted electronically but in either case must go to the Application Control Center at the address listed in the Application Transmittal Instructions.  Delivering or sending the application to the competition manager in the program office may prevent it from being logged in on time to the appropriate competition and may result in the application not being reviewed.

 

        ALLOWED TRAVEL UNDER THESE PROJECTS

 

Travel is allowed if the travel specifically relates to the expressed goals of the project.  Travel by students to further their education under the project's goals is also allowed.  Travel to conferences is the travel item that is most likely to be questioned during negotiations.  Such travel is sometimes allowed when it is for purposes of dissemination, when there will be results to be disseminated, and when it is clear that a conference presentation or workshop is an effective way of reaching a particular target group.

 

        FUNDING OF APPROVED APPLICATIONS

It is often the case that the number of applications recommended for approval by the reviewers exceeds the dollars available for funding projects under a particular competition.  When the panel reviews are completed for a particular competition, the individual reviewer scores and applications are ranked.  The higher ranked, approved applications are funded first, and there are often lower ranked, approved applications that do not receive funding.  Sometimes, one or two applications that are approved and fall next in rank order (after those projects selected for funding) are placed on hold.  If dollars become available as a result of negotiations, or if a higher ranked applicant declines the award, the projects on hold may receive funding. If you receive a letter stating that you will not receive funding, then your project has neither been selected for funding nor placed on hold.

 

        INDIRECT COST RATE

 

There is no maximum indirect cost for the competitions in this application package.  An organization’s current effective indirect cost rate is the rate that should be reflected in your proposed budget.

 

        ISSUES RAISED DURING DISCUSSIONS PRIOR TO AWARD

 

If your application is recommended for funding, discussions may be held prior to award to clarify technical or budget issues.  These are issues that have been identified during panel and staff review.  Generally, technical issues are minor issues that require clarification.  Alternative approaches may be presented for your consideration, or you may be asked to provide additional information or rationale for something you have proposed to do.  Sometimes, concerns are stated as "conditions".  These are concerns that have been identified as so critical that the award cannot be made unless those conditions are met.  Questions are also raised about the proposed budget during the discussion phase.  Generally, budget issues are raised because there is inadequate justification or explanation of the particular budget item, or because the budget item does not seem critical to the successful completion of the project.  A Federal project officer will present the issues to you and ask you to respond.  If you do not understand the question, you should ask for clarification.  In responding to discussion items you should provide any additional information or clarification requested.  You may feel that an issue was addressed in the application.  It may not, however, have been explained in enough detail to make it understood by reviewers, and more information should be provided.  If you are asked to make changes that you feel could seriously affect the project's success, you may provide reasons for not making the changes, or provide alternative suggestions.  Similarly, if proposed budget reductions will, in your opinion, seriously affect the proposed activities, you may want to explain why and provide additional justification for the proposed expenses.  Your changes, explanations, and alternative suggestions will be carefully evaluated by staff.  In some instances, an applicant may again be contacted for additional information.  An award cannot be made until all issues have been resolved and conditions met.

 

        TREATING A PRIORITY AS TWO SEPARATE COMPETITIONS.  In the past, there have been problems in finding peer reviewers without conflicts of interest where applications are made by many entities throughout the country.  The Standing Panel requirements under the IDEA Amendments of 1997 have also placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers.  Therefore, The Department has determined that, for some discretionary priorities, applications may be ranked and selected for funding in two or more groups, which will ensure the availability of a much larger group of reviewers without conflicts of interest.  This procedure will increase the quality, independence and fairness of the review process and will permit panel members to review applications under discretionary priorities to which they have also submitted applications.


 

        SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS AND ESTIMATED/PROJECTED BUDGET AMOUNTS IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS

 

There is a maximum award amount specified for the priority/competitions included in this package.  The Department rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget exceeding the maximum amount for any single budget period of 12 months for the priorities included in this package.  Please refer to the priority description to determine the maximum award for any one particular competition.  Since the yearly budgets for multi-year projects will be negotiated at the time of the initial award, applicants must include detailed budgets for each year of their proposed project.  Generally, out-year funding levels most likely will not exceed 1st year budgets.  However, budget modifications during the negotiation process, the findings from the previous year, or needed changes in the study design can affect your budget requirements in subsequent years, but in no case will out-year budgets exceed the maximum award amount.

 

        REQUIREMENT TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF GRANT ACTIVITIES

 

The Department shall, where appropriate, require recipients of all grants, contracts and cooperative agreements under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to prepare reports describing their procedures, findings, and other relevant information.  The Department shall require their delivery to the Department of Education and to the ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education, and other networks as The Department may determine appropriate.  (20 U.S.C. 1461)       

 

        DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT AND A GRANT

 

A cooperative agreement is similar to a grant in that its principal purpose is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation as authorized by a Federal statute.  It differs from a grant in the sense that in a cooperative agreement substantial involvement is anticipated between the executive agency (in this case the Department of Education) and the recipient during the performance of the contemplated activity.

 

        DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ABSOLUTE PRIORITY, AN INVITATIONAL PRIORITY, AND A COMPETITIVE PRIORITY

 

An absolute priority is a priority that an applicant must address in order to receive an award.  If an applicant does not address an absolute priority, their application will be returned as being non-responsive to the priority. 

 

An invitational priority is a priority that reflects a particular interest of the Department, and an applicant is encouraged to address the invitational priority along with the required

absolute priority.  However, an applicant choosing to address an invitational priority, will not receive any competitive preference over other applications. 

 

A competitive priority is like an invitational priority in that it reflects a particular interest of the Department, and an applicant is encouraged to address the competitive priority along with the required absolute priority.  A competitive priority may be handled in one of two ways:  (1) an application may be awarded additional points depending on how effectively it addresses the competitive priority; or (2) an application that meets a competitive priority may be selected over an application of comparable merit that does not address the competitive priority.  The type of competitive priority for a particular competition is always included in the FEDERAL REGISTER announcement.

 

        OBTAINING COPIES OF THE FEDERAL REGISTER, PROGRAM REGULATIONS AND FEDERAL STATUTES

 

Copies of these materials can usually be found at your local library.  If not, they can be obtained by writing to: 

 

Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402

Telephone:  (202) 512-1800.

 

Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can be viewed on the Department's grant information web page which can be accessed on the INTERNET at:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html

However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant competition is the notice published in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

 

AND

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW


Application Transmittal Instructions

 
ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS:  Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.  Some programs may require electronic submission of applications, and those programs will have specific requirements and waiver instructions in the Federal Register notice.

 

An original and two copies of an application for an award must be mailed or hand-delivered by the application deadline date unless it is submitted electronically. 

 

Applications Submitted Electronically

 

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the application deadline date. 

 

We recommend all files uploaded via Grants.gov be in .DOC or .RTF format.   Note:  If other file formats are used, we cannot guarantee that the Department will be able to open them.

 

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment when we receive your application.

 

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the Notice Inviting Applications that was published in the Federal Register, or visit http://www.grants.gov

 

Applications Delivered by Mail

 

Applications sent by mail must be addressed to:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention:  (CFDA Number 84.324N)

            Room 3671

          Regional Office Building 3

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, D.C.  20202-4725

 

Applicants 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

          (4)  Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of Education

 

If an application is sent through the U.S. Postal Service, the Secretary does 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

 

Applicants should note that 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.

 

If you send your application by mail or if you or your courier deliver it by hand, the Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgment to you.  If you do not receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from the mailing of the application, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 708-9493.

 

You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 4 of the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424 (exp. 11/30/2004)) the CFDA number – and suffix letter, if any – of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

 

If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

 

 

Applications Delivered by Hand/Courier Service

 

An application that is hand-delivered must be taken to:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Room 3671

Regional Office Building 3

7th & D Streets, SW.

Washington, D.C.  20202-4725

 

The Application Control Center accepts deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time), except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays.

 

The Center accepts application deliveries through the D Street entrance only.  A person delivering an application must show identification to enter the building.

 


Appendix

 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs

 

            This appendix applies to each program that is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR

part 79.

 

            The objective of the Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for State and local government coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.

 

            Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process under Executive Order 12372.  Applicants proposing to perform activities in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established in each of those States under the Executive order.  A listing containing the Single Point of Contact for each State is included in this appendix.

 

            In States that have not established a process or chosen a program for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit comments directly to the Department.           

 

            Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide, regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the date indicated in the actual application notice to the following address: 

 

The Secretary

EO 12372--CFDA# [commenter must insert number--including suffix  letter, if any]

U.S. Department of Education Room  7W301          

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, D.C.  20202

 

            Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as applications (see 34 CFR 75.102).  Recommendations or comments may be hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the date indicated in the actual application notice.

 

            PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. 

DO NOT SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.


This publication by the U.S. Department of Education is an unofficial version of the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List published by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).  This publication incorporates the most recent revisions made by OMB. The Department has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this unofficial version. However, the only official version of the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) List is posted on the Grants Management section of the OMB web site http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.  You may save a text version of this document at the aforementioned site. Please note it will be necessary to put a row of space between each state listing.

 

STATE SINGLE POINTS OF CONTACT (SPOCs)

 

Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” was issued with the desire to foster the intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development. The Order allows each State to designate an entity to perform this function. Below is the official list of those entities. For those States that have a home page for their designated entity, a direct link has been provided on the official version http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

 

States that are not listed on this page have chosen not to participate in the intergovernmental review process, and therefore do not have a SPOC. If you are located within one of these States, you may still send application material directly to a Federal awarding agency.

 

            Contact information for Federal agencies that award grants can be found in Appendix IV of the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. [http://www.cfda.gov/public/cat-app4-index.htm]

 

ARKANSAS

 

Tracy L. Copeland

Manager, State Clearinghouse

Office of Intergovernmental Services

Department of Finance and Administration

1515 7th Street, Room 412

Little Rock, Arkansas 72203

Telephone: (501) 682-1074

FAX:           (501) 682-5206

Tlcopeland@dfa.state.ar.us

CALIFORNIA

 

Grants Coordination

State Clearinghouse

Office of Planning and Research

P.O. Box 3044, Room 222

Sacramento, California 95812-3044

Telephone: (916) 445-0613

FAX:           (916) 323-3018

State.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov

DELAWARE

 

Sandra R. Stump

Executive Department

Office of the Budget

540 S. Dupont Highway, 3rd Floor

Dover, Delaware 19901

Telephone: (302) 739-3323

FAX:           (302) 739-5661

sandy.stump@state.de.us

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

Luisa Montero-Diaz

Office of Partnerships and Grants Development

Executive Office of the Mayor

District of Columbia Government

414  4th Street, NW, Suite 530 South

Washington, DC 20001

Telephone: (202) 727-8900

FAX:           (202) 727-1652

mailto:Ogmd-ogmd@dcgov.org

 

 

FLORIDA

 

Lauren P. Milligan

Florida State Clearinghouse

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

3900 Commonwealth Blvd., Mail Station 47

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000

Telephone: (850) 245-2161

FAX:           (850) 245-2190

Lauren.Milligan@dep.state.fl.us

 

GEORGIA

 

Barbara Jackson

Georgia State Clearinghouse

270 Washington Street, SW

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

Telephone:  (404) 656-3855

FAX:            (404) 656-7901

Gach@mail.opb.state.ga.us

ILLINOIS

 

Roukaya McCaffrey

Department of Commerce and Community Affairs

620 East Adams, 6th Floor

Springfield, Illinois 62701

Telephone: (217) 524-0188

FAX:           (217) 558-0473

roukaya_mccaffrey@illinoisbiz.biz

IOWA

 

Steven R. McCann

Division of Community and Rural Development

Iowa Department of Economic Development

200 East Grand Avenue      

Des Moines, Iowa 50309

Telephone: (515) 242-4719

FAX:           (515) 242-4809

Steve.mccann@ided.state.ia.us

KENTUCKY

 

Ron Cook

Department for Local Government

1024 Capital Center Drive, Suite 340

Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

Telephone: (502) 573-2382

FAX:           (502) 573-2512

mailto:Kgoldmkgosmith@mail.state.ky.us

MAINE

 

Joyce Benson

State Planning Office

184 State Street

38 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333

Telephone: (207) 287-3261

Telephone: (207) 1461 (direct)

FAX:           (207) 287-6489

Joyce.benson@state.me.us

MARYLAND

 

Linda Janey

Manager, Clearinghouse and Plan Review Unit

Maryland Office of Planning

301 West Preston Street – Room 1104

Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2305

Telephone: (410) 767-4490

FAX:           (410) 767-4480

mailto:linda_j@mail.op.state.md.us

MASSACHUSETTS

 

Bradley T. Crate

Grants Management

Governor’s Legislative & Intergovernment

Affairs Office

State House Room 280

Boston, MA  02133

Phone: (617) 725-4020 x35215

Fax: (617) 727-8136

Bradley.crate@state.ma.us

MICHIGAN

 

Richard Pfaff

Southeast Michigan Council of Governments

535 Griswold, Suite 300

Detroit, Michigan 48226

Telephone: (313) 961-4266

FAX:           (313) 961-4869

pfaff@semcog.org

MISSISSIPPI

 

Cathy Mallette

Clearinghouse Officer

Department of Finance and Administration

1301 Woolfolk Building, Suite E

501 North West Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Telephone: (601) 359-6762

FAX:           (601) 359-6758

 

MISSOURI

 

Angela Boessen

Federal Assistance Clearinghouse

Office of Administration

P.O. Box 809

Truman Building, Room 840

Jefferson City, Missouri 65102

Telephone: (573) 751-4834

FAX:           (573) 522-4395

mailto:pohll_@mail.oa.state.mo.us

 

NEVADA

 

Heather Elliott

Department of Administration

State Clearinghouse

209 E. Musser Street, Room 200

Carson City, Nevada 89701-4298

Telephone: (775) 684-0209

FAX:           (775) 684-0260

Helliot@govmail.state.nv.us

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Jeffrey H. Taylor, Director

New Hampshire Office of State Planning

Attn: Intergovernmental Review Process

Mike Blake

2½ Beacon Street

Concord, New Hampshire 03301

Telephone: (603) 271-2155

FAX:           (603) 271-1728

Jtaylor@osp.state.nh.us

NEW MEXICO

Ken Hughes

Local Government Division

Room 201, Bataan Memorial Building

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87503
Telephone: (505) 827-4370

FAX:           (505) 827-4948

Khughes@dfa.state.nm.us

NEW YORK

 

Linda Shkeli

Office of Public Security

Homeland Security Grants Coordination

633 #rd Street

New York, NY  10017

Telephone: (212) 867-1289

FAX:           (212) 867-1725

NORTH DAKOTA

 

Jim Boyd

Division of Community Services

600 East Boulevard Ave, Dept 105

Bismarck, North Dakota 58505-0170

Telephone: (701) 328-2094

FAX:           (701) 328-2308

Jboyd@state.nd.us

RHODE ISLAND

 

Kevin Nelson

Department of Administration

Statewide Planning Program

One Capitol Hill

Providence Rhode Island 02908-5870

Telephone: (401) 222-2093

FAX:           (401) 222-2083

knelson@doa.state.ri.us

SOUTH CAROLINA

 

SC Clearinghouse

Budget and Control Board

Office of State Budget

1122 Ladies Street – 12th Floor

Columbia, South Carolina 29201

Telephone: (803) 734-0494

FAX:           (803) 734-0645

Clearinghouse@budget.state.sc.us

TEXAS

Denise S. Francis

Director, State Grants Team

Governor’s Office of Budget and Planning

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711

Telephone: (512) 305-9415

FAX:           (512) 936-2681

mailto:tadams@governor.state.tx.us

UTAH

Clare Walters

Utah State Clearinghouse

Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget

State Capitol, Room 114

Salt Lake City, Utah 84114

Telephone: (801) 538-1555

FAX:           (801) 538-1547

Cwalters@gov.state.ut.us

WEST VIRGINIA

 

Fred Cutlip, Director

Community Development Division

West Virginia Development Office

Building #6, Room 553

Charleston, West Virginia 25305

Telephone: (304) 558-4010

FAX:           (304) 558-3248

fcutlip@wvdo.org

WISCONSIN

 

Jeff Smith

Section Chief, Federal/State Relations

Wisconsin Department of Administration

101 East Wilson Street – 6th Floor

 

P.O. Box 7868

Madison, Wisconsin 53707

Telephone: (608) 266-0267

FAX:           (608) 267-6931

Jeffrey.smith@doa.state.wi.us

AMERICAN SAMOA

 

Pat M. Galea'i
Federal Grants/Programs Coordinator
Office of Federal Programs
Office of the Governor/Department
of Commerce
American Samoa Government
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799
Telephone: (684) 633-5155
Fax:            (684) 633-4195
pmgaleai@samoatelco.com

 

GUAM

 

Director

Bureau of Budget and Management Research

Office of the Governor

P.O. Box 2950

Agana,  Guam 96910

Telephone: 011-671-472-2285

FAX:           011-671-472-2825

Jer@ns.gov.gu

PUERTO RICO

 

Jose Caballero / Mayra Silva

Puerto Rico Planning Board

Federal Proposals Review Office

Minillas Government Center

P.O. Box 41119

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00940-1119

Telephone: (787) 723-6190

FAX:           (787) 722-6783

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

 

Ms. Jacoba T. Seman

Federal Programs Coordinator

Office of Management and Budget

Office of the Governor

Saipan, MP 96950

Telephone: (670) 664-2289

FAX:           (670) 664-2272

mailto:omb.villagomez@saipan.com

VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

Ira Mills

Director,  Office of Management & Budget

# 41 Norre Gade Emancipation Garden Station, Second Floor

Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands 00802

Telephone: (340) 774-0750

FAX:           (787) 776-0069

Irmills@usvi.org

 

 

Changes to this list can be made only after OMB is notified by a State’s officially designated representative. E-mail messages can be sent to grants@omb.eop.gov. If you prefer, you may send correspondence to the following postal address:

 

Attn: Grants Management

Office of Management and Budget

New Executive Office Building, Suite 6025

725 17th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20503

 

Please note: Inquiries about obtaining a Federal grant should not be sent to the OMB e-mail or postal address shown above. The best source for this information is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) [http://www.cfda.gov/].

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

               

 

 

 

 

 

NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS

 

(ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS)

 

AND

 

APPLICATION FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS


OMB Control No.  1801-0004 (Exp. 9/30/2004)

 

 

                                               NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS

                                                                             

 

The purpose of this enclosure is to inform you about a new provision in the Department of Education's General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) that applies to applicants for new grant awards under Department programs.  This provision is Section 427 of GEPA, enacted as part of the Improving America's Schools Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-382).

 

 

To Whom Does This Provision Apply?

 

 

Section 427 of GEPA affects applicants for new grant awards under this program.  ALL APPLICANTS FOR NEW AWARDS MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION IN THEIR APPLICATIONS TO ADDRESS THIS NEW PROVISION IN ORDER TO RECEIVE FUNDING UNDER THIS PROGRAM.

 

(If this program is a State-formula grant program, a State needs to provide this description only for projects or activities that it carries out with funds reserved for State-level uses.  In addition, local school districts or other eligible applicants that apply to the State for funding need to provide this description in their applications to the State for funding.  The State would be responsible for ensuring that the school district or other local entity has submitted a sufficient section 427 statement as described below.)

 

 

What Does This Provision Require?

 

 

Section 427 requires each applicant for funds (other than an individual person) to include in its application a description of the steps the applicant proposes to take to ensure equitable access to, and participation in, its Federally-assisted program for students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries with special needs. 

 

     This provision allows applicants discretion in developing the required description.  The statute highlights six types of barriers that can impede equitable access or participation: gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age.  Based on local circumstances, you should determine whether these or other barriers may prevent your students, teachers, etc. from such access or participation in, the Federally-funded project or activity.  The description in your application of steps to be taken to overcome these barriers need not be lengthy; you may provide a clear and succinct description of how you plan to address those barriers that are applicable to your circumstances.  In addition, the information may be provided in a single narrative, or, if appropriate, may be discussed in connection with related topics in the application.

 

Section 427 is not intended to duplicate the requirements of civil rights statutes, but rather to ensure that, in designing their projects, applicants for Federal funds address equity concerns that may affect the ability of certain potential beneficiaries to fully participate in the project and to achieve to high standards.  Consistent with program requirements and its approved application, an applicant may use the Federal funds awarded to it to eliminate barriers it identifies.

 

 

What are Examples of How an Applicant Might Satisfy the Requirement of This Provision?

 

The following examples may help illustrate how an applicant may comply with Section 427.

 

 

(1) An applicant that proposes to carry out an adult literacy project serving, among others, adults with limited English proficiency, might describe in its application how it intends to distribute a brochure about the proposed project to such potential participants in their native language.

 

(2) An applicant that proposes to develop instructional materials for classroom use might describe how it will make the materials available on audio tape or in braille for students who are blind.

 

(3) An applicant that proposes to carry out a model science program for secondary students and is concerned that girls may be less likely than boys to enroll in the course, might indicate how it intends to conduct "outreach" efforts to girls, to encourage their enrollment.

 

We recognize that many applicants may already be implementing effective steps to ensure equity of access and participation in their grant programs, and we appreciate your cooperation in responding to the requirements of this provision.

 

 

                                        Estimated Burden Statement for GEPA Requirements

 

The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to vary from 1 to 3 hours per response, with an average of 1.5 hours, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather and maintain the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.  If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:  U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC 20202-4651.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E-2

 


 

 

 APPLICATION FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS

 

The application is divided into four parts.  These parts are organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be organized.  These parts are as follows:

Part I:  Federal Assistance Application Face Page Instructions.

      

  Part II:  Budget Information -- Non-Construction Programs (ED Form 524) and Instructions.

 

  Part III:   Application Narrative.

 

  Part IV:  Assurances and Certifications --

       

                                Assurances -- Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).

                               

Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED Form 80-0013).

 

Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion -- Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED Form 80-0014) and Instructions.

 

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

 

Important Notice to Prospective Participants in USDE Contract and Grant Programs.

 

     An applicant may submit information on a photostatic copy of the application and budget forms, the assurances, and the certifications.  However, the application form, the assurances, and the certifications must each have an original signature.  No grant may be awarded unless a completed application form has been received.


INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SF-424

 

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0043), Washington, DC 20503.

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE SPONSORING AGENCY.

This is a standard form used by applicants as a required face sheet for pre-applications and applications submitted for Federal assistance. It will be used by Federal agencies to obtain applicant certification that States which have established a review and comment procedure in response to Executive Order 12372 and have selected the program to be included in their process, have been given an opportunity to review the applicant’s submission.

Item:

Entry:

Item:

Entry:

1.

Select Type of Submission.

11.

Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If more than one program is involved, you should append an explanation on a separate sheet. If appropriate (e.g., construction or real property projects), attach a map showing project location. For preapplications, use a separate sheet to provide a summary description of this project.

2.

Date application submitted to Federal agency (or State if applicable) and applicant’s control number (if applicable).

12.

List only the largest political entities affected (e.g., State, counties, cities).

3.

State use    State use only (if applicable).

13

Enter the proposed start date and end date of the project.

4.

Enter Date Received by Federal Agency

Federal identifier number:  If this application is a continuation or revision to an existing award, enter the present Federal Identifier number.  If for a new project, leave blank.

14.

List the applicant’s Congressional District and any District(s) affected by the program or project

5.

Enter legal name of applicant, name of primary organizational unit (including division, if applicable), which will undertake the assistance activity, enter the organization’s DUNS number (received from Dun and Bradstreet), enter the complete address of the applicant (including country), and name, telephone number, e-mail and fax of the person to contact on matters related to this application.

15

Amount requested or to be contributed during the first funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in kind contributions should be included on appropriate lines as applicable. If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the amounts in parentheses. If both basic and supplemental amounts are included, show breakdown on an attached sheet. For multiple program funding, use totals and show breakdown using same categories as item 15.

6.

Enter Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.

16.

Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process.

7.

Select the appropriate letter in the space provided.

A.       State Government

B.       County Government

C.       Local Government

D.       City or Township Government

G.       Special District

H.       Independent School District

I.          Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

J.        Private University Institution of Higher Education

K.       Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

 

 

 

L.        Individual

M.       For-Profit Organization (Other than small business)

N.       Other (Specify)

O.       Nonprofit Organization (Other than Institution of Higher Education)

P.         Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)

Q.       Public/Indian Housing Authority

R.       Small Business

17.

This question applies to the applicant organization, not the person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of debt include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.

8.

Select the type from the following list:

·    "New" means a new assistance award.

·    “Continuation” means an extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date.

·    “Revision” means any change in the Federal Government’s financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision enter the appropriate letter:

A. Increase Award          B. Decrease Award

C. Increase Duration       D. Decrease Duration

18

To be signed by the authorized representative of the applicant. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for you to sign this application as official representative must be on file in the applicant’s office. (Certain Federal agencies may require that this authorization be submitted as part of the application.)

 

 

9.

Name of Federal agency from which assistance is being requested with this application.

 

 

10.

Use the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the program under which assistance is requested.

 

 

SF-424 (Rev. x-xx) Back


Instructions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for SF 424

 


1.    Project Director.  Name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the person to be contacted on matters involving this application.

 

2.Novice Applicant.  Check “Yes” or “No” only if assistance is being requested under a program that gives special consideration to novice applicants.  Otherwise, leave blank.

 

Check “Yes” if you meet the requirements for novice applicants specified in the regulations in 34 CFR 75.225 and included on the attached page entitled “Definitions for Form ED 424.”  By checking “Yes” the applicant certifies that it meets these novice applicant requirements.  Check “No” if you do not meet the requirements for novice applicants.

 

3.  Human Subjects Research.  (See I. A. “Definitions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for Form ED 424.”)

 

If Not Human Subjects Research.  Check “No” if research activities involving human subjects are not planned at any time during the proposed project period.  The remaining parts of Item 12 are then not applicable.

 

If Human Subjects Research.  Check “Yes” if research activities involving human subjects are planned at any time during the proposed project period, either at the applicant organization or at any other performance site or collaborating institution.  Check “Yes” even if the research is exempt from the regulations for the protection of human subjects. (See I. B. “Exemptions” in attached page entitled “Definitions for Form ED 424.”)

 

·      If Human Subjects Research is Exempt from the Human Subjects Regulations.  Check “Yes” if all the research activities proposed are designated to be exempt from the regulations.  Insert the exemption number(s) corresponding to one or more of the six exemption categories listed in I. B. “Exemptions.”  In addition, follow the instructions in II. A. “Exempt Research Narrative” in the attached page entitled “Definitions for Form ED 424.”  Insert this narrative immediately following the ED 424 face page.

 

·      If Human Subjects Research is Not Exempt from Human Subjects Regulations.  Check “No” if some or all of the planned research activities are covered (not exempt).  In addition, follow the instructions in II. B. “Nonexempt Research Narrative” in the page entitled “Definitions for Form ED 424.”  Insert this narrative immediately following the ED 424 face page.

 

·      Human Subjects Assurance Number.  If the applicant has an approved Federal Wide (FWA) or Multiple Project Assurance (MPA) with the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that covers the specific activity, insert the number in the space provided.  If the applicant does not have an approved assurance on file with OHRP, enter “None.”  In this case, the applicant, by signature on the face page, is declaring that it will comply with 34 CFR 97 and proceed to obtain the human subjects assurance upon request by the designated ED official.  If the application is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain the assurance within 30 days after the specific formal request.

 

Note about Institutional Review Board Approval.  ED does not require certification of Institutional Review Board approval with the application.  However, if an application that involves non-exempt human subjects research is recommended/selected for funding, the designated ED official will request that the applicant obtain and send the certification to ED within 30 days after the formal request.

 

 

Paperwork Burden Statement.  According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1875-0106.  The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average between 15 and 45 minutes per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection.  If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to:  U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651.  If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form write directly to:  Joyce I. Mays, Application Control Center, U.S. Department of Education, 7th and D Streets, S.W. ROB-3, Room 3671, Washington, D.C. 20202-4725

 



Definitions:

 

Novice Applicant (See 34 CFR 75.225).  For discretionary grant programs under which the Secretary gives special consideration to novice applications, a novice applicant means any applicant for a grant from ED that—

 

 

 

 

In the case of a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127-75.129, a group includes only parties that meet the requirements listed above.

 

PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH

 

I.  Definitions and Exemptions

 

A.  Definitions.

 

A research activity involves human subjects if the activity is research, as defined in the Department’s regulations, and the research activity will involve use of human subjects, as defined in the regulations.

 

Research

 

The ED Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 97, define research as “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.”  If an activity follows a deliberate plan whose purpose is to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge it is research.  Activities, which meet this definition, constitute research whether or not they are conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other purposes.  For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research activities.

 

—Human Subject

 

The regulations define human subject as “a living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student) conducting research obtains (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual, or (2) identifiable private information.”  (1) If an activity involves obtaining information about a living person by manipulating that person or that person’s environment, as might occur when a new instructional technique is tested, or by communicating or interacting with the individual, as occurs with surveys and interviews, the definition of human subject is met.  (2) If an activity involves obtaining private information about a living person in such a way that the information can be linked to that individual (the identity of the subject is or may be readily determined by the investigator or associated with the information), the definition of human subject is met.  [Private information includes information about behavior that occurs in a context in which an individual can reasonably expect that no observation or recording is taking place, and information which has been provided for specific purposes by an individual and which the individual can reasonably expect will not be made public (for example, a school health record).]

 

B.  Exemptions.

 

Research activities in which the only involvement of human subjects will be in one or more of the following six categories of exemptions are not covered by the regulations:

 

(1) Research conducted in established or commonly accepted educational settings, involving normal educational practices, such as (a) research on regular and special education instructional strategies, or (b) research on the effectiveness of or the comparison among instructional techniques, curricula, or classroom management methods.

 

(2) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior, unless: (a) information obtained is recorded in such a manner that human subjects can be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects; and (b) any disclosure of the human subjects’ responses outside the research could reasonably place the subjects at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the subjects’ financial standing, employability, or reputation.  If the subjects are children, exemption 2 applies only to research involving educational tests and observations of public behavior when the investigator(s) do not participate in the activities being observed.  Exemption 2 does not apply if children are surveyed or interviewed or if the research involves observation of public behavior and the investigator(s) participate in the activities being observed.  [Children are defined as persons who have not attained the legal age for consent to treatments or procedures involved in the research, under the applicable law or jurisdiction in which the research will be conducted.]

 

(3) Research involving the use of educational tests (cognitive, diagnostic, aptitude, achievement), survey procedures, interview procedures or observation of public behavior that is not exempt under section (2) above, if the human subjects are elected or appointed public officials or candidates for public office; or federal statute(s) require(s) without exception that the confidentiality of the personally identifiable information will be maintained throughout the research and thereafter.

 

(4) Research involving the collection or study of existing data, documents, records, pathological specimens, or diagnostic specimens, if these sources are publicly available or if the information is recorded by the investigator in a manner that subjects cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the subjects.

 

(5) Research and demonstration projects which are conducted by or subject to the approval of department or agency heads, and which are designed to study, evaluate, or otherwise examine:  (a) public benefit or service programs; (b) procedures for obtaining benefits or services under those programs; (c) possible changes in or alternatives to those programs or procedures; or (d) possible changes in methods or levels of payment for benefits or services under those programs.

 

(6) Taste and food quality evaluation and consumer acceptance studies, (a) if wholesome foods without additives are consumed or (b) if a food is consumed that contains a food ingredient at or below the level and for a use found to be safe, or agricultural chemical or environmental contaminant at or below the level found to be safe, by the Food and Drug Administration or approved by the Environmental Protection Agency or the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

II.  Instructions for Exempt and Nonexempt Human Subjects Research Narratives

 

If the applicant marked “Yes” for Item 12 on the ED 424, the applicant must provide a human subjects “exempt research” or “nonexempt research” narrative and insert it immediately following the ED 424 face page.

 

A.  Exempt Research Narrative.

If you marked “Yes” for item 12 a. and designated exemption numbers(s), provide the “exempt research” narrative.  The narrative must contain sufficient information about the involvement of human subjects in the proposed research to allow a determination by ED that the designated exemption(s) are appropriate.  The narrative must be succinct.

 

B.  Nonexempt Research Narrative.

 

If you marked “No” for item 12 a. you must provide the “nonexempt research” narrative.  The narrative must address the following seven points.  Although no specific page limitation applies to this section of the application, be succinct.

 

(1) Human Subjects Involvement and Characteristics: Provide a detailed description of the proposed involvement of human subjects.  Describe the characteristics of the subject population, including their anticipated number, age range, and health status.  Identify the criteria for inclusion or exclusion of any subpopulation.  Explain the rationale for the involvement of special classes of subjects, such as children, children with disabilities, adults with disabilities, persons with mental disabilities, pregnant women, prisoners, institutionalized individuals, or others who are likely to be vulnerable

 

(2) Sources of Materials: Identify the sources of research material obtained from individually identifiable living human subjects in the form of specimens, records, or data.  Indicate whether the material or data will be obtained specifically for research purposes or whether use will be made of existing specimens, records, or data.

 

(3) Recruitment and Informed Consent:  Describe plans for the recruitment of subjects and the consent procedures to be followed.  Include the circumstances under which consent will be sought and obtained, who will seek it, the nature of the information to be provided to prospective subjects, and the method of documenting consent.  State if the Institutional Review Board (IRB) has authorized a modification or waiver of the elements of consent or the requirement for documentation of consent.

 

(4) Potential Risks: Describe potential risks (physical, psychological, social, legal, or other) and assess their likelihood and seriousness.  Where appropriate, describe alternative treatments and procedures that might be advantageous to the subjects.

 

(5) Protection Against Risk: Describe the procedures for protecting against or minimizing potential risks, including risks to confidentiality, and assess their likely effectiveness.  Where appropriate, discuss provisions for ensuring necessary medical or professional intervention in the event of adverse effects to the subjects.  Also, where appropriate, describe the provisions for monitoring the data collected to ensure the safety of the subjects.

 

(6) Importance of the Knowledge to be Gained: Discuss the importance of the knowledge gained or to be gained as a result of the proposed research.  Discuss why the risks to subjects are reasonable in relation to the anticipated benefits to subjects and in relation to the importance of the knowledge that may reasonably be expected to result.

 

(7) Collaborating Site(s): If research involving human subjects will take place at collaborating site(s) or other performance site(s), name the sites and briefly describe their involvement or role in the research.

 

Copies of the Department of Education’s Regulations for the Protection of Human Subjects, 34 CFR Part 97 and other pertinent materials on the protection of human subjects in research are available from the Grants Policy and Oversight Staff, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4248, telephone: (202) 708-8263, and on the U.S. Department of Education’s Protection of Human Subjects in Research Web Site at

 http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCFO/humansub.html    


 

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to vary from 13 to 22 hours per response, with an average of 17.5 hours per response, including the time reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the U.S. Department of Education, Information Management and Compliance Division, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project 1875-0102, Washington DC 20503.

 

 INSTRUCTIONS FOR ED FORM 524

 


                                   

 

General Instructions

 

This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant programs. Unless directed otherwise, provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year funding request.  Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached.

 

               Section A - Budget Summary

          U.S. Department of Education Funds

 

All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown by the applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.

 

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):  For each project year for which funding is requested, show the total amount requested for each applicable budget category.

 

Lines 1-11, column (f):  Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding is requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.

 

Line 12, columns (a)-(e):  Show the total budget request for each project year for which funding is requested.

 

Line 12, column (f):  Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding is requested for only one year, leave this space blank.

 

               Section B - Budget Summary

                      Non-Federal Funds

 

If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide matching funds or other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be shown for each applicable budget category on lines 1-11 of Section B.

 

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):  For each project year for which matching funds or other contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each applicable budget category.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lines 1-11, column (f):  Show the multi-year total for each budget category.  If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this column blank.

 

Line 12, columns (a)-(e):  Show the total matching or other contribution for each project year.

 

Line 12, column (f):  Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multi-year project.  If

 

 

non-Federal contributions are provided for only one year, leave this space blank.

 

          Section C - Other Budget Information

Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached.

 

1.   Provide an itemized budget breakdown, by project year, for each budget category listed in Sections A and B.

 

2.   If applicable to this program, enter the type of indirect rate (provisional, predetermined, final or fixed) that will be in effect during the funding period.  In addition, enter the estimated amount of the base to which the rate is applied, and the total indirect expense.

 

3.   If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on which fringe benefits are calculated.

 

4.   Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.


PART III - APPLICATION NARRATIVE

 

This narrative section of the application requires applicants to address the selection criteria that will be used by reviewers in evaluating individual applications.  Please refer to the “Selection Criteria and Format” sections in this package for the competition to which you wish to submit an application.

Also, all of the competitions covered by this package have page limitations for the application narrative.  Please refer to the “Page Limits” information for the competition to which you wish to submit an application.


 

 

 

 

 


INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETION OF SF-LLL, DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES

 

This disclosure form shall be completed by the reporting entity, whether subawardee or prime Federal recipient, at the initiation or receipt of a covered Federal action, or a material change to a previous filing, pursuant to title 31 U.S.C. section 1352.  The filing of a form is required for each payment or agreement to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action.  Complete all items that apply for both the initial filing and material change report.  Refer to the implementing guidance published by the Office of Management and Budget for additional information.

 

1.             Identify the type of covered Federal action for which lobbying activity is and/or has been secured to influence the outcome of a covered Federal action.

 

2.             Identify the status of the covered Federal action.

 

3.             Identify the appropriate classification of this report.  If this is a followup report caused by a material change to the information previously reported, enter the year and quarter in which the change occurred.  Enter the date of the last previously submitted report by this reporting entity for this covered Federal action.

 

4.             Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the reporting entity.  Include Congressional District, if known.  Check the appropriate classification of the reporting entity that designates if it is, or expects to be, a prime or subaward recipient.  Identify the tier of the subawardee, e.g., the first subawardee of the prime is the 1st tier.  Subawards include but are not limited to subcontracts, subgrants and contract awards under grants.

 

5.             If the organization filing the report in item 4 checks “Subawardee,” then enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the prime Federal recipient.  Include Congressional District, if known.

 

6.             Enter the name of the federal agency making the award or loan commitment.  Include at least one organizational level below agency name, if known.  For example, Department of Transportation, United States Coast Guard.

 

7.             Enter the Federal program name or description for the covered Federal action (item 1).  If known, enter the full Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and loan commitments.

 

8.             Enter the most appropriate Federal identifying number available for the Federal action identified in item 1 (e.g., Request for Proposal (RFP) number; Invitations for Bid (IFB) number; grant announcement number; the contract, grant, or loan award number; the application/proposal control number assigned by the Federal agency).  Included prefixes, e.g., “RFP-DE-90-001.”

 

9.             For a covered Federal action where there has been an award or loan commitment by the Federal agency, enter the Federal amount of the award/loan commitment for the prime entity identified in item 4 or 5.

 

10.           (a) Enter the full name, address, city, State and zip code of the lobbying registrant under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 engaged by the reporting entity identified in item 4 to influence the covered Federal action.

 

(b) Enter the full names of the individual(s) performing services, and include full address if different from 10(a).  Enter Last Name, First Name, and Middle Initial (MI).

 

11.           The certifying official shall sign and date the form, print his/her name, title, and telephone number.

 

 


According to the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control Number.  The valid OMB control number for this information collection is OMB No. 0348-0046.  Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0046), Washington, DC 20503

 


IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PROSPECTIVE PARTICIPANTS

IN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

GRANT AND CONTRACT PROGRAMS

 

GRANTS

 

Applicants for grants from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) have to compete for limited funds. Deadlines assure all applicants that they will be treated fairly and equally, without last minute haste. For these reasons, ED must set strict deadlines for grant applications.  Prospective applicants can avoid disappointment if they understand that:

 

Failure to meet a deadline will mean that an applicant will be rejected without any consideration.

 

The rules, including the deadline, for applying for each grant are published, individually, in the Federal Register.  Six-month or one-year subscriptions to the daily, official Federal Register may be ordered from the U. S. Government Printing Office at the following url: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/regulatory/fed-reg.html. The Federal Register Complete Service is also available in microfiche on the same web page. In addition, the Federal Register is available on-line for free on Government Printing Office (GPO) Access: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara. Depository Library location and Federal Register services: http://www.nara.archives.gov

 

The instructions in the Federal Register must be followed exactly.  Do not accept any other advice you may receive.  No ED employee is authorized to extend any deadline published in the Register. No ED employee is authorized to extend any deadline published in the Federal Register. Questions regarding submission of applications may be addressed to:

 

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Washington, D.C. 20202-4725

 

CONTRACTS

 

Competitive procurement actions undertaken by the ED are governed by the Federal Acquisition Regulations and implementing Department of Education Acquisition Regulations.

 

Generally, prospective competitive procurement actions are synopsized in the Commerce Business Daily (CBD).  Prospective offerors are therein advised of the nature of the procurement and where to apply for copies of the Request for Proposals (RFP). All of ED’s RFP’s are now available on-line for downloading at the following url:

http://www.ed.gov/fund/contract/apply/currrfp.html

 

Offerors are advised to be guided solely by the contents of the CBD synopsis and the instructions contained in the RFP.  Questions regarding the submission of offers should be addressed to the Contracts Specialist identified on the face page of the RFP. Offers are judged in competition with others, and failure to conform with any substantive requirements of the RFP will result in rejection of the offer without any consideration whatever.

 

Do not accept any advice you receive that is contrary to instructions contained in either the CBD synopsis or the RFP.  No ED employee is authorized to consider a proposal, which is non-responsive to the RFP. Six-month or one-year subscriptions to the CBD may be ordered from the U.S. Government Printing Office at the following url: http://bookstore.gpo.gov/regulatory/cbd.html.  Information included in the Federal Acquisition Regulation is contained in Title 48, Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1.  The foregoing publication may be obtained by sending your check or money order only, no cash or stamps, to:

 

Superintendent of Documents

U.S. Government Printing Office

Washington, D.C. 20402-9371

 

In addition, the Commerce Business Daily is available on-line for free at the following url: http://cbdnet.access.gpo.gov/. The Federal Acquisition Regulations are available on-line at the following url: http://www.arnet.gov/far/.

 

ED FORM 5348, 10/01

 

 


NOTICE TO ALL APPLICANTS:

Program Performance Measures Under The Government Performance And Results Act (GPRA)

 

 

 

What is GPRA

The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 is a straightforward statute that requires all Federal agencies to manage their activities with attention to the consequences of those activities.  Each agency is to clearly state what it intends to accomplish, identify the resources required, and periodically report it’s progress to the Congress.  In doing so, it is expected that GPRA will contribute to improvements in accountability for the expenditures of public funds, improve Congressional decision-making through more objective information on the effectiveness of Federal programs, and promote a new government focus on results, service delivery, and customer satisfaction.

 

How has the United States Department of Education responded to the GPRA Requirements?

 

As required by GPRA, the United States Department of Education (the Department) has prepared a strategic plan for 2002-2007.  This plan reflects the Department’s priorities and integrates them with its mission and program authorities and describes how the Department will work to improve education for all children and adults in the United States.  The Department’s goals, as listed in the plan, are:

 

Goal 1:           Create a Culture of Achievement: Create a culture of achievement throughout the nation's education system by effectively implementing the new law, the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and by basing all federal education programs on its principles: accountability, flexibility, expanded parental options and doing what works.

 

Goal 2:           Improve Student Achievement: Improve student achievement for all groups of students by putting reading first, expanding high-quality mathematics and science teaching, reforming high schools, and boosting teacher and principal quality, thereby closing the achievement gap.

 

Goal 3:           Develop Safe Schools and Strong Character: Establish disciplined and drug-free education environments that foster the development of good character and citizenship.

 

Goal 4:           Transform Education into an Evidence-based Field: Strengthen the quality of education research.

 

Goal 5:           Enhance the Quality of and Access to Postsecondary and Adult Education: Increase opportunities for students and the effectiveness of institutions.

 

Goal 6:           Establish Management Excellence: Create a culture of accountability throughout the Department of Education.

 

What are the Performance Indicators for the IDEA: Research and Innovation to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program which is included in this announcement?

 

The program included in this announcement is authorized under Part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, titled "National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities".  The Department's specific goal for the IDEA National Activities programs is "to link best scientifically-based practices to states, school systems, and families to improve results for infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities." The goal, objectives and performance indicators for this program is as follows:  

 

Goal 8:  To produce and advance the use of knowledge to improve services provided under IDEA and results for children with disabilities.

     

      Objective 8.1:  Improve the quality of research and development projects.

 

      Indicator 8.1.1:  HIGH QUALITY PROJECTS:  By 2013, all research and development projects will be deemed to be of high quality.

 

      Indicator 8.1.2:  RANDOMIZED DESIGNS:  By 2013, all projects that address causal questions will employ randomized experimental designs.

 

Objective 8.2:  Increase the relevance of research and development projects to the needs of children with disabilities.

 

      Indicator 8.2.1:  RELEVANCE JUDGED BY SCIENTISTS:  By 2013, scientist will judge all research and development projects to be of high relevance to the needs of children with disabilities.

 

      Indicator 8.2.2:  RELEVANCE JUDGED BY STAKEHOLDERS:  By 2013, stakeholders will judge all research and development projects to be of high relevance to the needs of children with disabilities.

     

PROGRAM STRATEGIES:

 

  1. Identify children with developmental delay in the first year of life.
  2. Identify children with learning and behavior difficulty prior to third grade.
  3. Serve children with disabilities ages birth through five in settings typical for non-disabled peers.
  4. Provide effective coordination of services for children with disabilities.
  5. Identify knowledge and performance attributes of teachers and service providers that are related to improved outcomes for children with disabilities.
  6. Improve reading skills of children with disabilities who are not progressing in the general education curriculum with effective interventions.
  7. Improve language/communication, cognitive functioning, and pre-reading skills of preschool children with disabilities.
  8. Improve functional abilities and development of infants and toddlers with disabilities.
  9. Improve development and use of universally designed educational standards, curriculum,                         instruction and assessment.
  10.  Enhance school completion and prevent dropout.
  11.  Improve transition and academic goals for adolescents with disabilities.

      12. Enhance the capacity of States to improve results for children with disabilities.

 

Objective 8.3:  Produce high quality products and communicate information for appropriate audiences.

 

Indicator 8.3.1:  HIGH QUALITY PRODUCTS:  By 2013, the percentage of projects that produce high quality products appropriate for the target audience will increase to 95 percent (all projects) and 85 percent (projects addressing long-term strategies).

 

Indicator 8.3.2:  PUBLISHED FINDINGS:  By 2013, the percentage of research projects that have findings published in peer-refereed journals will increase to 90 percent (all projects) and 85 percent (projects addressing long-term strategies).

 

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) will collect information to assess progress and performance by requiring the applicant to report evaluation data in the projects' annual performance reports (EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.590).  See Performance Measures on page B-4 of the Priority Description section of this application package.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

DUNS Number Instructions

 

 

D‑U‑N‑S No.: Please provide the applicant's D‑U‑N‑S Number. You can obtain your D‑U‑N‑S Number at no charge by calling 1‑800‑333‑0505 or by completing a D‑U‑N‑S Number Request Form. The form can be obtained via the Internet at the following URL:

 

http://www.dnb.com/dbis/aboutdb/intlduns.htm

 

The D‑U‑N‑S Number is a unique nine‑digit number that does not convey any information about the recipient. A built in check digit helps assure the accuracy of the D‑U‑N‑S Number. The ninth digit of each number is the check digit, which is mathematically related to the other digits. It lets computer systems determine if a D‑U‑N‑S Number has been entered correctly.

 

Dun & Bradstreet, a global information services provider, has assigned D‑U‑N‑S numbers to over 43 million companies worldwide.                                                      

 

 


 

 

 

 

GRANT APPLICATION RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT__________

 


If you fail to receive the notification of application within fifteen (15) days from the closing date, call:

 

 

                                                U.S. Department of Education

                                                Application Control Center

                                                (202) 708-9493

 

 

GRANT AND CONTRACT FUNDING INFORMATION

 


The Department of Education provides information about grant and contract opportunities electronically in several ways:

 

ED Internet Home Page                 http://www.ed.gov/                   (WWW address)