[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 11, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65200-65201]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-31386]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
[CFDA No.: 84.235W]
Special Projects and Demonstrations for Providing Vocational
Rehabilitation Services to Individuals With Disabilities; Notice
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 1997
Purpose of Program: To provide financial assistance to projects for
expanding or otherwise improving vocational rehabilitation and other
rehabilitation services for individuals with disabilities, especially
individuals with the most severe disabilities.
Eligible Applicants: State agencies; other public agencies and
organizations, including Indian tribes; and nonprofit private agencies
and organizations.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: March 18, 1997.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: May 19, 1997.
Applications Available: December 11, 1996.
Available Funds: $2,958,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $180,000--$220,000.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $200,000.
Estimated Number of Awards: 13-16.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Maximum Award: In no case does the Secretary make an award greater
than $220,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The Secretary
rejects and does not consider an application that proposes a budget
exceeding this maximum amount.
Project Period: Up to 36 months.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80,
81, 82, and 85; and (b) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR
parts 369 and 373.
[[Page 65201]]
Priorities
Competitive Preference Priority
The competitive preference priority concerning Empowerment Zones
and Enterprise Communities in the notice of final priorities for this
program, published in the Federal Register on December 9, 1994 (59 FR
63860), applies to this competition.
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i) the Secretary gives preference to
applications that meet the following competitive priority. The
Secretary awards 10 bonus points to an application that meets this
competitive priority in a particularly effective way. These bonus
points are in addition to any points the application earns under the
selection criteria for the program:
Competitive Preference Priority--Providing Program Services in an
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community
Under this program the Secretary gives competitive preference to
applications that--
(1) Propose the provision of substantial services in Empowerment
Zones or Enterprise Communities; and
(2) Propose projects that contribute to the strategic plan of the
Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community and that are made an integral
component of the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community activities.
Under this program a project is considered to be providing
substantial services if a minimum of 51 percent of the persons served
by the project reside within the Empowerment Zone or Enterprise
Community.
Invitational Priorities
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1) the Secretary is particularly interested
in applications that meet one or more of the following invitational
priorities. However, an application that meets one or more of these
invitational priorities does not receive competitive or absolute
preference over other applications:
Invitational Priority 1--Projects To Increase Client Choice
Projects that emphasize and demonstrate effective ways to increase
the choices and involvement of eligible clients in the rehabilitation
process, including the selection of goals, services, and the providers
of vocational rehabilitation services.
Invitational Priority 2--Programs To Demonstrate Early Intervention
Strategies
Projects that provide early intervention in providing vocational
rehabilitation services to individuals with chronic and progressive
diseases, including HIV/AIDS. Projects should demonstrate the utility
of early intervention in providing vocational evaluation, training, and
counseling services to develop new careers and employment or to improve
job retention.
Invitational Priority 3--Projects Focusing on Career Advancement
Projects that demonstrate service delivery models that further high
quality employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities by
providing services to ensure that those individuals possess the
knowledge and skills necessary to compete for jobs with potential for
career advancement and by providing services to improve career
advancement opportunities for individuals who are employed.
FOR APPLICATIONS CONTACT: Joyce R. Jones, U.S. Department of Education,
600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3038 Switzer Building, Washington,
D.C. 20202-2649; or call (202) 205-8351.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Pamela Martin or Alfreda Reeves, U.S. Department of Education, 600
Independence Avenue, S.W., Room 3314, Switzer Building, Washington,
D.C. 20202-2650. Telephone: (202) 205-8494 or (202) 205-9361.
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf may
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339
between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.
Information about the Department's funding opportunities, including
copies of application notices for discretionary grant competitions, can
be viewed on the Department's electronic bulletin board (ED Board),
telephone (202) 260-9950; on the Internet Gopher Server (at gopher://
gcs.ed.gov/); or on the World Wide Web (at http://gcs.ed.gov). This
information can also be viewed on the Rehabilitations Services
Administration's electronic bulletin board, telephone (202) 401-6147.
However, the official application notice for a discretionary grant
competition is the notice published in the Federal Register.
Authority: 29 U.S.C. 777a(a)(1).
Dated: December 4, 1996.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 96-31386 Filed 12-10-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P