9898 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 42 / Tuesday, March 4, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND

URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR–4189–N–01]

Community Development Work Study

Program; Notice of Funding

Availability; FY 1997

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Policy Development and

Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability

(NOFA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 1997.

SUMMARY: This notice invites

applications from institutions of higher

education, area-wide planning

organizations (APOs), and States for

grants under the Community

Development Work Study Program

(CDWSP). The CDWSP, authorized by

the Housing and Community

Development Act of 1974, as amended,

assists economically disadvantaged and

minority students participating in work

study programs in such institutions.

This notice announces HUD’s intention

to award up to $3 million from FY 1997

appropriations (plus any additional

funds recaptured from prior

appropriations) to fund work study

programs to be carried out from August

1997 to September 1999.

DATES AND INSTRUCTIONS FOR OBTAINING

APPLICATIONS: Applications may be

requested beginning March 14, 1997.

Applications must be physically

received by the Office of University

Partnerships, in care of the Division of

Budget, Contracts, and Program Control

in Room 8230 by 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

on May 5, 1997. Facsimile (FAX) copies

of the application will not be accepted.

This deadline is firm as to date, hour,

and place. In the interest of fairness to

all competing applicants, HUD will treat

as ineligible for consideration any

application that is received after the

deadline. Applicants should take this

practice into account and make early

submissions of their materials to avoid

any risk of loss of eligibility brought

about by unanticipated delays or other

delivery-related problems. Applicants

hand-delivering applications are

advised that considerable delays may

occur in attempting to enter the building

because of security procedures.

Application packages may be

obtained by written request from the

following address: HUD USER, ATTN:

Community Development Work Study

Program, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, MD

20850. Requests for application kits may

be faxed to: 301–251–5747 (this is not

a toll-free number). Requests for

application kits must include the

applicant’s name, mailing address

(including zip code), telephone number

(including area code), and must refer to

‘‘Document FR–4189.’’ The application

kit is also available on the Internet from

the Office of University Partnerships

Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse can

be accessed from the World Wide Web

at: http://www.oup.org; or from a

Gopher Server at: gopher://oup.org:78.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

Hartung, Office of University

Partnerships, Department of Housing

and Urban Development, 451 Seventh

Street, SW, Washington, DC 20410,

Telephone (202) 708–3061, extension

261 (Voice). Hearing- or speechimpaired individuals may access this

number via TTY by calling the Federal

Information Relay Service at 1–800–

877–8339. (With the exception of the

‘‘800’’ number, these are not toll-free

numbers.) Mr. Hartung can also be

reached via the Internet at

jhartung@hud.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Background

Section 107(c) of the Housing and

Community Development Act of 1974,

as amended, (42 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.) (the

Act) authorizes the CDWSP. Under this

section, HUD is authorized to provide

grants to institutions of higher

education, either directly or through

area-wide planning organizations or

States, for the purpose of providing

assistance to economically

disadvantaged and minority students,

including students with disabilities,

who participate in community

development work study programs and

are enrolled in full-time graduate or

undergraduate programs in community

or economic development, community

planning, or community management.

On July 10, 1996 (61 FR 36456), HUD

issued a new final rule for the program,

making several changes in program

requirements. Among other revisions,

the rule: (1) Limited the number of

students assisted under the CDWSP to

five students per participating

institution of higher education; (2)

limited the CDWSP to graduate level

programs; (3) permitted institutions of

higher education to apply individually

or through APOs; and (4) streamlined

the selection factors used to select

grantees.

Two-year institutions are not eligible

applicants for funding under this

program. This notice announces HUD’s

intention to award up to $3 million from

FY 1997 appropriations (plus any

additional funds recaptured from prior

appropriations). Awards will be made

under the HUD implementing

regulations at 24 CFR 570.400 and

570.415 and the provisions of this

Notice.

B. Eligible Applicants

The following are eligible to apply for

assistance under the program subject to

the conditions noted below:

1. Institutions of higher education

offering graduate degrees in a

community development academic

program.

2. Area-wide planning organizations

(APOs) which apply on behalf of two or

more institutions of higher education

located in the same SMSA or non-SMSA

area as the APO. As a result of the new

final rule for the program issued on July

10, 1996, institutions of higher

education are permitted to choose

whether to apply independently or

through an APO.

3. States which apply on behalf of two

or more institutions of higher education

located in the State. If a State is

approved for funding, institutions of

higher education located in the State are

not eligible recipients.

C. Threshold Requirements

To be eligible for ranking,

applications must meet each of the

following threshold requirements:

1. The application must be filed in the

application form prescribed by HUD,

and within the required time prescribed

by the Application Kit released

pursuant to this notice.

2. The application must demonstrate

that the applicant is eligible to

participate.

3. The applicant must demonstrate

that each institution of higher education

participating in the program as a

recipient has the required academic

programs and faculty to carry out its

activities under CDWSP. Each work

placement agency must be an agency

and must have the required staff and

community development work study

program to carry out its activities under

CDWSP. Eligible work placement

agencies must be involved in

community building and must be an

agency of a State or unit of local

government, an areawide planning

organization, an Indian tribe, or a

private nonprofit organization.

4. Institutions of higher education,

APOs, and States must maintain at least

a 50 percent rate of graduation of

students from the FY 1994 funding

round which covered school years

September 1994 to September 1996 in

order to participate in the current round

of CDWSP funding. Institutions of

higher education, APOs, and States

funded under the FY 1994 CDWSP

funding round which did not maintain

such a rate will be excluded from
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 42 / Tuesday, March 4, 1997 / Notices 9899

participating in the FY 1997 funding

round. Such institutions, APOs, and

States are eligible to participate in the

1998 round.

D. Selection Factors (100 points)

The following factors will be

considered by HUD in evaluating

applications in response to the

solicitation.

1. Quality of academic program (30

points). The quality of the academic

program offered by the institution of

higher education (or institutions, in the

case an application from an APO or

State), including without limitation the:

(a) Quality of course offerings;

(b) Appropriateness of course

offerings for preparing students for

careers in community building; and

(c) Qualifications of faculty and

percentage of their time devoted to

teaching and research in community

building.

2. Rates of graduation (7 points). The

rates of graduation of students

previously enrolled in a community

building academic program, specifically

including (where applicable) graduation

rates from any previously funded

CDWSP academic programs or similar

programs.

3. Extent of financial commitment (10

points). The commitment and ability of

the institution of higher education (or

institutions, in the case of an

application from an APO or State) to

assure that CDWSP students will receive

sufficient financial assistance (including

loans, where appropriate) above and

beyond the CDWSP funding to complete

their academic program in a timely

manner and without working in excess

of 20 hours per week during the school

year.

4. Quality of work placement

assignments (15 points). The extent to

which the participating students will

receive a sufficient number and variety

of work placement assignments, the

assignments will provide practical and

useful experience to students

participating in the program, and the

assignments will further the

participating students’ preparation for

professional careers in community

building. Students engaging in

community building projects through an

institution of higher education may do

so only through a community outreach

center and will then be considered

placed at that center. Accordingly, in

assessing the number and variety of

work placement assignments an

applicant will make available to

students, such a community outreach

center will be considered a single

placement assignment.

5. Likelihood of fostering students’

permanent employment in community

building (10 points). The extent to

which the proposed program will lead

participating students directly and

immediately to permanent employment

in community building, as indicated by:

(a) The past success of the institution

of higher education in placing its

graduates (particularly CDWSP-funded

and similar program graduates, where

applicable) in permanent employment

in community building; and

(b) The amount of faculty/staff time

and resources devoted to assisting

students (particularly students in

CDWSP-funded and similar programs,

where applicable) in finding permanent

employment in community building.

6. Effectiveness of program

administration (18 points). The degree

to which the applicant will be able to

effectively coordinate and administer

the program. HUD will allocate the

maximum points available under this

criterion equally among the following

three considerations, except that the

maximum points available under this

criterion will be allocated equally only

between (a) and (b), where the applicant

has not previously administered a

CDWSP-funded program.

(a) The strength and clarity of the

applicant’s plan for placing CDWSP

students on rotating work placement

assignments and monitoring CDWSP

students’ progress both academically

and in their work placement

assignments;

(b) The degree to which the

individual who will coordinate and

administer the program has clear

responsibility, ample available time,

and sufficient authority to do so;

(c) The effectiveness of the applicant’s

prior coordination and administration of

a CDWSP-funded program, where

applicable (including the timeliness and

completeness of the applicant’s

compliance with CDWSP reporting

requirements).

7. Commitment to meeting the needs

of economically disadvantaged and

minority students (10 points). The

applicant’s commitment to meeting the

needs of economically disadvantaged

and minority students as demonstrated

by the policies and plans regarding, and

past efforts and success in, recruiting,

enrolling and financially assisting

economically disadvantaged and

minority students. If the applicant is an

APO or State, HUD will consider the

demonstrated commitment of each

institution of higher education on

whose behalf the APO or State is

applying; HUD will also consider the

demonstrated commitment of the APO

or State to recruit and hire economically

disadvantaged and minority students.

E. Program Policy Factors

HUD may provide assistance to

support a number of students that is less

than the number requested under

applications in order to provide

assistance to as many highly rated

applications as possible. In addition,

HUD might award a lower funding level

than the requested amount for tuition,

work stipend, books and additional

support.

In the event two or more applications

have the same number of points, the

application with the most points for

selection factor (1) will be selected. If

there is still a tie, the application with

the most points for selection factor (6)

will be selected.

F. Application Content and Review

Procedures

Applicants must complete and submit

applications in accordance with

instructions contained in the

application kit, and must include all

certifications, assurances, and budget

information requested in the kit.

Following the expiration of the

application submission deadline, HUD

will review and rank applications in a

manner consistent with the procedures

described in this Notice and the

provisions of the program regulations at

24 CFR 570.415.

G. Corrections to Deficient Applications

If an application lacks certain

technical items or contains a technical

error, such as an incorrect signatory,

HUD may notify the applicant in writing

that it has 14 calendar days from the

date of HUD’s written notification to

cure the technical deficiency. If the

applicant fails to submit the missing

material within the 14-day cure period,

HUD may disqualify the application.

This 14-day cure period applies only

to non-substantive deficiencies or

errors. Any deficiency capable of cure

will involve only items not necessary

for HUD to assess the merits of an

application against the factors specified

in this NOFA.

H. Findings and Certifications

1. Federalism Impact

The General Counsel, as the

Designated Official under section 6(a) of

Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has

determined that the policies and

procedures contained in this notice will

not have substantial direct effects on

States or their political subdivisions, or

the relationship between the federal

government and the States, or on the

distribution of power and
9900 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 42 / Tuesday, March 4, 1997 / Notices

responsibilities among the various

levels of government. As a result, the

notice is not subject to review under the

Order.

2. Impact on the Family

The General Counsel, as the

Designated Official under Executive

Order 12606, The Family, has

determined that this notice will likely

have a beneficial impact on family

formation, maintenance, and general

well-being. Accordingly, since the

impact on the family is beneficial, no

further review is considered necessary.

3. Accountability in the Provision of

HUD Assistance

Section 102 of the Department of

Housing and Urban Development

Reform Act of 1989 (HUD Reform Act)

and the final rule codified at 24 CFR

part 4, subpart A, published on April 1,

1996 (61 FR 1448), contain a number of

provisions that are designed to ensure

greater accountability and integrity in

the provision of certain types of

assistance administered by HUD. On

January 14, 1992 (57 FR 1942), HUD

published a notice that also provides

information on the implementation of

section 102. The documentation, public

access, and disclosure requirements of

section 102 are applicable to assistance

awarded under this NOFA as follows:

a. Documentation and Public Access

HUD will ensure that documentation

and other information regarding each

application submitted pursuant to this

NOFA are sufficient to indicate the basis

upon which assistance was provided or

denied. This material, including any

letters of support, will be made

available for public inspection for a fiveyear period beginning not less than 30

days after the award of the assistance.

Material will be made available in

accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and

HUD’s implementing regulations at 24

CFR part 15. In addition, HUD will

include the recipients of assistance

pursuant to this NOFA in its Federal

Register notice of all recipients of HUD

assistance awarded on a competitive

basis.

b. HUD Responsibilities—Disclosures

HUD will make available to the public

for five years all applicant disclosure

reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in

connection with this NOFA. Update

reports (also Form 2880) will be made

available along with the applicant

disclosure reports, but in no case for a

period less than three years. All reports,

both applicant disclosures and updates,

will be made available in accordance

with the Freedom of Information Act (5

U.S.C. 552) and HUD’s implementing

regulations at 24 CFR part 15.

c. State and Unit of General Local

Government Responsibilities—

Disclosures

States and units of general

government receiving assistance under

this NOFA must make all applicant

disclosure reports available to the

public for three years. Required update

reports must be made available along

with the applicant disclosure reports,

but in no case for a period less than

three years. Each State and unit of

general local government may use HUD

Form 2880 to collect the disclosures, or

may develop its own form.

4. Prohibition Against Advance

Information on Funding Decisions

HUD’s regulation implementing

section 103 of the HUD Reform Act,

codified as 24 CFR part 4, applies to the

funding competition announced today.

The requirements of the rule continue to

apply until the announcement of the

selection of successful applicants.

HUD employees involved in the

review of applications and in the

making of funding decisions are

restrained by part 4 from providing

advance information to any person

(other than an authorized employee of

HUD) concerning funding decisions, or

from otherwise giving any applicant an

unfair competitive advantage. Persons

who apply for assistance in this

competition should confine their

inquiries to the subject areas permitted

under 24 CFR part 4.

Applicants who have ethics related

questions should contact HUD’s Ethics

Law Division (202) 708–3815 (This is

not a toll-free number.)

5. Prohibition Against Lobbying

Activities

Applicants for funding under this

NOFA are subject to the provisions of

section 319 of the Department of Interior

and Related Agencies Appropriation Act

for Fiscal Year 1991 (31 U.S.C. 1352)

(the Byrd Amendment), which prohibits

applicants from using appropriated

funds for lobbying the Executive or

Legislative Branches of the Federal

Government in connection with a

specific contract, grant, or loan.

Applicants are required to certify, using

the certification found at Appendix A to

24 CFR part 87, that they will not, and

have not, used appropriated funds for

any prohibited lobbying activities. In

addition, applicants must disclose,

using Standard Form LLL, ‘‘Disclosure

of Lobbying Activities,’’ any funds,

other than Federally appropriated

funds, that will be or have been used to

influence Federal employees, members

of Congress, and Congressional staff

regarding specific grants or contracts.

6. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

The information collection

requirements contained in this NOFA

have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB), under

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

(44 U.S.C. 3501–3520) and assigned

OMB control number 2528–0175. An

agency may not conduct or sponsor, and

a person is not required to respond to,

a collection of information unless the

collection displays a valid control

number.

7. Environmental Impact

This NOFA does not direct, provide

for assistance or loan and mortgage

insurance for, or otherwise govern or

regulate property acquisition,

disposition, lease, rehabilitation,

alteration, demolition, or new

construction, or set out or provide for

standards for construction or

construction materials, manufactured

housing, or occupancy. Accordingly,

under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this NOFA is

categorically excluded from

environmental review under the

National Environmental Policy Act of

1969, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321). In

addition, the provision of assistance

under this NOFA is categorically

excluded from review in accordance

with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9).

I. The Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number

The Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance Number for the CDWSP is

14.234.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5301–5320; 42 U.S.C.

3535(d); 24 CFR 570.402.

Date: February 18, 1997.

Michael A. Stegman,

Assistant Secretary for Policy Development

and Research.

[FR Doc. 97–5295 Filed 3–3–97; 8:45 am]

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