[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 38 (Monday, February 27, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11499-11505]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-4547]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Technology and Media Services for 
Individuals With Disabilities--Educational Materials in Accessible 
Formats for Students With Visual Impairments and Other Print 
Disabilities

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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Overview Information

Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Educational Materials in Accessible Formats for Students With Visual 
Impairments and Other Print Disabilities

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2012.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327D.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: February 27, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 12, 2012.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 11, 2012.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technology and Media 
Services for Individuals with Disabilities program is to: (1) Improve 
results for students 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 for students with disabilities; and (3) provide support for 
captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the 
classroom.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 
674(c)(1)(D) and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1474(c)(1)(D) and 1481(D)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2012, this priority is an absolute 
priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that 
meet this priority.
    This priority is:

[[Page 11500]]

Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Educational Materials in Accessible Formats for Students With Visual 
Impairments and Other Print Disabilities

Priority
    The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to 
support the establishment and operation of a project that will provide 
free educational materials,\1\ including textbooks, in accessible media 
for students who are blind, visually impaired, and print disabled and 
enrolled in elementary, secondary, postsecondary, or graduate schools.
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    \1\ For the purposes of this priority, we are using the term 
``educational materials'' consistent with the use of this term in 
section 674(c)(1)(D) of IDEA and to be consistent with the term of 
art used in the field.
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    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--
    (a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, 
activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic 
model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides 
a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the 
project;

    Note: The following Web sites provide more information on logic 
models: www.researchutilization.org/matrix/logicmodel_resource3c.html and www.tadnet.org/model_and_performance.

    (b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority;
    (c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model, for a 
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan 
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance 
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the 
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in 
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and 
services;
    (d) A budget for a summative evaluation to be conducted by an 
independent third party;
    (e) A budget for attendance at the following:
    (1) A one and one half day kick-off meeting to be held in 
Washington, DC, after receipt of the award, and an annual planning 
meeting held in Washington, DC, with the Office of Special Education 
Programs (OSEP) Project Officer during each subsequent year of the 
project period.

    Note: Within 30 days of the award, a post-award teleconference 
must be held between the OSEP Project Officer and the grantee's 
project director or other authorized representative. The primary 
purposes of this meeting will be to review the Department's grantee 
requirements, discuss the project's planned activities and budget, 
and confirm the expectations for the project's performance measures 
and evaluation.

    (2) A three-day Project Directors' Conference in Washington, DC, 
during each year of the project period.
    (3) Two two-day trips annually to attend Department briefings, 
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by 
OSEP, and to meet with the OSEP Project Officer and other funded 
projects for purposes of cross-project collaboration and information 
exchange; and
    (f) A line item in the proposed budget for an annual set-aside of 
four percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's activities, as those needs are 
identified in consultation with OSEP.

    Note: With approval from the OSEP Project Officer, the project 
must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no 
later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period.

    Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
project, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:
    (a) Provide educational materials, including textbooks, in 
accessible formats to State educational agencies (SEAs) and local 
educational agencies (LEAs) for use by elementary and secondary 
education students with print disabilities. The educational materials, 
including any specialized software needed to use the materials, must be 
provided at no cost to students, families, schools, SEAs, and LEAs. 
Thus, the project may not assess membership fees to individual students 
or to institutions, including schools, SEAs, and LEAs.
    (b) Provide educational materials in accessible formats for 
students with print disabilities attending postsecondary and graduate 
schools. Materials may be provided directly to eligible students \2\ or 
to postsecondary and graduate schools and vocational rehabilitation 
agencies requesting materials in accessible formats on behalf of 
eligible students. The accessible educational materials, including any 
specialized software needed to use the materials, must be provided at 
no cost to students, postsecondary and graduate schools, and vocational 
rehabilitation agencies. Thus, the project may not assess fees to 
individual students or to institutions, including postsecondary 
schools, graduate schools, and vocational rehabilitation agencies.
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    \2\ For purposes of this priority, eligible students attending 
postsecondary and graduate schools are students with a print 
disability as defined in section 771 of the Higher Education Act of 
1965, as amended. Section 771 defines ``student with a print 
disability'' as ``a student with a disability who experiences 
barriers to accessing instructional material in nonspecialized 
formats, including an individual described in section 121(d)(2) of 
title 17, United States Code.''
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    (c) Produce high-quality, user-friendly educational materials in 
accessible formats including, digital text, braille-ready files, and 
audio formats. At least 50 percent of the audio materials produced must 
be in text-to-speech audio format. Materials produced as part of this 
cooperative agreement must include image descriptions, digital images, 
and graphics.
    (d) Develop and implement an innovative plan focused on improving 
the quality, timeliness, and ease of access to educational materials 
for students with print disabilities, including, when appropriate, 
those materials that are included in open educational resources.\3\ To 
the extent feasible, the project must provide for the use of 
communication and data technologies available today, including handheld 
devices, smart phones, data pads, etc., and anticipate future needs 
across the five years in the development of this plan.
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    \3\ For purposes of this priority, ``open educational 
resources'' are teaching, learning, and research resources that 
reside in the public domain or have been released under an 
intellectual property license that permits their free use or 
repurposing by others.
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    (e) Develop and implement cost and efficiency measures for the 
production of accessible educational materials.
    (f) Provide high-quality, up-to-date software needed to use the 
accessible educational materials, at no cost to students, families, 
schools, LEAs, SEAs, postsecondary and graduate schools, and vocational 
rehabilitation agencies. The project must also keep abreast of emerging 
technologies and implement changes and updates to technology, software, 
and other materials that meet industry standards.
    (g) Provide and implement a detailed digital rights management 
(DRM) plan that protects the interests of rights holders while 
maintaining ease of access to the accessible educational materials for 
students with print disabilities.

[[Page 11501]]

    (h) Develop and implement a plan for consulting with publishers, 
software developers, other manufacturers of accessible educational 
materials for individuals with print disabilities, and the National 
Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) \4\ to ensure that the 
project uses the most efficient, cost-effective technology available to 
provide timely access to educational materials.
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    \4\ For more information regarding the NIMAC, please see: 
www.nimac.us/.
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    (i) Produce accessible educational materials using files that are 
compliant with the National Instructional Materials Accessibility 
Standard (NIMAS).\5\
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    \5\ For more information regarding the NIMAS, please see: http://idea.ed.gov/explore/view/p/,root,dynamic,TopicalArea,10,.
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    (j) Develop and implement a plan for increasing SEA and LEA use of 
the project's resources and accessible educational materials as part of 
their systems for providing educational materials in accessible formats 
to students with print disabilities.
    (k) Ensure that project activities are conducted in compliance with 
section 121 of the Copyright Act, as amended: www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#121.
    (l) Establish and maintain an advisory committee consisting of SEA 
and LEA representatives, representatives from community colleges and 
four-year institutions of higher education, representatives from 
vocational rehabilitation agencies, parents of individuals with visual 
impairments and other print disabilities ages birth through 26, 
consumers with visual impairments and consumers with other print 
disabilities who use educational materials in accessible formats, and 
representatives of schools or other institutions where educational 
materials in accessible formats are used. The purpose of this advisory 
committee is to provide the project with input and ongoing advice on 
the project's goals, objectives, program activities, and services. The 
project must submit the names of proposed members of the advisory 
committee to OSEP for approval within eight weeks after receipt of the 
award.
    (m) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility and that links to the Web site 
operated by the Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC).\6\
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    \6\ For more information regarding the TACC, please see: 
www.tadnet.org.
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    (n) Communicate and collaborate, on an ongoing basis, with OSEP-
funded projects, including NIMAS-related projects. Activities could 
include the joint development of products, training sessions, and 
materials, and improving the accessible educational materials delivery 
system to ensure timely and easy access to accessible educational 
materials.
    (o) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through bi-monthly phone conferences and email communication.

Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project

    In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth 
and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 
75.253(a), and in addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary. This review will be conducted during a one-
day intensive meeting in Washington, DC, that will be held during the 
last half of the second year of the project period. The project must 
budget for travel expenses associated with this one-day intensive 
review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
project; and
    (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the project's 
activities and products and the degree to which the project's 
activities and products have contributed to increasing the number of 
eligible students that use AIM and improving the timeliness of delivery 
of AIM to students with print disabilities.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the 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.
    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 only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: $6,500,000.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2013 from the list of 
unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $6,500,000 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 36 months with an optional additional 24 
months based on performance. Applications must include plans for both 
the 36-month award and the 24-month extension.

III. Eligibility Information

    Eligible Applicants: National, nonprofit entities with a proven 
track record of meeting the needs of students with visual impairments 
and other print disabilities through services described in section 
674(c)(1)(D) of IDEA that have the capacity to produce, maintain, and 
distribute, in a timely fashion, up-to-date textbooks in digital audio 
formats to qualified students and that have a demonstrated ability to 
significantly leverage Federal funds through other public and private 
contributions, as well as through the expansive use of volunteers (see 
section 674(d)(2) of IDEA; 17 U.S.C. 121(d)(1)).
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements:
    (a) The project funded under this competition must make positive 
efforts to employ, and advance in employment, qualified individuals 
with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).
    (b) The applicant and grant recipient 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 project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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) or 
a text telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.

[[Page 11502]]

    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#385d5c484d5a4b7851565d4c165d5c165f574e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5d38392d283f2e1d34333829733839733a322b">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327D.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) 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 25 pages, using the following standards:
    <bullet> A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
    <bullet> Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.
    <bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    <bullet> 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 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: February 27, 2012.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 12, 2012.
    Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), 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: June 11, 2012.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition 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, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN). A DUNS number can be obtained 
online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling the Customer 
Resource Center at 1-800-234-3867 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday;
    b. Register both 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 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.
    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 at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp.
    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

    We are participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov 
Apply site. The Educational Materials in Accessible Formats for 
Students with Visual Impairments and Other Print Disabilities 
competition, CFDA number 84.327D, is included in this project. We 
request your participation in Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through 
this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application 
package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your 
application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Educational 
Materials in Accessible Formats for Students with Visual Impairments 
and Other Print Disabilities competition 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 84.327, not 84.327D).
    Please note the following:
    <bullet> Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
    <bullet> 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.

[[Page 11503]]

    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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 competition 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> If you submit your application electronically, you must 
upload 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.
    <bullet> If you submit your application electronically, you must 
upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your 
application as files in a .PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-
modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable .PDF file. 
If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable .PDF 
or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material.
    <bullet> Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
    <bullet> 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 email. 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).
    <bullet> 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.

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 84.327D), 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 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 
84.327D), 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.


[[Page 11504]]


    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. 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. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: 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.
    4. 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 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 are included in the application 
package and 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 project funded under this 
competition. The grantee will be required to report information on its 
project's performance in its final performance report to the Department 
(34 CFR 75.590).
    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: David Malouf, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 4063, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2600. Telephone: (202) 245-6253.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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 compact disc) by contacting 
the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 
400 Maryland Avenue SW.,

[[Page 11505]]

Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. 
If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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: 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: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: February 21, 2012.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2012-4547 Filed 2-24-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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