Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 Funds

[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 1996)]

[Notices]

[Pages 13358-13373]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 96-7210]

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_______________________________________________________________________

Part XIII

Department of Education

_______________________________________________________________________

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants; Notice Inviting

Applications for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 Funds; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 59 / Tuesday, March 26, 1996 /

Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA NO.: 84.314A]

Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiative Grants; Notice

Inviting Applications for New Awards With Fiscal Year (FY) 1995 Funds

AGENCY: Department of Education.

Note to Applicants: This notice is a complete application package.

Together with the statute authorizing the program and the Education

Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), the notice

contains all of the information, application forms, and instructions

needed to apply for a grant under this competition.

Purpose of Program: To enable States to plan and implement

statewide family literacy initiatives under the Even Start Family

Literacy Program. Initiative activities must be conducted through a

consortium of State, local, and other institutions, organizations, or

agencies.

Eligible Applicants: State office or agency.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 10, 1996

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 9, 1996

Available Funds: $1,000,000.

Note: Under this program, States receiving grants must make

available non-Federal contributions in an amount equal to not less

than the Federal funds provided under the grant, as required by

section 1202(c)(2) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act

(ESEA).

Estimated Range of Awards: $75,000-$250,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 5.

Note: This Department is not bound by any estimates in this

notice.

Project Period: Up to 18 months.

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) as follows:

(1) 34 CFR Part 75 (Direct Grant Programs).

(2) 34 CFR Part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department

Regulations).

(3) 34 CFR Part 79 (Intergovernmental Review of Department of

Education Programs and Activities).

(4) 34 CFR Part 80 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants

and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments).

(5) 34 CFR Part 81 (General Education Provisions Act--Enforcement).

(6) 34 CFR Part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying).

(7) 34 CFR Part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension

(Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free

Workplace (Grants)).

Description of Program: States receiving funds under this grant

authority will use these funds to plan and implement statewide family

literacy initiatives under the Even Start Family Literacy Program to

coordinate and integrate existing Federal, State, and local literacy

resources including resources available under Even Start, the Adult

Education Act, Head Start, and the Family Support Act of 1988.

Initiative activities must be conducted through a consortium of State,

local, and other institutions, organizations, or agencies. The State

must make available non-Federal contributions in an amount not less

than the Federal funds provided under the grant for the costs to be

incurred by the consortium in carrying out the activities for which the

grant is awarded.

Waiver of Reporting Requirement: Under the EDGAR, an applicant

generally must submit an annual performance report to the Department.

(See 34 CFR 75.720 and 80.40). However, in the interest of reducing

burden at the State level, the Secretary has determined that a

performance report is unnecessary until the end of the project period

(up to 18 months), and therefore waives the requirement for a

performance report at the end of the first year (unless the end of the

first year coincides with the end of the project period). This waiver

is in accordance with the Secretary's authority under these

regulations.

Selection Criteria: (a)(1) The Secretary uses the following

selection criteria to evaluate applications for grants under this

competition.

(2) The maximum composite score for all of these criteria is 100

points.

(3) The maximum score for each criterion is indicated in

parentheses.

(b) The Criteria.--(1) Meeting the purposes of the authorizing

statute. (20 points). The Secretary reviews each application to

determine how well the project will meet the purpose of section 1202(c)

of the ESEA (Even Start Statewide Family Literacy Initiatives grants),

which is to enable States to plan and implement statewide family

literacy initiatives, through a consortium of entities, to coordinate

and integrate existing Federal, State, and local literacy resources

consistent with the purpose of the Even Start Family Literacy Program

(Part B of Title I of the ESEA).

(2) Extent of need for the project. (20 points) The Secretary

reviews each application to determine the extent to which the project

meets specific needs recognized in section 1202(c) of the ESEA,

including consideration of--

(i) The needs addressed by the project;

(ii) How the applicant identified those needs;

(iii) How those needs will be met by the project; and

(iv) The benefits to be gained by meeting those needs.

(3) Plan of Operation. (35 points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the quality of the plan of operation for the

project, including--

(i) The quality of the design of the project;

(ii) The extent to which the plan of management is effective and

ensures proper and efficient administration of the project;

(iii) How well the objectives of the project relate to the purposes

of the program;

(iv) The quality of the applicant's plan to use its resources and

personnel to achieve each objective; and

(v) How the applicant will ensure that project participants who are

otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race,

color, national origin, gender, age, or handicapping condition.

(4) Quality of key personnel. (7 points)

(i) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality

of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--

(A) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be

used);

(B) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be

used in the project;

(C) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(4)(i)

(A) and (B) will commit to the project; and

(D) How the applicant, as part of the nondiscriminatory employment

practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected for employment

without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, or

handicapping condition.

(ii) To determine personnel qualifications under paragraphs

(b)(4)(i) (A) and (B), the Secretary considers--

(A) Experience and training in fields related to the objectives of

the project; and

(B) Any other qualifications that pertain to the quality of the

project.

(5) Budget and cost effectiveness. (5 points) The Secretary reviews

each application to determine the extent to which--

(i) The budget is adequate to support the project; and

(ii) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the

project.

(6) Evaluation plan. (10 points) The Secretary reviews each

application to

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determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including

the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation--

(i) Are appropriate to the project; and

(ii) To the extent possible, are objective and produce data that

are quantifiable.

(Cross-reference: See 34 CFR 75.590 Evaluation by the grantee.)

(7) Adequacy of resources. (3 points) The Secretary reviews each

application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the

applicant plans to devote to the project, including facilities,

equipment, and supplies.

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs: This program is

subject to the requirements of Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental

Review of Federal Programs) and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.

The objective of the Executive Order is to foster an

intergovernmental partnership and to strengthen federalism by relying

on State and local processes for State and local government

coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance.

Applicants must contact the appropriate State Single Point of

Contact to find out about, and to comply with, the State's process

under Executive Order 12372. Applicants proposing to perform activities

in more than one State should immediately contact the Single Point of

Contact for each of those States and follow the procedure established

in each State under the Executive Order. If you want to know the name

and address of any State Single Point of Contact, see the list

published in the Federal Register on March 31, 1995 (60 FR 16714).

In States that have not established a process or chosen a program

for review, State, areawide, regional, and local entities may submit

comments directly to the Department.

Any State Process Recommendation and other comments submitted by a

State Single Point of Contact and any comments from State, areawide,

regional, and local entities must be mailed or hand-delivered by the

date indicated in this notice to the following address: The Secretary,

E.O. 12372--CFDA #84.314A, U.S. Department of Education, Room 6300, 600

Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202.

Proof of mailing will be determined on the same basis as

applications (see 34 CFR 75.102). Recommendations or comments may be

hand-delivered until 4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on the date

indicated in this notice.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE ADDRESS IS NOT THE SAME ADDRESS AS THE

ONE TO WHICH THE APPLICANT SUBMITS ITS COMPLETED APPLICATION. DO NOT

SEND APPLICATIONS TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. INSTRUCTIONS FOR TRANSMITTAL OF

APPLICATIONS:

(a) If an applicant wants to apply for a grant, the applicant

shall--

(1) Mail the original and two copies of the application on or

before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application

Control Center, Attention: Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.314A), Compensatory

Education Programs, Room 3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D

Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4725 or

(2) Hand deliver the original and two copies of the application by

4:30 p.m. (Washington, DC time) on or before the deadline date to: U.S.

Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:

Patricia McKee (CFDA #84.314A), Compensatory Education Programs, Room

3633, Regional Office Building #3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Washington,

DC 20202-4725.

(b) An applicant must show one of the following as proof of

mailing:

(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.

(c) If any application is mailed through the U.S. Postal Service,

the Secretary does 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.

Notes: (1) The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a

dated postmark. Before relying on this method, an applicant should

check with its local post office.

(2) The Application Control Center will mail a Grant Application

Receipt Acknowledgement to each applicant. If an applicant fails to

receive the notification of application receipt within 15 days from

the date of mailing the application, the applicant should call the

U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202)

708-9494.

(3) The applicant must indicate on the envelope and--if not

provided by the Department--in Item 10 of the Application for

Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) the CFDA number--and suffix

letter, if any--of the competition under which the application is

being submitted.

Application Instructions and Forms: The appendix to this

application is divided into three parts plus a statement regarding

estimated public reporting burden and various assurances and

certifications. These parts and additional materials are organized in

the same manner that the submitted application should be organized and

submitted. The parts and additional materials are as follows:

Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424 (Rev.

4-88)) and instructions.

Part II: Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED Form No.

524) and instructions.

Part III: Application Narrative.

Additional Materials: Estimated Public Reporting Burden.

Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (Standard Form 424B).

Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, and Other

Responsibility Matters; and Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (ED 80-

0013).

Certification regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and

Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions (ED 80-0014, 9/90)

and instructions. (Note: ED 80-0014 is intended for the use of grantees

and should not be transmitted to the Department.)

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Standard Form LLL) (if

applicable) and instructions; and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Continuation Sheet (Standard Form LLL-A). (See amendments by 61 Federal

Register 1412 (1/19/96).)

Notice to all Applicants (Section 427 of the General Education

Provisions Act).

An applicant may submit information on photostatic copies of the

application, budget forms, assurances, and certifications. However, the

application form, assurances, and certifications must each have an

original signature. No grant may be awarded unless a completed

application form, including the signed assurances and certifications,

have been received.

For Further Information Contact: Patricia McKee, Compensatory

Education Programs, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S.

Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW., (4400, Portals),

Washington, DC 20202-6132. Telephone (202) 260-0991. Individuals who

use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal

Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8

p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

Information about the Department's funding opportunities including

copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can

be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),

telephone (202) 260-9950; or on the Internet Gopher Server

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at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under Announcements, Bulletins, and Press Releases).

However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant

competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. section 6362(c).

Dated: March 18, 1996.

Gerald N. Tirozzi,

Assistant Secretary, Elementary and Secondary Education.

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Instructions for ED Form No. 524

General Instructions

This form is used to apply to individual U.S. Department of

Education discretionary grant programs. Unless directed otherwise,

provide the same budget information for each year of the multi-year

funding request. Pay attention to applicable program specific

instructions, if attached.

Section A--Budget Summary

U.S. Department of Education Funds

All applicants must complete Section A and provide a breakdown by

the applicable budget categories shown in lines 1-11.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):

For each project year for which funding is requested, show the

total amount requested for each applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f):

Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If funding is

requested for only one project year, leave this column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e):

Show the total budget request for each project year for which

funding is requested.

Line 12, column (f):

Show the total amount requested for all project years. If funding

is requested for only one year, leave this space blank.

Section B--Budget Summary

Non-Federal Funds

If you are required to provide or volunteer to provide matching

funds or other non-Federal resources to the project, these should be

shown for each applicable budget category on lines 1-11 of Section B.

Lines 1-11, columns (a)-(e):

For each project year for which matching funds or other

contributions are provided, show the total contribution for each

applicable budget category.

Lines 1-11, column (f):

Show the multi-year total for each budget category. If non-Federal

contributions are provided for only one year, leave this column blank.

Line 12, columns (a)-(e):

Show the total matching or other contribution for each project

year.

Line 12, columns (f):

Show the total amount to be contributed for all years of the multi-

year project. If non-Federal contributions are provided for only one

year, leave this space blank.

Section C--Other Budget Information

Pay attention to applicable program specific instructions, if attached.

1. Provide an itemized budget breakdown, by project year, for each

budget category listed in Sections A and B.

2. If applicable to this program, enter the type of indirect rate

(provisional, predetermined, final or fixed) that will be in effect

during the funding period. In addition, enter the estimated amount of

the base to which the rate is applied, and the total indirect expense.

3. If applicable to this program, provide the rate and base on

which fringe benefits are calculated.

4. Provide other explanations or comments you deem necessary.

Instructions for Part III Application Narrative

Before preparing the Application Narrative an applicant should read

carefully the description of the program and the selection criteria the

Secretary uses to evaluate applications.

The narrative should encompass each function or activity for which

funds are being requested and should--

1. Begin with an Abstract; that is, a summary of the proposed

project;

2. Describe the proposed project in light of the selection criteria

in the order in which the criteria are listed in this application

package; and

3. Include any other pertinent information that might assist the

Secretary in reviewing the application package, including--

(a) A description of the activities and services for which

assistance is sought;

(b) A comprehensive statement of how the applicant will plan and

implement a statewide family literacy initiative in accordance with

section 1202(c) of the ESEA; and

(c) An assurance that the plan will be developed in consultation

with the State, local, and other institutions, organizations, and

agencies that will form the consortium and carry out the plan.

4. Include, in the application budget, a description of the non-

Federal contributions that the State will make, in an amount not less

than the Federal funds awarded under the grant, for the costs to be

incurred by the consortium in carrying out the grant activities.

5. Provide the following in response to the attached ``Notice to

all Applicants'': (1) a reference to the portion of the application in

which information appears as to how the applicant is addressing steps

to promote equitable access and participation, or (2) a separate

statement that contains that information.

6. For any applicant other than the State educational agency,

include a copy of the signed set of assurances specified in section

14306(a) of the ESEA (20 USC 8856(a)) that the applicant has filed with

its SEA and that is applicable to this application.

The Secretary strongly requests the applicant to limit the

Application Narrative to no more than 20 double-spaced, typed pages (on

one side only), although the Secretary will consider applications of

greater length. The Department has found that successful applications

for similar programs generally meet this page limit.

Instructions for Estimated Public Reporting Burden

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are

required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a

valid OMB control Number. The valid OMB control number for this

information collection is 1810-0590. The time required to complete this

information collection is estimated to average 7\1/2\ hours (or

minutes) per response, including the time to review instructions,

search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete

and review the information collection. If you have any comments

concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for

improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education,

Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding

the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly

to: Patricia McKee, Compensatory Education Programs, Office of

Elementary and Secondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue, SW, Room 4400, Portals Building, Washington D.C.

20202-6132.

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[FR Doc. 96-7210 Filed 3-25-96; 8:45 am]

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