Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access Program

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20006-8510

Fiscal Year 2009

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND COOPERATION FOR FOREIGN INFORMATION ACCESS PROGRAM

(TICFIA) Program

(CFDA NUMBER: 84.337A)

Form Approved

OMB No. 1840 - 0734, Exp. Date: XX/XX/20XX

CLOSING DATE: TBA

Application for new awards under the

Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access (TICFIA) Program

Table of Contents

Page

PROGRAM SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS

Dear Applicant Letter 4

Competition Highlights 6

Supplemental Information 8

Federal Register Notice Inviting Applications for

New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 11

Regulations and Authorizing Legislation 33

Instructions for Completing the TICFIA Application Package 35

Instructions for Program Narrative 36

Instructions for Budget Summary Form & Itemized Line Item Budget 40

Application Checklist 43

Burden Statement 44

STANDARD INSTRUCTIONS AND FORMS

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants 44

Grants.gov Registration Instructions for Organizations…………………………...46

Application Transmittal Instructions 48

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) and

Performance Indicator for the TICFIA Program 50

Intergovemental Review, State Single Point of Contact 51

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427 52

Instructions for the SF-424 54

Instructions for Department Supplemental Information for SF 424……………...56

Definitions for Department Supplemental Information for SF 424 57

Instructions for ED 524 60

Instructions for Completion of SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 62

Survey Instructions for Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants 64

FORMS (found on Grants.gov) 65

Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) 66

Supplemental Information Required for Department of Education 70

Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B) 71

U. S. Department of Education Budget Information Non-Construction Programs

Section A – Budget Summary (ED 524) 73

Section B – Budget Summary Non-Federal Funds (ED 524) 74

Grants.Gov Lobbying Form 75

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants 76

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities 77

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a grant under the Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access (TICFIA) program. The TICFIA program provides grants for up to 48 months to support projects that will develop innovative programs using electronic technologies to collect, organize, preserve, and widely disseminate information on world regions and countries other than the United States that address our Nation’s teaching and research needs in international education and foreign languages.

In the FY 2009 competition, (information concerning priorities will be inserted.) The U.S. Department of Education (Department) strongly encourages all applicants to give consideration to these priorities. For additional information about the priorities, refer to the Federal Register notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2009.

This letter highlights a few items in the FY 2009 application package that will be important to you in applying for grants under this program. You should review the entire application package carefully before preparing and submitting your application. Information on the TICFIA Program is accessible at the Department Web site at:

http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsticfia/index.html

Please be sure to thoroughly review the entire application booklet for information concerning the TICFIA Program. Applicants should pay particular attention to the section entitled “Competition Highlights” that outlines invitational and competitive priorities as well as other program and competition details.

The Department of Education is requiring that applications for FY 2009 grants under the TICFIA Program be submitted electronically using Grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early. A more thorough discussion is included in the application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at:

http://www.grants.gov

We also urge you to consider the following three extremely important administrative factors if you are planning to apply for this program:

1. We strongly encourage you to register in Grants.gov early. The registration procedures may require 5 or more days to complete.

2. We strongly recommend that you submit your application 2-3 days prior to the closing date. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on your application and the speed of your Internet connection. The application submission process must be complete prior to the deadline for transmittal of applications.

3. In order to submit successfully, you must remember to provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when your organization registered with the CCR (Central Contractor Registry).

After you electronically submit your application, you will first receive an e-mail from Grants.gov acknowledging the date and time at which your application was received. You will receive a second e-mail from Grants.gov that will state that your application has been validated OR that your application was rejected with errors. If your application is validated, you will receive a third e-mail from the Department of Education with an assigned PR/Award number, which is an ED-specified identifying number that is unique to your application. This third confirmation by e-mail, with a PR/Award number assigned, is the e-mail that verifies that your application was submitted on time by the closing date. This may take several days.

For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically please refer to the official Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2009 published in the Federal Register.

You are reminded that the document published in the Federal Register (the Closing Date notice) is the official document, and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

A program officer is available to provide technical assistance if you have any questions after reviewing the application. Please refer to the introduction that follows for the names and telephone numbers of the contact persons.

We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your efforts to promote excellence in international education.

Sincerely,

Thomas C. Dawson III

Deputy Assistant Secretary

Higher Education Programs

2009 Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access (TICFIA) Program

Competition Highlights

1. TICFIA applications submitted for FY 2009 must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov. You are urged to acquaint yourself with the requirements of Grants.gov early as the registration procedures may require five or more days to complete. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page at:

http://www.grants.gov

2. It is important to know that the Grants.gov site works differently than the Department’s e-Application system, used in past competitions.

2. Grants.gov does not allow applicants to “un-submit” applications. Therefore, if you discover that changes or additions are needed once your application has been accepted and validated by the Department, you must “re-submit” the application. You should know that if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

3. In the FY 2009 competition, the Department is particularly interested in applications that meet the following program priorities: Information to be inserted for FY09.

Please note that these invitational priorities are explained in detail in the Closing Date notice contained in this application package. You are urged to fully review the Closing Date notice carefully before preparing your application.

4. The project abstract is limited to one page, single-spaced. The abstract must be uploaded into the ED abstract form.

5. Please note that you must submit your application by 4:30 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department is required to enforce the established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date and time.

6. Electronic submission of applications is required; therefore, you must submit an electronic application unless you follow the procedures outlined in the Federal Register notice inviting applications for new awards for FY 2009 and qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement.

7. All applicants are required to adhere to the 40-page limit for the Program Narrative portion of the application. The Federal Register notice contains the specific standards for preparing the Program Narrative.

8. All attachments must be in .DOC, .RTF, or .PDF format. Other types of files will not be accepted.

Please note, once you download an application from Grants.gov, you will be working offline and saving data on your computer. Please be sure to note where you are saving the Grants.gov file on your computer. You will need to logon to Grants.gov to upload and submit the application. You must provide the DUNS number that was used when your organization registered with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR).

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/ForApplicants for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, refer to the procedures and tips for applicants found on pages 43-44 of this application booklet.

You are reminded that the document published in the Federal Register is the official document, and that you should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the official document.

Supplemental Information

General Information

The following information supplements the information provided in the “Dear Applicant” letter and the Notice.

AUTHORIZATION:

Title VI, Part A, Section 606, of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended

20 U.S.C. 1126.

A. Eligible Applicants

Institutions of higher education, public or nonprofit private libraries, or consortia of such institutions or libraries may apply.

B. Purpose

The TICFIA program provides grants to support projects that will develop innovative techniques or programs using new electronic technologies to collect, organize, preserve, and widely disseminate information on world regions and countries other than the United States that address our Nation’s teaching and research needs in international education and foreign languages.

C. Matching Requirements

The matching requirement is described in section 606(d) of the HEA. The statute states that the Federal share of the total cost of carrying out a program supported by a grant under this program shall not exceed 66 2/3 percent. The non-Federal share of such costs may be provided either in-kind or in cash, and may include contributions from private sector corporations or foundations.

1. D. Criteria for Funding

As there are no program-specific regulations, we encourage each potential applicant to read the authorizing statute for the TICFIA program in section 606 of the HEA.

All applications for grants under the TICFIA program will be evaluated using the selection criteria listed in the CDN which are taken from EDGAR (EDGAR 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210).

5. Length of New Award

Applicants may apply for a maximum grant performance period up to forty-eight months.

5. Financial Provisions

Cost Sharing or Matching: The matching requirement is described in section 606(d) of the HEA. The statute states that the Federal share of the total cost of carrying out a program supported by a grant under this program shall not exceed 66 2/3 percent. The non-Federal share of such costs may be provided either in-kind or in cash, and may include contributions from private sector corporations or foundations. We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding TBA for a single budget period of 12 months.

Up to 8% indirect costs rate is allowed under this grant. Institutions with a higher negotiated indirect cost rate may not use the un-recovered indirect cost as a part of their matching.

G. Evaluation of Applications for Awards

A three-member panel of non-federal reviewers reviews each application. Each reviewer will prepare a written evaluation of the application and assign points for each selection criterion.

H. Selection of Grantees

The Secretary will select an application for funding in rank order, based on the application’s total score for the selection criteria and competitive preference priority points, if any. If there are insufficient funds to fund all applications with the same total score, the Secretary will choose among the tied applications.

I. Applicant Funding

The Department is often unable to award the full amount of funds requested. Applicants should pay close attention to the “Maximum Award” section of the Notice. The Department will not fund any application at an amount exceeding the applicable maximum award level.

J. Notice to Successful Applicants

The Department's Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs will inform the Congress regarding applicants approved for new TICFIA grants. Successful applicants will receive award notices by mail shortly after the Congress is notified. No funding information will be released before the Congress is notified. Notification generally occurs in the month of April.

K. Notice to Unsuccessful Applicants

Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing following the notice to successful applicants.

L. Performance Reports

All TICFIA grantees must submit project performance reports using the International Resource Information System (IRIS) electronic reporting system. If you wish to view the performance report currently required, visit the IRIS Web site at http://www.ieps-iris.org. Please be advised that the report is for informational purposes only, and does not reflect the actual reporting instrument that you will use, should you receive a FY 2009 grant award. The performance report will assist IEPS staff in determining whether or not the TICFIA project is making substantial progress toward meeting the approved project objectives and whether or not a continuation award is in the best interest of the federal government. Project Directors will be responsible for overall project reports as well as entering project participant information into the system and ensuring that participants complete and submit individual reports.

The IRIS reporting instrument includes sections for grantees to input data and information that respond to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) to assess overall program performance.

CONTACT PERSON

For program-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Program Officer: Susanna Easton

Address: International Education Programs Service (IEPS)

U.S. Department of Education

1990 K Street, N.W., 6^th Floor, Room 6093

Washington, DC 20006-8521

Telephone: (202) 502-7628

Fax: (202) 502-7860

E-mail Address: [email protected]

For technical and Grants.gov-related questions and assistance, please contact:

Grants.gov Support Desk

Telephone: (800)-518-4726

Hours: Monday – Friday, 7am-9pm EST

DRAFT – WILL BE SUBMITTED FOR CLEARANCE FOR THE FY2009 COMPETITION

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Overview Information

Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access Program

Notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year

(FY) 2009.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.337A

Dates: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ]

Applications Available: TBA

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: TBA

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: TBA

Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, public or nonprofit private libraries, or consortia of such institutions or libraries may apply.

Estimated Available Funds: TBA 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.

Estimated Range of Awards: TBA

Estimated Average Size of Awards: TBA

Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding TBA for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

Estimated Number of Awards: TBA

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

Project Period: Up to 48 months.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access (TICFIA) Program is to support projects that will develop innovative techniques or programs using new electronic technologies to collect information from foreign sources. Grants will be made to access, collect, organize, preserve, and widely disseminate information on world regions and countries other than the United States that address our Nation's teaching and research needs in international education and foreign languages.

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2009 TBA

Invitational Priorities: For FY 2009 TBA

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1126.

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

As there are no program-specific regulations, we encourage each potential applicant to read the authorizing statute for the TICFIA program in section 606 of title VI, part A, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1126.

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: For FY 2009 TBA. 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.

Estimated Range of Awards: TBA

Estimated Average Size of Awards: TBA

Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a budget exceeding TBA for a single budget period of 12 months. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal Register.

Estimated Number of Awards: TBA

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

Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: Institutions of higher education, public or nonprofit private libraries, or consortia of such institutions or libraries may apply.

1. Cost Sharing or Matching: The matching requirement is

described in section 606(d) of the HEA. The statute states

that the Federal share of the total cost of carrying out a

program supported by a grant under this program shall not exceed

66 2/3 percent. The non-Federal share of such costs may be

provided either in-kind or in cash, and may include

contributions from private sector corporations or

foundations.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package: Ms Susanna Easton, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6017, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7628 or by e-mail: [email protected] or visit www.ed.gov/HEP/iegps to download an application.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the program contact person listed in this section.

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 and instructions for this program.

Page Limit: The application narrative is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. You must limit the section of the narrative that addresses the selection criteria to the equivalent of no more than 40 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. Page numbers and an identifier may be outside of the 1” margin.

• Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)

all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions and all text in charts, tables, and graphs may be single spaced. Charts, tables, figures, and graphs in the application narrative count toward the page limit.

• Use a font that is either 12-point or larger or no smaller

than 10-point (characters per inch). However, you may use a 10-point font in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.

• Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,

Courier New or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will be rejected.

• The page limit does not apply to Part I, the Application

for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the supplemental information form required by the Department of Education; Part II, the budget information summary form (ED Form 524); and Part IV, the assurances and certifications. The page limit also does not apply to a table of contents. If you include any attachments or appendices not specifically requested, these items will be counted as part of the Program Narrative (Part III) for purposes of the page limit requirement. You must include your complete response to the selection criteria in the program narrative.

We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit.

3. Submission Dates and Times: [INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER ]

Applications Available:

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: TBA

Applications for grants under this program 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 by mail or hand delivery if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, please refer to Section IV. 6. Other Submission Requirements in this notice.

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.

We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.

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 program.

5. Funding Restrictions: We reference the regulations outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.

6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under this program 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 Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Access Program — CFDA Number 84.337A - must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site at: http://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 e-mail 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 Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Access Program at: http://www.grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable application package for this program by the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number’s alpha suffix in your search.

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 time and date

stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted, and must be date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as otherwise noted in this section, we will not consider your application if it is date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system later than 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. When we retrieve your application from Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application because it was date/time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 4:30 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 program 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 at: http://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf

• To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must

complete all the steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see http://http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) registering your organization, (2) registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide (see http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please note that the registration process may take five or more business days to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to allow you to successfully submit an application via Grants.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 typically included on the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. You must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above 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 an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include 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 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 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 as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact either of the persons listed elsewhere in this notice under For Further Information Contact, and provide an explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number (if available). 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 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: Extensions referred to 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 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 prevent 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: Susanna Easton, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW, 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006-8521. FAX: (202) 502-7860.

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 applicable following address:

By mail through the U.S. Postal Service:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.337A)

400 Maryland Avenue, SW.

Washington, DC 20202-4260

or

By mail through a commercial carrier:

U.S. Department of Education

Application Control Center – Stop 4260

Attention: (CFDA Number 84.337A)

7100 Old Landover Road

Landover, MD 20785-1506

Regardless of which address you use, 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, or

(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, or

(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 84.337A)

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 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 Application for Federal Education Assistance (SF 424) the CFDA number – and suffix letter, if any – of the competition under which you are submitting your application.

(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment 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. General: For Fiscal Year 2009 applications are randomly divided into three groupings. Language, foreign area and international studies and outreach experts organized into three panels of three will review each application. Each panel reviews, scores, and ranks its applications separately from the applications assigned to the other panels. However, all applications will be ranked from the highest to the lowest score for funding purposes.

Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program from EDGAR (34 CFR 75.209 and CRF 75.210) are as follows: (a) meeting the purpose of the authorizing statute (15 points), (b) need for project (10 points), (c) significance (14 points), (d) quality of the project design (12 points), (e) quality of key personnel (8 points), (f) quality of project services (4 points), (g) adequacy of resources (12 points), (h) quality of the management plan (10 points), (i) quality of the project evaluation (15 points).

Note: Applicants should address these selection criteria only in the context of the program requirements in section 606 of the HEA

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). We may also notify you informally.

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: 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 specified by the Secretary in 34 CFR 75.118. The applicant is required to use the electronic data instrument International Resource Information System (IRIS) system to complete both the annual and final reports.

4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), the objective for the TICFIA program is to meet the nation’s security and economic needs through the development of a national capacity in foreign languages, and area and international studies.

The Department will use the following measures to evaluate its success in meeting this objective.

TICFIA Performance Measures: (1) Percentage of TICFIA projects judged to be successful by the program officer, based on a review of information provided in annual performance reports. (2) Efficiency measure: cost per high-quality, successfully completed TICFIA project.

If funded, information from your final performance report submitted via the electronic International Resource Information System will be used to record and evaluate the performance of your project.

VII. Agency Contact

For Further Information Contact: Ms. Susanna Easton, International Education Programs Service, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, NW., room 6017, Washington, DC 20006-8521. Telephone: (202) 502-7628 or by e-mail: [email protected]

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request to the program contact person listed in this section.

VIII. Other Information

Electronic Access to This Document: You may 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) on the Internet at the following site: www.ed.gov/news/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 1-888-293-6498; 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: www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html

Dated:

___________________________

James F. Manning,

Acting Assistant Secretary

for Postsecondary Education.

Regulations and Authorizing Legislation

Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99. As there are no program-specific regulations, we encourage each potential applicant to read the authorizing statute for the TICFIA program in section 606 of title VI, part A, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), 20 U.S.C. 1126.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions only.

FINDINGS AND PURPOSES

Section 611 (a) The Congress finds that--

(1) the future economic welfare of the United States will depend substantially on increasing international skills in the business community and creating an awareness among the American public of the internationalization of our economy;

(2) concerted efforts are necessary to engage business schools, language and area study programs, public and private sector organizations, and United States business in a mutually productive relationship which benefits the Nation's future economic interest;

(3) few linkages presently exist between the manpower and information needs of United States business and the international education, language training and research capacities of institutions of higher education in the United States, and public and private organizations; and

(4) organizations such as world trade councils, world trade clubs, chambers of commerce and State departments of commerce are not adequately used to link universities and business for joint venture exploration and program development.

(b) It is the purpose of this part-

(1) to enhance the broad objective of this Act by increasing and promoting the Nation's capacity for international understanding and economic enterprise through the provision of suitable international education and training for business personnel in various stages of professional development; and

(2) to promote institutional and non-institutional educational and training activities that will contribute to the ability of United States business to prosper in an international economy.

SEC. 606 TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION AND COOPERATION FOR FOREIGN INFORMATION ACCESS

(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.-The Secretary is authorized to make grants to institutions of higher education, public or nonprofit private libraries, or consortia of such institutions or libraries, to develop innovative techniques or programs using new electronic technologies to collect, organize, and preserve, and widely disseminate information on world regions and countries other than the United States that address our Nation’s teaching and research needs in international education and foreign languages.

(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.-Grants under this section may be used—

(1) to facilitate access to or preserve foreign information resources in print or electronic forms;

(2) to develop new means of immediate, full-text document delivery for information and scholarship from abroad;

(3) to develop new means of shared electronic access to international data;

(4) to support collaborative projects of indexing, cataloging, and other means of bibliographic access for scholars to important research materials published or distributed outside the United States;

(5) to develop methods for the wide dissemination of resources written in non-Roman language alphabets;

(6) to assist teachers of less commonly taught languages in acquiring, via electronic and other means, materials suitable for classroom use; and

(7) to promote collaborative technology based projects in foreign languages, area studies, and international studies among grant recipients under this title.

NOTE: Activities 1-7 are introduced by the word “may”. This means that other activities may also be permitted as long as they are consistent with the authorizing language of Section “(a) Authority” of the legislation.

(c) APPLICATION.-Each institution or consortium desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information and assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require.

(d) MATCH REQUIRED.-The federal share of the total cost of carrying out a program supported by a grant under this section shall not be more than 66 2/3 percent. The non Federal share of such cost may be provided either in-kind or in cash, and may include contributions from private sector corporations or foundations.

Instructions for Completing

the TICFIA Application Package

The TICFIA application consists of four parts. These parts are organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be organized. The parts are as follows:

Part I: 424 Forms

Application for Federal Assistance – (SF 424)

Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for SF 424

*Note: Applicants must complete the SF 424 form first because some of the information you provide here is automatically inserted into other sections of the Grants.gov application package.

Part II: 524 Forms

Department of Education Budget Summary Form – (ED 524)

Sections A & B

*Note: Section C – Budget Narrative should be included in the Program Narrative Attachment Form, located in Part III.

Part III: Program Narrative

ED Abstract Narrative Attachment Form

Project Narrative Attachment Form

Other Narrative Attachment Form

Budget Narrative Attachment Form

The ED Abstract Narrative Attachment Form is where the program abstract is attached.

The Project Narrative Attachment Form will include the narrative sections addressing the program selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition – this section has a strict page limit of 40 pages. Remember to include a Table of Contents before the narrative.

The Other Narrative Attachment Form is where the proposal appendices are attached. Examples may include agreements with foreign and domestic partners, curriculum vitas of key personnel, letters of support, detailed management and evaluation plans, technical specifications of the project, etc. Attachments must be in .doc, .pdf or .rtf format. This section does not count against your page limit of 40 pages.

The Budget Narrative Attachment Form is where you would attach any supplemental budget information not included in your project narrative. This section does not count against your page limit of 40 pages.

Part IV: Assurances, Certifications, and Survey Forms

GEPA Section 427 Requirement

Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

Grants.gov Lobbying Form (formerly ED Form 80-0013)

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Instructions for Program Narrative

Applicants will attach the program narrative to the Project Narrative Attachment Form.

Formatting

A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides. Page numbers and an identifier may be within the 1” margin. Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, captions and all text in charts, tables, and graphs. Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial. Applications submitted in any other font (including Times Roman and Arial Narrow) will not be accepted. Do not use anything smaller than a 12-point font.

Include a Table of Contents. Please note that the Project Narrative Attachment Form is limited to 40 pages. This section is a discussion of the selection criteria as they pertain to your project. The abstract, required forms, other narrative attachments, appendices, assurances and certifications will not count against your 40-page limit.

Before preparing the Program Narrative, applicants should review the Dear Applicant Letter, the Federal Register notice (Notice), and the program statute for specific guidance and requirements. Please note that applications will be evaluated according to the specific selection criteria specified in the Notice and this package.

The Secretary evaluates an application on the basis of the criteria in EDGAR 34 CFR 75.209 and 75.210. The Program Narrative should provide, in detail, the information that addresses each selection criterion. The maximum possible score for each category of selection criterion is indicated in parenthesis. The TICFIA selection criteria contain sub-criteria. Applicants MUST specifically address each sub-criterion.

Please limit the Program Narrative to 40 pages, double-spaced in 12-point font, and number the pages consecutively. The narrative should be written concisely. Only the required information should be submitted. Please refer to the Notice in this application for additional application submission requirements.

To facilitate the review of the application, provide responses to each of the following selection criteria in the following order:

1. Meeting the Purpose of the Authorizing Statute (15 points)

2. Need for Project (10 points)

3. Significance (14 points)

4. Quality of the Project Design (12 points)

5. Quality of Key Personnel (8 points)

6 Quality of Project Services (4 points)

7. Adequacy of Resources (12 points)

8. Quality of the Management Plan (10 points)

9. Quality of the Project Evaluation (15 points)

________

Total Maximum Score for Selection Criteria 100 points

The following guidance may assist you in addressing each of the selection criteria:

NOTE: In addressing the selection criteria printed below, refer only to section 606 of the legislation that is the statute for the TTICFIA Program.

1. Meeting the Purpose of the Authorizing Statute. (Maximum 15 points)

The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the project will meet the purposes of section 606 of Title VI, part A, of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Pub. L.105-244.

a. Describe the objectives of the project.

b. Describe the extent to which these objectives further the statutory provisions.

2. Extent of Need for the Project. (Maximum 10 points)

a. Describe the magnitude of the need for the services to be provided and the activities to be carried out by the proposed project.

3. Significance. (Maximum 14 points)

a. Describe the national significance of the proposed project.

b. Describe the potential contribution of the proposed project to the development and advancement of theory, knowledge, and practices in the field of study.

c. Describe the likely utility and high quality of the products (such as information, materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed project, including the potential for their being used effectively in a variety of other settings.

d. Describe the extent to which the results of the proposed project are to be disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information, products, or strategies.

e. Describe the extent to which the size of the potential target audience gives the project national significance.

4. Quality of the Project Design. (Maximum 12 points)

a. Describe the extent to which the proposed project represents an exceptional

approach for meeting statutory purposes and requirements.

b. Describe the extent to which the design of the proposed project is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population and other identified needs.

c. Describe the extent to which the proposed activities constitute a coherent, sustained program of research and development in the field.

d. Describe 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.

5. Quality of Project Personnel. (Maximum 8 points)

a. Do the qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the project director or principal investigator meet the needs of the project? Show the percent of full time effort which will be spent on the project.

b. Do the qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of key project personnel meet the needs of the project. Show the percent of full time effort which will be spent on the project?

c. Do the qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of project consultants or subcontractors, (if such consultants or subcontractors are employed) meet the needs of the project?

d. In determining the quality of project personnel, the Secretary considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.

Note: Briefly describe the staff in this section. As an appendix to the application (in the “Other Attachment” section of Grants.gov) provide standard academic resumes, not to exceed three pages per person. This data is considered supplemental material and does not count against the page limit.

6. Quality of Project Services. (Maximum 4 points)

a. Describe the extent to which the proposed project for technological innovation and cooperation reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practices.

b. Describe the extent to which the proposed project for technological innovation and cooperation utilize the most effective and advanced technological methods and techniques.

7. Adequacy of Resources. (Maximum 12 points)

a. Describe the extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.

b. Describe the extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the number of

persons to be served and to the anticipated results and benefits.

c. Describe the support, including, but not limited to, matching funds, facilities

equipment, supplies, and other resources from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization.

d. Describe the potential for continued support of the project after Federal funding ends;

including as appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate entities to such support.

8. Quality of the Management Plan. (Maximum 10 points)

a. Describe the extent to which the management plan is adequate to achieve the objectives of the proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.

b. Describe the extent to which the time commitments of the project director and

principal investigator and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed project.

c. Describe the extent to which the mechanisms for ensuring high quality products

and services from the proposed project are adequate.

9. Quality of the Project Evaluation. (Maximum 15 points)

a. Provide a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the project.

b. Indicate the criteria to be used to evaluate the results of the project.

c. Describe the kinds of data to be collected and analyzed. Will this provide an

evaluation that is objective, and quantifiable?

d. Explain the methodology that will be used to determine if the needs for which the project is designed are being met.

10. Competitive Program Priorities (if any) (Maximum TBA points)

a. Describe how the project meets the competitive program priorities announced in the Notice.

Instructions for Budget Summary Form

& Itemized Line Item Budget

NOTE: Applicants to the TICFIA program must submit (1) a budget summary form to categorize requested funds (ED Form 524, Sections A & B), AND (2) appended as section C a detailed itemized line item budget and accompanying budget narrative where the costs are explained. The budget pages do not count against the page limit.

The budget summary is to be included on the “Department of Education Budget Summary Form – (ED Form 524).” The applicant must complete both Sections A & B and append section C.

Both the detailed line item budget AND accompanying budget narrative for each of the four years should be included in the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” as appendix C.

This section requests information on the applicant’s financial plan for carrying out the project. Show both the Federal and non-Federal match. Explain how these costs support the project activities.

The TICFIA program selection criteria provide for an applicant to receive up to twelve points for its proposed budget. The budget must include all cost that are allowable, reasonable and necessary for carrying out the objectives of the TICFIA Program. Among the cost that may be supported with grants funds are:

1. Personnel: On line 1 (ED Form 524), enter only the project personnel salaries and wages. [Fees and expenses for consultants should be included on line 8.] The budget should include the total commitment of time and the total salary to be charged to the project for each key staff member. You should provide a breakdown of project personnel that includes: the position titles; the percent of time and number of months committed to the project for each key staff member; the salary for each key staff member; and the total salary costs to be charged to the grant.

2. Fringe Benefits: On line 2 (ED Form 524), enter the amount of fringe benefits. The institution’s normal fringe benefit contribution may be charged to the program. Leave this blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of the indirect costs. In the budget, include an explanation and appropriate justification if the institution’s normal fringe benefit contribution exceeds 20 percent of salaries.

1. Travel: On line 3 (ED Form 524), provide the costs for project personnel and student participants. [Consultants’ travel should be included on line 8.] In the budget, you should detail the proposed travel costs: for each trip explain the purpose and objective of the travel and provide the number of persons traveling. Transportation costs should not exceed tourist class airfare. For automobile mileage, the established institution rate should be used. Reimbursement is allowed for taxicab, bus, train, or limousine transportation. Per diem at the established institution rate is permitted when an individual is away from home overnight on official project business (see OMB Circular A-21, J.48.c - Commercial Air Travel). Foreign travel can be authorized under the grant and must be carefully justified. Include in your travel budget funds to travel to the annual project directors’ meeting. Allowable expenses regarding this meeting include airfare and ground transportation, hotels, conference fees, meals and incidentals.

4. Equipment: On line 4 (ED Form 524), indicate the cost of equipment -- non-expendable personal property, which has a usefulness of greater than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. [Consistent with an applicant’s policy, a lower dollar amount may be used to define equipment.] In the budget, explain why the requested equipment is necessary to carry out project activities, and include a list of all equipment in the following format: item, quantity, cost per unit, and total cost.

5. Supplies: On line 5 (ED Form 524), include the costs of all tangible personal property that was not included as “equipment” on line 4. In the budget, provide an itemized list of the supplies.

6. Contractual: Not applicable. Leave blank.

7. Construction: Not applicable. Leave blank.

8. Other: On line 8 (ED Form 524), indicate all direct costs not covered on lines 1 through 5. The costs/fees for consultants and consultants’ travel should be included here. Examples of “other” costs are: equipment rental, required fees, communications costs, rental of space, utilities, and printing costs. In the budget, provide a breakdown of all direct costs not clearly covered by other budget categories.

Evaluators and Consultants: If the project proposes to use outside evaluators and consultants, identify the consultants who will work on the project, the scope of work to be performed by each consultant, and justify why project personnel cannot perform this work. Also, provide a detailed breakdown of the costs (daily fees to be paid, estimated number of days of services, and all travel expenses, including per diem). Cost allowances for consultant fees, honoraria, per diem, and travel should not exceed amounts permitted by comparable institutional policies.

9. Total Direct Costs: On line 9 (ED Form 524), provide the total direct costs requested – the sum of lines 1 through 8.

10. Indirect Costs: On line 10 (ED Form 524), provide the amount of indirect costs.

Remember: Indirect costs are limited to 8 percent of a modified total direct cost base both for the federal costs and the matching cost. In other words, you cannot match with more than 8% indirect cost. To determine the modified total direct cost base, subtract capital expenditures of $5,000 or more. {See EDGAR, 34 CFR 75.562 (c)}

10. Training Stipends: Not applicable. Leave blank.

11. Total Cost: On line 12 (ED Form 524, provide total amount that you are requesting – the

The sum of lines 9 and 10. Note: This amount should also be the same as that shown as 14a on the application face sheet (SF 424).

Technological Innovation and Cooperation for Foreign Information Access Program

FY 2009 Application Checklist

Use This Checklist While Preparing Your Application. All items listed on this

checklist are required. The list is organized in the same manner that the submitted application should be organized.

Part I: 424 Forms

 Application for Federal Assistance - (SF 424)

 Department of Education Supplemental Information Form for the SF 424

Part II: 524 Forms

 Department of Education Budget Summary Form - (ED 524) – Sections A & B &C

Part III: Program Narrative

 Ed Abstract Form

 Project Narrative Attachments Form

 Other Attachments Form

 Budget Narrative Attachment Form

NOTE: The “Ed Abstract Form” is where your program abstract is attached. The “Project Narrative Attachment Form” will include the narrative sections addressing the program selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications submitted for this competition.

The “Other Attachments Form” should include appendices such as a detailed agreements with foreign and domestic partners, curriculum vitas of key personnel, letters of support, detailed management plans, detailed evaluation plans, technical specifications of the project, etc. The “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” is where a detailed line item budget and supplemental budget information are attached.

Part IV: Assurances and Certifications

 GEPA Section 427 Requirement

 Assurances – Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B)

 Grants.gov Lobbying Form (formerly ED Form 80-0013)

 Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants

 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)

Paperwork Burden Statement

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1840-0734. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 65 hours per response, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather the data needed, and complete and review the information collection. If you have any comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, write directly to: Office of Postsecondary Education/IEPS, U.S. Department of Education, 1990 K Street, N.W., Sixth Floor, Washington, D.C. 20006-8521.

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