FR Doc E6-8913
[Federal Register: June 8, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 110)]
[Notices]
[Page 33294-33299]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08jn06-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technical Assistance and Dissemination To Improve Services
and Results for Children With Disabilities; Personnel Development To
Improve Services and Results for Children With Disabilities; and
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals Who Are Deaf; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.326D
Dates: Applications Available: June 8, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 24, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 21, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs), local
educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under
State law, institutions of higher education (IHEs), other public
agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely
associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations, and for-
profit organizations.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000. Included in this amount is
$1,300,000 to be provided from the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program; $1,700,000 from the Personnel Development to
Improve Services and results for Children with Disabilities program;
and $1,000,000 from the Technology and Media Services for Individuals
with Disabilities program.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget that does not equal $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12
months.
Note: In each budget period of 12 months $325,000 must be
budgeted for the technical assistance and dissemination activities
described under Technical Assistance and Dissemination Activities
(Consistent with section 663(c)(8)(C) of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, as amended (IDEA)); $425,000 must be
budgeted for the personnel development activities described under
Personnel Development Activities (Consistent with section 662(c)(2)
of IDEA); and $250,000 must be budgeted for the technology use
activities described under Technology Use Activities (Consistent
with section 674(b) of IDEA). The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change these amounts
through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
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 Technical Assistance and Dissemination to
Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities program
promotes academic achievement and improves results for children with
disabilities by supporting technical assistance, model demonstration
projects, dissemination of useful information, and implementation
activities that are supported by scientifically-based research. The
Personnel Development to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program:
(1) Helps address State-identified needs for highly qualified
personnel--in special education, related services, early intervention,
and regular education--to work with children with disabilities and (2)
ensures that those personnel have the skills and knowledge--derived
from practices that have been determined through research and
experience to be successful--that are needed to serve those children.
The Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities
program (1) improves results for children with disabilities by
promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology, (2)
supports educational media services activities designed to be of
educational value in the classroom setting to children with
disabilities, and (3) provides support for captioning and video
description that is appropriate for use in the classroom setting.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections
662(c)(2), 663(c)(8)(C), 674(b), and 681(d) of IDEA).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2006 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals who are Deaf
Background
Section 682(d)(1)(B) of IDEA requires the Secretary of Education to
provide not less than $4,000,000 of the funds appropriated under Part
D, subparts 2 and 3 of IDEA to address the postsecondary, vocational,
technical, continuing, and adult education needs of individuals with
deafness. The Secretary intends to meet this requirement through
funding new awards under this competition in fiscal year 2007 and by
providing continuation awards in fiscal years 2008 through 2011.
Priority
This priority provides support for four regional centers that will
help secondary and postsecondary institutions more effectively address
the postsecondary, vocational, technical, continuing, and adult
education needs of individuals with deafness, including those who are
deaf with co-occurring disabilities such as learning and emotional
disabilities.
With the objective of improving results for students who are deaf,
each
[[Page 33295]]
regional center must conduct: (1) Technical assistance and
dissemination activities authorized under section 663(c)(8)(C) of IDEA,
(2) personnel development activities authorized under section 662(c)(2)
of IDEA, and (3) technology use activities authorized under section
674(b) of IDEA. In carrying out the objectives of this priority, each
center must take into account the population and size of each State
where services are provided to help ensure that services are provided
equitably within the targeted region.
To ensure that all States benefit from these projects, the
Secretary will support four projects. Projects will be required to
serve each State within one of the following regions:
Northeast Region--Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and U.S. Virgin
Islands.
Southern Region--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Midwest Region--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin.
Western Region--Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California,
Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, Federated
States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico,
Oregon, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, Utah,
Washington, and Wyoming.
Technical Assistance and Dissemination Activities (Consistent with
section 663(c)(8)(C) of IDEA)
Each regional center's technical assistance and dissemination
activities must, at a minimum--
(a) Conduct an assessment to determine current technical assistance
needs and priorities of postsecondary institutions related to
recruiting, enrolling, retaining, and instructing students who are
deaf, and addressing the varying communication needs of and methods
used by individuals who are deaf, such as oral transliteration
services, cued language transliteration services, sign language
transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription services.
(b) Provide consultation, in-service training, and planning and
development assistance to appropriate staff at postsecondary education
institutions to address the needs identified in the assessment
conducted under paragraph (a). These activities must (1) be designed to
enhance access to programs by and accommodation of individuals who are
deaf and (2) as needed, provide information about continuing and adult
education programs that are available to help students who are deaf
further develop their basic skills to prepare them to enter job
training programs or matriculate into postsecondary education programs.
(c) Provide technical assistance to secondary and postsecondary
institutions, vocational rehabilitation agencies, community service
agencies, centers for independent living, and One Stop Centers funded
under the Workforce Investment Act within the region. These technical
assistance activities must focus on (1) the responsibilities of
postsecondary education institutions under Federal statutes, including
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act, with respect to students who are deaf,
and (2) the implementation of effective systems of postsecondary
educational supports for students who are deaf.
(d) Disseminate information about resources (e.g., financial,
support services) available to students who are deaf and to
postsecondary institutions to help them accommodate these students.
(e) Encourage the use of consortia of postsecondary institutions
and other cooperative arrangements to provide services and assistance
to students who are deaf, including coordination of postsecondary
education options with existing public and private community services
that may address the educational, remedial, support service,
transitional, independent living, and employment needs of individuals
who are deaf.
(f) Provide, in collaboration with postsecondary education
programs, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and public and private
community service agencies, technical assistance to professionals,
parents, and families to improve postsecondary educational services to
individuals with deafness, including those who are deaf with co-
occurring disabilities such as learning and emotional disabilities.
Personnel Development Activities (Consistent with section 662(c)(2)
of IDEA)
Each regional center's personnel development activities must, at a
minimum--
(a) Conduct an assessment of the personnel development training
needs of secondary school professional and support staff (e.g.,
teachers, counselors, transition specialists, and other support
personnel) who provide transitional services to students who are deaf.
(b) Conduct an assessment of the personnel development training
needs of postsecondary, vocational, and adult education professional
and support staffs who provide transitional and postsecondary
educational services to students who are deaf.
(c) Provide interdisciplinary training to secondary and
postsecondary teachers, guidance counselors, interpreters, speech
pathologists, audiologists, social workers, rehabilitation counselors,
and other staff, that addresses the needs identified in the assessments
conducted under paragraphs (a) and (b) and that will contribute to
improvements in transitional and postsecondary educational results for
students who are deaf.
(d) Train personnel in the innovative uses and applications of
technology, including universally designed technologies, assistive
technology devices, and assistive technology services.
(e) Provide specialized in-service training on key topics, such as
orientation to deafness, to personnel who provide postsecondary
services to students who are deaf and have limited English proficiency
or secondary disabilities.
Technology Use Activities (Consistent with section 674(b) of IDEA)
Each regional center's technology use activities must, at a
minimum--
(a) Conduct an assessment to determine the technology needs and
priorities of postsecondary institutions related to recruiting,
enrolling, retaining, and instructing students who are deaf, and
addressing the varying communication needs of and methods used by
individuals who are deaf, such as oral transliteration services, cued
language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and
interpreting services, and transcription services.
(b) Provide technical assistance and consultation, in-service
training, and planning and development assistance to administrators,
faculty, and support staff at postsecondary education institutions to
address the needs identified in the assessment conducted under
paragraph (a). These activities must (1) be designed to enhance access
to programs by and accommodation of individuals who are deaf; and (2)
as needed, provide information and technological support and in-service
training to personnel at postsecondary institutions who provide
services to students who are deaf.
[[Page 33296]]
(c) Demonstrate how postsecondary institutions can use technology
to meet their responsibilities under Federal statutes, including
section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide access and accommodations
to individuals who are deaf.
In addition, the four regional centers must coordinate the
development and implementation of all required activities (e.g., needs
assessments, materials development, personnel development training,
technical assistance, outreach, and information dissemination) for the
purpose of avoiding overlap and duplication of efforts. Centers must
ensure that secondary education programs, parents, and individuals who
are deaf have information on postsecondary programs throughout the
country, including information on services these institutions provide,
and that information on proven models and other exemplary practices,
including innovative technology, is available in each of the four
regions. This coordination must include carrying out collaborative
activities and cross-regional initiatives, where appropriate.
In addition, each center must--
(a) Coordinate with the National Dissemination Center for Children
with Disabilities to ensure timely and accurate dissemination of
information and report to the Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) project officer on coordination efforts and proposed
coordination outcomes.
(b) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or
electronic, submit for review and approval a proposal describing the
content and purpose of the product to the Product Advisory Board of the
National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities.
(c) Contribute to the maintenance of a single user-friendly Web
site for the four centers, with individual links to grantee host
institutions, that includes relevant information and documents in a
form that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for
accessibility.
(d) Develop a strategic plan for conducting needs assessments for
personnel development, technical assistance and dissemination, and
technology use activities within the first three months of the grant
award. This plan must be submitted to the OSEP Project Officer for
review and approval and updated annually.
(e) Ensure that the information and services provided respond to
the needs assessments, are based on evidence-based research to the
extent possible, and use criteria established by the What Works
Clearinghouse or other rigorous standards for determining what is
evidence-based.
(f) Retain the services of an independent external evaluator to
provide consultation in developing a formative and summative evaluation
plan to report inter/intra regional center activities in the annual
grant performance reports. Such plan will be submitted to the
Department for review and approval no later than 90 days before the
first annual performance reports are due. The centers shall address how
the effectiveness and outcomes of its activities shall be measured.
(g) Maintain communication with the OSEP Project Officer through
monthly phone conversations and e-mail communication, as needed. Each
center must submit annual performance reports and provide additional
written materials as needed by the OSEP Project Officer to monitor the
centers' work.
(h) Establish, maintain, and meet at least annually with an
advisory committee consisting of individuals with deafness, parents,
educators, researchers, and other appropriate individuals to review and
advise on the center's activities and plans.
(i) Budget for annual attendance at the three-day Technical
Assistance Project Directors' meeting and at least two two-day planning
meetings in Washington, DC. The center must also budget to attend three
two-day meetings such as Department briefings, Department-sponsored
conferences, and other OSEP-requested activities.
Fourth and Fifth Years of Project
In deciding whether to continue each project for the fourth and
fifth years, the Secretary will consider requirements of 34 CFR
75.253(a), and in addition--
(a) The recommendations of a review team consisting of experts
selected by the Secretary that will conduct its review in Washington,
DC during the last half of each project's second year. Projects must
budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive
review.
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the
center; and
(c) Evidence of the degree to which the center's activities
contributed to changed practices and improved postsecondary education
and training outcomes for youth with deafness.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities. However,
section 681(d) of IDEA makes the public comment requirements under the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1462(c)(2), 1463(c)(8)(C), 1474(b),
and 1481(d).
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 IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $4,000,000. Included in this amount is
$1,300,000 to be provided from the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program; $1,700,000 from the Personnel Development to
Improve Services and results for Children with Disabilities program;
and $1,000,000 from the Technology and Media Services for Individuals
with Disabilities program.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget that does not equal $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12
months.
Note: In each budget period of 12 months $325,000 must be
budgeted for the technical assistance and dissemination activities
described under Technical Assistance and Dissemination Activities
(Consistent with section 663(c)(8)(C) of IDEA); $425,000 must be
budgeted for the personnel development activities described under
Personnel Development Activities (Consistent with section 662(c)(2)
of IDEA); and $250,000 must be budgeted for the technology use
activities described under Technology Use Activities (Consistent
with section 674(b) of IDEA). The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services may change these maximum
amounts through a notice published in the Federal Register.
Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs, LEAs, public charter schools that are
LEAs under State law, IHEs, other public agencies, private nonprofit
organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes
or tribal organizations, and for-profit organizations.
[[Page 33297]]
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) the projects funded under this
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in
employment-qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of
IDEA). (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this
competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning,
implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of
IDEA).
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 84.326D.
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 listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section
VII of this notice.
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 50 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; the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if--
You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the
page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 8, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 24, 2006.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), 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
21, 2006.
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.
We have been accepting applications electronically through the
Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on
those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are
continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide
Grants.gov Apply site in FY 2006. The Postsecondary Education Programs
for Individuals who are Deaf--CFDA Number 84.326D is one of the
competitions included in this project. We request your participation in
Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov. Through this
site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You
may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for The
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals who are Deaf at:
http://www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application
package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA
number's alpha suffix in your search.
Please note the following:
Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are time and date
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and
must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application
if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we
retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are
rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the
Grants.gov system after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the application process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov at http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf
To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must
complete all of the steps in the Grants.gov registration
[[Page 33298]]
process (see http://www.Grants.gov/GetStarted). These steps include (1)
registering your organization, (2) registering yourself as an
Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting
authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are
outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/assets/GrantsgovCoBrandBrochure8X11.pdf
). You also must
provide on your application the same D U N S Number used with this
registration. Please note that the registration process may take five
or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all
registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application
via Grants.gov.
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 may submit all documents electronically, including all
information typically included on the Application for Federal Education
Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED
524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to
submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative
sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich
text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type
other than the three file types specified above or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with any page
limit requirements described in this notice.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your
application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-
mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying
number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
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 of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an
application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date,
please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact, and provide an explanation of the
technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). We will accept your
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with
the Grants.gov system and that that problem affected your ability to
submit your application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.
Note: Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system.
We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register
to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date
and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to
the Grants.gov system.
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 84.326D), 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
84.326D), 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
84.326D), 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 Application for Federal Education
Assistance (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 listed 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
[[Page 33299]]
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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that will
yield information on various aspects of the Technical Assistance and
Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with
Disabilities program. These measures, which will be used for the
Postsecondary Education Programs for Individuals who are Deaf
competition, focus on: The extent to which projects provide high
quality products and services, the relevance of project products and
services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and
the use of products and services to improve educational and early
intervention policy and practice.
We will notify grantees if they will be required to provide any
information related to these measures.
Grantees will also be required to report information on their
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR
75.590).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Louise Tripoli, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4117, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7554.
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 by contacting the following office: The Grants and
Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2550.
Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
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 2, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E6-8913 Filed 6-7-06; 8:45 am]
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