Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family Planning Services Grants, 24264-24269 [05-9017]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 87 (Friday, May 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24264-24269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9017]



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Part III





Department of Health and Human Services





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Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family Planning 
Services Grants; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 87 / Friday, May 6, 2005 / Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES


Announcement of Anticipated Availability of Funds for Family 
Planning Services Grants

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Public 
Health and Science, Office of Population Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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    Funding Opportunity Title: Announcement of Anticipated Availability 
of Funds for Family Planning Services Grants.
    Announcement Type: Initial Competitive Grant.
    CFDA Number: 93.217.

    Authority: Section 1001 of the Public Health Service Act.

DATES: Application due dates vary. To receive consideration, 
applications must be received by the Office of Public Health and 
Science (OPHS) Office of Grants Management no later than the applicable 
due date listed in Table I of this announcement (Section IV. 3, 
Submission Dates and Times) and within the time frames specified in 
this announcement for electronically submitted, mailed, and/or hand-
delivered hardcopy applications.
    Executive Order 12372 comment due date: The State Single Point of 
Contact (SPOC) has 60 days from the applicable due date as listed in 
Table I of this announcement to submit any comments.

SUMMARY: The Office of Population Affairs (OPA), Office of Family 
Planning (OFP), announces the anticipated availability of funds for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 family planning services grants under the 
authority of Title X of the Public Health Service Act, and solicits 
applications for competing grant awards to serve the areas and/or 
populations listed in Table I. Only applications which propose to serve 
the populations and/or areas listed in Table I will be accepted for 
review and possible funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    This announcement seeks applications from public and nonprofit 
private entities to establish and operate voluntary family planning 
services projects, which shall provide family planning services to all 
persons desiring such services. Family planning services include 
clinical family planning and related preventive health services; 
information, education, and counseling related to family planning, 
including abstinence education; and, referral services as indicated.

Program Statute and Regulations

    Requirements regarding the provision of family planning services 
under Title X can be found in the statute (Title X of the Public Health 
Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 300, et seq.), the implementing regulations 
which govern project grants for family planning services (42 CFR part 
59, subpart A), and the ``Program Guidelines for Project Grants for 
Family Planning Services'' (January 2001). Title X of the Public Health 
Service Act authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) 
to award grants for projects to provide family planning services to 
persons from low-income families and others. Section 1001 of the Act, 
as amended, authorizes grants ``to assist in the establishment and 
operation of voluntary family planning projects which shall offer a 
broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and 
services (including natural family planning methods, infertility 
services, and services for adolescents).'' Title X regulations further 
specify that ``These projects shall consist of the educational, 
comprehensive medical, and social services necessary to aid individuals 
to determine freely the number and spacing of their children'' (42 CFR 
59.1). In addition, section 1001 of the statute requires that, to the 
extent practicable, Title X service providers shall encourage family 
participation in family planning services projects. Section 1008 of the 
Act, as amended, stipulates that ``none of the funds appropriated under 
this title shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of 
family planning.''
    Copies of the Title X statute, regulations, and Program Guidelines 
may be obtained by contacting the OPHS Office of Grants Management, or 
downloaded from the Office of Population Affairs Web site at https://
opa.osophs.dhhs.gov. These documents are also included in the 
application kit. All Title X requirements--including those derived from 
the statute, the regulations, and the Program Guidelines--apply to all 
activities funded under this announcement. For example, projects must 
meet the regulatory requirements set out at 42 CFR 59.5 regarding 
charges to clients, and the funding criteria set out at 42 CFR 59.7 
apply to all applicants under this announcement.

II. Award Information

    The anticipated FY 2006 appropriation for the Title X family 
planning program is approximately $286 million. Of this amount, OPA 
intends to make available approximately $55 million for competing Title 
X family planning services grant awards in 19 states, populations, and/
or areas. (See Table I, Section IV. 3, Submission Dates and Times, for 
competing areas and approximate amount of awards). The remaining funds 
will be used for continued support of grants and activities which are 
not competitive in FY 2006. This program announcement is subject to the 
appropriation of funds, and is a contingency action taken to ensure 
that, should funds become available for this purpose, applications can 
be processed in an orderly manner, and funds can be awarded in a timely 
fashion. Grants will be funded in annual increments (budget periods) 
and are generally approved for a project period of three to five years. 
Funding for all approved budget periods beyond the first year of the 
grant is contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory 
progress of the project, and adequate stewardship of Federal funds.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Any public or nonprofit private entity located in a State (which 
includes one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, 
Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall 
Islands) is eligible to apply for a grant under this announcement. 
Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for these Title X 
family planning services grants.

2. Cost Sharing

    Program regulations at state that Sec.  59.7(c) stipulate that ``No 
grant may be made for an amount equal to 100 percent of the project's 
estimated costs.'' Also, 42 CFR 59.7(b) states that ``No grant may be 
made for less than 90 percent of the project's costs, as so estimated, 
unless the grant is to be made for a project that was supported, under 
section 1001, for less than 90 percent of its costs in fiscal year 
1975. In that case, the grant shall not be for less than the percentage 
of costs covered by the grant in fiscal year 1975.''
    While there is not a fixed cost-sharing percentage or amount, the 
requested project budget should reflect financial support in addition 
to Title X funds on both the SF 424A and in the budget justification. 
The OPHS Office of Grants Management will review applications to ensure 
that the requested amount of Title X funding is in compliance with this 
business requirement.

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3. Other

    Awards will be made only to those organizations or agencies which 
have met all applicable requirements and which demonstrate the 
capability of providing the required and proposed services.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package

    Application kits may be requested from, and applications submitted 
to: OPHS Office of Grants Management, 1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, 
Rockville, MD 20852; 301-594-0758. Application kits are also available 
online through the OPHS electronic grants management Web site at 
https://egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov, and requests may be submitted by FAX 
at 301-594-9399. Instructions for use of the eGrants system can be 
found on the OPA Web site at https://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov or requested 
from the OPHS Office of Grants Management.

2. Content and Form of Application

    Applications must be submitted on the Form OPHS-1 (Revised 8/04) 
and in the manner prescribed in the application kit. Applications 
should be limited to 60 double-spaced pages, not including required 
forms, budget pages, budget narrative, and appendices, using an easily 
readable serif typeface, such as Times Roman, Courier, or GC Times. All 
pages, charts, figures and tables should be numbered. The application 
narrative should be numbered separately and should clearly show the 60 
page limit. If the application narrative exceeds 60 pages, only the 
first 60 pages of the application narrative will be reviewed. 
Appendices may provide progress reports for current grantees who are 
re-competing, curriculum vitae of key staff, organizational structure, 
examples of organizational capabilities, or other supplemental 
information which supports the application. However, appendices are for 
supportive information only. All information that is critical to the 
proposed project should be included in the body of the application. 
Appendices should be clearly labeled.
    A Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number is 
required for all applications for Federal assistance. Organizations 
should verify that they have a DUNS number or take the steps needed to 
obtain one. Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number are included in 
the application package, and may be downloaded from the OPA Web site.
    Applications must include a one-page abstract of the proposed 
project. The abstract will be used to provide reviewers with an 
overview of the application, and will form the basis for the 
application summary in grants management documents.
Application Content
    The following priorities represent overarching goals for the Title 
X program. In developing a proposal, each applicant should describe how 
the proposed project will address each priority.
Program Priorities
    1. Assuring ongoing high quality family planning and related 
preventive health services that will improve the overall health of 
individuals;
    2. Assuring access to a broad range of acceptable and effective 
family planning methods and related preventive health services that 
include natural family planning methods, infertility services, and 
services for adolescents; highly effective contraceptive methods; 
breast and cervical cancer screening and prevention that corresponds 
with nationally recognized standards of care; STD and HIV prevention 
education, counseling, and testing; extramarital abstinence education 
and counseling; and other preventive health services. The broad range 
of services does not include abortion as a method of family planning;
    3. Encouraging participation of families, parents, and/or other 
adults acting in the role of parents in the decision of minors to seek 
family planning services, including activities that promote positive 
family relationships;
    4. Improving the health of individuals and communities by 
partnering with community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based 
organizations (FBOs), and other public health providers that work with 
vulnerable or at-risk populations;
    5. Promoting individual and community health by emphasizing family 
planning and related preventive health services for hard-to-reach 
populations, such as uninsured or under-insured individuals, males, 
persons with limited English proficiency, adolescents, and other 
vulnerable or at-risk populations.
Legislative Mandates
    The following legislative mandates have been part of the Title X 
appropriations for each of the last several years. In developing a 
proposal, the applicant should describe how the proposed project will 
address each of these legislative mandates.
     ``None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be made 
available to any entity under title X of the Public Health Service Act 
unless the applicant for the award certifies to the Secretary that it 
encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek 
family planning services and that it provides counseling to minors on 
how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual 
activities;'' and
     ``Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no provider 
of services under title X of the Public Health Service Act shall be 
exempt from any State law requiring notification or the reporting of 
child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.''
Other Key Issues
    In addition to the Program Priorities and Legislative Mandates, the 
following Key Issues have implications for Title X services projects 
and should be acknowledged in the program plan:
    1. The increasing cost of providing family planning services;
    2. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service priorities and 
initiatives, including increasing access to health care; emphasizing 
preventive health measures, improving health outcomes; improving the 
quality of health care; and eliminating disparities in health; as well 
as Healthy People 2010 objectives for Family Planning (Chapter 9); 
Health Communication (Chapter 11); HIV (Chapter 13), and Sexually 
Transmitted Diseases (Chapter 25). (https://www.health.gov/
healthypeople);
    3. Departmental initiatives and legislative mandates, such as the 
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA); Infant 
Adoption Awareness Training Program (IAATP); providing unmarried 
adolescents with information, skills and support to encourage sexual 
abstinence; serving persons with limited English proficiency;
    4. Integration of HIV/AIDS services into family planning programs; 
specifically, HIV/AIDS education, counseling and testing either on-site 
or by referral should be provided in all Title X family planning 
services projects. Education regarding the prevention of HIV/AIDS 
should incorporate the ``ABC'' message. That is, for adolescents and 
unmarried individuals, the message should include ``A'' for abstinence; 
for married individuals or those in committed relationships, the 
message is ``B'' for be faithful; and, for individuals who engage in 
behavior that puts them at risk for HIV, the message should include

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``A,'' ``B,'' and ``C'' for correct and consistent condom use.
    5. Utilization of electronic technologies, such as electronic 
grants management systems;
    6. Data collection and reporting which is responsive to the revised 
Family Planning Annual Report (FPAR) and other information needs for 
monitoring and improving family planning services;
    7. Service delivery improvement through utilization of research 
outcomes focusing on family planning and related population issues; and
    8. Utilizing practice guidelines and recommendations developed by 
recognized professional organizations and Federal agencies in the 
provision of evidence-based Title X clinical services.
Characteristics of a Successful Proposal
    Proposed projects must adhere to all requirements of the Title X 
statute, regulations, and Program Guidelines. Successful proposals will 
fully describe how the project will address the requirements, and 
should include the following:
    1. A clear description of the need for the services proposed;
    2. A description of the geographic area and population to be 
served;
    3. Evidence that the proposed project will address the family 
planning needs identified;
    4. Evidence that the applicant organization has experience in 
providing clinical health services and the capacity to undertake the 
clinical family planning and related preventive health services 
required, including offering a broad range of acceptable and effective 
family planning methods and services;
    5. Evidence that the proposed services are consistent with the 
requirements of Title X. Use of Title X funds is prohibited in programs 
where abortion is a method of family planning;
    6. A project plan which describes the services to be provided, the 
location(s) and hours of clinic operations, and projected number of 
clients to be served;
    7. A staffing plan which is reasonable and adheres to the Title X 
regulatory requirement that family planning medical services will be 
performed under the direction of a physician with special training or 
experience in family planning. Staff providing clinical services should 
be licensed and function within the applicable professional practice 
acts for the State;
    8. Goal statement(s) and related outcome objectives that are 
specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-framed 
(S.M.A.R.T.);
    9. Description of how the applicant will address Title X Program 
Priorities, Legislative Mandates, and Key Issues.
    10. Evidence of formal agreements for referral services (e.g., 
required clinical services, if not provided by the applicant), and 
collaborative agreements with other service providers in the community, 
where appropriate;
    11. Evidence of the capability of collecting and reporting the 
required program data for the Title X annual data collection system 
(FPAR);
    12. Evidence of a system for ensuring quality family planning 
services, including adherence to program requirements; and
    13. A budget and budget justification narrative for year one of the 
project that is detailed, reasonable, adequate, cost efficient, and 
that is derived from proposed activities. Budget projections for each 
of the continuing years should be included.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Competing grant applications are invited for the following areas 
(please note, in order to maximize access to family planning services, 
one or more grants may be awarded for each area listed):

                                                     Table I
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                                                                    Approximate
              States/populations/areas to be served                   funding       Application    Approx. grant
                                                                     available       due date      funding date
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Region I:
    No service areas competitive in FY 2006.....................
Region II:
    No service areas competitive in FY 2006.....................
Region III:
    Delaware....................................................      $1,062,000         12/1/05          4/1/06
    Pittsburgh, PA..............................................       3,743,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    Wilkes Barre, PA............................................       1,588,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
Region IV:
    Alabama.....................................................       4,768,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    Florida.....................................................       8,638,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    Mississippi.................................................       5,009,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    North Carolina..............................................       6,483,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    Miami, Florida..............................................         544,000          6/1/06         9/30/06
Region V:
    Indiana.....................................................       4,812,000         10/1/05          2/1/06
    Minnesota...................................................         190,000         5/30/06         9/30/06
    Ohio........................................................       4,632,000         11/1/05          3/1/06
    Central Ohio................................................         701,000         11/1/05          3/1/06
    Ohio, Summit, Portage & Medina Cos..........................         782,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
Region VI:
    Oklahoma....................................................       3,681,000          8/1/05         12/1/05
    Eastern Oklahoma, including the Choctaw Nation and the Osage         475,000          8/1/05         12/1/05
     Nation.....................................................
Region VII:
    Missouri....................................................       4,876,000         12/1/05          4/1/06
Region VIII:
    No service areas competitive in FY 2006.....................
Region IX:
    Nevada, Clark County........................................         923,000          9/1/05          1/1/06
    California, East/Southeast Los Angeles......................         400,000          9/1/05          1/1/06
    Hawaii......................................................       1,665,000          3/1/06          7/1/06
    Federated States of Micronesia..............................         411,000          3/1/06          7/1/06

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Region X:
    No service areas competitive in FY 2006.....................
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Submission Mechanisms
    The Office of Public Health and Science (OPHS) provides multiple 
mechanisms for the submission of applications, as described in the 
following sections. Applicants will receive notification via mail from 
the OPHS Office of Grants Management confirming the receipt of 
applications submitted using any of these mechanisms. Applications 
submitted to the OPHS Office of Grants Management after the deadlines 
described below will not be accepted for review and will be returned to 
the applicant unread. The submission deadline will not be extended. 
Applications which do not conform to the requirements of the grant 
announcement will not be accepted for review and will be returned to 
the applicant. The application due date requiement specified in this 
announcement supercedes the instructions in the OPHS-1.
    Applications may only be submitted electronically via the 
electronic submission mechanisms specified below. Any applications 
submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including 
facsimile or electronic mail, will not be accepted for review. While 
applications are accepted in hard copy, the use of the electronic 
application submission capabilities provided by the OPHS eGrants system 
or the Grants.gov Web site Portal is encouraged.
Electronic Submissions Via the OPHS eGrants System
    The OPHS electronic grants management system, eGrants, provides for 
applications to be submitted electronically. Information about this 
system is available on the OPHS eGrants Web site, https://
egrants.osophs.dhhs.gov, or may be requested from the OPHS Office of 
Grants Management at 301-594-0758.
    The body of the application and required forms can be submitted 
using the OPHS eGrants system. In addition to electronically submitted 
materials, applicants are required to submit a hard copy of the 
application face page (Standard Form 424) with the original signature 
of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or 
organization and to assume for the organization the obligations imposed 
by the terms and conditions of the grant award. If required, applicants 
will also need to submit a hard copy of the Standard Form LLL and/or 
certain Program related forms with the original signature of an 
individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization. 
The application will not be considered complete until both the 
electronic application components submitted via the OPHS eGrants system 
and any hard copy materials or original signatures are received.
    Electronic grant application submissions must be submitted via the 
OPHS eGrants system no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline 
date specified in Table I of this announcement. All required hardcopy 
original signatures and mail-in items must be received by the OPHS 
Office of Grants Management no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the 
next business day after the deadline date specified in Table I of this 
announcement.
    Applications will not be considered valid until all electronic 
application components, hardcopy original signatures, and mail-in items 
are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management according to the 
deadlines specified above. Any application submitted electronically 
after 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date specified in Table I of 
this announcement will be considered late and will be deemed 
ineligible. Failure of the applicant to submit all required hardcopy 
original signatures and required mail-in items to the OPHS Office of 
Grants Management by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next business day after 
the deadline date specified in Table I of this announcement will result 
in the electronic application being deemed ineligible.
    Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission, 
the OPHS eGrants system will provide the applicant with a confirmation 
page indicating the date and time (Eastern Time) of the electronic 
application submission. This confirmation page will also provide a 
listing of all items that constitute the final application submission 
including all electronic application components, required hardcopy 
original signatures, and mail-in items, as well as the mailing address 
of the OPHS Office of Grants Management where all required hard copy 
materials must be submitted.
    As items are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management, the 
electronic application status will be updated to reflect the receipt of 
mail-in items. It is recommended that the applicant monitor the status 
of their application in the OPHS eGrants system to ensure that all 
signatures and mail-in items are received.
    Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications early 
in the application development process, and to submit early on the due 
date or before. This will aid in addressing any problems with 
submissions prior to the application deadline.
Electronic Submissions Via the Grants.gov Web site Portal
    The Grants.gov Web site Portal provides for applications to be 
submitted electronically. Information about this system is available on 
the Grants.gov Web site, https://www.grants.gov.
    The body of the application and required forms can be submitted 
using the Grants.gov Web site Portal. Grants.gov allows the applicant 
to download and complete the application forms at any time, however, it 
is required that organizations successfully complete the necessary 
registration processes in order to submit the application to 
Grants.gov.
    In addition to electronically submitted materials, applicants may 
be required to submit hard copy signatures for certain Program related 
forms, or original materials as required by the announcement. It is 
imperative that the applicant review both the grant announcement, as 
well as the application guidance provided within the Grants.gov 
application package, to determine such requirements. Any required hard 
copy materials, or documents that require a signature, excluding the 
standard forms included in the Grants.gov application package (e.g., 
Standard Form 424 Face Page, Standard Assurances and Certifications 
(Standard Form 424B, and Standard Form LLL)) must be submitted 
separately via mail to the OPHS Office

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of Grants Management, and, if required, must contain the original 
signature of an individual authorized to act for the applicant agency 
or organization and to assume for the organization the obligations 
imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award.
    Electronic grant application submissions must be submitted via the 
Grants.gov Web site Portal no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the 
deadline date specified in Table I of this announcement. All required 
hardcopy original signatures and mail-in items must be received by the 
OPHS Office of Grants Management no later than 5 p.m. Eastern Time on 
the next business day after the deadline date specified in Table I of 
this announcement.
    Applications will not be considered valid until all electronic 
application components, hardcopy original signatures, and mail-in items 
are received by the OPHS Office of Grants Management according to the 
deadlines specified above. Any application submitted electronically via 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal after 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the 
deadline date specified in Table I of this announcement will be 
considered late and will be deemed ineligible. Failure of the applicant 
to submit all required hardcopy original signatures or materials to the 
OPHS Office of Grants Management by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the next 
business day after the deadline date specified in Table I of this 
announcement will result in the electronic application being deemed 
ineligible.
    Upon completion of a successful electronic application submission 
via the Grants.gov Web site Portal, the applicant will be provided with 
a confirmation page from Grants.gov indicating the date and time 
(Eastern Time) of the electronic application submission, as well as the 
Grants.gov Receipt Number. It is critical that the applicant print and 
retain this confirmation for their records, as well as a copy of the 
entire application package.
    All applications submitted via the Grants.gov Web site Portal will 
be validated by Grants.gov. Any applications deemed ``Invalid'' by the 
Grants.gov Web site Portal will not be transferred to the OPHS eGrants 
system, and OPHS has no responsibility for any application that is not 
validated and transferred to OPHS from the Grants.gov Web site Portal. 
Grants.gov will notify the applicant regarding the application 
validation status. Once the application is successfully validated by 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal, applicants should immediately mail all 
required hard copy materials to the OPHS Office of Grants Management to 
be received by the deadlines specified above. It is critical that the 
applicant clearly identify the Organization name and Grants.gov 
Application Receipt Number on all hard copy materials.
    Once the application is validated by Grants.gov, it will be 
electronically transferred to the OPHS eGrants system for processing. 
Upon receipt of both the electronic application from the Grants.gov Web 
site Portal, and the required hardcopy mail-in items, applicants will 
receive notification via mail from the OPHS Office of Grants Management 
confirming the receipt of the application submitted using the 
Grants.gov Web site Portal.
    Applicants are encouraged to initiate electronic applications via 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal early in the application development 
process, and to submit early on the due date or before. This will aid 
in addressing any problems with submissions prior to the application 
deadline.
    Applicants should contact Grants.gov regarding any questions or 
concerns regarding the electronic application process conducted through 
the Grants.gov Web site Portal.
Mailed or Hand-Delivered Hard Copy Applications
    Applications submitted in hard copy (via mail or hand-delivered) 
are required to submit an original and two copies of the application. 
The original application must be signed by an individual authorized to 
act for the applicant agency or organization and to assume for the 
organization the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the 
grant award.
    Mailed or hand-delivered applications will be considered as meeting 
the deadline if they are received by the OPHS Office of Grant 
Management on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date 
specified in Table I of this announcement. The application deadline 
date requirement specified in this announcement supersedes the 
instructions in the OPHS-1. Applications that do not meet the deadline 
will be returned to the applicant unread.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    Applicants under this announcement are subject to the requirements 
of Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs,'' as implemented by 45 CFR part 100, ``Intergovernmental 
Review of Department of Health and Human Services Programs and 
Activities.'' As soon as possible, the applicant should discuss the 
project with the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for the state in 
which the applicant is located. The application kit contains the 
currently available listing of the SPOCs that have elected to be 
informed of the submission of applications. For those states not 
represented on the listing, further inquiries should be made by the 
applicant regarding the submission to the relevant SPOC. The SPOC 
should forward any comments to the OPHS Office of Grants Management, 
1101 Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, Maryland 20852. The SPOC 
has 60 days from the applicable due date listed in Table I of this 
announcement to submit any comments. For further information, contact 
the OPHS Office of Grants Management at 301-594-0758.

5. Funding Restrictions

    The allowability, allocability, reasonableness and necessity of 
direct and indirect costs that may be charged to OPHS grants are 
outlined in the following documents: OMB Circular A-21 (Institutions of 
Higher Education); OMB Circular A-87 (State and Local Governments); OMB 
Circular A-122 (Nonprofit Organizations); and 45 CFR part 74, Appendix 
E (Hospitals). Copies of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circulars are available on the Internet at https://www.whitehouse.gov/
omb/grants/grants_circulars.html.
    In order to claim indirect costs as part of a budget request, an 
applicant organization must have an indirect cost rate which has been 
negotiated with the Federal government. The Health and Human Services 
Division of Cost Allocation (DCA) Regional Office that is applicable to 
your State can provide information on how to receive such a rate. A 
list of DCA Regional Offices is included in the application kit for 
this announcement.

6. Other Submission Requirements--None

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

    Eligible applications will be assessed according to the following 
criteria:
    (1) The degree to which the project plan adequately provides for 
the requirements set forth in the Title X regulations at 42 CFR part 
59, subpart A (20 points);
    (2) The extent to which family planning services are needed locally 
(20 points);
    (3) The number of patients, and, in particular, the number of low-
income patients to be served (15 points);
    (4) The adequacy of the applicant's facilities and staff (15 
points);

[[Page 24269]]

    (5) The capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use 
of the Federal assistance (10 points);
    (6) The relative availability of non-Federal resources within the 
community to be served and the degree to which those resources are 
committed to the project (10 points); and
    (7) The relative need of the applicant (10 points).

2. Review and Selection Process

    Each regional office is responsible for evaluating applications and 
setting funding levels according to the criteria set out in 42 CFR 
59.7(a). Eligible applications will be reviewed by a panel of 
independent reviewers and will be evaluated based on the criteria 
listed above. In addition to the independent review panel, there will 
be staff reviews of each application for programmatic and grants 
management compliance.
    Final grant award decisions will be made by the Regional Health 
Administrator (RHA) for the applicable PHS Region. In making grant 
award decisions, the RHA will fund those projects which will, in his/
her judgement, best promote the purposes of section 1001 of the Act, 
within the limits of funds available for such projects.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

    The OPA does not release information about individual applications 
during the review process. When final funding decisions have been made, 
each applicant will be notified by letter of the outcome. The official 
document notifying an applicant that a project application has been 
approved for funding is the Notice of Grant Award (NGA), signed by the 
Director of the OPHS Office of Grants Management. This document 
specifies to the grantee the amount of money awarded, the purposes of 
the grant, the length of the project period, terms and conditions of 
the grant award, and the amount of funding, if any, to be contributed 
by the grantee to project costs. The NGA will also identify the Grants 
Specialist and Program Project Officer assigned to the grant.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    In accepting the award, the grantee stipulates that the award and 
any activities thereunder are subject to all provisions of 45 CFR parts 
74 and 92, currently in effect or implemented during the period of the 
grant.
    The successful applicant will be responsible for the overall 
management of activities within the scope of the approved project plan. 
The OPHS requires all grant recipients to provide a smoke-free 
workplace and to promote the non-use of all tobacco products. This is 
consistent with the OPHS mission to protect and advance the physical 
and mental health of the American people.
    A Notice providing information and guidance regarding the 
``Government-wide Implementation of the President's Welfare-to-Work 
Initiative for Federal Grant Programs'' was published in the Federal 
Register on May 16, 1997. This initiative was designed to facilitate 
and encourage grantees and their sub-recipients to hire welfare 
recipients and to provide additional needed training and/or mentoring 
as needed. The text of the Notice is available electronically on the 
OMB home page at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb.
    The HHS Appropriations Act requires that when issuing statements, 
press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations, and other 
documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part 
with Federal money, grantees shall clearly state the percentage and 
dollar amount of the total costs of the program or project that will be 
financed with Federal money and the percentage and dollar amount of the 
total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-
governmental sources.

3. Reporting

    Each grantee is required to submit a Family Planning Annual Report 
(FPAR) each year.
    The information collections (reporting requirements) and format for 
this report have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget 
and assigned OMB No. 0990-0221. The FPAR contains a brief 
organizational profile and 14 tables to report data on users, service 
use, and revenue for the reporting year. The FPAR instrument and 
instructions can be found on the OPA Web site at https://
opa.osophs.dhhs.gov.
    In addition to the FPAR, grantees are required to submit an annual 
Financial Status Report within 90 days of the end of each budget 
period. Grantees who receive greater than $500,000 of Federal funds 
must also undergo an independent audit in accordance with OMB Circular 
A-133.
    Grantees are required to submit a non-competing continuation 
application, which includes a progress report, each year of the 
approved project period.

VII. Agency Contacts

Administrative and Budgetary Requirements

    For information related to administrative and budgetary 
requirements, contact the OPHS Office of Grants Management, 1101 
Wootton Parkway, Suite 550, Rockville, MD 20852; 301-594-0758.

Program Requirements

    For information related to family planning program requirements, 
contact the Family Planning contact in the applicable Regional Office 
listed below:

Region I (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode 
Island, Vermont)--Betsy Rosenfeld, 617-565-4265 or Kathy Stratford 617-
565-1070;
Region II (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands)--Robin 
Lane, 212-264-3935;
Region III (Delaware, Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, 
Virginia, West Virginia)--Donna Garner, 215-861-4624 or Dickie Lynn 
Gronseth, 215-861-4656;
Region IV (Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, 
Florida, Georgia, South Carolina)--Cristino Rodriguez, 404-562-7900;
Region V (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin)--
Janice Ely, 312-886-3864;
Region VI (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas)--Evelyn 
Glass, 214-767-3088;
Region VII (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska)--Elizabeth Curtis, 816-
426-2924;
Region VIII (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, 
Wyoming)--Jill Leslie, 303-844-7856;
Region IX (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, 
Federal States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands)--Nancy 
Mautone-Smith, 415-437-7984; and
Region X (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington)--Janet Wildeboor, 206-615-
2776.

    Dated: April 26, 2005.
Alma L. Golden,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.
[FR Doc. 05-9017 Filed 5-5-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-34-P