[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17044-17050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-7070]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Strengthening Institutions Program
(SIP)
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information
Strengthening Institutions Program
Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY)
2012.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031A.
Dates:
Applications Available: March 23, 2012.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 23, 2012.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 21, 2012.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The SIP provides grants to eligible
institutions of higher education (IHEs) to help them become self
sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students by
providing funds to improve and strengthen the institution's academic
quality, institutional management, and fiscal stability.
Priorities: This notice includes one competitive preference
priority and three invitational priorities. The competitive preference
priority is from the Department's notice of final supplemental
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and
corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637).
Competitive Preference Priority: For FY 2012 and any subsequent
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from
this competition, this priority is a competitive preference priority.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) we award up to an additional five points
to an application, depending on how well the application meets this
priority.
This priority is:
Supporting Programs, Practices, or Strategies for Which There Is Strong
or Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness
Projects that are supported by strong or moderate evidence. A
project that is supported by strong evidence (as defined in this
notice) will receive more points than a project that is supported by
moderate evidence (as defined in this notice).
Note: In scoring this priority, applicants determined to have
strong evidence will receive the full five points. Applicants
determined to have moderate evidence will receive 2.5 points. The
Department will screen applicants' response to this competitive
preference priority in accordance with the requirements in this
notice and determine which applications have met the evidence
standards in the priority.
Invitational Priorities: For FY 2012 and any subsequent year in
which we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are invitational priorities.
These priorities are:
Invitational Priority 1--Increasing Postsecondary Success
Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:
Increasing the number and proportion of high-need students (as
defined in this notice) who persist in and complete college or other
postsecondary education and training.
Invitational Priority 2--Technology
Projects that are designed to improve student achievement or
faculty effectiveness through the use of high-quality digital tools or
materials, which may include preparing faculty to use the technology to
improve instruction, as well as developing, implementing, or evaluating
digital tools or materials.
Invitational Priority 3--Improving Productivity
Projects that are designed to significantly increase efficiency in
the use of time, staff, money, or other resources while improving
student learning or other educational outcomes (i.e., outcome per unit
of resource). Such projects may include innovative and sustainable uses
of technology, alternative staffing models, competency-based learning,
use of open educational resources (as defined in this notice), or other
strategies.
Definitions: The following definitions are from the notice of final
supplemental priorities and definitions for discretionary grant
programs published in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR
78486), and corrected on May 12, 2011 (76 FR 27637), and apply to the
priorities in this notice:
Carefully matched comparison group design means a type of quasi-
experimental study (as defined in this notice) that attempts to
approximate an experimental study (as defined in this notice). More
specifically, it is a design in which project participants are matched
with non-participants based on key characteristics that are thought to
be related to the outcome. These characteristics include, but are not
limited to:
(1) Prior test scores and other measures of academic achievement
(preferably, the same measures that the study will use to evaluate
outcomes for the two groups);
(2) Demographic characteristics, such as age, disability, gender,
English proficiency, ethnicity, poverty level, parents' educational
attainment, and single- or two-parent family background;
(3) The time period in which the two groups are studied (e.g., the
two groups are children entering kindergarten in the same year as
opposed to sequential years); and
(4) Methods used to collect outcome data (e.g., the same test of
reading skills administered in the same way to both groups).
Note: The examples cited in this definition are indications of
the types of comparisons applicants could make when designing a
carefully matched comparison group study. Applicants might want to
consider comparisons that are proper in the higher education
context--such as comparing the same entering cohort of students.
Experimental study means a study that employs random assignment of,
for example, students, teachers, classrooms, schools, or districts to
participate in a project being evaluated (treatment group) or not to
participate in the project (control group). The effect of the project
is the average difference in outcomes between the treatment and control
groups.
Note: The types of random assignment mentioned above are
provided as examples. Applicants might want to consider random
assignment that is relevant in the higher education context.
High-need children and high-need students means children and
students at risk of educational failure, such as children and students
who are living in poverty, who are English learners, who are far below
grade level, or who are not on track to becoming college- or career-
ready by graduation, who have left school or college before receiving,
respectively, a regular high school diploma or a college degree or
[[Page 17045]]
certificate, who are at risk of not graduating with a diploma on time,
who are homeless, who are in foster care, who are pregnant or parenting
teenagers, who have been incarcerated, who are new immigrants, who are
migrant, or who have disabilities.
Interrupted time series design means a type of quasi-experimental
study (as defined in this notice) in which the outcome of interest is
measured multiple times before and after the treatment for program
participants only. If the program had an impact, the outcomes after
treatment will have a different slope or level from those before
treatment. That is, the series should show an ``interruption'' of the
prior situation at the time when the program was implemented. Adding a
comparison group time series, such as schools not participating in the
program or schools participating in the program in a different
geographic area, substantially increases the reliability of the
findings.\1\
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\1\ A single subject or single case design is an adaptation of
an interrupted time series design that relies on the comparison of
treatment effects on a single subject or group of single subjects.
There is little confidence that findings based on this design would
be the same for other members of the population. In some single
subject designs, treatment reversal or multiple baseline designs are
used to increase internal validity. In a treatment reversal design,
after a pretreatment or baseline outcome measurement is compared
with a post treatment measure, the treatment would then be stopped
for a period of time; a second baseline measure of the outcome would
be taken, followed by a second application of the treatment or a
different treatment. A multiple baseline design addresses concerns
about the effects of normal development, timing of the treatment,
and amount of the treatment with treatment-reversal designs by using
a varying time schedule for introduction of the treatment and/or
treatments of different lengths or intensity.
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Moderate evidence means evidence from previous studies whose
designs can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high
internal validity) but have limited generalizability (i.e., moderate
external validity), or studies with high external validity but moderate
internal validity. The following would constitute moderate evidence:
(1) At least one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in
this notice) experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in
this notice) supporting the effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or
program, with small sample sizes or other conditions of implementation
or analysis that limit generalizability;
(2) At least one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in
this notice) experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in
this notice) that does not demonstrate equivalence between the
intervention and comparison groups at program entry but that has no
other major flaws related to internal validity; or
(3) Correlational research with strong statistical controls for
selection bias and for discerning the influence of internal factors.
Open educational resources (OER) means teaching, learning, and
research resources that reside in the public domain or have been
released under an intellectual property license that permits their free
use or repurposing by others.
Quasi-experimental study means an evaluation design that attempts
to approximate an experimental study (as defined in this notice) and
can support causal conclusions (i.e., minimizes threats to internal
validity, such as selection bias, or allows them to be modeled). Well-
designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) quasi-
experimental studies include carefully matched comparison group designs
(as defined in this notice), interrupted time series designs (as
defined in this notice), or regression discontinuity designs (as
defined in this notice).
Regression discontinuity design study means, in part, a quasi-
experimental study (as defined in this notice) design that closely
approximates an experimental study (as defined in this notice). In a
regression discontinuity design, participants are assigned to a
treatment or comparison group based on a numerical rating or score of a
variable unrelated to the treatment such as the rating of an
application for funding. Another example would be assignment of
eligible students, teachers, classrooms, or schools above a certain
score (``cut score'') to the treatment group and assignment of those
below the score to the comparison group.
Note: The types of regression discontinuity study designs are
provided as examples to help applicants. Applicants might want to
consider regression discontinuity study designs that are relevant in
the higher education context.
Strong evidence means evidence from previous studies whose designs
can support causal conclusions (i.e., studies with high internal
validity), and studies that in total include enough of the range of
participants and settings to support scaling up to the State, regional,
or national level (i.e., studies with high external validity). The
following are examples of strong evidence:
(1) More than one well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in
this notice) experimental study (as defined in this notice) or well-
designed and well-implemented (as defined in this notice) quasi-
experimental study (as defined in this notice) that supports the
effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program; or
(2) One large, well-designed and well-implemented (as defined in
this notice) randomized controlled, multisite trial that supports the
effectiveness of the practice, strategy, or program.
Well-designed and well-implemented means, with respect to an
experimental or quasi-experimental study (as defined in this notice),
that the study meets the What Works Clearinghouse evidence standards,
with or without reservations (see http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/doc.aspx?docid=19&tocid=1 and in particular the
description of ``Reasons for Not Meeting Standards'' at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/references/idocviewer/Doc.aspx?docId=19&tocId=4#reasons).
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1057-1059d (Title III, Part A, of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA)).
Note: In 2008, the HEA was amended by the Higher Education
Opportunity Act of 2008 (HEOA) Pub. L. 110-315. The HEOA made a
number of technical and substantive revisions to SIP. Please note
that the regulations for the SIP in 34 CFR part 607 have not been
updated to reflect these statutory changes.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The regulations for this program in
34 CFR part 607. (c) The notice of final supplemental priorities and
definitions for discretionary grant programs, published in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486), and corrected on May 12,
2011 (76 FR 27637).
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $5,304,964.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Individual Development Grants:
Estimated Range of Awards: $350,500-$403,500 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $377,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 13.
[[Page 17046]]
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants:
Estimated Range of Awards: $300,000-$500,000 per year.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $400,000 per year.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: This program is authorized by Title III,
Part A, of the HEA. To qualify as an eligible institution under any
Title III, Part A program, an institution must--
(1) Be accredited or preaccredited by a nationally recognized
accrediting agency or association that the Secretary has determined to
be a reliable authority as to the quality of education or training
offered;
(2) Be legally authorized by the State in which it is located to be
a junior college or to provide an educational program for which it
awards a bachelor's degree;
(3) Be designated as an ``eligible institution'' by demonstrating
that it: (A) Has an enrollment of needy students as described in 34 CFR
607.3; and (B) has low average educational and general expenditures per
full-time equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student as described in 34 CFR
607.4.
Note: For purposes of establishing eligibility for this
competition, the Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as
Eligible Institutions for FY 2012 was published in the Federal
Register on December 15, 2011 (76 FR 77982), and the deadline for
submission of the designation of eligibility application was
February 10, 2012. Only institutions that submitted the required
application and received designation through this process are
eligible to submit applications for this competition.
Relationship Between the Title III, Part A Programs and the Hispanic-
Serving Institutions (HSI) Programs.
Note 1: A grantee under the Developing Hispanic-Serving
Institutions (HSI) Program, which is authorized under Title V of the
HEA, may not receive a grant under any HEA, Title III, Part A
program. The Title III, Part A programs include the SIP, as well as
the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and
Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, Asian American and Native
American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions, and Native American-
Serving Nontribal Institutions programs. Furthermore, a current HSI
program grantee may not give up its HSI grant to receive a grant
under SIP or any Title III, Part A program as described in 34 CFR
607.2(g)(1).
Note 2: An eligible HSI that does not fall within the limitation
described in Note 1 (i.e., is not a current grantee under the HSI
program) may apply for a FY 2012 grant under all Title III, Part A
programs for which it is eligible, as well as receive consideration
for a grant under the HSI program. However, a successful applicant
may receive only one grant as described in 34 CFR 607.2(g)(1).
Note 3: An eligible IHE that submits more than one application
may only be awarded one individual development grant or one
cooperative arrangement development grant in a fiscal year. We will
not award a second cooperative arrangement development grant to an
otherwise eligible IHE for the same award year as the IHE's existing
cooperative arrangement development grant award as described in 34
CFR 607.9(b)(1).
Note 4: The Department will make five-year awards for individual
development grants and five-year awards for cooperative arrangement
development grants in rank order from the funding slate according to
the average score received from a panel of three readers plus any
competitive preference points awarded based upon determination of
the evidence.
2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant for
establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee uses a
portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match those
grant funds with non-Federal funds (20 U.S.C. 1059c(c) (3)(B)).
b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. Grant funds shall be used so that they
supplement and, to the extent practical, increase the funds that would
otherwise be available for the activities to be carried out under the
grant and in no case supplant those funds (34 CFR 607.30(b)).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application via the Internet using the following address: http://
Grants.gov. If you do not have access to the Internet, please contact
LaTonya Brown or Robyn Wood, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K
Street NW., room 6033, Washington, DC 20006-8513. You may contact the
individuals at the following email addresses and telephone numbers:
LaTonya.Brown@ed.gov; (202) 502-7619.
Robyn.Wood@ed.gov; (202) 502-7437.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), toll free, at 1-800-576-7734.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the program contacts 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 program.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria and the
competitive preference priority that reviewers use to evaluate your
application. We have established mandatory page limits for both the
Individual Development Grant and the Cooperative Arrangement
Development Grant applications. If you are addressing the competitive
preference priority you must limit the application narrative (Part III)
to no more than 55 pages for the Individual Development Grant
application and no more than 75 pages for the Cooperative Arrangement
Development Grant application. Please include a separate heading when
responding to the competitive preference priority. If you are not
addressing the competitive preference priority, you must limit your
application narrative to no more than 50 pages for the Individual
Development Grant and no more than 70 pages for the Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grant application
Note: Applicants should provide information addressing the
required evidence standards in Appendix D, under ``Other Attachments
Form,'' of the application. An applicant must either ensure that all
evidence is available to the Department from publicly available
sources and provide links or other guidance indicating where it is
available or include copies of evidence in Appendix D of the
application. If the Department determines that an applicant has
provided insufficient information, the applicant will not have an
opportunity to provide additional information to support the
application.
For the purpose of determining compliance with the page limit, each
page on which there are words will be counted as one full page.
Applicants must use the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5 x 11, on one side
only, with 1 margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Page numbers and an identifier may be outside of the 1
margin.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Text in charts,
[[Page 17047]]
tables, figures, and graphs in the application narrative may be single
spaced and will count toward the page limit.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, and no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-
point font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for
Federal Assistance (SF 424-cover sheet); the Supplemental Information
for SF 424 Form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the
budget section, Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs (ED 524),
including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances
and certifications; or the one-page program abstract, the resumes, the
bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the page limit does
apply to all of the application narrative section (Part III), including
the budget narrative of the selection criteria and the competitive
preference priority. If you include any attachments or appendices not
specifically requested in the application package, these items will be
counted as part of your application narrative (Part III) for the
purposed of the page limit requirement. You must include your complete
response to the selection criteria in the application narrative.
Note: The narrative response to the budget selection criteria is
not the same as the activity detail budget form and supporting
narrative. The supporting narrative for the activity detail budget
form lists the requested budget line items line by line.
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 23, 2012.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 23, 2012.
Applications for grants under this program must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). 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. 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: June 21, 2012.
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 program.
5. Funding Restrictions: (a) General. We reference the regulations
outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of
this notice.
(b) Applicability of Executive Order 13202. Applicants that apply
for construction funds under the Title III, Part A, HEA programs, must
comply with Executive Order 13202, signed by former President George W.
Bush on February 17, 2001, and amended on April 6, 2001. This Executive
order provides that recipients of Federal construction funds may not
``require or prohibit bidders, offerors, contractors, or subcontractors
to enter into or adhere to agreements with one or more labor
organizations, on the same or other construction project(s)'' or
``otherwise discriminate against bidders, offerors, contractors, or
subcontractors for becoming or refusing to become or remain signatories
or otherwise adhere to agreements with one or more labor organizations,
on the same or other construction project(s).'' However, the Executive
order does not prohibit contractors or subcontractors from voluntarily
entering into these agreements. Projects funded under this program that
include construction activity will be provided a copy of this Executive
order and will be asked to certify that they will adhere to it.
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 two to five 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 of
these steps are outlined on the following Grants.gov Web page:
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under the
Strengthening Institutions 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 Strengthening Institutions
Program (CFDA number 84.031A) must be submitted electronically using
the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at 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 email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
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
[[Page 17048]]
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.
You may access the electronic grant application for this
competition at 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 84.031,
not 84.031A).
Please note the following:
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 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 upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable 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 email. 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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00 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 4:30:00
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.
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 the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system; 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
prevent 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: LaTonya Brown or Robyn
Wood, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., room 6033,
Washington, DC 20006-8513. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail
[[Page 17049]]
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 84.031A), 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 84.031A), 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 4:30:00 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 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 607.22, (a) through (g). Applicants must address each of
the following selection criteria (separately for each proposed
activity). The total weight of the selection criteria is 100 points;
the maximum score for each criterion is noted in parentheses. The
complete language of the selection criteria is in the application
package for this competition.
(a) Quality of The Applicant's Comprehensive Development Plan
(Maximum 25 Points).
(b) Quality of Activity Objectives (Maximum 15 Points).
(c) Quality of Implementation Strategy (Maximum 20 Points).
(d) Quality of Key Personnel (Maximum 7 Points).
(e) Quality of Project Management Plan (Maximum 10 Points).
(f) Quality of Evaluation Plan (Maximum 15 Points).
(g) Budget (Maximum 8 Points).
2. Review and Selection Process: (a) Awards will be made in rank
order according to the average score received from a panel of three
readers.
Tie-breaker for Development Grants. In tie-breaking situations for
development grants, 34 CFR 607.23(b) requires that we award one
additional point to an application from an IHE that has an endowment
fund of which the current market value, per full time equivalent (FTE)
enrolled student, is less than the average current market value of the
endowment funds, per FTE enrolled student at comparable type
institutions that offer similar instruction. We award one additional
point to an application from an IHE that has expenditures for library
materials per FTE enrolled student that are less than the average
expenditure for library materials per FTE enrolled student at similar
type institutions. We also add one additional point to an application
from an IHE that proposes to carry out one or more of the following
activities--
(1) Faculty development;
(2) Funds and administrative management;
(3) Development and improvement of academic programs;
(4) Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management
and academic programs;
(5) Joint use of facilities; and
(6) Student services.
For the purpose of these funding considerations, we use 2009-2010
data.
If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above,
priority will be given in the case of applicants for: (a) Individual
development grants to applicants that have the lowest endowment values
per FTE enrolled student; and (b) cooperative arrangement development
grants to applicants in accordance with section 394(b) of the HEA, if
the Secretary determines that the cooperative arrangement is
geographically and economically sound or will benefit the applicant
institution.
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. 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 (34 CFR 607.24); 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.
[[Page 17050]]
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 and 34 CFR 607.31. The Secretary may also require more
frequent performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific
requirements on reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
the Strengthening Institutions Program:
a. The percentage change, over the 5-year period, of the number of
full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at SIP institutions.
Note that this is a long-term measure, which will be used to
periodically gauge performance;
b. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students at 4-year SIP institutions who were in their
first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are
enrolled in the current year at the same SIP institution;
c. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students at 2-year SIP institutions who were in their
first year of postsecondary enrollment in the previous year and are
enrolled in the current year at the same SIP institution;
d. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at 4-year SIP institutions graduating
within 6 years of enrollment; and
e. The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at 2-year SIP institutions graduating
within 3 years of enrollment.
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, 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 Contacts
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LaTonya Brown or Robyn Wood, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., room 6033, Washington, DC
20006-8513. You may contact these individuals at the following email
addresses and telephone numbers:
Latonya.Brown@ed.gov; (202) 502-7619.
Robyn.Wood@ed.gov; (202) 502-7437.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) on request to
the program contact person listed under For Further Information Contact
in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To use PDF,
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: March 20, 2012.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2012-7070 Filed 3-22-12; 8:45 am]
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