SUBJECT: DISCRETIONARY GRANT DESCRIPTIONS

NCES STANDARD: 1-6

PURPOSE: To assist NCES staff in the preparation of high quality discretionary grant descriptions. The description should include the information required to allow an applicant to submit a proposal that demonstrates technical and managerial competence sufficient to successfully complete a project. Each grant description should also include the selection criteria to be used in accordance with federal and Department of Education regulations.

STANDARD 1-6-1: Grant descriptions must be written in compliance with guidelines established in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR).

GUIDELINE 1-6-1A: The Grants Policy and Oversight Staff (GPOS) in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer can provide expertise and guidance in the development of the grant description and application process.

STANDARD 1-6-2: The team leader for the grant is responsible for providing technical advice and recommendations to the prospective grantee.

GUIDELINE 1-6-2A: Within NCES, the staff member who develops the application package and related documents should be designated as grant team leader. The individual who develops the application package should have completed required courses for administering the grants process. Minimally, the grant team leader should be included in the development process, and should be familiar with the grant requirements and expectations.

STANDARD 1-6-3: The grant process must include the following four activities:

1. Submit the Application Notice for publication in the Federal Register. This invites applications for a competition, gives basic program and fiscal information, and informs potential applicants when and where they may obtain applications.
    
2. Prepare the Grant Application Package, which must include the standard information for all discretionary grant programs to comply with the policies and regulations of the Department and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In addition, a clear, precise, and accurate description of the problem to be addressed and the expected activities, services, or products, and level of effort to be delivered under the grant. This includes technical, statistical, managerial, and product objectives.
    
3. Provide Guidance for Completing Applications, which describes the required elements of a grant application package, including cover sheet, narrative of proposed activities and budget for these activities, and assurances of compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
    
4. Develop an Application Technical Review Plan that describes how applications for funding should be evaluated. This plan should include procedures for evaluating applications, including review panels, criteria for selecting reviewers, technical review forms, method for ranking applications for funding, and basis for recommending applications for funding.

GUIDELINE 1-6-3A: The application package should provide the applicant with a statement of statistical, temporal, and reporting guidelines for design, implementation, and analysis, as appropriate. Managerial guidelines should delineate those to be performed by the grantee and those to be performed by NCES. The products (e.g., analysis plans, final reports) should be termed "deliverables" and guidelines for due dates should be provided.