National Council on Disability
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act:  Transition Outcomes and Effects

Overview Information
Notice of Funding Opportunity
NCD-07-02
May 7, 2007 – Initial Announcement of Funding Opportunity for a Cooperative Agreement

Authority:  Section 400, Title IV of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

Application materials are available at www.ncd.gov under Research Opportunities in the sidebar on NCD’s home page.
You can also request application materials by writing to:

Joan Durocher
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW Suite 850
Washington, DC  20004 or by e-mail request: jdurocher@ncd.gov

Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5:00 p.m. offeror’s local time):

June 15, 2007

Deliver all materials to:
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW  Suite 850
Washington, DC   20004
ATTN:  Joan Durocher

Maximum amount available for this project:  $100,000.00
All potential applicants are eligible to apply
Cost sharing is not required
The estimated period of performance is August 20, 2007 to August 20, 2008

Summary of Program Requirements

General Information

Title:
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act:  Transition Outcomes and Effects

Synposis:

NCD is seeking researchers to assess the implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, specifically related to transition from school to work and/or post-secondary education; as well as collaboration with post-secondary educational systems.  Traditionally, the VR program has been justified as a good investment, with supporters pointing to cost-benefit studies showing high positive ratios of earnings gains of former clients to money spent on program services and administration. But questions have been raised about whether the program is able to serve all those who are eligible and desire services, whether the services provided are sufficient in scope and suitably targeted to meet the needs of a diverse clientele, and whether the program’s effects persist over the long term.

Now, more than ever perhaps, effective vocational rehabilitation programs are necessary. Those responsible for decisions about the state-federal VR program need information about how those with disabilities are being served and what works. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to be unemployed or living in poverty than are Americans without disabilities. But many individuals, especially those with severe disabilities, are also in need of education, skill training, and other assistive services to effectively prepare them to take advantage of work opportunities.  There is a persistent high rate of unemployment among people with disabilities.  Though the high unemployment rate is due to a number of factors, there does appear to be a correlation between employability and education and training.  To be competitive in today’s world, one most often needs education and training beyond the secondary school level. 

NCD expects that the resulting report will be used by policymakers and the public to refine and strengthen the on-going implementation of the Rehabilitation Act.  

Designated Project Officer(s):

Joan Durocher, Senior Attorney/Advisor, National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC  20004, telephone (202) 272-2117, e-mail: jdurocher@ncd.gov

Applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:
Not applicable

Eligibility Information

Organization Limit:  None Specified.

PI Eligibility Limit:  None Specified.

Award Information

Anticipated Type of Award:  Cooperative Agreement

Estimated Number of Awards: 1

Anticipated Funding Amount:  $100,000

Proposal Preparation and Submission Instructions

Proposals must be submitted by the following date(s):
Full Proposal Deadline(s) (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time):
June 15, 2007

Proposal Review Information

Review Criteria:  National Council on Disability approved criteria.  Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

Award Administration Information

Award Conditions:  No additional award conditions apply.  Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information. 

Reporting Requirements:  Additional reporting requirements apply.  Please see the full text of this solicitation for further information.

INTRODUCTION

NCD is interested in assessing the implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, specifically related to transition from school to work and/or post-secondary education; as well as collaborations with post-secondary educational systems. 

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

NCD expects that the resulting report will be used by policymakers and the public to refine and strengthen the on-going implementation of the Rehabilitation Act.

Background

Title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 authorizes a federal-state Vocational Rehabilitation program to provide services to persons with disabilities so that they may prepare for and engage in gainful employment.  It provides federal funds to help people with disabilities become employed, more independent, and integrated into the community. The federal funds are chiefly passed to state vocational rehabilitation agencies that directly provide services such as guidance, counseling, and job placement, as well as purchase services such as therapy and training from other providers. The Department of Education provided an estimated $2.6 billion in fiscal year 2005 in grants to the states and territories based on a formula that considers the state’s population and per capita income. The Act generally requires states to match federal funds at a ratio of 78.7 percent federal to 21.3 percent state dollars. Each state and territory designates a single VR agency to administer the VR program, except where state law authorizes a separate agency to administer VR services for individuals who are blind.

The Department of Education collects information about all individuals who exit each state VR agency’s program during a particular fiscal year, as reported by the 80 state VR agencies. The record for each individual exiting the program includes information such as whether or not each individual became employed, the weekly earnings and hours worked for individuals if they exited the VR program with employment, the types and costs of services they received, and demographic factors, such as impairment type, gender, age, race and ethnicity, public benefits, and income from work at the time of application.

The Rehabilitation Act requires state VR agencies to enter into cooperative agreements with other entities that are part of the state’s workforce investment system. This workforce investment system includes the One-Stop system, which is required to provide a number of employment-related services to job seekers and employers at a single location. Among other required activities, VR agencies must coordinate with public education (including higher education) officials to facilitate the transition of students with disabilities from school to work. Students with disabilities receive special education and related services from their school under an individualized education program (IEP). Beyond these required interactions, state VR agencies may also enter into third-party cooperative agreements with other state or local agencies to coordinate the services provided to their common program participants.

Proposed Study

The National Council on Disability has a statutory mandate to “provide advice to the Commissioner with respect to the policies of and conduct of the Rehabilitation Services Administration” (Sec. 401(a)(2)) of Title IV of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 780 et seq.)). This report is part of the Council’s Investing in Independence and Livable Communities series of research reports, which focus on national standards and programs established to accomplish the inclusion and independence of people with disabilities in settings of their own choice.

Traditionally, the VR program has been justified as a good investment, with supporters pointing to cost-benefit studies showing high positive ratios of earnings gains of former clients to money spent on program services and administration. But questions have been raised about whether the program is able to serve all those who are eligible and desire services, whether the services provided are sufficient in scope and suitably targeted to meet the needs of a diverse clientele, and whether the program’s effects persist over the long term.

Now, more than ever perhaps, effective vocational rehabilitation programs are necessary. Those responsible for decisions about the state-federal VR program need information about how those with disabilities are being served and what works. Individuals with disabilities are more likely to be unemployed or living in poverty than are Americans without disabilities. But many individuals, especially those with severe disabilities, are also in need of education, skill training, and other assistive services to effectively prepare them to take advantage of work opportunities.  There is a persistent high rate of unemployment among people with disabilities.  Though the high unemployment rate is due to a number of factors, there does appear to be a correlation between employability and education and training.  To be competitive in today’s world, one most often needs education and training beyond the secondary school level. 

NCD is interested in assessing the implementation of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, specifically related to transition from school to work and/or post-secondary education; as well as collaboration with post-secondary educational systems. 

Suggested Scope of Research 

The Department of Education must abide by several statutes and executive branch directives to measure and monitor the performance of the VR program. The 1998 amendments to the Rehabilitation Act required that the Department establish and publish evaluation standards and performance indicators for the VR program. The standards and indicators were supposed to include outcome and related measures of program performance that facilitate the accomplishment of the purpose and policy of the act. The act also gave Education the authority to reduce or suspend payments to state VR agencies that have performance falling below a certain level and fail to enter into a program improvement plan or substantially comply with the terms and conditions of such a plan. The act also directed Education to conduct annual review and periodic on-site monitoring of state VR agencies to determine, in part, whether they were complying with the standards and indicators. Education performs this monitoring function through the 10 regional offices of its Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA).

In October 2005, the Department of Education implemented a significant reorganization of the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) Under the new configuration, RSA put into place two divisions:  The State Monitoring and Program Improvement Division (SMPID) and the Training and Service Programs Division (TSPD).  RSA’s new structure provides each state vocational rehabilitation agency and Center for Independent Living (CIL) with a single point of contact and a State Team of vocational rehabilitation, independent living, data analysis, technical assistance, and fiscal experts to help state agencies and CILs meet their statutory responsibilities and improve management and service performance. 

ED has instituted the Monitoring Redesign Initiative (MRI) to be used to determine whether state vocational rehabilitation agencies are complying with their state plans and to evaluate their performance using the standards and indicators in Section 106 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. To evaluate this initiative, RSA convened a Monitoring Conference in late August 2005 that brought together more than 200 leaders.

*Any proposed research should address the results of this initiative, specifically with respect to transition from school to work and/or post-secondary education; and collaboration with post-secondary educational systems.

*Additionally, the proposed assessment must address at least the following questions:

A. How effective has VR been in transitioning students from school to work and/or from school to higher education?  Specifically, what short-term and long-term results are achieved through the delivery of vocational rehabilitation services, particularly with respect to students transitioning from school to work and school to post-secondary education?

B.  How have particular VR services correlated with successful employment outcomes and how do existing definitions of successful case outcomes influence the range and content of transition services provided in the field?  What are the payoffs from VR’s substantial investments in postsecondary training of consumers with disabilities?

C. How effective has VR been in collaborating with other agencies in achieving its transition results?  What are the payoffs from VR’s collaboration with secondary and post-secondary programs?

D. How effective has been the OSERS and RSA leadership in the implementation of the law over the past 30 years, particularly with respect to transition from school to work and collaboration with post-secondary educational systems?

Suggested Approach

The methodology used for this project will, of necessity, combine quantitative and qualitative features.  For example, what performance measures describe state agency performance and indicators like the number of individuals with disabilities who transition into full-time employment after accessing services? (Quantitative) And, does the new monitoring structure lend itself well to allowing people with disabilities opportunities to give input into service delivery while fostering the kind of environment that also stresses the importance of considering and then decisively acting upon constructive feedback provided by community-based organizations, state rehabilitation agencies, and independent living councils.  (Qualitative)

Any successful proposal will ensure that the perspectives of people with disabilities are included.  One suggested approach would be utilizing focus groups and/or stakeholder dialogues. Any methodology used to obtain stakeholder input must allow for open-ended discussions between stakeholders, as opposed to soliciting answers to specific, pre-determined questions. The use of surveys is strongly discouraged.

NCD expects that the resulting report will be used by policymakers and the public to refine and strengthen the on-going implementation of the Rehabilitation Act.

Eligibility Information

The categories of proposers identified at grants.gov Guide are eligible to submit  proposals under this project announcement/solicitation.  This project is open to all potential bidders. 

Award Information

Pending the availability of funds, NCD expects to make 1 award with an anticipated funding amount of $100,000 from FY 2007 funds which will be available for this project.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Due Dates

Proposals must be submitted by the following date:
Full proposal deadline (due by 5 p.m. submitter’s local time):
June 15, 2007

The proposal must be prepared in two parts: A 'Technical Proposal' and a 'Business Proposal. Each of the parts shall be separate and complete in itself so that evaluation of one may be accomplished independently of evaluation of the other. The technical proposal must not contain reference to cost; however, resource information, such as data concerning labor hours and categories, materials, subcontracts, etc., must be contained in the technical proposal so that your understanding of the scope of the work may be evaluated. It must disclose your technical approach in sufficient detail to provide a clear and concise presentation that includes, but is not limited to, the requirements of the technical proposal instructions.

The proposal must be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization. You must submit an original and 8 copies of your technical proposal and an original and 4 copies of your business proposal, including an electronic file copy of the technical and business proposal, to:

Joan Durocher

Senior Attorney/Advisor

National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, N.W., Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004-1107

You may, at your discretion, submit alternate proposals, or proposals which deviate from the requirements; PROVIDED, that you also submit a proposal for performance of the work, as specified in the statement of work. These proposals may be considered if overall performance would be improved or not compromised and if they are in the best interest of the Government. Alternate proposals, or deviations from any requirements of this RFP, must be clearly identified.

The Government will evaluate proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in this request for proposals.

It is understood that your proposal will become part of the official contract file.

This solicitation does not commit the Government to pay any cost for the preparation and submission of a proposal.

To assist you in the preparation of your proposal, the Government estimates the effort to perform this contract to be as stated below. These numbers are furnished for the offeror’s information only and are not considered restrictive for proposal purposes.

Labor Category            Staff Hours

1. PROFESSIONAL     1800

2. CLERICAL                500

Proposals which merely offer to conduct a program in accordance with the requirements of the Government’s scope of work will not be eligible for award. You must submit an explanation of the proposed technical approach in conjunction with the tasks to be performed in achieving the project objectives.

A detailed work plan must be submitted indicating how each aspect of the statement of work is to be accomplished. Your technical approach should be in as much detail as your consider necessary to fully explain your proposed technical approach or method. The technical proposal should reflect a clear understanding of the nature of the work being undertaken.

The technical proposal must include information on how the project is to be organized, staffed, and managed. Information should be provided which will demonstrate your understanding and management of important events or tasks. You must explain how the management and coordination of consultant and/or subcontractor efforts will be accomplished.

The technical proposal must include a list of names and proposed duties of the professional personnel, consultants, and key subcontractor employees assigned to the project. Their resumes should be included and should contain information on education, background, recent experience, and specific requirement related or technical accomplishments. The approximate percentage of time each individual will be available for this project must be included. The proposed staff hours for each of the above individuals should be allocated against each task or subtask for the project.

The technical proposal must provide the general background, experience, and qualifications of the organization. Similar or related contracts, subcontracts, or grants should be included and contain the name of the customer, contract or grant number, dollar amount, time of performance, and the names and telephone numbers of the contracting officer’s technical representative or project officer and contracting/grants officer.

The technical proposal must contain a discussion of present or proposed facilities and equipment which will be used in the performance of the contract.

The technical proposal must be prepared and submitted in the following format:

1. Abstract (no more than 2 pages)

A two-page summary shall be provided abstracting the proposal contents (e.g., objectives, activities, expected outcomes) in language understandable to an informed layperson. The narrative should be limited to no more than 250 words.

2. Table of Contents

3. Introduction (no more than 20 pages)

Offerors shall summarize, in their own words, the purposes and objectives of the project to demonstrate their complete understanding of NCD’s intent and requirements. This section also should contain a specific statement of any interpretations, questions, qualifications, limitations, deviations, or exceptions to the Solicitation's scope of work and the extent to which the offeror’s proposal can be expected to meet the requirements set forth in the scope of work.

4. Procedural Plan (no more than 40 pages)

This section shall fully describe the theoretical and technical approaches the offeror will employ in complying with each task in the scope of work. While a general statement of strategy is appropriate, the offeror shall be specific in describing the manner in which the overall review will be conducted, and the intended approach to the design.

5. Management Plan and Schedule (no more than 15 pages)

The management plan shall show the feasibility of implementing the offeror’s resources. The offeror shall present a time chart that specifies the amount of time (in person days) each staff member will commit to implementing each task. The plan shall present a clear description of the working relationships among personnel. Finally, the plan shall contain a method for insuring the timely and successful completion of each work task.

6. Personnel

Personnel with major responsibilities shall be listed by name, title, position, academic background, relevant experience, responsibilities with the project, and the extent to which this commitment is assured. This section should include specific time commitments of staff to other projects, both Federal and non-Federal. Consultants who have agreed to serve on the project should be similarly identified and assurances of their commitment included. The Project Director shall be committed for no less than approximately 60 percent of the contract. Vitae for all principal personnel, including consultants, should be appended to the proposal. Each vitae should be limited to not more than two (2) pages and should emphasize areas of experience directly relevant to this work statement.

7. Organization Experience

This section shall describe the offeror’s pertinent experience and qualification in conducting work of a similar nature. Offerors shall offer evidence of not more than 5 previous related assignments, including the names and telephone numbers of client project offices who would be able to comment on the offeror’s performance of those assignments. Summaries (not to exceed one page) of related work shall be included. References to products resulting from these related activities shall also be included.

8. Resources/Facilities/Equipment

This section shall identify those resources (other than personnel), facilities, and equipment (e.g., library holdings, computer hardware, and software) available for use in conducting this project. Offeror should address accessibility for persons with disabilities.

9. Current Contractual Obligations

Each offeror will be required to outline both Federal and non-Federal contractual obligations existing during the course of his award for all projects involving personnel who will be assigned to this project. Such organizations/agencies must be identified by name and the percentage of work time allotted to these projects by personnel committed to the proposed project must be provided.

10. Issues and Associated Data Items

When responding to the Tasks, when identifying what should receive emphasis, careful consideration should be given to the issues identified, their associated data items, and the statement of products desired in the Final Report.

All information provided by NCD must be returned to NCD upon completion of the analysis and no later than 10 working days after the completion of the contract. The information may not be reproduced or released without the prior written permission of the NCD contracting officer.

11. Rights in Data, Copyright, and Disclosure

a. Data – The term data as used here includes written reports (progress, draft, and final), electronic format and work of any similar nature that is required under this contract. It does not include the contractor’s financial reports, or other information incidental to contractor administration. Data submitted to and accepted by the NCD under this contract shall be the property of the NCD, and NCD shall have full and unlimited rights to use such data for any purpose in whatever manner deemed desirable and appropriate, including making it available to the general public. Such use shall be without any additional payment to the contractor. Data may be published as the property of NCD without giving authorship to the contractor.

b. Copyright – The contractor relinquishes any and all copyrights and/or privileges developed under this contract. The contractor shall not include in the data any copyrightable matter without the written approval of NCD, unless the contractor provides the NCD with the written permission of the copyright owner for the NCD to use the matter.

c. Disclosure – The contractor agrees not to divulge or release any information, reports or recommendations developed or obtained in connection with the performance of this contract, and not otherwise available to the public, without the prior approval of the NCD.

d. Final approval of deliverables

All final deliverables are the product of NCD and require acceptance and approval by NCD.  NCD reserves the right to make substantive edits to any final deliverables.

12. Award Information

The Government will make award to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer conforms to the solicitation and is most advantageous to the Government, cost or price and other factors considered. For this solicitation, technical quality is more important than cost or price. As proposals become more equal in their technical merit, the evaluated cost or price becomes more important. As the technical merit and the evaluated cost or price become essentially equal, other factors may become a determining factor.

Upon notification of intent to award, the Contractor will be expected to:

*Develop and submit a timeline and deliverables schedule that will be used to guide the conduct and monitor the work;

*Develop and submit a payment schedule chartto be used for installment payments of the award;

*Meet with select NCD staff and board members.

13. Reporting

Throughout the project, the Contractor and Contract Officer will conduct mutually agreed upon monthly teleconference calls and/or biweekly meetings, set-up and arranged for by the Contractor, to include other project staff members, NCD staff and, as appropriate, selected project advisors and NCD board members.   The Contractor will also provide monthly electronic progress reports to the NCD contractor Officer.

Technical Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria will score proposals with a maximum of 100 points, divided as follows:

1. A clear understanding of the nature of the work (20 points)

The proposal presents a clear understanding of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; vocational rehabilitation; the Rehabilitation Services Administration; the Workforce Investment Act and the importance of same relating to people with disabilities. The proposal will present the rationale/interpretation of the project approach.

2. Procedural Plan (30 points)

The proposal contains evidence of a fully described technical approach to comply with each of the tasks in the scope of work. The proposal is consistent with the goals, objectives, compliance requirements, and is practical in terms of producing needed information, analysis and recommendations on how implementation of the relevant laws may be improved through better legal enforcement and increased public information.

3. Management Plan and Schedule (20 points)

The degree to which the project team, including any use of consultants, is organized, managed, and motivated to accomplish effective and efficient implementation of all tasks to be completed. The proposal budget is appropriate to the administration of the project. The time frame is realistic. Plans and schedules to assure smooth cooperation with the NCD staff involved are evident. The proposal clearly identifies who will be key personnel and includes a table showing the number of person-days by tasks for each of the key personnel.

4. Personnel (15 points)

The proposal provides evidence of the specific qualifications and skills of staff and consultants to be assigned to this project, and their experience and familiarity with the topic, including relevant laws, regulations, procedures and practices in the Federal Government. Skills in writing, and conducting research should also be demonstrated clearly.

5. Organizational Experience (15 points)

The degree to which the overall experience and past performance of the offeror in executing similar projects should be described. Evidence of related assignments should be detailed. Offeror shall present evidence of related assignments, including the names and telephone numbers of previous project officers who would be able to comment on the offeror’s performance of those assignments.

Project Start Date

The projected start of the contract is August 20, 2007.  The first complete draft of the report is due to NCD by June 2, 2008. The final draft of the report is due to NCD by July 3, 2008.

Furthermore, the vendor will be expected to arrange and conduct monthly teleconference calls with NCD staff and board members, will provide monthly progress reports to NCD staff, and will also be expected to meet with select NCD staff and Board Members upon the awarding of the contract.  The vendor is also responsible for reasonable accommodations at any meetings, events, forums, focus groups, etc. (i.e. sign language interpreters, CART reporters, and other such providers, as well as documents or other materials that are made available in public forums), associated with this agreement.

Finally, the vendor is expected to develop and submit a “timeline and deliverables and payment schedule” chart which will be used to guide the conduct of the research.

Formatting Guidelines

If you are drafting a written or electronic report for the National Council on Disability (NCD), you must submit your material in an electronic Word format and in hard copy. The document must be professionally edited. In addition, you must adhere to NCD's formatting and style standards, which follow the Government Printing Office Style Guide.

Accessibility
First and foremost, NCD reports must be totally accessible to all people with disabilities. All graphs and charts must have full text descriptions. Shading is not permissible. Electronic copy must be Bobby 508 compliant.

Contrast
Text and covers should be printed with the highest contrast possible.

Fonts
Use Times New Roman, 12 point. Italics should be used sparingly, not for full sentences or paragraphs or recommendations. Do not use small caps.

Line Spacing
Set line spacing to 1.5. Reference, endnotes, appendices, etc. sections should be single spaced.

Paper Size
Set paper size to 8.5" x 11"

Margins
Set standard one inch (1") margins on all sides.

Paragraphs
Use block style. Begin paragraphs without tabbing in. Text should be in single column format. Use a double space between paragraphs.

Justification
Use left justified (ragged right).

Smart Quotes and Apostrophes
Use smart quotes and apostrophes.

Chapters
Chapters start on odd-numbered pages, which fall on the right side.

Headers and Footers
Delete unnecessary headers and footers.

Widows and Orphans
Do not have widows or orphans.

Web Addresses
Make all Web addresses hyperlinks.

Style Heads
Paragraph headers between major subject areas are encouraged. Headers should be bold, but not underlined. Headers should not be all caps nor small caps. Double space between headers and text.

Spacing After Periods
Use one space after a period at the end of a sentence. Use one space after colons, question marks, and footnote numbers.

Endnotes
All documents use endnotes in Times Roman, 12 point font and single spaced.

Page Numbering
Page numbering will be centered at the bottom of each page. Blank pages require page numbers.
Begin page numbering in roman on Letter of Transmittal page (suppress page number of that page). Begin ordinal numbering on Executive Summary.

Contents Page
Complete table of contents page. This includes page numbers for chapters and major sections. Text in regular font. Do not bold entire page.

Style Requirements

General:
Use active voice (within reason)
Serial comma
Numbers: one-nine, 10 and above

Use “people [[not “persons” or “individuals”]] with disabilities” and “people without disabilities,” not disabled, handicapped, or nondisabled

1990s (not 1990’s)

Use “people from diverse cultures,” “people from diverse racial background,” and so forth [not minorities]

Punctuation NEVER comes after a closing quotation mark.

Due to or Because of?
“Due to” modifies nouns and is generally used after some form of the verb to be (is, are, was, were, etc.). Jan's success is due to talent and spunk (due to modifies success). “Because of” should modify verbs. Ted resigned because of poor health (because of modifies resigned).

Generally, use between for two, and among for three or more.

Legal Cases/Bills/Laws, etc:
H.R. 2457
S. 1322
P.L. 106-515
Italicize names of court cases
Get rid of small caps used in notes

Word List:
ADA, not the ADA
Administration (presidential)
closed captioning
Congress, not the Congress
data indicates (treat data as singular)
decision making
Department (capped referring to a U.S. Department)
email
end-user
Executive Order
federal
Federal Government
governor
health care (n, um*)
home- and community-based (um)
interagency (closed up)
multi (close up)
nation
NCD, not the NCD
non (close up)
percent, not %, unless in tables or parentheses
Ph.D.
policymaker
the President
proactive
reauthorize
reenter
rulemaking
screen-reader
standalone
state (l.c.) upfront
Supreme Court, the Court
Web site, the Web
white
workforce
workplace

In titles, cap prepositions of 5 or more letters.

*um=unit modifier, meaning two words used as an adjective

PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION

Reviews of proposals submitted to NCD are solicited from peers with expertise in the substantive area of the proposed project. These reviewers are selected by NCD staff charged with the oversight of the review process. Care is taken to ensure that reviewers have no conflicts with the proposer. Special efforts are made to recruit reviewers from non-academic institutions, minority-serving institutions, or adjacent disciplines to that principally addressed in the proposal.

All proposals are carefully reviewed by at least three other persons outside NCD who are experts in the particular field represented by the proposal. Proposals submitted in response to this announcement/solicitation will be reviewed by an Ad Hoc and/or panel review.

Reviewers will be asked to formulate a recommendation to either support or decline each proposal. The Program Officer assigned to manage the proposal's review will consider the advice of reviewers and will formulate a recommendation.

A summary rating and accompanying narrative will be completed and submitted by each reviewer. In all cases, reviews are treated as confidential documents. 

AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization by the designated NCD Project Officer. Organizations whose proposals are declined will be advised as promptly as possible. Verbatim copies of reviews, not included identifying names or information about proposal reviewers, will be made available upon request to the designated NCD Project Officer. 

CONTACTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

General inquiries regarding this program should be made to the designated NCD Project Officer:

Joan Durocher, Senior Attorney/Advisor telephone: 202-272-2117 email: jdurocher@ncd.gov

ABOUT THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY

Overview and Purpose

The National Council on Disability (NCD) is an independent federal agency with 15 members appointed by the President of the United States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The purpose of NCD is to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities regardless of the nature or significance of the disability and to empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society.

Specific Duties

The current statutory mandate of NCD includes the following:

• Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, policies, programs, practices, and procedures concerning individuals with disabilities conducted or assisted by federal departments and agencies, including programs established or assisted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, or under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, as well as all statutes and regulations pertaining to federal programs that assist such individuals with disabilities, to assess the effectiveness of such policies, programs, practices, procedures, statutes, and regulations in meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities.

• Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, new and emerging disability policy issues affecting individuals with disabilities in the Federal Government, at the state and local government levels, and in the private sector, including the need for and coordination of adult services, access to personal assistance services, school reform efforts and the impact of such efforts on individuals with disabilities, access to health care, and policies that act as disincentives for individuals to seek and retain employment.

• Making recommendations to the President, Congress, the Secretary of Education, the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and other officials of federal agencies about ways to better promote equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration into all aspects of society for Americans with disabilities.

• Providing Congress, on a continuing basis, with advice, recommendations, legislative proposals, and any additional information that NCD or Congress deems appropriate.

• Gathering information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.).

• Advising the President, Congress, the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the assistant secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services within the Department of Education, and the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on the development of the programs to be carried out under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended.

• Providing advice to the commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration with respect to the policies and conduct of the administration.

• Making recommendations to the director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on ways to improve research, service, administration, and the collection, dissemination, and implementation of research findings affecting people with disabilities.

• Providing advice regarding priorities for the activities of the Interagency Disability Coordinating Council and reviewing the recommendations of this council for legislative and administrative changes to ensure that such recommendations are consistent with NCD’s purpose of promoting the full integration, independence, and productivity of individuals with disabilities.

• Preparing and submitting to the President and Congress an annual report titled National Disability Policy: A Progress Report.

International

In 1995, NCD was designated by the Department of State to be the U.S. government’s official contact point for disability issues. Specifically, NCD interacts with the special rapporteur of the United Nations Commission for Social Development on disability matters.

Consumers Served and Current Activities

Although many government agencies deal with issues and programs affecting people with disabilities, NCD is the only federal agency charged with addressing, analyzing, and making recommendations on issues of public policy that affect people with disabilities regardless of age, disability type, perceived employment potential, economic need, specific functional ability, veteran status, or other individual circumstance. NCD recognizes its unique opportunity to facilitate independent living, community integration, and employment opportunities for people with disabilities by ensuring an informed and coordinated approach to addressing the concerns of people with disabilities and eliminating barriers to their active participation in community and family life.

NCD plays a major role in developing disability policy in America. In fact, NCD originally proposed what eventually became the ADA. NCD’s present list of key issues includes improving personal assistance services, promoting health care reform, including students with disabilities in high-quality programs in typical neighborhood schools, promoting equal employment and community housing opportunities, monitoring the implementation of the ADA, improving assistive technology, and ensuring that people with disabilities who are members of diverse cultures fully participate in society.

Statutory History

NCD was established in 1978 as an advisory board within the Department of Education (P.L. 95-602). The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1984 (P.L. 98-221) transformed NCD into an independent agency.

Location:
National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, NW,
Suite 850
Washington, DC 20004

For General Information:
202-272-2004 Voice
202-272-2074 TTY
202-272-2022 Fax

www.ncd.gov