[Federal Register: September 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 186)]
[Notices]
[Page 56123-56129]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26se06-52]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Overview
Information; Training and Information for Parents of Children With
Disabilities--Parent Training and Information Centers; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.328M.
Dates: Applications Available: September 26, 2006.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 2006.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: January 9, 2007.
Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section
III. Eligibility Information in this notice.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children
with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an
estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers
competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is
provided in a chart elsewhere in this notice under section II. Award
Information.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $319,907.
[[Page 56124]]
Estimated Number of Awards: 28.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: With the exception of projects in the States of
Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for
a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida--Region 3
will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will
be funded for a period up to 36 months.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that
parents of children with disabilities receive training and information
to help improve results for their children.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), this
priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or
otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 671 and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2007 this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
Parent Training and Information Centers (PTI Centers) Background:
This priority supports parent training and information centers that
will provide parents of children with disabilities, including low-
income parents, parents of limited English proficient children, and
parents with disabilities, with the training and information they need
to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children
with disabilities to--
(a) Meet developmental and functional goals, and challenging
academic achievement goals that have been established for all children;
and
(b) Be prepared to lead productive, independent adult lives, to the
maximum extent possible.
In addition, a purpose of this priority is to ensure that children
with disabilities and their parents receive training and information on
their rights, responsibilities, and protections under IDEA in order to
develop the skills necessary to cooperatively and effectively
participate in planning and decision making relating to early
intervention, educational, and transitional services.
Text of Priority: Each Parent Training and Information Center (PTI
Center) assisted under this program shall--
(a) Provide training and information that meets the needs of
parents of children with disabilities living in the area served by the
PTI Center, particularly underserved parents and parents of children
who may be inappropriately identified as having a disability when they
may not have one, to enable their children with disabilities to--
(1) Meet developmental and functional goals and challenging
academic achievement goals established for all children; and
(2) Be prepared to lead productive independent adult lives, to the
maximum extent possible;
(b) Serve the parents of infants, toddlers, and children, from ages
birth through 26, with the full range of disabilities described in
section 602(3) of IDEA;
(c) Familiarize themselves with the provision of special education,
related services, and early intervention services in the areas they
serve to help ensure that children with disabilities are receiving
appropriate services;
(d) Ensure that the training and information provided meets the
needs of low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient
children;
(e) Assist parents to--
(1) Better understand the nature of their children's disabilities
and their educational, developmental, and transitional needs;
(2) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with personnel
responsible for providing special education, early intervention
services, transition services, and related services;
(3) Participate in decision making processes, including those
regarding participation in State and local assessments, and the
development of individualized education programs under part B of IDEA
and individualized family service plans under part C of IDEA;
(4) Obtain appropriate information about the range, type and
quality of--
(A) options, programs, services, technologies, practices and
interventions that are based on scientifically based research, to the
extent practicable; and
(B) resources available to assist children with disabilities and
their families in school and at home, including information available
through the Office of Special Education Programs' (OSEP) technical
assistance network and Communities of Practice;
(5) Understand the provisions of IDEA for the education of, and the
provision of early intervention services to, children with
disabilities;
(6) Participate in activities at the school level that benefit
their children; and
(7) Participate in school reform activities.
(f) In States where the State elects to contract with the PTI
Center, contract with the State educational agencies to provide,
consistent with paragraphs (B) and (D) of section 615(e)(2) of IDEA,
individuals to meet with parents in order to explain the mediation
process;
(g) Assist parents in resolving disputes in the most expeditious
and effective way possible, including encouraging the use, and
explaining the benefits, of alternative methods of dispute resolution,
such as the mediation process described in section 615(e) of IDEA;
(h) Assist parents and students with disabilities to understand
their rights and responsibilities under IDEA, including those under
section 615(m) of IDEA upon the student's reaching the age of majority
(as appropriate under State law);
(i) Assist parents to understand the availability of, and how to
effectively use, procedural safeguards under IDEA, including the
resolution session described in section 615(e) of IDEA;
(j) Assist parents in understanding, preparing for, and
participating in, the resolution session described in section
615(f)(1)(B) of IDEA;
(k) If there is more than one PTI Center or one or more Community
Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) in a particular State funded under
section 672 of IDEA, demonstrate in the application how it will
coordinate its services and supports with the other center or centers
to ensure the most effective assistance to parents in that State;
(l) Network with appropriate clearinghouses, including
organizations conducting national dissemination activities under
section 663 of IDEA and the Institute of Education Sciences, and with
other national, State, and local organizations and agencies, such as
protection and advocacy agencies, that serve parents and families of
children with the full range of disabilities described in section
602(3) of IDEA;
(m) Annually report to the Assistant Secretary on--
(1) The number and demographics of parents to whom the PTI Center
provided information and training in the most recently concluded fiscal
year, including additional information regarding their unique needs and
levels of service provided to them;
(2) The effectiveness of strategies used to reach and serve
parents, including underserved parents of children with disabilities by
providing evidence of how those parents were served effectively; and
[[Page 56125]]
(3) The number of parents served who have resolved disputes through
alternative methods of dispute resolution.
(n) Respond to requests from the National Technical Assistance
Center (NTAC) and Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs)
and use the technical assistance services of the NTAC and PTACs in
order to serve the families of infants, toddlers, and children with
disabilities as efficiently as possible. PTACs are charged with
assisting parent centers with administrative and programmatic issues;
(o) Budget for a two-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington,
DC during each year of the project. In addition, a project's budget
must include funds for the center's project director to attend a
Regional Project Directors' meeting to be held each year of the
project;
(p) If the PTI Center maintains a Web site, include relevant
information and documents in a format that meets a government or
industry-recognized standard for accessibility;
(q) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or
electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and
purpose of the product to the document review board of OSEP's
Dissemination Center;
(r) In collaboration with OSEP and the NTAC, participate in an
annual collection of program data for PTI Centers and CPRCs; and
(s) Identify with specificity in its application the special
efforts it will make to--
(1) Ensure that the needs for training and information of
underserved parents of children with disabilities in the area to be
served are effectively met; and
(2) Work with community based organizations, including those that
work with low-income parents and parents of limited English proficient
children.
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 in the APA
inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1471.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 81,
82, 84, 85, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$25,704,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children
with Disabilities program for FY 2007, of which we intend to use an
estimated $8,957,406 for the Parent Training and Information Centers
competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final
congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow
enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates
funds for this program.
Information concerning funding amounts for individual States is
provided elsewhere in this section of this notice.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $319,907.
Estimated Number of Awards: 28.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: With the exception of projects in the States of
Alabama, Oklahoma, and Region 3 of Florida, projects will be funded for
a period up to 60 months. Projects in Alabama and Florida--Region 3
will be funded for a period up to 48 months; projects in Oklahoma will
be funded for a period up to 36 months. As explained elsewhere in this
notice, the Assistant Secretary makes awards to groups of States in
five-year cycles. We are proposing shorter project periods for Alabama,
Oklahoma, and Florida--Region 3 in order to align the funding cycle for
these areas with those of other States in their groups. Alabama,
Oklahoma, and Florida--Region 3 did not receive awards with their
groups in previous competitions.
In order to allocate resources equitably, create a unified system
of service delivery, and provide the broadest coverage for the parents
and families in every State, the Assistant Secretary is making awards
in five-year cycles for each State. In FY 2007, applications for 5-year
awards will be accepted for the following States: Arkansas, California,
Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Jersey,
New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah. Exceptions
to the 5-year awards will be in the States of Alabama, Oklahoma and
Region 3 of Florida. Applications for projects in Alabama and Florida--
Region 3 will be accepted for 4-year awards and applications for
projects in Oklahoma will be accepted for a 3-year award. Awards also
may be made to eligible applicants in Guam, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, and the freely associated States.
Estimated Project Awards: Project award amounts are for a single
budget period of 12 months. To ensure maximum coverage for this
competition, the Assistant Secretary has adopted regional designations
established by California, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and Texas
and has identified corresponding maximum award amounts for each region.
Any applicant that applies for grants for more than one region must
complete a separate application for each region.
The Assistant Secretary took into consideration current funding
levels and population distribution when determining the award amounts
for grants under this competition.
In the following States, one award may be made for up to the
amounts listed in the chart to a qualified applicant for a PTI Center
to serve the entire State:
Alabama.................................................... $273,959
Arkansas................................................... 258,634
Connecticut................................................ 276,016
Georgia.................................................... 469,482
Kansas..................................................... 292,033
Montana.................................................... 227,965
New Jersey................................................. 454,176
New Mexico................................................. 277,918
Oregon..................................................... 283,548
South Carolina............................................. 288,215
Utah....................................................... 246,148
Oklahoma................................................... 249,215
(These figures represent the maximum amounts the Assistant Secretary
will award. In addition, the Assistant Secretary has not specified
maximum amounts for Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, and the Freely Associated States).
In the following States with the exception of Illinois, one award
will be made in the following amounts to a qualified applicant for a
PTI Center to serve each identified region. In Illinois, the Assistant
Secretary will make up to two awards for Region 1. The total of these
two awards for Illinois' Region 1 will not exceed the maximum amount
listed for that region in the chart below. A list of the counties that
are included in each region also follows.
California:
Region 1................................................. $633,165
Region 2................................................. 519,072
Region 3................................................. 176,732
Region 4................................................. 462,011
Region 5................................................. 176,732
Florida:
Region 3................................................. 190,154
Illinois:
Region 1................................................. 548,708
Region 2................................................. 281,878
Michigan:
Region 1................................................. 239,170
Region 2................................................. 403,970
Ohio:
[[Page 56126]]
Region 1................................................. 220,569
Region 2................................................. 427,224
Texas:
Region 1................................................. 421,347
Region 2................................................. 421,347
Region 3................................................. 238,015
Consistent with 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application
that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the
stated maximum award amount for that year.
Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Application Notice for
Fiscal Year 2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum award
CFDA number and name (per year)**
------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.328M Parent Training and Information Centers :*
Alabama................................................. $273,959
Arkansas................................................ 258,634
Connecticut............................................. 276,016
Georgia................................................. 469,482
Kansas.................................................. 292,033
Montana................................................. 227,965
New Jersey.............................................. 454,176
New Mexico.............................................. 277,918
Oregon.................................................. 283,548
South Carolina.......................................... 288,215
Utah.................................................... 246,148
Oklahoma................................................ 249,215
California:
Region 1.............................................. 633,165
Region 2.............................................. 519,072
Region 3.............................................. 176,732
Region 4.............................................. 462,011
Region 5.............................................. 176,732
Florida:
Region 3.............................................. 190,154
Illinois:
Region 1.............................................. 548,708
Region 2.............................................. 281,878
Michigan:
Region 1.............................................. 239,170
Region 2.............................................. 403,970
Ohio:
Region 1.............................................. 220,569
Region 2.............................................. 427,224
Texas:
Region 1.............................................. 421,347
Region 2.............................................. 421,347
Region 3.............................................. 238,015
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Listing of States/Regions/Counties
California Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Los Angeles, Ventura,
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo.
Region 2 includes the following counties: Mono, Inyo, San
Bernadino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, Imperial.
Region 3 includes the following counties: Madera, Stanislaus,
Mercer, Mariposa, San Benito, Monterey, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, Kern.
Region 4 includes the following counties: Sonoma, Napa, Yolo,
Solano, Marin, Contra Costa, San Joaquin, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa
Clara, Santa Cruz, San Francisco.
Region 5 includes the following counties: Del Norte, Humboldt,
Mendocino, Sisklyou, Trinity, Shasta, Modoc, Lassen, Tehama, Lake,
Glenn, Colusa, Butte, Sutter, Yuba, Sacramento, Nevada, Plumas, Sierra,
Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Calavaras, Alpine, Tuolumne.
Florida Region
Region 3 includes the following counties: Dade, Broward, Palm
Beach, Monroe, Collier, Lee, Hendry, Martin, Glades.
Illinois Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Grundy,
Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Will.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.
Ohio Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Darke, Preble, Butler,
Hamilton, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Scioto, Lawrence, Jackson, Pike,
Ross, Fayette, Greene, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Shelby, Miami,
Montgomery, Warren, Clinton, Highland.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.
Michigan Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Oakland, Macomb, Wayne.
Region 2 includes the remainder of the State.
Texas Regions
Region 1 includes the following counties: Hardeman, Foard, Knox,
Wilbarger, Baylor, Throckmorton, Wichita, Archer, Young, Clay, Jack,
Montague, Cooke, Wise, Palo Pinto, Eralh, Parker, Hood, Somerveil,
Denton, Tarrant, Johnson, Grayson, Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Hunt,
Rockwall, Kaufman, Lamar, Delta, Hopkins, Red River, Franklin, Titus,
Camp, Morris, Bowie, Casa, Cass, Marion, Bosque, Hamilton, Mills,
Lampaas, Coryell, Hill, McLennan, Bell, Navarro, Freestone, Limestone,
Falls, Burnet, Llano, Gillespie, Kendall, Comal, Blanco, Williamson,
Travis, Hays, Lee, Bastrop, Caldwell, Guadalupa, Fayette, Gonzales,
Leon, Robertson, Millam, Burleston, Washington, Austin, Brazoa,
Madison, Grimes, Houston, Trinity, Walker, Montgomery, Polk, San
Jacinto, Tyler, Hardin, Jefferson, Orange, Jasper, Newton, Raine, Van
Zandt, Henderson, Anderson, Wood, Smith, Cherokee, Upshur, Gregg, Rusk,
Nacogdoches, Angelina, Harrison, Panola, Shelby, San Augustine, Sabine.
Region 2 includes the following counties: Kerr, Real, Kinney,
Maverik, Uvalde, Zavala, Dimmit, Bandera, Medina, Frio, La Salle,
Boxer, Atascosa, Wilson, Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, Staarr, Hidalgo,
Willsoy, Cameron, McMullen, Duval, Live Oak, Jim Wells, Brooke, Nueces,
Kisberg, Kenedy, San Patricio, Aransas, Bee, Karnes, Gollad, Dewitt,
Lavaca, Colorado, Wharton, Malagorda, Jackson, Victoria, Refugio,
Calhoun, Waller, Fort Bond, Brezoria, Harris, Galveston, Liberty,
Chambers.
Region 3 includes the following counties: El Paso, Hudspeth,
Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Reeves, Brewster, Pecos, Terrell,
Dallam, Hartley, Oldham, Deaf Smith, Parmer, Bailey, Cochran, Yoakum,
Gaines, Andrews, Loving, Winkler, Ward, Sharman, Moore, Potter,
Randall, Castro, Swisher, Lamb, Hockley, Terry, Ector, Crane, Upton,
Reagan, Midland, Glasscook, Dawson, Martin, Borden, Howard, Hansford,
Hutchinson, Carson, Armstrong, Briscoe, Ochiltree, Roberts, Gray,
Donley, Hall, Lipscomb, Hemphill, Wheeler, Collingsworth, Childress,
Hale, Lubbock, Lynn, Floyd, Crosby, Garza, Motley, Dickens, Kent,
Cottle, King, Scurry, Mitchell, Stonewall, Fisher, Nolan, Haskall,
Jones, Taylor, Shackelford, Callahan, Stephens, Eastland, Sterling,
Irion, Crockett, Val Verde, Coke, Tom Green, Schlelcher, Sutton,
Edwards, Runnels, Concho, Menard, Kimble, Coleman, McCulloch, Mason,
Brown, San Sabe.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Parent organizations, as defined in section
671(a)(2) of IDEA. A parent organization is a private nonprofit
organization (other than an institution of higher education) that--
(a) Has a board of directors--
(1) The majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities
ages birth through 26;
(2) That includes--
(i) Individuals working in the fields of special education, related
services, and early intervention; and
(ii) Individuals with disabilities; and
(iii) The parent and professional members of which are broadly
representative of the population to be served including low-income
parents and parents of limited English proficient children; and
(b) Has as its mission serving families of children with
disabilities who are ages birth through 26, and have the full range of
disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not involve cost
sharing or matching.
[[Page 56127]]
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 84.328M.
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 60 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: September
26, 2006. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: November 13, 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: January 9, 2007.
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 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 2007. Parent Training and Information
Centers--CFDA Number 84.328M 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 Parent Training
and Information Centers--CFDA Number 84.328M competition 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 56128]]
process (see http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp).
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/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.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 following forms: Application for
Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of Education Supplemental
Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs
(ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. Please note
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424
(Application for Federal Education Assistance). 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 84.328M), 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
84.328M), 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
84.328M), 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 11 of the SF 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.
[[Page 56129]]
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 Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has developed measures that
will yield information on various aspects of the quality of the
Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities
program. The measures will focus on: the extent to which projects
provide high quality materials, the relevance of project products and
services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and
the usefulness of products and services to improve educational and
early intervention policy and practice.
Grantees will be required to provide information related to these
measures.
Grantees also will 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: Lisa Gorove, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4056, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7357.
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: September 20, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E6-15762 Filed 9-25-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P