[Federal Register: March 5, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 43)] [Notices] [Page 10652-10653] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr05mr99-44] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) [CFDA No: 84.305T] National Research Institutes' Field-Initiated Studies (FIS) Research Grant Program; Notice of Application Review Procedures for OERI Fiscal Year 1999 FIS Grants. SUMMARY: On December 14, 1998, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (63 FR 68985) a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year 1999 for the FIS Research Grant Program. On January 28, 1999, the Secretary published in the Federal Register (64 FR 4401) a notice extending [[Page 10653]] the deadline date for the receipt of applications and applications availability date for this program. This notice explains the procedures that will be used in reviewing applications. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretary advises potential applicants of the following two tier review process that will be used by the FIS Program for this year's competition. This two tier process modifies the review procedures established in 34 CFR 700.21. The regulations in 34 CFR Part 700 otherwise remain in effect. Application Review Procedure Tier I. At the Tier I level, each application will be assigned to at least three reviewers who are selected according to the appropriateness of their expertise and experience and who specifically meet the qualifications for reviewers established in the regulations at 34 CFR 700.11. Reviewers will evaluate the assigned applications in accordance with the three equally weighted selection criteria established in the application package: (1) National Significance; (2) Project Design; and (3) Personnel. Reviewers will rate the assigned applications as either: ``Excellent'' (outstanding, deserves highest priority for support); ``Very Good'' (high quality proposal in nearly all aspects; should be supported if at all possible); ``Good'' (a quality proposal, worthy of support); ``Fair'' (proposal lacking in one or more critical aspects-key issues need to be addressed); or ``Poor'' (proposal has serious deficiencies). A conference call will be arranged for each review panel to discuss their assigned proposals and their rankings. Based on the Tier I reviews, the top 60 applications will advance to the Tier II review. The top 60 will be determined by assigning a score of ``2'' for every ``excellent'' rating the application receives, a score of ``1'' for each ``very good'' rating the application receives and a score of ``0'' for any other rating. The application will then be ranked by total score. In the event of a tie at the 60th rank all such tied applications will advance to the Tier II review. Tier II. Each application that advances to the Tier II level will be read by 25 Tier II reviewers, with written reviews completed by at least 3 reviewers. These reviewers will meet the qualifications for reviewers established in 34 CFR 700.11. The Tier II reviewers will apply the same selection criteria and the same rating system used in Tier I. The Tier II reviewers will meet in Washington, DC. During this time, each application will be discussed in turn, with the three reviewers who have completed written reviews leading the discussion. Following the discussion of each application, all reviewers will assign a final rating to the application. When all the applications from Tier II have been discussed and reviewers have completed their evaluations, OERI staff will rank the applications to form the recommended slate to be sent forward to the Assistant Secretary. The slate will be formed as follows. An application will receive a score of 2 for each ``Excellent'' rating it receives and a score of 1 for each ``Very Good'' rating it receives. The applications will then be ranked by total score. In the event that a set of applications surrounding the funding cutoff point have an identical score, the Assistant Secretary will determine which applications from that set contribute most to the mission of OERI. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), it is the practice of the Secretary to offer interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed regulations. However, since this notice merely establishes procedural requirements for review of applications and does not create substantive policy, proposed rulemaking is not required under 5 U.S.C. 553(b) (A). (The valid OMB control number for this collection of information is 1850-0601.) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Veda Bright, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Room 604, Washington, DC 20208, or by e-mail at veda__bright@ed.gov or by telephone at (202) 219-1935. 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 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. 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) via the Internet 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 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 at (202) 512-1530 or, 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: 20 U.S.C. 6031(c)(2)(B). Dated: March 1, 1999. C. Kent McGuire, Assistant Secretary for Educational Research and Improvement. [FR Doc. 99-5449 Filed 3-4-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P