FR Doc 05-12592
[Federal Register: June 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 121)]
[Notices]
[Page 36571-36575]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr24jn05-56]
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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 Public Internet Site; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2005.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.224B-2.
Dates: Applications Available: June 24, 2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 25, 2005.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 22, 2005.
Eligible Applicants: Public or private nonprofit or for-profit
organizations, including institutions of higher education, that--
(1) Emphasize research and engineering;
(2) Have a multidisciplinary research center; and
(3) Have demonstrated expertise in--
(a) Working with assistive technology and intelligent agent
interactive information dissemination systems;
(b) Managing libraries of assistive technology and disability-
related resources;
(c) Delivering to individuals with disabilities education,
information, and referral services, including technology-based
curriculum-development services for adults with low-level reading
skills;
(d) Developing cooperative partnerships with the private sector,
particularly with private-sector computer software, hardware, and
Internet services entities; and
(e) Developing and designing advanced Internet sites.
Estimated Available Funds: $100,000.
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 Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as
amended
[[Page 36572]]
(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. Section 6 of
the AT Act provides for national activities to improve the
administration of the AT Act. One national activity that is authorized
by the AT Act is the renovation, updating, and maintenance of a
National Assistive Technology Public Internet Site (National AT
Internet Site). The National AT Internet Site will provide to the
public comprehensive, up-to-date information on resources related to AT
and programs supported under the AT Act.
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 Public Internet
Site.
Under this priority, a project must renovate, update, and maintain
an Internet site that contains the following features:
(1) Availability of information at any time. The site must be
designed so that any member of the public may obtain information posted
on the site at any time.
(2) Innovative automated intelligent agent. The site must be
constructed with an innovative automated intelligent agent that is a
diagnostic tool for assisting users in problem definition and the
selection of appropriate AT devices and AT services resources.
(3) Resources. (a) Library on assistive technology. The site must
include access, either directly or through links, to a comprehensive
working library on AT for all environments, including home, workplace,
transportation, and other environments.
(b) Information on accommodating individuals with disabilities. The
site must include access, either directly or through links, to
evidence-based research and best practices concerning how AT can be
used to accommodate individuals with disabilities in the areas of
education, employment, health care, community living, and
telecommunications and information technology.
(c) Resources for a number of disabilities. The site must include,
either directly or through links, resources relating to the largest
possible number of disabilities, including resources relating to low-
level reading skills.
(4) Links to private-sector resources and information. To the
extent feasible, the site must be linked to relevant private-sector
resources and information, under agreements developed between the
recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement and
cooperating private-sector entities.
(5) Links to public-sector resources and information. To the extent
feasible, the site must be linked to relevant public-sector resources
and information, such as the Internet sites of the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services of the Department of Education,
the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the Department of Labor,
the Small Business Administration, the Architectural and Transportation
Barriers Compliance Board, the Technology Administration of the
Department of Commerce, the Jobs Accommodation Network funded by the
Office of Disability Employment Policy of the Department of Labor, and
other relevant sites.
(6) Minimum library components. At a minimum, the site must
maintain updated information on and provide links, if available, to--
(a) Device demonstration programs funded under the AT Act and, to
the extent practicable, not funded under the AT Act, where individuals
may try out AT devices;
(b) Device loan programs funded under the AT Act and, to the extent
practicable, not funded under the AT Act, where individuals may borrow
AT devices;
(c) Device reutilization programs funded under the AT Act and, to
the extent practicable, not funded under the AT Act, that provide for
the exchange, repair, recycling, or other reutilization of AT devices;
(d) Alternative financing programs or State financing systems
operated through, or independently of, State AT programs, and other
sources of funding for AT devices;
(e) Protection and advocacy for assistive technology (PAAT)
programs;
(f) Cooperative volume-purchasing programs funded under the AT Act
or, to the extent practicable, not funded under the AT Act;
(g) Other projects funded under section 6 of the AT Act;
(h) Relevant State and Federal programs, and other resources, that
provide or increase access to AT devices and services; and
(i) Various programs, including programs with tax credits,
available to employers for hiring or accommodating employees who are
individuals with disabilities.
(7) Stakeholder input. The project must include a plan for
designing and implementing the National AT Internet Site with the input
of--
(a) Directors of statewide AT programs;
(b) Directors of alternative financing programs;
(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 those individuals;
(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.
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 Public Internet Site. 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 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $100,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
[[Page 36573]]
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Public or private nonprofit or for-profit
organizations, including institutions of higher education, that--
(1) Emphasize research and engineering;
(2) Have a multidisciplinary research center; and
(3) Have demonstrated expertise in--
(a) Working with assistive technology and intelligent agent
interactive information dissemination systems;
(b) Managing libraries of assistive technology and disability-
related resources;
(c) Delivering to individuals with disabilities education,
information, and referral services, including technology-based
curriculum-development services for adults with low-level reading
skills;
(d) Developing cooperative partnerships with the private sector,
particularly with private-sector computer software, hardware, and
Internet services entities; and
(e) Developing and designing advanced Internet sites.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone (toll
free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call (toll free):
1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site: http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html
or you may contact ED Pubs at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.224B-2.
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 60 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: June 24,
2005.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 25, 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: September 22, 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
[[Page 36574]]
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
(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-
2), 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-
2), 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-2), 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 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
(GPRA) of 1993 directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the
effectiveness of their programs by engaging in strategic planning,
setting
[[Page 36575]]
outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program results
against those goals. The goal of the National AT Internet Site is to
provide the public with comprehensive, up-to-date information on
resources related to AT and programs supported under the AT Act. In
order to assess the success of the grantee in meeting this goal, in
addition to the annual performance report provided by the grantee, a
biannual review of the site will be conducted by a panel of individuals
with relevant expertise. This panel will report to the Rehabilitation
Services Administration and the grantee on the--(1) Effectiveness of
the site at linking visitors to appropriate resources related to AT;
(2) comprehensiveness and relevance of resources and information
available on the site; (3) availability of content or features unique
to the site; (4) effectiveness at supporting and promoting programs
supported under sections 4, 5, and 6 of the AT Act and other AT
resources not funded under the AT Act; (5) responsiveness to the input
of stakeholders; (6) responsiveness to the recommendations of previous
biannual reviews; and (7) other factors relevant to determining the
performance of the grantee.
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: June 16, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 05-12592 Filed 6-23-05; 8:45 am]
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