FR Doc 03-29753
[Federal Register: December 1, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 230)]
[Notices]
[Page 67155-67157]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr01de03-48]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Fund for
the Improvement of Postsecondary Education--Special Focus Competition:
US-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2004
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.116M.
DATES: Applications Available: November 28, 2003.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 16, 2004.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 2004.
Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education or
combinations of institutions and other public and private nonprofit
institutions and agencies.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$300,000 for new awards under this program for FY 2004. The actual
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action.
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Estimated Range of Awards: $25,000-$30,000 for FY 2004; $190,000-
$210,000 for 4-year duration of grant.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 12.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: To provide grants or enter into cooperative
agreements to improve postsecondary education opportunities by focusing
on problem areas or improvement approaches in postsecondary education.
This program is a Special Focus Competition under the Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education (Title VII, Part B of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended) to support projects addressing a
particular problem area or improvement approach in postsecondary
education.
Priority: Under this competition, we are particularly interested in
applications that address the following priority.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2004 this priority is an invitational
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c) we do not give an application that
meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference
over other applications.
This priority encourages proposals designed to support the
formation of educational consortia of American and Brazilian
institutions to encourage cooperation in the coordination of curricula,
the exchange of students, and the opening of educational opportunities
between the United States and Brazil. The invitational priority is
issued in cooperation with Brazil. These awards support only the
participation of U.S. institutions and students in these consortia.
Brazilian institutions participating in any consortium proposal
responding to the invitational priority may apply, respectively, to the
Coordination of Improvement of Personnel of Superior Level (CAPES),
Brazilian Ministry of Education, for additional funding under a
separate but parallel Brazilian competition.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary awards.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$300,000 for this program for FY 2004. The actual level of funding, if
any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Estimated Range of Awards: $25,000-$30,000 for FY 2004; $190,000-
$210,000 for 4-year duration of grant.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 12.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 48 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education or
combinations of institutions and other public and private nonprofit
institutions and agencies.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Beverly Baker, Fund for
the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., suite 6140, Washington, DC 20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7503 or by e-mail: Beverly.Baker@ed.gov or
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD
20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
(toll free): 1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=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 84.116M.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
person listed in this section. However, the Department is not able to
reproduce in an alternative format the standard forms included in the
application package.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this program.
Page Limit: 10 single spaced or 20 double spaced 8.5'' x 11'' sized
pages (font size 12), with 1 inch margins on the top, bottom and the
sides. The page limit does not apply to the cover sheet, the abstract,
the budget section and budget narrative, the assurances and
certifications; the short resumes, or letters of support.
Our reviewers will not read any pages of your application that--
[sbull] Exceed the page limit if you apply these standards; or
[[Page 67156]]
[sbull] Exceed the equivalent of the page limit if you apply other
standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: November 28,
2003. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 16, 2004. The
dates and times for the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand
(including a courier service or commercial carrier) are in the
application package for this program. The application package also
specifies the hours of operation of the e-Application Web site.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 16, 2004.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order
12372 is in the application package for this program.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Instructions and requirements for
the transmittal of applications by mail or by hand (including a courier
service or commercial carrier) are in the application package for this
program.
Application Procedures:
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy.
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined
that proposed rulemaking is not required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications: We are
continuing to expand our pilot project for electronic submission of
applications to include additional formula grant programs and
additional discretionary grant competitions. The US-Brazil Higher
Education Consortia Program--CFDA Number 84.116M is one of the programs
included in the pilot project. If you are an applicant under US-Brazil
Higher Education Consortia Program, you may submit your application to
us in either electronic or paper format.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application). If you use e-Application, you will
be entering data online while completing your application. You may not
e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us. If you
participate in this voluntary pilot project by submitting an
application electronically, the data you enter online will be saved
into a database. We request your participation in e-Application. We
shall continue to evaluate its success and solicit suggestions for its
improvement.
If you participate in e-Application, please note the following:
[sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
[sbull] When you enter the e-Application system, you will find
information about its hours of operation. We strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application deadline date to initiate an e-
Application package.
[sbull] You will not receive additional point value because you
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize
you if you submit an application in paper format.
[sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including the
US-Brazil Higher Education Program cover page, US-Brazil Program Budget
Information and all necessary assurances and certifications.
[sbull] Your e-Application must comply with any page limit
requirements described in this notice.
[sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award
number (an identifying number unique to your application).
[sbull] Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the US-Brazil Program cover page to
the Application Control Center after following these steps:
1. Print the US-Brazil Higher Education cover page from e-
Application.
2. The institution's Authorizing Representative must sign the US-
Brazil Program cover page.
3. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard copy signature page of the US-Brazil Program cover page.
4. Fax the signed US-Brazil Program cover page to the Application
Control Center at (202) 260-1349.
[sbull] We may request that you give us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot
for the US-Brazil Higher Education Consortia Program and you are
prevented from 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 e-Application for this competition; and
2.(a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date; or
(b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time
during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time) on the
application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgement of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
GRANTS help desk at 1-888-336-8930.
You may access the electronic grant application for the US-Brazil
Higher Education Consortia Program at:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://e-grants.ed.gov.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are
in 34 CFR 75.210 as follows:
(1) Significance. The Secretary considers the significance of the
proposed project. In determining the significance of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers--
(a) The extent to which the proposed project involves the
development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on,
or are alternatives to, existing strategies;
(b) The likely utility of the products (such as information,
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed
project, including the potential for their being used effectively in a
variety of other settings; and
(c) The importance or magnitude of the results or outcomes likely
to be attained by the proposed project, especially improvements in
teaching and student achievement.
(2) Quality of the Project Design. The Secretary considers the
quality of the design of the proposed project. In determining the
quality of the design of the proposed project, the Secretary
considers--
[[Page 67157]]
(a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable;
and
(b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target
population or other identified needs.
(3) Adequacy of Resources. The Secretary considers the adequacy of
resources for the proposed project. In determining the adequacy of
resources, the Secretary considers--
(a) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project;
(b) The potential for continued support of the project after
Federal funding ends, including, as appropriate, the demonstrated
commitment of appropriate entities to such support; and
(c) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(4) Quality of Project Personnel. The Secretary considers the
quality of the project personnel. In determining the quality of project
personnel, The Secretary considers--
(a) 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; and
(b) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.
2. Review and Selection Process: The Secretary gives equal weight
to each of the listed criteria. Within each of the criteria, the
Secretary gives equal weight to each of the factors.
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 Notice
(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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), FIPSE performance is focused on (1) the extent to
which funded projects are being replicated--i.e., adopted or adapted--
by others; and (2) the manner in which projects are being
institutionalized and continued after grant funding. These two results
constitute FIPSE's indicators of the success of our program.
Consequently, applicants for FIPSE grants are advised to give careful
consideration to these two outcomes in conceptualizing the design,
implementation, and evaluation of the proposed project. If funded, you
will be asked to collect and report data in your project's annual
performance report on steps taken toward these goals.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Beverly Baker, Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education,
1990 K Street, NW., suite 6140, Washington, DC 20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7503 or by e-mail: Beverly.Baker@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) 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://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=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://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: November 24, 2003.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 03-29753 Filed 11-28-03; 8:45 am]
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