[Federal Register: August 16, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 159)]
[Notices]
[Page 53715-53717]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16au02-144]
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Part V
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education Services; National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research--Research Fellowships Program; Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.133F]
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Research
Fellowships Program; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for
Fiscal Year (FY) 2003
Purpose of the Program: The purpose of the Fellowships Program is
to build research capacity by providing support to highly qualified
individuals, including those who are individuals with disabilities, to
conduct research about the rehabilitation of individuals with
disabilities. Fellows may conduct original research in any area
authorized by section 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended. Fellows must address problems encountered by individuals in
their daily lives that are due to the presence of a disabling
condition, problems associated with the provision of rehabilitation
services to individuals with disabilities, and problems connected with
the conduct of disability research.
The program provides two categories of fellowships: Merit
Fellowships and Distinguished Fellowships.
(a) To be eligible for a Distinguished Fellowship, an individual
must have seven or more years of research experience in subject areas,
methods, or techniques relevant to rehabilitation research and must
have a doctorate, other terminal degree, or comparable academic
qualifications.
(b) To be eligible for a Merit Fellowship, an individual must have
either advanced professional training or independent study experience
in an area that is directly pertinent to disability and rehabilitation.
Applicants are not required to submit a budget with their proposal.
These are one Full Time Equivalent (FTE) awards. The applicant must
work principally on the fellowship during the year. We define one FTE
as equal to 40 hours per week. The applicant cannot receive support
through any other Federal Government grants during this period.
Eligible Applicants: Only individuals who have training and
experience that indicate a potential for engaging in scientific
research related to the solution of rehabilitation problems of
individuals with disabilities are eligible.
Note: Institutions are not eligible to be recipients of
Fellowships.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 15, 2002.
Applications Available: August 16, 2002.
Maximum Award Amount: Merit: $45,000; Distinguished: $55,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 10.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: 12 months.
Page Limitation: The application must be limited to no more than 24
pages double spaced.
Note: The Secretary will reject without consideration or
evaluation any application for a Research Fellowship that does not
adhere to the 24 pages double spaced limit.
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 81, 82,
85, 86, and 97; and 34 CFR part 356, Disability and Rehabilitation
Research Fellowships.
Note: Applicants need to put their Social Security Number in
Block 2 on the 424 form in place of the DUNS Number.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This priority reflects issues discussed in
the New Freedom Initiative (NFI) and NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (the
Plan). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominiative.html.
The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/Products.
Selection Criteria
In evaluating an application for a new grant under this
competition, we use selection criteria chosen from the selection
criteria in 34 CFR part 356. The selection criteria to be used for this
competition will be provided in the application package for this
competition.
Application Procedures
Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure 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.
Instructions for transmitting applications will be provided in
the application package.
Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications
In FY 2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to
expand its pilot project of electronic submission of applications to
include additional formula grant programs and additional discretionary
grant competitions. The Research Fellowships Program--CFDA 84.133F is
one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you are an
applicant under the Research Fellowships Program, you may submit your
application to us in either electronic or paper format.
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 voluntary.
You will not receive any additional point value or penalty
because you submit a grant application in electronic or paper format.
Do not wait until the deadline date for the transmittal of
applications to submit your application electronically. If you wait
until the deadline date to submit your application electronically and
you are unable to access the e-APPLICATION system, you must contact the
Help Desk by 4:30 p.m. Washington DC time on the deadline date.
Keep in mind that e-APPLICATION is not operational 24
hours a day every day of the week. Click on Hours of Web Site Operation
for specific hours of access during the week.
You will have access to the e-APPLICATION Help Desk for
technical support: 1-888-336-8930 (TTY: 1-866-697-2696, local 202-401-
8363). The Help Desk hours of operation are limited to: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Washington DC time Monday-Friday.
If you submit your application electronically by the
transmittal date but also wish to submit a paper copy of your
application, then you must mail the paper copy of the application on or
before the deadline date to: U.S. Department of Education, Application
Control Center, Attention: CFDA 84.133F, 7th and D Streets,
SW., Room 3671, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, DC 20202-4725.
You can submit all documents electronically, including the
Application for Federal Assistance (ED 424 Standard Face Sheet), Budget
Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
Within three working days of submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for
[[Page 53717]]
Federal Assistance (ED 424 Standard Face Sheet) to the Application
Control Center after following these steps:
1. Print ED 424 from the e-APPLICATION system.
2. Make sure that you sign the form as the institution's
Authorizing Representative.
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 at (202) 260-1349.
We may request that you give us original signatures on all
other forms at a later date.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Research
Fellowships Program at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=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.
For Applications Contact
Education Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD
20794-1398. Telephone (toll free): 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call
(toll free): 1-877-576-7734.
You may also contact ED Pubs via its Web site: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ed.gov/pubs/edpubs.html or its e-mail address (edpubs@inet.ed.gov). If you
request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this
competition as follows: CFDA number 84.133F.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application
package in an alternative format by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 3317, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone:
(202) 205-8207. If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf
(TDD), you may call the Federal Information Relay Services (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339. However, the Department is not able to reproduce in an
alternative format the standard forms included in the application
package.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3412, Switzer Building,
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880 or via Internet:
Donna.Nangle@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the TDD number at (202) 205-4475.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may review 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 the following site:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ed.gov/legislation/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.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(e).
Dated: August 13, 2002.
Loretta Petty Chittum,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 02-20910 Filed 8-15-02; 8:45 am]
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