HHS/ACL/NIDILRR Grant: Empowering Employment for Individuals with Blindness or Visual Impairments

Note: On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was effective immediately.
One provision of WIOA transferred the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) from the Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, NIDRR’s name
was changed to the Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). For FY 2015, all NIDILRR priority
notices will be published as ACL notices, and ACL will make all NIDILRR awards. During this transition period, however, NIDILRR will
continue to review grant applications using Department of Education tools. NIDILRR will post previously-approved application kits to
grants.gov, and NIDILRR applications submitted to grants.gov will be forwarded to the Department of Education’s G-5 system for peer
review. We are using Department of Education application kits and peer review systems during this transition year in order to provide
for a smooth and orderly process for our applicants.

Date of Pre-Application Meeting: May 11, 2015. Date of Pre-Application Meeting: Interested parties are invited to
participate in a pre-application meeting and to receive information and technical assistance through individual consultation with NIDILRR staff. The pre-application meeting will be held on May 11, 2015.
Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call with NIDILRR staff from the Administration for Community Living between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., Washington, DC time. NIDILRR staff also will be available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the same day, by telephone, to provide information and technical assistance through individual consultation. For further information or to make arrangements to participate in the meeting via conference call or to arrange for an individual consultation, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2015. Notice of Intent to Apply: Due to the open nature of the RRTC priority announced here, and to assist with the selection of reviewers for this competition, NIDILRR is requesting all potential applicants submit a letter of intent (LOI). The submission is not mandatory and the content of the LOI will not be peer reviewed or otherwise used to rate an applicant’s application.
Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include the following information: (1) The title of the proposed project, the name of the applicant, the name of the Project Director or Principal Investigator (PI), and the names of partner institutions and entities; (2) a brief statement of the vision, goals, and objectives of the proposed project and a description of its proposed activities at a sufficient level of detail to allow NIDILRR to select potential peer reviewers; (3) a list of proposed project staff including the Project Director or PI and key personnel; (4) a list of individuals whose selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest due to involvement in proposal development, selection as an advisory board member, co-PI relationships, etc.; and (5) contact information for the Project Director or PI. Submission of a LOI is not a prerequisite for eligibility to submit an application.
NIDILRR will accept the optional LOI via mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carrier) or email, by May 26, 2015. The LOI must be sent to: Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 550 12th Street, SW., room 5142, PCP, Washington, DC 20202; or by email to: Patricia.Barrett@acl.hhs.gov.
For further information regarding the LOI submission process, contact Patricia Barrett at (202) 245-6211.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 19, 2015.

Note: On July 22, 2014, President Obama signed the Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA). WIOA was effective immediately.
One provision of WIOA transferred the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) from the Department of Education to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, NIDRR’s name
was changed to the Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). For FY 2015, all NIDILRR priority
notices will be published as ACL notices, and ACL will make all NIDILRR awards. During this transition period, however, NIDILRR will
continue to review grant applications using Department of Education tools. NIDILRR will post previously-approved application kits to
grants.gov, and NIDILRR applications submitted to grants.gov will be forwarded to the Department of Education’s G-5 system for peer
review. We are using Department of Education application kits and peer review systems during this transition year in order to provide
for a smooth and orderly process for our applicants.

Date of Pre-Application Meeting: May 11, 2015. Date of Pre-Application Meeting: Interested parties are invited to
participate in a pre-application meeting and to receive information and technical assistance through individual consultation with NIDILRR staff. The pre-application meeting will be held on May 11, 2015.
Interested parties may participate in this meeting by conference call with NIDILRR staff from the Administration for Community Living between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., Washington, DC time. NIDILRR staff also will be available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the same day, by telephone, to provide information and technical assistance through individual consultation. For further information or to make arrangements to participate in the meeting via conference call or to arrange for an individual consultation, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT in section VII of this notice.

Deadline for Notice of Intent to Apply: May 26, 2015. Notice of Intent to Apply: Due to the open nature of the RRTC priority announced here, and to assist with the selection of reviewers for this competition, NIDILRR is requesting all potential applicants submit a letter of intent (LOI). The submission is not mandatory and the content of the LOI will not be peer reviewed or otherwise used to rate an applicant’s application.
Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include the following information: (1) The title of the proposed project, the name of the applicant, the name of the Project Director or Principal Investigator (PI), and the names of partner institutions and entities; (2) a brief statement of the vision, goals, and objectives of the proposed project and a description of its proposed activities at a sufficient level of detail to allow NIDILRR to select potential peer reviewers; (3) a list of proposed project staff including the Project Director or PI and key personnel; (4) a list of individuals whose selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest due to involvement in proposal development, selection as an advisory board member, co-PI relationships, etc.; and (5) contact information for the Project Director or PI. Submission of a LOI is not a prerequisite for eligibility to submit an application.
NIDILRR will accept the optional LOI via mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or commercial carrier) or email, by May 26, 2015. The LOI must be sent to: Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 550 12th Street, SW., room 5142, PCP, Washington, DC 20202; or by email to: Patricia.Barrett@acl.hhs.gov.
For further information regarding the LOI submission process, contact Patricia Barrett at (202) 245-6211.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: June 19, 2015.