[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 81 (Wednesday, April 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22950-22951]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-10607]
[[Page 22949]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Department of Education
_______________________________________________________________________
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Inviting
Nominations for Individuals To Serve as Peer Reviewers on Standing
Panels; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 81 / Wednesday, April 28, 1999 /
Notices
[[Page 22950]]
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice Inviting
Nominations for Individuals to Serve as Peer Reviewers on Standing
Panels
Purpose: The purpose of this notice is to invite interested parties
to nominate qualified individuals to serve three-year terms as peer
reviewers on standing panels.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Jaeger, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3422, Switzer Building,
Washington, DC. 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-8061. Individuals who
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD
number at (202) 205-9136. Internet: Robert__Jaeger@ed.gov
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an
alternate format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) on request to the contact person listed in the preceding
paragraph.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 202(f)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act,
as amended, requires the Director of NIDRR to provide for scientific
review of all applications for financial assistance for research,
training, and demonstration projects. The scientific peer review must
be conducted by individuals who are scientists or other experts in the
rehabilitation field (including the independent living field),
including knowledgeable individuals with disabilities, and the
individuals representatives, who are not Federal employees, and who are
competent to review applications for the financial assistance.
NIDRR's current peer review process uses ad hoc panels that are
selected on a competition by competition basis. Many constituents have
criticized the ad hoc panel system, and the Institute of Medicine, in
its report Enabling America, recommended that NIDRR establish a
standing panel review process in order to enhance its peer review
process. One of the recommendations from the steering committee for
NIDRR's long-range planning process was that NIDRR devise improvements
to its research application review process. In 1997-1998, NIDRR formed
a Standing Panel Working Group (SPWG) to evaluate NIDRR's existing peer
review procedures and compare them to practices of other Federal
agencies. Representatives from the National Institutes of Health, the
National Science Foundation, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and
the Department of Health and Human Services, all with direct experience
with peer review systems served on the SPWG. The SPWG produced a report
on current practices at other agencies, and a recommendation for NIDRR
to establish standing panels aligned with the objectives in the
proposed Long-Range Plan (LRP). The proposed LRP can be accessed on the
World Wide Web at:
http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/announcements/1998-4/
102698a.html
NIDRR plans to use standing panels of peer reviewers to evaluate
Field Initiated Project (FIP) applications and applications for Small
Business Innovative Research (SBIR) projects. NIDRR receives
approximately 200 FIP applications and 200 SBIR applications per year.
NIDRR plans to use standing panels in order to enhance continuity,
provide for more extensive feedback, and obtain the services of better
qualified reviewers, including those with disabilities and those from
diverse backgrounds.
NIDRR plans for peer reviewers to serve for three-year terms on the
standing panels, with two meetings to be held per year: one for FIP
reviews and one for SBIR reviews. Because NIDRR plans to have staggered
terms, there will be an ongoing need for candidates for appointment.
The nomination process will remain open on a continuous basis, and
nominations may be made at any time.
The format for submitting nominations for the new standing panels
is in the Appendix. Individuals should review the list of standing
panels NIDRR intends to form, and nominate ONE individual to serve as a
member of ONE of these standing panels. Individuals may not nominate
more than one person or nominate the same person for more than one
panel. The nominator should be well acquainted with the nominee and
have insight as to the nominee's abilities as a peer reviewer.
Individuals may be qualified to be peer reviewers on the basis of
education and training or some combination of personal and professional
experience with disability. Nominators must contact the individual they
wish to nominate to determine if the prospective nominee is willing to
serve, and to avoid multiple nominations. Nominators must obtain the
nominee's resume or curriculum vitae for submission to NIDRR.
Individuals may not nominate themselves.
The standing panels NIDRR intends to form are based on the research
agenda stated in the proposed LRP. They are as follows: (1) Employment
Outcomes; (2) Health and Function; (3) Technology for Access and
Function; (4) Independent Living and Community Integration; and (5)
Statistics, Outcomes Research, Disability Studies, Rehabilitation
Science, and Policy.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the World Wide Web at either of the
following sites:
http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.html
http://www.ed.gov/news.html
To use the PDF you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader Program with
Search, which is available free at either of the preceding sites. If
you have questions about using the PDF, call the U.S. Government
Printing Office (GPO) at (202) 512-1530 or, toll free at 1-888-293-
6498.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at:
http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Part 350.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 760-764.
Dated: April 22, 1999.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
Appendix--Nomination Procedure
Prospective panel members must be nominated by an individual who
is well acquainted with the nominee and has insight as to the
nominee's abilities as a peer reviewer. Nominators must contact the
individual they wish to nominate to determine if the prospective
nominee is willing to serve, and to avoid multiple nominations. If
multiple nominations for a single individual are received, only the
first nomination received by NIDRR will be processed. Individuals
may not nominate themselves. The nominator should forward two items
to NIDRR:
1. One Page Cover Letter
This is prepared by the nominator, and should include:
(1) The name of the nominee, mailing address, and other contact
information for both nominator and nominee; (2) the name of the
panel the individual is being nominated to; (3) a brief description
of the qualifications of the nominee to serve as a member of that
[[Page 22951]]
standing panel; and (4) a brief statement as to how the nominator is
acquainted with the nominee.
2. Complete Resume or Curriculum Vitae of Nominee
This may be in any format and length, but must include
sufficient information to evaluate the nominee's credentials,
including their education and experience.
These documents should be sent by mail to: Robert J. Jaeger,
Ph.D., Standing Panel Nominations, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3422, Switzer Building, Washington, DC.
20202-2645.
If the documents are sent by courier service, the following
address should be used: Robert J. Jaeger, Ph.D., Standing Panel
Nominations, U.S. Department of Education; 330 C St., SW.; Room
3422, Switzer Building, Washington, DC. 20202-2645. Telephone 202-
205-8061.
Nominations by fax, e-mail, or other electronic versions will
not be accepted. Confirmation of receipt of nomination will be sent
by regular mail to all nominators and nominees.
[FR Doc. 99-10607 Filed 4-27-99; 8:45 am]
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