FR Doc 05-14191
[Federal Register: July 19, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 137)]
[Notices]
[Page 41385-41389]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19jy05-30]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview
Information; Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as Amended--National
Activities--National Assistive Technology Training and Technical
Assistance Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2005
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.224B-1.
DATES: Applications Available: July 19, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 18, 2005. Deadline
for Intergovernmental Review: August 29, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: Public or private nonprofit or for-profit
organizations, including institutions of higher education, that have
(directly or through grant or contract) (1) experience and expertise in
administering programs, including developing, implementing, and
administering the required and discretionary activities described in
sections 4 and 5 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended
(AT Act); (2) experience and expertise in providing technical
assistance; and (3) documented experience in and knowledge about
banking, finance, and microlending. This means that an eligible entity
can demonstrate its experience and expertise on its own or through
proposed subgrants or subcontracts with other entities that demonstrate
the relevant experience and expertise.
Estimated Available Funds: $640,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The AT Act authorizes support for activities
that increase the availability of, funding for, access to, provision
of, and training about assistive technology (AT) devices and AT
services. The AT Act authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to
States to support comprehensive statewide AT programs (Statewide AT
Programs) that improve access to and the acquisition of AT devices and
services for individuals with disabilities and their families. The AT
Act also authorizes the Secretary to provide grants to protection and
advocacy systems in order to enable these systems to assist in the
acquisition, use, or maintenance of AT devices and services (PAAT).
Under section 6 of the AT Act, the Secretary is authorized to provide
grants to support national activities to improve the administration of
the AT Act, such as the provision of training and technical assistance
to entities funded under the AT Act to improve the effectiveness of
their programs and to entities not funded under the AT Act to improve
awareness of and access to AT. Other national activities include data
collection and assistance and a National Public Internet Site. In
addition, a provision in section 4 of the AT Act authorizes grants to
States for Alternative Financing Programs (AFPs) in accordance with
title III of the AT Act, as in effect before the enactment of the
amendments in 2004, to pay for the Federal share of the cost of
establishing, or expanding, and administering one or more alternative
financing mechanisms to allow individuals with disabilities and their
families to purchase AT devices and services. Title III, section 306,
of the AT Act, as in effect prior to the enactment of the amendments of
2004, requires that information and technical assistance be provided to
AFPs. Under section 308(b) of the AT Act, as in effect prior to the
enactment of the amendments of 2004, the Secretary reserves funds from
any appropriation for title III for this purpose. In years when those
funds are appropriated, additional funds for technical assistance to
AFPs will be available.
Priority: We are establishing this priority for the FY 2005 grant
competition only, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2005 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
National Assistive Technology Training and Technical Assistance
Program (National AT TA Program)
This priority is for a project to provide technical assistance and
training to entities funded under the AT Act and entities not funded
under the AT Act to improve the effectiveness of activities supported
under the AT Act.
If the applicant chooses to award subgrants or subcontracts to
carry out activities required under this priority, the applicant's
proposal must reflect clearly how the applicant will collaborate with
any entities to which the applicant will provide a subgrant or
subcontract in order to ensure that activities conducted by those
entities meet the requirements of this priority and are consistent with
the applicant's proposal. The project must--
(1) Address State-specific information requests concerning AT from
entities funded under the AT Act and public entities not funded under
the AT Act, including--
(a) Requests for information on effective approaches to Federal-
State coordination of programs for individuals with disabilities,
related to improving funding for or access to AT devices and AT
services for individuals with disabilities of all ages;
(b) Requests for state-of-the-art, or model, Federal, State, and
local laws, regulations, policies, practices, procedures, and
organizational structures, that facilitate, and overcome barriers to,
funding for, and access to, AT devices and AT services;
(c) Requests for information on effective approaches to developing,
implementing, evaluating, and sustaining activities described in
sections 4 and 5 of the AT Act and related to improving funding for or
access to AT devices and AT services for individuals with disabilities
of all ages, and requests for assistance in developing corrective
action plans;
(d) Requests for examples of policies, practices, procedures,
regulations, or judicial decisions that have enhanced or may enhance
access to funding for AT devices and AT services for individuals with
disabilities;
(e) Requests for information on effective approaches to the
development of consumer-controlled systems that increase access to,
funding for, and awareness of, AT devices and AT services; and
(f) Other requests for training and technical assistance from
entities funded under the AT Act and public and private entities not
funded under the AT Act;
[[Page 41386]]
(2) Assist targeted individuals and entities by disseminating
information about--
(a) Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, policies,
practices, procedures, and organizational structures, that facilitate,
and overcome barriers to, funding for, and access to, AT devices and AT
services, to promote fuller independence, productivity, and inclusion
in society for individuals with disabilities of all ages; and
(b) Technical assistance activities undertaken under paragraph (1)
of this priority;
(3) Provide State-specific, regional, and national training and
technical assistance concerning AT to entities funded under the AT Act
and to public and private entities not funded under the AT Act,
including--
(a) Annually providing a forum for exchanging information
concerning, and promoting program and policy improvements in, required
activities of the Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, and PAAT programs;
(b) Facilitating onsite and electronic information sharing using
state-of-the-art Internet technologies such as real-time online
discussions, multipoint video conferencing, and Web-based audio/video
broadcasts, on emerging topics that affect Statewide AT Programs, AFPs,
and PAAT programs;
(c) Convening experts from Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, PAAT
programs, representatives of organizations representing individuals
with disabilities and their families, representatives of Federal
agencies, researchers in AT, and AT developers and venders to discuss
and make recommendations with regard to national emerging issues of
importance to individuals with AT needs;
(d) Sharing information on evidence-based and promising practices
among Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, and PAAT programs;
(e) Maintaining an accessible Web site that includes links to
Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, PAAT programs, appropriate Federal
departments and agencies, the National Public Internet Site funded
under section 6 of the AT Act, and private associations;
(f) Developing a national toll-free number that links callers from
any State with the Statewide AT Program, AFP, and PAAT program in their
State;
(g) Assisting Statewide AT Programs to reduce the costs of AT
through the development or use of existing model cooperative volume-
purchasing mechanisms;
(h) Assisting Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, and PAAT programs to
reduce the duplication of their activities;
(i) Providing access to experts in the areas of banking,
microlending, and finance for entities funded under the AT Act and
other entities not funded under the AT Act;
(j) Assisting Statewide AT Programs in achieving the measurable
goals required by section 4(d)(3) of the AT Act;
(k) Facilitating collaboration at the National and State level
among Statewide AT Programs, AFPs, PAATs, and other entities involved
in AT; and
(l) Facilitating consumer involvement in Statewide AT Programs,
AFPs, and PAATs at the national and State level;
(4) Collaborate with other projects funded under section 6 of the
AT Act;
(5) Conduct outreach to and collaborate with relevant Federal,
State, and local programs and projects that increase access to AT,
including programs that increase access to AT in education, employment,
community living, and telecommunications and information technology;
(6) Provide to the Secretary the data and information necessary to
improve the administration of the AT Act and to evaluate the project's
progress in accordance with the performance measures in section VI. 4.
Performance Measures of this notice;
(7) Include plans for designing and providing training and
technical assistance with the input of--
(a) Directors of Statewide AT Programs;
(b) Directors of AFPs;
(c) Directors of PAAT programs;
(d) Individuals with disabilities who use AT and understand the
barriers to the acquisition of that technology and AT services;
(e) Family members, guardians, advocates, and authorized
representatives of individuals with disabilities who use AT;
(f) Relevant employees from Federal departments and agencies, other
than the Department of Education;
(g) Representatives of businesses; and
(h) Venders and public and private researchers and developers; and
(8) Include plans for evaluating the effectiveness of the technical
assistance and training program in accordance with the performance
measures in section VI. 4. Performance Measures of this notice.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. Ordinarily, this
practice would have applied to the absolute priority for the National
AT TA Program. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA (20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1)),
however, allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or
substantially revised program authority. This is the first grant
competition for this program under section 6 of the AT Act and
therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to ensure timely grant
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the
proposed absolute priority under section 437(d)(1). This absolute
priority will apply to the FY 2005 grant competition only.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 3001 et seq.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $640,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Public or private nonprofit or for-profit
organizations, including institutions of higher education, that have
(directly or through grant or contract) (1) experience and expertise in
administering programs, including developing, implementing, and
administering the required and discretionary activities described in
sections 4 and 5 of the AT Act; (2) experience and expertise in
providing technical assistance; and (3) documented experience in and
knowledge about banking, finance, and microlending. This means that an
eligible entity can demonstrate its experience and expertise on its own
or through proposed subgrants or subcontracts with other entities that
demonstrate the relevant experience and expertise.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center
[[Page 41387]]
(ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll free):
1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free): 1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.224B-1.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Room 5075, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:
(202) 245-7363. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 75 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, you must
include all of the application narrative in Part III.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other
standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: July 19, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 18, 2005.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants system, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by
mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. Other Submission
Requirements in this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August
29, 2005.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants
system, accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application
for this competition after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application
process.
The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you submit your application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Any narrative sections of your application must be
attached as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
(4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date. Application Deadline Date Extension in
Case of System Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically
submitting your application on the application deadline date because
the e-Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension
of one business day in order to transmit your application
electronically, by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this
extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
[[Page 41388]]
(2)(a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore
the application deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all
registered users who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of the Department's e-Application system. If the e-
Application system is available, and, for any reason, you are unable to
submit your application electronically or you do not receive an
automatic acknowledgment of your submission, you may submit your
application in paper format by mail or hand delivery in accordance with
the instructions in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable
following address:
By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.224B-1), 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC
20202-4260.
or
By mail through a commercial carrier:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center--Stop 4260,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.224B-1), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover,
MD 20785-1506.
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing
consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.224B-1), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you mail
or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by the
Department--in Item 4 of the ED 424 the CFDA number--and suffix letter,
if any--of the competition under which you are submitting your
application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant
application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are provided in the application package.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as specified by the Secretary in
34 CFR 75.118.
4. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the
effectiveness of their programs by engaging in strategic planning,
setting outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program
results against those goals. The goal of the National AT TA Program is
to provide support to entities funded under the AT Act that improves
the effectiveness of their programs and support to entities not funded
under the AT Act to improve awareness of and access to assistive
technology. In order to assess the success of the grantee in meeting
these goals, in addition to other information the grantee's annual
performance report must include (1) a description of State-specific and
national technical assistance and training provided to support the
improvement of Statewide AT Programs, PAAT programs, and AFPs, and the
result of that technical assistance or training as evidenced by changes
in the operation of Statewide AT Programs, PAAT programs, or AFPs or
other relevant and identifiable changes; (2) a description of
collaboration between the grantee and other entities involved in AT,
and the result of that collaboration as evidenced by changes in the
operation of the
[[Page 41389]]
grantee or other entities, or other relevant and identifiable changes;
(3) a description of the collaboration between the grantee and any
entities to which the grantee provides a subcontract or subgrant, and
the result of that collaboration as evidenced by improved delivery of
technical assistance and training and improved collaboration between
entities funded under the AT Act at the national and State level or
other relevant and identifiable improvements; and (4) a description of
how the technical assistance and training needs of entities funded
under the AT Act and entities not funded under the AT Act are
identified and met, and the result of meeting those needs as evidenced
by resolution of State-specific and national issues or other relevant
and identifiable outcomes.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremy Buzzell, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 5025, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7319 or by e-mail:
jeremy.buzzell@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this
section.
VIII. Other Information
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: July 14, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 05-14191 Filed 7-18-05; 8:45 am]
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