[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 102 (Thursday, May 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29740-29744]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-12800]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education; Overview
Information; Gulf Coast Recovery Grant Initiative; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.215C.
Dates: Applications Available: May 27, 2010.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 21, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 7, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Gulf Coast Recovery Grant
Initiative is to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) in improving
education in areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav.
Priority: We are establishing this priority for the FY 2010 grant
competition only, in accordance with section 437(d)(1) of the General
Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232(d)(1).
Competitive Preference Priority: This priority is a competitive
preference priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an
additional 5 points to an application that meets this priority.
This priority is:
Serving Persistently Lowest-Achieving Schools
Five additional points will be awarded to an application that
proposes to serve at least one school designated by the State as a
``persistently lowest-achieving school'' for purposes of using school
improvement funds under section 1003(g) of Title I of the Elementary
and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA). A
``persistently lowest-achieving school'' under section 1003(g) means a
school, as defined by each State, that falls into one of the following
groups:
(1) Any Title I school in improvement, corrective action, or
restructuring that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five percent of
Title I schools in improvement, corrective action, or restructuring in
the State (or the lowest-achieving five such schools, whichever number
of schools is greater) or (ii) is a Title I high school that has had a
graduation rate that is less than 60 percent over a number of years.
(2) Any secondary school that is eligible for, but does not
receive, Title I funds that (i) is among the lowest-achieving five
percent of secondary schools in the State (or the lowest-achieving five
secondary schools, whichever number of schools is greater) that are
eligible for, but do not receive, Title I funds or (ii) is a high
school that has had a graduation rate that is less than 60 percent over
a number of years.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities, requirements, and
selection criteria. Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the
Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements, regulations governing
the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised
program authority. This is the first grant competition for the Gulf
Coast Recovery Grant Initiative and therefore qualifies for this
exemption. In order to ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has
decided to forgo public comment on the priority, requirements, and
selection criteria under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA. This priority,
requirements, and selection criteria will apply to the FY 2010 grant
competition only.
Program Authority: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub.
L. 111-117).
Applicable Regulations: 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.
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: $12,000,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $150,000-$3,000,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $1,500,000.
Note: An eligible LEA may request up to $500,000 per year for
each school it intends to serve through the grant under this
competition. To ensure that sufficient funds are available to
support awards to LEAs of all sizes, and not only the largest LEAs,
an applicant may not include more than three schools in a single
application for a grant. We will reject any application that
includes more than three schools in its proposal.
[[Page 29741]]
The following chart provides the maximum award amounts for
applicants that propose to serve one, two, or three schools per grant
with a one-year or two-year project period:
Maximum Awards
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Period
Number of schools served -------------------------------
1 year 2 years
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1....................................... $500,000 $1,000,000
2....................................... 1,000,000 2,000,000
3....................................... 1,500,000 3,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The actual size of awards will be based on a number of factors,
including the scope, quality, and comprehensiveness of the proposed
project.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding the maximum amounts specified in the Maximum Awards
chart.
Estimated Number of Awards: 6-10.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
Note: Budgets should be developed for a single award with a
project period of up to 24 months. No continuation awards will be
provided.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: LEAs located in counties in Louisiana,
Mississippi, and Texas designated by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) as counties eligible for individual assistance due to
damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina, Ike, or Gustav.
For the convenience of applicants, the Department has posted lists
of LEAs that are eligible to apply under this competition (organized by
State). These lists are available on the Gulf Coast Recovery Grant
Initiative Web site at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/gulf/eligibility.html. These lists are based on the most recent information
provided by each State and the Bureau of Indian Education to the
Department. Although the lists attempt to identify all eligible
applicants, it is possible that the lists are not exhaustive.
Therefore, if an LEA believes it is eligible, but is not included on
the lists, it should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice to determine
eligibility.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/gulf/applicant.html, or by contacting April Bolton-Smith, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1475 or by e-mail:
[email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the 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: June 21, 2010.
Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant,
address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. You must limit the application narrative to no more than
20 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, and
quotations.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller
than 10 pitch (characters 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 the cover sheet; the budget
section, including the narrative budget justification; the assurances
and certifications; the one-page abstract; or the appendices. However,
the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative section.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: May 27, 2010.
Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: June 21, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 9, 2010.
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 7, 2010.
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.
[[Page 29742]]
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 Gulf Coast Recovery Grant
Initiative--CFDA Number 84.215C 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 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: April Bolton-Smith, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304,
Washington, DC 20202-6200. FAX: (202) 260-8969.
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
[[Page 29743]]
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 84.215C), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application, by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.215C), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between
8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays,
Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this grant notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The maximum score for all of the selection
criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion and factor
is indicated in parentheses. The selection criteria for this
competition are as follows:
(a) Need for the project. (40 points) The Secretary considers the
need for the proposed project. In determining the need for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The severity of the impact of the hurricane(s) on each school
targeted for services under the project (10 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
including quantitative data, qualitative data, or both, on the
status of each targeted school prior to the hurricane, as well as
the impact of the hurricane(s) on each targeted school.
(ii) The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or
the activities to be carried out at each targeted school (10 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
including quantitative data, qualitative data, or both, highlighting
the specific needs resulting from the impact of the hurricane(s).
(iii) The extent to which other sources of funds (including FEMA
reimbursement, private insurance, other funds) are not available to
meet the needs of the targeted schools (20 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
describing the financial resources needed for recovery efforts at
each targeted school, and the extent to which current or future
funding exists to meet these needs.
(b) Project design and services. (30 points) The Secretary
considers the quality of the design of the proposed project and the
proposed services. In determining the quality of the design and
services, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the proposed project services will
successfully address the needs of each targeted school (15 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
proposing services that focus on restoring the learning environment
and that respond to the specific recovery needs of the targeted
schools.
(ii) The likelihood that the services to be provided by the
proposed project will lead to improvements in the achievement of
students as measured against rigorous academic achievement standards
(10 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
including an explanation of how the proposed recovery efforts will
result in the increased academic achievement of students.
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners in
order to maximize the effectiveness of proposed project services (5
points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
identifying how the proposed recovery efforts will be coordinated
with other entities to meet the needs of the targeted schools.
(c) Project management. (30 points) The Secretary considers the
quality of the management plan for the proposed project. In determining
the quality of the management plan, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key personnel (10 points).
(ii) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the proposed project on time and within budget (8 points).
(iii) The extent to which the management plan articulates clearly
defined responsibilities and includes realistic timelines and
milestones for accomplishing project tasks (5 points).
(iv) The extent to which the applicant has a sound financial
management system, including effective internal controls, to administer
the grant funds (7 points).
Note: In addressing this factor, applicants should consider
including an overview of their financial management system,
including how they maintain effective internal controls and fund-
accountability procedures.
2. Review and Selection Process: Additional factors we consider in
selecting an application for an award are in 34 CFR 75.217. These
factors include the applicant's performance and use of funds under a
previous award under any Department program.
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
[[Page 29744]]
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 measure: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has developed the following
performance measure for measuring the overall effectiveness of the Gulf
Coast Recovery Grant Initiative: the percentage of grantees that
successfully accomplish their project goals and objectives. The
Department will collect data for this measure from grantees' final
performance reports.
VII. Agency Contact
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: April Bolton-Smith, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3E304, Washington, DC 20202-
6200. Telephone: (202) 260-1475 or by e-mail: [email protected].
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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.
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 24, 2010.
Thelma Mel[eacute]ndez de Santa Ana,
Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2010-12800 Filed 5-26-10; 8:45 am]
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