Federal Register: October 30, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 210)] [Notices] [Page 58725-58726] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30oc97-43] [[Page 58725]] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION [CFDA No.: 84.234N] Projects With Industry; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 Purpose of program: The Projects With Industry (PWI) program creates and expands job and career opportunities in the competitive labor market for individuals with disabilities by engaging the talent and leadership of private industry as partners in the rehabilitation process. PWI projects identify competitive job and career opportunities and the skills needed to perform those jobs, create practical settings for job readiness and training programs, and provide job placement and career advancement services. Eligible Applicants: Employers, profitmaking and nonprofit organizations, designated State units, labor unions, community rehabilitation program providers, trade associations, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and other agencies or organizations with the capacity to create and expand job and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Only eligible applicants that propose to serve a geographic area that is currently unserved or underserved by the PWI program can receive new awards under this program. Deadline For Transmittal Of Applications: January 13, 1998. Deadline For Intergovernmental Review: March 14, 1998. Applications Available: October 31, 1997. Available Funds: $731,846. Estimated Range of Awards: $158,000-$238,000. Estimated Average Size of Awards: $198,000. Estimated Number of Awards: 4. Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice. Project Period: Up to 60 months. Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 85, and 86; and (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR Parts 369 and 379. Priorities Competitive Priority: The competitive preference priority concerning Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities in the notice of final priorities for this program, published in the Federal Register on December 9, 1994 (59 FR 63860), applies to this competition. Background The Empowerment Zone and Enterprise Community program is a critical element of the Administration's community revitalization strategy. The program is a first step in rebuilding communities in America's poverty- stricken inner cities and rural heartlands. It is designed to empower people and communities by inspiring Americans to work together to create jobs and opportunity. The Federal Government has designated nine Empowerment Zones (Atlanta, Georgia; Baltimore, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; Detroit, Michigan; New York, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania/Camden, New Jersey; Kentucky Highlands, Kentucky; Mid-Delta, Mississippi; and Rio Grande Valley, Texas). Two Supplemental Empowerment Zones have been designated--Los Angeles, California and Cleveland, Ohio. Ninety-five Enterprise Communities have been designated. A full list of Enterprise Communities and additional information are available upon request from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-998- 9999. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), the Secretary gives preference to applications that meet the following competitive priority. Ten bonus points will be assigned to applications determined to be approvable on the basis of their evaluation under the applicable program selection criteria. These bonus points are in addition to any points the application earns under the selection criteria for this program. Competitive Preference Priority--Providing Program Services in an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community Under the Projects With Industry program, competitive preference will be given to applications that--(1) Propose the provision of substantial services in Empowerment Zones or Enterprise Communities; and (2) Propose projects that contribute to the strategic plan of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community and that are made an integral component of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community activities. A PWI project may provide services at one or more sites. A PWI project is considered to be providing substantial services in a zone or community if a minimum of 51 percent of the total number of persons served by the project, irrespective of the number of sites, reside in a zone or community and at least 1 of the project sites is located within the boundaries of a zone or community. If there is only one project site, it must be located within the boundaries of a zone or community. Invitational Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105 (c)(1), the Secretary is particularly interested in applications that meet the following invitational priority. However, an application that meets this invitational priority does not receive competitive or absolute preference over other applications: Projects that establish collaborative consortia with designated State vocational rehabilitation units, the business community, and other appropriate organizations to create and expand job and career opportunities for individuals with disabilities including career advancement services that prepare these individuals for leadership and professional job positions in a variety of industries. For Further Information Contact: Martha Muskie, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3320 Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202. Telephone (202) 205-3293. Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding paragraph. For Applications Contact: The Grants and Contracts Service Team (GCST), U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 20202-2649. Telephone: (202) 205-8351. The preferred method for requesting applications is to FAX your request to (202) 205-8717. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday. Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternate format by contacting the GCST. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternate format the standard forms included in the application package. Electronic Access to This Document Anyone may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or portable document format (pdf) on the World Wide Web at either of the following sites: http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm http://www.ed.gov/news.html To use the pdf you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with [[Page 58726]] Search, which is available free at either of the previous sites. If you have questions about using the pdf, call the U.S. Government Printing Office toll free at 1-888-293-6498. Anyone may also view these documents in text copy only on an electronic bulletin board of the Department. Telephone: (202) 219-1511 or toll free, 1-800-222-4922. The documents are located under Option G--Files/Announcements, Bulletins and Press Releases. Note: The official version of a document is the document published in the Federal Register. Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 795g. Dated: October 27, 1997. Judith E. Heumann, Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. [FR Doc. 97-28827 Filed 10-29-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P