oppED-GRANTS-073018-003-cfda84.200-cid84-200A2018-1-instructions.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education Washington, D.C. 20202 www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/index.html

FY 2018

APPLICATION FOR GRANTS UNDER THE

GRADUATE ASSISTANCE IN AREAS OF NATIONAL NEED (GAANN) PROGRAM

CFDA NO. 84.200A

Form Approved OMB No. 1840-0604, Expiration Date 07/31/2021

DATED MATERIAL – OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: August 29, 2018

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Instructions:

Standard Forms Instructions:

Standard Forms are found on Grants.gov Instructions for the SF-424 Form 73 Instructions for Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF 424 Form 76 Definitions for the Department of Education Supplemental Information

Program Specific Forms Instructions:

Forms:

Program Specific Forms (Found only in the Application Package):

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION

Dear Applicant:

The application package for the fiscal year (FY) 2018 Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program grant competition contains the information and instructions needed to submit a complete application to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) through Grants.gov.

The GAANN Program provides fellowships, through academic departments and programs of institutions of higher education, to assist graduate students with excellent records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study at the institution in a field designated as an area of national need.

The FY 2018 competition contains updated absolute priorities. The Department will only consider an application that addresses one of the absolute priorities.

Please review the entire application package carefully before preparing and submitting an application. Additionally, please use information on the GAANN Program that is accessible on the Department’s website at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/index.html.

Finally, please do not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the guidance contained within the Federal Register Notice.

Thank you for your interest in the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program. We look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely, /s/

Adam Kissel Deputy Assistant Secretary for Higher Education Programs

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

1. GAANN applications submitted for FY 2018 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 up to 2 weeks to complete. A more thorough discussion is included later in this application package. Grants.gov is accessible through its portal page: http://www.grants.gov. You must provide the SAME DUNS number that was used when your organization registered with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM replaced the Central Contractor Registry (CCR) used in years past.

2. The Grants.gov site 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. Please know that if the Department receives duplicate applications, we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

3. The application must be received on or before the deadline date and time. Late applications will not be accepted. We suggest that you submit your application several days before the deadline. The Department must adhere tothe established deadline to ensure fairness to all applicants. No changes or additions to an application will be accepted after the deadline date.

4. Grants.gov Upload Requirements:

If you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material. Please note that this could result in your application not being considered for funding because the material in question--for example, the application narrative--is critical to a meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important to allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF.

5. The Absolute Priority for the FY 2018 Competition:

The Department will only consider applications that address this absolute priority.

As stated in the Notice and in the “Dear Applicant Letter” the FY 2018 designated areas of national need under the GAANN program are as follows:

· For the following academic areas, the project must provide fellowships for programs that lead either to a Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degree or a doctoral degree:

1. Computer and Information Sciences. A degree or a degree with specialization in one or more of the following areas:

· Cybersecurity (the interdiscipline of 11.01 Computer and Information Sciences, General and 11.05 Computer Systems Analysis);

· Secure computer programming (the interdiscipline of 11.05 Computer and Information Sciences, General and 11.02 Computer Programming);

· Artificial Intelligence (the interdiscipline of 11.02 Computer Programming, 11.04 Information Sciences and Systems, and 14.09 Computer Engineering);

2. Professional Engineering. A degree or a degree with specialization in one or more of the following areas:

· 14.02 Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering

· 14.03 Architectural Engineering

· 14.07 Chemical Engineering

· 14.08 Civil Engineering

· 14.09 Computer Engineering

· 14.10 Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering

· 14.17 Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering

· 14.19 Mechanical Engineering

· 14.22 Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

· 14.25 Petroleum Engineering

· 14.27 Systems Engineering

· 14.29 Engineering Design

· 14.30 Engineering/Industrial Management

· 14.31 Materials Science

· 14.32 Polymer/Plastics Engineering

· For the following academic areas, the project must provide fellowships to students who plan to pursue the highest possible degree available in their course of study at the institution in a program that provides a master’s degree, professional degree, or other post-baccalaureate degree, or a doctorate that includes, one or more of the following specializations:

· American Political Development, Foundations of Western Civilization, American History and Institutions, or the American Founding (subsets of 05.01 Area Studies); or

· Constitutional Law (a subset of 22.01 Law and Legal Studies).

7. The GAANN Abstract:

The one-page abstract should include a short summary covering the designated area(s) of national need. The abstract should include the following information:

Institution Name:

Type of Application (Single/Inter-Disciplinary/Multi-Disciplinary):

Area of National Need:

Degree Level of Program of Study (Masters, PSM, or Doctorate):

Length of Time Degree Program has been in Existence:

Number of Federally Funded GAANN Fellows Requested:

Note: Information provided in the GAANN one-page abstract must be attached to the “ED Abstract Form” in the Grants.gov system. Further instructions are provided in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Narrative” section of the application package about the upload requirements and formatting the abstract.

8. Program Specific Forms:

The following documents are specific to the GAANN program and should be reviewed carefully to ensure that they are attached into the Grants.gov system correctly.

1. GAANN Statutory Assurances Form Applicants must submit the GAANN Statutory Assurances Form electronically uploaded as a separate document. Please note that more detailed instructions for attaching this form are covered in the “Program Specific Forms Instructions” section of the application package.

· GAANN Budget Spreadsheet(s) Form Applicants must submit the Budget Spreadsheet(s) Form electronically uploaded as a separate document. Please note that more detailed instructions for attaching the budget spreadsheet form are covered in the “Program Specific Forms Instructions” section of the application package.

The Budget Narrative (which is a part of the Selection Criteria) should be included in the “Project Narrative Attachment Form.”

Note: You must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in a PDF (Portable Document) read-only, non-modifiable format. Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only, non-modifiable PDF or submit a password-protected file, we will not review that material.

9. Annual Performance Requirements:

If you receive a FY 2018 new grant award, you will be required to submit annual and final performance reports during the three-year funding cycle using the CollabraLink Reporting System. This online system collects narratives and data about funded projects to enable program officers to determine if a grantee is making substantial progress toward meeting approved project objectives. If you wish to view the performance report currently required, visit the GAANN Web site at:

http://www2.ed.gov/programs/gaann/performance.html.

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 2018 grant award.

10. Two years after the expiration of the grant:

Two years after a GAANN grant expires, grantees are required to submit a supplement to the final performance report. The purpose of this supplement to the Final Performance Report is to identify and report the educational outcome of each GAANN fellow.

IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ FIRST

U.S. Department of Education Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

To facilitate your use of Grants.gov, this document includes important submission procedures you need to be aware of to ensure your application is received in a timely manner and accepted by the Department of Education.

Browser Support

The latest versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, and Apple Safari are supported for use with Grants.gov. However, these web browsers undergo frequent changes and updates, so we recommend you have the latest version when using Grants.gov. Legacy versions of these web browsers may be functional, but you may experience issues.

For additional information or updates, please see the Grants.gov Browser information in the Applicant FAQs: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser.

ATTENTION – Workspace, Adobe Forms and PDF Files Required

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

1) Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2) Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the state of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out web forms, you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS Number. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3) Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the closing date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4) Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html.

Helpful Reminders

1) REGISTER EARLY – Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take upwards of several weeks to complete, depending upon the completeness and accuracy of the data entered into the SAM database by an applicant. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov, and before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. For detailed information on the Registration Steps, please go to: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. [Note: Your organization will need to update its SAM registration annually.]

Primary information about SAM is available at www.sam.gov. However, to further assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in SAM or updating your existing SAM account, the Department of Education has prepared a SAM.gov Tip Sheet which you can find at: http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.

2) SUBMIT EARLY – We strongly recommend that you do not wait until the last day to submit your application. Grants.gov will put a date/time stamp on your application and then process it after it is fully uploaded. The time it takes to upload an application will vary depending on a number of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection, and the time it takes Grants.gov to process the application will vary as well. If Grants.gov rejects your application (see step three below), you will need to resubmit successfully to Grants.gov before 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time on the deadline date.

Note: To submit successfully, you must provide the DUNS number on your application that was used when you registered as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) on Grants.gov. This DUNS number is typically the same number used when your organization registered with the SAM. If you do not enter the same DUNS number on your application as the DUNS you registered with, Grants.gov will reject your application.

3) VERIFY SUBMISSION IS OK – You will want to verify that Grants.gov received your application submission on time and that it was validated successfully. To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, AND the application status should be: Validated, Received by Agency, or Agency Tracking Number Assigned. Once the Department of Education receives your application from Grants.gov, an Agency Tracking Number (PR/award number) will be assigned to your application and will be available for viewing on Grants.gov’s Track My Application link.

If the date/time received is later than 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. time, on the deadline date, your application is late. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov. Once validation is complete, the status will either change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” If the status is “Rejected with Errors,” your application has not been received successfully. Some of the reasons Grants.gov may reject an application can be found on the Grants.gov site: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html. For more detailed information on troubleshooting Adobe errors, you can review the Adobe Reader Software Tip Sheet at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. If you discover your application is late or has been rejected, please see the instructions below. Note: You will receive a series of confirmations both online and via e-mail about the status of your application. Please do not rely solely on e-mail to confirm whether your application has been received timely and validated successfully.

Submission Problems – What should you do?

If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or email at: mailto:support@grants.gov or access the Grants.gov Self-Service Knowledge Base web portal at: https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

If electronic submission is required, you must submit an electronic application before 4:30:00 p.m. Washington, DC time, unless you follow the procedures in the Federal Register notice and 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. If electronic submission is optional and you have problems that you are unable to resolve before the deadline date and time for electronic applications, please follow the transmittal instructions for hard copy applications in the Federal Register notice and get a hard copy application postmarked by midnight on the deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Helpful Hints When Working with Grants.gov

Please go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html for help with Grants.gov. For additional tips related to submitting grant applications, please refer to the Grants.gov Applicant FAQs found at this Grants.gov link: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html as well as additional information on Workspace at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace.

Dial-Up Internet Connections

When using a dial up connection to upload and submit your application, it can take significantly longer than when you are connected to the Internet with a high-speed connection, e.g. cable modem/DSL/T1. While times will vary depending upon the size of your application, it can take a few minutes to a few hours to complete your grant submission using a dial up connection. If you do not have access to a high-speed connection and electronic submission is required, you may want to consider following the instructions in the Federal Register notice to obtain an exception to the electronic submission requirement no later than two weeks before the application deadline date. (See the Federal Register notice for detailed instructions.)

Attaching Files – Additional Tips

Please note the following tips related to attaching files to your application, especially the requirement that applicants only include read-only, flattened .PDF files in their application:

· Ensure that you attach .PDF files only for any attachments to your application, and they must be in a read-only, flattened format. PDF files are the only Education approved file type accepted as detailed in the Federal Register application notice. Applicants must submit individual .PDF files only when attaching files to their application. Specifically, the Department will not accept any attachments that contain files within a file, such as PDF Portfolio files, or an interactive or fillable .PDF file. Any attachments uploaded that are not .PDF files or are password protected files will not be read.

· Grants.gov cannot process an application that includes two or more files that have the same name within a grant submission. Therefore, each file uploaded to your application package should have a unique file name.

· When attaching files, applicants should follow the guidelines established by Grants.gov on the size and content of file names. Uploaded file names must be fewer than 50 characters, and, in general, applicants should not use any special characters. However, Grants.gov does allow for the following UTF-8 characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, and equal sign. Applications submitted that do not comply with the Grants.gov guidelines will be rejected at Grants.gov and not forwarded to the Department.

· Applicants should limit the size of their file attachments. Documents submitted that contain graphics and/or scanned material often greatly increase the size of the file attachments and can result in difficulties opening the files. For reference, the average discretionary grant application package with all attachments is less than 5 MB. Therefore, you may want to check the total size of your package before submission.

01/2018

APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

ATTENTION ELECTRONIC APPLICANTS: Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing the grant competition.

This program requires the electronic submission of applications; specific requirements and waiver instructions can be found in the Federal Register notice.

According to the instructions found in the Federal Register notice, those requesting and qualifying for an exception to the electronic submission requirement may submit an application by mail, commercial carrier, or hand delivery.

If you want to apply for a grant and be considered for funding, you must meet the following deadline requirements:

Applications Submitted Electronically

You must submit your grant application through the Internet using the software provided on the Grants.gov Web site (http://www.grants.gov) by 4:30:00 p.m. (Washington, D.C. time) on or before the deadline date.

If you submit your application through the Internet via the Grants.gov Web site, you will receive an automatic acknowledgement when we receive your application.

For more information on using Grants.gov, please refer to the “Notice Inviting Applications” that was published in the Federal Register or visit http://www.grants.gov.

Submission of Paper Applications by Mail:

If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement, you may submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier). You must mail the original and two copies of your application, 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 84.200A) LBJ Basement Level 1 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-4260

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.

(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.

(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.

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 84.200A) 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 4:30:00 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 SF 424—the CFDA number, including suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are submitting your application; and

(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not receive this notification 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.

Late Applications If your application is late, we will notify you that we will not consider the application.

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Program, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.200A.

DATES:

Applications Available: July 30, 2018.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: August 29, 2018.

Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 28, 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: Rebecca Ell, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 268-04, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-6348. Email: OPE_GAANN_Program@ed.gov.

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text telephone (TTY), contact the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description Purpose of Program: The GAANN Program provides grants to academic departments and programs of institutions of higher education (IHEs) to support graduate fellowships for students with excellent academic records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study at the institution.

Background: In accordance with section 712(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1135a), the Secretary designates areas of national need following a required consultation. Four broad areas have been identified as national needs:

1. Computer and Information Sciences: Cybersecurity, secure computer programming, and artificial intelligence.

2. Rebuilding the Nation’s Infrastructure: The Administration’s Legislative Outline for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America[footnoteRef:1] identifies a need for public and private investment in rebuilding the Nation’s infrastructure. To meet this goal, the Nation needs to expand the prepared workforce to ensure timely planning, delivery, and inspection of infrastructure projects. Therefore, there is a national need to increase the number of professional engineers able to facilitate a wide range of infrastructure projects. [1: Available at www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/INFRASTRUCTURE-211.pdf.]

3. National Civic Literacy: Studies of American adults’ knowledge of American history and institutions have demonstrated low levels of knowledge and that “greater civic knowledge trumps a college degree as the leading factor in encouraging active civic engagement.”[footnoteRef:2] In order to improve civic engagement, Americans need a clear understanding of American history and the Western traditions that gave rise to the American Republic. [2: National Civic Literacy Board (2011). Enlightened Citizenship: How Civic Knowledge Trumps a College Degree in Promoting Active Civic Engagement. Available at: www.americancivicliteracy.org/2011/summary_summary.html.]

4. Workforce Development: The Nation needs innovative solutions that enable individuals to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to meet workforce demands through shorter-term programs that align with the needs of employers. Professional Science Master’s (PSM) degrees provide such a solution within graduate education. To better meet the Nation’s needs in computer and information sciences and in engineering, PSM programs are included as terminal degree programs chosen for these areas in this competition.

Priority: This competition includes one absolute priority. In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(ii), this priority is from the regulations for this program (34 CFR 648.33(a) and Appendix to part 648--Academic Areas).

Absolute Priority: For FY 2018 and any subsequent year for which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.

A project must provide fellowships in one or more of the following areas of national need, in an interdisciplinary program of study involving at least two of these areas, or for a multidisciplinary project. A multidisciplinary project is one that requests fellowships for more than a single academic department in one or more of the following areas, and in which each department’s program of study is independent.

A. For the following academic areas, the project must provide fellowships for programs that lead either to a PSM degree or a doctoral degree.

1. Computer and Information Sciences. A degree or a degree with specialization in one or more of the following areas:

· Cybersecurity (the interdiscipline of “Computer and Information Sciences, General” and “Computer Systems Analysis”).

· Secure computer programming (the interdiscipline of “Computer and Information Sciences, General” and “Computer Programming”).

· Artificial Intelligence (the interdiscipline of “Computer Programming,” “Information Sciences and Systems,” and “Computer Engineering”).

2. Professional Engineering. A degree or a degree with specialization in one or more of the following areas:

· Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering.

· Architectural Engineering.

· Chemical Engineering.

· Civil Engineering.

· Computer Engineering.

· Electrical, Electronic, and Communications Engineering.

· Industrial/Manufacturing Engineering.

· Mechanical Engineering.

· Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

· Petroleum Engineering.

· Systems Engineering.

· Engineering Design.

· Engineering/Industrial Management.

· Materials Science.

· Polymer/Plastics Engineering.

B. For the following academic areas, the project must provide fellowships to students who plan to pursue the highest possible degree available in their course of study at the institution in a program that provides a master’s degree, professional degree, or other post-baccalaureate degree in, or a doctorate that includes, one or more of the following specializations:

· American Political Development, Foundations of Western Civilization, American History and Institutions, or the American Founding (subsets of “Area Studies”).

· Constitutional Law (a subset of “Law and Legal Studies”).

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1135.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 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) The regulations for this program in 34 CFR part 648.

Note: The open licensing requirement in 2 CFR 3474.20 does not apply for this program.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian Tribes.

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

II. Award Information Type of Award: Discretionary grants, including funds redistributed as graduate fellowships to individual fellows.

Estimated Available Funds: $18,357,000.

Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of applications, we may make additional awards in subsequent years from the list of unfunded applications from this competition.

Estimated Range of Awards: $149,250 - $398,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards: $248,750.

Estimated Number of Awards: 74.

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

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Stipend Level: For the 2018-19 academic year, the institution must pay the fellow a stipend at a level of support equal to that provided by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, except that this amount must be adjusted as necessary so as not to exceed the fellow’s demonstrated level of financial need as stated under part F of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.

Institutional Payment: For the 2018-19 academic year, the institutional payment is $15,750 per fellow. This amount was determined by adjusting the previous academic year’s institutional payment of $15,426 per fellow by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index for the 2017 calendar year.

III. Eligibility Information

Note: Students are not eligible to apply for grants under this program.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: An institution must provide, from non-Federal funds, an institutional matching contribution equal to at least 25 percent of the grant amount received. (See 34 CFR 648.7.)

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements. (See 34 CFR 648.20(b)(5).)

IV. Application and Submission Information

4. Recommended Page Limit: Applications that do not follow the page limit and formatting recommendations will not be penalized. The application narrative, Part II of the application, is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend the following page limits and standards:

· A project narrative in a single discipline or for an interdisciplinary course of study should be limited to no more than 40 pages.

· A project narrative for a multidisciplinary project should be limited to no more than 40 pages for each academic department.

· A “page” is 8.5" x 11", on one side only, with 1" margins.

· Double-space all text in the application project narrative, and single-space titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions.

· Use a 12-point font.

· Use an easily readable font such as Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New, or Arial.

· Limit appendices to the following: two-page version of a curriculum vitae, per faculty member; a course listing; letters of commitment showing institutional support; a bibliography; and one additional optional appendix relevant to the support of the proposals, recommended not to exceed five pages.

The recommended page limit does not include Part I, the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424) and the Department of Education Supplemental Information for the SF 424 Form; the one-page abstract; the GAANN Statutory Assurances Form; the GAANN Budget Spreadsheet(s) Form; the Appendices; Part III, the Assurances and Certifications; or an optional two-page table of contents.

V. Application

1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this program are from 34 CFR 648.31 and are as follows:

(a) Meeting the purposes of the program (7 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine how well the project will meet the purposes of the program, including the extent to which--

(1) The applicant's general and specific objectives for the project are realistic and measurable;

(2) The applicant's objectives for the project seek to sustain and enhance the capacity for teaching and research at the institution and at State, regional, or national levels;

(3) The applicant's objectives seek to institute policies and procedures to ensure the enrollment of talented graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and

(4) The applicant's objectives seek to institute policies and procedures to ensure that it will award fellowships to individuals who satisfy the requirements of 34 CFR 648.40.

(b) Extent of need for the project (5 points). The Secretary considers the extent to which a grant under the program is needed by the academic department by considering--

(1) How the applicant identified the problems that form the specific needs of the project;

(2) The specific problems to be resolved by successful realization of the goals and objectives of the project; and

(3) How increasing the number of fellowships will meet the specific and general objectives of the project.

(c) Quality of the graduate academic program (20 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the current graduate academic program for which project funding is sought, including--

(1) The course offerings and academic requirements for the graduate program;

(2) The qualifications of the faculty, including education, research interest, publications, teaching ability, and accessibility to graduate students;

(3) The focus and capacity for research; and

(4) Any other evidence the applicant deems appropriate to demonstrate the quality of its academic program.

(d) Quality of the supervised teaching experience (10 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the teaching experience the applicant plans to provide fellows under this program, including the extent to which the project--

(1) Provides each fellow with the required supervised training in instruction;

(2) Provides adequate instruction on effective teaching techniques;

(3) Provides extensive supervision of each fellow's teaching performance; and

(4) Provides adequate and appropriate evaluation of the fellow's teaching performance.

(e) Recruitment plan (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the applicant's recruitment plan, including--

(1) How the applicant plans to identify, recruit, and retain students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds in the academic program for which fellowships are sought;

(2) How the applicant plans to identify eligible students for fellowships;

(3) The past success of the academic department in enrolling talented graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and

(4) The past success of the academic department in enrolling talented graduate students for its academic program.

(f) Project administration (8 points). The Secretary reviews the quality of the proposed project administration, including--

(1) How the applicant will select fellows, including how the applicant will ensure that project participants who are otherwise eligible to participate are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or disabling condition;

(2) How the applicant proposes to monitor whether a fellow is making satisfactory progress toward the degree for which the fellowship has been awarded;

(3) How the applicant proposes to identify and meet the academic needs of fellows;

(4) How the applicant proposes to maintain enrollment of graduate students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds; and

(5) The extent to which the policies and procedures the applicant proposes to institute for administering the project are likely to ensure efficient and effective project implementation, including assistance to and oversight of the project director.

(g) Institutional commitment (15 points). The Secretary reviews each application for evidence that--

(1) The applicant will provide, from any funds available to it, sufficient funds to support the financial needs of the fellows if the funds made available under the program are insufficient;

(2) The institution's social and academic environment is supportive of the academic success of students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds on the applicant's campus;

(3) Students receiving fellowships under this program will receive stipend support for the time necessary to complete their courses of study, but in no case longer than five years; and

(4) The applicant demonstrates a financial commitment, including the nature and amount of the institutional matching contribution, and other institutional commitments that are likely to ensure the continuation of project activities for a significant period of time following the period in which the project receives Federal financial assistance.

(h) Quality of key personnel (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of key personnel the applicant plans to use on the project, including--

(1) The qualifications of the project director;

(2) The qualifications of other key personnel to be used in the project;

(3) The time commitment of key personnel, including the project director, to the project; and

(4) How the applicant, as part of its nondiscriminatory employment practices, will ensure that its personnel are selected without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or disabling condition, except pursuant to a lawful affirmative action plan.

(i) Budget (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the extent to which--

(1) The applicant shows a clear understanding of the acceptable uses of program funds; and

(2) The costs of the project are reasonable in relation to the objectives of the project.

(j) Evaluation plan (15 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the quality of the evaluation plan for the project, including the extent to which the applicant's methods of evaluation--

(1) Relate to the specific goals and measurable objectives of the project;

(2) Assess the effect of the project on the students receiving fellowships under this program, including the effect on persons of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, genders, and ages, and on persons with disabilities who are served by the project;

(3) List both process and product evaluation questions for each project activity and outcome, including those of the management plan;

(4) Describe both the process and product evaluation measures for each project activity and outcome;

(5) Describe the data collection procedures, instruments, and schedules for effective data collection;

(6) Describe how the applicant will analyze and report the data so that it can make adjustments and improvements on a regular basis; and

(7) Include a time-line chart that relates key evaluation processes and benchmarks to other project component processes and benchmarks.

(k) Adequacy of resources (5 points). The Secretary reviews each application to determine the adequacy of the resources that the applicant makes available to graduate students receiving fellowships under this program, including facilities, equipment, and supplies.

Additional factors we consider in selecting an application for an award are in 34 CFR 648.32.

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…