[Federal Register: July 7, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 129)]
[Notices]               
[Page 40257-40259]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07jy03-66]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA 84.186C]

 
Safe and Drug-Free Schools Programs for Native Hawaiians Grant 
Competition

AGENCY: Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for new awards using fiscal year 
(FY) 2002 funds, final priority, definitions, and selection criteria.

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    Purpose of Program: The purpose of this program is to make 
financial assistance available to organizations primarily serving and 
representing Native Hawaiians to plan, conduct, and administer programs 
designed to prevent violence in and around schools and prevent the 
illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
    Eligible Applicants: Organizations primarily serving and 
representing Native Hawaiians for the benefit of Native Hawaiian youth.
    Applications Available: July 7, 2003.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 15, 2003.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 14, 2003.
    Estimated Available Funds: $944,000.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1 to 3.
    Estimated Size of Awards: $314,666-$944,000 (per project year).
    Average Size of Awards: $472,000.

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

    Project Period: Projects will be funded for one year, with options 
for four additional years contingent upon substantial progress.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 
81, 82, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; and (b) the final priority, selection 
criteria and definition for this grant competition published in this 
notice.
    Definition: For the purposes of this competition, the term ``Native 
Hawaiian'' means any individual any of whose ancestors were natives, 
prior to 1778, of the area that now comprises the State of Hawaii.
    General: Contingent upon the availability of FY 2003 and FY 2004 
funds, we may make additional awards under these appropriations from 
the rank-ordered list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Other Requirements

    Principles of Effectiveness: Programs implemented with funds 
awarded under this competition must meet the requirements of the 
Principles of Effectiveness authorized in section 4115(a) of the Safe 
and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act.
    Participation by Private School Children and Teachers: Local 
educational agencies (LEAs) that receive a grant are required to 
provide for the equitable participation of eligible private school 
children and their teachers or other educational personnel.

[[Page 40258]]

In order to ensure that grant program activities address the needs of 
private school children, timely and meaningful consultation with 
appropriate private school officials must occur during the design and 
development of the program. Administrative direction and control over 
grant funds must remain with the grantee.
    Maintenance of Effort LEAs may receive a grant only if the State 
educational agency finds that the combined fiscal effort per student or 
the aggregate expenditures of the agency and the State with respect to 
the provision of free public education by the agency for the preceding 
fiscal year was not less than 90 percent of the combined effort or 
aggregate expenditures for the second preceding fiscal year.
    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: In accordance with the 
Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally 
offers interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed rules. 
Section 437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act, however, 
exempts from this requirement rules that apply to the first competition 
under a new or substantially revised program. This is the first 
competition under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Programs for Native 
Hawaiians under the ESEA as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 
2001.
    Absolute Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we will consider only 
applications that meet the following absolute priority: Projects 
implemented by eligible organizations primarily serving and 
representing Native Hawaiians, for the benefit of Native Hawaiians, to 
plan, conduct, and administer programs that (1) prevent violence in and 
around schools; (2) prevent the illegal use of alcohol, tobacco, and 
drugs; (3) involve parents and communities; and (4) are coordinated 
with related Federal, State, school, and community efforts and 
resources to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that 
supports student academic achievement.
    Performance Measures: We require that applicants under this program 
establish performance measures for their projects. These performance 
measures must assess the effectiveness of the Safe and Drug-Free 
Schools Programs for Native Hawaiians, and include measures related to 
changes in student behaviors or risk or protective factors related to 
youth drug use or youth violence.
    In applying the selection criteria that follow for ``Quality of the 
project design'' and ``Quality of project evaluation,'' we will take 
into consideration the extent to which the applicant demonstrates a 
strong capacity to (1) help achieve the performance targets identified 
by the applicant, and (2) provide reliable data to the Department on 
the project's impact as measured against the performance targets 
identified by the applicant.
    Selection Criteria: We will use the following selection criteria to 
evaluate applications under this competition. The maximum score for all 
of these criteria is 100 points. The maximum score for each criterion 
is indicated in parenthesis.
    (1) Need for project. (10 points)
    In determining the need for the proposed project, we consider the 
following factor:
    The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, 
infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be 
addressed by the proposed project, including the nature and magnitude 
of those gaps or weaknesses.
(2) Significance of the project. (10 points)
    In determining the significance of the proposed project, we 
consider the following factor:
    The extent to which the proposed project is likely to build local 
capacity to provide, improve, or expand services that address the needs 
of the target population.
(3) Quality of the project design. (45 points)
    In determining the quality of the design of the proposed project, 
we consider following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable. 
(10 points)
    (b) The extent to which the design of the proposed project is 
appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target 
population or other identified needs. (10 points)
    (c) The extent to which the proposed project is designed to build 
capacity and yield results that will extend beyond the period of 
Federal financial assistance. (10 points)
    (d) The extent to which the proposed project will establish 
linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing 
services to the target population. (10 points)
    (e) The extent to which the proposed project encourages parental 
involvement. (5 points)

    Note:  In applying the selection criteria for ``Quality of the 
project design'' we will take into consideration the extent to which 
the applicant demonstrates a strong capacity (1) to help achieve the 
performance targets identified by the applicant, and (2) to provide 
reliable data to the Department on the project's impact as measured 
against the performance targets identified by the applicant.

(4) Quality of project personnel. (15 points)
    In determining the quality of project personnel, we consider the 
following factor:
    (a) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel. (10 points)
    (b) The extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, 
or disability. (5 points)
(5) Quality of the project evaluation. (20 points)
    In determining the quality of the evaluation, we consider the 
following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project. (10 points)
    (b) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
performance feedback and permit periodic assessment of progress toward 
achieving intended outcomes. (5 points)
    (c) The extent to which the methods of evaluation include the use 
of objective performance measures that are clearly related to the 
intended outcomes of the project and will produce quantitative and 
qualitative data to the extent possible. (5 points)

    Note: In applying the selection criteria for ``Quality of the 
project evaluation'' we will take into consideration the extent to 
which the applicant demonstrates a strong capacity (1) to help 
achieve the performance targets identified by the applicant, and (2) 
to provide reliable data to the Department on the project's impact 
as measured against the performance targets identified by the 
applicant.

    For Applications and Other Information Contact: David Quinlan, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 3E248, 
Washington, DC 20202-6450. Telephone: (202) 260-2658, email address: 
david.quinlan@ed.gov.    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) 1-888-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document, or an 
application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the

[[Page 40259]]

contact person listed at the beginning of this section. However, the 
Department is not able to reproduce in an alternative format the 
standard forms included in the application package.

Application Procedures

    Note: Some of the procedures in these instructions for 
transmitting applications differ from those in the Education 
Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) (34 CFR 
75.102). Under the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. 553) the 
Department generally offers interested parties the opportunity to 
comment on proposed regulations. However, these amendments make 
procedural changes only and do not establish new substantive policy. 
Therefore, under 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A), the Secretary has determined 
that proposed rulemaking is not required.

    Pilot Project for Electronic Submission of Applications: In FY 
2003, the U.S. Department of Education is continuing to expand its 
pilot project of electronic submission of applications to include 
additional formula grant programs, as well as discretionary grant 
competitions. The Safe and Drug-Free Schools Programs for Native 
Hawaiians is one of the programs included in the pilot project. If you 
are an applicant under this grant competition, you may submit your 
application to us in either electronic or paper format.
    The pilot project involves the use of the Electronic Grant 
Application System (e-Application, formerly e-GAPS) portion of the 
Grant Administration and Payment System (GAPS). We invite your 
participation in this pilot project. We will continue to evaluate its 
success and solicit suggestions for improvement.
    If you participate in this e-APPLICATION pilot, please note the 
following:
    [sbull] Your participation is voluntary.
    [sbull] You will not receive any additional point value or penalty 
because you submit a grant application in electronic of paper format.
    [sbull] You can submit all documents electronically, including the 
Application for Federal Assistance (ED Form 424), Budget Information `` 
Non-Construction Programs, (ED Form 524), and all necessary assurances 
and certifications.
    [sbull] Within three working days of submitting your electronic 
application, fax a signed copy of the Application for Federal 
Assistance (ED Form 424) to the Application Control Center following 
these steps:
    1. Print ED Form 424 from the e-Application system.
    2. Make sure that the applicant's Authorizing Representative signs 
this form.
    3. Before faxing this form, submit your electronic application via 
the e-Application system. You will receive an automatic 
acknowledgement, which will include a PR/Award number an identifying 
number unique to your application).
    4. Place the PR/Award number in the upper right corner of ED Form 
424.
    5. Fax ED Form 424 to the Application Control Center within three 
business days of submitting your electronic application at (202) 260-
1349.
    6. We may request that you give us original signatures on all other 
forms at a later date.
    7. Closing Date Extension in the case of System Unavailability: If 
you elect to participate in the e-Application pilot for the Safe and 
Drug-Free Schools Programs for Native Hawaiians and you are prevented 
from submitting your application on the closing date because the e-
Application system is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of 
one business day in order to transmit your application via e-
Application, by mail, or by hand delivery. For us to grant this 
extension:
    (1) You must be a registered user of e-Applications, and have 
initiated an e-Application for this competition; and
    (2)(a) The e-Application system must be unavailable for 60 minutes 
or more between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. (ET), on the 
deadline date; or
    (b) The e-Application system must be unavailable for any period of 
time during the last hour of operation (that is, for any period of time 
between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on the deadline date.
    The Department must acknowledge and confirm the period of 
unavailability before you will be granted an extension. To request this 
extension you must contact David Quinlan by e-mail at 
David.Quinlan@ed.gov or by telephone at (202) 260-2658 or the e-Grants 
help desk at (888) 336-8930.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Safe and 
Drug-Free Schools Programs for Native Hawaiians at: http://e-grants.ed.gov
.
    We have included additional information on the e-Application pilot 
project (see Parity Guidelines between paper and Electronic 
Applications) in the application package.
    If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you 
must meet the deadline requirements included in this notice.

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 Internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
    To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO) toll free at (888) 293-6498; or in the 
Washington, DC area at (202) 512-1530.

    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
.


    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 7117.

    Dated: June 30, 2003.
Judge Eric Andell,
Deputy Under Secretary for Safe and Drug-Free Schools.
[FR Doc. 03-17002 Filed 7-3-03; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-U