[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 96 (Thursday, May 16, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24868-24873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-12274]




[[Page 24867]]


_______________________________________________________________________

Part III





Department of Housing and Urban Development





_______________________________________________________________________



Notice of Funding Availability for Community Outreach Partnership 
Centers (COPC); Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 96 / Thursday, May 16, 1996 / 
Notices

[[Page 24868]]



DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4056-N-01]


Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and 
Research, NOFA for Community Outreach Partnership Centers (COPC)

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and 
Research, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Fiscal Year 1996.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This NOFA announces the availability of approximately $7.4 
million to implement the third year of a demonstration program to make 
grants to public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education 
to assist in establishing or carrying out research and outreach 
activities addressing the problems of urban areas. These funds shall be 
used to establish and operate Community Outreach Partnership Centers 
(COPC).
    The NOFA contains information concerning:
    (1) The principal objectives of the competition, the funding 
available, eligible applicants and activities and factors for award;
    (2) The application process, including how to apply and how 
selections will be made; and
    (3) A checklist of application submission requirements.

DATES: Application kits may be requested on or after May 21, 1996.
    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 Daylight Savings 
Time on July 25, 1996. The above-stated application deadline is firm as 
to date, hour and place. In the interest of fairness to all competing 
applicants, the Department will treat as ineligible for consideration 
any application that is received after the deadline. Applicants should 
take this practice into account and make early submission 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.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the application kit, contact: HUD USER, 
ATTN: COPC, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Requests for 
application kits must be in writing, but requests 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-4056.'' 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: <a href="http://
oup.aspensys.com">http://
oup.aspensys.com</a>:89; or from a Gopher Server at: <a href="gopher://
oup.aspensys.com">gopher://
oup.aspensys.com</a>:77.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jane Karadbil, Office of University 
Partnerships in the Office of Policy Development and Research, 
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh street, S.W., 
Room 8110 Washington, DC 20410, telephone (202) 708-1537. Hearing or 
speech-impaired individuals may call HUD's TTY number (202) 708-0770, 
or 1-800-877-8399 (Federal Information Relay service TTY). Other than 
the ``800'' number, these are not toll-free numbers. Ms. Karadbil can 
also be contacted via the Internet at Jane__R.__K<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4b2a392a2f2922270b233e2f652c243d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d3b2a1b2b7b1babf93bba6b7fdb4bca5">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

    The information collection requirements contained in this notice 
have been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). 
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. The OMB control number, when assigned, will be 
announced by a separate notice in the Federal Register.

I. Purpose and Substantive Description

A. Authority

    This competition is authorized under the Community Outreach 
Partnership Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 5307 note; hereafter referred to as 
the ``COPC Act''). The COPC Act is contained in section 851 of the 
Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-550, approved 
October 28, 1992) (HCD Act of 1992). Section 801(c) of the HCD Act of 
1992 authorizes $7.5 million for each year of the 5-year demonstration 
to create Community Outreach Partnership Centers as authorized in the 
COPC Act. The COPC Act also required HUD to establish a national 
clearinghouse to disseminate information resulting from research and 
outreach conducted at the centers.
    COPC is administered by the Office of University Partnerships (OUP) 
in the Office of Policy Development and Research. OUP is responsible 
for four of the Department's grant programs for institutions of higher 
education--Community Outreach Partnership Centers program, Joint 
Community Development program, Community Development Work Study 
program, and the Doctoral Dissertation Grant program. In addition, OUP 
is responsible for a variety of new outreach initiatives to involve 
these institutions in local community development, public housing, and 
revitalization partnerships.

B. Allocation and Form of Award

    The competition in this NOFA is for $7.4 million to fund the third 
year of the COPC program authorized as indicated above.
    HUD has decided that it is important to ensure the 
institutionalization of the work of the current COPC grantees as an 
integral part of the teaching, service, and research missions of their 
colleges and universities as well as to fund new grantees. 
Institutionalization was not an emphasis of the program in the last two 
funding rounds and current COPC grantees did not necessarily focus 
their programs on it. HUD has decided to set aside part of the FY 1996 
allocation to promote institutionalization among current grantees. 
Therefore, there will be two separate competitions within this year's 
funding. To institutionalize their COPC functions, $1.1 million will be 
set-aside for a competition among the grantees awarded two-year grants 
in FY 1994. The remaining $6.3 million will be used to fund new COPC 
grantees. FY 1994 grantees are only eligible for Institutionalization 
Grants, not for New Grants. (FY 1995 COPC grantees are not eligible for 
either kind of grant.) If any funds set-aside for Institutionalization 
Grants are not awarded, they will be used instead as part of the 
funding for New Grantees. (Program requirements for 
Institutionalization Grants are the same as for New Grants, except as 
noted in Section V. below.) It is estimated that approximately 15 COPC 
awards to new grantees can be made with the $6.3 million available.
    This year, each New Grant made under the COPC program will be for a 
maximum three-year period of performance. The grants in previous 
funding rounds were for two years. However, HUD has decided that a 
longer grant period is needed to institutionalize local programs and 
has extended the grant period for one year. The maximum size of any New 
Grant will be $400,000, while the minimum will be $250,000. Applicants 
must submit an application within this range or they will be 
disqualified.

[[Page 24869]]

C. Description of Competition

    The Congress has mandated that the Department carry out ``a 5-year 
demonstration to determine the feasibility of facilitating partnerships 
between institutions of higher education and communities to solve urban 
problems through research, outreach and the exchange of information.''
    The COPC Act stipulates that grants are to go to public and private 
institutions of higher education to establish and operate COPCs. These 
COPCs shall: ``(A) Conduct competent and qualified research and 
investigation on theoretical or practical problems in large and small 
cities; and (B) Facilitate partnerships and outreach activities between 
institutions of higher education, local communities, and local 
governments to address urban problems.''
    Grants under the COPC program must focus on the following specific 
problems: ``problems associated with housing, economic development, 
neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure, health care, job training, 
education, crime prevention, planning, community organizing, and other 
areas deemed appropriate by the Secretary.''
    Furthermore, the COPC Act states: ``The Secretary shall give 
preference to institutions of higher education that undertake research 
and outreach activities by bringing together knowledge and expertise in 
the various social science and technical disciplines that relate to 
urban problems.''
    COPC programs must combine research with outreach, work with 
communities and local governments and address the multi-dimensional 
problems that beset urban areas. Single purpose applications are not 
eligible. Applications must be multifaceted and address three or more 
urban problems, as described in selection factor #1. The scope of 
applications for Institutionalization Grants is covered elsewhere 
below.
    To be most effective during the term of the demonstration, the 
funded research must have a clear near-term potential for solving 
specific, significant urban problems. The selected institutions must 
have the capacity to apply their research results and to work with 
communities and local institutions, including neighborhood groups, in 
applying these results to specific real-life urban problems.
    The five key concepts of the COPC program are: (1) the program 
should provide outreach, technical assistance, applied research, and 
empowerment to neighborhoods and neighborhood-based organizations based 
on what the residents decide is needed, not based on what the 
institution thinks is appropriate for that neighborhood; (2) community-
based organizations should be partners with the institutions throughout 
the life of the project, from planning to implementation; (3) the 
applied research should be related to the outreach activities and be 
usable in these activities within the grant period or shortly after it 
ends, rather than research without practical application; (4) the 
assistance to neighborhoods should be provided primarily by the 
faculty, students, or to a limited extent, by neighborhood residents or 
community-based organizations funded by the university; and (5) the 
program should be part of the institution's broader effort to meet its 
urban mission, and be supported by senior officials, rather than just 
the work of a few faculty members. Proposed activities should not 
duplicate those of other entities in the community and should be 
appropriate for an institution of higher education to undertake in 
light of its teaching, research, and service missions.

D. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants for this competition must be public or private nonprofit 
institutions of higher education granting two- or four-year degrees and 
accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency recognized by 
the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants must submit proposals that 
address the problems of urban areas.
    Different campuses of the same university system are eligible to 
apply, even if one campus has already received COPC funding. Such 
campuses are eligible as separate applicants only if they have 
administrative and budgeting structures independent of other campuses 
in the system.
    In previous funding rounds, the Department decided that community 
colleges would not be separately eligible but would have to apply as 
part of a consortium with eligible institutions. The Department now 
believes that many community colleges not only can implement the kind 
of comprehensive projects funded under COPC, but also have a growing 
capacity to conduct applied research. For these reasons, the Department 
has changed its earlier position and will allow community colleges to 
apply on their own. However, consortia of institutions are still 
eligible to apply. The selection criterion on consortia has been 
deleted because its primary purpose was to encourage community colleges 
to apply. That selection criterion created a specific definition of a 
consortium. As long as the consortium is composed of eligible 
applicants, its specific composition is now left to the applicant. If 
the application is submitted on behalf of a consortium of institutions, 
one institution must be designated as the legal applicant. Each 
institution may be part of only one consortium or submit only one 
application. Several institutions were disqualified last year because 
they were part of more than one application. HUD will hold an 
institution responsible for ensuring that neither it nor any part of 
the institution, including specific faculty, participates in more than 
one application.
    Universities awarded Joint Community Development (JCD) grants will 
not be eligible to apply for New Grants, nor are FY 1994 or FY 1995 
COPC grantees.

E. Program Requirements

    Grantees must meet the following program requirements:
    1. Responsibilities. In accordance with section 851(h) of the HCD 
Act of 1992, each COPC shall:
    ``(a) Employ the research and outreach resources of its sponsoring 
institution of higher education to solve specific urban problems 
identified by communities served by the Center;
    (b) Establish outreach activities in areas identified in the grant 
application as the communities to be served;
    (c) Establish a community advisory committee comprised of 
representatives of local institutions and residents of the communities 
to be served to assist in identifying local needs and advise on the 
development and implementation of strategies to address those issues;
    (d) Coordinate outreach activities in communities to be served by 
the Center;
    (e) Facilitate public service projects in the communities served by 
the Center;
    (f) Act as a clearinghouse for dissemination of information;
    (g) Develop instructional programs, convene conferences, and 
provide training for local community leaders, when appropriate; and
    (h) Exchange information with other Centers.''
    The clearinghouse function in (f) above refers to a local or 
regional clearinghouse for dissemination of information and is separate 
and distinct from the functions in (h) above, which relate to the 
provision of information to the National Clearinghouse.
    2. Match. Grantees must meet the following match requirements:
    (a) Research Activities. 50 percent of the total project costs of 
establishing and operating research activities.
    (b) Outreach Activities. 25 percent of the total project costs of 
establishing and operating outreach activities.

[[Page 24870]]

    This non-Federal share may include cash or the value of non-cash 
contributions, equipment and other allowable in-kind contributions as 
detailed in Attachment E of OMB Circular No. A-110, Grants and 
Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other 
Nonprofit organizations.
    In order to avoid confusion about the calculation of the match, an 
example is provided.
    Assume that the total project cost for a COPC was $500,000, with 
$125,000 for research and $375,000 for outreach. Note that this project 
meets the requirement that no more than 25 percent of the total project 
costs be for research. The total amount of the required match would be 
$156,250. The research match would be $62,500 ($125,000 X 50 percent) 
and the outreach match would be $93,750 ($375,000 X 25 percent). The 
Federal grant requested would be $343,750 ($500,000 minus the match of 
$156,250). In calculating the match, administrative costs should be 
applied to the appropriate attributable outreach or research component.
    3. Administrative. The grant will be governed by the provision of 
OMB Circulars A-110 (Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals and other Nonprofit Organizations), A-122 (Cost 
Principles for Nonprofit Organizations), and A-133 (Audits of 
Institutions of Higher Education and other Nonprofit Institutions), as 
implemented at 24 CFR part 45. No more than 20% of the Federal grant 
funds may be used for planning and program administrative costs. 
Overhead costs directly related to carrying out activities under 
research and outreach need not be considered planning and program 
administrative costs, since those costs are eligible under that 
section. Moreover, the 20% limitation imposed under this program 
applies only to Federal funds received through this grant, not to 
matching funds.

F. Eligible Activities

    Eligible activities include:
    1. Research activities which have practical application for solving 
specific problems in designated communities and neighborhoods, 
including evaluation of the effectiveness of the outreach activities. 
Such activities may not total more than one-quarter of the total 
project costs contained in any grant made under this NOFA (including 
the required 50 percent match).
    2. Outreach, technical assistance and information exchange 
activities which are designed to address specific problems in 
designated communities and neighborhoods. Such activities must total no 
less than three-quarters of the total project costs contained in any 
grant made under this NOFA (including the required 25 percent match).
    Examples of outreach activities include, but are not limited to:
    (a) Job training and other training projects, such as workshops, 
seminars and one-on-one and on-the-job training;
    (b) Design of community strategies to resolve urban problems of 
communities and neighborhoods;
    (c) Innovative use of funds to provide direct technical expertise 
and assistance to local community groups and residents to assist them 
resolve local problems such as homelessness, housing discrimination, 
and impediments to fair housing choice;
    (d) Assistance in business start-up activities for low-and 
moderate-income individuals and organizations, including business 
start-up training and technical expertise and assistance, mentor 
programs, assistance in developing small loan funds, business 
incubators, etc;
    (e) Work with local public housing authorities, welfare-to-work 
initiatives, and physical transformations of public or assisted 
housing;
    (f) Assistance to communities to improve consolidated housing and 
community development plans and remove impediments to design and 
implementation of such plans; and
    (g) Assistance to communities to improve the fair housing planning 
process.
    3. Funds for faculty development including paying for course time 
or summer support to enable faculty members to work on the COPC.
    4. Funds for stipends for students (which cannot cover tuition and 
fees) when they are working on the COPC.
    5. Activities to carry out the ``Responsibilities'' listed under 
Section I.E.1.

G. Ineligible Activities

    Ineligible activities are:
    1. Research activities which have no clear and immediate practical 
application for solving urban problems or do not address specific 
problems in designated communities and neighborhoods.
    2. Any type of construction, rehabilitation, or other physical 
development costs.
    3. Costs used for routine operations and day-to-day administration 
of regular programs of institutions of higher education, local 
governments or neighborhood groups.

II. Rating Factors/Selection Process for New Grantees

A. Rating Factors

    HUD will use the following criteria to rate and rank applications 
for New Grants received in response to this NOFA. Selection factors for 
Institutionalization Grants are described below in Section V.
    The Department has made several changes to the selection criteria, 
as described below. The factors and maximum points for each factor are 
provided below. The maximum number of points is 100.
    Rating of the ``applicant'' or the ``applicant's organization and 
staff'', unless otherwise specified, will include any sub-contractors, 
consultants and sub-recipients which are firmly committed to the 
project.
    (1) (5 points) The demonstrated research and outreach resources 
available to the applicant for carrying out the purposes of the COPC 
Act. In rating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to which the 
applicant's organization and staff have recent, relevant and successful 
experience in:
    (a) Undertaking research activities in specific communities which 
have clear near-term potential for practical application to significant 
urban problems associated with affordable housing, fair housing, 
economic development, neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure, 
health care, job training, education, crime prevention, planning and 
community organizing, and
    (b) Undertaking outreach activities in specific communities to 
solve or ameliorate significant urban problems. Under this factor, HUD 
will also evaluate the capability of the applicant to provide 
leadership in solving community problems and in making national 
contributions to solving long-term and immediate urban problems. In the 
FY 1994 competition, research and outreach resources and local and 
national prominence were three separate selection factors.
    (2) (5 points) The demonstrated commitment of the applicant to 
supporting research and outreach programs by providing matching 
contributions for the Federal assistance received. In rating this 
factor, HUD will provide an increasing number of points for increasing 
amounts of contributions beyond the statutory 50 percent for research 
and 25 percent for outreach. Maximum points will be awarded for 
applications that secure 50 percent more than the amount of match 
required. Points for this factor have been reduced, with the additional 
points being added

[[Page 24871]]

to Factor 7 on institutionalization. The latter factor is being 
increased because the test of the institution's commitment is not only 
how much in-kind contribution it is willing to make, but also the many 
other ways it chooses to institutionalize community partnerships.
    (3) (10 points) The extent of need in the communities to be served 
by the applicant. The applicant must demonstrate that it is serving 
areas with substantial low-income populations, low standards of living, 
and large numbers of empty or abandoned dwellings. HUD will consider 
the extent to which the proposal clearly delineates a need or needs in 
the specific communities or neighborhoods, that can be resolved through 
the activities of a COPC. The applicant must demonstrate how these 
needs were determined and how the COPC will help resolve these needs. 
The applicant should demonstrate a strong familiarity (based on 
sufficient investigation) with the existing and planned efforts of 
government agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based 
institutions, for-profit firms and any other entities to address such 
needs in the communities to be served, and should demonstrate that the 
applicant can cost-effectively complement any such efforts to attain 
measurable impacts.
    (4) (10 points) The demonstrated ability of the applicant to 
disseminate results of research and successful strategies developed 
through outreach activities to other COPCs and communities served 
through this demonstration program. In rating this factor, HUD will 
evaluate the past experience of the applicant's staff and the scope and 
the quality of the applicant's proposal to disseminate information on 
COPC research results and strategies to: (a) local communities in its 
area and (b) other communities and COPCs through the OUP Clearinghouse.
    (5) (35 points) The projects and activities that the applicant 
proposes to carry out under the grant. This factor has three sub-
factors: (a) effectiveness of the research strategy (10 points); (b) 
effectiveness of the outreach strategy (15 points); and (c) work on 
specific HUD priority activities (10 points).
    (a) In rating the effectiveness of the research strategy, HUD will 
consider:
    (i) The extent to which the applicant's proposal outlines a clear 
research agenda, based on a thorough familiarity with existing research 
on the subject, that can be successfully carried out within the grant 
period. (The applicant should demonstrate that the proposed research 
builds on existing research in the field and does not duplicate 
research previously completed, or currently underway, by others.); and
    (ii) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates how the 
research to be undertaken will fit into the outreach strategy and 
activities. Although the proposed outreach activities should be 
supported by a reasonably strong existing knowledge base, an 
application is strengthened to the extent that the proposed research 
will further inform--and be strengthened by knowledge gained through--
the outreach activities.
    (b) In rating the effectiveness of the outreach strategy factor, 
HUD will consider the extent to which:
    (i) The application identifies a clear outreach agenda related to 
locally-identified needs that can be successfully carried out within 
the period of this grant;
    (ii) The outreach agenda includes design or strengthening and 
implementation of a community strategy to resolve community and 
neighborhood problems. Applicants will be expected to have involved the 
community in designing the strategy and to identify an agenda that they 
have already worked with the community to design;
    (iii) There is a plan for involving the university in the execution 
of the outreach strategy; and
    (iv) The outreach program provides for on-site or a frequent 
presence in the communities and neighborhoods to be assisted through 
outreach activities.
    (c) If all of the applicant's work is to be in an Empowerment Zone 
or Enterprise Community, five (5) points will be awarded. If some of an 
applicant's work is related to public housing transformation, 
distressed assisting housing, or Campus of Learners/Neighborhood 
Networks, five (5) points will be awarded.
    (6) (10 points) The extent of neighborhood and neighborhood based 
organization participation in the planning and implementation of the 
COPC. In rating this factor, HUD will consider whether:
    (a) One or more effective community advisory committees comprised 
of representatives of local institutions and a balance of the race, 
ethnic, disability status, gender and income of residents of the 
communities to be served has been or will be formed to participate in 
identifying local needs to be addressed by the COPC and to form a 
partnership with the COPC to develop and implement strategies to 
address those needs. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate that 
they have already formed such a committee(s) or secured the commitment 
of the appropriate persons to serve on the committee(s), rather than 
just describing generally the types of persons whose involvement they 
will seek.
    (b) There is a plan for involving the community advisory 
committee(s) in the execution of the research and outreach agenda; and
    (c) The outreach agenda includes training projects for local 
community leaders, when appropriate.
    (7) (25 points) The extent to which the proposed COPC will result 
in the institutionalization of the COPC function and activities as part 
of the urban mission of the institution. In reviewing this factor, HUD 
will consider the extent to which the COPC activities are part of, and 
will enhance, a broader set of existing or planned activities and a 
climate that rewards faculty and student work on these activities, and 
the extent to which these activities are supported at the highest 
levels of institutional leadership. This factor has been substituted 
for the factor on the interrelatedness of the project's components 
because HUD believes that only through institutionalization of these 
activities will institutions be able to truly meet their urban mission. 
The points related to the eliminated consortium factor have been merged 
into this factor, to underscore its importance to HUD.

B. Selection Process for New Grantees

    Applications for funding under this NOFA will be evaluated 
competitively and points will be awarded as specified in the Rating 
Factors section described above. After assigning points based upon the 
factors all applications will be listed in rank order. Applications 
will then be funded in rank order until all available funds have been 
expended. However, in order to be funded, an applicant must receive a 
minimum score of 70. HUD reserves the right to fund all or portions of 
the proposed activities identified in each application, based upon the 
eligibility of the proposed activities.
    If two or more applications have the same number of points, the 
application with the most points for rating factor (7) shall be 
selected. If there is still a tie, the application with the most points 
for rating factor (6) shall be selected.
    If the amount remaining after funding as many of the highest 
ranking applications as possible is insufficient for the next highest 
ranking application, HUD shall determine (based upon the proposed 
activities) if it is feasible to fund part of the application and offer 
a smaller grant to the applicant. If HUD determines that given the 
proposed activities a smaller grant amount would render the activities 
infeasible, or if the

[[Page 24872]]

applicant turns down the reduced grant amount, HUD shall make the same 
determination for the next highest ranking application until all 
applications with scores of at least 70 points or available funds have 
been exhausted.

C. Geographic Distribution

    HUD reserves the right to make selections out of rank order to 
provide for a geographic distribution of funded COPCs. The approach HUD 
will use, if it decides to implement this option, will be based on 
combining two adjacent standard HUD regions (e.g., Southwest and 
Southeast Regions, Great Plains and Midwest Regions, etc.) If the rank 
order does not yield at least one fundable COPC within each combined 
region, then HUD may select the highest ranking application from such a 
combination, as long as the minimum score of 70 is achieved.
    It is HUD's intent to fund at least one eligible applicant (see 
Section I.D.) that serves the colonias, as defined by Section 916(d) of 
the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, as long as the 
applicant receives a minimum score of 70.

III. Application Process

A. Obtaining Applications

    To obtain a copy of the application kit, contact: HUD USER, ATTN: 
COPC, P.O. Box 6091, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Requests for 
application kits must be in writing, but requests 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-4056.'' HUD strongly recommends the use of the fax 
transmission option to promote accuracy and expedite HUD response time. 
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://oup.aspensys.com:89; or 
from a Gopher Server at: gopher://oup.aspensys.com:77.

B. Application Deadline

    To be considered for funding, the application package must be 
physically received by the Office of University Partnerships, Office of 
Policy Development and Research, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, in care of the Division of Budget, Contracts, and Program 
Control, Room 8230, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410 by 
4:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time on July 25, 1996. The 
application deadline is firm as to date, hour and place. In the 
interest of fairness to all competing applicants, the Department will 
treat as ineligible for consideration any application that is received 
after the deadline. Applicants should take this practice into account 
and make early submission 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.

IV. Checklist of Application Submission Requirements

A. Application Content

    The application kit contains instructions which must be followed in 
submitting an application. The following is a checklist of the 
application contents that will be specified in the Request for Grant 
Applications (the technical term for the application kit).
    (1) Transmittal letter signed by the Chief Executive Officer of the 
institution;
    (2) OMB Standard Forms 424 (Application for Federal Assistance), 
Form 424B (Non-Construction Assurances) and Budget;
    (3) One- to two-page executive summary of the proposed COPC;
    (4) Narrative Project Management Work Plan;
    (5) Narrative statement addressing each of the rating factors in 
Section II of this NOFA;
    (6) Certifications and Exhibits--Applications must also include the 
following:
    (a) Drug-Free Workplace Certification.
    (b) Form SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable.
    (7) Financial management and audit information.

V. Program and Application Requirements for Institutionalization Grants

    (a) General Requirements. All requirements of Parts I, III and IV 
of this NOFA apply also to this part unless otherwise herein noted. The 
maximum size of any Institutionalization Grant will be $100,000, and 
grant requests shall not exceed this amount. The term of the grant will 
be for one year. If the grantee proposes entirely new activities, it 
may conduct activities under both grants, until funds from both are 
fully expended. If the applicant proposes continuation of current 
activities, it must expend all the funds under the current grant before 
expending any new funds under an Institutionalization Grant. Current 
grantees may request a no-cost extension from HUD if necessary to 
finish expending all their FY 1994 grant funds.
    (b) Eligible Applicants. Only institutions awarded COPC grants in 
FY 1994 are eligible for Institutionalization Grants. These grantees 
are not eligible for New Grants. Institutionalization Grants to current 
grantees will be for a one-year period. Universities that received 
Joint Community Development Grants (JCD) are not eligible to compete 
for Institutionalization Grants because they have already demonstrated, 
through winning a JCD Grant, that they have institutionalized COPC-type 
activities. Current COPC grantees that received grants as consortia 
must apply again as consortia, with all current member institutions 
participating in the proposed Institutionalization Grant, and with the 
same lead applicant as in their current COPC.
    (c) Eligible Activities. Instead of proposing a range of activities 
to be undertaken, applicants should propose activities that will bring 
their COPC projects to a successful conclusion or could result in 
securing continuation funding from other sources.
    (d) Rating Factors/Selection Process
    (i) Rating Factors. The selection factors contained in Section 
II.A. have been modified. Applicants will be required to meet three 
selection factors (which are simply consolidations of the factors used 
for new grantees), summarized as ``Past Performance,'' ``Proposed 
Activities,'' and ``Potential for Institutionalization.'' Each factor 
and the maximum points assigned to it are described below:
    ((a)) (30 points) The demonstrated past performance of the 
applicant, as measured by: the research and outreach resources made 
available to the applicant under the current COPC grant; the ability of 
the applicant to provide local leadership and disseminate results of 
the grant; and the effectiveness of the activities undertaken in the 
grant.
    ((b)) (30 points) The effectiveness of the proposed research and 
outreach activities, as measured by: need for the activities; 
involvement of the community in these activities; demonstrated 
commitment of the application by providing a matching contribution; and 
likelihood that these activities can be successfully carried out within 
the grant period.
    ((c)) (40 points) The potential of the proposed outreach strategy 
to ensure institutionalization of the COPC

[[Page 24873]]

functions at the college or university, as measured by the extent to 
which the proposed COPC functions will become an integral part of the 
teaching, research and urban service mission of the institution and the 
extent to which the COPC activities are supported by the highest levels 
of institutional leadership. In reviewing this factor, HUD will 
consider the extent to which the COPC activities are part of and will 
enhance a broader set of existing or planned activities and will foster 
a culture that rewards faculty and student work on these activities.
    (ii) Selection Process. An applicant must receive a score of at 
least 70 points in order to be funded. Applications will be rated but 
not ranked. There is sufficient funding for all eligible applications. 
Applications requesting over $100,000 will be ineligible.

VI. Corrections to Deficient Applications

    After the submission deadline date, HUD will screen each 
application to determine whether it is complete. If an application 
lacks certain technical items or contains a technical error, such as an 
incorrect signatory, HUD will 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.

VI. Other Matters

Environmental Review

    In accordance with 40 CFR 1508.4 of the regulations of the Council 
on Environmental Quality and 24 CFR 50.20(b) of the HUD regulations, 
the policies and procedures in this document relate only to the 
provision of research, training and technical assistance which do not 
result in physical change and therefore are categorically excluded from 
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act.

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 responsibilities among the various levels of 
government. As a result, the notice is not subject to review under the 
Order. Specifically, the notice solicits participation in an effort to 
provide assistance to institutions of higher education for establishing 
and carrying out research and outreach activities addressing the 
problems of urban areas. The COPCs established under this notice will 
work with local communities to help resolve urban problems. The notice 
does not impinge upon the relationships between the Federal government 
and State or local governments.

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. The assistance to be provided by the funding under this 
NOFA is expected to help local residents to become self-sufficient by 
improving living conditions and standards. Accordingly, since the 
impact on the family is beneficial, no further review is considered 
necessary.

Documentation and Public Access Requirements: HUD Reform Act

    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 five-year 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. (See 24 CFR 12.14(a) and 12.16(b), and the notice 
published in the Federal Register on January 16, 1992 (57 FR 1942), for 
further information on these requirements.)

Prohibition Against Advance Information on Funding Decisions

    HUD's regulation implementing section 103 of the Department of 
Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989, 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 
limited 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 or employees who have ethics related questions should 
contact the HUD Office of Ethics (202) 708-3815. (This is not a toll-
free number.) For HUD employees who have specific program questions, 
such as whether particular subject matter can be discussed with persons 
outside HUD, the employee should contact the appropriate Field Office 
Counsel, or Headquarters counsel for the program to which the question 
pertains.

Protection of Human Subjects

    45 CFR part 46, Subtitle A on the protection of human subjects does 
not apply to the COPC program because the research activities to be 
conducted under the program are only incidentally regulated by the 
Department solely as part of its broader responsibility to regulate 
certain types of activities whether research or non-research in nature.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5307 note.

    Dated: May 8, 1996.
Michael A. Stegman,
Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research.
[FR Doc. 96-12274 Filed 5-15-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-62-P

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