Grants and Cooperative Agreements; Availability etc.: Healthy Marriage Initiative, 32815-32825 [05-11191]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Administration for Children and Families
• Children and Families Administration

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 107 (Monday, June 6, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32815-32825]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-11191]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Grants and Cooperative Agreements; Availability etc.: Healthy 
Marriage Initiative

    Program Office: Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Healthy Marriage Research Initiative.
    Announcement Type: Grant--Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2005-ACF-OPRE-OJ-0090.
    CFDA Number: 93.647.
    Due Date For Letter of Intent or Preapplications: June 27, 2005.
    Due Date for Applications: July 26, 2005.
    Executive Summary: The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation 
(OPRE), within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), 
announces the availability of funds to support new research under the 
Healthy Marriage Research Initiative. Applications for both short-term 
(12-17 months) and long-term (up to 60 months) studies will be 
considered. OPRE will consider applications in three broad categories 
of evaluation and research: intervention studies; basic studies; and 
methodological and analytical studies.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Legislative Authority: Section 1110 of the Social Security Act [42 
U.S.C. 1310]

    Program Purpose: To stimulate and fund short- and long-term studies 
focused on healthy marriage in population groups for which a limited 
body of research exists. This means, primarily, lower-income 
individuals and couples, including but not limited to those in poverty, 
as well as ethnic and racial minority groups. Federal funding under 
this announcement will be approved to support research and evaluation 
activities only, not program operation or service provision.
    This funding is intended to support different types of studies 
including: Basic studies to understand the determinants and barriers to 
sustained, healthy marriage among low-income couples and differences 
among racial/ethnic minorities; methodological and measurement studies 
to improve the quality of marital research related to low-income and 
racial/ethnic minorities; and intervention evaluation research to 
understand effective ways to help interested low-income couples achieve 
their desire for a healthy marriage. Studies under this announcement 
are intended to inform the design and operation of programs to support 
healthy marriages, and are intended to complement other ACF research 
initiatives related to building and sustaining healthy marriages 
(described below).
    As indicated, OPRE anticipates funding both short-term projects 
(e.g., 12-17 months) and longer-term studies (up to 60 months). 
Recipients of multi-year project awards will be allowed to apply for 
additional funding in subsequent years, within the overall approved 
project period, on a non-competitive basis. Short-term projects may 
include one-time awards for project and budget periods of up to 17 
months.
    OPRE may provide sole funding for projects, provide principal 
funding, or support individual components of projects which have other 
funders. The latter types of applications (i.e., those with other 
funding sources) should include information about the funding sources 
for all components of the project in addition to the detailed budget 
information (as discussed in Section III) for the component(s) for 
which funding under this announcement is being sought.
    In cases where more applications are approved for funding than ACF 
can fund with the money available, the Grants Officer shall fund 
applications in their order of approval until funds run out. In this 
case, ACF has the option of carrying over the approved applications up 
to a year for funding consideration in a later competition of the same 
program. These applications need not be reviewed and scored again if 
the program's evaluation criteria have not changed. However, they must 
then be placed in rank order along with other applications in later 
competitions.
Overview and Description of Research Priorities
    Background: The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity 
Reconciliation Act of 1996 authorizing the Temporary Assistance for 
Needy Families (TANF) program, outlined critical goals for assistance 
to needy families. The following three objectives

[[Page 32816]]

relate directly to building and sustaining healthy marriages:
     To end dependence of needy parents on government benefits 
by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage;
     To encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent 
families;
     To reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies.
    There is mounting evidence that children raised by their married, 
biological parents fare better on many outcome measures and that high 
rates of non-marital childbearing and marital dissolution put children 
at increased risk. In addition, although not a panacea, research points 
to healthy marriage as an important factor in keeping children and 
families out of poverty. Research also suggests that marriage is a key 
source of greater economic security, health, and happiness for adults, 
and a vital resource for healthy communities.
    Over the past several years, varied approaches to broadening access 
to supports for healthy marriage have emerged. The initiatives vary in 
many ways including the types of organizations or entities involved 
(e.g., state and local governments, community organizations, faith-
based organizations, coalitions of organizations or partnerships), the 
types of individuals or families targeted, and the types of activities 
supported (e.g., training for high school and college students on 
healthy dating and relationships, pre-marital inventories, marriage 
education and enrichment classes, mentoring). In some instances, 
approaches include adding healthy marriage components to ongoing 
programs serving or utilized by lower-income families, such as 
community family resource centers, parenting programs, refugee 
assistance programs, or childbirth classes/clinics. We have limited 
information about the effectiveness of interventions among low-income 
populations.
    Research has shown that individuals and couples across the economic 
spectrum are similar in their desire to have stable, healthy marriage 
and family relationships for themselves and their children. However, 
those dealing with economic difficulties often face additional 
challenges to achieving these goals relative to couples who are more 
economically secure. Research shows that lower-income is associated 
with higher rates of divorce. We have limited information about the 
factors that contribute to these differences, across economic and 
racial/ethnic groups. We also have limited information about factors 
that contribute to marital quality and stability and child well-being 
within lower-income groups and different racial and ethnic groups and 
whether the factors are the same or different across population groups.
    OPRE has developed a research agenda related to healthy marriage 
that will help provide additional information in some of these areas. 
OPRE's current and recent projects are briefly described below. Where 
reports are available, they are referenced.
    1. Building Strong Families (BSF). This project builds upon recent 
research showing that most unmarried, low-income couples are living 
together or romantically involved when their child is born. Moreover, 
most have strong hopes for marriage to each other. Unfortunately, only 
a small fraction will realize those hopes. BSF is a long-term 
experimental demonstration and evaluation study of intervention 
programs designed to help lower-income, unmarried parents gain the 
skills and knowledge needed to sustain a healthy relationship and 
achieve a healthy marriage if that is the path they choose. Information 
is available at https://www.buildingstrongfamilies.info.
    2. Supporting Healthy Marriage (SHM). This project builds upon 
research that shows that, while lower-income individuals highly value 
marriage, they experience higher break-up rates. SHM is a long-term, 
experimental, demonstration and evaluation study of intervention 
programs designed to help lower-income couples who are either married 
or plan to marry gain the skills and knowledge needed to sustain a 
healthy marriage. Information is available at https://
www.supportinghealthymarriage.org.
    3. Community Healthy Marriage Initiatives (CHMI) Evaluation. A 
growing number of communities are initiating grass-roots efforts to 
help couples build and sustain healthy marriages through public 
awareness campaigns and saturating the community with educational 
opportunities. CHMI is a major, long-term effort to evaluate the 
implementation of such community-wide programs and evaluate impacts in 
selected sites.
    4. Service Delivery Settings and Evaluation Design Options for 
Strengthening and Promoting Healthy Marriages. This project examined 
existing and potential service delivery systems for marriage education 
and provided recommendations for evaluation approaches and designs. In 
addition, the project involved a systematic review of studies on the 
effectiveness of interventions to strengthen marriage. Reports may be 
accessed at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/strengthen/serv_
delivery/.
    5. Economic Disincentives to Marriage Project. This project is 
building a comprehensive database of the state and federal incentives 
and disincentives for low-income couples who marry, as well as 
developing a dynamic software application that can accurately portray 
the costs and benefits to a particular couple of the decision to marry.
    6. Conceptualizing and Measuring Healthy Marriages for Empirical 
Research and Evaluation Studies. This project is reviewing the state of 
the art of measurement in marriage and couple relationship research. 
The project includes a compendium of measures and a framework for 
addressing measurement questions and improving the battery of measures 
related to marriage and couple relationships. See Brief at: https://
www.childtrends.org/_catdisp_page.cfm?LID=141#MarriageFamily.

Project Description

    As stated previously, the purpose of this announcement is to 
stimulate and fund short and long-term research or evaluation studies 
focused on healthy marriage in population groups for which a limited 
body of research exists. This means, primarily, lower-income 
individuals and couples, including but not limited to those in poverty, 
and ethnic and racial minority groups (e.g., Latino/Hispanic, African-
American, Native American, Asian and Pacific Islander). We are 
particularly interested in research and evaluation that would benefit 
two special initiatives within ACF: the African-American Healthy 
Marriage Initiative and the Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative. ACF 
strongly encourages applicants to consider domestic violence in 
proposed research activities. The research funded under this 
announcement will be germane to the government's goal of ensuring that 
more children grow up in stable homes with their own two parents 
(biological or adoptive) in a healthy marriage. Proposed research 
studies should not duplicate the efforts of ongoing ACF research 
studies.
    Proposed studies may be applied, basic, or methodological. By 
applied we mean to include intervention and evaluation studies that 
increase knowledge about the effectiveness of an array of approaches 
designed to help individuals and couples build and sustain healthy 
marriages. By basic research we mean projects that will explore 
patterns and processes related to building and sustaining healthy 
marriages. Methodological studies are

[[Page 32817]]

those that address conceptual, analytic, and measurement issues in 
studying marriage and couple relationships.
    In addition to empirical research, proposals may include conceptual 
studies and meta-analyses that synthesize existing work and point in 
fertile directions for research and policy and program development. In 
addition to quantitative, empirical studies, applicants may propose to 
conduct qualitative studies that help illuminate relationship processes 
and the social context that enhances or diminishes the prospects of 
healthy marriage for population groups of interest. Original projects 
as well as enhancements to ongoing research will be considered.
    Because the study of marriage and intimate relationships is complex 
and multidimensional, we are interested in proposals that will approach 
a research question from multiple disciplinary perspectives and via 
numerous methods. For example, some proposed studies will benefit from 
the joint participation of scholars and marriage practitioners.
    Below we address in more detail the kinds of studies that are of 
interest to OPRE and that will advance ACF's healthy marriage research 
agenda. The discussion below is intended to be illustrative; it does 
not represent established priorities. Proposals may involve elements 
from more than one category discussed below. Studies that directly 
involve participants or individual level data must include plans for 
ensuring the confidentiality of participant identifiers and 
information.
1. Applied Research
    We are interested in studies that test the effectiveness of 
approaches, programs and curricula to help low-income individuals and 
couples to improve their relationship skills and build and sustain a 
healthy marriage. We are interested in studies that would examine a 
range of questions regarding marriage education that will help to 
strengthen the practice of marriage education in general. Examples of 
such studies include but are not limited to: evaluation of curricula 
not previously tested; evaluation of variation in intensity or dosage; 
or tests of alternative methods or approaches for content presentation.
2. Basic Research
    This work may include conceptual and empirical studies, both 
quantitative and qualitative, and both broad, macroscopic research and 
more focused work with clear application to the marriage initiative and 
program issues. We are interested in basic research on how individuals 
and couples build and sustain strong marriages as well as on factors 
that help or hinder the goals for a healthy marriage for youth and 
young adults. We are also interested in studies that replicate research 
on higher income couples' interaction processes with lower-income 
couples and studies that examine other/external stressors related to 
socio-economic status and other factors. We are also interested in 
studies with blended or step-families.
3. Methodological and Analytical Studies
    We are also interested in supporting research that has a strong or 
exclusive methodological focus with excellent potential for improving 
marriage research. We are interested in both measurement studies and 
analytical studies.
    Measurement studies may address questions about how researchers 
conceptualize and operationalize key concepts in a study and the 
measurement tools used and needed. In this area we are interested not 
only in self-reports of marital satisfaction but also in different 
conceptual lenses that highlight important constructs such as 
commitment, partnership, and sacrifice and effective measurement tools 
to capture the depth of marital and other unions. Development of 
observational measures and development or refinement of valid measures 
for use with under-studied population groups are also needed.
    Improved analytical studies that utilize stronger theoretical 
frameworks and more sophisticated analytical tools to help overcome the 
limitations of correlational research in supporting causal 
interpretations are of interest. We are interested in studies using 
conceptual frameworks and analytical tools that link sets of variables 
at multiple levels of analysis: personal characteristics, dyadic 
relationships, family processes, and external or ecological factors. In 
addition, because quantitative research of marriage and couple 
relationships often leaves researchers speculating about the processes 
underlying their findings, we are interested in studies that integrate 
quantitative and qualitative work. Further, we are interested in 
quantitative studies that build on qualitative investigations by 
attempting to map the prevalence of processes found in qualitative 
research.

Priority Area

Healthy Marriage Research Initiative

1. Description
    The Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), within the 
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announces the 
availability of FY 2005 funds to support new research under the Healthy 
Marriage Research Initiative. If applications cannot be funded before 
September 30, 2005 using FY 2005 funds, awards will be made after 
October 1 using FY 2006 funds.
    Applications for both short-term (12-17 months) and long-term (up 
to 60 months) studies will be considered. OPRE will consider 
applications in three broad categories of evaluation and research: 
applied research (intervention studies); basic studies; and 
methodological and analytical studies.

II. Award Information

    Funding Instrument Type: Grant.
    Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding: $900,000.
    Anticipated Number of Awards: 4 to 8.
    Ceiling on Amount of Individual Awards: $200,000 per budget period.
    Floor on Amount of Individual Awards: None.
    Average Projected Award Amount: $150,000 per budget period.
    Length of Project Periods: Other.
    Explanation of Other: For FY 2005, approximately $900,000 is 
expected to be available for the total group of approved projects. We 
estimate that this level of funding will support 4 to 8 separate 
projects under this announcement in FY 2005, depending on scope and 
scale. On average, we anticipate funding two to four multi-year 
projects at $150,000-$200,000 per budget period and approximately three 
to four one-time, smaller grants at $90,000 or less for 12-17 months. 
For longer-term projects, OPRE anticipates providing funding at 
approximately the same level for up to four additional years, subject 
to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress by the grantee, and 
the best interests of the Government. All grants are expected to be 
awarded by September 30, 2005. If applications cannot be funded before 
September 30, 2005 using FY 2005 funds, awards will be made after 
October 1 using FY 2006 funds.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

     Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity subject to 
exceptions specified in Additional Information on Eligibility)

[[Page 32818]]

    Additional Information on Eligibility:
    Faith-based and community organizations are also eligible 
applicants.
    No grant funds may be paid as profit to any recipient even if the 
recipient is a commercial organization. Profit is any amount in excess 
of allowable direct and indirect costs (45 CFR 74.81).
    While a variety of organizations and entities are eligible to apply 
for funding under this announcement, potential applicants should 
carefully review the evaluation criteria to determine that they meet 
the requirements for experience and expertise for conducting rigorous, 
well-designed evaluations and studies of the type and scope discussed 
herein. Applicants are reminded that funding under this announcement is 
not available to support programs or service provision, but rather 
research and evaluation.

2. Cost Sharing/Matching: Yes

    Grantees are required to meet a non-Federal share of the project 
costs, in accordance with section 1110 of the Social Security Act [42 
U.S.C. 1310], which provides for making grants for paying part of the 
cost of research projects. Grantees must provide at least 5 percent of 
the total approved cost of the project. The total approved cost of the 
project is the sum of the ACF share and the non-Federal share. The non-
Federal share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions, although 
applicants are encouraged to meet their match requirements through cash 
contributions. Therefore, a project requesting $300,000 in Federal 
funds (based on an award of $100,000 per budget period) must provide a 
match of at least $15,790 (5% of the total approved project costs). 
Grantees will be held accountable for commitments of non-Federal 
resources even if over the amount of the required match. Failure to 
provide the amount which the applicant indicates is committed to the 
project may result in a disallowance of Federal dollars. Lack of 
supporting documentation at the time of application will not impact the 
responsiveness of the application for competitive review.

3. Other

    All applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet number. On June 27, 
2003 the Office of Management and Budget published in the Federal 
Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal grant 
applicants. The policy requires Federal grant applicants to provide a 
Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when 
applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after 
October 1, 2003. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant 
is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide 
electronic portal (www.Grants.gov). A DUNS number will be required for 
every application for a new award or renewal/continuation of an award, 
including applications or plans under formula, entitlement and block 
grant programs, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
    Please ensure that your organization has a DUNS number. You may 
acquire a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free 
DUNS number request line on 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number 
on-line at https://www.dnb.com.
    Non-profit organizations applying for funding are required to 
submit proof of their non-profit status. Proof of non-profit status is 
any one of the following:
     A reference to the applicant organization's listing in the 
Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt 
organizations described in the IRS Code.
     A copy of a currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate.
     A statement from a State taxing body, State attorney 
general, or other appropriate State official certifying that the 
applicant organization has a non-profit status and that none of the net 
earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals.
     A certified copy of the organization's certificate of 
incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit 
status.
     Any of the items in the subparagraphs immediately above 
for a State or national parent organization and a statement signed by 
the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-
profit affiliate.

When applying electronically we strongly suggest you attach your proof 
of non-profit status with your electronic application.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

Disqualification Factors

    Applications that exceed the ceiling amount will be considered non-
responsive and will not be considered for funding under this 
announcement.
    Any application that fails to satisfy the deadline requirements 
referenced in Section IV.3 will be considered non-responsive and will 
not be considered for funding under this announcement.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

OPRE Grant Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, 
Vienna, VA 22182, phone: 877-663-0250, e-mail: opre@xtria.com, URL: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

    Letters of Intent: Those parties expecting to submit an application 
in response to this announcement are requested to submit a letter of 
intent by email that includes the funding opportunity title and number 
and the name and address of the applicant organization.
    Due Date for Letters of Intent: 20 calendar days from date of 
publication in the Federal Register. Letters of Intent are strongly 
encouraged but not required.
    Address to Submit Letters of Intent:

OPRE Grant Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, 
Vienna, VA 22182, phone: 877-663-0250, e-mail: opre@xtria.com.
    The length of the application, excluding application forms, 
certifications, resumes and budget justification should not exceed 25 
pages, double-spaced, using 12-point font or larger. Applicants are 
requested not to send pamphlets, brochures or other printed materials 
with the application. Such materials and/or pages exceeding the 25 page 
limit, if submitted, will not be reviewed. Applicants have the option 
of omitting from application copies (not originals) specific salary 
rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget. 
The copies may include summary salary information.
    You may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper 
format. To submit an application electronically, please use the https://
www.Grants.gov/Apply site. If you use Grants.gov, you will be able to 
download a copy of the application package, complete it off-line, and 
then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. ACF 
will not accept grant applications via e-mail or facsimile 
transmission.
    Please note the following if you plan to submit your application 
electronically via Grants.gov:
     Electronic submission is voluntary, but strongly 
encouraged.
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about

[[Page 32819]]

submitting an application electronically through the site, as well as 
the hours of operation. We strongly recommend that you do not wait 
until the application deadline date to begin the application process 
through Grants.gov.
     We recommend you visit Grants.gov at least 30 days prior 
to filing your application to fully understand the process and 
requirements. We encourage applicants who submit electronically to 
submit well before the closing date and time so that if difficulties 
are encountered an applicant can still send in a hard copy overnight. 
If you encounter difficulties, please contact the Grants.gov Help Desk 
at 1-800-518-4276 to report the problem and obtain assistance with the 
system.
     To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a DUNS 
Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You 
should allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize 
you if you submit an application in paper format.
     You may submit all documents electronically, including all 
information typically included on the SF 424 and all necessary 
assurances and certifications.
     Your application must comply with any page limitation 
requirements described in this program announcement.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Children and 
Families will retrieve your application from Grants.gov.
     We may request that you provide original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
     You may access the electronic application for this program 
on https://www.Grants.gov
     You must search for the downloadable application package 
by the CFDA number.
    Applicants that are submitting their application in paper format 
should submit an original and two copies of the complete application. 
The original and each of the two copies must include all required 
forms, certifications, assurances, and appendices, be signed by an 
authorized representative, have original signatures, and be submitted 
unbound.
    Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with 
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents 
and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants,'' 
titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants,'' at: 
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

Standard Forms and Certifications

    The project description should include all the information 
requirements described in the specific evaluation criteria outlined in 
the program announcement under Section V Application Review 
Information. In addition to the project description, the applicant 
needs to complete all the standard forms required for making 
applications for awards under this announcement.
    Applicants seeking financial assistance under this announcement 
must file the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal 
Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; SF-
424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The forms may be 
reproduced for use in submitting applications. Applicants must sign and 
return the standard forms with their application.
    Applicants must furnish prior to award an executed copy of the 
Standard Form LLL, Certification Regarding Lobbying, when applying for 
an award in excess of $100,000. Applicants who have used non-Federal 
funds for lobbying activities in connection with receiving assistance 
under this announcement shall complete a disclosure form, if 
applicable, with their applications (approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget under control number 0348-0046). Applicants must 
sign and return the certification with their application.
    Applicants must also understand they will be held accountable for 
the smoking prohibition included within P.L. 103-227, Title XII 
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (also known as the PRO-KIDS Act of 1994). A 
copy of the Federal Register notice which implements the smoking 
prohibition is included with this form. By signing and submitting the 
application, applicants are providing the certification and need not 
mail back the certification with the application.
    Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their 
compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. By 
signing and submitting the applications, applicants are providing the 
certification and need not mail back the certification form. Complete 
the standard forms and the associated certifications and assurances 
based on the instructions on the forms. The forms and certifications 
may be found at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
    Use of Human Subjects. If your evaluation plan includes gathering 
data from or about individuals, unless the project meets specified 
exemption criteria (see https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/
exmpt-pb.htm), there are specific procedures which must be followed in 
order to protect their privacy and ensure the confidentiality of the 
information about them. Applicants planning to gather such data are 
asked to describe their plans regarding an Institutional Review Board 
(IRB) review. If applicable, applicants must include a completed Form 
310, Protection of Human Subjects. For more information about use of 
human subjects and IRB's you can visit these Web sites: https://
www.hhs.gov/ohrp/irb/irb_chapter2.htm#d2

 and

https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/ictips.htm.
    Those organizations required to provide proof of non-profit status, 
please refer to Section III.3. Please see Section V.1 for instructions 
on preparing the full project description.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Due Date For Letter of Intent or Preapplications: June 27, 2005.
    Due Date for Applications: July 26, 2005.

Explanation of Due Dates

    The closing time and date for receipt of applications is referenced 
above. Applications received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the 
closing date will be classified as late.
    Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting an announced 
deadline if they are received on or before the deadline time and date 
referenced in Section IV.6. Applicants are responsible for ensuring 
applications are mailed or submitted electronically well in advance of 
the application due date.
    Applications hand carried by applicants, applicant couriers, other 
representatives of the applicant, or by overnight/express mail couriers 
shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are 
received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8 a.m. 
and 4:30 p.m., eastern time, at the address referenced in Section 
IV.6., between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays).
    ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by facsimile. 
Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF by fax will not be accepted 
regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt.

[[Page 32820]]

    Late Applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria above 
are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant 
that its application will not be considered in the current competition.
    Any application received after 4:30 p.m. eastern time on the 
deadline date will not be considered for competition.
    Applicants using express/overnight mail services should allow two 
working days prior to the deadline date for receipt of applications. 
Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not 
always deliver as agreed.
    Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend application deadlines when 
circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur, or 
when there are widespread disruptions of mail service, or in other rare 
cases. A determination to extend or waive deadline requirements rests 
with the Chief Grants Management Officer.
    Receipt acknowledgement for application packages will not be 
provided to applicants who submit their package via mail, courier 
services, or by hand delivery. Applicants will receive an electronic 
acknowledgement for applications that are submitted via https://
www.Grants.gov.
    Checklist:
    You may use the checklist below as a guide when preparing your 
application package.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 Required form or
         What to submit                        Required content                       format                            When to submit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter of Intent...............  See Section IV.2...........................  Found in Section IV.2.  20 days from date of announcement.
Project Description............  See Sections IV.2 and V....................  Found in Sections IV.2  By application due date.
                                                                               and V.
Budget Narrative/Justification.  See Sections IV.2 and V....................  Found in Sections IV.2  By application due date.
                                                                               and V.
SF424..........................  See Section IV.2...........................  See https:// By application due date.
                                                                               www.acf.hhs.gov/
programs/ofs/
forms.htm.
SF-LLL Certification Regarding   See Section IV.2...........................  See https:// By date of award.
 Lobbying.                                                                     www.acf.hhs.gov/
programs/ofs/
forms.htm.
Certification Regarding          See Section IV.2...........................  See https:// By date of award.
 Environmental Tobacco Smoke.                                                  www.acf.hhs.gov/
programs/ofs/
forms.htm.
Assurances.....................  See Section IV.2...........................  May be found at https:// By date of award.
                                                                               www.acf.hhs.gov/
program/ofs/forms.htm.
Proof of Non-Profit Status.....  See Section III.3..........................  Found in Section III.3  By date of award.
Assurance Regarding Protection   IV.2.......................................  https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ By application due date.
 of Human Subjects.                                                            programs/ofs/
                                                                               forms.htm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Additional Forms: Private, non-profit organizations are encouraged 
to submit with their applications the survey located under ``Grant 
Related Documents and Forms,'' ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant 
Applicants,'' titled, ``Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for 
Applicants,'' at: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   What to submit                        Required content       Required form or format                   When to submit
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants.....  See form..............  Found in https:// By application due date.
                                                                               www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/
ofs/forms.htm.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Intergovernmental Review

State Single Point of Contact (SPOC)
    This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR Part 100, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services 
Programs and Activities.'' Under the Order, States may design their own 
processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance 
under covered programs.
    As of October 1, 2004, the following jurisdictions have elected to 
participate in the Executive Order process: Arkansas, California, 
Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, 
Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New 
Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South 
Carolina, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin, American Samoa, Guam, 
North Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. As these 
jurisdictions have elected to participate in the Executive Order 
process, they have established SPOCs. Applicants from participating 
jurisdictions should contact their SPOC, as soon as possible, to alert 
them of prospective applications and receive instructions. Applicants 
must submit all required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate 
the date of this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is 
required) on the Standard Form 424, item 16a. Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2).
    A SPOC has 60 days from the application deadline to comment on 
proposed new or competing continuation awards. SPOCs are encouraged to 
eliminate the submission of routine endorsements as official 
recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly 
differentiate between mere advisory comments and those official State 
process recommendations which may trigger the ``accommodate or 
explain'' rule.
    When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be 
addressed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management, 
Division of Discretionary Grants, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., 4th 
floor, Washington, DC 20447.
    Although the remaining jurisdictions have chosen not to participate 
in the process, entities that meet the eligibility requirements of the 
program are still eligible to apply for a grant even if a State, 
Territory, Commonwealth, etc. does not have a SPOC. Therefore, 
applicants from these jurisdictions, or for projects administered by 
federally-recognized Indian Tribes, need take no action in regard to 
E.O. 12372.
    The official list, including addresses, of the jurisdictions that 
have elected to participate in E.O. 12372 can be found on the following 
URL: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.

[[Page 32821]]

5. Funding Restrictions

    Grant awards will not allow reimbursement of pre-award costs.
    Grant awards are for research and evaluation costs only, not for 
program services or the support of conferences. This limitation does 
not preclude inclusion of costs associated with dissemination or 
presentation of findings by authors.
    No grant funds may be paid as profit to any recipient even if the 
recipient is a commercial organization. Profit is any amount in excess 
of allowable direct and indirect costs (45 CFR 74.81).

6. Other Submission Requirements

    Submission by Mail: An applicant must provide an original 
application with all attachments, signed by an authorized 
representative and two copies. Please see Section IV.3 for an 
explanation of due dates. Applications should be mailed to: OPRE Grant 
Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, Suite 400, Vienna, VA 
22182.
    Hand Delivery: An applicant must provide an original application 
with all attachments signed by an authorized representative and two 
copies. The application must be received at the address below by 4:30 
p.m. eastern time on or before the closing date. Applications that are 
hand delivered will be accepted between the hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 
p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. Applications should be 
delivered to: OPRE Grant Review Team, Xtria, LLC, 8045 Leesburg Pike, 
Suite 400, Vienna, VA 22182.
    Electronic Submission: Please see Section IV.2 for guidelines and 
requirements when submitting applications electronically via https://
www.Grants.gov.

V. Application Review Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 20 hours per response, including the time for 
reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed and 
reviewing the collection information.
    The project description is approved under OMB control number 0970-
0139 which expires 4/30/2007.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.

1. Criteria

    The following are instructions and guidelines on how to prepare the 
``project summary/abstract'' and ``full project description'' sections 
of the application. Under the evaluation criteria section, note that 
each criterion is preceded by the generic evaluation requirement under 
the ACF Uniform Project Description (UPD).
Part I The Project Description Overview
Purpose
    The project description provides a major means by which an 
application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications 
for available assistance. The project description should be concise and 
complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are 
being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can 
present information clearly and succinctly. In preparing your project 
description, information responsive to each of the requested evaluation 
criteria must be provided. Awarding offices use this and other 
information in making their funding recommendations. It is important, 
therefore, that this information be included in the application in a 
manner that is clear and complete.
General Instructions
    ACF is particularly interested in specific project descriptions 
that focus on outcomes and convey strategies for achieving intended 
performance. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of 
substance and measurable outcomes, not length. Extensive exhibits are 
not required. Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. 
Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly 
funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an 
integral part of the grant funded activity should be placed in an 
appendix.
    Pages should be numbered and a table of contents should be included 
for easy reference.
Introduction
    Applicants required to submit a full project description shall 
prepare the project description statement in accordance with the 
following instructions while being aware of the specified evaluation 
criteria. The text options give a broad overview of what your project 
description should include while the evaluation criteria identifies the 
measures that will be used to evaluate applications.
Project Summary/Abstract
    Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with 
reference to the funding request.
Objectives and Need for Assistance
    Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, 
institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need 
for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate 
objectives of the project must be clearly stated; supporting 
documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from 
concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any 
relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred 
to in the endnotes/footnotes.
    Incorporate demographic data and participant/beneficiary 
information, as needed. In developing the project description, the 
applicant may volunteer or be requested to provide information on the 
total range of projects currently being conducted and supported (or to 
be initiated), some of which may be outside the scope of the program 
announcement.
Results or Benefits Expected
    Identify the results and benefits to be derived.
    Clearly state the ways in which knowledge about what works will be 
improved through the funding of a project to evaluate a marriage 
education program for low-income couples, using an experimental design 
with random assignment of couples or individuals.
Approach
    Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how 
the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or 
activities identified in the application. Cite factors that might 
accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the 
proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of 
the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in 
cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement.
    Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the 
accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such 
terms as the number of people to be served and the number of activities 
accomplished.
    When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, 
list them in chronological order to show the schedule of 
accomplishments and their target dates.
    If any data is to be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated, 
clearance may be required from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB). This clearance pertains to any

[[Page 32822]]

``collection of information that is conducted or sponsored by ACF.''
    List organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key 
individuals who will work on the project along with a short description 
of the nature of their effort or contribution.
Evaluation
    Provide a narrative addressing how the conduct of the project and 
the results of the project will be evaluated. In addressing the 
evaluation of results, state how you will determine the extent to which 
the project has achieved its stated objectives and the extent to which 
the accomplishment of objectives can be attributed to the project. 
Discuss the criteria to be used to evaluate results, and explain the 
methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified and 
discussed are being met and if the project results and benefits are 
being achieved. With respect to the conduct of the project, define the 
procedures to be employed to determine whether the project is being 
conducted in a manner consistent with the work plan presented and 
discuss the impact of the project's various activities on the project's 
effectiveness.
Staff and Position Data
    Provide a biographical sketch and job description for each key 
person appointed. Job descriptions for each vacant key position should 
be included as well. As new key staff is appointed, biographical 
sketches will also be required.
Dissemination Plan
    Provide a plan for distributing reports and other project outputs 
to colleagues and the public. Applicants must provide a description of 
the kind, volume and timing of distribution.
Third-Party Agreements
    Provide written and signed agreements between grantees and 
subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These 
agreements must detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules, 
remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define 
the relationship.
Budget and Budget Justification
    Provide a budget with line item detail and detailed calculations 
for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. 
Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit 
costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the 
calculation to be duplicated. Also include a breakout by the funding 
sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the 
categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, 
and allocability of the proposed costs.
General
    Use the following guidelines for preparing the budget and budget 
justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed 
and justified in the budget and narrative justification. ``Federal 
resources'' refers only to the ACF grant for which you are applying. 
``Non Federal resources'' are all other Federal and non-Federal 
resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be 
presented in a columnar format: First column, object class categories; 
second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), 
and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be a 
narrative.
Personnel
    Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.
    Justification: Identify the project director or principal 
investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time 
commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project 
(as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, 
wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel 
costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or businesses to 
be financed by the applicant.
Fringe Benefits
    Description: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as 
part of an approved indirect cost rate.
    Justification: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages 
that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, 
retirement insurance, taxes, etc.
Travel
    Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the 
applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel).
    Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), 
travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if 
privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs 
and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF-
sponsored workshops should be detailed in the budget.
Equipment
    Description: ``Equipment'' means an article of nonexpendable, 
tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year 
and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of (a) the 
capitalization level established by the organization for the financial 
statement purposes, or (b) $5,000. (Note: Acquisition cost means the 
net invoice unit price of an item of equipment, including the cost of 
any modifications, attachments, accessories, or auxiliary apparatus 
necessary to make it usable for the purpose for which it is acquired. 
Ancillary charges, such as taxes, duty, protective in-transit 
insurance, freight, and installation shall be included in or excluded 
from acquisition cost in accordance with the organization's regular 
written accounting practices.)
    Justification: For each type of equipment requested, provide a 
description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, 
the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or 
disposal of the equipment after the project ends. An applicant 
organization that uses its own definition for equipment should provide 
a copy of its policy or section of its policy which includes the 
equipment definition.
Supplies
    Description: Costs of all tangible personal property other than 
that included under the Equipment category.
    Justification: Specify general categories of supplies and their 
costs. Show computations and provide other information which supports 
the amount requested.
Contractual
    Description: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except 
for those that belong under other categories such as equipment, 
supplies, construction, etc. Include third party evaluation contracts 
(if applicable) and contracts with secondary recipient organizations, 
including delegate agencies and specific project(s) or businesses to be 
financed by the applicant.
    Justification: Demonstrate that all procurement transactions will 
be conducted in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, 
open and free competition. Recipients and subrecipients, other than 
States that are required to use Part 92 procedures, must justify any 
anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without 
competition and exceed the simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 
U.S.C. 403(11) (currently set at $100,000).

[[Page 32823]]

    Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-award 
review and procurement documents, such as request for proposals or 
invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc.

    Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the 
project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed 
budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency 
title, along with the required supporting information referred to in 
these instructions.

Other
    Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable 
and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, food, 
medical and dental costs (noncontractual), professional services costs, 
space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, 
training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development costs, 
and administrative costs.
    Justification: Provide computations, a narrative description and a 
justification for each cost under this category.
Indirect Charges
    Description: Total amount of indirect costs. This category should 
be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate 
approved by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) or 
another cognizant Federal agency.
    Justification: An applicant that will charge indirect costs to the 
grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the 
applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or 
renegotiating a rate, upon notification that an award will be made, it 
should immediately develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal 
based on its most recently completed fiscal year, in accordance with 
the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, 
and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of 
their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. When an 
indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect 
cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. 
Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is 
allowed under the program, the authorized representative of the 
applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the 
applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.
Non-Federal Resources
    Description: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to 
support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Justification: The firm commitment of these resources must be 
documented and submitted with the application so the applicant is given 
credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for 
each funding source.
Total Direct Charges, Total Indirect Charges, Total Project Costs

Evaluation Criteria

    The following evaluation criteria appear in weighted descending 
order. The corresponding score values indicate the relative importance 
that ACF places on each evaluation criterion; however, applicants need 
not develop their applications precisely according to the order 
presented. Application components may be organized such that a reviewer 
will be able to follow a seamless and logical flow of information 
(i.e., from a broad overview of the project to more detailed 
information about how it will be conducted).
    In considering how applicants will carry out the responsibilities 
addressed under this announcement, competing applications for financial 
assistance will be reviewed and evaluated against the following 
criteria:
Approach--30 Points
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the proposed 
approach, methods, and analytic techniques are appropriate and 
sufficient for addressing the questions proposed in the application.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the approach 
is the most rigorous appropriate, including the use of random 
assignment for evaluation studies. Further, the review will assess the 
extent to which the planned analyses reflect knowledge and use of 
state-of-the-art analytic techniques and can be expected to advance the 
state of the art and knowledge in relation to research on healthy 
marriage, particularly among low-income populations and racial and 
ethnic minorities.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the project 
plan reflects careful and appropriate consideration of differences in 
low-income populations and racial and ethnic minorities in a study 
focused on healthy marriage.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the overall 
project plan is reasonable and can be expected to be successfully 
accomplished on the schedule proposed, at the funding and staffing 
levels proposed.
Results or Benefits Expected--25 Points
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the results 
expected, as described in the application, will lead to knowledge and 
improvements that can be straightforwardly applied and used by those 
providing direct services in the field of healthy marriage.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the project 
and expected findings/results will substantially improve knowledge and 
understanding regarding family formation and healthy marriage among 
low-income populations and racial and ethnic minorities within the 
context of direct services or research in the field of healthy 
marriage.
Staff and Position Data--20 Points
    Applications will be evaluated on the demonstrated relevance of the 
experience and expertise of the proposed principal investigator and 
other key staff for carrying out the proposed project.
    Applicants should describe relevant prior experience for all key 
personnel in carrying out the activities and the types of analyses 
expected to be necessary in the proposed project. Listings or 
descriptions of prior studies are not sufficient.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which proposed key 
staff have demonstrated experience working with or studying low-income 
populations and racial and ethnic minorities in the area of family 
formation and/or healthy marriage.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the time to 
be devoted to the project by the principal investigator is sufficient 
to ensure a high level of professional input and attention to all 
aspects of the study.
Objectives and Need for Assistance--15 Points
    Applications will be evaluated on the clarity of the statement of 
the problem or issue they will address and the relevance of that 
problem/issue to the objectives of ACF's Healthy Marriage Initiative 
and the purposes of this announcement.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which they 
demonstrate that the project or study will address an important need 
related to the study of or direct services for healthy marriage, 
particularly among low-income populations and racial and ethnic 
minorities.
Budget and Budget Justification--10 Points
    Applications will be evaluated on the reasonableness and 
appropriateness of the budget in relation to the proposed scope and 
scale of the project.

[[Page 32824]]

    Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the budget 
items are well justified in support of the proposed project and 
objectives and do not include superfluous items.
    Applications will be evaluated on the extent of the cost-share 
provided. Grantees must provide at least 5 percent of the total 
approved cost of the project.

2. Review and Selection Process

    No grant award will be made under this announcement on the basis of 
an incomplete application.
    Timely applications from eligible applicants will be reviewed and 
scored competitively. Reviewers will use the evaluation criteria listed 
above to review and score the application.
    In addition, ACF may solicit comments from ACF Regional Office 
staff, other Federal agencies, and, if determined to be appropriate, 
other knowledgeable individuals. These comments along with those of the 
reviewers will be considered by ACF in making the funding decision.
    In making award decisions, ACF will aim to fund a group of studies 
that together address a wide range of questions of the greatest 
importance to ACF, states, other governmental agencies, and the general 
public. In order to ensure that a wide array of questions, topics, and 
issues will be addressed through projects funded under this 
announcement, in making the final selections, in addition to the review 
criteria identified below, ACF may consider additional factors 
including geographic diversity, racial/ethnic populations studied, 
project type, opportunities to analyze particular sub-groups of the 
population, methods being used and the issues being examined.
    Further, to maximize the benefit of the Federal investment to 
stimulate research and advance knowledge about healthy marriages, ACF 
may give preference t