[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38374-38380]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16480]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Literacy Information and
Communication System Regional Professional Development Centers
AGENCY: Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
Literacy Information and Communication System Regional Professional
Development Centers Program Notice inviting applications for new awards
using fiscal year (FY) 2010 funds for FY 2011.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.191B.
DATES:
Applications Available: June 30, 2011.
Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply: July 11, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 1, 2011.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Literacy Information and Communication
System (LINCS) Regional Professional Development Centers (RPDCs)
program is authorized under title II of the Workforce Investment Act of
1998 (WIA) (20 U.S.C. 9253(2)(H)), the Adult Education and Family
Literacy Act (AEFLA). Under section 243 of the AEFLA, the Secretary is
authorized to establish and carry out a program of national leadership
activities to enhance the quality of adult education and literacy
programs nationwide. Through the LINCS RPDC grants funded under this
competition, we intend to support evidenced-based virtual or in-person
adult education professional development (AEPD) activities in order to
assist educators who provide adult education services \1\ or adult
education instruction \2\ to adult learners (adult educators). In
addition, the LINCS RPDC grants will enhance the quality of adult
education and literacy nationwide by disseminating information to each
eligible agency responsible for administering or supervising policy for
adult education and literacy programs under section 203(4) of the AEFLA
\3\ (eligible agency), and to adult education and related organizations
within each State and outlying area.
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\1\ Adult education services (e.g., career counseling,
transportation counseling, education counseling) are provided to
adult learners by educators who may include staff of eligible
providers identified in section 203(5) of the AEFLA, as well as
State staff responsible for the implementation of adult education
programs.
\2\ Adult education instruction (e.g., instruction in basic
literacy, mathematics, and English language skills) is provided to
adult learners by educators who may include adult education teachers
and other instructional personnel of eligible providers identified
in section 203(5) of the AEFLA.
\3\ Section 203(4) of the AEFLA defines the term ``eligible
agency'' as ``the sole entity or agency in a State or an outlying
area responsible for administering or supervising policy for adult
education and literacy in the State or outlying area, respectively,
consistent with the law of the State or outlying area,
respectively.''
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Background: President Obama is committed to ensuring that America
will once again lead the world in college completion by 2020. To help
achieve this goal, the Department supports States to improve the
effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, strengthen the use of
data to improve instruction, provide high-quality instruction based on
rigorous college- and career-ready standards, and measure students'
mastery of standards using high-quality assessments aligned with those
standards. Improving the education and literacy of the adult learner
population is an important component in attaining the President's goal.
Improving adult literacy hinges on the dissemination and effective
delivery of high-quality, evidence-based AEPD. For the past 16 years,
LINCS Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) have been supported by funding
under section 242 of the AEFLA. The LINCS network provides information
on a wide variety of literacy-related topics and resources \4\ to
assist adult educators in providing adult education services. As part
of the LINCS network, the Department currently funds three LINCS RRCs,
which collaborate with adult education and related organizations to
disseminate high-quality literacy education resources (e.g., online
materials) to adult educators, as well as to provide virtual and in-
person AEPD and technical assistance to adult educators. The current
RRCs provide training and workshops for adult educators using
evidenced-based materials and assist adult educators in using online
adult education instructional resources available through the LINCS
network. The project period for the three LINCs RRCs will end on
September 30, 2011.
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\4\ The LINCS network provides a centralized point of access to
information about adult literacy and an infrastructure to facilitate
communication for adult educators (see http://lincs.ed.gov/). The
components of the LINCS network, coordinated by the Department,
currently include (1) A resource collection of research- and
evidence-based resources and online discussion lists on topics such
as reading, mathematics, English as a second language, transitions
to postsecondary education, and workforce preparation (the Resource
Collection); (2) a technology database and Web site infrastructure
provided under a technical services contract; and (3) a regional
system of three LINCS Regional Resource Centers.
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Through this competition, the Department plans to award up to four
cooperative agreements to entities to serve as LINCS RPDCs.\5\ As
outlined in the Demonstrate capacity requirement in this notice, the
RPDCs to be supported through this competition are designed to: (1)
Disseminate information on the materials and the AEPD in the LINCS
Resource Collection \6\ to each eligible agency in the region that the
applicant proposes to serve pursuant to the Select a region requirement
in this notice (the applicant's selected region), and to adult
education and related organizations within each State and outlying area
in that region; (2) collaborate closely with eligible agencies to
organize and deliver virtual or in-person AEPD; and (3) foster the use
of new technologies, including virtual moderated communities of
practice \7\ (CoP), for adult educators. The Department plans to award
grants for the RPDCs under the terms of cooperative agreements, giving
the Department substantial direct operational involvement in the
management and implementation of the activities undertaken by the
RPDCs.
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\5\ The current cooperative agreements under section 242 of the
AEFLA for the three LINCS RRCs expire September 30, 2011. The three
current RRCs develop and deliver professional development to
recipients approved by the National Institute for Literacy (NIFL).
Congress did not appropriate funds for NIFL in FY 2010. Therefore,
the LINCS projects will be funded under section 243 of the AEFLA,
National Leadership Activities. The LINCS RPDCs funded under this
competition will be required to use professional development
designed by the LINCS Resource Collection contractor with direction
from and approval by the Department.
\6\ For more information on the LINCS Resource Collection, see
http://lincs.ed.gov/lincs/resourcecollections/resource_collections.html.
\7\ Communities of practice are groups of people who share a
concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it
better as they interact regularly (see http://www.ewenger.com/theory/).
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In conducting the required activities under the cooperative
agreements awarded under this competition, LINCS RPDC grantees must:
(1) Use the LINCS Resource Collection materials and other AEPD
materials available on the Department's LINCS Web site for
dissemination and AEPD, and (2) work collaboratively with the
Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor and the LINCS
technical services contractor to meet the project's goals, objectives,
and outcomes as required in paragraph (a) of the Develop a project
design requirement in this notice. By structuring the required
activities under
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the cooperative agreements in this way, the Department can build on
earlier investments in the LINCS network and support new projects that
use evidenced-based learning practices to improve adult literacy.
We are requiring that applicants select a single region that they
propose to serve and agree to provide AEPD to each eligible agency in
each State and outlying area in that region, as well as to adult
education and related organizations within each State and outlying area
in that region. This regional structure, which aligns with the
Department's regional organization for the administration of adult
education program services,\8\ is designed to ensure that adult
educators and each eligible agency have direct access to AEPD through a
LINCS RPDC.
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\8\ Adult education services are those services provided by the
Division of Adult Education and Literacy within the Office of
Vocational and Adult Education to support States in the
administration of formula and discretionary grants under the AEFLA.
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Priority: We are establishing this priority for a competition using
FY 2010 funds in FY 2011, and any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, in
accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions
Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
Competitive Preference Priority: This priority is a competitive
preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an
additional 15 points to an application, depending on how well the
application meets this priority.
This priority is:
Demonstrated Experience in Providing Evidence-Based Professional
Development for a Diverse Population of Adult Educators.
This priority provides a competitive preference for applicants that
demonstrate that they have previous experience in facilitating AEPD for
adult educators, using both virtual and in-person formats. To meet this
priority, in its application, an applicant must--
(a) Describe the applicant's previous experience in providing AEPD
to adult educators, using virtual and in-person formats;
(b) Describe the characteristics of the populations of adult
educators to whom the applicant has provided AEPD in the past,
including, at a minimum--
(1) The type of geographic location (e.g., urban, rural, suburban)
of the adult educators to whom the applicant has provided AEPD; and
(2) The institutional affiliation (e.g., public school, community
college, correctional facility, community-based organization) of the
adult educators to whom the AEPD was provided; and
(c) Provide supporting evidence of the quality of the applicant's
past AEPD by including at least one of the following:
(1) A summary of the participant evaluation ratings for at least
three of its past AEPD training sessions of 12 hours of instruction or
more.
(2) Letters endorsing the quality of the applicant's past AEPD from
eligible agencies in at least three States or outlying areas within the
applicant's selected region. Requirements: We are establishing these
requirements for a competition using FY 2010 funds for FY 2011, and for
any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition, in accordance with section 437(d)(1)
of GEPA, 20, U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
1. Select a region. To be eligible for funding under this
competition, an applicant must, in its application, select one of the
following regions to serve during the project period and describe its
rationale for selecting that region:
(a) Region 1--Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the Virgin
Islands.
(b) Region 2--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.
(c) Region 3--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
(d) Region 4--Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho,
Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Guam,
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and
the Republic of Palau.
2. Demonstrate capacity. To receive a grant under this competition,
an applicant must demonstrate, in its application, that it has the
capacity to--
(a) Implement effective approaches to AEPD by establishing
collaborations with adult education and related organizations that help
adult educators use evidence-based instructional practices in the
applicant's selected region;
(b) Disseminate information about the materials and the AEPD in the
LINCS Resource Collection to the eligible agency in each State and
outlying area in the applicant's selected region and to adult education
and related organizations within each State and outlying area in that
region;
(c) Work with the Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor
and the LINCS technical services contractor to achieve the project
goals, objectives, and outcomes of the application;
(d) Provide AEPD to adult educators using the evidence-based
resources in the LINCS Resource Collection;
(e) Provide virtual or in-person AEPD, using materials from the
LINCS Resource Collection, to each eligible agency in the applicant's
selected region that requests AEPD;
(f) Provide virtual or in-person AEPD through collaborations with
adult education and related organizations by using various formats
(e.g., workshops, on-line courses, or other formats identified by the
applicant) to help adult educators use evidence-based instructional
practices designed to improve adult learners' basic literacy,
mathematics, and English language skills and increase adult learners'
rates of progression along their educational or occupational pathways;
(g) Organize and deliver AEPD that addresses priority AEPD topics
identified in collaboration with the Department at the Department's
post-award meeting;
(h) Foster the use of new technologies, including virtual moderated
CoPs, and provide training for adult educators in the use of those
technologies, including virtual moderated CoPs, to improve adult
education teaching and learning; and
(i) Collect data on and evaluate the effectiveness of the training
that it provides.
3. Provide a comprehensive high-quality regional AEPD and
dissemination plan. The applicant must include in its application a
plan for the development, implementation, and dissemination of
comprehensive high-quality regional AEPD that improves adult learners'
basic literacy, mathematics, and English language skills, and increases
adult learners' rates of progression along their educational or
occupational pathways. In the plan, the applicant must specify the
procedures it will use to--
(a) Ensure equal access and treatment for eligible project
participants who are members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability;
(b) Disseminate information about the materials and the AEPD in the
LINCS Resource Collection to each eligible agency in the applicant's
selected region, and to adult education and related organizations
within each State and outlying area in that region;
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(c) Assess the AEPD needs of adult educators in each State and
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that requests AEPD;
(d) Based on the results of the assessment described in paragraph
(c) of this section, identify and provide evidence-based, cost-
effective AEPD using materials in the LINCS Resource Collection to the
adult educators in each State and outlying area in the applicant's
selected region that requests AEPD;
(e) Enhance capacity of the RPDC to use various approaches to
providing AEPD (on helping adult educators use evidence-based
instructional practices) for each eligible agency in the applicant's
selected region that will be receiving AEPD by establishing
collaborations with adult education and related organizations;
(f) Identify the factors that it will consider when determining
which formats (in accordance with paragraph (f) of the Demonstrate
capacity requirement in this notice) to use for providing AEPD to adult
educators;
(g) Organize and manage the AEPD that the RPDC will provide using
its own staff or recognized AEPD trainers from the LINCS Resource
Collection directory of AEPD trainers \9\ (AEPD trainers), or both;
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\9\ Under the new contract to be awarded for the LINCS Resource
Collection, a directory of AEPD trainers will be developed in
consultation with the RPDCs and the Department. The AEPD trainers
listed in this directory will be selected based on criteria that
include content area expertise, experience, and knowledge related to
adult education.
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(h) Foster the use of new technologies, including virtual moderated
CoPs, and provide AEPD to adult educators in the use of those
technologies to improve the technology skills of adult educators;
(i) Assess the outcomes of the AEPD it provides and the outcomes of
its dissemination of AEPD-related information;
(j) Plan and implement, in coordination with the Department, no
less than two five-day AEPD sessions using Learning to Achieve \10\ for
a minimum of 40 adult educators from the applicant's selected region;
and
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\10\ ``Learning to Achieve'' is a program offered in conjunction
with the Department that is designed to build State capacity to
increase the achievement of students with learning disabilities.
This program includes an integrated set of research-based resources,
and professional development materials based on the latest rigorous
research. These resources and materials are designed to increase
teacher effectiveness in providing services to adults with learning
disabilities. Information about this program can be found at http://lincs.ed.gov/programs/learningtoachieve/learningtoachieve.html.
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(k) Implement the AEPD sessions described in paragraph (j) of this
section, by at a minimum--
(1) Securing meeting facilities;
(2) Providing materials and supplies; and
(3) Implementing meeting logistics, including by--
(A) Coordinating with the LINCS Resource Collection to ensure that
the appropriate number of qualified AEPD trainers is assigned to each
session; and
(B) Planning the budget for costs related to--
(i) Travel, per diem, and lodging for participants and trainers;
(ii) Meeting facilities and equipment rental; and
(iii) Meeting materials and supplies.
4. Identify advisory partners and the extent of their
participation. An applicant that is awarded a cooperative agreement
under this competition must--
(a) Identify at least one advisory partner in each State and
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that will--
(1) Assist in the implementation of the project;
(2) Ensure equitable access to virtual or in-person AEPD for each
State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region that
requests such AEPD; and
(3) Ensure efficient use of resources;
(b) Include an advisory partner participation plan that describes--
(1) The rationale for selecting the advisory partners;
(2) How each advisory partner will--
(i) Participate in the proposed project through conference calls,
in person meetings, or other means identified by the applicant; and
(ii) Assist the RPDC in achieving its project goals, objectives,
and outcomes described in the Develop a project design requirement in
this notice.
(c) Provide a letter of commitment from each advisory partner that
indicates each advisory partner's capacity to--
(1) Assist in the dissemination of information about the materials
and the AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators in
their State or outlying area in the applicant's selected region;
(2) Assist in identifying the AEPD needs of adult educators and
eligible agencies in their State or outlying area in the applicant's
selected region that request such AEPD; and
(3) Assist in providing AEPD to adult educators and eligible
agencies in States and outlying areas in the applicant's selected
region that request such AEPD.
5. Develop a project design. The applicant must submit, as part of
its application, a project design for the proposed project. The project
design must include--
(a) Project goals, objectives, and outcomes for the three years of
the proposed project, including but not limited to--
(1) The methods for dissemination of information about the
materials and AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators
in each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region, and
to adult education and related organizations within each State and
outlying area in that region;
(2) How the applicant will determine (in accordance with paragraph
(f) of the Develop capacity requirement in this notice) the formats it
will use to provide AEPD to the adult educators in each State and
outlying area in the applicant's selected region that requests such
AEPD;
(3) The number of adult educators it proposes to provide AEPD in
each year of the project;
(4) How the applicant will involve the advisory partners in
achieving the project goals, objectives, and outcomes; and
(5) How the applicant will assess--
(A) The effectiveness of its dissemination of information about the
materials and AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators
in each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region; and
(B) The quality of the AEPD it provides to adult educators in each
State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region that
requests such AEPD.
(b) A description of the process for implementing the priorities
that will be established in collaboration with the Department at the
Department's post-award meeting, for providing virtual or in-person
AEPD to each State and outlying area in the applicant's selected region
that requests such AEPD.
(c) A description of how the applicant would use data and
information on first-year outcomes in paragraph (a) of this section to
modify project goals, objectives, and outcomes for years two and three
of the project period.
(d) A description of how progress on each project goal, objective,
and outcome would be reported, on a quarterly basis, to the Department.
6. Propose a management plan. The applicant must submit, as part of
its application, a management plan for the proposed project that--
(a) Identifies activities to be undertaken to accomplish each
project goal, objective, and outcome, including, at a minimum, the
required project
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activities described in paragraph (c)(3) of this section;
(b) Assigns responsibility for the completion of the activities
identified in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section to specific
project personnel, with the assistance of one or more advisory partners
identified in the Identify advisory partners participation and the
extent of their participation requirement in this notice when
appropriate, and specifies timelines that will result in the timely
completion of all required project activities;
(c) Describes how the applicant proposes to coordinate its project
activities with--
(1) Eligible agencies and organizations responsible for adult
education projects in the applicants' selected region;
(2) Other RPDCs;
(3) The Department and, as appropriate, other similar projects
funded by the Department, in order to maximize the impact of the RPDC's
activities that, at a minimum, must include--
(A) Attendance at the Department's biannual meetings of RPDC
project directors and Department adult education project staff in order
to--
(i) Report to the Department on the progress of its project goals,
objectives, and outcomes; and
(ii) Identify and discuss common AEPD issues, strategies, and
promising practices;
(B) Participation in monthly conference calls and other telephone
or electronic meetings with the Department, as necessary;
(d) Provide assurance that the applicant will meet the following
requirements--
(1) Attend a post-award meeting in Washington, DC, in order to--
(A) Discuss grantee project goals, objectives, outcomes, and
activities;
(B) Work with the Department and other grantees to develop a plan
for the coordination of AEPD among RPDC grantees; and
(C) Address management and accountability issues, such as, but not
limited to--
(i) Determining the methods for reporting the effectiveness of the
RPDC's efforts to--
(I) Disseminate information about the materials and AEPD in the
LINCS Resource Collection to adult educators in each State and outlying
area in the applicant's selected region; and
(II) Provide AEPD to the adult educators in each State and outlying
area that requests such AEPD in the applicant's selected region; and
(ii) Establishing AEPD priorities in collaboration with the
Department; and
(2) Provide presentations related to the work of the grantee's RPDC
at--
(A) Department-sponsored meetings for eligible agency directors of
adult education programs; and
(B) The annual meeting of the Commission on Adult Basic Education
(COABE);
(e) Provides evidence that the time commitments of the project
director and other key project personnel are appropriate to the
activities assigned; and
(f) Provides a plan for monitoring the implementation of the AEPD
it will provide under the proposed project.
7. Identify project personnel. In its application, the applicant
must--
(a) Identify the extent to which the applicant encourages
applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that
have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(b) Document the qualifications, including relevant training and
experience, of the project director and key project personnel that
clearly demonstrates their abilities to successfully implement assigned
project tasks.
8. Provide adequate resources. In its application, the applicant
must--
(a) Provide evidence of the level of support that the applicant and
its advisory partners would provide to the proposed project (e.g.,
facilities, equipment, supplies, or other resources); and
(b) Demonstrate that the applicant's proposed budget is adequate to
support the proposed project and the costs are reasonable in relation
to the number of AEPD participants; the overall project goals,
objectives, and outcomes; and the design of the proposed project.
Note: As indicated elsewhere in this notice, we plan to make
each award under this program under the terms of a cooperative
agreement between each grantee and the Department. We expect to have
substantial and direct operational involvement in the management of
the funded RPDCs and to work closely with grantees on project
implementation and on plans for AEPD and project activities,
including by facilitating the collaboration between grantees and the
Department's LINCS Resource Collection contractor and the LINCS
technical services contractor. We will review and approve all
project activities based on the reports of progress on the goals,
objectives, and outcomes during the project period. We will halt a
project activity if it is not consistent with project requirements
or does not align with the application's project goals, objectives,
and outcomes.
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 requirements, priorities, and
selection criteria. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, 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 243 of the AEFLA and, therefore, qualifies for this
exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has
decided to forgo public comment on the priority and requirements in
this notice under the authority of section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. The
priority and requirements set forth in this notice apply to the
competition using FY 2010 funds in FY 2011 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards to grantees selected from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 9253(2)(H).
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulation (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
II. Award Information
Type of Awards: Cooperative agreements.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,475,000 is available from the FY 2010
appropriations for the implementation of the AEFLA for the first 12
months of this project period. Funding for years 2 through 3 is subject
to the availability of funds and to a grantee meeting the requirements
of 34 CFR 75.253.
Estimated Range of Awards: $350,000 to $386,000 for the first 12
months.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $368,750 for the first budget
period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 4.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 36 months. Applicants under this competition
are required to provide detailed budget information for each year of
the proposed project and for the total grant. Continuation awards are
contingent on a grantee's progress, as provided in section 75.253 of
EDGAR, and on the availability of appropriations.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: The following entities are eligible to
apply under this competition:
(a) Institutions of higher education.
(b) Public or private nonprofit agencies or organizations.
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(c) Consortia of eligible institutions, organizations, or agencies.
Eligible applicants seeking to apply as a consortium must comply with
the regulations in 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129, which address group
applications.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package: Noreen Lopez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 11012, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-
6309 or by e-mail: noreen.lopez@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person listed in this section.
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.
Notice of Intent to Apply: The Department will be able to develop a
more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if it has a
better understanding of the number of entities that intend to apply for
funding under this competition. Therefore, the Secretary encourages
each potential applicant to notify the Department by sending a short e-
mail message indicating the applicant's intent to submit an application
for funding. The e-mail should include only the applicant's intent to
submit an application; it does not need to include information
regarding the content of the proposed application. This e-mail
notification should be sent no later than: July 11, 2011 to Noreen
Lopez at: noreen.lopez@ed.gov. Please include ``LINCS RPDC
Application'' in the subject line of your electronic message. We will
consider an application submitted by the deadline date for transmittal
of applications even if the applicant did not provide notice of its
intent to apply. Applicants that fail to provide this e-mail
notification may still apply for funding.
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 the
application narrative [Part III] to no more than 50 pages, using the
following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins on 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 12 point or larger or no smaller than
10 pitch (charters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
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, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does apply
to all of the application narrative section [Part III].
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: June 30, 2011.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: July 11, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 1, 2011.
Applications for grants under this project must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) Be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in
[[Page 38379]]
accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the LINCS Regional Professional
Development Centers, CFDA Number 84.191B, must be submitted
electronically using the Governmentwide 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.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Noreen Lopez, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., PCP, Room 11012,
Washington, DC 20202-7240. FAX: (202) 245-7171.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail. If you qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail
(through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your
application to the Department. You must mail the original and two
copies of your application, 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
84.191B), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington,
DC 20202-4260.
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.
(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.
(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 qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You 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 84.191B), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this grant notification 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
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.210, and are as follows:
Quality of the Project Design: (34 CFR 75.210(c)(1), (c)(2)(i) and
(ii), (c)(2)(v), (c)(2)(x), (c)(2)(xiii), (c)(2)(xvii) and (c)(2)(xxi).
Quality of Project Services: (34 CFR 75.210(d)(1), (d)(2),
(d)(3)(i), (d)(3)(ii), (d)(3)(iii), (d)(3)(v), (d)(3)(ix) and
(d)(3)(x)).
Quality of Project Personnel: (34 CFR 75.210(e)(1), (e)(2),
(e)(3)(i) and (e)(3)(ii)).
Adequacy of Resources: (34 CFR 75.210(f)(1), (f)(2)(i), (f)(2)(ii),
(f)(2)(iii) and (f)(2)(v)).
Quality of the Management Plan: (34 CFR 75.210 (g)(1), and
(g)(2)(i), (g)(2)(ii) and (g)(2)(iv)).
The text of these selection criteria is provided in the application
package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR Parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
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 notify you informally, also.
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.
[[Page 38380]]
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR Part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of each quarter you must submit to the Secretary a
report on your progress in meeting each project goal, objective, and
outcome.
(c) 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 directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, Federal departments and agencies must clearly
describe the project objectives of programs, identify resources and
actions needed to accomplish the project objectives, develop a means of
measuring progress made, and regularly report on achievement. To assist
the Department in determining the overall effectiveness of projects
funded under this competition, grantees must be prepared to measure and
report on the following measures of effectiveness:
(a) The number of eligible agencies and adult education and related
organizations to which the LINCS RPDC disseminates information
regarding the materials and the AEPD in the LINCS Resource Collection.
(b) The number of adult educators participating in AEPD offered by
the RPDC.
(c) The number of hours of AEPD offered by the RPDC that are
completed by adult educators.
(d) The percentage of adult educators participating in the RPDC's
AEPD who implemented evidence-based practices in their instruction as a
result of their completion of the AEPD.
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noreen Lopez, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 11012, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-7240. Telephone: (202) 245-6309, or by e-mail:
noreen.lopez@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can 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). To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
this site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: http://www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: June 27, 2011.
Brenda Dann-Messier,
Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-16480 Filed 6-29-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P