FR Doc 06-4615

[Federal Register: May 19, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 97)]
[Notices]
[Page 29223-29226]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19my06-111]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and
Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students; Overview
Information; Foreign Language Assistance Program--State Educational
Agencies; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year
(FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.293C.

Dates:
Applications Available: May 19, 2006.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 16, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2006.
Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs).
Estimated Available Funds: $1,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000-$400,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The Foreign Language Assistance Program (FLAP)
provides grants to SEAs for innovative model programs providing for the
establishment, improvement, or expansion of foreign language study for
elementary and secondary school students. An SEA that receives a grant
under this program must use the funds to support programs that promote
systemic approaches to improving foreign language learning in the
State.
Priorities: Competitive Preference Priority 1 is from the
notice of final priority for this program published elsewhere in this
issue of the Federal Register. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), Competitive Preference Priority 2 is from
section 5493 of the Foreign Language Assistance Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C.
7259b).
Competitive Preference Priority #1: For FY 2006 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:
Critical Need Languages: This priority supports projects that
establish, improve or expand foreign language learning primarily during
the traditional school day, within grade kindergarten through grade 12
that exclusively teach one or more of the following less commonly
taught languages: Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Russian, and
languages in the Indic, Iranian, and Turkic language families.
Competitive Preference Priority #2: For FY 2006 this priority is a
competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii) we give
preference to an application that meets this priority over an
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priority.
This priority is:
Applications describing programs that are carried out through a
consortium comprised of the State educational agency receiving the
grant and an elementary or secondary school.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7259a-7259b.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98 and 99. (b) The notice of final priority for
this program published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $1,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $50,000-$400,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: SEAs.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: In order to build foreign language
program capacity at the State level, cost sharing is required. Waivers
are not available for State educational agencies. The Federal share of
the cost of activities assisted under this program for each fiscal year
is 50 percent. See 20 U.S.C. 7259a(c).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: Yvonne Putney-Mathieu,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 10074,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7155,
or by e-mail: yvonne.mathieu@ed.gov.
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 a copy of the application
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact
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: If you intend to apply for a grant under
this competition, contact Amy Weinmann by e-mail: amy.weinmann@ed.gov

Note: We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline

[[Page 29224]]

requirements established in this notice. However, we will consider
an application submitted by the deadline date for transmittal of
applications, even if the applicant did not provide us notice of its
intent to apply.

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 25 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; or the one to two page abstract.
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: May 19, 2006.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 16, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 30, 2006.
Applications for grants under this program 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.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 30, 2006.
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. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this program 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 Foreign Language Assistance
Program SEA-CFDA Number 84.293C is one of the programs 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 Foreign
Language Assistance Program 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 program 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 the steps in the Grants.gov registration 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 acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov

[[Page 29225]]

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 84.293C), 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
84.293C), 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
84.293C), 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 of EDGAR and are as follows:

(a) Need for Project (5 Points)

The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services,
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude
of those gaps or weaknesses.

(b) Quality of the Project Design (60 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(2) The extent to which the design for implementing and evaluating
the proposed project will result in information to guide possible
replication of project activities or strategies, including information
about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies employed by the
project.
(3) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of
Federal financial assistance.
(4) The extent to which the design of the proposed project reflects
up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.
(5) The extent to which the proposed project will establish
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing
services to the target population.
(6) The extent to which performance feedback and continuous
improvement are integral to the design of the proposed project.

The Secretary considers the quality of the personnel who will carry
out the proposed project. In determining the quality of project
personnel, the

[[Page 29226]]

Secretary considers 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. In addition, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(1) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of the project director.
(2) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel.

(d) Quality of the Management Plan (10 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project. In determining the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing
project tasks.
(2) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate
to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

(e) Quality of the Project Evaluation (15 Points)

The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(2) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and
qualitative data to the extent possible.
(3) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward
achieving intended outcomes.

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 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 Measure: In response to the Government Performance
and Results Act (GPRA), the Department developed one measure for
evaluating the overall effectiveness of the Foreign Language Assistance
Program (FLAP). The measure assesses the percentage of FLAP projects
that report annual improvements in foreign language proficiency for
three-quarters of school participants. We will expect each SEA that
carries out a school-based project funded under this competition to
document how its project is helping the Department meet this
performance measure, including data on the proficiency of students
served by projects. Grantees will be expected to report on progress in
meeting this performance measure for FLAP in their Annual Performance
Report and in their Final Performance Report.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rebecca Richey, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, room 10080,
Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 245-7133, or by e-mail:
rebecca.richey@ed.gov.

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 to the program contact person listed in this
section.

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: May 12, 2006.
Kathleen Leos,
Assistant Deputy Secretary and Director, Office of English Language
Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited
English Proficient Students.
[FR Doc. 06-4615 Filed 5-18-06; 8:45 am]

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