[nfbmi-talk] Fw: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Grant for $900, 000

Tue Oct 21 16:29:54 UTC 2014

----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 12:27 PM
Subject: Re: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Grant for $900,000

Dear Ms. Hanes,

This didn't cost $16 to produce. Moreover, here is the so-called accessable document converted to text:
H126A140031 - 14CEdward F RodgersMichigan Licensing and Regulatory AffairsBureau of Services for Blind Persons201 N. Washington SquareP.O. Box 30652Lansing, MI 48909
H126A140031 - 14CEdward F RodgersMichigan Licensing and Regulatory AffairsBureau of Services for Blind PersonsP.O. Box 30652Lansing, MI 48909
US Department of EducationWashington, D.C. 20202GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATIONH126A140031 - 14C1RECIPIENT NAMEMichigan Licensing and Regulatory AffairsBureau of Services for Blind PersonsP.O. Box 30652Lansing, MI 489092AWARD INFORMATIONPR/AWARD NUMBERH126A140031 - 14CACTION NUMBER14ACTION TYPERevisionAWARD TYPEFormula3PROJECT STAFFRECIPIENT STATE DIRECTOREdward F Rodgers(517) 335-4265rodgerse at michigan.govEDUCATION PROGRAM CONTACTDavid K Steele(202) 245-6520david.steele at ed.govEDUCATION PAYMENT HOTLINEG5 PAYEEHELPDESK888-336-8930edcaps.user at ed.gov4PROJECT DESCRIPTION84.126AState Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VR)
5KEY PERSONNELN/A6AWARD PERIODSBUDGET PERIOD10/01/2013 - 09/30/2014FEDERAL FUNDING PERIOD10/01/2013 - 09/30/2014FUTURE BUDGET PERIODSN/A7AUTHORIZED FUNDINGCURRENT AWARD AMOUNT$900,000.00PREVIOUS CUMULATIVE AMOUNT$16,415,858.00CUMULATIVE AMOUNT$17,315,858.008ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATIONDUNS/SSN883860801REGULATIONSCFR PART 361EDGAR AS APPLICABLE2 CFR AS APPLICABLEATTACHMENTSN/A9LEGISLATIVE AND FISCAL DATAAUTHORITY:PL 102-569(1992); 103-73(1993); 105-220(1998) I REHABILITATION ACTOF 1973, AS AMENDEDPROGRAM TITLE:REHABILITATION SERVICES - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATIONGRANTS TO STATESCFDA/SUBPROGRAM NO:84.126AFUNDCODEFUNDINGYEARAWARDYEARORG. CODECATEGORYLIMITATIONACTIVITYCFDAOBJECTCLASSAMOUNT0301A20142014EHR00000BL010001264101A$900,000.00Page 1 of 3
US Department of EducationWashington, D.C. 20202GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATIONH126A140031 - 14C10PR/AWARD NUMBER:H126A140031 - 14CRECIPIENT NAME:Michigan Licensing and Regulatory AffairsBureau of Services for Blind PersonsTERMS AND CONDITIONS(1)THIS ACTION IS TO INCREASE THE GRANT AWARD IN THE AMOUNT SHOWN IN BLOCK 7.
AUTHORIZING OFFICIALDATEVer. 1Page 2 of 3
Signed by Craig McManus <Craig.McManus at ed.gov> Time: 2014.09.03 07:00:57 -04'00'EXPLANATION OF BLOCKS ON THE GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATIONFor Discretionary, Formula and Block Grants (See Block 2 of the Notification)
1. RECIPIENT NAME -The legal name of the recipient, name of the primary organizational unit that2. AWARD INFORMATION -Unique items of information that identify this notification.
PR/AWARD NUMBER -A unique, identifying number assigned by the Department to each application. On funded applications, this is commonly known as the "grant number" or"document number."
ACTION NUMBER -A numeral that represents the cumulative number of steps taken by the Department to date to establish or modify the award through fiscal or administrativemeans. Action number "01" will always be "NEW AWARD"
ACTION TYPE -The nature of this notification (e.g., NEW AWARD, CONTINUATION, REVISION, ADMINISTRATIVE)
AWARD TYPE -The particular assistance category in which funding for this award is provided, i.e., DISCRETIONARY, FORMULA, or BLOCK.
3. PROJECT STAFF -This block contains the names and telephone numbers of the U.S. Department of Education and recipient staff who are responsible for project direction and oversight.
*RECIPIENT PROJECT DIRECTOR -The recipient staff person responsible for administering the project. This person represents the recipient to the U.S. Department ofEducation.
EDUCATION PROGRAM CONTACT -The U.S. Department of Education staff person responsible for the programmatic, administrative and businessmanagement concerns of theDepartment.
EDUCATION PAYMENT CONTACT -The U.S. Department of Education staff person responsible for payments or questions concerning electronic drawdown and financialexpenditure reporting.
4. PROJECT TITLE AND CFDA NUMBER -Identifies the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) subprogram title and the associated subprogram number.
5.* KEY PERSONNEL -Name, title and percentage (%) of effort the key personnel identified devotes to the project.
6. AWARD PERIODS -Project activities and funding are approved with respect to three different time periods, described below:
BUDGET PERIOD -A specific interval of time for which Federal funds are being provided from a particular fiscal year to fund a recipient's approved activities and budget. The startand end dates of the budget period are shown.
PERFORMANCE PERIOD -The complete length of time the recipient is proposed to be funded to complete approved activities. A performance period may contain one or morebudget periods.
*FUTURE BUDGET PERIODS -The estimated remaining budget periods for multi-year projects and estimated funds the Department proposes it will award the recipient providedsubstantial progress is made by the recipient in completing approved activities, the Department determines that continuing the project would bein the best interest of the Government, Congress appropriates sufficient funds under the program, and the recipient has submitted a performancereport that provides the most current performance information and the status of budget expenditures.
7. AUTHORIZED FUNDING -The dollar figures in this block refer to the Federal funds provided to a recipient during the award periods.
*THIS ACTION -The amount of funds obligated (added) or de-obligated (subtracted) by this notification.
*BUDGET PERIOD -The total amount of funds available for use by the grantee during the stated budget period to this date.
*PERFORMANCE PERIOD -The amount of funds obligated from the start date of the first budget period to this date.
RECIPIENT COST SHARE -The funds, expressed as a percentage, that the recipient is required to contribute to the project, as defined by the program legislation or regulationsand/or terms and conditions of the award.
RECIPIENT NON-FEDERAL AMOUNT -The amount of non-federal funds the recipient must contribute to the project as identified in the recipient's application. When non-
federal funds are identified by the recipient where a cost share is not a legislation requirement, the recipient will be required to providethe non-federal funds.
8. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION -This information is provided to assist the recipient in completing the approved activities and managing the project in accordance with U.S.
Department of Education procedures and regulations.
DUNS/SSN -A unique, identifying number assigned to each recipient for payment purposes. The number is based on either the recipient's assigned number from Dun and Bradstreet orthe individual's social security number.
*REGULATIONS -*REGULATIONS - The parts of the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), specific program regulations (if any), and other titles of theCode of Federal Regulations that govern the award and administration of this grant.
*ATTACHMENTS -Additional sections of the Grant Award Notification that discuss payment and reporting requirements, explain Department procedures, and add special termsand conditions in addition to those established, and shown as clauses, in Block 10 of the award. Any attachments provided with a notification continue in effectthrough the project period until modified or rescinded by the Authorizing Official.
9. LEGISLATIVE AND FISCAL DATA -The name of the authorizing legislation for this grant, the CFDA title of the program through which funding is provided, and U.S. Department ofEducation fiscal information.
FUND CODE, FUNDING YEAR, AWARD YEAR, ORG.CODE, PROJECT CODE, OBJECT CLASS -
The fiscal information recorded by the U.S. Department of Education's Grant Administration and Payment System to track obligations by award.
AMOUNT - The amount of funds provided from a particular appropriation and project code. Some notifications authorize more than one amount from separateappropriations and/or project codes. The total of all amounts in this block equals the amount shown on the line, "THIS ACTION" (See "AUTHORIZED FUNDING" above(Block 7)).
10. TERMS AND CONDITIONS -Requirements of the award that are binding on the recipient.
*AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL -The U.S. Department of Education official authorized to award Federal funds to the recipient, establish or change the terms and conditions of theaward, and authorize modifications to the awardFOR FORMULA AND BLOCK GRANTS ONLY:
(See also Blocks 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 10 above)
3. PROJECT STAFF -The U.S. Department of Education staff persons to be contacted for programmatic and payment questions.
7. AUTHORIZED FUNDINGCURRENT AWARD AMOUNT -The amount of funds that are obligated (added) or de-obligated (subtracted) by this action.
PREVIOUS CUMULATIVE AMOUNT -The total amount of funds awarded under the grant before this action.
CUMULATIVE AMOUNT -The total amount of funds awarded under the grant, this action included.
* This item differs or does not appear on formula and block grants.
Page 3 of 3

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Haynes, Carla (LARA) 
  To: joe harcz Comcast (joeharcz at comcast.net) 
  Cc: Rodgers, Edward (LARA) ; Luzenski, Sue (LARA) ; Pemble, Mike (LARA) ; Belknap, Katie (LARA) ; Jones, Leamon (LARA) ; Gaston, Diamalyn (LARA) 
  Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 12:13 PM
  Subject: FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP Grant for $900,000

  October 21, 2014

  Mr. Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  E-mail: joeharcz at comcast.net

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

  Re:  FOIA Response to Request for Information on BSBP RSA Grant

  Dear Mr. Harcz, Jr.:

  This letter is in response to your October 14, 2014, email request for information, received by this office on October 15, 2014.  Please be advised that the Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP) is processing this request under the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq.

  You have requested information that you describe in your email (which is attached) as:

  "At the last BSBP Commission meeting Mr. Pemble told the public that BSBP received an additional grant from RSA, of $900,000 for Vocational Rehabilitation purposes.  But, he gave no details.  Thus I am invoking Section 504 and indeed the ADA and requesting a copy of said grant forthwith in my most effective format which is to send it to me, in a timely manner and without surcharge, as either a plain text attachment or plain text enclosure to my e-mail address listed above."

  Your request is granted as to existing, nonexempt information in the possession of the Department.  Please find attached to this correspondence the Grant Award Notification from the Rehabilitation Services Administration, U.S. Department of Education.  This document is an accessible PDF file.  If you have any difficulties in reading this file, please let me know.

  FOIA Response - P.J. Harcz, Jr.

  October 21, 2014

  Page 2 of 2

  The cost to produce this report is $16.74 (calculated by using $33.48 which is the hourly wage plus fringe benefits of the Department's lowest paid employee capable of processing this request multiplied by the amount of time to process this request which is 1/2 of an hour = $16.74).  As this amount is below the Department threshold of $25.00 for charging costs involved in complying with a FOIA request, this FOIA fee is being waived.

  Please note that nothing within the federal American with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (RA), as amended, or the state's FOIA (MCL 15.231 et seq.) requires a public body to process FOIA requests free of charge.  Further, while the ADA and Section 504 of 

  the RA may mandate that, upon request, material be produced in an accessible format without charge, neither the ADA or Section 504 of the RA preclude a public body from charging costs under the state's FOIA.  Thusly, please note that no labor fee charges have been, or will be, assessed to convert existing, nonexempt public records responsive to your requests into an accessible format to forward to you.

  Sincerely,

  Carla Miller Haynes, FOIA Coordinator

  Bureau of Services for Blind Persons

  Attachment - Grant Award Notification

  cc:     Edward F. Rodgers II

            Sue Luzenski

            Mike Pemble

            Katie Belknap

            Leamon Jones

  Diamalyn Gaston

  From: joe harcz Comcast

  Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 2014 3:02:36 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)

  To: Rodgers, Edward (LARA)

  Cc: Luzenski, Sue (LARA); Mike Pemble BSBP Dep. Dir.; Belknap, Katie (LARA); Christyne.Cavataio at ed.gov; Marlene Malloy MCRS Dir.; BRIAN SABOURIN; MARK MCWILLIAMS MPAS; nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org; Gary Gaynor; commissioner-hudson at outlook.com; BSBPcommissioners; Tracy Brown

  Subject: bsbp rsa grant info request

  October 14 2014 Request Grant Information

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  1365 E. Mt. Morris Rd.

  Mt. Morris, MI 48458

  joeharcz at comcast.net

  810-516-5262

  To:

  Edward Rodgers Director

  Mich. Bureau Services to Blind Persons

  Mike Pemble, Deputy Director

  (Via E-mail)

  Sirs,

  At the last BSBP Commission meeting Mr. Pemble told the public that BSBP received an additional grant from RSA, of $900,000 for Vocational Rehabilitation purposes. But, he gave no details. Thus I am invoking Section 504 and indeed the ADA and requesting a copy of said grant forthwith in my most effective format which is to send it to me, in a timely manner and without surcharge, as either a plain text attachment or plain text enclosure to my e-mail address listed above.

  I thank you as always for your prompt and accessible response.

  (Note: A failure to promptly respond to a request for a reasonable accommodation and for public information in alternate form is a violation of the ADA and Section 504 itself.)

  Sincerely,

  Paul Joseph Harcz, Jr.

  Cc: NFB MI

  Cc: BSBP Commission

  Cc: MCRS

  Cc: CAP/MPAS

  Cc: MI SILC

  Cc: RSA

  Carla Miller Haynes

  LARA Bureau of Services for Blind Persons (BSBP)

  201 N. Washington Square, 2nd Floor

  P.O. Box 30652

  Lansing, MI  48909

  Telephone:  517-373-2063 or Toll-Free 1-800-292-4200

  Fax:  517-335-5140

  www.michigan.gov/bsbp