[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 140 (Monday, July 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40021-40028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-15914]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Training of Interpreters for 
Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are 
DeafBlind Program

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice 
inviting applications for Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2021 for 
Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are 
DeafBlind program--Assistance Listing Number 84.160D--to provide 
training to working interpreters in order to develop a new skill area 
or enhance an existing skill area. This notice relates to the approved 
information collection under OMB control number 1820-0018.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: July 26, 2021.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 30, 2021.
    Date of Pre-Application Meeting: On the date of publication in the 
Federal Register, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services (OSERS) will post a PowerPoint presentation that provides 
general information about the Rehabilitation Services Administration's 
(RSA) discretionary grants and a PowerPoint presentation specifically 
about Training of Interpreters for Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of 
Hearing and Individuals Who Are DeafBlind at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx. OSERS will conduct a pre-application meeting via 
conference call on July 30, 2021. Details about the pre-application 
meeting will be available at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx. 
OSERS invites you to send questions to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2a1b1c1a6e6a4f4e044d455c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8999e98ece8cdcc86cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a> in advance of the 
pre-application meeting. The 84.160D pre-application meeting summary of 
questions and answers will be available at https://ncrtm.ed.gov/RSAGrantInfo.aspx within six days after the pre-application meeting.

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an

[[Page 40022]]

application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to 
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the 
Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristen Rhinehart-Fernandez, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 5094, Potomac 
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone (202) 245-6103. 
Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#42737472060227266c252d34"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fbcacdcbbfbb9e9fd59c948d">[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.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The Training of Interpreters for Individuals 
Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and Individuals Who Are DeafBlind 
program is designed to establish interpreter training programs or to 
provide financial assistance for ongoing interpreter programs to train 
a sufficient number of qualified interpreters throughout the country in 
order to meet the communication needs of individuals who are deaf or 
hard of hearing and individuals who are DeafBlind by--
    (a) Training interpreters to effectively interpret and 
transliterate between spoken language and sign language and to 
transliterate between spoken language and oral or tactile modes of 
communication;
    (b) Ensuring the maintenance of the interpreting skills of 
qualified interpreters; and
    (c) Providing opportunities for interpreters to raise their skill 
level competence in order to meet the highest standards approved by 
certifying associations.
    Priority: This notice contains one absolute priority. In accordance 
with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), the absolute priority is from the notice 
of final priority and requirements (NFP) for this program published 
elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
    Absolute Priority: For FFY 2021, and any subsequent year in which 
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Interpreter Training in Specialty Areas.
    The purpose of this priority is to fund projects that provide 
training to working interpreters in one of five specialty areas to 
effectively meet the communication needs of individuals who are deaf or 
hard of hearing and individuals who are DeafBlind receiving vocational 
rehabilitation (VR) services and/or services from other programs, such 
as independent living services, under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
(Rehabilitation Act). For the purposes of this priority, working 
interpreters must possess a baccalaureate degree and a minimum of three 
years of relevant experience as an interpreter. On a case-by-case basis 
and in consultation with RSA, educational equivalence may be used in 
place of the baccalaureate degree.
    The specialty areas are--
    (1) Increasing skills of novice interpreters;
    (2) Trilingual interpreting (including Spanish) (i.e., language 
fluency in first, second, and third languages with one of the three 
languages being ASL);
    (3) Advanced skills for working interpreters;
    (4) Cultural competency training, outreach, and recruitment of 
interpreters from multicultural backgrounds; and
    (5) National projects in a field-initiated area, in topic areas 
such as--
    (a) Interpreting in healthcare, including interpreting for hard-to-
serve populations;
    (b) Interpreting for individuals who are DeafBlind;
    (c) Atypical language interpreting; and
    (d) Other topics in new areas for which applicants demonstrate that 
the existing training is not adequately meeting the needs of 
interpreters working in the field of VR.
    Application Requirements:
    The following application requirements apply to all specialty areas 
under this priority. The Department encourages innovative approaches to 
meet these requirements. Applicants must--
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will address 
the need for sign language interpreters in a specialty area. To address 
this requirement, applicants must--
    (1) Present applicable data demonstrating the need for interpreters 
in the specialty area for which training will be developed by the 
project and delivered in at least three distinct, noncontiguous 
geographic areas, which may include the U.S. Territories;
    (2) Present baseline data for the number or estimated number of 
working interpreters currently trained in the specialty area. In the 
event that an applicant proposes training in a new specialty area that 
does not currently exist or for which there are no baseline data, the 
applicant should provide an adequate explanation of the lack of 
reliable data and may report zero as a baseline; and
    (3) Describe the competencies that working interpreters must 
demonstrate in order to provide high-quality services in the identified 
specialty area and explain how those competencies are based on 
practices that demonstrate a rationale or are supported by promising 
evidence (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1).
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of Project Design,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Develop a new training program or stand-alone modules and 
conduct a pilot by the end of the first year of the project. Applicants 
must provide justification in their application if they believe 
additional time may be necessary to fully develop and pilot the 
curricula before the end of the first year. The training program or 
stand-alone modules must contain remote learning \1\ experiences that 
advance engagement and learning (e.g., synchronous and asynchronous 
professional learning, professional learning networks or communities, 
and coaching), which could also be incorporated into existing 
associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree ASL-English (or ASL-other 
spoken language) programs, as appropriate. The remote learning 
environment must be accessible to individuals with disabilities in 
accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title 
II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as applicable. Applicants 
may choose to award continuing education credits (CEUs) or college or 
master's level credits to participants in the training program. 
Applicants should note that while pre-service training is not the focus 
of this program, a variety of resources may be considered (such as 
available pre-service training material) that may inform, support, or 
strengthen the development of training for ASL-English interpreter 
training in specialized areas. Training materials may include 
information to ensure

[[Page 40023]]

participants have a foundational understanding of the VR program. 
Finally, applicants must consider cultural competency as it relates to 
their respective specialty area. Applicants must describe how training 
and accompanying materials developed for interpreting practice and 
application, especially video content, will include diverse and 
inclusive models and perspectives;
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    \1\ Remote learning means programming where at least part of the 
learning occurs away from the physical building in a manner that 
addresses a learner's educational needs. Remote learning may include 
online, hybrid/blended learning, or non-technology-based learning 
(e.g., lab kits, project supplies, paper packets).
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    (2) Deliver the training or stand-alone modules remotely to at 
least three distinct, noncontiguous geographic areas identified in 
paragraph (a)(1) of these application requirements in years two, three, 
four, and five of the project. Applicants may deliver in-person 
training, as appropriate, to support participants' application of 
knowledge, skills, and competencies gained through online training. 
Applicants may decide when to safely offer in-person training and must 
be prepared to pivot between in-person and remote learning during the 
project, as needed, throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic;
    (3) Provide skilled, diverse, and experienced leaders, mentors, 
facilitators, coaches, and subject matter experts, as appropriate for 
the specialty area, to participants, as needed. This may include, but 
is not limited to, one-on-one instruction to address specific areas 
identified by an advisor as needing further practice, and providing 
written feedback from observed interpreting situations and mentoring 
sessions, from deaf consumers, from trained mentors, and from others, 
as appropriate;
    (4) Develop a self-directed track and make it available to the 
public for independent remote learning by the end of the second year of 
the project. Applicants must develop a curriculum guide for each module 
and make available relevant materials from the training program. 
Applicants may offer CEUs to participants who successfully complete the 
self-directed track;
    (5) Be based on current research and make use of practices that 
demonstrate a rationale or are supported by promising evidence. To meet 
this requirement, applicants must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will incorporate current research and 
practices that demonstrate a rationale or are supported by promising 
evidence in the development and delivery of training and in the 
development of products and materials;
    (ii) How the proposed project will ensure interaction between 
project participants and individuals with disabilities who are deaf, 
hard of hearing, and DeafBlind and have a range of communication 
skills, from those with limited language skills to those with high-
level, professional language skills, as appropriate.
    (c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
Project Services,'' applicants must--
    (1) Demonstrate how the project will ensure equal access and 
treatment for eligible project participants who are members of groups 
who have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, 
national origin, gender, age, or disability;
    (2) Describe the criteria that will be used to identify applicants 
for participation in the program, including any pre-assessments that 
may be used to determine the skill, knowledge base, and competencies of 
the working interpreter;
    (3) Describe how the project will conduct outreach \2\ to working 
interpreters, especially working interpreters from rural areas, Indian 
Tribes, traditionally underrepresented groups, and individuals who come 
from heritage signing, deaf, and CODA backgrounds;
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    \2\ When preparing outreach and recruitment materials, selection 
criteria for training programs, as well as criteria for selecting 
trainers employed under the grant, applicants must cast a wide net 
for participants of all races and not preclude participation based 
on race, color, or national origin.
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    (4) Describe how the project will provide feedback, resources, and 
next steps to applicants who may not be accepted into the program due 
to insufficient skills, knowledge base, and competencies;
    (5) Describe how the program will identify skilled, diverse, and 
experienced leaders, mentors, facilitators, coaches, and subject matter 
experts, as appropriate for the specialty area, and develop necessary 
training for them to improve and enhance interpreting skills in their 
respective areas, as well as in remote delivery, as needed. Applicants 
must also describe how they will grow the pool of experienced personnel 
and create opportunities for participants to advance as mentors, 
coaches, and facilitators in the program;
    (6) Describe the approach that will be used to enable more working 
interpreters to participate in and successfully complete the training 
program, specifically participants who need to work while in the 
program, have child care or elder care considerations, or live in 
geographically isolated areas;
    (7) Describe how the project will incorporate adult learning 
principles and practices that demonstrate a rationale or are supported 
by promising evidence for adult learners;
    (8) Demonstrate how the project is of sufficient scope, intensity, 
and duration to adequately prepare working interpreters in the 
identified specialty area of training. To address this requirement, 
applicants must describe how--
    (i) The components of the proposed project will support working 
interpreters' acquisition and enhancement of the competencies 
identified in paragraph (a)(2)(i) of these application requirements;
    (ii) The components of the project will provide working 
interpreters opportunities to apply their content knowledge in a 
variety of practical settings;
    (iii) The proposed project will establish induction experiences in 
the specialty area for participants as a requirement for completion in 
the training program, to the extent possible. The induction environment 
must be designed in such a way that meets the communication preferences 
of individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, and DeafBlind. Applicants 
must be prepared to pivot between in-person and remote inductions 
during the project, as needed, throughout the duration of the COVID-19 
pandemic. The number of participants completing inductions may be based 
on availability of opportunities and trained personnel necessary to 
support them. Applicants may determine the appropriate scope and length 
of time for the induction and must work to increase the availability of 
inductions in their respective specialty area, where possible;
    (9) Demonstrate how the proposed project will actively engage 
representation from consumers, consumer organizations, and service 
providers, especially State VR agencies and their partners, 
interpreters, interpreter educators, and individuals who are deaf, hard 
of hearing, and DeafBlind, in all aspects of the project; and
    (10) Describe how the project will conduct dissemination, 
coordination, and communication activities. To meet this requirement, 
the applicant must describe how it will--
    (i) Disseminate information to working interpreters about training 
available in specialized areas and to State VR agencies and their 
partners, American Job Centers, and other workforce partners about how 
to locate specialized interpreters in their State and local areas;
    (ii) Establish a state-of-the-art website or modify an existing 
website for communicating with participants and stakeholders and ensure 
that all material developed by the grant and posted on

[[Page 40024]]

the website are accessible to individuals with disabilities in 
accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and title II of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act, as applicable. The website must 
provide a central location for all material related to the project, 
such as reports, training curricula, audiovisual materials, webinars, 
communities of practice, and other relevant material developed by the 
grantee;
    (iii) Disseminate information about the project, including, but not 
limited to, products such as training curricula, presentations, 
reports, effective practices for training working interpreters in 
specialized areas, and other relevant information through the NCRTM;
    (iv) In the final year of the budget period, ensure that all 
training materials have been provided to the NCRTM and the website and 
IT platform can be sustained, or coordinate with RSA to transition the 
website to the NCRTM;
    (v) Establish one or more communities of practice in the specialty 
area of training that focuses on project activities and acts as a 
vehicle for communication and exchange of information among 
participants in the program and other relevant stakeholders;
    (vi) Communicate, collaborate, and coordinate with other relevant 
Department-funded projects, as applicable;
    (vii) Maintain ongoing communication with the RSA project officer 
and other RSA staff as required;
    (viii) Communicate, collaborate, and coordinate, as appropriate, 
with key staff in State VR agencies, such as the State Coordinators for 
the Deaf; State and local partner programs; consumer organizations and 
associations, including those that represent individuals who are deaf, 
hard of hearing, and DeafBlind; and relevant RSA partner organizations 
and associations; and
    (ix) Disseminate to associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree 
ASL-English programs, as well as to relevant Department-funded programs 
and Federal partners, as applicable, the training material and products 
for incorporation into existing curricula, as well as products, 
effective practices for training working interpreters in specialized 
areas, challenges and solutions, results achieved, and lessons learned. 
To satisfy this requirement, the grantee must develop participant 
guides, implementation materials, toolkits, manuals, and other relevant 
material for interpreter educators and others, as appropriate, to 
incorporate or build into existing programs.
    (d) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the Evaluation Plan,'' include an evaluation plan. To meet this 
requirement, the evaluation plan must describe--
    (1) Standards and targets for measuring the effectiveness of the 
program;
    (2) An approach for measuring knowledge, skills, and competencies 
before and after successful completion of training;
    (3) An approach for measuring outcomes for participants that 
completed an induction compared to those who did not prior to 
successfully completing the program;
    (4) An approach for gathering information from participants about 
their estimated percentage of workload interpreting for individuals who 
are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals who are DeafBlind receiving 
VR services and/or services from other programs, such as independent 
living services, before and after specialty training;
    (5) An approach for incorporating oral and written feedback from 
trainers and deaf consumers and any feedback from coaching or mentoring 
sessions conducted with the participants;
    (6) Methodologies, including instruments, data collection methods, 
and analyses that will be used to evaluate the project and how the 
methods of evaluation will produce quantitative and qualitative data to 
demonstrate whether the project activities achieved their intended 
outcomes;
    (7) Measures of progress in implementation, including the extent to 
which the project activities and products have reached their intended 
recipients, measures of intended outcomes or results in order to 
evaluate those activities, and how well the goals and objectives of the 
proposed project, as described in the logic model (as defined in 34 CFR 
77.1), have been met;
    (8) How the evaluation will be coordinated, implemented, and 
revised, as needed, during the project. The applicant must designate at 
least one individual with sufficient dedicated time, demonstrated 
experience in evaluation, and knowledge of the project to coordinate 
and conduct the evaluation. This may include, but is not limited to, 
making revisions post award in order to reflect any changes or 
clarifications, as needed, to the model and to the evaluation design 
and instrumentation with the logic model (e.g., designing instruments 
and developing quantitative or qualitative data collections that permit 
collecting of progress data and assessing project outcomes); and
    (9) How evaluation results will be used to examine the 
effectiveness of the training. To address this requirement, applicants 
must provide an approach for determining--
    (i) What practice(s) was most effective in training working 
interpreters in the respective specialty area and what data 
demonstrates the practice(s) was effective; and
    (ii) What practice(s) was most effective in narrowing working 
interpreters' skill gaps and what data demonstrates the practice(s) was 
effective.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment 
with the project from persons who are members of groups that have 
historically been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability;
    (2) Describe any proposed consultants or contractors named in the 
application and their areas of expertise and provide a rationale to 
demonstrate the need;
    (3) Describe costs associated with technology, including, but not 
limited to, maintaining an online learning platform, state-of-the-art 
archiving and dissemination platform, and communication tools (i.e., 
Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google, Amazon Chime, Skype, etc.), ensuring all 
products and services are accessible to individuals with disabilities 
in accordance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and title II 
of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as applicable, including costs 
associated with captioning and transcription services, and 
cybersecurity; and
    (4) The applicant and any identified partners have adequate 
resources to carry out the proposed activities.
    (f) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how applicants will ensure that--
    (1) The project's intended outcomes, including the evaluation, will 
be achieved on time and within budget, through--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities of key project personnel, 
consultants, and contractors, as applicable;
    (ii) Procedures to track and ensure completion of the action steps, 
timelines, and milestones established for key project activities, 
requirements, and deliverables;
    (iii) Internal monitoring processes to ensure that the project is 
being

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implemented in accordance with the established application and project 
plan; and
    (iv) Internal financial management controls to ensure accurate and 
timely obligations, drawdowns, and reporting of grant funds, as well as 
monitoring contracts, in accordance with the Uniform Administrative 
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal 
Awards at 2 CFR part 200 and the terms and conditions of the Federal 
award.
    (2) The allocation of key project personnel, consultants, and 
contractors, as applicable, including levels of effort of key personnel 
that are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project's intended 
outcomes, including an assurance that key personnel will have enough 
availability to ensure timely communications with stakeholders and RSA;
    (3) The products and services are of high quality, relevance, and 
usefulness, in both content and delivery;
    (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives; and
    (5) Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a manner 
consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the Federal 
civil rights laws.
    (g) Address the following application requirements. Applicants 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a 
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and short and long-term 
outcomes of the proposed project;
    (2) Include, in Appendix A, person-loading charts and timelines, as 
applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative; and
    (3) Provide an assurance that any interpreters trained or retrained 
under this program will meet the standards of competency for a 
qualified professional, defined in 34 CFR 396.4(c) as an individual who 
has: (i) Met existing certification or evaluation requirements 
equivalent to the highest standards approved by certifying 
associations; and (ii) successfully demonstrated interpreting skills 
that reflect the highest standards approved by certifying associations 
through prior work experience.
    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 709(c) and 772(a) and (f).
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 396.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 
and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget 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 as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 396. (e) 
The NFP.
    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: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $3,360,000.
    Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $420,000 for a 
single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 8.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from 
the list of unfunded applications from this competition.
    The Secretary intends to fund a total of eight national projects in 
FFY 2021. The Secretary intends to fund one project in each specialty 
area, (1) through (4), listed under the Absolute Priority section of 
this notice, provided that we receive applications of sufficient 
quality. In addition, the Secretary intends to fund four projects in 
specialty area (5). As a result, the Secretary may fund applications 
out of rank order. In the event that there are no applications 
submitted or deemed eligible to fund in specialty areas (1) through 
(4), the Secretary may fund more than four projects in specialty area 
(5).
    Note: Section 302(f)(1)(C) of the Rehabilitation Act and 34 CFR 
396.33 require the Secretary to give priority to public or private 
nonprofit agencies or organizations with existing programs that have a 
demonstrated capacity for providing interpreter training services. In 
the event of a peer review score tie and sufficient funding is only 
available to make one additional award, the Secretary will give 
priority to a public or private nonprofit agency or organization with 
an existing program that has a demonstrated capacity for providing 
interpreter training services.
    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
    Project Period: Up to 60 months.
    Continuing the Fourth and Fifth Years of the Program:
    In deciding whether to continue funding the fourth and fifth years, 
the Department will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a). In 
addition, as part of the review of the application narrative and annual 
performance reports, RSA will consider the degree to which the program 
demonstrates substantial progress toward completing project activities 
outlined in the priority, as well as the timeliness and effectiveness 
with which all requirements of the grant award have been or are being 
met by the grantee, including the submission of annual performance 
reports, and adherence to fiduciary responsibilities related to the 
budget submitted in the application per 2 CFR part 200, ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements 
for Federal Awards,'' and the Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State and public or nonprofit agencies and 
organizations, including American Indian Tribes and IHEs.
    Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, under 34 CFR 75.51, you 
may demonstrate your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof that the 
Internal Revenue Service currently recognizes the applicant as an 
organization to which contributions are tax deductible under section 
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; (2) a statement from a State 
taxing body or the State attorney general certifying that the 
organization is a nonprofit organization operating within the State and 
that no part of its net earnings may lawfully benefit any private 
shareholder or individual; (3) a certified copy of the applicant's 
certificate of incorporation or similar document if it clearly 
establishes the nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any item 
described above if that item applies to a State or national parent 
organization, together with a statement by the State or parent 
organization that the applicant is a local nonprofit affiliate.
    2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This program uses an 
unrestricted indirect cost rate. For more information regarding 
indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated indirect cost rate, please 
see www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
    c. Administrative Cost Limitation: This program does not include 
any program-specific limitation on administrative expenses. All

[[Page 40026]]

administrative expenses must be reasonable and necessary and conform to 
Cost Principles described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 
Guidance.
    3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award 
subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to 
follow the Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of 
Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal 
Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at 
www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, which 
contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.
    2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of 
projects that may be proposed in applications for this program, your 
application may include business information that you consider 
proprietary. In 34 CFR 5.11 we define ``business information'' and 
describe the process we use in determining whether any of that 
information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under 
Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as 
amended).
    Because we plan to make successful applications available to the 
public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business 
information.
    Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your 
application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure 
under Exemption 4. In the appropriate Appendix section of your 
application, under ``Other Attachments Form,'' please list the page 
number or numbers on which we can find this information. For additional 
information please see 34 CFR 5.11(c).
    3. Intergovernmental Review: This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. However, under 34 
CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in order to make awards 
by the end of FY 2021.
    4. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    5. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, 
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 45 pages and (2) use 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, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
    <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.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover sheet; the 
budget section, including the narrative budget justification; the 
assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the resumes, 
the bibliography, or the letters of support. However, the recommended 
page limit does apply to all of the application narrative.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are a combination of selection criteria under 34 CFR 396.31, 34 CFR 
75.209, and 34 CFR 75.210, have a maximum score of 100 points, and are 
as follows:
    (a) Program-specific. (20 points)
    (1) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent 
to which--
    (i) The proposed interpreter training project was developed in 
consultation with State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and their 
related agencies and consumers;
    (ii) The training is appropriate to the needs of both individuals 
who are deaf or hard of hearing and individuals who are DeafBlind and 
to the needs of public and private agencies that provide services to 
either individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or individuals who 
are DeafBlind in the geographical area to be served by the training 
project;
    (iii) Any curricula for the training of interpreters includes 
evidence-based practices and promising practices when evidence-based 
practices are not available;
    (iv) There is a working relationship between the interpreter 
training project and State Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and their 
related agencies, and consumers; and
    (v) There are opportunities for individuals who are deaf or hard of 
hearing and individuals who are DeafBlind to provide input regarding 
the design and management of the training project.
    (b) Quality of the project design. (25 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the project design of 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the design of the proposed 
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which the design of the proposed project 
includes a thorough, high-quality review of the relevant literature, a 
high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of 
appropriate methodological tools to ensure successful achievement of 
project objectives.
    (iii) The extent to which the design for implementing and 
evaluating the proposed project will result in information to guide 
possible replication of project activities or strategies, including 
information about the effectiveness of the approach or strategies 
employed by the project.
    (c) Quality of project services. (15 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of services to be provided 
by the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project services, the Secretary 
considers the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal 
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members 
of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the extent to which the 
training or professional development services to be provided by the 
proposed project are of sufficient quality, intensity, and duration to 
lead to improvements in practice among the recipients of those 
services.
    (d) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted by the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are

[[Page 40027]]

clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and will 
produce quantitative and qualitative data to the extent possible.
    (e) Quality of project personnel and adequacy of resources. (10 
points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of personnel who will carry 
out the proposed project and the adequacy of project resources for the 
proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of project personnel and adequacy of 
resources, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant 
encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of 
groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, 
color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel.
    (ii) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed 
project.
    (f) Quality of the management plan. (10 points)
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly 
defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing 
project tasks.
    (ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director and principal investigator and other key project personnel are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    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 
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 
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.206, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
200.208, the Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR 
3474.10 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    4. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$250,000), under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your 
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal 
awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before we make 
an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that 
is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as 
the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award Management. You may 
review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal 
agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
    5. In General: In accordance with the Office of Management and 
Budget's guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all applicable Federal 
laws, and relevant Executive guidance, the Department will review and 
consider applications for funding pursuant to this notice inviting 
applications in accordance with--
    (a) Selecting recipients most likely to be successful in delivering 
results based on the program objectives through an objective process of 
evaluating Federal award applications (2 CFR 200.205);
    (b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain telecommunication and video 
surveillance services or equipment in alignment with section 889 of the 
National Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. 115--232) (2 CFR 
200.216);
    (c) Providing a preference, to the extent permitted by law, to 
maximize use of goods, products, and materials produced in the United 
States (2 CFR 200.322); and
    (d) Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the greatest 
extent authorized by law if an award no longer effectuates the program 
goals or agency priorities (2 CFR 200.340).

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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you 
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to 
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in 
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of 
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those 
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent 
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or 
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works. 
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant 
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables. 
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your 
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional 
information on the open licensing

[[Page 40028]]

requirements please refer to 2 CFR 3474.20.
    4. 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 multiyear award, you must submit annual 
performance reports that provide 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.
    5. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act 
of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the 
effectiveness of their programs by engaging in strategic planning, 
setting outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program 
results against those goals.
    For the purposes of GPRA and Department reporting under 34 CFR 
75.110, we have established the following program measures:
    Measure 1: The number of working interpreters enrolled in 
specialized training.
    Measure 2: Of those enrolled, the number and percentage of working 
interpreters who successfully complete specialized training.
    Measure 3: The number and percentage of working interpreters who 
successfully completed specialized training and subsequently reported 
using the knowledge and skills obtained during specialized training in 
their interpreting work.
    6. 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, whether 
the grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the performance 
targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, 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. Other Information

    Accessible Format: On request to the program contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, individuals with disabilities 
can obtain this document and a copy of the application package in an 
accessible format. The Department will provide the requestor with an 
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or text 
format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc, or other accessible format.
    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may 
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of 
Federal Regulations at www.govinfo.gov. 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 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.

Katherine Neas,
Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2021-15914 Filed 7-22-21; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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