[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 146 (Monday, July 30, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36574-36577]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-16259]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education--Pilot Program for Cybersecurity Education
Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges
AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Fund for
the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE)--Pilot Program for
Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges,
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.116R.
DATES:
Applications Available: July 30, 2018.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2018.
ADDRESSES: For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an
application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to
Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the
Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003) and available at
www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Pearson Owens, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 250-12, Washington, DC 20202.
Telephone: (202) 453-7997. Email: [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The Pilot Program for Cybersecurity Education
Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges is designed to support
projects at institutions of higher education (IHEs) that provide
technological upgrades for cybersecurity education programs at
community colleges.
Priority: This notice includes one absolute priority. We are
establishing this priority for the FY 2018 grant competition, and any
subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded
applications from this competition, in accordance with section
437(d)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), 20 U.S.C.
1232(d)(1).
Absolute Priority: This priority is an absolute priority. Under 34
CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Collaboration.
Background: The National Science Foundation's Advanced
Technological Education (ATE) Program has awarded large grants to three
community colleges to operate centers that support the improvement of
cybersecurity education at community colleges around the Nation. Those
centers are the National CyberWatch Center, based at Prince George's
Community College (Largo, MD); the CyberWatch West Center, based at
Whatcom Community College (Bellingham, WA); and the Center for Systems
Security and Information Assurance (CSSIA), based at Moraine Valley
Community College (Palos Hills, IL). Those centers coordinate a large
network of affiliated institutions, including more than 100 community
colleges.
Priority: To build on the experience and ongoing initiatives of the
ATE Program, this priority requires applicants to collaborate with an
ATE Program center. An eligible applicant must propose to lead a
project to provide technological upgrades for cybersecurity education
programs at community colleges that leverages the expertise of the
National Science Foundation's ATE Program.
Each eligible applicant must include a signed statement by an
authorized official from at least one of the three ATE Program centers:
The National CyberWatch Center, the CyberWatch West Center, or CSSIA.
The signed statement must certify that the center or centers will
provide technical assistance or other aid to the applicant's project.
Note: It is not required for a community college to have an
existing relationship with an ATE Program center to meet this
absolute priority.
Definition: We are establishing the following definition under
section 437(d)(1) of GEPA for FY 2018 and any subsequent year in which
we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition.
Community college means an institution that meets the definition in
section 312(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA)
(20 U.S.C. 1058(f)); or an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 101 of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1001)) that awards degrees and
certificates, more than 50 percent of which are not bachelor's degrees
(or an equivalent) or master's, professional, or other advanced
degrees.
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Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested parties
the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and definitions.
Section 437(d)(1) of GEPA, however, allows the Secretary to exempt from
rulemaking requirements regulations governing the first grant
competition under a new or substantially revised program authority.
This is the first grant competition for this program under 20 U.S.C.
1138-1138d and therefore qualifies for this exemption. In order to
ensure timely grant awards, the Secretary has decided to forgo public
comment on the priority and definition under section 437(d)(1) of GEPA.
The priority and definition will apply to the FY 2018 grant competition
and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d.
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.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
Estimated Available Funds: $990,000.
Estimated Range of Awards: $25,000-$100,000 for a 24-month budget
period.
Estimated Average Size of Awards: $99,000.
Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $100,000 for a
single budget period of 24 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 10.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 24 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: Community colleges that include a signed
statement from at least one of the ATE Program centers certifying that
the center or centers will provide technical assistance or other aid to
the applicant's project.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Subgrantees: Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a grantee under this
competition may award subgrants--to directly carry out project
activities described in its application--to the following types of
entities: Public or private entitites that provide technology or
infrastructure services. The grantee may only award subgrants to
entities it has identified in an approved application.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application Submission Instructions: For information on how to
submit an application please refer to our Common Instructions for
Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs,
published in the Federal Register on February 12, 2018 (83 FR 6003),
and available at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
2. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
However, under 34 CFR 79.8(a), we waive intergovernmental review in
order to make awards by the end of FY 2018.
3. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
Note: Hardware to be provided to individual students, such as
laptops, tablets, or smartphones, is not an allowable cost under
this competition.
4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative is where you,
the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the
application narrative to no more than 12 pages and (2) use 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 all text in the application narrative,
including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and
captions.
Use a readable 12-point font such as Times New Roman,
Courier, Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does 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 one-
page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the letter of support.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are from 34 CFR 75.210. The maximum score for all of the selection
criteria is 48 points. The maximum score for each criterion is included
in parentheses following the title of the specific selection criterion.
Each criterion also includes the factors that reviewers will consider
in determining the extent to which an applicant meets the criterion.
The selection criteria are as follows:
A. Need for Project (up to 20 points).
The Secretary considers the need for the proposed project. In
determining the need for the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the following factors:
(1) The magnitude or severity of the problem to be addressed by the
proposed project.
(2) 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.
B. Quality of the Project Design (up to 12 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the design of the proposed
project. In determining the quality of the design of the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(2) 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.
(3) 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.
C. Adequacy of Resources (up to 12 points).
The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project. In determining the adequacy of resources for the proposed
project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in
the proposed project to the implementation and success of the project.
(2) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to the
objectives, design, and potential significance of the proposed project.
D. Quality of the Project Evaluation Plan (up to 4 points).
The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project. In determining the quality of the
evaluation, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(1) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and
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appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the proposed
project.
(2) 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.
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
(34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
For this competition, a panel of internal reviewers will read,
prepare a written evaluation of, and score all eligible applications
using the selection criteria provided in this notice. The individual
scores of the reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the number
of reviewers to determine the peer review score. The Department may use
more than one tier of reviews in evaluating grantees. The Department
prepares a rank order of applications based solely on the evaluation of
their quality according to the selection criteria.
In the event there are two or more applications with the same final
score in the rank order listing, and there are insufficient funds to
fully support these applications, the Department will apply a
tiebreaker by awarding funds to the applicant with the largest number
of students enrolled in cybersecurity education programs in the
applicant's most recent academic year.
3. Risk Assessment and Specific 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 specific 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.
4. 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 the System for Award Management. 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. Open Licensing Requirements: Unless an exception applies, if you
are awarded a grant under this competition, you will be required to
openly license to the public grant deliverables created in whole, or in
part, with Department grant funds. When the deliverable consists of
modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends only to those
modifications that can be separately identified and only to the extent
that open licensing is permitted under the terms of any licenses or
other legal restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded competitive grant
funds must have a plan to disseminate these public grant deliverables.
This dissemination plan can be developed and submitted after your
application has been reviewed and selected for funding. For additional
information on the open licensing requirements please refer to 2 CFR
3474.20.
4. 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.
5. Performance Measure: The Department will use the following
performance measure in assessing the performance of the Pilot Program
for Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community
Colleges grants:
The number of students who enrolled in courses supported by the
technological upgrades developed through the grant in the year
following completion of the project.
VII. 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) on request to
the program contact person
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listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. You may
access the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of
Federal Regulations 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 Portable Document Format (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: July 24, 2018.
Diane Auer Jones,
Principal Deputy Under Secretary Delegated To Perform the Duties of
Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary, Office of Postsecondary
Education.
[FR Doc. 2018-16259 Filed 7-27-18; 8:45 am]
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