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[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 12, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59329-59333]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-20396]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education; Overview Information, Centers 
for International Business Education Program; Notice Inviting 
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.220A.
    Dates:
    Applications Available: October 12, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: See the chart listed 
under section IV. Application and Submission Information, 3. Submission 
Dates and Times (chart). Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See 
chart.
    Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education or consortia 
of such institutions.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$10,775,000 for new awards under this program for FY 2006. The actual 
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete 
the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$450,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $360,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $450,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 30.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Centers for International 
Business Education (CIBE) Program is to provide grants to pay the 
Federal share of the cost of planning, establishing and operating 
Centers for International Business Education that will--
    1. Be national resources for the teaching of improved business 
techniques, strategies, and methodologies that emphasize the 
international context in which business is transacted;
    2. Provide instruction in critical foreign languages and 
international fields needed to provide an understanding of the cultures 
and customs of United States trading partners;
    3. Provide research and training in the international aspects of 
trade, commerce, and other fields of study;
    4. Provide training to students enrolled in the institution, or 
combinations of institutions, in which a center is located;
    5. Serve as regional resources to businesses proximately located by 
offering programs and providing research designed to meet the 
international training needs of these businesses; and
    6. Serve other faculty, students and institutions of higher 
education located within their region.
    Under this competition, we are particularly interested in 
applications that address the following priorities.
    Invitational Priorities: For FY 06 these priorities are 
invitational priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) we do not give an 
application that meets these

[[Page 59330]]

invitational priorities a competitive or absolute preference over other 
applications.
    These priorities are:

Invitational Priority 1

    Applications that propose innovative approaches to improving the 
teaching of foreign languages in a business or professional context, 
including the less commonly taught languages.

Invitational Priority 2

    Applications that propose programs or activities focused on 
homeland security and U.S. international competitiveness.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1130-1.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.
    As there are no program-specific regulations, we encourage each 
potential applicant to read the authorizing statute for the CIBE 
program in section 612 of title VI, part B, of the Higher Education Act 
of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1130-1.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested 
$10,775,000 for new awards under this program for FY 2006. The actual 
level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. 
However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete 
the grant process if Congress awards funds for this program.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $200,000-$450,000.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $360,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $450,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum 
amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 30.

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

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education or 
consortia of such institutions.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: The matching requirement is described 
in section 612(e) of the HEA. The statute requires that the Federal 
share of the cost of planning, establishing and operating centers under 
this program shall be--
    a. not more than 90 percent for the first year in which Federal 
funds are received;
    b. not more than 70 percent for the second year and
    c. not more than 50 percent for the third year and for each year 
thereafter.
    The non-Federal share of the cost of planning, establishing, and 
operating centers under this section may be provided either in cash or 
in-kind.
    Waiver of non-Federal share: In the case of an institution of 
higher education receiving a grant under the CIBE program and 
conducting outreach or consortia activities with another institution of 
higher education in accordance with section 612(c)(2)(E) of the HEA, 
the Secretary may waive a portion of the requirements for the non-
Federal share equal to the amount provided by the institution of higher 
education receiving the grant to the other institution of higher 
education for carrying out the outreach or consortia activities. Any 
such waiver is subject to the terms and conditions the Secretary deems 
necessary for carrying out the purposes of the program.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Mrs. Susanna Easton, 
International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 
1990 K Street, NW., Room 6093, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: 
(202) 502-7628 or by e-mail: [email protected] or visit http://www.ed.gov/HEP/iegps to download an application.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) 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 application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 55 pages, using the following standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. However, you may 
single space all text in charts, tables, figures and graphs.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font 
(including Times Romas, Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. 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, and graphs.
    The 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 or the appendices. 
However, you must include your complete response to the selection 
criteria in the application narrative.
    We will reject your application if--
     You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
     You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the 
page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: October 12, 2005.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: In light of the damage 
caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita we are establishing two separate 
deadlines for the submission of applications for grants under this 
competition to permit potential applicants affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita additional time to submit their applications. We 
are establishing a General Deadline for all applicants, and an Extended 
Deadline for potential applicants who have been affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita and are located in Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, 
Mississippi, and Florida. Specifically, the Extended Deadline applies 
only to: (1) institutions of higher education, SEAs, LEAs, non-profit 
organizations and other public or private organization applicants that 
are located in a federally-declared disaster area as determined by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (see http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema) and that were adversely affected by Hurricanes 
Katrina and/or Rita, and (2) individual applicants who reside or 
resided, on the disaster declaration date, in a federally-declared 
disaster area as determined by FEMA (see http://www.fema.gov/news/

[[Page 59331]]

disasters.fema) and were adversely affected by Hurricanes Katrina and/
or Rita. These applicants must provide a certification in their 
application that they meet the criteria for submitting an application 
on the Extended Deadline, and be prepared to provide appropriate 
supporting documentation, if requested. If the applicant is submitting 
the application electronically, submission of the application serves as 
the applicant's attestation that they meet the criteria for submitting 
an application on the Extended Deadline.
    The following chart provides the applicable deadlines for the 
submission of applications. If this program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372, the relevant deadline for intergovernmental review is also 
indicated in the chart.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Transmittal of  Intergovernmental
                                        applications         review
------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Deadline.....................        11/15/05           1/16/06
Extended Deadline....................         12/1/05            2/1/06
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Applications for grants under this program must be submitted 
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) available through the Department's e-Grants system. For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically or by mail or hand delivery if you qualify 
for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer 
to Section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: See chart.
    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 reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. 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 Centers for International 
Business Education program--84.220A must be submitted electronically 
using e-Application available through the Department's e-Grants system, 
accessible through the e-Grants portal page at: http://e-grants.ed.gov
    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.
    While completing your electronic application, you will be entering 
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an 
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
    Please note the following:
     You must complete the electronic submission of your grant 
application by 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. The e-Application system will not accept an application 
for this program after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do 
not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application 
process.
     The regular hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site 
are 6 a.m. Monday until 7 p.m. Wednesday; and 6 a.m. Thursday until 
midnight Saturday, Washington, DC time. Please note that the system is 
unavailable on Sundays, and between 7 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6 a.m. on 
Thursdays, Washington, DC time, for maintenance. Any modifications to 
these hours are posted on the e-Grants Web site.
     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.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget 
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary 
assurances and certifications. You must attach any narrative sections 
of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or 
.PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than 
the three file types specified above or submit a password protected 
file, we will not review that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page 
limit requirements described in this notice.
     Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may 
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number 
(an identifying number unique to your application).
     Within three working days after submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the ED 424 to the Application Control 
Center after following these steps:
    (1) Print ED 424 from e-Application.
    (2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
    (3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the 
hard-copy signature page of the ED 424.
    (4) Fax the signed ED 424 to the Application Control Center at 
(202) 245-6272.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
other forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of e-Application System 
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting 
your application on the application deadline date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of 
one business day in order to transmit your application electronically, 
by mail, or by hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
    (1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have 
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
    (2) (a) The e-Application system is unavailable for 60 minutes or 
more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, 
on the application deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system is unavailable for any period of time 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date.
    We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability 
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to 
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may 
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If the system is down and therefore 
the application deadline is

[[Page 59332]]

extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users who have 
initiated an e-Application. Extensions referred to in this section 
apply only to the unavailability of the Department's e-Application 
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 e-Application system because--
     You do not have access to the Internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Department's e-Application system; and
     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: Susanna Easton, U.S. 
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6093, Washington, DC 
20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.
    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 applicable 
following address:
    By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of 
Education, Application Control Center, Attention: CFDA Number 84.220A, 
400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. or
    By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center--Stop 4260, Attention: CFDA Number 84.220A, 
7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, 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, or
    (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, or
    (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 84.220A, 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 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 4 of the Application for Federal Education 
Assistance (ED 424) the CFDA number--and suffix letter, if any--of the 
competition under which you are submitting your application.
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application 
receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant 
application receipt acknowledgment 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 from 
EDGAR (34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210) are as follows: (a) meeting the 
purpose of the authorizing statute (20 points), (b) significance (18 
points), (c) quality of the project design (10 points), (d) quality of 
the management plan (10 points), (e) quality of project personnel (10 
points), (f) quality of project services (2 points), (g) adequacy of 
resources (10 points), and (h) quality of the project evaluation (20 
points).

    Note: Applicants should address these selection criteria only in 
the context of the program requirements in section 612 of the HEA.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN). We may also notify you informally.
    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: 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 specified by the Secretary in 
34 CFR 75.118. The applicant is required to use the electronic data 
instrument Evaluation of Exchange, Language, International, and Area 
Studies to complete the final report.

VII. Agency Contact

    For Further Information Contact: Mrs. Susanna Easton, International 
Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K 
Street, NW., 6th floor, Washington, DC 20006-8521.

[[Page 59333]]

Telephone: (202) 502-7628 or by e-mail: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this 
section.

VIII. Other Information

    Electronic Access to This Document: You may 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) on the 
Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: 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 on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.

    Dated: October 5, 2005.
Sally L. Stroup,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 05-20396 Filed 10-11-05; 8:45 am]
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