[Federal Register: July 18, 1996 (Volume 61, Number 139)] [Notices] [Page 37455-37456] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Post Secondary Education Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Programs AGENCY: Department of Education. ACTION: Notice of Closing Date for Filing the Fiscal Operations Report for 1995-96 and Application to Participate for 1997-98 (FISAP) in the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and Federal Work-Study (FWS) Programs (ED FORM 646-1; OMB No. 1840-0073). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Secretary gives notice to institutions of higher education of the deadline for an institution to apply for fiscal year 1997 funds--for use in the 1997-98 award year (July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998)--under the Federal Perkins Loan, FWS, and FSEOG programs. Under these programs, the Secretary allocates funds to institutions for students who need financial aid to meet the costs of postsecondary education. An institution is not required to establish eligibility prior to applying for funds. However, the Secretary will not allocate funds under the Federal Perkins Loan, FWS, and FSEOG programs for the 1997-98 award year to any currently ineligible institution unless the institution files its institutional participation application and other documents required for an eligibility and certification determination by the closing date that will appear in a separate notice in the Federal Register. The Secretary further gives notice that an institution that had a Federal Perkins Loan fund or expended FWS or FSEOG funds during the 1995-1996 award year (July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996) is required to submit a Fiscal Operations Report to report its program expenditures as of June 30, 1996, to the Secretary. Applicants that did not participate in the Federal Perkins Loan Program, FWS Program, or FSEOG Program in the 1995-96 award year will be required to submit data for the application portion of the FISAP only. The Department is mailing only the application portion of the FISAP to first-time applicants. In addition, an institution must submit one original completed FISAP signature page and one original signed combined lobbying, debarment, and drug-free workplace certifications form (ED 80-0013 and referred to collectively as the ``compliance certifications'' form) for the 1997-98 award year. The Federal Perkins Loan, FWS, and FSEOG programs are authorized by parts E and C, and part A, Subpart 2, respectively, of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. DATES: Closing Date and Methods for Submitting a FISAP and Required Signed Documents. An institution may submit its FISAP by-- (1) Submitting the completed data on a data diskette provided by the Department of Education (the Department); (2) Creating a tape from data stored on a mainframe computer and submitting that tape in a format defined by the Department; or (3) Transmitting the data from a personal or mainframe computer through a modem. To ensure consideration for 1997-98 funds, an institution must submit an electronic FISAP by data diskette, tape, or modem, as well as one original completed FISAP signature page and one original signed ``compliance certifications'' form by October 1, 1996. ADDRESSES: FISAP Delivered by Mail. A diskette or tape containing FISAP data along with one original completed FISAP signature page and one original signed ``compliance certifications'' form must be addressed to FISAP, c/o Universal Automation Labs (UAL), Suite 500, 8300 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910. An institution must show proof of mailing its FISAP and the required signed documents by October 1, 1996. Proof of mailing consists of one of the following: (1) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service, (2) a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark, (3) a dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or (4) any other proof of mailing acceptable to the U.S. Secretary of Education. If a FISAP and the required signed documents are sent through the U.S. Postal Service, the Secretary does 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. An institution should note that the U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an institution should check with its local post office. An institution is encouraged to use certified or at least first-class mail. FISAP Delivered by Hand. A diskette or tape containing FISAP data along with one original completed FISAP signature page and one original signed ``compliance certifications'' form must be taken to Universal Automation Labs (UAL), Suite 500, 8300 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland. Hand-delivered FISAP diskettes or tapes and the required signed documents will be accepted between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily (Eastern time), except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays. A FISAP and the required signed documents that are hand-delivered will not be accepted after 5 p.m. on October 1, 1996. FISAP Delivered Electronically. A FISAP that is delivered electronically must be transmitted by either a personal or mainframe computer to the host Department computer using a modem. If you are transmitting electronically via a modem, the data transmission must be completed prior to midnight, Eastern time, on October 1, 1996. (For purposes of this notice, this deadline means that an institution has all of October 1, 1996, to transmit electronically via a modem.) The institution should print a copy of its transmission receipt for its records. In addition, one original completed FISAP signature page and one original signed ``compliance certifications'' form must be mailed to Electronic FISAP, c/o Universal Automation Labs (UAL), Suite 500, 8300 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, by October 1, 1996. An institution must show proof of mailing the required signed documents by the deadline. Proof of mailing is explained under the heading ``FISAP Delivered by Mail.'' SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FISAP materials are mailed by the Department in late July 1996. An institution must prepare and submit its FISAP in accordance with the information included in the package. The program information package is intended to aid applicants in applying for assistance under these programs. Nothing in the program information package is intended to impose any [[Page 37456]] paperwork, application content, reporting, or grantee performance requirements beyond those specifically imposed under the statute and regulations governing the programs. Applicable Regulations The following regulations apply to these programs: (1) Student Assistance General Provisions, 34 CFR Part 668. (2) Federal Perkins Loan Program, 34 CFR Part 674. (3) Federal Work-Study Programs, 34 CFR Part 675. (4) Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, 34 CFR Part 676. (5) Institutional Eligibility Under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, 34 CFR Part 600. (6) New Restrictions on Lobbying, 34 CFR Part 82. (7) Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants), 34 CFR Part 85. (8) Drug-Free Schools and Campuses, 34 CFR Part 86. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To receive information or to request FISAP materials, contact Ms. Sandra Donelson, Campus-Based Financial Operations Branch, Institutional Financial Management Division, Accounting and Financial Management Service, Student Financial Assistance Programs, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., (Room 4714, ROB-3), Washington, D.C. 20202-5458. Telephone (202) 708-9751. 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. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.; 42 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.; and 20 U.S.C. 1070b et seq.) Dated: July 11, 1996. David A. Longanecker, Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Numbers: 84.038 Federal Perkins Loan Program; 84.033 Federal Work-Study Program; and 84.007 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program) [FR Doc. 96-18177 Filed 7-17-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P