PKG00252178-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Postsecondary Education

Washington, DC 20202

Fiscal Year 2019

APPLICATION PACKAGE FOR GRANTS

UNDER THE

MINORITY SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM (MSEIP)

(CFDA NUMBER: 84.120A)

Form Approved

OMB No. 1840 - 0109, Exp. Date: June 30, 2022

CLOSING DATE: July 19, 2019 11:59:59 P.M., Eastern Time

Table of Contents Dear Applicant Letter

The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) - Background ... 6

Competition Highlights

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants

Application Transmittal Instructions

Notice Inviting Applications for FY 2019

Authorizing Legislation

Code of Federal Regulations

Intergovernmental Review

Supplemental Information

Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA)

Performance Indicators for MSEIP

Instructions for Completing the Application Package

Instructions for the SF-424

Instructions for Budget Summary Form ED 524

Instructions for Project Narrative

Selection Criteria

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA) Section 427

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

Instructions for Completing the MANDATORY FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form

MANDATORY FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form for Four-Year Minority Institutions

MANDATORY FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form for Two-Year Minority Institutions

MANDATORY FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form for Nonprofit Science Oriented Organizations

MANDATORY FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form for Consortia of Organizations

Application Checklist

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain benefit (Title III of the HEA of 1965, as amended). Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to regulations.gov during the public comment period for this collection of information. If you have specific questions about the form, instrument or survey, please contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program, 400 Maryland Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20202.

Dear Applicant Letter

Dear Applicant:

Thank you for your interest in applying for a fiscal year (FY) 2019 grant under the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP). This application booklet includes the instructions and forms needed to submit a complete application to the U.S. Department of Education (the Department), including the Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form.

We highly recommend that you review the entire application package carefully before preparing and submitting your application. This letter highlights additional items from the FY 2019 application package that will be important to you in applying for grants under this program:

Information on the MSEIP and details concerning pre-application webinars are accessible at the Department’s Web site at:

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

The FY 2019 Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) published in the Federal

Register is the official guidance for the competition. Applicants should not rely upon any information that is inconsistent with the official NIA document. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, please refer to the Notice.

In order to submit an application under MSEIP, all applicants must have an active DUNS number. If you do not have an active DUNS number, you may obtain one online at:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

All applications must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (www.Grants.gov), unless you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission requirement referenced in the Notice. Applicants should also pay particular attention to the section Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants. Please follow the instructions to learn how to verify that Grants.gov and the Department have received your Grants.gov submission on time and that it was validated successfully.

All applicants are required to submit a completed Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form. The Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form is a critical document used to determine applicant eligibility and is not available through Grants.gov; it is only available in this booklet. This form should be copied from the booklet, completed, saved, and attached as a separate file to the “Other Attachments Form” with your application in Grants.gov. (Do not use forms from previous competitions.)

http://www.ed.gov/programs/iegpsugisf/index.html http://www.ed.gov/programs/iduesmsi/index.html http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

If you have questions or require additional programmatic information, please contact the MSEIP Senior Program Manager, Dr. Bernadette Hence, by phone at 202-453-7913 or by email at bernadette.hence@ed.gov. If you have difficulty with the application submission in Grants.Gov, please contact Grants.Gov support.

We look forward to receiving your application and appreciate your efforts in helping to increase the number of minorities, particularly minority women, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Sincerely, /signed/ Diane Auer Jones Principal Deputy Under Secretary Delegated to Perform the Duties of Under Secretary and Assistant Secretary for the Office of Postsecondary Education mailto:bernadette.hence@ed.gov

The Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) - Background

PURPOSE

The purpose of the Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP) is to effect long-range improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions and to increase the flow of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and technological careers. MSEIP supports the Federal Government’s efforts to improve and expand the scientific and technological capacity of the United States to support its technological and economic competitiveness.

PROGRAM

The specific objectives of MSEIP include the following: (a) to improve access of minority students in undergraduate and graduate science and engineering through community outreach programs conducted through eligible minority institutions, (b) to improve the quality of preparation of students for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and graduate work, (c) to improve the capability of minority institutions for self-assessment, management, and evaluation of their science programs and dissemination of their results, and (d) to improve existing capabilities of minority institutions in the areas of planning and implementation of science and engineering programs, so they will achieve the ability to compete more effectively in assistance programs not specifically intended for minority groups or institutions.

Eligible applicant institutions include public and private, nonprofit accredited institutions of higher education (IHEs) with minority enrollments that exceed 50 percent of the total enrollment; professional scientific societies; nonprofit science-oriented organizations; and nonprofit four-year accredited colleges and universities that provide needed services to a group of eligible minority institutions or that provide special training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions. Additionally, eligible applicants include two-year public or private non-profit IHEs that award associate degrees and are minority institutions that have curricula that include science and engineering subjects and enter into a partnership with a four-year minority IHE. A minority institution is defined in the regulations at 34 CFR 637.4(b). This program does not support scholarships for students.

Awards under MSEIP are for 12 to 36 months to support four types of grants: Institutional, Cooperative, Design and Special Project. The term ‘‘design projects’’ means projects that assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs. Applicants that receive design grants may not receive an award the following year to execute the planned science improvement program. Therefore, the Department decided not to award Design grants as of Fiscal Year 2011. The other grants are:

Institutional Project grants support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=2728f4e09c502ac83e36e7b08f8c14a4&rgn=div5&view=text&node=34:3.1.3.1.14&idno=34 the preparation of minority students, particularly minority women, for careers in science.

Cooperative Project grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities working together to conduct a science improvement program. Any nonprofit accredited college or university may participate in a cooperative grant;

however, the fiscal agent must be an eligible minority institution.

Special Project grants are designed to assist minority institutions with activities that improve the quality of training in science and engineering at minority institutions or enhance the minority institution’s general scientific research capabilities. A Special Project grant may be given to any applicant supporting activities that provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions. Special Project grants may also be used to provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.

Competition Highlights

1. All applications must include and complete one of the Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Forms.

The Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form is a critical document used to determine applicant eligibility and is not available through Grants.gov; it is only available in this booklet.

This form should be copied from the booklet, completed, saved, and attached as a separate file to the “Other Attachments Form” with your application in Grants.gov.

(Do not use forms from previous competitions.)

The lead institution or organization submitting an application must identify the appropriate eligibility criterion and complete the applicable Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form.

Applicants should also indicate on the Mandatory FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form whether they intend to address one or both of the competitive preference priorities and/or the invitational priority.

2. We award an additional two points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 or Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a maximum of four additional points.

Competitive Preference Priority 1 -- Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education With an Increased Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased Value to Students and Taxpayers.

Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:

Supporting innovative strategies or research that have the potential to lead to significant and wide-reaching improvements in the delivery of educational services or other significant and tangible educational benefits to students, educators, or other Department stakeholders. (2 additional points)

Competitive Preference Priority 2 -- Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills That Prepare Students To Be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive Individuals and Citizens. Projects that are designed to address the following priority area: Supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, and knowledge of higher education financing and repayment or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility. (2 additional points)

3. Invitational Priority: We do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications:

Invitational Priority -- Projects that are Designed to Establish, Improve, or Expand Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Degree Programs.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects that are designed to establish, improve, or expand PSM degree programs, which combine traditional academic training with specialized knowledge and skills that: (a) closely align with the expectations and needs of business and industry and (b) prepare students for direct entry into a variety of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career options in business and industry, Federal government, or non-profit organizations. (0 additional points)

4. Applicants must submit a one-page abstract. The abstract should briefly describe the project goals, target populations, proposed activities, and anticipated results.

Applicants should also indicate in the abstract the competitive preference priorities and/or invitational priority they intend to address.

5. Applicants are required to prepare a detailed and comprehensive budget narrative for all proposed line items listed in ED Form 524 (Sections A and B).

Applicants who fail to provide the proper level of detailed narrative as outlined in the Instructions for Budget Summary Form may lose critical points. This narrative should be uploaded under the “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov. This narrative will not be included in the page count.

6. Applicants should review the Instructions for Project Narrative and prepare the project narrative in ten sections that correspond to selection criteria (a) through (j) as outlined in the Notice and application. We recommend that you limit the Project Narrative to the equivalent of 50 pages; however, there is no penalty if you exceed this recommendation. Please note, the selection criteria for this competition have been updated.

7. The maximum award amount for an Institutional Project application is $250,000 per single budget period of 12 months. We will not fund a project for more than $250,000 per 12 months. The maximum project period is up to 36 months, for a total award amount not to exceed $750,000.

The maximum award amount for a Special Project application is $250,000 per single budget period of 12 months. We will not fund a project for more than $250,000 per 12 months. The maximum project period is up to 36 months, for a total award amount not to exceed $750,000.

The maximum award amount for a Cooperative Project application is $300,000 per single budget period of 12 months. We will not fund a project for more than $300,000 per 12 months. The maximum project period is up to 36 months, for a total award amount not to exceed $900,000.

8. An applicant may submit more than one application as long as each application describes a different project.

9. The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) limit reimbursement to grantees for indirect costs they incur under grants to the grantee’s actual indirect costs as determined by the grantee’s negotiated indirect cost agreement or a maximum of 8% of a modified total direct cost base, whichever is less.

10. This program has no cost sharing or matching requirements.

11. This program does not support scholarships or new construction. It does support stipends for eligible participants and renovations of STEM facilities.

12. Applicants must submit an electronic application using procedures outlined in the Federal Register Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for FY 2019.

We will reject your application if you submit your application in paper format, unless you qualify for one of the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no later than 14 calendar days before the application deadline date, a written statement to the Department that you qualify for one of the exceptions.

13. In order to submit your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR); and

(2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. More details are available in the Grants.gov 3-Step Registration Guide.

Only authorized individuals for your organization can submit an application.

Please check with your Sponsored Research Office early to minimize problems with submission.

Applicants who are unable to submit an application via Grants.gov by the application deadline, because their System for Award Management (SAM) registration is not active, will not be considered for funding.

14. Please note that applications must be submitted by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on or before the application deadline date. Late applications will not be accepted.

15. We highly recommend that you submit your application several days before the deadline.

16. Assistance from the Principal Office staff is available until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on the application deadline date:

Dr. Bernadette Hence Senior Program Manager, MSEIP

Office of Postsecondary Education Email: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov 202.453.7913

17. You should verify that Grants.gov and the U.S. Department of Education received your submission on time and that it was validated successfully. If your application has a status of “Received” it is still awaiting validation by Grants.gov.

Once the validation process has been completed, the status will change to “Validated” or “Rejected with Errors.” To see the date/time your application was received, login to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link.

18. 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, prior to the closing date for submission, you must “re-submit” the application. If the Department receives duplicate applications, then we will accept and process the application with the latest “date/time received” validation.

19. If you have problems submitting to Grants.gov before the closing date, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Contact information can be found at http://www.grants.gov/contactus/contactus.jsp, or use the applicant support available on the Web site: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp.

If you have difficulty with the application submission in Grants.Gov, please contact Grants.Gov support, and not the MSEIP Program Manager.

20. When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word.

Applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word; however, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

21. A panel of three peer reviewers will evaluate the application and assign points based on their assessment of the applicant’s ability to address the selection criteria. The reviewers will be instructed to look closely at the potential of applicants to successfully reach their individual project goals, which are driven by the performance indicators for the MSEIP. The average of the three reviewers’ scores will determine an applicant’s final score. The point distribution for each selection criterion is included in the Notice.

mailto:Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/contactus/contactus.jsp http://www.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp

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

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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#browser https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close 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 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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, log in to Grants.gov and click on the Track My Application link. For a successful submission, the date/time received should be earlier than 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.sam.gov/ http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html 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 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 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern 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:

• When you submit your application electronically, you must upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word. Although applicants have the option of uploading any narrative sections and all other attachments to their application in either PDF or Microsoft Word, we recommend applicants submit all documents as read-only flattened PDFs, meaning any fillable PDF files must be saved and submitted as non-fillable PDF files and not as interactive or fillable PDF files, to better ensure applications are processed in a more timely, accurate, and efficient manner.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/encountering-error-messages.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html#workspace

• 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.

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 via mail, commercial carrier or by 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 Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov by 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time on or before the application deadline date.

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 84.120A) 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.

http://www.grants.gov/

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 84.120A) 550 12th Street, SW.

Room 7039, Potomac Center Plaza Washington, DC 20202-4260

Application Control Center Hours of Operation:

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.

Notice Inviting Applications for FY 2019

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Minority Science and

Engineering Improvement Program (MSEIP)

AGENCY: Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Department of Education (Department) is issuing a notice inviting applications for fiscal year (FY)

2019 for the MSEIP, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

(CFDA) number 84.120A. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1840–0109.

DATES:

Applications Available: June 19, 2019.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 19, 2019.

Pre-Application Webinar information: The Department will hold a pre-application meeting via webinar for prospective applicants. Detailed information regarding this webinar will be provided on the website for the MSEIP at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iduesmsi/index.html.

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 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-

02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Bernadette Hence, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room 250-

54, Washington, DC 20202. Telephone: (202) 453-7913.

Email: Bernadette.Hence@ed.gov.

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 MSEIP is designed to effect long-range improvement in science and engineering education at predominantly minority institutions and to increase the flow of underrepresented ethnic minorities, particularly minority women, into scientific and technological careers, consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S.

Constitution and Federal civil rights laws.

Priorities: This notice contains two competitive preference priorities and one invitational priority. The competitive preference priorities are from the Secretary’s Final

Supplemental Priorities and Definitions for Discretionary

Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on March

2, 2018 (83 FR 9096) (Supplemental Priorities).

Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2019, 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 an additional two points to an application that meets Competitive Preference Priority 1 or

Competitive Preference Priority 2, for a maximum of four additional points.

These priorities are:

Competitive Preference Priority 1-- Promoting Innovation and Efficiency, Streamlining Education With an Increased

Focus on Improving Student Outcomes, and Providing Increased

Value to Students and Taxpayers (2 points).

Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:

Supporting innovative strategies or research that have the potential to lead to significant and wide-reaching improvements in the delivery of educational services or other significant and tangible educational benefits to students, educators, or other Department stakeholders.

Competitive Preference Priority 2--Fostering Knowledge and Promoting the Development of Skills That Prepare

Students To Be Informed, Thoughtful, and Productive

Individuals and Citizens (2 points).

Projects that are designed to address the following priority area:

Supporting instruction in personal financial literacy, knowledge of markets and economics, and knowledge of higher education financing and repayment (e.g., college savings and student loans) or other skills aimed at building personal financial understanding and responsibility.

Invitational Priority: For FY 2019 and any subsequent year in which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this competition, this priority is an invitational priority. Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(1), we do not give an application that meets this invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications.

This priority is:

Invitational Priority--Projects that are Designed to

Establish, Improve, or Expand Professional Science Master’s

(PSM) Degree Programs.

Under this priority, we are particularly interested in projects that are designed to establish, improve, or expand

PSM degree programs, which combine traditional academic training with specialized knowledge and skills that: (a) closely align with the expectations and needs of business and industry and (b) prepare students for direct entry into a variety of science, technology, engineering, and math

(STEM) career options in business and industry, Federal government, or non-profit organizations.

Note: Applicants must indicate in the one-page abstract and on the FY 2019 MSEIP Eligibility Certification Form in the application package whether they intend to address one or both of the competitive preference priorities and/or the invitational priority.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1067-1067k.

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. (d) The regulations for this program in 34

CFR part 637. (e) The Supplemental Priorities.

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

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds: $5,964,726.

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:

Institutional Project Grants: $200,000-$250,000.

Special Project Grants: $200,000-$250,000.

Cooperative Project Grants: $275,000-$300,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

Institutional Project Grants: $240,000.

Special Project Grants: $249,000.

Cooperative Project Grants: $300,000.

Maximum Awards:

Institutional Project Grants: $250,000.

Special Project Grants: $250,000.

Cooperative Project Grants: $300,000.

Estimated Number of Awards:

Institutional Project Grants: 19.

Special Project Grants: 2.

Cooperative Project Grants: 2.

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

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants: The eligibility of an applicant is dependent on the type of MSEIP grant the applicant seeks. There are four types of MSEIP grants:

institutional project, special project, cooperative project, and design project.

Institutional project grants are grants that support the implementation of a comprehensive science improvement plan, which may include any combination of activities for improving the preparation of minority students for careers in science.

There are two types of special project grants. First, there are special project grants for which only minority institutions are eligible. These special project grants support activities that: (1) improve quality training in science and engineering at minority institutions; or (2) enhance the minority institutions' general scientific research capabilities. There also are special project grants for which all applicants are eligible. These special project grants support activities that: (1) provide a needed service to a group of eligible minority institutions;

or (2) provide in-service training for project directors, scientists, and engineers from eligible minority institutions.

Cooperative project grants assist groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities to work together to conduct a science improvement program.

Design project grants assist minority institutions that do not have their own appropriate resources or personnel to plan and develop long-range science improvement programs.

We will not award design project grants in the FY 2019 competition.

(a) For institutional project grants, eligible applicants are limited to--

(1) Public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education that: (i) award baccalaureate degrees; and

(ii) are minority institutions;

(2) Public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that: (i) award associate degrees; and (ii) are minority institutions that (A) have a curriculum that includes science or engineering subjects; and (B) enter into a partnership with public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees in science and engineering.

(b) For special project grants for which only minority institutions are eligible, eligible applicants are described in paragraph (a).

(c) For special project grants for which all applicants are eligible, eligible applicants include those described in paragraph (a), and--

(1) Nonprofit science-oriented organizations, professional scientific societies, and institutions of higher education that award baccalaureate degrees that: (i) provide a needed service to a group of minority institutions; or (ii) provide in-service training to project directors, scientists, and engineers from minority institutions; or

(2) A consortia of organizations that provide needed services to one or more minority institutions, the membership of which may include: (i) institutions of higher education which have a curriculum in science or engineering;

(ii) institutions of higher education that have a graduate or professional program in science or engineering; (iii) research laboratories of, or under contract with, the

Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, or the

National Institutes of Health; (iv) relevant offices of the

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Science

Foundation, and National Institute of Standards and

Technology; (v) quasi-governmental entities that have a significant scientific or engineering mission; or (vi) institutions of higher education that have State-sponsored centers for research in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

(d) For cooperative project grants, eligible applicants are groups of nonprofit accredited colleges and universities whose primary fiscal agent is an eligible minority institution as defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b).

Note: As defined in 34 CFR 637.4(b), “minority institution” means an accredited college or university whose enrollment of a single minority group or a combination of minority groups as defined in 34 CFR 637.4 exceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment.

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost sharing or matching.

b. Supplement-Not-Supplant: This program involves supplement-not-supplant funding requirements.

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this competition may not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out project activities described in its application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Application Submission Instructions: Applicants are required to follow the Common Instructions for

Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant

Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-

02206.pdf, which contain requirements and information on how to submit an application.

2. Submission of Proprietary Information: Given the types of projects that may be proposed in applications for the MSEIP grant competition, your application may include business information that you consider proprietary. In 34

CFR 5.11 we define “business information” and describe the process we use in determining whether any of that information is proprietary and, thus, protected from disclosure under Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information

Act (5 U.S.C. 552, as amended).

Because we plan to make successful applications available to the public, you may wish to request confidentiality of business information.

Consistent with Executive Order 12600, please designate in your application any information that you believe is exempt from disclosure under Exemption 4.