4000-01-U
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Fund for the Improvement of
Postsecondary Education—Tribal Controlled Colleges or
Universities (TCCUs) Research and Development
Infrastructure (RDI) Grant Program
AGENCY:

Office of Postsecondary Education, Department of

Education.
ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Education (Department) is

issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for
fiscal year (FY) 2024 for the RDI grant program.
DATES:
Applications Available:

[INSERT DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE

FEDERAL REGISTER].
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications:

[INSERT DATE 60

DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review:

[INSERT DATE 120

DAYS AFTER DATE OF PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER].
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 December 7,
2022 (87 FR 75045) and available at
www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/2022-

26554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-ofeducation-discretionary-grant-programs.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jason Cottrell, Ph.D.,

U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, room
5C122, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
7530.

Email:

Telephone:

(202) 453-

Jason.Cottrell@ed.gov.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech
disability and wish to access telecommunications relay
services, please dial 7-1-1.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I.

Funding Opportunity Description

Purpose of Program:

The RDI grant program is designed to

provide Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs), TCCUs, and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs),
including Asian American and Native American Pacific
Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), Alaska Native
and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions (ANNH), Hispanic
Serving Institutions (HSIs), Native American Serving NonTribal Institutions (NASNTIs), and/or Predominantly Black
Institutions (PBIs), or consortia led by an eligible
institution of higher education (institution), with funds
to implement transformational investments in research
infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty
expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure,

human capital development, and partnerships leading to
increases in external funding.
For HBCUs and MSIs, the RDI grant program supports
institutions in increasing their level of research activity
in alignment with the Carnegie Classification designations.
For TCCUs, which currently have their own Carnegie
Classification, this program seeks to support an increase
in research activities, undergraduate research
opportunities, faculty development, research development,
and infrastructure, including physical infrastructure and
human capital development.
Assistance Listing Number:
OMB Control Number:
Background:

84.116H.

1894-0006.

TCCUs provide access to a postsecondary

education for many of the Nation's American Indian and
Alaska Native students.

In the fall of 2021, the 35 Title

IV degree-granting TCCUs enrolled over 13,000, or 14
percent of, American Indian and Alaska Native undergraduate
students.1

Between July 2021 and June 2022, 20 of those

TCCUs cumulatively conferred 380 bachelor's degrees to
American Indian and Alaska Native students, representing
87.4 percent of all bachelor’s degrees conferred by TCCUs.2
Because of their central role in educating American
Indian and Alaska Native students, it is important for
TCCUs to have the resources they need to excel in research

1
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS, Fall Enrollment component.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS, Completions component.

activity.

Teaching and research go hand in hand in

ensuring student3 and institutional success.4

Research

activity can impact funding, faculty and student
recruitment and retention, and student research
opportunities, and promote diversity in graduate students
and faculty at an institution.
TCCUs play a critical role in educating Native
students and provide opportunities to produce research on
American Indian issues from an American Indian and Alaska
Native perspective.5

According to the National Academies,

data provided to their committee looking at MSIs and
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)
showed that 93 percent of the students enrolled in STEM
programs at four-year TCCUs in the fall of 2016 were Native
American and Alaska Natives.6
However, TCCUs face obstacles in their efforts to
sustain and implement extensive research activities.
Administrations often have difficulty maintaining research
activities due to the young nature of the institutions and
their lack of research support offices.7

One study found

NSSE. (n.d.). Digging Deeper Into the Quality of High-Impact
Practices: HIPs Must be “Done Well” to Achieve Benefits.
4 Rosowsky, D. (2022, March 2). The Role of Research at Universities:
Why it Matters. In Forbes.com.
5 Stull, G., Spyridakis, D., Gasman, M., Castro Samayoa, A., & Booker,
Y. (2015). Redefining Success: How Tribal Colleges and Universities
Build Nations, Strengthen Sovereignty, and Persevere Through
Challenges.
6 Espinosa, L.L., McGuire, K., Miles Jackson, L. (2019). Minority
Serving Institutions: America’s Underutilized Resource for
Strengthening the STEM Workforce.
7 Riley, E.T., Vadiee, N., & Ganguli, A. (2017). The Evolution of
Research at Tribal Colleges and Universities. In Tribal College
Journal, 29(2).

that TCCUs' biggest obstacles in developing research
activities are scheduling, infrastructure needs (i.e., lack
of space, equipment, and literature), partnership
challenges (i.e., lack of Tribal community knowledge),
faculty capacity, and mistrust inside and outside of Tribal
communities.8

Additionally, recent events like the COVID-19

pandemic have further demonstrated and exacerbated barriers
to improvement, including technology infrastructure,
funding constraints (i.e., long-term funding),9 and
isolation (i.e., remote areas).10

However, one study found

that the potential benefits of research activities for
faculty and student development--such as knowledge
production and dissemination through conferences,
collaborations, and presentations--may far outweigh the
costs of overcoming these obstacles.

For example, faculty

have reported that research opportunities have allowed them
to introduce to their classes new information that was not
previously available.

Additionally, many researchers

emphasized that Tribal college research is “more culturally
sensitive and community-grounded, both in the methods and
in the results.”11

Therefore, we focus this competition on

Mortensen, M. (2001). Survey of Tribal Colleges Reveals Research’s
Benefits, Obstacles. In Tribal College Journal, 13(2).
9 Redden, E. (2021, March 15). Trying Times for Tribal Colleges. In
Inside Higher Ed.
10 Stull, G., Spyridakis, D., Gasman, M., Castro Samayoa, A., & Booker,
Y. (2015). Redefining Success: How Tribal Colleges and Universities
Build Nations, Strengthen Sovereignty, and Persevere Through
Challenges.
11 Mortensen, M. (2001). Survey of Tribal Colleges Reveals Research’s
Benefits, Obstacles. In Tribal College Journal, 13(2).

eligible TCCUs.

In addition, the Department will make

awards from unfunded applications submitted by HBCUs and
MSIs from the FY2023 RDI program grant competition with the
remaining FY2024 available funds.
Priorities:

This notice contains one absolute priority

which is from the notice of final priorities, requirements,
and definitions for this program published elsewhere in
this issue of the Federal Register (2024 NFP).
Absolute Priority:

For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in

which we make awards from the list of unfunded applications
from this competition, this notice contains one absolute
priority.

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only

applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Funding for Tribal Controlled Colleges and
Universities’ Research and Development Infrastructure.
Projects proposed by TCCUs to improve their research
and development activities, including infrastructure,
faculty development, and academic programs.
Requirements:

For FY 2024 and any subsequent year in which

we make awards from the list of unfunded applications from
this competition, the following requirements apply.

The

requirements are from the 2024 NFP.
Limitation on Grant Awards.

The Department will only make

awards to applicants that are not the individual or lead

applicant in a current active grant from the RDI grant
program.
Use of Funds:

Grantees must conduct one or more of the

following activities:
(1)

Providing for the improvement of infrastructure

existing on the date of the grant award, including deferred
maintenance, or the establishment of new physical
infrastructure, including instructional program spaces,
laboratories, and research facilities relating to the
fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts,
mathematics, health, agriculture, education, medicine, law,
and other disciplines.
(2)

Hiring and retaining faculty, students, research-

related staff, or other personnel, including research
personnel skilled in operating, using, or applying
technology, equipment, or devices to conduct or support
research.
(3)

Supporting research internships and fellowships

for students, including undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral positions, which may include providing direct
student financial assistance and other supports to such
students.
Note:

Under 20 U.S.C. 1138(d)(1), funds made available

under FIPSE may not be used to provide direct financial
assistance in the form of grants or scholarships to

students who do not meet eligibility criteria under Title
IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA).
(4)

Creating new, or expanding existing, academic

positions, including internships, fellowships, and postdoctoral positions, in fields of research for which
research and development infrastructure funds have been
awarded to the grantee under this program.
(5)

Creating and supporting inter- and intra-

institutional research centers (including formal and
informal communities of practice) in fields of research for
which research and development infrastructure funds have
been awarded to the grantee under this program, including
hiring staff, purchasing supplies and equipment, and
funding travel to relevant conferences and seminars to
support the work of such centers.
(6)

Building new institutional support structures and

departments that help faculty learn about, and increase
faculty and student access to, Federal research and
development grant funds and non-Federal academic research
grants.
(7)

Building data and collaboration infrastructure so

that early findings and research can be securely shared to
facilitate peer review and other appropriate collaboration.
(8)

Providing programs of study and courses in fields

of research for which research and development

infrastructure funds have been awarded to the grantee under
this program.
(9)

Paying operating and administrative expenses for,

and coordinating project partnerships with members of, the
consortium on behalf of which the eligible institution has
received a grant under this program, provided that grantees
may not pay for the expenses of any R1 institutions that
are members of the consortia.
(10)

Installing or extending the life and usability

of basic systems and components of campus facilities
related to research, including high-speed broadband
internet infrastructure sufficient to support digital and
technology-based learning.
(11)

Expanding, remodeling, renovating, or altering

biomedical and behavioral research facilities existing on
the date of the grant award that received support under
section 404I of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
283k).
(12)

Acquiring and installing furniture, fixtures,

and instructional research-related equipment and technology
for academic instruction in campus facilities in fields of
research for which research and development infrastructure
funds have been awarded to the grantee under this program.
(13)

Providing increased funding to programs that

support research and development at the eligible
institution that are funded by the National Institutes of

Health, including through their Path to Excellence and
Innovation program.
(14)

Faculty professional development.

(15)

Planning purposes.

Definition:

The definition below applies to this

competition and is from the 2024 NFP.
Tribal Controlled Colleges or Universities has the
meaning ascribed it in section 316(b)(3) of the HEA.
Program Authority:
Note:

20 U.S.C. 1138-1138d

Projects will be awarded and must be operated in a

manner consistent with the nondiscrimination requirements
contained in Federal civil rights laws.
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 (OMB) 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 Guidance for

Federal Financial Assistance in 2 CFR part 200, as adopted
and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR part
3474. (d) The 2024 NFP.
Note:

The Department will implement the provisions

included in the OMB final rule, OMB Guidance for Federal
Financial Assistance, which amends 2 CFR parts 25, 170,
175, 176, 180, 182, 183, 184, and 200, on October 1, 2024.

Grant applicants that anticipate a performance period start
date on or after October 1, 2024 should follow the
provisions stated in the OMB Guidance for Federal Financial
Assistance (89 FR 30046, April 22, 2024) when preparing an
application.

For more information about these updated

regulations please visit:
https://www.cfo.gov/resources/uniform-guidance/.]
II.

Award Information

Type of Award:

Discretionary grants.

Estimated Available Funds:

$4,000,000.

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 Average Size of Awards:
Maximum Award Amount:

$2,000,000.

$2,000,000 for a 48-month project

period.
Estimated Number of Awards:
Note:

2.

The Department is not bound by any estimates in this

notice.
Project Period:
III.

Up to 48 months.

Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants:

Eligible applicants are TCCUs

(as defined in this notice).

Eligible applicants may apply

individually or as lead applicants of a consortium with
other eligible applicants and/or other partners such as an

institution of higher education with an R1 Carnegie
Classification, community colleges, or non-profit,
industry, and philanthropic partners.

The lead applicant

must be an eligible applicant.
2. a.

Matching Requirements and Exception:

Grantees

must provide a 1:1 match, which can include in-kind
donations.

The Secretary may waive the matching

requirement on a case-by-case basis upon a showing of any
of the following exceptional circumstances:
(i)

The difficulty of raising matching funds for a

program to serve an area with high rates of poverty in the
lead applicant's geographic location, defined as a Census
tract, a set of contiguous Census tracts, an American
Indian Reservation, Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area (as
defined by the U.S. Census Bureau), Alaska Native Village
Statistical Area or Alaska Native Regional Corporation
Area, Native Hawaiian Homeland Area, or other Tribal land
or county that has a poverty rate of at least 25 percent as
determined every 5 years using American Community Survey 5Year data;
(ii)

Serving a significant population of students

from low-income backgrounds at the lead applicant location,
defined as at least 50 percent (or the eligibility
threshold for the appropriate institutional sector
available at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/

idues/eligibility.html) of degree-seeking enrolled students
receiving need-based grant aid under Title IV of the HEA;
(iii)

Significant economic hardship as demonstrated

by low average educational and general expenditures per
full-time equivalent undergraduate student at the lead
applicant institution, in comparison with the average
educational and general expenditures per full-time
equivalent undergraduate student of institutions that offer
similar instruction without need of a waiver, as determined
by the Secretary in accordance with the annual process for
designation of eligible Titles III and V institutions; or
(iv)

Information that otherwise demonstrates a

commitment to the long-term sustainability of the
applicant's projects, such as evidence of a consortium
relationship with an R1 institution, a State bond, State
matching, planning documents such as a campus plan, multiyear faculty hiring plan, support of industry, Federal
grants received, or a demonstration of institutional
commitment that may include commitment from the
institution's board. (2024 NFP)
Note:

Applicants seeking a waiver of the matching

requirement must provide the waiver request information
outlined above within their application.
b.

Indirect Cost Rate Information:

A grantee’s

indirect cost reimbursement is limited to 8 percent of a
modified total direct cost base.

For more information

regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a negotiated
indirect cost rate, please see
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/intro.html.
c.

Administrative Cost Limitation:

(2024 NFP)

This program does

not include any program-specific limitation on
administrative expenses.

All administrative expenses must

be reasonable and necessary and conform to Cost Principles
described in 2 CFR part 200 subpart E of the Guidance for
Federal Financial Assistance.
3.

Subgrantees:

A grantee under this competition may

not award subgrants to entities to directly carry out
project activities described in its application.
4.

Build America, Buy America Act:

This program is

subject to the Build America, Buy America Act (Pub. L. 11758) domestic sourcing requirements.

Accordingly, under

this program, grantees and their subrecipients
(subgrantees) and contractors may not use their grant funds
for infrastructure projects or activities (e.g.,
construction, remodeling, and broadband infrastructure)
unless—
(a)

All iron and steel used in the infrastructure

project or activity are produced in the United States;
(b)

All manufactured products used in the

infrastructure project or activity are produced in the
United States; and
(c)

All construction materials are manufactured

in the United States.
Grantees may request waivers to these requirements by
submitting a Build America, Buy America Act Waiver Request
Form.

For more information, including a link to the

Waiver Request Form, see the Department’s Build America
Buy America Waiver website at:
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/fund/guid/buyamerica/index.html.
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 December 7,
2022 (87 FR 75045), and available at
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/12/07/202226554/common-instructions-for-applicants-to-department-ofeducation-discretionary-grant-programs, 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 RDI grant program, 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 (Predisclosure
Notification Procedures for Confidential Commercial
Information), please designate in your application any
information that you believe is exempt from disclosure
under Exemption 4.

In the appropriate Appendix section of

your application, under “Other Attachments Form,” please
list the page number or numbers on which we can find this
information.

For additional information please see 34 CFR

5.11(c).
3.

Intergovernmental Review:

This competition is

subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.

Information about Intergovernmental Review of

Federal Programs under Executive Order 12372 is in the
application package for this program.
4.

Funding Restrictions:

We reference regulations

outlining funding restrictions in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.

Additionally, no funds

received by an institution of higher education under this
section may be used to fund any activities or services
provided by institutions that are not eligible as lead
applicants in this competition.

5.

Recommended Page Limit:

The application narrative

is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria
and the priority that reviewers use to evaluate your
application.

We recommend that you (1) limit the

application narrative to no more than 50 pages and (2) use
the following standards:
•

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

margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
•

Double-space (no more than three lines per

vertical inch) all text in the application narrative,
including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations,
references, and captions, as well as all text in charts,
tables, figures, and graphs.
•

Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, and

no smaller than 10-pitch (characters per inch).
•

Use one of the following fonts:

Times New Roman,

Courier, Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to the cover
sheet; the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; the assurances and certifications; the onepage abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, or the
letters of support; or the waiver request for the matching
requirement.

However, the recommended 50-page limit does

apply to all of the application narrative.
V.

Application Review Information

1.

Selection Criteria:

The selection criteria for

this competition are from 34 CFR 75.210.

The points

assigned to each criterion are indicated in the parentheses
next to the criterion.

An application may earn up to a

total of 110 points based on the selection criteria.

All

applications will be evaluated based on the selection
criteria as follows:
(a)

Significance.

(Maximum 25 points)

(1)

The Secretary considers the significance of the

proposed project.
(2)

In determining the significance of the proposed

project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i)

The likelihood that the proposed project will

result in system change or improvement.
(ii)

(up to 10 points)

The extent to which the proposed project

involves the development or demonstration of promising new
strategies that build on, or are alternatives to, existing
strategies.
(iii)

(up to 5 points)
The importance or magnitude of the results or

outcomes likely to be attained by the proposed project.
(up to 10 points)
(b)

Quality of the Project Design.

(Maximum 30

points)
(1)

The Secretary considers the quality of the

project design.

(2)

In determining the quality of the project design,

the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i)

The extent to which the goals, objectives, and

outcomes to be achieved by the proposed project are clearly
specified and measurable.
(ii)

(up to 5 points)

The extent to which the proposed activities

constitute a coherent, sustained program of training in the
field.

(up to 5 points)

(iii)

The extent to which the proposed project is

designed to build capacity and yield results that will
extend beyond the period of Federal financial assistance.
(up to 5 points)
(iv)

The extent to which the proposed project

represents an exceptional approach to the priority or
priorities established in the competition.

(up to 5

points)
(v)

The extent to which the proposed project will

integrate with or build on similar or related efforts in
order to improve relevant outcomes (as defined this
notice), using nonpublic funds or resources.

(up to 5

points)
(vi)

The extent to which the proposed project will

integrate with, or build on similar or related efforts, to
improve relevant outcomes (as defined in this notice),
using existing funding streams from other programs or

policies supported by community, State, and Federal
resources. (up to 5 points)
(c)

Quality of Project Services.

(Maximum 15 points)

(1)

The Secretary considers the quality of the

services to be provided by the proposed project.
(2)

In determining the quality of the services to be

provided by the proposed project, the Secretary considers
the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring
equal access and treatment for eligible project
participants who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color,
national origin, gender, age, or disability. (up to 5
points)
(3)

In addition, the Secretary considers the

following factors:
(i)

The likely impact of the services to be provided

by the proposed project on the intended recipients of those
services.
(ii)

(up to 5 points)
The extent to which the technical assistance

services to be provided by the proposed project involve the
use of efficient strategies, including the use of
technology, as appropriate, and the leveraging of nonproject resources.
Note:

(up to 5 points)

For the purpose of this competition, technical

assistance services could include, for example, technical
assistance provided to faculty, staff, and students (at all

levels) designed to increase research activities, including
to expand institutional capacity to secure new funding,
support student research experiences, or facilitate faculty
professional development.
(d)

Adequacy of Resources.

(Maximum 15 points)

(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources
for the proposed project.
(2)

In determining the adequacy of resources for the

proposed project, the Secretary considers the following
factors:
(i)

The adequacy of support, including facilities,

equipment, supplies, and other resources, from the
applicant organization or the lead applicant organization.
(up to 5 points)
(ii)

The potential for the incorporation of project

purposes, activities, or benefits into the ongoing program
of the agency or organization at the end of Federal
funding.
(iii)

(up to 5 points)
The potential for continued support of the

project after Federal funding ends, including, as
appropriate, the demonstrated commitment of appropriate
entities to such support.
(e)

(up to 5 points)

Quality of the Management Plan.

(Maximum 10

points)
(1)

The Secretary considers the quality of the

management plan for the proposed project.

(2)

In determining the quality of the management plan

for the proposed project, the Secretary considers the
following factors:
(i)

The adequacy of the management plan to achieve

the objectives of the proposed project on time and within
budget, including clearly defined responsibilities,
timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project tasks.
(up to 5 points)
(ii)

The adequacy of procedures for ensuring feedback

and continuous improvement in the operation of the proposed
project.
(f)

(up to 5 points)
Quality of the Project Evaluation.

(Maximum 15

points)
(1)

The Secretary considers the quality of the

evaluation to be conducted of the proposed project.
(2)

In determining the quality of the evaluation, the

Secretary considers the following factors:
(i)

The extent to which the methods of evaluation

will provide timely guidance for quality assurance.

(up to

5 points)
(ii)

The extent to which the methods of evaluation

will provide performance feedback and permit periodic
assessment of progress toward achieving intended outcomes.
(up to 5 points)
(iii)

The extent to which the methods of evaluation

include the use of objective performance measures that are

clearly related to the intended outcomes of the project and
will produce quantitative and qualitative data to the
extent possible.
2.

(up to 5 points)

Review and Selection Process:

We remind potential

applicants that in reviewing applications in any
discretionary grant competition, the Secretary may
consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past performance
of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant’s use of funds, achievement of project
objectives, and compliance with grant conditions.

The

Secretary may also consider whether the applicant failed to
submit a timely performance report or submitted a report of
unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the
Secretary requires various assurances, including those
applicable to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit
discrimination in programs or activities receiving Federal
financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 100.4,
104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
For this competition, a panel of three external
reviewers will read, prepare a written evaluation of, and
score all eligible applications using the selection
criteria provided in this notice.

The individual scores of

the reviewers will be added and the sum divided by the
number of reviewers to determine the peer review score.
The Department may use more than one tier of reviews in

evaluating applications.

The Department will prepare a

rank order of applications for the absolute priority based
solely on the evaluation of their quality according to the
selection criteria.

The rank order of applications will be

used to create a slate.
In the event there are two or more applications with
the same final score in the rank order listing, and there
are insufficient funds to fully support each of these
applications, the Department will apply the following
procedure to determine which application or applications
will receive an award:
First Tiebreaker:

The first tiebreaker will be the

highest average score for the selection criterion titled
“Adequacy of Resources.”

If a tie remains, the second

tiebreaker will be utilized.
Second Tiebreaker:

The second tiebreaker will be the

highest average score for the selection criterion titled
“Significance.”

If a tie remains, the third tiebreaker

will be utilized.
Third Tiebreaker:

The third tiebreaker will be the

applicant with the highest percentage of Pell Grant
students enrolled at the lead applicant institution based
on the most recent IPEDS data available.
3.

Risk Assessment and Specific Conditions:

Consistent with 2 CFR 200.206, before awarding grants under
this competition, the Department conducts a review of the

risks posed by applicants.

Under 2 CFR 200.208, the

Secretary may impose specific conditions and, under 2 CFR
3474.10, 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 $250,000),
under 2 CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a judgement about
your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance
under Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an
applicant--before we make an award.

In doing so, we must

consider any information about you that is in the integrity
and performance system (currently referred to as the
Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information
System (FAPIIS)), accessible through the System for Award
Management.

You may review and comment on any information

about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently
active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement

contracts from the Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000,
the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 200, appendix XII,
require you to report certain integrity information to
FAPIIS semiannually.

Please review the requirements in 2

CFR part 200, appendix XII, if this grant plus all the
other Federal funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
5.

In General:

In accordance with the Guidance for

Federal Financial Assistance located at 2 CFR part 200, all
applicable Federal laws, and relevant Executive guidance,
the Department will review and consider applications for
funding pursuant to this notice inviting applications in
accordance with:
(a)

Selecting recipients most likely to be successful

in delivering results based on the program objectives
through an objective process of evaluating Federal award
applications (2 CFR 200.205);
(b)

Prohibiting the purchase of certain

telecommunication and video surveillance services or
equipment in alignment with section 889 of the National
Defense Authorization Act of 2019 (Pub. L. No. 115—232) (2
CFR 200.216);
(c)

Providing a preference, to the extent permitted

by law, to maximize use of goods, products, and materials
produced in the United States (2 CFR 200.322); and
(d)

Terminating agreements in whole or in part to the

greatest extent authorized by law if an award no longer

effectuates the program goals or agency priorities (2 CFR
200.340).
VI.

Award Administration Information
1.

Award Notices:

If your application is successful,

we notify your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and
send you a Grant Award Notification (GAN); or we may send
you an email containing a link to access an electronic
version of your GAN.

We also may notify you informally.

If your application is not evaluated or not selected
for funding, we notify you.
2.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements:

We identify administrative and national policy requirements
in the application package and reference these and other
requirements in the Applicable Regulations section of this
notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and
conditions of an award in the Applicable Regulations
section of this notice and include these and other specific
conditions in the GAN.

The GAN also incorporates your

approved application as part of your binding commitments
under the grant.
3.

Open Licensing Requirements:

Unless an exception

applies, if you are awarded a grant under this competition,
you will be required to openly license to the public grant
deliverables created in whole, or in part, with Department
grant funds.

When the deliverable consists of

modifications to pre-existing works, the license extends
only to those modifications that can be separately
identified and only to the extent that open licensing is
permitted under the terms of any licenses or other legal
restrictions on the use of pre-existing works.
Additionally, a grantee or subgrantee that is awarded
competitive grant funds must have a plan to disseminate
these public grant deliverables.

This dissemination plan

can be developed and submitted after your application has
been reviewed and selected for funding.

For additional

information on the open licensing requirements please refer
to 2 CFR 3474.20.
4.

Reporting:

(a)

If you apply for a grant under

this competition, you must ensure that you have in place
the necessary processes and systems to comply with the
reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive
funding under the competition.

This does not apply if you

have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b)

At the end of your project period, you must

submit a final performance report, including financial
information, as directed by the Secretary.

If you receive

a multiyear award, you must submit an annual performance
report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the
Secretary under 34 CFR 75.118.

The Secretary may also

require more frequent performance reports under 34 CFR

75.720(c).

For specific requirements on reporting, please

go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
5.

Performance Measures:

For purposes of Department

reporting under 34 CFR 75.110, the Department will use the
following program-level performance measures to evaluate
the success of the RDI grant program:
(a)

The annual research and development expenditures

(i)

Science and engineering.

in:

(ii)
(b)
VII.

Non-science and engineering.
Annual faculty development expenditures.

Other Information

Accessible Format:

On request to the program contact

person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT,
individuals with disabilities can obtain this document and
a copy of the application package in an accessible format.
The Department will provide the requestor with an
accessible format that may include Rich Text Format (RTF)
or text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 file, braille,
large print, audiotape, compact disc, or other accessible
format.
Electronic Access to This Document:

The official version

of this document is the document published in the Federal
Register.

You may access the official edition of the

Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations at
www.govinfo.gov.

At this site you can view this document,

as well as all other Department documents published in the
Federal Register, in text or Portable Document Format
(PDF).

To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader,

which is available free at the site.
You may also access Department documents published in
the Federal Register by using the article search feature at
www.federalregister.gov.

Specifically, through the

advanced search feature at this site, you can limit your
search to documents published by the Department.
Nasser H. Paydar,
Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education.
[FR Doc. 2024-15538 Filed: 7/17/2024 8:45 am; Publication Date: 7/18/2024]