Applications for New Awards (FY 2010): State Training and Technical Assistance for Assistive Technology Programs

Federal Register: March 1, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 39)

Notices

Page 9193-9196

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr01mr10-57

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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

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.

   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.

5. Application Review Information

   Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.

6. 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.

7. 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: robert.groenendaal@ed.gov.

   If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

8. 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

   BILLING CODE 4000-01-P