[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17420-17425]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07483]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Graduate Assistance in Areas of 
National Need

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Overview Information:

Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program

    Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 
2015.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.200A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: April 1, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 29, 2015.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 28, 2015.

[[Page 17421]]

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The GAANN Program provides grants to academic 
departments and programs of institutions of higher education (IHEs) to 
support graduate fellowships for students with excellent academic 
records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest 
degree available in their course of study at the institution.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), the absolute 
priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 648.33(a) and 
Appendix to part 648--Academic Areas).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2015 and any subsequent year for which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, 
this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we 
consider only applications that meet this priority.
    The absolute priority is:
    Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need.
    A project must provide fellowships in one or more of the following 
areas of national need: Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies; Biological 
Sciences/Life Sciences; Chemistry; Computer and Information Sciences; 
Engineering; Foreign Languages; Mathematics; Nursing; Physics; 
Psychology; and Educational Evaluation, Research, and Statistics.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1135.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 82, 84, 
86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended in 2 CFR part 3474. (c) The regulations for 
this program in 34 CFR part 648.

    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 only to IHEs.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants redistributed as graduate 
fellowships to individual fellows.
    Estimated Available Funds: $23,629,000.
    Contingent on the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards for FY 2016 from the list 
of unfunded applicants from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $140,877 to $281,754.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $189,032.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 125.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 36 months.
    Stipend Level: The Secretary will determine the fellowship stipend 
for the GAANN Program for the 2015-2016 academic year based on the 
level of support provided by the graduate fellowships of the National 
Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, as of February 
1, 2015. However, the Secretary will adjust the amount as necessary so 
as not to exceed the fellow's demonstrated level of financial need as 
calculated for purposes of the Federal Student Financial Aid Programs 
under title IV, part F, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as 
amended.
    Institutional Payment: The Secretary will determine the 
institutional payment for the 2015-2016 academic year by adjusting the 
previous academic year's institutional payment, which is $14,959 per 
fellow, by the U.S. Department of Labor's Consumer Price Index for the 
2014 calendar year.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants:
    (a) Any academic department of an IHE that provides a course of 
study that--
    (i) Leads to a graduate degree in an area of national need; and
    (ii) Has been in existence for at least four years at the time of 
an application for a grant under this competition.
    (b) An academic department of an IHE that--
    (i) Satisfies the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section; 
and
    (ii) Submits a joint application with one or more eligible non-
degree-granting institutions that have formal arrangements for the 
support of doctoral dissertation research with one or more degree-
granting institutions.

    Note:  Students are not eligible to apply for grants under this 
program.

    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: An institution must provide, from 
non-Federal funds, an institutional matching contribution equal to at 
least 25 percent of the grant amount received. (See 34 CFR 648.7.)
    b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-
supplant funding requirements. (See 34 CFR 648.20(b)(5).)
    3. Other: For requirements relating to selecting fellows, see 34 
CFR 648.40.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Rebecca Ell, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7105, K-OPE-7-7063, 
Washington, DC 20006. Telephone: (202) 502-7779 or by email: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#76392633293137373838292604191104171b36131258111900"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b4fbe4f1ebf3f5f5fafaebe4c6dbd3c6d5d9f4d1d09ad3dbc2">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
    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 program contact person listed in 
this section.
    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. Page 
Limit: The project narrative, Part II of the application, is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. You must limit the project narrative (Part 
II) to no more than 40 pages, using the standards listed below. A 
partial page will count as a full page toward the page limit. For 
purposes of determining compliance with the page limit, each page on 
which there are words will be counted as one full page, except as 
specifically discussed below:
    <bullet> A project narrative in a single discipline must be limited 
to no more than 40 pages.
    <bullet> An inter-disciplinary project narrative must be limited to 
no more than 40 pages. An inter-disciplinary application must request 
funding for a single proposed program of study that involves two or 
more academic disciplines.
    <bullet> A multi-disciplinary project narrative must be limited to 
no more than 40 pages for each academic department included in the 
proposal. A multi-disciplinary application must request funding for two 
or more academic departments in areas of national need designated as 
priorities by the Secretary that are independent and unrelated to one 
another.
    <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 project narrative, including

[[Page 17422]]

titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. 
Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the project narrative may be 
single spaced and will count toward the page limit.
    <bullet> Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10 point 
font in charts, tables, figures, graphs, footnotes, and endnotes.
    <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.
    <bullet> Appendices are limited to the following: Curriculum Vitae 
(no more than two pages per faculty member); a course listing; letters 
of commitment; a bibliography; and one additional optional appendix 
relevant to the support of the proposals, not to exceed five pages.
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for 
Federal Assistance (SF 424) and the Department of Education 
Supplemental Information for the SF 424 Form; the one-page Abstract; 
the GAANN Statutory Assurances Form; the GAANN Budget Spreadsheet(s) 
Form; the Appendices; or Part III, the Assurances and Certifications. 
The page limit also does not apply to a two-page Table of Contents, if 
you include one. However the page limit does apply to all of the 
project narrative section in Part II.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: April 1, 2015.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 29, 2015.
    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 28, 2015.
    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 specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
648.64. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: 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 both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM) (formerly 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 SAM 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 to two business days.
    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 SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by 
an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal 
financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, 
please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number 
and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note:  Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 
allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in 
Grants.gov and before you can submit an application through 
Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, 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 registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    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/web/grants/register.html.
    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 GAANN Program, CFDA number 
84.200A, 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 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.
    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 GAANN 
Program at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this program by the CFDA number.

[[Page 17423]]

Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., 
search for 84.200, not 84.200A).
    Please note the following:
    <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.
    <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 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.
    <bullet> 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.
    <bullet> 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, the GAANN Budget 
Spreadsheet(s) Form, and the GAANN Statutory Assurances, and all 
necessary assurances and certifications.
    <bullet> 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.

    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--
    <bullet> You do not have access to the Internet; or
    <bullet> You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system;
    and
    <bullet> 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: Rebecca Ell, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7105, K-OPE-7-7063, 
Washington, DC 20006. FAX: (202)502-7857.
    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:

[[Page 17424]]

    U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.200A), 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 84.200A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 
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 
in 34 CFR 648.31.
    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).
    Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an 
award are in 34 CFR 648.32.
    3. Special Conditions: Under current 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12 and, 
when grants are made under this NIA, 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may 
impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk 
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 or, when grants are awarded, the 
standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; 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) or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your 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 and 34 CFR 648.66. If you wish to view the performance 
report currently required, visit the GAANN Program Web site at: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/performance.html. Please be advised that the 
report is for informational purposes only and does not reflect the 
actual reporting instrument that you will use should you receive a 
GAANN grant. 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.
    (c) Grantees will be required to submit a supplement to the Final 
Performance Report two years after the expiration of their GAANN grant. 
The purpose of this supplement is to identify and report the 
educational outcome of each GAANN fellow.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the following measures will be used by the 
Department in assessing the performance of the GAANN Program:
    (1) The percentage of GAANN fellows completing the terminal degree 
in the designated areas of national need.
    (2) The percentage of GAANN fellows from traditionally 
underrepresented groups.
    (3) The median time to completion of Master's and Doctorate degrees 
for GAANN students.
    If funded, you will be required to collect and report data in your 
project's annual performance report (34 CFR 75.590) on those measures 
and steps taken toward improving performance on

[[Page 17425]]

those outcomes. Consequently, applicants are advised to include these 
outcomes in conceptualizing the design, implementation, and evaluation 
of their proposed projects. Their measurement should be a part of the 
project evaluation plan, along with measures of your progress and on 
the goals and objectives specific to your project.
    All grantees will be expected to submit an annual performance 
report documenting their success in addressing these performance 
measures.
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application. 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: Rebecca Ell, U.S. Department of 
Education, 1990 K Street NW., Room 7105, K-OPE-7-7063, Washington, DC 
20006. Telephone: (202) 502-7779 or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#99d6c9dcc6ded8d8d7d7c6c9ebf6feebf8f4d9fcfdb7fef6ef"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="57180712081016161919080725383025363a17323379303821">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you use a TDD or a TTY, 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) on request to 
the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 
in section VII of this notice.
    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.
    Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated 
authority to Jamienne S. Studley, Deputy Under Secretary, to perform 
the functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 
Education.

    Dated: March 27, 2015.
Jamienne S. Studley,
Deputy Under Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2015-07483 Filed 3-31-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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