[Federal Register: June 16, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 114)]
[Notices]
[Page 28488-28491]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jn09-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Rehabilitation Training--Rehabilitation Continuing
Education Programs (RCEP)--Institute on Rehabilitation Issues (IRI);
Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.264C.
Dates:
Applications Available: June 16, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 29, 2009.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Rehabilitation Continuing Education
Programs--
(1) Train newly employed State agency staff at the administrative,
supervisory, professional, paraprofessional, or clerical levels in
order to develop needed skills for effective agency performance;
(2) Provide training opportunities for experienced State agency
personnel at all levels of State agency practice to upgrade their
skills and to develop mastery of new program developments dealing with
significant issues, priorities, and legislative thrusts of the State
and Federal vocational rehabilitation (VR) program; and
(3) Develop and conduct training programs for staff of--
(a) Private rehabilitation agencies and facilities that cooperate
with State VR units in providing VR and other rehabilitation services;
(b) Centers for independent living; and
(c) Client assistance programs.
Priorities: These priorities are from the notice of final
priorities for this program, published in the Federal Register on
October 23, 2003 (68 FR 60828).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2009 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet both of these
priorities.
Note: Previously the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) has funded multiple grants per fiscal year under these
priorities. For FY 2009, we will fund only one grant under these
priorities. While RSA had made multiple awards to carry out IRI
activities in the past, we have decided to make only one IRI award
for FY 2009 to improve the efficiency of the monitoring process and
the quality of the products produced under this competition. Thus,
all references to projects should be interpreted as meaning one
project and that project will be responsible for two Primary Study
Groups and the National Forum.
These priorities are:
Priority 1--Leadership of IRI Primary Study Group (PSG)
This priority funds projects to lead a PSG on a topic selected by
the IRI Planning Committee. Projects must demonstrate the ability to
provide leadership to members of the PSG that results in the production
of a high quality document in the assigned topic area. Projects must
ensure that documents are relevant to the public rehabilitation system
and to the work of VR counselors and accurately interpret and integrate
the current body of knowledge of the selected topic contained in
published professional research and demonstrations.
Specifically, projects must demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of
and understanding of relevant current and emerging issues in the public
rehabilitation system, the public VR program, and the continuing
education needs of VR personnel and related professionals. Projects
must have the demonstrated ability to direct a rehabilitation research
investigation in cooperation with a variety of experienced
participants.
Projects must provide leadership to all phases of the IRI process,
including assisting PSG members to define the areas of focus for the
designated topic, to identify and address the continuing education
needs of personnel of the public rehabilitation system, and to plan and
write the project document. Projects must ensure that the group product
meets the expectation of the IRI Planning Committee in terms of content
areas and depth of review. At the conclusion of the National IRI Forum,
projects must submit the final version of the IRI document to RSA for
approval. Projects must distribute the approved document to State VR
agencies and to others in an accessible format on request for use in
staff development, training, and service planning.
Projects must include a plan to meet the communication,
coordination, logistical, and budgetary requirements necessary to
conduct at least three in person meetings of the PSG, one of which must
take place at the National IRI Forum in Washington, DC, at the end of
the project year.
Priority 2--Leadership of the National IRI Forum
This priority funds projects to plan and to lead the annual
National IRI Forum of PSG members and other stakeholders in each year
of the project period. Projects must demonstrate in-depth knowledge of
current, relevant issues in the public rehabilitation system and of
methods to facilitate professional development and continuing education
activities. Project staff, in cooperation with the IRI Planning
Committee, must identify and solicit key stakeholders to provide input
and feedback on selected IRI topics, and facilitate discussion and
input sessions of diverse individuals with a wide variety of
backgrounds so that each of the two IRI PSGs receives feedback on its
draft document in a collaborative and positive manner.
Projects must provide a detailed plan for all aspects of the
planning and coordination of the meeting, including, but not limited
to, facilitation of document feedback sessions, site planning,
coordination of accommodations and travel for PSG members funded by the
project, coordination of accommodations requested by other
participants, and the provision of on-site support services, including
the provision of reasonable accommodations upon request. Projects must
include a description of a process and methods that will result in high
[[Page 28489]]
quality input on the IRI documents presented for review.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this
program in 34 CFR parts 385 and 389.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except Federally recognized Indian Tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grant.
Estimated Available Funds: $190,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $190,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
may change the maximum amount through a Notice published in the Federal
Register.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States and public or nonprofit agencies and
organizations, including Indian Tribes and institutions of higher
education.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing of at least 10 percent of
the total cost of the project is required of grantees under the RCEP
(34 CFR 389.40).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
You can obtain an application package via the Internet or from the
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the
Internet, use the following address: http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/
apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax,
or call the following: Education Publications Center, 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),
call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: http://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program as follows: CFDA number 84.264C.
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 or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII 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
program.
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 the equivalent of no more than 45
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 (character 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, the bibliography, 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 or if
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications Available: June 16, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 31, 2009.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site. 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. 6., 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.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 29, 2009.
4. Intergovernmental Review
This competition is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. Information about Intergovernmental
Review of Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the
application package for this competition.
5. Funding Restrictions
We reference regulations outlining funding restrictions in the
Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically unless you qualify for an exception to this requirement
in accordance with the instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
Applications for grants under the Rehabilitation Continuing
Education Programs competition--CFDA Number 84.264C must be submitted
electronically using e-Application, accessible through the Department's
e-Grants Web site at: http:// e-grants.ed.gov.
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
[[Page 28490]]
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.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format. You must submit all documents
electronically, including all information you typically provide on the
following forms: the 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.
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 in this paragraph 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.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users
who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this
section apply only to the unavailability of e-Application.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Edwin W. Powell, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5038, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-4260. FAX: (202) 245-7505.
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 84.264C), 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
[[Page 28491]]
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 84.264C), 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
Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and 34 CFR 389.30(a).
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.
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 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
The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 directs
Federal departments and agencies to improve the effectiveness of their
programs by engaging in strategic planning, setting outcome-related
goals for programs, and measuring program results against those goals.
The goal of RSA's RCEP Institute on Rehabilitation Issues program
is to synthesize and disseminate information about relevant topics in
the form of publications that are used in educating VR professionals
and as technical assistance resources for other stakeholders in the VR
program. In order to measure the performance of this project, we
require the grantee to collect data on the number of IRI documents
disseminated; the types of individuals requesting the documents, e.g.,
State agencies, training programs; the opinion of State VR directors
and training program directors regarding the quality of the IRI
publications; and the number of citations of IRI publications in other
literature. The grantee is required to report this information annually
to RSA using the RSA Grantee Reporting Form, OMB number 1820-0617, an
electronic reporting system. This form allows RSA to measure results
against the goals of the project. Performance will be measured by
assessment of (a) the number of State VR directors and training grant
project directors who deem the IRI products to be of high quality and
useful to the field and (b) the number of citations of IRI publications
in other literature.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin W. Powell, U.S. Department of
Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue,
SW., room 5038, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-
7505 or by e-mail: Edwin.Powell@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (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) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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) 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.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Andrew J. Pepin, Executive Administrator for the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, to perform the functions
of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
Dated: June 11, 2009.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. E9-14142 Filed 6-15-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P