2016-29370. Applications for New Awards; Training and Information for Parents of Children With Disabilities-Community Parent Resource Centers

AGENCY:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice.

Overview Information

Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities—Community Parent Resource Centers Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.328C.

Dates:

 

Applications Available: December 7, 2016.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 6, 2017.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: April 6, 2017.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to ensure that parents of children with disabilities receive training and information to help improve results for their children.

Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(iv) and (v), this priority is from allowable activities specified in the statute, or otherwise authorized in the statute (see sections 672 and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 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:

Community Parent Resource Centers

Background: The purpose of this priority is to fund seven Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs) designed to meet the specific needs of parents of children with disabilities, and youth with disabilities, who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support in the geographically defined communities served by the centers. These parents can include, for example, low-income parents, parents with limited English proficiency, and parents with disabilities. Youth can include, for example, youth living in low-income households and youth with limited English proficiency.

More than 35 years of research and experience has demonstrated that the education of children with disabilities can be made more effective by strengthening the ability of parents to participate fully in the education of their children at school and at home (see section 601(c)(5)(B) of IDEA). Since the Department first funded CPRCs over 20 years ago, the CPRC program has helped parents in their communities set high expectations for children with disabilities and has provided parents with the information and training they need to help their children meet those expectations. Information about the Office of Special Education's parent training and information program can be found at: www.parentcenterhub.org.

CPRCs, consistent with section 672(b) of IDEA, help families in the geographically defined communities identified by the applicant: (a) Navigate systems that provide early intervention, special education, general education, postsecondary options, and related services; (b) understand the nature of their children's disabilities; (c) learn about their rights and responsibilities under IDEA; (d) expand their knowledge of evidence-based, as defined in this notice, education practices to help their children succeed; (e) strengthen their collaboration with professionals; (f) locate resources available for themselves and their children, which connects them to their local communities; and (g) advocate for improved student achievement, increased graduation rates, and improved postsecondary outcomes for all children through participation in school reform activities. In addition, CPRCs may help youth with disabilities in their communities have high expectations for themselves and understand their rights and responsibilities. In addition, effective CPRCs can partner with local agencies, providing expertise on how to better support families in their communities and help them access other community supports that empower families.

The CPRCs to be funded through this priority will provide parents with information, individual assistance, and training to enable them to: (a) Advocate for their children's access to appropriate services, including access to general education classrooms and extracurricular activities; (b) help their children meet developmental and academic goals; (c) help their children meet challenging expectations established for all children; and (d) prepare their children to achieve positive postsecondary outcomes that lead to lives that are as productive and independent as possible. In addition, all CPRCs will be required to help youth with disabilities become effective self-advocates.

Priority: At a minimum, the CPRCs must: (1) Increase parents' capacity to help their children with disabilities improve their early learning, school-aged, and postsecondary outcomes; and (2) increase youth with disabilities' capacity to be effective self-advocates. To be considered for funding under this priority, an applicant must meet the application, programmatic, and administrative requirements of this priority. Applicants must—

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Significance of the Project,” how the proposed project will—

(1) Address the needs of parents of children with disabilities who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support for services that increase the parents' capacity to help their children improve their early learning, school-aged, and postsecondary outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Present appropriate information on the characteristics and needs of parents in the identified community who experience significant challenges identifying reliable sources of information and support, including, for example, low-income parents, parents with limited English proficiency, parents of incarcerated youth with disabilities, and parents with disabilities;

(ii) Present appropriate information about the identified community, including a description of its geographic area, population demographics, and the resources available in the community to support all families;

(iii) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices in providing training and information to parents and youth in the identified community;

(iv) Demonstrate knowledge of current evidence-based education practices and policy initiatives to improve outcomes in early intervention and early childhood, general and special education, transition services, and postsecondary options, including, if applicable to its community, the Promoting the Readiness of Minors in Supplemental Security Income (PROMISE) initiative; and

(v) Demonstrate knowledge of how to identify and work with appropriate partners in the community, including agencies providing Part C services under IDEA; local educational agencies (LEAs); child welfare agencies; disability-specific resources serving families, such as local service providers; and other community nonprofits serving families; and

(2) Address the needs of youth with disabilities for services that increase their capacity to be effective self-advocates. To meet this requirement, the applicant must—

(i) Present appropriate information on the needs of youth with disabilities in the identified community who experience significant isolation from available sources of information and support, including, for example, youth who are low-income, homeless, or limited English proficient, have dropped out of school, or are in foster care or involved in the juvenile justice system;

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices in providing training and information to youth with disabilities in the identified community;

(iii) Demonstrate knowledge of best practices in self-advocacy; and

(iv) Demonstrate knowledge of how to work with appropriate partners serving youth with disabilities in the identified community, including local agencies, other nonprofits, and Independent Living Centers that provide assistance such as postsecondary education options, employment training, and supports.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under “Quality of the Project Services,” how the proposed project will—

(1) Use a project logic model (see paragraph (f)(1) of this priority) to guide the development of project plans and activities within the identified community;

(2) Develop and implement an outreach plan to inform parents of children with disabilities and youth with disabilities in the identified community of how they can benefit from the services provided by the CPRC;

(3) Provide services that increase parents' capacity to help their children with disabilities improve their early learning, school-aged, and postsecondary outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must include information as to how the services will—

(i) Increase parents' knowledge of—

(A) The nature of their children's disabilities, including their children's strengths and academic, behavioral, and developmental challenges;

(B) The importance of having high expectations for their children and how to help them meet those expectations;

(C) The local, State, and Federal resources available to assist them and their children, and local resources that strengthen their connection to their community;

(D) IDEA, Federal IDEA regulations, and State implementation of IDEA, including parents' role on Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams and how to effectively participate on IFSP and IEP Teams;

(E) Other relevant educational and health care legislation, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA); section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (section 504); and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA);

(F) Transition services at all levels, including: Part C early intervention to Part B preschool, preschool to elementary school, elementary school to secondary school, and secondary school to postsecondary education and workforce options;

(G) How their children can have access to the general education curriculum, including access to college- and career-ready academic standards and assessments; inclusive early learning programs; inclusive general education classrooms and settings; vocational education; extracurricular and enrichment opportunities available to all children; and other initiatives to make students college- and career-ready;

(H) Evidence-based early intervention and education practices that improve early learning, school-aged, and postsecondary outcomes;

(I) Local school reform efforts to improve student achievement and increase graduation rates; and

(J) The use of data to inform instruction and advance school reform efforts;

(ii) Increase parents' capacity to—

(A) Effectively support their children with disabilities and participate in their children's education;

(B) Communicate effectively and work collaboratively in partnership with early intervention service providers, school-based personnel, related services personnel, and administrators;

(C) Resolve disputes effectively; and

(D) Participate in school reform activities to improve outcomes for all children;

(4) Provide services that increase youth with disabilities' capacity to be effective self-advocates. To meet this requirement, the applicant must include information as to how the services will—

(i) Increase the knowledge of youth with disabilities about—

(A) The nature of their disabilities, including their strengths, and their academic, behavioral, and developmental challenges;

(B) The importance of having high expectations for themselves and how to meet those expectations;

(C) The resources available to support their success in secondary and postsecondary education and employment and full participation in their communities;

(D) IDEA, section 504, ADA, and other legislation and policies that affect people with disabilities;

(E) Their rights and responsibilities while receiving services under IDEA and after transitioning to post-school programs, services, and employment;

(F) How they can participate on IEP Teams; and

(G) Supported decisionmaking necessary to transition to adult life; and

(ii) Increase the capacity of youth with disabilities to advocate for themselves, including communicating effectively and working in partnership with providers;

(5) Use various methods to deliver services that are appropriate in the context of the identified community;

(6) Use best practices to provide training and information to adult learners and youth in the identified community;

(7) Establish cooperative partnerships with any Parent Training and Information Center and any other CPRCs funded in the State under sections 671 and 672 of IDEA, respectively; and

(8) Network with local and State organizations and agencies, such as the Part C State Interagency Coordinating Council, the Part B State Advisory Panel, and protection and advocacy agencies that serve parents and families of children with disabilities, to better support the families and children with disabilities in the identified community to effectively and efficiently access IDEA services.

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application, under “Quality of the Evaluation Plan,” how—

(1) The applicant will evaluate how well the goals or objectives of the proposed project, as described in its logic model, have been met, including a description of how the applicant will measure the outcomes proposed in the logic model (see paragraph (f)(1) of this priority). The description must include—

(i) Proposed evaluation methodologies appropriate to the scope of the project and the identified community, including proposed instruments, data collection methods, and analyses; and

(ii) Proposed criteria for determining if the project has reached and served families and youth in the identified community; and

(2) The proposed project will use the evaluation results to examine its implementation and its progress toward achieving intended outcomes.

(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of Project Resources,” how—

(1) The proposed personnel, consultants, and contractors have the qualifications and experience to carry out the proposed activities and achieve the intended outcomes identified in the project logic model (see paragraph (f)(1) of this priority);

(2) The applicant will encourage applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have historically been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, linguistic diversity, gender, age, or disability, as appropriate; and

(3) The applicant and key partners have adequate resources to carry out the proposed activities.

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the Management Plan,” how—

(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the intended outcomes identified in the project logic model (see paragraph (f)(1) of this priority) will be achieved on time and within budget;

(2) The time of key personnel, consultants, and contractors will be sufficiently allocated to the project;

(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the services provided are of high quality;

(4) The board of directors will be used to provide appropriate oversight to the project;

(5) The proposed project benefits from a diversity of perspectives, including those of parents, providers, and administrators in the identified community;

(6) The proposed project will ensure that the Annual Performance Reports submitted to the Department will—

(i) Be accurate and timely;

(ii) Include information on the projects' outputs and outcomes; and

(iii) Include, at a minimum, the number and demographics of parents and youth to whom the CPRC provided information and training, and the levels of service provided to them; and

(7) The project management and staff will—

(i) Make use of the technical assistance (TA) and products provided by the Center on Parent Information and Resources, Regional Parent Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), Native American PTAC, Military PTAC, and other TA centers funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), as appropriate, including the PROMISE TA Center, in order to serve parents of children with disabilities and youth with disabilities as effectively as possible;

(ii) Participate in developing individualized TA plans with the Regional PTAC as appropriate; and

(iii) Facilitate one site visit from the Regional PTAC during the grant cycle.

(f) In the narrative or appendices as directed, the applicant must—

(1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed project. A logic model communicates how a project will achieve its intended outcomes and provides a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the project;

NOTE:

The following Web sites provide more information on logic models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/​logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/​resources-grantees/​program-areas/​ta-ta/​tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.

(2) Include, in Appendix A, person-loading charts and timelines, as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative; and

(3) Include, in the budget, attendance by the project director at one OSEP meeting in Washington DC annually, to be determined by OSEP;

NOTE:

Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the grantee's project director and other authorized representatives.

Definitions: For the purposes of this priority:

Evidence-based means supported by strong theory.

Strong theory means a rationale for the proposed process, product, strategy, or practice that includes a logic model.

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority and requirements in this notice.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1472 and 1481.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The Office of Management and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part 3474.

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 (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested $27,411,000 for the Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program for FY 2017, of which we intend to use an estimated $700,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $100,000.

Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding $100,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.

Estimated Number of Awards: 7.

NOTE:

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

Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Local parent organizations.

NOTE:

Section 672(a)(2) of IDEA defines a “local parent organization” as a parent organization, as defined in section 671(a)(2), that—

(a) Has a board of directors the majority of whom are parents of children with disabilities ages birth through 26 from the community to be served; and

(b) Has as its mission serving families of children with disabilities who—

(i) Are ages birth through 26; and

(ii) Have the full range of disabilities described in section 602(3) of IDEA.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee may award subgrants—to directly carry out project activities described in its application—to the following types of entities: State educational agencies; LEAs, including public charter schools that are considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas; Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations suitable to carry out the activities proposed in the application.

(b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified in an approved application.

4. Other General Requirements:

(a) Recipients of funding under this program must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of IDEA).

(b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding under this program must involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

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: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: [phone]. 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: [e-mail].

If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.328C.

To obtain a copy from the program office, contact: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., room 5175, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington DC 20202-5076. Telephone: [phone]. If you use a TDD or TTY, 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 compact disc) 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 and form 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 Part III to no more than 50 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, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
• Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
• 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 and double-spacing requirements do 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 abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, or the appendices. However, the page limit and double-spacing requirements do apply to all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit in the application narrative section; or if you apply standards other than those specified in the application package.

3. Submission Dates and Times:

Applications Available: December 7, 2016.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: February 6, 2017.

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 Other Submission Requirements in section IV 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 6, 2017.

4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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), 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 at the following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/​webform. A DUNS number can be created within one to two business days.

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 two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.

The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database. Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We strongly recommend that you register early.

NOTE:

Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48 hours before you can access the information in, and submit an application through, Grants.gov.

If you are currently registered with 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.

Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet, which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/​fund/​grant/​apply/​sam-faqs.html.

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/​web/​grants/​register.html.

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 Community Parent Resource Centers competition, CFDA number 84.328C, 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 Community Parent Resource Centers 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 84.328, not 84.328C).

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. In addition, for specific guidance and procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/​web/​grants/​applicants/​apply-for-grants.html.
• 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 read-only, non-modifiable Portable Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF (e.g., Word, Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note that this could result in your application not being considered for funding because the material in question—for example, the application narrative—is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF. Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the application instructions.
• 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. Grants.gov will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors (such as submission of your application by someone other than a registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.

Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.

These emails do not mean that your application is without any disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application requirements as specified in this notice and in the application instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure to upload attachments in a read-only, non-modifiable PDF; failure to submit a required part of the application; or failure to meet applicant eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted application has met all of the Department's requirements.

• 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 the problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine 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: Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5175, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. FAX: [phone].

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 84.328C), 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.

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.

We will not consider applications postmarked after the application deadline date.

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 84.328C), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, 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 [phone].

V. Application Review Information

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 75.210 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 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. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors:

In the past, the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness of the review process, while permitting panel members to review applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also have submitted applications. However, if the Department decides to select an equal number of applications in each group for funding, this may result in different cut-off points for fundable applications in each group.

4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in appropriate circumstances, high-risk 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 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not responsible.

5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this competition to receive an award that over the course of the project period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2) we must make a judgment about your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards—that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant—before we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and that is currently in FAPIIS.

Please note that, if the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

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 multiyear 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.

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. In this case the Secretary establishes a data collection period.

4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the Department has established a set of performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and quality of the Training and Information for Parents of Children with Disabilities program. The measures focus on the extent to which projects provide high-quality products and services, the relevance of project products and services to educational and early intervention policy and practice, and the use of products and services to improve educational and early intervention policy and practice. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on these measures as directed by OSEP.

Grantees will be required to report information on their project's performance in annual and final performance reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).

5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the performance targets in the grantee's approved application.

In making a continuation award, 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:

Carmen Sanchez, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5175, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-5076. Telephone: [phone].

If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, 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 print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2500. Telephone: [phone]. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

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 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: December 2, 2016.

Sue Swenson,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, delegated the authority to perform the functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.