FR Doc 2010-137[Federal Register: January 8, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 5)]
[Notices]
[Page 1044-1048]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08ja10-21]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information; Fund for
the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)--Special Focus
Competition: European Union-United States Atlantis Program Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.116J.
Dates:
Applications Available: January 8, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 8, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 10, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the program is to provide grants
to eligible applicants to improve postsecondary education.
Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one
invitational priority.
Absolute Priority: This priority is from the notice of final
priorities for this program, published in the Federal Register on
December 11, 2009 (74 FR 65764). For FY 2010, this priority is an
absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet this absolute priority.
This priority is:
European Union (EU)-United States (U.S.) Atlantis Program--
(84.116J).
This priority supports the formation of educational consortia
between the EU and U.S. institutions. To meet this priority, the
applicant must propose a project that encourages cooperation in the
coordination of curricula; the exchange of students, if pertinent to
grant activities; and the opening of educational opportunities between
the U.S. and EU Member States. In order to be eligible for an award
under this priority, the applicant in the U.S. must be a U.S.
institution and the applicant in the EU must be an EU institution.
EU institutions participating in any consortium proposal under this
priority may apply to the Directorate-General for Education and Culture
(DG EAC), European Commission, for funding
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under a separate but parallel EU competition.
Invitational Priority: For FY 2010, this priority is an
invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an
application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or
absolute preference over other applications.
This priority is:
Projects that support exchanges between EU institutions and U.S.
minority-serving institutions to increase the participation of
underrepresented minorities in the program.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
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
$47,424,000 for the FIPSE programs, of which we intend to allocate
$2,000,000 for new awards for the EU-U.S. Atlantis program in FY 2010.
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: $35,000-$108,000 for the first year
only.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $35,000 for the first year of
two-year Policy Oriented Measures grants that support public policy
research on transatlantic topics; $45,000 for the first year of four-
year Mobility grants that support curriculum development and academic
term exchanges; and $102,000 for the first year of five-year
Transatlantic Degree grants that support the development and
implementation of dual degrees. You can find a detailed description of
each of these three types of grants in the program guidelines and
budget instructions in the application package for this competition.
Estimated Number of Awards: 25.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs or combinations of IHEs and other
public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following
address: http://e-grants.ed.gov. To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write,
fax, or call the following: Education Publications Center, P.O. Box
1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX:
(301) 470-1244. 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.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this program or competition as follows: CFDA number 84.116J.
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. Word
Limit and Application Format: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. You must limit the application narrative to
no more than 6,000 words. The page format for the application must
comply with the following standards:
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including 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 6,000-word limit applies only to the application narrative. It
does not apply to the Application for Federal Assistance form (SF 424);
the supplemental information form required by the Department of
Education; the budget summary form (ED Form 524); and the assurances,
certifications, and survey forms. In addition, the 6,000-word limit
does not apply to the one-page abstract, appendices, the short bios,
letters of commitment, line item budget, or a table of contents. You
must include your complete response to the selection criteria in the
program narrative.
We will reject your application if you exceed the 6,000-word limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: January 8, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 8, 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
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 10, 2010.
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: We reference regulations outlining funding
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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 EU-U.S. Atlantis Program--CFDA Number 84.116J must be
submitted electronically using e-Application, accessible through the
Department's e-Grants Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your
application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF
(Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the
three file types specified in this paragraph or submit a password
protected file, we will not review that material.
Your electronic application must comply with the word
limit requirement 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[dash]Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users
who have initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this
section apply only to the unavailability of e-Application.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through e-Application because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
e-Application; and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the Internet to submit your application. If you
mail your written statement to the Department, it must be postmarked no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date. If you fax
your written statement to the Department, we must receive the faxed
statement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Frank Frankfort, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6152, Washington, DC
20006-8544. FAX: (202) 502-7877.
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
[[Page 1047]]
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 84.116J), 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 84.116J), 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 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: An additional factor we consider
in selecting an application for an award is demonstration of a
transatlantic, innovative approach to training and education.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN). We may notify you informally, also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: At the end of your project period, you must submit a
final performance report, including financial information, as directed
by the Secretary. If you receive a multi-year award, you must submit an
annual performance report that provides the most current performance
and financial expenditure information as 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 following two performance measures will
be used by the Department in assessing the success of the FIPSE--
Special Focus Competition: EU[dash]U.S. Atlantis Program:
(1) The extent to which funded projects are being replicated (i.e.,
adopted or adapted by others).
(2) The manner in which projects are being institutionalized and
continued after funding.
If funded, you will be asked to collect and report data from your
project on steps taken toward achieving the outcomes evaluated by these
performance measures (i.e., institutionalization and replication).
Consequently, applicants are advised to include these two outcomes in
conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation of their
proposed projects. Institutionalization and replication are important
outcomes that ensure the ultimate success of international consortia
funded through this program.
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Frank Frankfort, Fund for the
Improvement of Postsecondary Education, EU-U.S. Atlantis Program, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6154, Washington, DC
20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7513 or by e-mail:
frank.frankfort@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: 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.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Daniel T. Madzelan, Director, Forecasting and Policy
Analysis for the Office of Postsecondary Education, to perform the
functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary
Education.
[[Page 1048]]
Dated: January 5, 2010.
Daniel T. Madzelan,
Director, Forecasting and Policy Analysis.
[FR Doc. 2010-137 Filed 1-7-10; 8:45 am]
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