Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2015/03/25/2015-06880/applications-for-new-awards-rehabilitation-training-rehabilitation-long-term-training
Timestamp: 2018-04-20 05:13:07
Document Index: 216294946

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 386', 'arts 75', 'art 180', 'art 3485', 'art 200', 'art 3474', 'arts 385']

80 FR 15760
15760-15767 (8 pages)
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-06880 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2015-06880
Overview Information: Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)—Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program—Rehabilitation Specialty Areas.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Numbers: 84.129Q and W.
Date of Pre-Application Webinar: April 8, 2015.
Priority: This priority is from the notice of final priority for this program, published on July 23, 2014 in the Federal Register (79 FR 42680).
The purpose of the priority is to fund programs leading to a master's degree or certificate in one of two specialty areas: Rehabilitation of Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (84.129Q) and Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (84.129W). The goal of this priority is to increase the skills of scholars in these rehabilitation specialty areas so that, upon successful completion of their master's degree or certificate programs, they are prepared to effectively meet the needs and demands of individuals with disabilities.
(a) Provide data on the current and projected employment needs and Start Printed Page 15761personnel shortages in the specialty area in State VR agencies and other related agencies as defined in 34 CFR 386.4 in their local area, region, and State, and describe how the proposed program will address those employment needs and personnel shortages.
(1) How the program will determine its effect over a period of time on filling vacancies in the State VR agency with qualified rehabilitation professionals Start Printed Page 15762capable of providing quality services to consumers;
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project: In deciding whether to continue funding any Rehabilitation Long-Term Training project for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—
(a) The recommendation of the RSA project officer who will monitor the reported annual performance of the grantee's training program and measure progress towards achieving the projections in the grantee's application. This review will consider the number of students actually enrolled in the grantee's training program, the number of students who successfully enter qualifying employment with State vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies, and the number of students who obtain qualifying employment in related agencies;
(c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the grantee's training program and activities, and the degree to which the training program and activities and their outcomes have contributed to significantly improving the quality of VR professionals ready for employment with State VR agencies and related agencies, as measured by the percentage of students entering eligible employment under 34 CFR 386.34.
Grantees must also provide assurances that they will abide by all of the administrative and performance reporting requirements associated with the RSA scholar payback program reports and will retain all the documentation, including the scholarship agreement, exit forms, and any other documentation, necessary to ensure students understand their financial responsibilities and liabilities under this program (34 CFR part 386).
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 in 2 CFR part 3474. (d) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR parts 385 and 386. (e) The notice of final priority published in the Federal Register on July 23, 2014 (79 FR 42680).
Estimated Available Funds: $3,450,000.
Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program—Rehabilitation Specialty Areas
Application Notice for Fiscal Year 2015
Rehabilitation of Individuals Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (84.129Q) 3/25/15 5/26/15 $140,000-$150,000 $145,000 $150,000 3 Up to 60 months Don Bunuan, 202-245-6616, don.bunuan@ed.gov, PCP, Room 5046.
Comprehensive System of Personnel Development (84.129W) $190,000-$200,000 195,000 200,000 15 Up to 60 months Karen Holliday, 202-245-7318, karen.holliday@ed.gov, PCP, Room 5090.
1 We will reject any application under 84.129Q that proposes a budget exceeding $150,000 for a single budget period of 12 months, and we will reject any application under 84.129W that proposes a budget exceeding $200,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Cost sharing of at least 10 percent of the total cost of the project is required of grantees under the Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program. The Secretary may Start Printed Page 15763waive part of the non-Federal share of the cost of the project after negotiations if the applicant demonstrates that it does not have sufficient resources to contribute the entire match (34 CFR 386.30).
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.129Q or 84.129W.
The page limit of 45 pages applies to all of the application narrative section, Part III. We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit for Part III, or if you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times: Applications Available: March 25, 2015. Date of Pre-Application Webinar: Interested parties are invited to participate in a pre-application webinar. The pre-application webinar with staff from the Department will be held on April 8, 2015 at 2:00 p.m., Washington, DC time. The webinar will be recorded. For further information about the pre-application webinar, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: May 26, 2015.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice. If the Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability in connection with the application process, the individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and limitations in this notice. Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: July 23, 2015.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an entity. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Start Printed Page 15764Federal financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.
Applications for grants under the Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training—Rehabilitation Specialty Areas competition, CFDA numbers 84.129Q and W, must be submitted electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program—Rehabilitation Specialty Areas competition at www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this competition by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your search (e.g., search for 84.129, not 84.129Q or W).
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions described elsewhere in this notice.Start Printed Page 15765
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Karen Holliday, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5090, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2800. FAX: (202) 245-7318.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.129Q or W), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260. You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
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 84.129Q or W), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260. The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify administrative and national policy requirements in the application package Start Printed Page 15766and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
(c) Summary of career counseling provided to scholars upon program completion to ensure that they have support during their search for qualifying employment, as well as during the initial months of their employment. This may include, but is not limited to, informing scholars of professional contacts, network opportunities, and job leads, matching scholars with mentors in the field, and connecting scholars to other necessary resources and information;
The goal of RSA's Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training—Rehabilitation Specialty Areas program is to increase the number of qualified VR personnel, including counselors and other professional and paraprofessional staff, working in State VR or related agencies. At least 75 percent of total project funds must be used for direct payment of student scholarships.
If the scholar is employed in a related agency, the agency must also provide documentation to validate that there is a relationship with the State VR agency. Start Printed Page 15767This may be a formal or informal contract, cooperative agreement, memorandum of understanding, or related document;
Grantees are required to report annually to RSA on the data elements described above using the RSA Grantee Reporting Form, OMB number 1820-0617, an electronic reporting system supported by the RSA Management Information System (RSA MIS). In addition, grantees are required to utilize all forms required by RSA to prepare and process repayment, as well as requests for deferral and exceptions. The RSA Grantee Reporting Form collects specific data, including the number of scholars entering the rehabilitation workforce, the rehabilitation field each scholar enters, and the type of employment setting each scholar chooses (e.g., State VR agency, nonprofit service provider, or professional practice group). This form allows RSA to measure the progress towards achieving the goal of increasing the number of qualified VR personnel working in State VR and related agencies.
[FR Doc. 2015-06880 Filed 3-24-15; 8:45 am]