[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12343-12349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5081]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities;
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities--Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With
Disabilities; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2011
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327A.
Note: This notice includes one absolute priority with two
phases, and funding information for each phase of the competition,
and two competitive preference priorities within the absolute
priority.
Dates:
Applications Available: March 7, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See the chart in the
Award Information section of this notice (Chart).
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See Chart.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Technology and Media
Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to: (1) Improve
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media
services activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom setting to children with disabilities; and (3) provide
support for captioning and video description that are appropriate for
use in the classroom setting.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or otherwise
authorized in the statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards based on the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities--
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities
Background: The Department has made Steppingstones of Technology
[[Page 12344]]
Innovation for Children with Disabilities awards for several years
under the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program. Awards are made in two phases: (1) Development
and (2) research on effectiveness. Abstracts of projects funded under
these two phases can be found at http://publicddb.tadnet.org/.
Priority: The Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children
with Disabilities absolute priority requires grantees to develop,
implement, and evaluate innovative technology approaches designed to
improve results for children with disabilities. Phase 1 projects must
develop, refine, and test the feasibility of specific technology-based
approaches. Phase 2 projects must subject technology-based approaches
to rigorous field-based research to determine their effectiveness.
To be considered for funding under the Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with Disabilities absolute priority, applicants
must meet the application requirements contained in the priority. All
projects funded under the absolute priority also must meet the
programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the priority.
The application, programmatic, and administrative requirements are as
follows:
(a) In the application, an applicant must--
(1) Describe a technology-based approach for use in (a) early
intervention programs, (b) response-to-intervention (RTI) assessment
techniques, or (c) preschool, elementary school, middle school, or high
school educational programs that is designed to improve results for
children with disabilities. The technology-based approach must be an
innovative combination of new technology and additional materials and
methodologies that enable the technology to improve results for
children with disabilities;
(2) Present a justification, based on scientifically rigorous
research or theory, that demonstrates the potential effectiveness of
the technology-based approach described pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of
this priority for improving results for children with disabilities. The
approach must have the potential to improve child outcomes, not just
parent or provider outcomes. Child outcomes may include improved
academic or pre-academic skills, improved behavioral or social
functioning, and improved functional performance, provided that valid
and reliable measurement instruments are employed to assess the
outcomes. Technology-based approaches intended for use by providers or
parents may not be funded under this priority unless child-level
benefits are clearly demonstrated. Technology-based approaches for
professional development will not be funded under this priority;
(3) Provide a detailed plan for conducting work in one of the
following two phases:
(i) Phase 1--Development: Projects funded under Phase 1 must
develop and refine a technology-based approach, and test its
feasibility for use with children with disabilities. Activities under
Phase 1 of the priority may include development, adaptation, and
refinement of technology, materials, or methodologies. Activities under
Phase 1 of the priority must include a formative evaluation of the
technology-based approach's usability and feasibility for use with
children with disabilities. Each project funded under Phase 1 must be
designed to develop, as its primary product, a promising technology-
based approach for which it demonstrates evidence of its usability and
feasibility for improving results for children with disabilities.
(ii) Phase 2--Research on Effectiveness: Projects funded under
Phase 2 must select a promising technology-based approach that has been
developed and tested in a manner consistent with the criteria for
activities funded under Phase 1, and subject the approach to rigorous
field-based research to determine its effectiveness in educational or
early intervention settings. Approaches studied under Phase 2 may have
been developed with previous funding under Phase 1 of this priority or
with funding from other sources. Phase 2 of this priority is primarily
intended to produce sound research-based evidence demonstrating that
the technology-based approach can improve educational or early
intervention results for children with disabilities in a defined range
of real world contexts.
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct
research that poses a causal question and must seek to answer that
question through randomized assignment to treatment and comparison
conditions, unless a strong justification is made for why a randomized
trial is not possible. If a randomized trial is not possible, the
applicant must employ alternatives that substantially minimize
selection bias or allow the selection bias to be modeled. These
alternatives include appropriately structured regression-discontinuity
designs and natural experiments in which naturally occurring
circumstances or institutions (perhaps unintentionally) divide people
into treatment and comparison groups in a manner akin to purposeful
random assignment. In their applications, applicants proposing to use
an alternative system must (1) make a compelling case that
randomization is not possible, and (2) describe in detail how the
procedures will result in substantially minimizing the effects of
selection bias on estimates of effect size. Choice of randomizing unit
or units (e.g., students, classrooms, schools) must be grounded in a
theoretical framework. Observational, survey, or qualitative
methodologies may complement experimental methodologies to assist in
the identification of factors that may explain the effectiveness or
ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach being evaluated.
Applicants must propose research designs that permit the identification
and assessment of factors that may have an impact on the fidelity of
implementation. Mediating and moderating variables that are both
measured in the practice or model condition and are likely to affect
outcomes in the comparison condition must be measured in the comparison
condition (e.g., student time-on-task, teacher experience, or time in
position).
Projects funded under Phase 2 of this priority must conduct
comprehensive research in order to provide convincing evidence of the
effectiveness or ineffectiveness of the technology-based approach under
study, at least within a defined range of settings. Applicants must
provide documentation that available sample sizes, methodologies, and
treatment effects are likely to result in conclusive findings regarding
the effectiveness of the technology-based approach;
(4) Provide a plan for forming collaborative relationships with
vendors, other dissemination or marketing resources, or both to ensure
that the technology-based approach can be made widely available if
sufficient evidence of effectiveness is obtained. Applicants should
document the availability and willingness of dissemination or marketing
resources to participate. Applicants are encouraged to plan these
collaborative relationships early in their projects, even in Phase 1
(if applicable), but should refrain from widespread dissemination of
the technology-based approach to practitioners until evidence of its
effectiveness is obtained in Phase 2; and
(5) Budget for the project director to attend an annual three-day
Project Directors' meeting in Washington, DC, and another annual two-
day trip to
[[Page 12345]]
Washington, DC to collaborate with the Federal project officer and the
other projects funded under this priority to share information, and to
discuss findings and methods of dissemination.
(b) The project also must conduct the following activities:
(1) If the project maintains a Web site, include relevant
information and documents in a format that meets a government or
industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
(2) If the project produces instructional materials for
dissemination, produce them in accessible formats (e.g., with
captioning, with video description) complying with the National
Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) when
appropriate.
Competitive Preference Priorities: Within this absolute priority,
we give competitive preference to applications that meet one or more of
the following priorities. For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are competitive preference priorities.
Competitive Preference Priority 1: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award an additional 3 points to an application that meets this
priority.
This priority is:
Applicants with projects that are designed to improve school
readiness and success by using technology-based approaches for children
with disabilities from birth through third grade and focus on one or
more of the following priority areas: (a) Physical well-being and motor
development; (b) social-emotional development; (c) language and
literacy development; (d) cognition and general knowledge, including
early numeracy and early scientific development; and (e) approaches
toward learning.
Competitive Preference Priority 2: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we
award an additional 3 points to an application that meets this
priority.
This priority is:
Applicants with projects that are designed to focus on technology-
based approaches for instruction in science, mathematics, or both for
children with disabilities.
Note: Three is the maximum amount of points an applicant can
receive for meeting one or both of the competitive preference
priorities. Thus, even if an applicant meets both priorities, it
will only earn a total of 3 points. Applicants must include in the
project abstract a statement indicating which competitive preference
priorities they have addressed.
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 and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priorities in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
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.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$41,223,000 for awards for the Technology and Media Services for
Individuals with Disabilities program for FY 2011, of which we intend
to use an estimated $2,400,000 for the Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children with Disabilities competition. Please refer to
the ``Estimated Range of Awards'' column in the Chart for the estimated
dollar amounts for the two phases of this 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.
Estimated Range of Awards: See Chart.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: See Chart.
Maximum Award: Phase 1: $200,000, per year and Phase 2: $300,000,
per year. We will reject any application that proposes a budget
exceeding the maximum award 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: See Chart.
Project Period: Projects funded under Phase 1 will be funded for up
to 24 months. Projects funded under Phase 2 will be funded for up to 36
months. We will reject any application that proposes a project period
exceeding 24 months for Phase 1 or 36 months for Phase 2.
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children With Disabilities
[Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2011]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Deadline for transmittal of Deadline for Estimated Estimated average Estimated
CFDA No. and Name applications intergovernmental review available range of size of number of
funds awards awards awards
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
84.327A--Steppingstones of Technology
Innovation for Children With
Disabilities:
Phase 1--Development.............. April 21, 2011............... June 20, 2011................ $1,200,000 $100,000- $200,000 6
200,000
Phase 2--Research on Effectiveness April 21, 2011............... June 20, 2011................ 1,200,000 200,000- 300,000 4
300,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (LEAs); public charter schools that are LEAs under
State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit
organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes
or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
[[Page 12346]]
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: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327A.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the person listed
under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice.
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 Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 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.
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 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, 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 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: March 7, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See Chart.
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 in
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 7.
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: See Chart.
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. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
7. 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 are participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov
Apply site. The Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children
with
[[Page 12347]]
Disabilities competition, CFDA number 84.327A, is included in this
project. We request your participation in Grants.gov.
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for the
Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities
competition, CFDA number 84.327A 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 (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327A).
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 date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 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 submission 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 under News and Events on the Department's G5
system home page at http://www.G5.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.
If you submit your application electronically, 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.
If you submit your application electronically, you must
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .PDF
(Portable Document) format only. If you upload a file type other than a
.PDF 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 from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application 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 Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
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 described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date, please contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice and
provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with
Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. 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: The extensions to which we refer 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 application 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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.327A), 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.
[[Page 12348]]
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
84.327A), 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, 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 selection criteria for this program are
from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors:
In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer
reviewers for certain competitions, because so many individuals who are
eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The
Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also have placed additional
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department
has determined that, for some discretionary grant competitions,
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers, by ensuring that
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also
have submitted applications. However, if the Department decides to
select an equal number of applications in each group for funding, this
may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in
each group.
4. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.
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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) 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: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program. These measures focus on the extent to which
projects are of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of
children with disabilities, and contribute to improving outcomes for
children with disabilities. We will collect data on these measures from
the projects funded under this competition.
Grantees also will be required to report information on their
projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR
75.590).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application,
[[Page 12349]]
including those applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal financial
assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and
110.23).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4081, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-6039.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service, 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: March 2, 2011.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2011-5081 Filed 3-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P