[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 39 (Monday, March 1, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 9193-9196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-4176]
[[Page 9193]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as Amended--National
Activities--State Training and Technical Assistance for Assistive
Technology Programs; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.224B-1.
Dates: Applications Available: March 1, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: Under section 6 of the Assistive Technology Act
of 1998, as amended (AT Act), the Secretary is authorized to provide
grants to support national activities to improve the administration of
the AT Act. The purpose of this program is to fulfill the requirement
to support training and technical assistance to the entities funded
under the AT Act to improve the effectiveness of their programs and to
entities not funded under the AT Act to improve awareness of and access
to assistive technology (AT).
Note: Entities funded under the AT Act include comprehensive,
statewide assistive technology programs (Statewide AT Programs) and
protection and advocacy for assistive technology programs (PAAT
Programs) that increase access to and acquisition of AT devices and
services for individuals with disabilities. The AT Act also
authorized additional grants, in FY 2005, to support alternative
financing programs (AFPs) that provide financial loans to allow
individuals with disabilities and their families to purchase AT
devices and services.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv), this priority
is from section 6(b)(3) of the AT Act (29 U.S.C. 3001, et seq.).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2010, this priority is an absolute
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that
meet this priority.
This priority is:
State Training and Technical Assistance for Assistive Technology
Programs
Under this priority, training and technical assistance must be
provided to entities funded under the AT Act and entities not funded
under the AT Act in accordance with section 6(b)(3) of the AT Act.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 3001, et seq.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: $640,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $640,000 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.
Maximum Project Period: We will reject any application that
proposes a project period exceeding 60 months. The Assistant Secretary
for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the
maximum project period through a notice published in the Federal
Register.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Public or private nonprofit or for-profit
organizations, including institutions of higher education, that have
(directly or through a grant or contract)--
(a) Experience and expertise in administering programs, including
developing, implementing, and administering the required and
discretionary activities described in sections 4 and 5 of the AT Act;
(b) Experience and expertise in providing technical assistance; and
(c) Documented experience in and knowledge about banking, finance,
and microlending.
Note: An eligible entity can demonstrate its experience and
expertise on its own or through proposed subcontracts with other
entities that demonstrate the relevant experience and expertise.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program 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 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:
ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA
22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. 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.EDPubs.gov or at its e-mail address: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program as follows: CFDA Number 84.224B-1.
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 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 the
application narrative (Part III) to the equivalent of no more than 24
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. Single spacing may be used for
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).
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 Application for
Federal Assistance; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the
one-page abstract, the eligibility statement, the curriculum vitae, the
bibliography, the letters of recommendation, or the information on the
protection of human subjects. 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.
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3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 1, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 30, 2010.
Applications for grants under this program 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
in this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this program 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 National Activities program--CFDA
Number 84.224B-1 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
program 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
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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: Robert Groenendaal, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5025, Potomac
Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2800. FAX: (202) 245-7590.
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 84.224B-1), 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 84.224B-1), 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 program 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. 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 specified by the Secretary in
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
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 State Training and Technical
Assistance for Assistive Technology Programs is to provide support to
entities funded under the AT Act that improve the effectiveness of
their programs and support to entities not funded under the AT Act to
improve awareness of and access to assistive technology. In order to
assess the success of the grantee in meeting these goals, in addition
to other information, the grantee's annual performance report must
include--
(1) A description of State-specific and national technical
assistance and training provided to support the improvement of
Statewide AT Programs, PAAT programs, and AFPs, and the result of that
technical assistance or training as evidenced by changes in the
operation of Statewide AT Programs, PAAT programs, or AFPs or other
relevant and identifiable changes;
(2) A description of collaboration between the grantee and other
entities involved in AT, and the result of that collaboration as
evidenced by changes in the operation of the grantee or other entities,
or other relevant and identifiable changes;
(3) A description of the collaboration between the grantee and any
entities to
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which the grantee provides a subcontract or subgrant, and the result of
that collaboration as evidenced by improved delivery of technical
assistance and training and improved collaboration between entities
funded under the AT Act at the national and State level or other
relevant and identifiable improvements; and
(4) A description of how the technical assistance and training
needs of entities funded under the AT Act and entities not funded under
the AT Act are identified and met, and the result of meeting those
needs as evidenced by resolution of State-specific and national issues
or other relevant and identifiable outcomes.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Robert Groenendaal, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5025, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7393 or by e-mail:
[email protected].
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.
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: February 24, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-4176 Filed 2-26-10; 8:45 am]
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