FY 2023 School Infrastructure Programs Frequently Asked Questions

Purpose

The purpose of these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) is to provide information about the fiscal year (FY) 2023 School Infrastructure Program (SIP) grant competitions. The two SIP grants include the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) and the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI).

The FAQs do not impose any requirements beyond those included in the FY 2023 Notice Inviting Applications (NIAs) for the SASI and NCSI grant competitions and other applicable laws and regulations. Other than statutory and regulatory requirements included in the document, the contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law or agency policies.

Prospective applicants should read the SASI and NCSI NIAs and review the resources on the SASI and NCSI websites to find out more about program eligibility, priorities, requirements, selection criteria, and application requirements. If you have additional questions after reviewing these resources, please email oese.school.infrastructure@ed.gov.

FAQs

1. Are local educational agencies (LEAs) (including non-public schools) eligible for the SASI or NCSI grants?
   • The following entities are eligible to apply under the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) competition—
     • (a) State Educational Agencies (SEAs), as defined in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended (ESEA).
     • (b) State entity other than the SEA that has authority over or responsibility for education facilities if the SEA does not have this authority, as defined in the SASI Notice Inviting Applications.
     • (c) A consortium comprised entirely of agencies or organizations within a single State described in clauses (a) or (b). Applicants applying under a consortium of eligible entities will be required either to designate a lead agency or establish a .separate, eligible legal entity to apply for the grant under the appropriate Absolute Priority and must meet all of the requirements of 34 CFR 75.127 through 75.129.
   • The following entities are eligible under the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) competition—
     • Research organizations, institutions, agencies, or consortia of such entities, with the demonstrated ability or capacity to carry out the activities described.
   • Consistent with rules governing these competitions as established in the Federal Register notices linked above, only the above entities are eligible for funding under the applicable competition. Based on these requirements, local education agencies (as defined in section 8101 of the ESEA) and non-public schools are not eligible to apply for SASI or NCSI funding.

2. How do entities apply as a consortium for either NCSI or SASI?
   • Eligible entities, which include research organizations, institutions, agencies, may apply as a consortium for the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) Eligible agencies or organizations within a single State, which includes an SEA or a State entity other than the SEA that has authority over or responsibility for education facilities if the SEA does not have this authority, may apply for the Supporting America’s School Infrastructure (SASI) competition as a consortium.
   • Applicants interested in applying as a consortium must meet the requirements established in 34 CFR Part 75, which are included below. The consortium agreement must be submitted with an application in the Other Attachment Form on Grants.gov. Additionally, applicants applying to SASI under a consortium of eligible entities will be required to designate a lead agency in order to apply under the appropriate Absolute Priority.
   • How to apply as a consortium, per 34 CFR Part 75:

Eligible entities applying for the grant as a consortium shall either:

1. Designate one member of the group to apply for the grant; or
2. Establish a separate, eligible legal entity to apply for the grant.

Additionally, the members of the group shall enter into an agreement that details the activities that each member of the group plans to perform; and binds each member of the group to every statement and assurance made by the applicant in the application. This agreement must be submitted with the application in the Other Attachment Form on Grants.gov.

• • Legal responsibilities of each member of the group, per 34 CFR Part 75:

If the Secretary makes a grant to a group of eligible applicants, the applicant for the group is the grantee and is legally responsible for:

1. 1. The use of all grant funds;
   2. Ensuring that the project is carried out by the group in accordance with Federal requirements; and
   3. Ensuring that indirect cost funds are determined as required under 75.564(e).

Each member of the group is legally responsible to:

1. 1. Carry out the activities it agrees to perform; and
   2. Use the funds that it receives under the agreement in accordance with Federal requirements that apply to the grant.

3. May an applicant identify a subcontractor in its application?
   • In general, procurement transactions made with Department of Education grant funds must be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition, consistent with the standards in 2 CFR §§ 200.318 through 200.327. Under certain limited circumstances, an entity may use non-competitive procurement procedures consistent with 2 CFR § 200.320. Because grantees must use appropriate procurement procedures to select contractors, applicants generally should not include information in their grant applications about specific contractors that may be used to provide services or goods for the proposed project if a grant is awarded.  An applicant may include a description of the characteristics or qualities of a contractor that it would seek to assist with provision of services if it were to receive a grant.

4. Are for-profit entities eligible for the NCSI grant?

• • Entities eligible for the National Center on School Infrastructure (NCSI) grant include non-profit and for-profit research organizations, institutions, and agencies. Eligible entities may apply as a consortium and any member of the group may be designated as a lead applicant.

5. What is the timeline for announcing the grantees and the distribution of award funds?

• • We anticipate that grantees for both NCSI and SASI programs will be announced in November 2023 with award funds distributed no later than December 31, 2023.

6. Are the NSCI or SASI applications subject to intergovernmental review?

• • Yes. The Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for both the NSCI and SASI programs indicates that the programs are subject to Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. The deadline for intergovernmental review for NCSI is October 6, 2023, and the deadline for SASI is October 17, 2023.
  • The intergovernmental review process requires grant applicants to contact State Single Points of Contact for information on how their State engages. Further information about the State Single Point of Contact process and a list of names by participating State can be found at: Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) (whitehouse.gov). Absent specific State review programs, applicants may submit comments directly to the U.S. Department of Education.