83 FR 24088 - Applications for New Awards; Language Resource Centers Program

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 101 (May 24, 2018)

The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Language Resource Centers (LRC) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.229A.

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 101 (Thursday, May 24, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24088-24091]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-11187]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Language Resource Centers Program

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 fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Language Resource 
Centers (LRC) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) 
number 84.229A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 24, 2018.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 25, 2018.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: August 22, 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.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Collins, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Room 258-40, Washington, DC 20202. 
Telephone: (202) 453-7854. 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 Language Resource Centers (LRC) Program 
provides grants to institutions of higher education (IHEs) or consortia 
of IHEs for establishing, strengthening, and operating centers that 
serve as resources for improving the Nation's capacity for teaching and 
learning foreign languages through teacher training, research, 
materials development, assessment, and dissemination projects.
    Priorities: This notice includes two competitive preference 
priorities. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), Competitive 
Preference Priority 1 is from 34 CFR 669.22(a)(2). Competitive 
Preference Priority 2 is from the notice of final priorities for this 
program published in the Federal Register on June 6, 2014 (79 FR 32651) 
(the NFP).
    Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2018 and any subsequent 
year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications 
from this competition, these priorities are competitive preference 
priorities. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), we award up to an additional 
five points depending on how well the application meets Competitive 
Preference Priority 1, and up to an additional five points depending on 
how well the application meets Competitive Preference Priority 2. An 
applicant may receive a total of up to 10 additional points under the 
competitive preference priorities.
    These priorities are:
    Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applications that Propose 
Activities with a Significant Focus on Less Commonly Taught Languages 
(LCTLs) (up to 5 points).
    Background: Under 34 CFR 669.22(a)(2), the Department may establish 
a priority for specific foreign languages for study or materials 
development. For Competitive Preference Priority 1, we took into 
consideration the findings in the recent Modern Language Association of 
America (MLA) survey \1\ of fall 2016 undergraduate and graduate 
enrollments in language courses at 2,547 postsecondary institutions in 
the United States. Of 1,417,921 total enrollments, the three most-
studied modern foreign languages included Spanish with 712,240 
enrollments or 50 percent; French with 175,667 enrollments or 12 
percent; and German with 80,594 enrollments or 6 percent. Together, 
these three languages represented 968,501 or 68 percent of enrollments. 
Other languages, with 34,830 enrollments, constituted 25 percent of 
enrollments for the same period.
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    \1\ Modern Language Association of America, ``Enrollments in 
Languages Other Than English in United States Institutions of Higher 
Education, Summer 2016 and Fall 2016: Preliminary Report'' 
(February, 2018) (p 13).
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    The findings in the MLA survey are consistent with the definition 
of ``Less Commonly Taught Languages'' used by the Center for Advanced 
Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA).\2\ CARLA defines LCTLs as 
``all of the world's languages except English, French, German, and 
Spanish.''
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    \2\ Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, 
University of Minnesota. www.carla.umn.edu.
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    Priority: Applications that propose activities with a significant 
focus on the teaching and learning of any modern foreign languages 
except French, German, and Spanish.
    Competitive Preference Priority 2: Collaboration with Minority-
Serving Institutions (MSIs) or community colleges (up to 5 points).
    Applications that propose significant and sustained collaborative 
activities with one or more Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) (as 
defined in this notice) and/or with one or more community colleges (as 
defined in this notice).
    These activities must be designed to incorporate foreign languages 
into the curriculum at the MSI(s) or community college(s), and to 
improve foreign language instruction at the MSI(s) or community 
college(s). If an applicant institution is an MSI or a community 
college (as defined in this notice), that institution can meet the 
intent of this priority by proposing intra-campus collaborative 
activities instead of, or in addition to, collaborative activities with 
other MSIs and/or community colleges. For the purpose of this priority:
    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.
    Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) means an institution that is 
eligible to receive assistance under sections 316 through 320 of part A 
of title III, under part B of title III, or under title V of the HEA.

[[Page 24089]]



    Note: The institutions designated eligible under title III and 
title V may be viewed at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/eligibility.html.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1123.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 76, 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. (d) 34 CFR parts 655 and 669. (e) The 
NFP.

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

    Areas of National Need: In accordance with section 601(c) of the 
HEA, 20 U.S.C. 1121(c), the Secretary consulted with a wide range of 
Federal agencies and received recommendations regarding national need 
for expertise in foreign language and world regions. These agencies' 
recommendations may be viewed at: www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/iegps/index.html.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $2,746,768.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2019 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Estimated Range of Awards: $130,000-$197,000 per year.
    Estimated Average Size of Awards: $171,000 per year.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 16.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice. The estimated range and average size of awards are based on 
a single 12-month budget period.

    Project Period: Up to 48 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: IHEs or consortia of IHEs.
    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: IHEs, non-profit organizations, professional organizations, 
or businesses. The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has 
identified in an approved application or that it selects through 
competition under procedures established by the grantee.
    4. Other: (a) Reasonable and Necessary Costs: Applicants must 
ensure that all costs included in the proposed budget are reasonable 
and necessary to meet the goals and objectives of the proposed project. 
Any costs determined by the Secretary to be unreasonable or unnecessary 
will be removed from the final approved budget.
    (b) Audits: (i) A non-Federal entity that expends $750,000 or more 
during the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards must have 
a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in 
accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR part 200. (2 CFR 200.501(a))
    (ii) A non-Federal entity that expends less than $750,000 during 
the non-Federal entity's fiscal year in Federal awards is exempt from 
Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 
200.503 (Relation to Other Audit Requirements), but records must be 
available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal 
agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office 
(GAO). (2 CFR 200.501(d)).

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.thefederalregister.org/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf.
    2. 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.
    3. Funding Restrictions: We specify unallowable costs in 34 CFR 
669.30. We reference additional regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    4. Recommended Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of 
the application) is where you, the applicant, address the priorities, 
selection criteria, and application requirements that reviewers use to 
evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) limit the 
application narrative to no more than 50 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 (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, except titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, references, and captions. Charts, tables, 
figures, and graphs in the application narrative may be single spaced 
and will count toward the recommended page limit.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller 
than 10 pitch (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.
    The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the 
Application for Federal Assistance face sheet (SF 424); the 
supplemental SF 424 form; Part II, Budget Information--Non-Construction 
Programs (ED 524); Part IV, the assurances, certifications, and the 
response to section 427 of the General Education Provisions Act; the 
table of contents; the one-page project abstract; the appendices; or 
the line item budget. However, the recommended page limit does apply to 
all of the application narrative section.
    5. Award Basis: In determining whether to approve a grant award and 
the amount of such award, the Department will take into consideration, 
among other things, the applicant's performance and use of funds under 
a previous or existing award under any Department program (34 CFR 
75.217(d)(3)(ii) and 75.233(b)). In assessing the applicant's 
performance and use of funds under a previous or existing award, the 
Secretary will consider, among other things, the outcomes the applicant 
has achieved and the results of any Departmental grant monitoring, 
including the applicant's progress in remedying any deficiencies 
identified in such monitoring.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are 
from 34 CFR 655.31 and 669.21, and are as follows. The maximum possible 
total score an application can receive for addressing the criteria is 
100 points.

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    (a) Plan of Operation (up to 15 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows 
the quality of the plan of operation for the project.
    The Secretary looks for information that shows--
    (1) High quality in the design of the project;
    (2) An effective plan of management that ensures proper and 
efficient administration of the project;
    (3) A clear description of how the objectives of the project relate 
to the purpose of the program;
    (4) The way the applicant plans to use its resources and personnel 
to achieve each objective; and
    (5) A clear description of how the applicant will provide equal 
access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members 
of groups that have been traditionally underrepresented, such as--
    (i) Members of racial or ethnic minority groups;
    (ii) Women; and
    (iii) Handicapped persons.
    (b) Quality of Key Personnel (up to 10 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows 
the quality of the key personnel the applicant plans to use on the 
project.
    (1) The Secretary looks for information that shows--
    (a) The qualifications of the project director (if one is to be 
used);
    (b) The qualifications of each of the other key personnel to be 
used in the project. In the case of faculty, the qualifications of the 
faculty and the degree to which that faculty is directly involved in 
the actual teaching and supervision of students; and
    (c) The time that each person referred to in paragraphs (b)(1)(a) 
and (b) of this section plans to commit to the project; and
    (d) The extent to which the applicant, as part of its 
nondiscriminatory employment practices, encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have been 
traditionally underrepresented, such as members of racial or ethnic 
minority groups, women, handicapped persons, and the elderly.
    (2) To determine the qualifications of a person, the Secretary 
considers evidence of past experience and training, in fields related 
to the objectives of the project, as well as other information that the 
applicant provides.
    (c) Budget and Cost-Effectiveness (up to 10 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows 
that the project has an adequate budget and is cost effective.
    The Secretary looks for information that shows--
    (1) The budget for the project is adequate to support the project 
activities; and
    (2) Costs are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the 
project.
    (d) Evaluation Plan (up to 20 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows 
the quality of the evaluation plan for the project.
    The Secretary looks for information that shows methods of 
evaluation that are appropriate for the project and, to the extent 
possible, are objective and produce data that are quantifiable.
    (e) Adequacy of Resources (up to 5 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application for information that shows 
that the applicant plans to devote adequate resources to the project.
    The Secretary looks for information that shows--
    (1) Other than library, facilities that the applicant plans to use 
are adequate (language laboratory, museums, etc.); and
    (2) The equipment and supplies that the applicant plans to use are 
adequate.
    (f) Need and Potential Impact (up to 20 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine--
    (1) The extent to which the proposed materials or activities are 
needed in the foreign languages on which the project focuses;
    (2) The extent to which the proposed materials may be used 
throughout the United States; and
    (3) The extent to which the proposed work or activity may 
contribute significantly to strengthening, expanding, or improving 
programs of foreign language study in the United States.
    (g) Likelihood of Achieving Results (up to 10 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine--
    (1) The quality of the outlined methods and procedures for 
preparing the materials; and
    (2) The extent to which plans for carrying out activities are 
practicable and can be expected to produce the anticipated results.
    (h) Description of Final Form of Results (up to 10 points).
    The Secretary reviews each application to determine the degree of 
specificity and the appropriateness of the description of the expected 
results from the project.
    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 
also requires various assurances including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this program 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.

[[Page 24091]]

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 
170.110(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 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 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.
    Performance reports for the LRC Program must be submitted 
electronically into the office of International and Foreign Language 
(IFLE) web-based reporting system, International Resource Information 
System (IRIS). For information about IRIS and to view the reporting 
instructions, please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    (c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the Secretary may provide a grantee 
with additional funding for data collection analysis and reporting. If 
a grantee is provided additional funding for this purpose, the 
Secretary establishes a data collection period.
    5. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the following measures will be used to evaluate 
the success of the LRC Program:
    (a) Percentage of LRC products or activities judged to be 
successful by LRC customers with respect to quality, usefulness and 
relevance.
    (b) Percentage of LRC products judged to be successful by an 
independent expert review panel with respect to quality, usefulness and 
relevance.
    (c) Cost per LRC project that increased the number of training 
programs for K-16 instructors of LCTLs (efficiency measure).
    The information provided by grantees in their performance reports 
submitted via the IRIS reporting system will be the source of data for 
these measures. Reporting screens for institutions can be viewed at: 
http://iris.ed.gov/iris/pdfs/LRC.pdf.
    6. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. 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 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.thefederalregister.org/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 this 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: May 21, 2018.
Frank T. Brogan,
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Delegated the Duties of 
Assistant Secretary, Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy 
Development, Delegated the Duties of the Assistant Secretary, Office of 
Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2018-11187 Filed 5-23-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P