Federal Register, Volume 76 Issue 58 (Friday, March 25, 2011)

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 58 (Friday, March 25, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16747-16754]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-7127]

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM
and Articulation Programs

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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[[Page 16748]]

Overview Information

Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs

Notice inviting applications for new awards using fiscal year (FY)
2010 funds.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.031C.

DATES: Applications Available: March 25, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 29, 2011.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: June 28, 2011.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Programs: The Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and
Articulation programs authorized under section 371 of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) provide grants to assist
Hispanic-Serving institutions (HSIs) to develop and carry out
activities to improve and expand their capacity to serve Hispanic and
other low-income students.

Note 1: The Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation
programs in this notice are authorized under section 371 of part F
of title III of the HEA. This section appropriates $100,000,000
annually for Hispanic-serving institutions (HSI), as defined in
section 502 of the HEA, for activities described in section 503 of
part A of title V of the HEA, with a priority given to applications
that propose to increase the number of Hispanic and other low income
students attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology,
engineering, or mathematics and to develop model transfer and
articulation agreements between 2-year Hispanic-serving institutions
and 4-year institutions in such fields.
Although the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation
programs authorized under section 371 of the HEA are not part of the
Developing HSIs program authorized by title V of the HEA, the
eligibility and activity provisions under the Developing HSIs
program apply to the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and
Articulation programs pursuant to section 371(a)(2) and (b)(2)(B) of
the HEA. In light of the overlap of the statutory provisions in
these two programs, the Secretary has determined that it is
appropriate to use certain requirements contained in the Developing
HSIs program regulations (see 34 CFR part 606) for use for the first
grant competition for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and
Articulation programs competition. Specifically, the Secretary has
decided to base the requirements for this competition on the
following Developing HSIs regulations: Enrollment of needy students
provisions in 34 CFR 606.3 and the low education and general
expenditures provisions in 34 CFR 606.4 as part of the eligibility
criteria; unallowable activities in 34 CFR 606.10(c); and the tie-
breaker provisions in 34 CFR 606.23(b).

Note 2: The eligibility criteria for this competition, including
the enrollment of needy students and expenditure provisions, are set
forth in section III. 1. Eligible Applicants of this notice. The
unallowable activities provisions are set forth in section IV. 5.
Funding Restrictions of this notice, and the tie-breaker provisions
are set forth in section V. 2. Tie-breaker for Development Grants of
this notice.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed program requirements. Section
437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), however,
allows the Secretary to exempt from rulemaking requirements,
regulations governing the first grant competition under a new or
substantially revised program authority. The Health Care and Education
Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-152) (Reconciliation Act)
provided new authority to implement the Hispanic-Serving Institutions
STEM and Articulation programs authorized under section 371 of the HEA.
This is the first grant competition for the programs since the
enactment of the Reconciliation Act; therefore, this competition
qualifies for the exemption.
Under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, in order to ensure timely grant
awards, the Secretary has decided to forego public comment on the
following requirements for this competition: the enrollment of needy
students provision based on 34 CFR 606.3 and the low education and
general expenditures provision based on 34 CFR 607.4 as part of the
eligibility criteria, the unallowable activities provisions based on 34
CFR 606.10(c), and the tie-breaker provisions based on 34 CFR
606.23(b).
Priorities: This notice contains two absolute priorities and one
competitive preference priority. In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(iv), the two absolute priorities are from section
371(b)(2)(B) of the HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1067q(b)(2)(B). The competitive
preference priority is selected from the final supplemental priorities
and definitions for discretionary grant programs notice published in
the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486).
Absolute Priorities: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this
competition, these priorities are absolute priorities. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet these priorities.
These priorities are:

Absolute Priority 1

To meet this priority, an applicant must submit in accordance with
section 371(b)(2)(B)(i) of the HEA, an application for an Individual
Development or Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant that proposes
to increase the number of Hispanic and other low income students
attaining degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or
mathematics.

Absolute Priority 2

To meet this priority, an applicant must submit, in accordance with
section 371(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the HEA, an application for an Individual
Development or Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant that proposes
to develop model transfer and articulation agreements between two-year
HSIs and four-year institutions in such fields. Competitive Preference
Priority: For FY 2011 and any subsequent year in which we make awards
from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this
priority is a competitive preference priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i) we award an additional five points to an application
that meets this priority.
This priority is:
Enabling More Data-Based Decision-Making. Projects that are
designed to collect (or obtain), analyze, and use high-quality and
timely data, including data on program participant outcomes, in
accordance with privacy requirements, in the following priority area:
Improving postsecondary student outcomes relating to enrollment,
persistence, and completion and leading to career success.

Note: For purposes of this competitive preference priority, the
term privacy requirements means the requirements of the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. 1232g, and its
implementing regulations in 34 CFR part 99, the Privacy Act, 5
U.S.C. 552a, as well as all applicable Federal, State and local
requirements regarding privacy.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067q(b)(2)(B); Section 2103 of the
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. 111-
152).

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. (b) The notice of final supplemental
priorities and definitions for discretionary grant programs, published
in the Federal Register on December 15, 2010 (75 FR 78486).

[[Page 16749]]

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except Federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $99,900,000.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2012 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.

Note: Funds appropriated for this program for FY 2010 remain
available for obligation in FY 2011 pursuant to 20 U.S.C.
1067q(b)(1)(B).

Estimated Range of Awards: $700,000-1,200,000.
Estimate Average Size of Awards: Individual Development Grant:
$775,000. Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant: $1,100,000.
Maximum Awards: Individual Development Grant: $870,000. Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grant: $1,200,000. We will reject any
application that proposes a budget exceeding these maximum amounts 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: Individual Development Grants: 46.
Cooperative Arrangement Development Grants: 58.

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

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs that qualify as eligible HSIs are
eligible to apply for new Individual Development Grants and Cooperative
Arrangement Development Grants under the Hispanic-Serving Institutions
STEM and Articulation Programs. To be an eligible HSI, an IHE must--
(a) Have an enrollment of needy students, as defined in section
502(b) of the HEA (section 502(a)(2)(A)(i) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.
1101a(a)(2)(A)(i));
(b) Have, except as provided in section 522(b) of the HEA, average
educational and general expenditures that are low, per full-time
equivalent (FTE) undergraduate student, in comparison with the average
educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate student of
institutions that offer similar instruction (section 502(a)(2)(A)(ii)
of the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(2)(A)(ii));

Note: To demonstrate an enrollment of needy students and low
average educational and general expenditures per FTE undergraduate
student, an IHE must be designated as an ``eligible institution'' in
accordance with 34 CFR 606.3 through 606.5 and the notice inviting
applications for designation as an eligible institution for the
fiscal year for which the grant competition is being conducted.

(c) Be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or
association that the Secretary has determined to be a reliable
authority as to the quality of education or training offered, or making
reasonable progress toward accreditation, according to such an agency
or association (section 502(a)(2)(A)(iv) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.
1101a(a)(2)(A)(iv));
(d) Be legally authorized to provide, and provide within the State,
an educational program for which the institution awards a bachelor's
degree (section 502(a)(2)(A)(iii) of the HEA; 20 U.S.C.
1101a(a)(2)(A)(iii)); and
(e) Have an enrollment of undergraduate FTE students that is at
least 25 percent Hispanic students at the end of the award year
immediately preceding the date of application (section 502(a)(5)(B) of
the HEA; 20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5)(B)).

Note 1: Funds for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and
Articulation Programs will be awarded each fiscal year; thus, for
this program, the ``end of the award year immediately preceding the
date of application'' refers to the end of the fiscal year prior to
the application due date. The end of the fiscal year occurs on
September 30 for any given year.

Note 2: In considering applications for grants under this
program, the Department will compare the data and documentation the
institution relied on in its application with data reported to the
Department's Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS),
the IHE's State-reported enrollment data, and the institutional
annual report. If different percentages or data are reported in
these various sources, the institution must, as part of the 25
percent assurance verification, explain the reason for the
differences. If the IPEDS data show that less than 25 percent of the
institution's undergraduate FTE students are Hispanic, the burden is
on the institution to show that the IPEDS data are inaccurate. If
the IPEDS data indicate that the institution has an undergraduate
FTE less than 25 percent, and the institution fails to demonstrate
that the IPEDS data are inaccurate, the institution will be
considered ineligible.\1\

\1\ For purposes of making the determination described in
paragraph (e) of the Eligibility Criteria for this competition, IHEs
must report their undergraduate Hispanic FTE percent based on the
student enrollment count closest to, but not after, September 30,
2009.
In addition, for purposes of establishing eligibility for this
competition, the Notice Inviting Applications for Designation as
Eligible Institutions for FY 2010 was published in the Federal
Register on December 7, 2009 (74 FR 64059), and the deadline for
application was January 6, 2010. The Notice Inviting Applications
for Designation as Eligible Institutions for FY 2010 was reopened on
August 13, 2010 (75 FR 49484), and the deadline for applications was
September 13, 2010. Only institutions that submitted the required
application and received designation through one of these processes
are eligible to submit applications for this competition.
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2. Cost Sharing or Matching: There are no cost sharing or matching
requirements unless the grantee uses a portion of its grant for
establishing or improving an endowment fund. If a grantee uses a
portion of its grant for endowment fund purposes, it must match those
grant funds with non-Federal funds. (20 U.S.C. 1101b(c)(2)).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package: Carolyn Proctor, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., Room 6060, Washington, DC
20006-8513. Telephone: (202) 502-7567 or by e-mail:
Carolyn.Proctor@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible 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 these programs.
Page Limits: The application narrative (Part III of the
application) is where you, the applicant, address the selection
criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We have
established mandatory page limits for both the Individual Development
Grant and the Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant applications.
You must limit the application narrative (Part III) to no more than 50
pages for the Individual Development Grant application and no more than
70 pages for the Cooperative Arrangement Development Grant application,
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

[[Page 16750]]

application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables,
figures, and graphs. These items may be single spaced. Charts, tables,
figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward the page
limit.
Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial. An application submitted in any other font
(including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
If you do not use all of the allowable space on a page, it
will be counted as a full page in determining compliance with the page
limit.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application for
Federal Assistance (SF 424); the Department of Education Supplemental
Information form (SF 424); Part II, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524); Part IV, the assurances and
certifications; or the one-page abstract, or the program activity
budget detail form and supporting narrative. However, the page limit
does apply to all of the application narrative section (Part III),
including the narrative on budget that responds to the selection
criteria. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically
requested in the application package, these items will be counted as
part of your application narrative (Part III) for purposes of the page
limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the
selection criteria in the application narrative.

Note: The narrative response to the budget selection criteria is
not the same as the activity detail budget form and supporting
narrative. The supporting narrative for the detail budget form
explains the requested budget items line by line.

We will reject your application if you exceed the applicable page
limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: March 25, 2011.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: April 29, 2011.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to section IV. 7. Other Submission
Requirements of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
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: June 28, 2011.
4. Intergovernmental Review: These programs are 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 these programs.
5. Funding Restrictions: A grantee may not carry out the following
activities or pay the following costs under a HSI STEM and Articulation
Programs Development Grant:
(1) Activities that are not included in the grantee's approved
application.
(2) Activities that are inconsistent with any State plan for higher
education that is applicable to the institution, including, but not
limited to, a State plan for desegregation of higher education.
(3) Activities or services that relate to sectarian instruction or
religious worship.
(4) Activities provided by a school or department of divinity. For
the purpose of this provision, a ``school or department of divinity''
means an institution, or a department of an institution, whose program
is specifically for the education of students to prepare them to become
ministers of religion or to enter into some other religious vocation or
to prepare them to teach theological subjects.
(5) Developing or improving non-degree or non-credit courses other
than basic skills development courses.
(6) Developing or improving community-based or community services
programs, unless the program provides academic-related experiences or
academic credit toward a degree for degree students, or, unless it is a
program or services to encourage elementary and secondary school
students to develop the academic skills and the interest to pursue
postsecondary education.
(7) Purchase of standard office equipment, such as furniture, file
cabinets, bookcases, typewriters, or word processors.
(8) Payment of any portion of the salary of a president, vice
president, or equivalent officer who has college-wide administrative
authority and responsibility at an institution to fill a position under
the grant such as project coordinator or activity director.
(9) Costs of organized fund-raising, including financial campaigns,
endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar
expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions.
(10) Costs of student recruitment such as advertisements,
literature, and college fairs.
(11) Services to high school students, unless they are services to
encourage such students to develop the skills and the interest to
pursue postsecondary education.
(12) Instruction in the institution's standard courses as indicated
in the institution's catalog.
(13) Costs for health and fitness programs, transportation, and day
care services.
(14) Student activities such as entertainment, cultural, or social
enrichment programs, publications, social clubs, or associations.
(15) Activities that are operational in nature rather than
developmental in nature.
We reference other regulations outlining funding restrictions in
the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and Central Contractor Registry: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant
database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active CCR registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet. A DUNS number
can be created within one business day.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal

[[Page 16751]]

Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow 2-5 weeks for your TIN to become active.
The CCR registration process may take five or more business days to
complete. If you are currently registered with the CCR, you may not
need to make any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN
associated with your DUNS number is correct. Also, note that you will
need to update your CCR registration on an annual basis. This may take
three or more business days to complete.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined in the
Grants.gov 3--Step Registration Guide. (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf).
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition 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 Hispanic-Serving Institutions
STEM and Articulation Programs, CFDA number 84.031C, must be submitted
electronically using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at http://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 e-mail an electronic copy of a
grant application to us.
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.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Hispanic-
Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs at http://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 84.031 not
84.031C).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we
strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline
date to begin the submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5
system home page at http://www.G5.gov.
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
all information you typically provide on the following forms: the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a .PDF (Portable Document)
format only. If you upload a file type other than a .PDF 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.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department.) The
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification
indicates that the Department has received your application and has
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified
identifying number unique to your application).
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
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.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this
notice and provide an explanation of the technical problem you
experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk
Case Number. We will accept your application if we can confirm that a
technical problem occurred with the Grants.gov system and that that
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the

[[Page 16752]]

application deadline date. The Department will contact you after a
determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov 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 Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the Internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov 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: Carolyn Proctor, U.S.
Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6048, Washington, DC
20006-8516. FAX: (202) 502-7861.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.031C), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
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.
(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.
(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 84.031C), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, 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.

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 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification 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 these programs
are from 34 CFR 75.209(a) and 75.210, and are as follows:
Need for the project (20 points);
Quality of the project design (15 points);
Quality of project services (15 points);
Quality of project personnel (10 points);
Adequacy of resources (10 points);
Quality of the management plan (15 points); and
Quality of project evaluation (15 points).
Additional information regarding these criteria is listed in the
application package for this competition.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
achievement of project objectives, the applicant's use of funds, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an
award are as follows:
(A) Documentation of at least 25 Percent Hispanic Undergraduate FTE
Students. An applicant must provide, as an attachment to the
application, the documentation the institution relied upon in
determining that at least 25 percent of the institution's undergraduate
FTE students are Hispanic.

Note: The 25 percent requirement applies only to undergraduate
Hispanic students and is calculated based upon FTE students.
Instructions for formatting and submitting the verification
documentation to Grants.gov are in the application package for this
competition.

(B) Tie-breaker for development grants (based on 34 CFR 606.23). To
resolve ties in the reader scores of applications for development
grants, the Department will award one additional point to an
application from an IHE that has an endowment fund for which the market
value per FTE student is less than the comparable average current

[[Page 16753]]

market value of the endowment funds per FTE student at similar type
IHEs. In addition, to resolve ties in the reader scores of applications
for HSI STEM and Articulation Programs development grants, the
Department will award one additional point to an application from an
IHE that has expenditures for library materials per FTE student that
are less than the comparable average expenditures for library materials
per FTE student at similar type IHEs.
We also will add one additional point to an application from an IHE
that proposes to carry out one or more of the following activities--
1. Faculty development;
2. Funds and administrative management;
3. Development and improvement of academic programs;
4. Acquisition of equipment for use in strengthening management and
academic programs;
5. Joint use of facilities; and
6. Student services.
For the purpose of these funding considerations, we will use the
most recent complete data available (e.g., for FY 2010, we will use
2008-2009 data).
If a tie remains after applying the tie-breaker mechanism above,
priority will be given in the case of applicants for: (a) Individual
development grants, to applicants that addressed the statutory priority
found in section 521(d) of the HEA; and b. Cooperative arrangement
grants, to applicants in accordance with section 524(b) of the HEA, if
the Secretary determines that the cooperative arrangement is
geographically and economically sound or will benefit the applicant
institution.
If a tie still remains after applying the additional point(s) and
the relevant statutory priority, we will determine the ranking of
applicants based on the lowest endowment values per FTE enrolled
student.
3. Special Conditions: Under 34 CFR 74.14 and 80.12, the Secretary
may impose special conditions on a grant if the applicant or grantee is
not financially stable; has a history of unsatisfactory performance;
has a financial or other management system that does not meet the
standards in 34 CFR parts 74 or 80, as applicable; has not fulfilled
the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

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 notify you informally, also.
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 in this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) 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 directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c) For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to http://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Secretary has established the
following key performance measures for assessing the effectiveness of
the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs:
(1) The percentage change, over the five-year grant period, of the
number of full-time degree-seeking undergraduates enrolled at HSIs.
(2) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students who were in their first year of postsecondary
enrollment in the previous year and are enrolled in the current year at
the same institution.
(3) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at four-year HSIs graduating within six
years of enrollment.
(4) The percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking
undergraduate students enrolled at two-year HSIs graduating within
three years of enrollment.
(5) Federal cost for undergraduate and graduate degrees at
institutions in the Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation
Programs.
5. Hispanic-Serving Institutions STEM and Articulation Programs
Special Analyses: The Hispanic- Serving Institutions STEM and
Articulation Programs include two absolute priorities and one
competitive preference priority listed under Priorities in section I of
this notice.
To assess the impact of the adoption of these priorities on program
outcomes, the Department will collect data through the annual
performance report and conduct special analyses to determine the
changes that occur during the course of the grant period in:
(1) The percentage of graduates receiving STEM related degrees from
grantee institutions; and
(2) The number of students transferring from two-year grantee
institutions to four-year institutions; and
(3) The use of student data on enrollment, persistence, and
completion by grantee institutions that select the Competitive
Preference Priority in conducting project activities. Such data may
include data from State longitudinal data systems or other reliable
third-party resources.
6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award, the
Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.253, the extent to which a
grantee has made ``substantial progress toward meeting the objectives
in its approved application.'' This consideration includes the review
of a grantee's progress in meeting the targets and projected outcomes
in its approved application, and whether the grantee has expended funds
in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and
budget. In making a continuation grant, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Proctor, U.S. Department of
Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6048, Washington, DC 20006-8513.
Telephone: (202) 502-7567 or by e-mail: Carolyn.Proctor@ed.gov.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

[[Page 16754]]

VIII. Other Information

Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on
request to the program contact person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII in this notice.
Electronic Access to This Document: You can 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.

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 via the Federal Digital System at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys.

Dated: March 22, 2011.
Eduardo M. Ochoa,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2011-7127 Filed 3-24-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P