Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 040910 001
Apply for ED GRANTS 040910 001
- The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program Comprehensive Assessment Systems Grants CFDA 84.395B" and is now available to receive applicants.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 28, 2010 and posted on Apr 13, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 23, 2010 Applications Available April 9, 2010. Deadline for Notice of Intent To Apply April 29, 2010. The Department will be able to develop a more efficient process for reviewing grant applications if we have a better understanding of the number of applications we will receive. Therefore, we strongly encourage each prospective applicant to send an e mail notice of its intent to apply for funding under a grant category in this competition to the e mail address racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov by April 29, 2010. The notice of intent to apply is optional an applicant may still submit an application if it has not notified us of its intention to apply. Date of Technical Assistance Meeting for Prospective Applicants April 22, 2010. To assist prospective applicants in preparing an application and to respond to questions, the Department will host a Technical Assistance Meeting for Prospective Applicants on April 22, 2010. Detailed information about this meeting (including the meeting location) will be posted on the Departments Web site at http://www.ed.gov/programs/racetothetop assessment. Attendance at the meeting is strongly encouraged. Announcements of any other technical assistance opportunities for prospective applicants will also be available at the Web site above. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications June 23, 2010.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $320,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $160,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- To be eligible to receive an award under this category, an eligible applicant must 1. Include a minimum of 15 States, of which at least 5 States must be governing States (as defined in this notice) 2. Identify in its application a proposed project management partner and provide an assurance that the proposed project management partner is not partnered with any other eligible applicant applying for an award under this category4 and 4 In selecting a proposed project management partner, an eligible applicant must comply with the requirements for procurement in 34 CFR 80.36. Due to the limited time period that eligible applicants have to select a proposed project management partner, we remind eligible applicants that they may, under 34 CFR 80.36, use informal procedures to select a proposed contractor for this purpose. For example, 34 CFR 80.36(d)(1) authorizes simple informal procedures to select contractors under the simplified acquisition threshold of 100,000 the regulations only require that the eligible applicant request offers from an adequate number of qualified sources. In addition, even if the eligible applicant expects that the proposed project management partner would cost more than 100,000, the regulations recognize special cases where a contractor must be selected within a very limited time period. Again, the eligible applicant must request proposals from an adequate number of qualified sources and select the contractor whose proposal is most advantageous to the program, considering price and other selection factors. In these situations, if informal solicitation does not result in an adequate number of proposals, the eligible applicant may select a single bidder so long as the eligible applicant documents the facts that formed the basis for its decision. 34 CFR 80.36(d)(1), (d)(3), and (d)(4).
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Opportunity Summary:
Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program: Comprehensive Assessment Systems Grants (CFDA 84.395B) was a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant competition created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The central aim was to fund large, multi-state consortia to design and build next-generation student assessment systems that are valid and reliable, tightly aligned to academic standards, and more useful for teaching and learning than traditional tests. In practical terms, the program was meant to help states jointly create assessments that measure what students know and can do, provide timely and actionable information to educators, administrators, parents, and students, and better indicate whether students are on track for college and workplace readiness. The program was framed as part of the broader national push to strengthen educational outcomes and support the President's then-stated goal of increasing U.S. leadership in college completion by 2020.
The opportunity described here is specifically the Comprehensive Assessment Systems grant category (CFDA 84.395B). The Department anticipated making 2 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $320,000,000 and an award ceiling of $160,000,000 per grant. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement noted. Eligible applicants were state governments and certain other entities as clarified in the official notice, but the key structural requirement was that proposals had to be submitted by a consortium of states rather than a single state acting alone. To qualify under this category, the consortium needed to include at least 15 states total, and at least 5 of those states had to be "governing states" as defined in the Federal Register notice. In addition, each eligible applicant had to name a proposed project management partner and assure the Department that this partner was not simultaneously serving as the project management partner for any other applicant consortium competing in the same category. The notice also pointed applicants to federal procurement rules (34 CFR 80.36) and highlighted that, because of the compressed timelines, states could use streamlined procurement approaches when selecting this project management partner, as long as they followed the required competition and documentation standards.
The application logistics were unusually specific and paper-oriented by modern standards. Applicants were required to submit an original application plus one paper copy, delivered by mail or hand delivery; applications submitted by email would not be read. If parts of an application could not be represented adequately on paper, the applicant was allowed to include that content on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, but the Department would only review what was physically included on the disc, not external websites, links, or references. The Department listed acceptable file types (including Word, PDF, PowerPoint, HTML, common image formats, Excel, XML/XSD, CSV, TXT, and ZIP) and made clear that non-approved file formats would not be reviewed. Data files were permitted, but applicants were expected to describe the data elements or provide a schema to make the contents interpretable. Files were not to be password-protected, filenames needed to clearly map to the relevant application sections, discs needed to be clearly labeled, and applicants had to provide 10 copies of any disc submitted along with the original and paper copy.
In terms of timing, applications became available on April 9, 2010, and the deadline for transmittal of applications was June 23, 2010, with an archive date of July 23, 2010. The Department also set up process supports to manage interest and improve review efficiency. A non-mandatory notice of intent to apply was strongly encouraged by April 29, 2010; applicants were asked to email their intent to racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov, although submitting this notice was not required to remain eligible. A technical assistance meeting for prospective applicants was scheduled for April 22, 2010, with details to be posted on the Department's website (ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment). This was positioned as a key opportunity for applicants to ask questions and better understand expectations before submitting.
The synopsis also includes an important administrative correction to the original Federal Register notice inviting applications (published April 9, 2010 at 75 FR 18171). The Department corrected the mailing address and fax number for ED Pubs (the Education Publications Center), which was the distribution point for application packages. The corrected contact information stated that requests should be directed to Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304, and the corrected fax number was (703) 605-6794. This correction matters mainly for applicants who relied on ED Pubs to obtain official materials rather than downloading them.
Finally, the posting provides practical contact points for technical and program questions. For issues accessing the full announcement electronically, the notice listed Julius Cotton (ED Grants.gov/FIND Systems Admin) at (202) 245-6140 and julius.cotton@ed.gov. For program-level questions, it listed Program Manager James Butler at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3C108, Washington, DC 20202-6400, phone (202) 453-7246, along with an indicated program mailbox for email contact. The overall takeaway is that this was a high-dollar, consortium-based competition designed to accelerate the shared development of more rigorous, instructionally useful statewide assessment systems, with strict consortium eligibility rules and very specific submission requirements rooted in the Federal Register notice.
FAQs: Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program - Comprehensive Assessment Systems Grants (CFDA 84.395B)
What is this grant opportunity?
This opportunity is the Race to the Top Fund Assessment Program: Comprehensive Assessment Systems Grants (CFDA 84.395B), a U.S. Department of Education discretionary grant competition created under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
What was the main goal of the Comprehensive Assessment Systems grants?
The central aim was to fund large, multi-state consortia to design and build next-generation student assessment systems that are valid and reliable, tightly aligned to academic standards, and more useful for teaching and learning than traditional tests.
What outcomes were these assessments intended to support?
The program was intended to produce assessments that measure what students know and can do, provide timely and actionable information to educators, administrators, parents, and students, and better indicate whether students are on track for college and workplace readiness.
How does this fit into broader national education priorities described in the notice?
The grant competition was framed as part of a broader national push to strengthen educational outcomes and to support the President's then-stated goal of increasing U.S. leadership in college completion by 2020.
How many awards did the Department expect to make, and what was the total funding level?
The Department anticipated making 2 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $320,000,000.
What was the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling was $160,000,000 per grant.
Was cost sharing or a matching contribution required?
No cost-sharing or matching requirement was noted in the provided information.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants were state governments and certain other entities as clarified in the official notice. A key structural requirement was that proposals had to be submitted by a consortium of states rather than a single state acting alone.
Could a single state submit an application on its own?
No. Under this category, applications had to be submitted by a consortium of states, not by a single state acting alone.
What was the minimum number of states required in a consortium?
To qualify under this category, the consortium needed to include at least 15 states total.
What are "governing states," and how many were required?
"Governing states" were defined in the Federal Register notice. The consortium had to include at least 5 governing states.
What is a project management partner in this competition?
Each eligible applicant had to name a proposed project management partner and provide assurances related to that partner as described in the official notice.
Could the same project management partner support multiple applicant consortia in this category?
No. Applicants had to assure the Department that their proposed project management partner was not simultaneously serving as the project management partner for any other applicant consortium competing in the same category.
What procurement rules applied when selecting a project management partner?
The notice pointed applicants to federal procurement rules at 34 CFR 80.36. It also noted that, because of compressed timelines, states could use streamlined procurement approaches when selecting the project management partner, as long as required competition and documentation standards were followed.
When were applications made available?
Applications became available on April 9, 2010.
What was the deadline for transmittal of applications?
The deadline for transmittal of applications was June 23, 2010.
What was the archive date listed for the opportunity?
The archive date was July 23, 2010.
Was a notice of intent to apply required?
No. A notice of intent to apply was strongly encouraged but not required to remain eligible.
When was the notice of intent to apply due, and where was it sent?
The notice of intent to apply was strongly encouraged by April 29, 2010, and applicants were asked to email their intent to racetothetop.assessment@ed.gov.
Was there a technical assistance meeting for prospective applicants?
Yes. A technical assistance meeting was scheduled for April 22, 2010, with details to be posted on the Department's website.
Where were details for the technical assistance meeting expected to be posted?
Details were expected to be posted at ed.gov/programs/racetothetop-assessment.
How were applications required to be submitted?
Applicants were required to submit an original application plus one paper copy, delivered by mail or hand delivery.
Were email submissions accepted?
No. Applications submitted by email would not be read.
Could applicants include materials that did not fit well on paper?
Yes. If parts of an application could not be represented adequately on paper, the applicant was allowed to include that content on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM.
Would the Department review websites, links, or references instead of files included on a disc?
No. The Department would only review what was physically included on the disc, not external websites, links, or references.
What file types were acceptable for materials submitted on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM?
Acceptable file types included Word, PDF, PowerPoint, HTML, common image formats, Excel, XML/XSD, CSV, TXT, and ZIP.
What happened if an applicant used a file format that was not approved?
The Department stated that non-approved file formats would not be reviewed.
Were data files allowed, and how were applicants expected to document them?
Yes, data files were permitted. Applicants were expected to describe the data elements or provide a schema so the contents would be interpretable.
Could files on the disc be password-protected?
No. Files were not to be password-protected.
Were there requirements for how files should be named?
Yes. Filenames needed to clearly map to the relevant application sections.
Were there labeling and duplication requirements for discs?
Yes. Discs needed to be clearly labeled, and applicants had to provide 10 copies of any disc submitted along with the original and paper copy.
What was corrected in the administrative update to the Federal Register notice?
The Department issued a correction to the original Federal Register notice inviting applications (published April 9, 2010 at 75 FR 18171). The correction updated the mailing address and fax number for ED Pubs (the Education Publications Center), which was the distribution point for application packages.
What was the corrected mailing address for ED Pubs (Education Publications Center)?
Education Publications Center, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304.
What was the corrected fax number for ED Pubs?
The corrected fax number was (703) 605-6794.
Who could applicants contact for help accessing the full announcement electronically?
For issues accessing the full announcement electronically, the notice listed Julius Cotton (ED Grants.gov/FIND Systems Admin) at (202) 245-6140 and julius.cotton@ed.gov.
Who could applicants contact with program-level questions?
For program-level questions, the notice listed Program Manager James Butler at the U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Room 3C108, Washington, DC 20202-6400, phone (202) 453-7246, along with an indicated program mailbox for email contact.
Where was the official notice inviting applications published?
The original Federal Register notice inviting applications was published April 9, 2010 at 75 FR 18171.
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