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###### Department of Education

# AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

*Overview Information:*                         Applications for New Awards; International and Foreign Language Education (IFLE): Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)—Special Focus Competition: European Union-(EU) United States (U.S.) Atlantis Program Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2011.                    

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.116J.

*Dates:*

Applications Available: April 1, 2011.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 24, 2011.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 25, 2011.

## Full Text of Announcement

## I. Funding Opportunity Description

*Purpose of Program:*                     The purpose of this program is to provide grants or enter into cooperative agreements to improve postsecondary education opportunities by focusing on problem areas in postsecondary education or approaches to improve postsecondary education.                

*Priorities:*                     This competition includes one absolute priority and three invitational priorities.                

*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 2011, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.                

This priority is:

This priority supports the formation of educational consortia between 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 countries in the EU. 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, European Commission for funding under a separate but parallel EU competition. Within this absolute priority, we are particularly interested in applications that address the following invitational priorities.

*Invitational Priorities:*                     For FY 2011, these priorities are invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets these invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.                

These priorities are:

### Invitational Priority 1

This priority invites projects that include a plan to work with an institution of higher education in Muslim-majority countries (in addition to countries in the EU) to create a partnership that would focus on key elements of international student exchange programs such as: Developing cooperative bilateral arrangements, crafting inter-institutional bilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), student recruitment and selection strategies, student language and preparation requirements, tuition reciprocity agreements, student fees, curriculum development, student credit transfer and/or recognition, and financial sustainability.

### Invitational Priority 2

In order to increase the participation of underrepresented students in international education and foreign language learning, the Secretary encourages applications from consortia that include community colleges or minority-serving institutions eligible for assistance under part A or B of title III or under title V of the HEA. (Please refer to section III. 1. Eligible Applicants for additional information on applications from consortia.)

### Invitational Priority 3

This priority invites applications from consortia in which the lead applicant institution has not served as a lead or partner grantee institution in a consortia funded under this program since FY 2006. (Please refer to section III. 1. Eligible Applicants for additional information on applications from consortia and lead and partner applicant/grantee institutions.)

*Program Authority:*20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d.                

*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 notice of final priorities for this program, published in the                     **Federal Register**                     on December 11, 2009 (74 FR 65764).                

# 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 $64,036,000 for the FIPSE program for FY 2011, of which we intend to use an estimated $2,000,000 for this competition. 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-$102,000 for the first year and $66,000-$456,000 for the duration of the grant.                

*Estimated Average Size of Awards:*                     $35,000 for the first year and $70,000 for the duration of two-year Policy Oriented Measures grants that support public policy research on transatlantic topics; $45,000 for the first year and $180,000 for the duration of four-year Mobility grants that support curriculum                           ( print page 18199)                        development and academic term exchanges; and $80,000 for the first year and $424,000 for the duration 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, other public and private nonprofit institutions and agencies, and combinations of these institutions and agencies. The application must designate a lead U.S. applicant and the lead EU applicant must clearly specify its partner applicants in the U.S.                

                    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:*                     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 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 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 program.                

                    Word Limit: 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 6000 words (counting every word including “a”, “the”,                     *etc.*). We suggest using the following standards in formatting the application narrative:                
      - 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 6000-word limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the budget section, including the budget narrative; the assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract; the resumes; the bibliography; or the letters of support.

We will reject your application if you exceed the word limit.

                    3.                     *Submission Dates and Times:*

Applications Available: April 1, 2011.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 24, 2011.

                    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: July 25, 2011.

                    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 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, you must—                

a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);

b. Register 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 on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (                    *see http://www.grants.gov/​section910/​Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf.*

                    7.                     *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 the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of                           ( print page 18200)                        the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not e-mail 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 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 the EU-U.S. Atlantis Program 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 84.116, not 84.116J).                

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 program 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) format only. If you upload a file type other than a .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 e-mail. 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: Tanyelle Richardson,                           ( print page 18201)                        International and Foreign Language Education, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6017, Washington, DC 20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.                

Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the mail or hand delivery instructions described in this notice.

                    b.                     *Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.*

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.116J), 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 4:30:00 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 75.210 and are listed in the application package.                

                    2.                     *Additional Factor:*                     An additional factor we consider in selecting an application for an award is whether the application demonstrates a bilateral, innovative EU-U.S. approach to training and education.                

                    3.                     *Review and Selection Process:*                     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; 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.                

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. 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 EU-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                           ( print page 18202)                        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.                

                    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 Contact

*For Further Information Contact:*                     Tanyelle Richardson, International and Foreign Language Education, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6017, Washington, DC 20006-8544. Telephone: (202) 502-7626 or by e-mail:                     *tanyelle.richardson@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:                     *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 via the Federal Digital System at:                        *http://www.gpo.gov/​fdsys.*

Dated: March 29, 2011.

Eduardo M. Ochoa,

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.

[FR Doc. 2011-7777 Filed 3-31-11; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P