FR Doc 2010-19959
[Federal Register: August 12, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 155)]
[Notices]
[Page 48957-48961]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12au10-46]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities--Video Description Research and Development Center; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327J.
Dates: Applications Available: August 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 12, 2010.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 10, 2010.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Technology and Media
Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to: (1) Improve
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support educational media
services activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom setting to children with disabilities, and (3) provide
support for captioning and video description of educational materials
that are appropriate for use in the classroom setting. In the context
of this notice, educational materials for use in the classroom setting
include television programs, videos, and other materials, including
programs and materials associated with new and emerging technologies,
such as CDs, DVDs, and other forms of multimedia.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute or otherwise
authorized in the statute (see sections 674(c) and 681(d) of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1474 and
1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition,
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we
consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is: Technology and Media Services for Individuals
with Disabilities--Video Description Research and Development Center.
Background
To ensure that children who are blind or visually impaired have
access to all educational program content, the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP) provides competitive grant funds to support
the video description of educational television programs. (See
http://publicddb.tadnet.org. Use the keyword search function with
the term ``video description''.)
However, teachers are increasingly using the Internet and other
technological devices (e.g., cell phones, smart phones, digital video
cameras) rather than television for instruction. Unfortunately, much of
the educational program content provided via the Internet or through
other technological devices is not accessible to children who are blind
or visually impaired. While progress has been made in accessibility--
through video description--for television programming that is
appropriate for the classroom setting, there is currently no legal
requirement or any OSEP-funded project for providing video description
for educational program content delivered via the Internet (e.g.,
YouTube, YouTube EDU, Second Life, and virtual on-line courses) or
through technological devices (e.g., smart phones, cell phones, and
digital video cameras). The technology needed to provide description
for educational program content delivered via the Internet or through
other technological devices is either just beginning to emerge or yet
to be developed.
It is essential to develop methods for providing video description
that can be used in conjunction with the Internet and other
technological devices in order to ensure that all students who are
blind or visually impaired have access to educational program content
delivered
[[Page 48958]]
through those methods. In addition, it is important to explore emerging
alternatives to video description that could improve the accessibility
of educational program content (e.g., creating description by having
sighted viewers verbally describe video content).
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
support the establishment and operation of the Video Description
Research and Development Center (Center). The purpose of the Center is
to advance the research and development of video description, as well
as alternative approaches to video description, to improve the
accessibility of educational program content delivered via the Internet
or through other technological devices (other than television) for
students who are blind or visually impaired.
To be considered for funding under this absolute priority,
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in this
priority. Any project funded under this absolute priority also must
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the
priority.
Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its
application the following:
(a) A detailed plan for implementing the activities described in
the Project Activities and Leadership and Coordination Activities
sections of this priority.
(b) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A one and one half-day kick-off meeting to be held in
Washington, DC, within four weeks after receipt of the award, and an
annual planning meeting held in Washington, DC, with the OSEP Project
Officer during each subsequent year of the project period.
(2) A three-day Project Directors' Conference in Washington, DC,
during each year of the project period; and
(3) A two-day technology Project Director's meeting in Washington,
DC, during each year of the project period.
Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the
Center, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:
(a) Complete a systematic review and synthesis of existing research
on technology that provides accessibility to educational program
content that is delivered via the Internet or through other
technological devices for children who are blind or visually impaired.
(b) Develop methods for providing video description that can be
used in conjunction with the Internet and other technological devices
in order to ensure that students who are blind or visually impaired
have access to educational program content delivered through these
methods.
(c) Conduct research on emerging alternatives to video description
that could improve the accessibility of educational program content
(e.g., creating description by having sighted viewers verbally describe
video content).
(d) Collaborate with researchers and technology experts to enhance
or develop new open source technologies that make educational program
content--appropriate for use in the classroom and delivered via the
Internet or through other technological devices (e.g., smart phones,
cell phones, and digital video cameras)--accessible through video
description.
(e) Systematically field-test and evaluate the efficacy of the
technologies developed under paragraph (d) of this priority.
(f) Ensure that all technology developed under paragraph (d) will
be available as open source materials (i.e., the source codes for the
developed technology are freely available to the public).
(g) Develop and implement--upon review and approval from OSEP--a
strategy for disseminating research and development findings, in open
source format, to key stakeholders including educators, technology
developers, vendors, researchers, and federally-funded technical
assistance and dissemination projects (e.g., the National Center on
Technology and Innovation and the Family Center on Technology and
Disability).
Leadership and Coordination Activities
(a) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to review the
activities and outcomes of the project and to provide programmatic
support and advice throughout the project period. The committee
membership must include technology experts, technical assistance
providers, representatives of entities providing video description,
educators, individuals with disabilities, parents of children with
disabilities, and individuals from communities representing rural, low-
income, urban, and English language learner populations. The names of
proposed members of the advisory committee must be submitted to OSEP
for approval within four weeks after receipt of the award.
(b) Conduct a summative evaluation of the Center in collaboration
with the Center to Improve Project Performance (CIPP) as described in
the following paragraphs. This summative evaluation must examine the
outcomes or impact of the Center's activities in order to assess the
effectiveness of those activities, specifically the degree to which the
Center's activities contribute to changed practice and improved
implementation of technologies that provide educational program content
delivered via the Internet and through other technological devices
accessible to children who are blind or visually impaired.
Note: The major tasks of CIPP are to guide, coordinate, and
oversee the summative evaluations conducted by selected Technical
Assistance, Personnel Development, Parent Training and Information
Center, and Technology projects that individually receive $500,000
or more funding from OSEP annually. The efforts of CIPP are expected
to enhance individual project evaluations by providing expert and
unbiased assistance in designing evaluations, conducting analyses,
and interpreting data.
To fulfill the requirements of the summative evaluation to be
conducted under the guidance of CIPP, the Center must--
(1) Hire or designate, with the approval of the OSEP Project
Officer, a project liaison staff person with sufficient dedicated time
and knowledge of the Center to work with CIPP on the following tasks--
(i) Planning for the Center's summative evaluation (e.g., selecting
evaluation questions, developing a timeline for the evaluation, and
locating sources of relevant data);
(ii) Developing the summative evaluation design and instrumentation
(e.g., determining quantitative or qualitative data collection
strategies, selecting respondent samples, and pilot testing
instruments);
(iii) Coordinating the evaluation timeline with the implementation
of the Center's activities;
(iv) Collecting summative data; and
(v) Writing reports of summative evaluation findings;
(2) Cooperate with CIPP staff in order to accomplish the tasks
described in paragraph (1) of this section; and
(3) Dedicate $55,000.00 per year of the annual budget request for
this project to cover the costs of carrying out the tasks described in
paragraphs (1) and (2) of this section and of implementing the Center's
formative evaluation.
(c) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer
through regular teleconferences and e-mail communication.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested
parties the
[[Page 48959]]
opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and requirements. Section
681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the
APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481(d).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions
of higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$41,223,000 for the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program for FY 2011, of which we intend to use an
estimated $1,000,000 for the competition announced in this notice. 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.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2012 from this
competition.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $1,000,000 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.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (LEAs); public charter schools that are LEAs under
State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit
organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes
or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of
IDEA (20 U.S.C. 1405)).
(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA (20 U.S.C.
1482(a)(1)(A))).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications
Center (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 package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327J.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VIII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content of an application, together with the forms you
must submit, are in the application package for this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using the following standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, 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).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
However, 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.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: August 12, 2010.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 12, 2010.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 7.
Other Submission Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII
of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or
auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the
application process, the individual's application remains subject to
all other requirements and limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 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 competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, (1) you must have a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN); (2)
you must register both of those numbers with the Central Contractor
Registry (CCR), the Government's primary
[[Page 48960]]
registrant database; and (3) you must provide those same numbers on
your application.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants
Web site at: http://e-grants.ed.gov.
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:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
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 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 System
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. If e-Application is available, and,
for any reason, you are unable to submit your application
electronically or you do not receive an automatic acknowledgment of
your submission, you may submit your application in paper format by
mail or hand delivery in accordance with the instructions in this
notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the
original and two copies of your application, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.327J) LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
[[Page 48961]]
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline
date, we will not consider your application.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a
dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with
your local post office.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery,
you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of
your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date,
to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327J)
550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202-4260
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this grant notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
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: In the past, the Department has
had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions, because
so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have
conflicts of interest. The Standing Panel requirements under IDEA also
have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers.
Therefore, the Department has determined that, for some discretionary
grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more
groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This
procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer
reviewers, by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are
eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants
will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality,
independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting
panel members to review applications under discretionary grant
competitions for which they also have submitted applications. However,
if the Department decides to select an equal number of applications in
each group for funding, this may result in different cut-off points for
fundable applications in each group.
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 Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program. These measures focus on the extent to which
projects are of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of
children with disabilities, and contribute to improving outcomes for
children with disabilities. We will collect data on these measures from
the projects funded under this competition.
Grantees will be required to report information on their projects'
performance in their annual performance reports to the Department (34
CFR 75.590).
VII. Agency Contact
For Further Information Contact: Jo Ann McCann, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4076, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7434.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS,
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister. To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
this site.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: August 9, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-19959 Filed 8-11-10; 8:45 am]
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