[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 214 (Tuesday, November 5, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66344-66350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26495]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Rehabilitation Training:
Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Program--Vocational Rehabilitation
Counseling
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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Overview Information: Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-
Term Training Program--Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling Notice
inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2014.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.129B.
Dates:
Applications Available: November 5, 2013.
Dates of Pre-Application Webinars: November 20, 2013, December 4,
2013, and January 8, 2014.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 3, 2014.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 4, 2014.
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Rehabilitation Long-Term Training program
provides financial assistance for--
(1) Projects that provide basic or advanced training leading to an
academic degree in areas of personnel
[[Page 66345]]
shortages in rehabilitation as identified by the Secretary;
(2) Projects that provide a specified series of courses or program
of study leading to the award of a certificate in areas of personnel
shortages in rehabilitation as identified by the Secretary; and
(3) Projects that provide support for medical residents enrolled in
residency training programs in the specialty of physical medicine and
rehabilitation.
Priorities: This notice includes two absolute priorities. In order
to receive funding in the competition announced in this notice, an
applicant must meet both absolute priorities.
Absolute Priority 1: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii),
this priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 386.1).
For FY 2014 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the
list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this priority is an
absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only
applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Programs Designed to Provide
Academic Training in Areas of Personnel Shortages.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), for this competition, we consider only
applications that propose to provide training in the priority area of
rehabilitation counseling.
Absolute Priority 2: This priority is from the notice of final
priority for this program, published elsewhere in this issue of the
Federal Register. For FY 2014 and any subsequent year in which we make
awards from the list of unfunded applicants from this competition, this
priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider
only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling.
Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project:
In deciding whether to continue funding any Long-Term Training
program for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will, as part of
its review under 34 CFR 75.253(a), consider the following--
(a) The recommendation of the RSA project officer who will review
the grantee's training program against the projections stated in the
grantee's application. This review will take place during the last half
of the third year of the project period.
(b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of
the grant award have been or are being met by the grantee, including
the submission of annual performance reports and annual RSA Scholar
Payback Program reports, and adherence to fiduciary responsibilities
related to the budget submitted in the application; and
(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
significantly to improving consumer access to qualified rehabilitation
counselors who are prepared to adequately address their employment
needs and goals.
As a result, when awarding scholarships, grantees must inform
scholars at the onset of the program that the scholarship is dependent
upon: (1) Availability of funding, and (2) a program review to
determine continuance of a fourth and fifth year of funding.
Note: While applicants may not hire staff or select trainees
based on race or national origin/ethnicity, they may conduct
outreach activities to increase the pool of eligible minority
candidates. We may disqualify and not consider for funding any
applicant that indicates that it will hire or train a certain number
or percentage of minority candidates.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 772.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, 84, 86, and 99. (b) The Education Department suspension and
debarment regulations in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The regulations in 34 CFR
parts 385 and 386. (d) The notice of final priority for this program,
published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register.
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: $9,166,902.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2015 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Estimated Range of Awards: $190,000-$200,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $195,000.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application 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.
Estimated Number of Awards: 46.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: States and public or nonprofit agencies and
organizations, including Indian tribes and institutions of higher
education.
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 waive 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).
Note: Under 34 CFR 75.562(c), an indirect cost reimbursement on
a training grant is limited to the recipient's actual indirect
costs, as determined by its negotiated indirect cost rate agreement,
or eight percent of a modified total direct cost base, whichever
amount is less. Indirect costs in excess of the limit may not be
charged directly, used to satisfy matching or cost-sharing
requirements, or charged to another Federal award.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the Internet, from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs), or from the program office.
To obtain a copy via the Internet, use the following address:
www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html.
To obtain a copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call the following:
ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA
22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If
you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call, toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: [email protected].
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify
this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.129B.
To obtain a copy from the program office, contact the person listed
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc)
[[Page 66346]]
by contacting the person or team listed under Accessible Format in
section VIII of this notice.
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 this competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the
application narrative to the equivalent of no more than 45 pages, 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 application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
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 or Arial Narrow) will not be accepted.
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II,
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, or the letters of support.
The page limit does apply to all of the application narrative
section, Part III. Therefore, we will reject your application if you
exceed the page limit in Part III or exceed the equivalent of the page
limit if you apply other standards.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: November 5, 2013.
Dates of Pre-Application Webinars: Interested parties are invited
to participate in pre-application webinars. The pre-application
webinars with staff from the Department will be held on November 20,
2013, December 4, 2013, and January 8, 2014, at 2:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time. The webinars will be recorded. For further information about
the pre-application webinars, visit the National Clearinghouse of
Rehabilitation Training Materials (NCRTM) at www.ncrtm.org.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 3, 2014.
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: April 4, 2014.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is 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 this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and System for Award Management: 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 System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly 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 SAM 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
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 SAM registration process may take seven or more business days
to complete. If you are currently registered with the SAM, 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 registration annually. This may take three or more
business days to complete. Information about SAM is available at
SAM.gov.
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 at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/aapplicants/get_registered.jsp.
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 Rehabilitation Training:
Rehabilitation Long-Term Training competition, CFDA Number 84.129B,
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.
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
Rehabilitation
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Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term Training 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
84.129B).
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 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)
read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or
fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only,
non-modifiable 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 email. 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 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
prevents 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: RoseAnn Ashby, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5055, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202-2800. FAX: (202) 245-7591.
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
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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 84.129B), 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 84.129B), 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 this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210 and 34 CFR 386.20 and are listed in the
application package.
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
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, 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).
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); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your 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 of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of 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 www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: The Government Performance and Results Act
of 1993 (GPRA) directs Federal departments and agencies to improve the
effectiveness of programs by engaging in strategic planning, setting
outcome-related goals for programs, and measuring program results
against those goals.
The goal of RSA's Rehabilitation Training: Rehabilitation Long-Term
Training program is to increase the number of qualified vocational
rehabilitation (VR) personnel, including counselors and other
professional staff, working in State VR or related agencies. At least
75 percent of all grant funds must be used for direct payment of
student scholarships.
Grantees are required to maintain a system that safeguards the
privacy of current and former scholars from the time they are enrolled
in the program until they successfully meet their service obligation
through qualified employment or monetary repayment. This system must
ensure that scholars sign a payback agreement and an exit form when
they exit the program, regardless of whether they drop out, are
removed, or successfully complete the program. Specifically, each
grantee is required to maintain the following scholar information:
(a) Current contact information for all students receiving
scholarships, including home address, email, and a phone number (home
or cell);
(b) A point of contact for each scholar in the event that the
grantee is unable to contact the student. This contact must be at least
21 years of age and may
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be a parent, relative, spouse, partner, sibling, or guardian;
(c) Cumulative financial support granted to scholars;
(d) Scholar debt in years;
(e) Program completion date and reason for exit for each scholar;
(f) Annual documentation from the scholar's employer(s) until the
scholar completes the service obligation. This documentation must
include the following elements in order to verify qualified employment:
Start date of employment to the present date, confirmation of full-time
or part-time employment (if the scholar is working part-time the number
of hours per week must be included in the documentation), type of
employment, and a description of the roles and responsibilities
performed on the job. This information is required for each employer if
the scholar has worked in more than one setting in order to meet the
service obligation.
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. This may be a formal or informal contract,
cooperative agreement, memorandum of understanding, or related
document;
(g) Annual documentation from the scholar's institution of higher
education to verify dates of deferral, if applicable. The documentation
may be prepared by the scholar's advisor or department chair and must
include: Confirmation of enrollment date, estimated graduation date,
confirmation that the scholar is enrolled in a full-time course of
study, and confirmation of the scholar's intent to fulfill the service
obligation upon completion of the program.
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 results
against the goal of increasing the number of qualified VR personnel
working in State VR and related agencies.
In addition, all Rehabilitation Long-Term Training grantees must
submit the following quantitative and qualitative data in an annual
performance report:
(a) Program activities that occurred during each fiscal year from
October 1 to March 31 and projected program activities to occur from
April 1 to September 30. For subsequent reporting years, grantees
confirm projections made from the prior year;
(b) Summary of academic support and counseling provided to scholars
to ensure successful completion;
(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 their initial months of their
employment. This may include but is not limited to informing scholars
of professional contacts, networks, and job leads, matching scholars
with mentors in the field, and connecting scholars to other necessary
resources and information;
(d) Summary of partnership and coordination activities with State
VR agencies and community-based rehabilitation providers. This may
include but is not limited to obtaining input and feedback regarding
curricula from State VR agencies and community-based rehabilitation
providers; organizing internships, practicum agreements, job shadowing,
and mentoring opportunities; and assessing scholars at the work site;
(e) Assistance provided to scholars who may not be meeting academic
standards or who are performing poorly in a practicum or internship
setting;
(f) Results of the program evaluation, as well as information
describing how these results will be used to make necessary adjustments
and improvements to the program;
(g) Results from scholar internship, practicum, job shadowing, or
mentoring assessments, as well as information describing how those
results will be used to ensure that future scholars receive all
necessary preparation and training prior to program completion;
(h) Results from scholar evaluations and information describing how
these results will be used to ensure that future scholars will be
proficient in meeting the needs and demands of today's consumers and
employers;
(i) Number of scholars who began an internship during the reporting
period;
(j) Number of scholars who completed an internship during the
reporting period;
(k) Number of scholars who dropped out or were dismissed from the
program during the reporting period;
(l) Number of scholars receiving RSA scholarships during the
reporting period;
(m) Number of scholars who graduated from the program during the
reporting period;
(n) Number of scholars who obtained qualifying employment during
the reporting period;
(o) Number of vacancies filled in the State VR agency with
qualified counselors from the program during the reporting period;
(p) A budget and narrative detailing expenditures covering the
period of October 1 through March 31 and projected expenditures from
April 1 through September 30. The budget narrative must also verify
progress towards meeting the 10 percent match requirement. For
subsequent reporting years, grantees will confirm projections made from
the prior year; and
(q) Other information, as requested by RSA, in order to verify
substantial progress and effectively report program impact to Congress
and key stakeholders.
5. 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: RoseAnn Ashby, U.S. Department of
Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, 400 Maryland Avenue
SW., Room 5055, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2800. Telephone: (202) 245-
7258 or by email: [email protected].
If you use a TDD or TTY, call the Federal Relay Service, toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
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
[[Page 66350]]
print, audiotape, or compact disc) on request to the program contact
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of
this notice.
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: October 30, 2013.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2013-26495 Filed 11-4-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P