[Federal Register: January 23, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 15)]
[Notices]
[Page 7472-7474]
>From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ja01-34]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No: 84.031]
Office of Postsecondary Education; Strengthening Institutions,
American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001
Purpose of Programs: The Strengthening Institutions, American
Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native
and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs are all authorized
under Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended
(HEA). These programs will be referred to collectively in this notice
as the ``Title III Part A programs.'' Each provides grants to eligible
institutions of higher education
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to enable them to improve their academic quality, institutional
management, and fiscal stability, and increase their self-sufficiency.
The grants thereby support the elements of the National Education Goals
that are relevant to these institutions' unique missions.
Notes: 1. A grantee under the Developing Hispanic-Serving
Institutions (HSI) Program authorized under Title V of the HEA may
not simultaneously receive a grant under any part of the Title III
Part A programs. Further, an HSI Program grantee may not give up
that grant in order to apply for a grant under any Title III Part A
program. Therefore, a current HSI Program grantee may not apply for
a grant under any Title III Part A program under this notice.
2. An institution that does not fall within the limitation
described in NOTE 1 may apply for a fiscal year 2001 grant under any
Title III Part A program for which it qualifies as well as under the
HSI Program. However, we may award to such an applicant only one
grant under any of those programs. Accordingly, an institution
applying for a grant under more than one program must indicate that
fact in each application; further, the institution must indicate
which grant it prefers to receive in a case where reviewers score
the applications within the funding range under more than one
program.
Applications Available: January 31, 2001.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 23, 2001 for
development and planning grants under each of the Title III Part A
programs.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 23, 2001 for planning
and development grants under each of the Title III Part A programs.
Available Funds: We estimate that approximately $13,000,000 will be
available for new development grants under the Strengthening
Institutions Program and approximately $9,000,000 for new development
grants under the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and
Universities Program, of which $5,000,000 may be used for construction
and renovation of classrooms, libraries, laboratories or other
instructional facilities. Institutions that are currently receiving
grants under the program, as part of their budget request for fiscal
year 2001 funds, may request funds for construction and renovations
though the Secretary will give priority to institutions that do not
currently have a grant. We estimate that up to $1,000,000 may be
available for new projects under the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-
Serving Institutions Program.
Estimated Range of Awards: $330,000-$365,000 per year for 5-year
development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program;
$30,000-$35,000 for 1-year planning grants under the Title III Part A
Programs; $800,000 to $1,200,000 for 1-year construction and renovation
grants and $347,000-$395,000 per year for 5-year development grants
under the American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities
Program; and $347,000-$395,000 per year for 5-year development grants
under the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions
Program.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $350,000 per year for 5-year
development grants under the Strengthening Institutions Program;
$32,500 for 1-year planning grants under the Title III Part A Programs;
$1,000,000 per grant for 1-year construction and renovation grants and
$371,000 per year for 5-year development grants under the American
Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Program; and
$371,000 per year for 5-year development grants under the Alaska Native
and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program.
Estimated Number of Awards: 14 planning grants under the Title III
Part A programs; 35 development grants under the Strengthening
Institutions Program; 5 construction and renovation grants and 10
development grants under the American Indian Tribally Controlled
Colleges and Universities Program; and 2 development grants under the
Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Program.
Project Period: 60 months for development grants and 12 months for
planning grants.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice. Applicants should periodically check the Title III Part A
web site for further information on these programs. The address is:
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OPE/HEP/idues/title3a.html
Special Funding Considerations: In tie-breaking situations
described in 34 CFR 607.23 of the Strengthening Institutions Program
regulations, we award one additional point to an applicant institution
that has an endowment fund for which the 1997-1998 market value per
full-time equivalent (FTE) student was less than the comparable average
per FTE student at similar type institutions. We also award one
additional point to an applicant institution that had 1997-1998
expenditures for library materials per FTE student that were less than
the comparable average per FTE student at similar type institutions.
For the purpose of these funding considerations, an applicant must
demonstrate that the market value of its endowment fund per FTE
student, and library expenditures per FTE student, were less than the
national averages for the year 1997-1998.
The Department has changed the way it collects information for
determining the value of endowment funds and total expenditures for
library materials. As a result of that change, we do not have base year
data beyond 1996-1997. In order to award grants in a timely manner,
however, we will calculate the averages using data submitted by
applicants.
If a tie remains, after applying the additional point or points, we
determine that an institution will receive a grant according to a
combined ranking of endowment values per FTE student and library
expenditures per FTE student. The institutions with the lowest combined
library expenditures per FTE student and endowment values per FTE
student are ranked higher in numerical order.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Department of Education General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 82,
85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) the regulations for this program in 34 CFR
Part 607. Amendments to 34 CFR Part 607 relating to the American Indian
Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities and Alaska Native and
Native-Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs were published in the
Federal Register of December 15, 1999, 64 FR 70146, 70153-70155.
For Applications or Information Contact: Darlene B. Collins, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC
20006-8513. Telephone (202) 502-7777. e-mail: darlene_collins@ed.gov
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audio tape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under For
Applications or Further Information Contact.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format, also, by contacting that person.
However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative
format the standard forms included in the application package.
Electronic Submission of Grant Applications
Application Procedures
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting application
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differ from those in the Education Department General Administrative
Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 75.102). Under the Administrative
Procedures Act (5 U.S.C.553) the Department generally offers
interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed
regulations. However, these amendments make procedural changes only
and do not establish new substantive policy. Therefore, under 5
U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined that proposed
rulemaking is not required.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
We are continuing our pilot project under which applicants for
planning grants under the Title III Part A programs can submit their
applications electronically. The CFDA numbers for these programs are:
84.031A, N, T, and W. This year, we are extending our pilot project to
include development grant applications from the American Indian
Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and the Alaska Native
and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs. Therefore, planning
grant applicants under any of the Title III Part A programs and
development grant applicants under the American Indian Tribally
Controlled Colleges and Universities, and the Alaska Native and the
Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs may submit their
applications to us in either electronic or paper format.
Institutions submitting a development grant application under the
Strengthening Institutions program, however, must submit a paper
application.
The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-APPLICATION formerly e-GAPS) portion of the Grant
Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We request your participation
in this pilot project. We shall continue to evaluate its success and
solicit suggestions for improvement.
If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the
following:
Your participation is strictly voluntary.
You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
You can submit all grant documents electronically
including the Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal
Assistance (ED 424) after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from the e-APPLICATION system.
2. Make sure that the institution's Authorizing Representative
signs this form.
3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via
the e-APPLICATION system. You will receive an automatic
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number (an identifying
number unique to your application).
4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of ED
424.
5. Fax ED 424 to the Application Control Center within three
working days of submitting your electronic application. We will
indicate a fax number in e-APPLICATION at the time of your submission.
We may request at a later date that you give us original
signatures on all other forms.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Title III
Part A programs at: http://e-grants.ed.gov
We have included additional information about the e-APPLICATION
pilot project (see Parity Guidelines between Paper and Electronic
Applications) in the application package.
Electronic Access to this Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other Department of Education documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on
the Internet at either of the following sites:
http://ocf.ed.gov/fedreg.htm
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use PDF, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at either of the previous sites. 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.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.
Program Authority 20 U.S.C. 1057.
Dated: January 17, 2001.
A. Lee Fritschler,
Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 01-1874 Filed 1-22-01; 8:45 am]
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