50474 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices 

compliance with the assurances in its 

approved application, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For Further Information Contact: 

Thomas Finch, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Room 5147, Potomac Center Plaza 

(PCP), Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7343 or by e-mail: 

Tom.Finch@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 compact disc) 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: 

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. At this 

site you can view this document, as well 

as all other documents of this 

Department published in the Federal 

Register, in text or Adobe Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: http:// 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at 

this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the 

Department. 

Dated: August 10, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20709 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Special Demonstration Programs— 

National Technical Assistance Projects 

To Improve Employment Outcomes for 

Individuals With Disabilities 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

(CFDA) Number: 84.235M. 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice of final priority. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for 

the Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services announces a 

priority under the Special 

Demonstration Programs authorized 

under section 303(b) of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 

(Rehabilitation Act). The Assistant 

Secretary may use this priority for 

competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2011 

and later years. We take this action to 

focus technical assistance (TA) on areas 

of national need identified by the 

Rehabilitation Services Administration 

(RSA) through analyses of information 

obtained during monitoring and 

oversight of its vocational rehabilitation 

(VR) programs. We intend the priority to 

increase the transfer, utilization, and 

dissemination of information on 

promising practices and knowledge 

from research on topics in the field of 

rehabilitation that have national 

significance and to improve the 

performance of State VR agencies. 

DATES: Effective Date: This priority is 

effective September 14, 2011. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Finch, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

Room 5147, Potomac Center Plaza 

(PCP), Washington, DC 20202–2800. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7343 or by e-mail: 

Tom.Finch@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1–800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

this program is to expand and improve 

the provision of rehabilitation and other 

services authorized under the 

Rehabilitation Act, or to support 

activities that increase the provision, 

extent, availability, scope, and quality of 

rehabilitation services provided under 

the Rehabilitation Act. 

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 773(b). 

We published a notice of proposed 

priority for this program in the Federal 

Register on June 20, 2011 (76 FR 35864). 

The notice contained background 

information and our reasons for 

proposing the particular priority. 

There are differences between the 

notice of proposed priority and this 

notice of final priority as discussed in 

the Analysis of Comments and Changes 

section below. 

Public Comment: In response to our 

invitation in the notice of proposed 

priority, two parties submitted 

comments on the proposed priority. 

Generally, we do not address 

technical and other minor changes. In 

addition, we do not address general 

comments that raise concerns not 

directly related to the proposed priority. 

However, as a result of our further 

review of the proposed priority since 

publication of the notice of proposed 

priority, we have made minor changes 

for purposes of clarification. 

Analysis of Comments and Changes: 

An analysis of the comments and of any 

changes in the priority since publication 

of the notice of proposed priority 

follows. 

Comment: One commenter asserted 

that the purposes of the priority would 

be best served by building on the 

existing capacity of grantees funded 

under RSA’s Training programs, such as 

current partnerships with the National 

Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation 

Training Materials (NCRTM), the 

regional Technical Assistance and 

Continuing Education (TACE) centers, 

and State VR agencies. For example, the 

commenter stated that the NCRTM 

currently collaborates with the 10 

regional TACE centers to support a 

centralized resource for training 

materials. This commenter also 

emphasized the need to tailor technical 

assistance to the unique needs and 

demands of customers. 

Discussion: It is our intention that the 

applicant funded under this priority 

build upon the work of, and collaborate 

with, current providers of training and 

technical assistance in the field of 

rehabilitation, including the TACE 

centers and the NCRTM. 

As stated in the June 20, 2011, notice 

of proposed priority, the activities 

conducted under this priority would 

supplement the TA provided by the 

TACE centers by supporting costeffective and efficient mechanisms for 

delivering TA at the national level. For 

example, prior to developing its annual 

work plan for the provision of TA and 

continuing education (CE), each 

regional TACE center conducts an 

annual needs assessment of State VR 

agencies and agency partners in its 

region to identify TA topics. The grantee 

under this priority would work with the 

TACE centers to identify topics that 

would be most appropriately addressed 

nationally. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices 50475 

The role of the NCRTM is to identify 

and gather rehabilitation information 

and training materials for use in 

conducting pre-service and in-service 

education and training for rehabilitation 

personnel and to disseminate 

rehabilitation information and state-ofthe-art training materials and methods. 

The grantee funded under this priority 

would be responsible for organizing and 

making readily available TA materials 

used and developed under this priority 

and would not duplicate the work of the 

NCRTM. We do believe, however, that 

the expertise of the NCRTM would be of 

value in assisting the grantee to carry 

out the activities under this priority. 

Finally, while we would expect the 

successful applicant selected to carry 

out this priority to have sufficient 

expertise to appropriately tailor the TA 

and materials to the unique needs of its 

audience, we agree that clarifying 

language would be beneficial. 

Changes: We have inserted language 

in paragraph (c) of the priority to clarify 

that formats that best meet the needs of 

the target audience must be used by the 

grantee in preparing for and conducting 

TA. In addition, we have revised 

paragraph (g) of the priority to require 

the grantee to collaborate with the 

NCRTM. 

Comment: This commenter also 

encouraged RSA to standardize 

measures of effectiveness across the 

providers of training and technical 

assistance so that quality outcomes can 

be consistently measured by users or 

customers. 

Discussion: While we recognize that 

the development of standardized 

measures of effectiveness that could be 

used across RSA’s TA investments 

would be beneficial, such an effort is 

not consistent with the intended scope 

and resources available for this priority. 

However, we have added a paragraph to 

the priority in order to clarify the intent 

of the requirement in proposed 

paragraph (c) of the priority to conduct 

evaluations of the national TA that has 

been provided. 

Change: We have deleted the language 

at the end of paragraph (c) of the 

priority describing the grantee’s 

responsibility to conduct evaluations of 

the technical assistance provided, and 

have included this requirement in a new 

paragraph (f) of the priority that clarifies 

what elements the evaluation must 

address. 

Comment: One commenter applauded 

the Department for its emphasis on 

national training programs. This 

commenter stated that in addition to the 

value of the information obtained from 

presentations, national conferences 

provide networking opportunities for 

VR professionals who are working in 

specialized program areas, such as 

vocational rehabilitation of individuals 

who are deaf or deaf-blind. 

This commenter also expressed the 

value of having a mechanism for 

housing and making available TA 

products. Finally, the commenter 

emphasized the need to ensure that 

sufficient funds are available under this 

grant to support accommodations that 

may be necessary for VR professionals 

to fully participate and to support 

stipends for professionals who 

otherwise would not be able to attend 

presentations and national conferences 

because of State travel and funding 

restrictions. 

Discussion: While we generally agree 

with these comments, we would like to 

emphasize that the purpose of this 

priority is to provide technical 

assistance in areas of national need and 

it is not our intent to establish another 

training program. The Department 

provides support for the training of VR 

professionals through the Training 

programs under section 302 of the 

Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 772). 

Change: None. 

Comment: None. 

Discussion: In reviewing the proposed 

priority further, we decided that it 

would be important to clarify that the 

TA products and materials to be 

organized and archived by the grantee 

are those that are developed or used in 

providing TA conducted under this 

priority. We also wanted to emphasize 

that the Web site developed by the 

grantee needs to be easily accessed and 

used by RSA, the TACE centers, and 

other RSA grantees. 

Changes: As a result of our review, we 

added clarifying language in paragraphs 

(d) and (e) of the priority to address 

these concerns. 

Final Priority: 

National Technical Assistance. 

The Assistant Secretary for Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services 

establishes a priority to support a grant 

under the Special Demonstration 

Programs to fund a project to provide 

national technical assistance (TA) to 

State vocational rehabilitation (VR) 

agencies and other entities that carry out 

VR-related programs administered by 

the Rehabilitation Services 

Administration (RSA) to increase the 

transfer, utilization, and dissemination 

of current promising practices and 

knowledge in VR and the employment 

of individuals with disabilities. The 

Department intends to award this grant 

as a cooperative agreement to ensure 

that there is substantial involvement, 

communication, and collaboration 

between RSA and the grantee in 

carrying out the activities of the grant. 

(34 CFR 75.200(b)(4)). 

In coordination with the Department, 

the grantee must— 

(a) Consult with RSA staff and staff 

from the Technical Assistance and 

Continuing Education (TACE) centers to 

identify issues that may affect State VR 

agency service delivery, as well as TA 

needs that are most appropriately 

addressed on a national basis; 

(b) Develop a proposed two-year plan 

for delivering national TA to VR 

professionals through conferences, 

webinars, or other mechanisms, based 

on the activities conducted under 

paragraph (a) of this priority. The 

proposed two-year plan must be 

developed and approved by RSA within 

the first three months of the project 

period and include a schedule for 

delivering high priority TA activities, 

recommended methods of delivery, and 

the estimated costs of providing such 

TA; 

(c) Organize and provide national TA 

in accordance with the two-year plan 

approved by RSA, including overseeing 

all activities related to preparing for and 

conducting national TA. These activities 

include, but are not limited to, the 

following: Determining the target 

audience for the TA; organizing 

conferences, webinars, and other 

national TA; identifying presenters; 

providing TA and preparing materials in 

formats that best meet the needs of the 

target audience; arranging for reasonable 

accommodations for individuals with 

disabilities; making logistical 

arrangements for the national TA; 

providing travel reimbursement and 

stipends, where appropriate, to State VR 

personnel; and providing for continuing 

education credits; 

(d) Organize and archive all TA 

products and materials developed or 

used in providing TA conducted under 

this priority for use by RSA, the TACE 

centers, and other TA providers, as 

needed; 

(e) Develop and maintain a Web site 

to make available the products and 

materials that are developed and/or 

used in providing TA conducted under 

this priority so that they can be easily 

accessed and used by RSA, the TACE 

centers, and other RSA grantees. The 

Web site must be capable of supporting 

other features including, but not limited 

to, conference and webinar registration, 

a calendar of events, and links to other 

related Web sites and resources; 

(f) Conduct an evaluation of the 

national TA provided under this 

priority, including, at a minimum, the 

following: The number of TA activities 

conducted, the identified needs to 

which these activities responded, and 


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50476 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 157 / Monday, August 15, 2011 / Notices 

the target audience for each activity; the 

number and types of TA products 

organized and archived; the number of 

visits to the grantee’s Web site on a 

monthly and annual basis; and a 

quantitative analysis of any customer 

satisfaction survey findings including 

information derived from questions 

about product quality, relevance, and 

utility; and 

(g) Collaborate with other RSA-funded 

TA providers, including, but not limited 

to, the TACE centers, the National 

Clearinghouse of Rehabilitation 

Training Materials, the American Indian 

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical 

Assistance Center, and the Independent 

Living Training and Technical 

Assistance Center, in the provision and 

support of TA activities. 

Types of Priorities: 

When inviting applications for a 

competition using one or more 

priorities, we designate the type of each 

priority as absolute, competitive 

preference, or invitational through a 

notice in the Federal Register. The 

effect of each type of priority follows: 

Absolute priority: Under an absolute 

priority, we consider only applications 

that meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(3)). 

Competitive preference priority: 

Under a competitive preference priority, 

we give competitive preference to an 

application by (1) awarding additional 

points, depending on the extent to 

which the application meets the priority 

(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting 

an application that meets the priority 

over an application of comparable merit 

that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 

75.105(c)(2)(ii)). 

Invitational priority: Under an 

invitational priority, we are particularly 

interested in applications that meet the 

priority. However, we do not give an 

application that meets the priority a 

preference over other applications (34 

CFR 75.105(c)(1)). 

This notice does not preclude us from 

proposing additional priorities, 

requirements, definitions, or selection 

criteria, subject to meeting applicable 

rulemaking requirements. 

Note: This notice does not solicit 

applications. In any year in which we choose 

to use this priority, we invite applications 

through a notice in the Federal Register. 

Executive Order 12866: This notice 

has been reviewed in accordance with 

Executive Order 12866. Under the terms 

of the order, we have assessed the 

potential costs and benefits of this 

regulatory action. 

The potential costs associated with 

this regulatory action are those resulting 

from statutory requirements and those 

we have determined as necessary for 

administering this program effectively 

and efficiently. 

In assessing the potential costs and 

benefits—both quantitative and 

qualitative—of this regulatory action, 

we have determined that the benefits of 

the priority justify the costs. 

We have determined, also, that this 

final regulatory action does not unduly 

interfere with State, local, and tribal 

governments in the exercise of their 

governmental functions. 

Summary of potential costs and 

benefits: 

TA targeted to the specific needs of 

grantees helps them to improve their 

performance and to achieve their 

objectives. Specifically, the provision of 

cost effective TA to State VR agencies in 

areas of national need should result in 

higher quality employment outcomes 

for the individuals with disabilities 

whom these agencies serve. 

Intergovernmental Review: This 

program is subject to Executive Order 

12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR 

part 79. One of the objectives of the 

Executive order is to foster an 

intergovernmental partnership and a 

strengthened federalism. The Executive 

order relies on processes developed by 

State and local governments for 

coordination and review of proposed 

Federal financial assistance. 

This document provides early 

notification of our specific plans and 

actions for this program. 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or compact disc) by 

contacting the Grants and Contracts 

Services Team, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 

room 5075, Potomac Center Plaza, 

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: 

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. At this 

site you can view this document, as well 

as all other documents of this 

Department published in the Federal 

Register, in text or Adobe Portable 

Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 

you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, 

which is available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at: http:// 

www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, 

through the advanced search feature at 

this site, you can limit your search to 

documents published by the 

Department. 

Dated: August 10, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–20708 Filed 8–12–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

[OE Docket No. EA–382] 

Application To Export Electric Energy; 

Glacial Energy of Texas, Inc. 

AGENCY: Office of Electricity Delivery 

and Energy Reliability, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of Application. 

SUMMARY: Glacial Energy of Texas, Inc. 

(Glacial) has applied for authority to 

transmit electric energy from the United 

States to Mexico pursuant to section 

202(e) of the Federal Power Act. 

DATES: Comments, protests, or motions 

to intervene must be submitted on or 

before September 14, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Comments, protests, or 

motions to intervene should be 

addressed to: Christopher Lawrence, 

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy 

Reliability, Mail Code: OE–20, U.S. 

Department of Energy, 1000 

Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20585–0350. Because 

of delays in handling conventional mail, 

it is recommended that documents be 

transmitted by overnight mail, by 

electronic mail to 

Christopher.Lawrence@hq.doe.gov, or by 

facsimile to 202–586–8008. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Christopher Lawrence (Program Office) 

202–586–5260. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Exports of 

electricity from the United States to a 

foreign country are regulated by the 

Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to 

sections 301(b) and 402(f) of the 

Department of Energy Organization Act 

(42 U.S.C. 7151(b), 7172(f)) and require 

authorization under section 202(e) of 

the FPA (16 U.S.C. 824a(e)). 

On July 14, 2011, DOE received an 

application from Glacial for authority to 

transmit electric energy from the United 

States to Mexico for five years as a 

power marketer using existing 

international transmission facilities. 

Glacial does not own any electric 

transmission facilities nor does it hold 

a franchised service area. 

The electric energy that Glacial 

proposes to export to Mexico would be 


srobinson on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES