[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 138 (Thursday, July 18, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42871-42872]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17271]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter III
[Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.264A]
Final Extension of Project Period and Waiver; Rehabilitation
Continuing Education Program for the Technical Assistance and
Continuing Education Centers (TACE Centers)
AGENCY: Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education.
ACTION: Final extension of project period and waiver.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary waives the requirements that generally prohibit
project periods exceeding five years and extensions of project periods
involving the obligation of additional Federal funds. This extension
and waiver enables the currently funded TACE Centers to receive funding
through September 30, 2014.
DATES: The extension of the project period and waiver are effective
July 18, 2013.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: RoseAnn Ashby, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5055, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-7258.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 15, 2013, the Department published
a notice in the Federal Register (78 FR 16447) proposing an extension
of project period and a waiver of 34 CFR 75.250 and 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2)
in order to--
(1) Enable the Secretary to provide additional funds to eight of
the currently funded TACE Centers for an additional 12-month period,
from October 1, 2013, through September 30, 2014, and to provide
additional funds to two of the TACE Centers from December 22, 2013,
through September 30, 2014; and
(2) Invite comments on the proposed extension of project period and
waiver.
There are no substantive differences between the proposed extension
and waiver and this final extension and waiver.
Public Comment
In response to our invitation in the proposed extension of project
period and waiver, seven parties submitted comments. All of the
commenters supported the Department's proposed extension and waiver, to
permit eight of the TACE Centers to receive Federal funds from October
1, 2013, through September 30, 2014, and to permit two of the TACE
Centers to receive funds from December 22, 2013, through September 30,
2014.
Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes. In
addition, we do not address general comments that raise concerns not
directly related to the proposed extension and waiver.
Analysis of Comments and Changes: An analysis of the comments and
of any changes in the extension and waiver since publication of the
proposed extension and waiver follows.
Comment: Seven commenters supported extending the TACE Centers'
project period for another year to avoid a disruption in the technical
assistance (TA) and continuing education (CE) provided to State
vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies and their partners in the ten
Federal regions.
Discussion: We appreciate the commenters' support.
Changes: None.
Background
On June 5, 2008, and October 20, 2008, the Department published
notices in the Federal Register (73 FR 32006, 73 FR 62263) inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal years (FYs) 2008 and 2009 for
TACE Centers to be funded under the Rehabilitation Training Program,
authorized under Section 302 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended. The Department awarded grants to a total of 10 TACE Centers--
eight in FY 2008 and two in early FY 2009--for a period of 60 months.
All 10 projects are scheduled to end in calendar year 2013.
The purpose of these centers is to improve the quantity and quality
of employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities through
enhanced technical assistance (TA) and continuing education (CE) for
State VR agencies and agency partners that cooperate with State VR
agencies in
[[Page 42872]]
providing VR and other rehabilitation services (e.g., Centers for
Independent Living, Client Assistance Programs, and Community
Rehabilitation Programs).
The TACE Centers contribute to the following outcomes: Improved
quality of VR services, increased effectiveness and efficiency of State
VR agencies in delivering VR services, and improved quantity and
quality of VR employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
The TACE Centers must contribute to these outcomes by providing, either
directly or through contract, TA to State VR agencies and agency
partners. The TACE Centers must also provide CE to employees of State
VR agencies and agency partners on topics that are identified jointly
by the Rehabilitation Services Administration and each TACE Center's
advisory committee, and included in the TACE Center's annual work plan.
The Department is in the process of reviewing and analyzing the
current program to determine future needs, strategies, and funding
priorities for FY 2014. As such, we do not believe that it would be in
the public interest to run a competition for new TACE Centers this
year.
For this reason, the Secretary waives the requirements in 34 CFR
75.250 and 34 CFR 75.261(c)(2), which prohibit project periods
exceeding five years and extensions of project periods involving the
obligation of additional Federal funds. The Secretary also extends the
current project period for the ten TACE Center grantees funded in FYs
2008 and 2009 until September 30, 2014.
This extension of project period and waiver allows the ten TACE
Center grantees to request continuation funding in FY 2013 for project
periods through FY 2014. We base our decisions regarding continuation
awards on the program narratives, budgets, budget narratives, and
program performance reports submitted by these ten TACE Center grantees
and the requirements in 34 CFR 75.253. Any activities to be carried out
during the year of a continuation award must be consistent with, or be
a logical extension of, the scope, goals, and objectives of a grantee's
application as approved in the 2008 TACE Center competitions. The 2008
TACE Center notices inviting applications will continue to govern these
projects during the extension year.
Waiver of Delayed Effective Date
The Administrative Procedure Act requires that a substantive rule
must be published at least 30 days before its effective date, except as
otherwise provided for good cause (5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3)). We have not
made any substantive changes to the proposed extension of project
period and waiver. The Secretary has therefore determined to waive the
delayed effective date to ensure timely continuation grants to the
entities affected and continuation of the valuable services the TACE
Centers provide.
Regulatory Flexibility Act Certification
The Secretary certifies that this final extension of the project
period and waiver will not have a significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. The only entities that will be
affected are the current grantees and any other potential applicants.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
The final extension of project period and waiver do not contain any
information collection requirements.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the contact person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site 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). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: July 15, 2013.
Michael K. Yudin,
Delegated the authority to perform the functions and the duties of the
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-17271 Filed 7-17-13; 8:45 am]
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