Medical Professionals Recruitment and Continuing Education Programs, 18990-18995 [2013-07117]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Indian Health Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18990-18995]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07117]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


Medical Professionals Recruitment and Continuing Education 
Programs

    Announcement Type: New Limited Competition Cooperative Agreement.
    Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2013-IHS-HPR-0001.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.970.

Key Dates

    Application Deadline Date: April 30, 2013.
    Review Date: May 13, 2013.
    Earliest Anticipated Start Date: May 30, 2013.
    Proof of Non-Profit Status Due Date: April 30, 2013.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Statutory Authority

    The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive 
Services (OCPS) is accepting competitive cooperative agreement 
applications for support for medical professionals' recruitment and 
continuing education programs. This program is authorized under the 
Snyder Act, 25 U.S.C. 13. This program is described in the Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance under 93.970.

Background

    The mission of the IHS is to raise the physical, mental, social, 
and spiritual health of American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) to 
the highest level. The IHS, an agency within the Department of Health 
and Human Services (HHS), is responsible for providing Federal health 
services to AI/AN. The provision of health services to members of 
Federally-recognized Tribes grew out of the special government-to-
government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian 
Tribes. The IHS is the principal Federal health care provider and 
health advocate for Indian people and its mission is to raise their 
health status to the highest possible level. The IHS provides a 
comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 1.9 
million AI/AN who belong to 566 Federally recognized Tribes in 35 
states.

Purpose

    The purpose of this IHS cooperative agreement is to enhance medical 
professional recruitment and continuing education programs, services 
and activities for AI/AN people. The agency wants to facilitate 
continuing medical education for AI/AN physicians through annual 
meetings and other venues that are culturally competent and sensitive. 
Another purpose is to recruit AI/AN health professionals to pursue jobs 
that serve AI/AN people and improve the health care delivery system. A 
third purpose is to provide opportunities for AI/AN youth to learn 
about the various Federal agencies and possible careers within the 
Federal Government that will result in a national mentoring program and 
creation of a pipeline for AI/AN youth into health careers. These 
activities should result in more AI/AN youth pursuing careers in the 
health professions thereby increasing the number of AI/AN medical 
professionals in the workforce.

Limited Competition Justification

    Competition is limited to organizations with expertise in advancing 
the health of AI/AN people. This limitation is necessary in order for 
IHS to ensure that the training, education, and outreach provided 
through this award are provided in a culturally competent manner. 
Additionally, applicants must have experience hosting healthcare forums 
and meetings combining modern medicine and traditional healing 
practices to enhance health care delivery to AI/AN communities. Through 
such experience, applicants should have existing relationships with 
stakeholders that will encourage attendance at the meeting funded 
through this award. Applicants must offer educational programs, 
services and activities specifically tailored to motivating AI/AN 
students to remain in the academic pipeline and to pursue a career in 
the health professions and/or biomedical research. Finally, applicants 
must have experience in providing leadership and programs in various 
care arenas affecting AI/AN, such as diabetes mellitus, human 
immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS), 
domestic violence and methamphetamine use, in order to address the most 
pressing healthcare needs of AI/AN communities.

II. Award Information

Type of Award

    Cooperative Agreement.

Estimated Funds Available

    The total amount of funding identified for the current fiscal year, 
FY 2013, is approximately $25,000. The award is for three years with 
$25,000 available for each year for a total funding amount of $75,000 
for the three-year project period. All competing and continuation 
awards issued under this announcement are subject to the availability 
of funds. In the absence of funding, the IHS is under no obligation to 
make any awards selected for funding under this announcement.

Anticipated Number of Awards

    One limited competition award will be issued under this program 
announcement.

Project Period

    The project period will be for 3 years from March 1, 2013 to 
February 29, 2016.

Cooperative Agreement

    In HHS, a cooperative agreement is administered under the same 
policies as a grant. The funding agency (IHS) is required to have 
substantial programmatic involvement in the project during the entire 
award segment. Below is a detailed description of the level of 
involvement required for both IHS and the grantee. IHS will be 
responsible for activities listed under section A and the grantee will 
be responsible for activities listed under section B as stated:

Substantial Involvement Description for Cooperative Agreement

A. IHS Programmatic Involvement
    (1) The IHS would like to support an annual meeting of AI/AN 
physicians and other health professionals. At least two IHS staff will 
be part of the planning committee for any meetings or training. They 
will work closely with the planning staff on all aspects of the meeting 
and training including development of the agenda, keynote

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speakers, and special educational sessions, etc. The IHS staff is 
familiar with AI/AN physicians and other health professionals 
throughout Indian country. The IHS will also provide links to the 
applicant's Web site from the IHS Web site.
    (2) IHS staff will also participate in any Federal meetings within 
the HHS and AI/AN youth to help facilitate information about the 
various agencies and to encourage youth to consider careers within HHS. 
This will help youth be more knowledgeable about Federal programs and 
resources available to AI/AN communities.
    (3) IHS Clinical Support Center (CSC) will provide a process for 
offering continuing education (CE) credits for the annual meeting 
participants. The CSC is accredited as a sponsor of CE by various 
medical professional organizations.
    (4) IHS Division of Health Professions Support will share 
information on recruitment strategies and current program information 
with applicant's staff and members. This sharing and dialogue will 
enhance communication and improve efforts to reach out to more AI/AN 
physicians and medical professionals.
B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities
    (1) Overall coordination and management of the annual meeting of 
AI/AN physicians and other health professionals including hosting the 
planning committee and setting up conference calls and meetings in 
preparation of the annual meeting.
    (2) Manage registration and logistics for annual meeting.
    (3) Distribute flyers and brochures to promote the annual meeting.
    (4) Finalize the agenda and all materials.
    (5) Provide meeting information on applicant's Web site with links 
to IHS Web site.
    (6) Develop a mentoring program for AI/AN youth and young adults. 
This mentoring program will help support youth that are interested in 
pursuing a career in the medical professions.
    (7) Provide opportunities for AI/AN youth to learn more about 
Federal programs and resources available especially for educational 
opportunities in the field of medicine. This effort will result in a 
more informed youth population that better understands the 
relationships between the Federal and Tribal governments.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligibility

    This funding opportunity is limited to 501(c)(3) non-profit 
organizations. Proof of 501(c)(3) status must be provided. In addition, 
applicant organizations must meet the following criteria:
     Have as a core goal improving the health of AI/AN.
     Be committed to pursuing excellence in Native American 
health care by promoting education in the medical disciplines, honoring 
traditional healing principles and restoring the balance of mind, body 
and spirit.
     Offer educational programs, services and activities that 
motivate AI/AN students to remain in the academic pipeline and to 
pursue a career in the health professions and/or biomedical research.
     Foster forums where modern medicine combines with 
traditional healing to enhance health care delivery to AI/AN 
communities.
     Provide leadership in various care arenas affecting AI/AN 
such as diabetes mellitus, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and 
methamphetamine use.

    Note: Please refer to Section IV.2 (Application and Submission 
Information/Subsection 2, Content and Form of Application 
Submission) for additional poof of applicant status documents 
required such as Tribal resolutions, proof of non-profit status, 
etc.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    The IHS does not require matching funds or cost sharing for grants 
or cooperative agreements.

3. Other Requirements

    If application budgets exceed the highest dollar amount outlined 
under the ``Estimated Funds Available'' section within this funding 
announcement, the application will be considered ineligible and will 
not be reviewed for further consideration. If deemed ineligible, IHS 
will not return the application. The applicant will be notified by 
email by the Division of Grants Management (DGM) of this decision.
Proof of Non-Profit Status
    Organizations claiming non-profit status must submit proof. A copy 
of the 501(c)(3) Certificate must be received with your application 
submission by the Application Deadline Date listed under the Key Dates 
section on page one of this announcement.
    Applicants submitting any of the above additional documentation 
after the initial application submission due date are required to 
ensure the information was received by the IHS by obtaining 
documentation confirming delivery (i.e. FedEx tracking, postal return 
receipt, etc.).

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Obtaining Application Materials

    The application package and detailed instructions for this 
announcement can be found at https://www.Grants.gov or https://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/gogp/index.cfm?module=gogp_funding. 
Questions regarding the electronic application process may be directed 
to Paul Gettys at (301) 443-2114.

2. Content and Form Application Submission

    The applicant must include the project narrative as an attachment 
to the application package. Mandatory documents for all applicants 
include:

 Table of contents.
 Abstract (one page) summarizing the project.
 Application forms:
    [cir] SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance.
    [cir] SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs.
    [cir] SF-424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.
 Budget Justification and Narrative (must be single-spaced and 
not exceed five pages).
 Project Narrative (must not exceed ten pages).
    [cir] Background information on the organization.
    [cir] Proposed scope of work, objectives, and activities that 
provide a description of what will be accomplished, including a one-
page Timeframe Chart.
 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL).
 Certification Regarding Lobbying (GG-LobbyingForm).
 Copy of current Negotiated Indirect Cost rate (IDC) agreement 
(required) in order to receive IDC.
 Documentation of current OMB A-133 required Financial Audit 
(if applicable).
    Acceptable forms of documentation include:
    [cir] Email confirmation from Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) 
that audits were submitted; or
    [cir] Face sheets from audit reports. These can be found on the FAC 
Web site: https://harvester.census.gov/sac/dissem/accessoptions.html?submit=Go+To+Database.

[[Page 18992]]

Public Policy Requirements
    All Federal-wide public policies apply to IHS grants with exception 
of the Discrimination policy.
Requirements for Project and Budget Narratives
    A. Project Narrative: This narrative should be a separate Word 
document that is no longer than ten pages and must: Be single-spaced, 
be type written, have consecutively numbered pages, use black type not 
smaller than 12 characters per one inch, and be printed on one side 
only of standard size 8-\1/2\'' x 11'' paper.
    Be sure to succinctly answer all questions listed under the 
evaluation criteria (refer to Section V.1, Evaluation criteria in this 
announcement) and place all responses and required information in the 
correct section (noted below), or they will not be considered or 
scored. These narratives will assist the Objective Review Committee 
(ORC) in becoming more familiar with the grantee's activities and 
accomplishments prior to this possible grant award. If the narrative 
exceeds the page limit, only the first ten pages will be reviewed. The 
10-page limit for the narrative does not include the work plan, 
standard forms, table of contents, budget, budget justifications, 
narratives, and/or other appendix items.
    There are three parts to the narrative: Part A--Program 
Information; Part B--Program Planning and Evaluation; and Part C--
Program Report. See below for additional details about what must be 
included in the narrative.
Part A: Program Information (3 Page Limitation)
Section 1: Needs
    Describe the applicant's organizational commitment and 
administrative infrastructure to support this agreement. Explain 
previous planning activities for any conferences, annual meetings and 
other forums or programs for AI/AN physicians and other health 
professionals. Describe the relationship with the IHS and the capacity 
to support this work.
Part B: Program Planning and Evaluation (3 Page Limitation)
Section 1: Program Plans
    Describe any conferences, annual meetings and other forums or 
program plans for AI/AN physicians and health professionals in clear 
detail including the proposed timelines and activities. The purpose of 
the meeting would be to provide continuing education for physicians and 
other health professionals on topics to improve the health of AI/AN 
patients, families and communities. Describe the anticipated impact of 
the meeting as it relates to improving the health services for AI/AN. 
In addition, describe plans to develop a mentoring program and pipeline 
for recruiting more AI/AN youth into the medical professions. Describe 
the target audience and goals of such programs to increase the number 
of AI/ANs physicians and health care professionals providing health 
services to the Native American population.
Section 2: Program Evaluation
    Describe fully and clearly the plans for evaluating the impact of 
an annual meeting of AI/AN physicians and other health care 
professionals with anticipated results. Describe the plans for 
mentoring programs and preparing more AI/AN youth to enter the medical 
professionals in the workforce.
Part C: Program Report (3 Page Limitation)
    Section 1: Describe major Accomplishments over the last 24 months.
    Describe major accomplishments by the applicant over the last 24 
months as it relates to recruiting more AI/AN youth into the medical 
professions and continuing to provide continuing education 
opportunities (meetings, conferences) for AI/AN physicians and other 
medical professionals.
    Please identify and describe significant program achievements 
associated with improving the health of the AI/AN population. Provide a 
comparison of the actual accomplishments to the goals established for 
the project.
    B. Budget Narrative: This narrative must describe the budget 
requested and match the scope of work described in the project 
narrative. The page limitation should not exceed five pages.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 
12:00 a.m., midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the Application 
Deadline Date listed in the Key Dates section on page one of this 
announcement. Any application received after the application deadline 
will not be accepted for processing, nor will it be given further 
consideration for funding. The applicant will be notified by the DGM 
via email of this decision.
    If technical challenges arise and assistance is required with the 
electronic application process, contact Grants.gov Customer Support via 
email to support@grants.gov or at (800) 518-4726. Customer Support is 
available to address questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except on 
Federal holidays). If problems persist, contact Paul Gettys, DGM 
(Paul.Gettys@ihs.gov) at (301) 443-2114. Please be sure to contact Mr. 
Gettys at least ten days prior to the application deadline. Please do 
not contact the DGM until you have received a Grants.gov tracking 
number. In the event you are not able to obtain a tracking number, call 
the DGM as soon as possible.
    If the applicant needs to submit a paper application instead of 
submitting electronically via Grants.gov, prior approval must be 
requested and obtained (see Section IV.6 below for additional 
information). The waiver must be documented in writing (emails are 
acceptable), before submitting a paper application. A copy of the 
written approval must be submitted with the hardcopy that is mailed to 
the DGM. Once the waiver request has been approved, the applicant will 
receive a confirmation of approval and the mailing address to submit 
the application. Paper applications that are submitted without a waiver 
from the Acting Director of DGM will not be reviewed or considered 
further for funding. The applicant will be notified via email of this 
decision by the Grants Management Officer of DGM. Paper applications 
must be received by the DGM no later than 5:00 p.m., EST, on the 
Application Deadline Date listed in the Key Dates section on page one 
of this announcement. Late applications will not be accepted for 
processing or considered for funding.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    Executive Order 12372 requiring intergovernmental review is not 
applicable to this program.

5. Funding Restrictions

     Pre-award costs are not allowable.
     The available funds are inclusive of direct and 
appropriate indirect costs.
     Only one grant/cooperative agreement will be awarded per 
applicant.
     IHS will not acknowledge receipt of applications.

6. Electronic Submission Requirements

    All applications must be submitted electronically. Please use the 
https://www.Grants.gov Web site to submit an application electronically 
and select the ``Find Grant Opportunities'' link on the homepage. 
Download a copy of the application package, complete it offline, and 
then upload and submit the completed application via the https://www.Grants.gov Web site. Electronic copies of the application may not 
be

[[Page 18993]]

submitted as attachments to email messages addressed to IHS employees 
or offices.
    If the applicant receives a waiver to submit paper application 
documents, they must follow the rules and timelines that are noted 
below. The applicant must seek assistance at least ten days prior to 
the Application Deadline Date listed in the Key Dates section on page 
one of this announcement.
    Applicants that do not adhere to the timelines for System for Award 
Management (SAM) and/or https://www.Grants.gov registration or that fail 
to request timely assistance with technical issues will not be 
considered for a waiver to submit a paper application.
    Please be aware of the following:
     Please search for the application package in https://www.Grants.gov by entering the CFDA number or the Funding Opportunity 
Number. Both numbers are located in the header of this announcement.
     If you experience technical challenges while submitting 
your application electronically, please contact Grants.gov Support 
directly at: support@grants.gov or (800) 518-4726. Customer Support is 
available to address questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except on 
Federal holidays).
     Upon contacting Grants.gov, obtain a tracking number as 
proof of contact. The tracking number is helpful if there are technical 
issues that cannot be resolved and waiver from the agency must be 
obtained.
     If it is determined that a waiver is needed, the applicant 
must submit a request in writing (emails are acceptable) to 
GrantsPolicy@ihs.gov with a copy to Tammy.Bagley@ihs.gov. Please 
include a clear justification for the need to deviate from the standard 
electronic submission process.
     If the waiver is approved, the application should be sent 
directly to the DGM by the Application Deadline Date listed in the Key 
Dates section on page one of this announcement.
     Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the 
deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov as 
the registration process for SAM and Grants.gov could take up to 
fifteen working days.
     Please use the optional attachment feature in Grants.gov 
to attach additional documentation that may be requested by the DGM.
     All applicants must comply with any page limitation 
requirements described in this Funding Announcement.
     After electronically submitting the application, the 
applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The DGM will download the 
application from Grants.gov and provide necessary copies to the 
appropriate agency officials. Neither the DGM nor the OCPS will notify 
the applicant that the application has been received.
     Email applications will not be accepted under this 
announcement.
Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
    All IHS applicants and grantee organizations are required to obtain 
a DUNS number and maintain an active registration in the SAM database. 
The DUNS number is a unique 9-digit identification number provided by 
D&B which uniquely identifies each entity. The DUNS number is site 
specific; therefore, each distinct performance site may be assigned a 
DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy, and there is no charge. 
To obtain a DUNS number, please access it through https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform, or to expedite the process, call (866) 705-
5711.
    All HHS recipients are required by the Federal Funding 
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, as amended (``Transparency 
Act''), to report information on subawards. Accordingly, all IHS 
grantees must notify potential first-tier subrecipients that no entity 
may receive a first-tier subaward unless the entity has provided its 
DUNS number to the prime grantee organization. This requirement ensures 
the use of a universal identifier to enhance the quality of information 
available to the public pursuant to the ``Transparency Act.''
System for Award Management (SAM)
    Organizations that were not registered with Central Contractor 
Registration (CCR) and have not registered with SAM will need to obtain 
a DUNS number first and then access the SAM online registration through 
the SAM home page at https://www.sam.gov (U.S. organizations will also 
need to provide an Employer Identification Number from the Internal 
Revenue Service that may take an additional 2-5 weeks to become 
active). Completing and submitting the registration takes approximately 
one hour to complete and SAM registration will take 3-5 business days 
to process. Registration with the SAM is free of charge. Applicants may 
register online at  https://www.sam.gov.
    Additional information on implementing the Transparency Act, 
including the specific requirements for DUNS and SAM, can be found on 
the IHS Grants Management, Grants Policy Web site: https://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/gogp/index.cfm?module=gogp_policy_topics.

V. Application Review Information

    The instructions for preparing the application narrative also 
constitute the evaluation criteria for reviewing and scoring the 
application. Weights assigned to each section are noted in parentheses. 
The 10-page narrative should include only the first year of activities; 
information for multi-year projects should be included as an appendix. 
See ``Multi-year Project Requirements'' at the end of this section for 
more information. The narrative section should be written in a manner 
that is clear to outside reviewers unfamiliar with prior related 
activities of the applicant. It should be well organized, succinct, and 
contain all information necessary for reviewers to understand the 
project fully. Points will be assigned to each evaluation criteria 
adding up to a total of 100 points. A minimum score of 75 points is 
required for funding. Points are assigned as follows:

1. Criteria

A. Introduction and Need for Assistance (30 points)
    This section should include an understanding of the need for 
assistance and collaboration for any meetings or trainings. Applicant 
should demonstrate demographic and health status of the AI/AN people; 
geographic and social factors including availability of health 
providers and access to care; funding streams and available resources 
and partners that can support this work; and organizational structure 
of the Indian health system. Applicant should also describe the current 
and projected demand for AI/AN providers.
B. Project Objective(s), Work Plan and Approach (40 points)
    This section should demonstrate the soundness and effectiveness of 
the applicant's proposal. Describe how the planning will be managed and 
the role of all organizations.
C. Program Evaluation (10 points)
    This section should show how the progress on this project will be 
assessed and how the success of the recruitment program will be 
evaluated. Specifically, list and describe the outcomes by which the 
program will be evaluated. Identify the individuals responsible for 
evaluation of the annual meeting and their qualifications.

[[Page 18994]]

D. Organizational Capabilities, Key Personnel and Qualifications (10 
points)
    This section outlines the broader capacity of the organization to 
complete the project outlined in the work plan. It includes the 
identification of personnel responsible for completing tasks and the 
chain of responsibility for successful completion of the program 
outlined in the work plan.
    (1) Describe the structure of the organization.
    (2) Describe the ability of the organization to manage the proposed 
projects.
    (3) List key personnel who will work on the projects and annual 
meeting. In the appendix, include position descriptions and resumes of 
key staff and their duties and experience. Describe who will be writing 
progress reports.
E. Categorical Budget and Budget Justification (10 points)
    This section should provide a clear estimate of the program costs 
and justification for expenses for the cooperative agreement period. 
The budget and budget justification should be consistent with the tasks 
identified in the work plan. If indirect costs are claimed, indicate 
and apply the current negotiated rate to the budget. Include a copy of 
the rate agreement in the appendix. Categorical budget (Form SF 424A) 
should be completed for each of the budget periods requested.
Multi-Year Project Requirements (if applicable)
    Projects requiring second, third, fourth, and/or fifth year must 
include a brief project narrative and budget (one additional page per 
year) addressing the developmental plans for each additional year of 
the project.
Appendix Items
     Work plan, logic model and/or time line for proposed 
objectives.
     Consultant or contractor proposed scope of work and letter 
of commitment (if applicable).
     Current Indirect Cost Agreement.
     Additional documents to support narrative (i.e. data 
tables, key news articles, etc.).

2. Review and Selection

    Each application will be prescreened by the DGM staff for 
eligibility and completeness as outlined in the funding announcement. 
Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the 
eligibility criteria will not be referred to the ORC. Applicants will 
be notified by DGM, via email, to outline minor missing components 
(i.e., signature on the SF-424, audit documentation, key contact form) 
needed for an otherwise complete application. All missing documents 
must be sent to DGM on or before the due date listed in the email of 
notification of missing documents required.
    To obtain a minimum score for funding by the ORC, applicants must 
address all program requirements and provide all required 
documentation. If an applicant receives less than a minimum score, it 
will be considered to be ``Disapproved'' and will be informed via email 
by the IHS Program Office of their application's deficiencies. A 
summary statement outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the 
application will be provided to each disapproved applicant. The summary 
statement will be sent to the Authorized Organizational Representative 
(AOR) that is identified on the face page (SF-424) of the application 
within 30 days of the completion of the Objective Review.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

    The Notice of Award (NoA) is a legally binding document signed by 
the Grants Management Officer and serves as the official notification 
of the grant award. The NoA will be initiated by the DGM in the grant 
system, GrantSolutions (https://www.grantsolutions.gov). Each entity 
that is approved for funding under this announcement will need to 
request or have a user account in GrantSolutions in order to retrieve 
their NoA. The NoA is the authorizing document for which funds are 
dispersed to the approved entities and reflects the amount of Federal 
funds awarded, the purpose of the grant, the terms and conditions of 
the award, the effective date of the award, and the budget/project 
period.
Disapproved Applicants
    Applicants who received a score less than the recommended funding 
level for approval (75) and were deemed to be disapproved by the ORC 
will receive an Executive Summary Statement from the IHS program office 
within 30 days of the conclusion of the ORC outlining the weaknesses 
and strengths of the submitted application. The IHS program office will 
also provide additional contact information as needed to address 
questions and concerns as well as provide technical assistance if 
desired.
Approved But Unfunded Applicants
    Approved but unfunded applicants that met the minimum scoring range 
and were deemed by the ORC to be ``Approved'', but were not funded due 
to lack of funding, will have their applications held by DGM for a 
period of one year. If additional funding becomes available during the 
course of FY 2013, the approved applications may be re-considered by 
the awarding program office for possible funding. The applicant will 
also receive an Executive Summary Statement from the IHS program office 
within 30 days of the conclusion of the ORC.

    Note: Any correspondence other than the official NoA issued by 
an IHS Grants Management Official announcing to the Project Director 
that an award has been made to their organization is not an 
authorization to implement their program on behalf of IHS.

2. Administrative Requirements

    Cooperative agreements are administered in accordance with the 
following regulations, policies, and Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) cost principles:
    A. The criteria as outlined in this Program Announcement.
    B. Administrative Regulations for Grants:
     45 CFR Part 92, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State, Local and Tribal 
Governments.
     45 CFR Part 74, Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Awards and Subawards to Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, 
and other Non-profit Organizations.
    C. Grants Policy:
     HHS Grants Policy Statement, Revised 01/07.
    D. Cost Principles:
     2 CFR Part 225--Cost Principles for State, Local, and 
Indian Tribal Governments (OMB Circular A-87).
     2 CFR Part 230--Cost Principles for Non-Profit 
Organizations (OMB Circular A-122).
    E. Audit Requirements:
     OMB Circular A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments, 
and Non-profit Organizations.

3. Indirect Costs

    This section applies to all grant recipients that request 
reimbursement of indirect costs (IDC) in their grant application. In 
accordance with HHS Grants Policy Statement, Part II-27, IHS requires 
applicants to obtain a current IDC rate agreement prior to award. The 
rate agreement must be prepared in accordance with the applicable cost 
principles and guidance as provided by

[[Page 18995]]

the cognizant agency or office. A current rate covers the applicable 
grant activities under the current award's budget period. If the 
current rate is not on file with the DGM at the time of award, the IDC 
portion of the budget will be restricted. The restrictions remain in 
place until the current rate is provided to the DGM.
    Generally, IDC rates for IHS grantees are negotiated with the 
Division of Cost Allocation (DCA) https://rates.psc.gov/ and the 
Department of Interior (Interior Business Center) https://www.doi.gov/ibc/services/Indirect_Cost_Services/index.cfm. For questions 
regarding the indirect cost policy, please call (301) 443-5204 to 
request assistance.

4. Reporting Requirements

    The grantee must submit required reports consistent with the 
applicable deadlines. Failure to submit required reports within the 
time allowed may result in suspension or termination of an active 
grant, withholding of additional awards for the project, or other 
enforcement actions such as withholding of payments or converting to 
the reimbursement method of payment. Continued failure to submit 
required reports may result in one or both of the following: (1) The 
imposition of special award provisions; and (2) the non-funding or non-
award of other eligible projects or activities. This requirement 
applies whether the delinquency is attributable to the failure of the 
grantee organization or the individual responsible for preparation of 
the reports. Reports must be submitted electronically via 
GrantSolutions. Personnel responsible for submitting reports will be 
required to obtain a login and password for GrantSolutions. Please see 
the Agency Contacts list in section VII for the systems contact 
information.
    The reporting requirements for this program are noted below.
A. Progress Reports
    Program progress reports are required semiannually, within 30 days 
after the budget period ends. These reports must include a brief 
comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals established for the 
period, or, if applicable, provide sound justification for the lack of 
progress, and other pertinent information as required. A final report 
must be submitted within 90 days of expiration of the budget/project 
period.
B. Financial Reports
    Federal Financial Report FFR (SF-425), Cash Transaction Reports are 
due 30 days after the close of every calendar quarter to the Division 
of Payment Management, HHS at: https://www.dpm.psc.gov. It is 
recommended that the applicant also send a copy of the FFR (SF-425) 
report to the Grants Management Specialist. Failure to submit timely 
reports may cause a disruption in timely payments to the applicant's 
organization.
    Grantees are responsible and accountable for accurate information 
being reported on all required reports: the Progress Reports and FFR.
C. Federal Subaward Reporting System (FSRS)
    This award may be subject to the Transparency Act subaward and 
executive compensation reporting requirements of 2 CFR Part 170.
    The Transparency Act requires the OMB to establish a single 
searchable database, accessible to the public, with information on 
financial assistance awards made by Federal agencies. The Transparency 
Act also includes a requirement for recipients of Federal grants to 
report information about first-tier subawards and executive 
compensation under Federal assistance awards.
    IHS has implemented a Term of Award into all IHS Standard Terms and 
Conditions, NoAs and funding announcements regarding the FSRS reporting 
requirement. This IHS Term of Award is applicable to all IHS grant and 
cooperative agreements issued on or after October 1, 2010, with a 
$25,000 subaward obligation dollar threshold met for any specific 
reporting period. Additionally, all new (discretionary) IHS awards 
(where the project period is made up of more than one budget period) 
and where: 1) the project period start date was October 1, 2010 or 
after and 2) the primary awardee will have a $25,000 subaward 
obligation dollar threshold during any specific reporting period will 
be required to address the FSRS reporting. For the full IHS award term 
implementing this requirement and additional award applicability 
information, visit the Grants Management Grants Policy Web site at: 
https://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/gogp/index.cfm?module=gogp_policy_topics.
    Telecommunication for the hearing impaired is available at: TTY 
(301) 443-6394.

VII. Agency Contacts

    1. Questions on the programmatic issues may be directed to: Susan 
Karol, MD, Chief Medical Officer, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP Suite 400, 
Rockville, MD 20852, Phone: 301-443-1083, Fax: 301-443-4794, Email: 
Susan.Karol@ihs.gov.
    2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be 
directed to: Ms. Cherron Smith, Grants Management Specialist, 801 
Thompson Avenue, TMP Suite 360, Rockville, MD 20852, Phone: 301-443-
5204, Fax: 301-443-9602, Email: Cherron.Smith@ihs.gtov.
    3. Questions on systems matters may be directed to: Paul Gettys, 
Grant Systems Coordinator, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP Suite 360, 
Rockville, MD 20852, Phone: 301-443-2114; or the DGM main line 301-443-
5204, Fax: 301-443-9602, email: Paul.Gettys@ihs.gov.

VIII. Other Information

    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all cooperative 
agreement and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and 
promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Pub. L. 103-
227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain 
facilities (or in some cases, any portion of the facility) in which 
regular or routine education, library, day care, health care, or early 
childhood development services are provided to children. This is 
consistent with the HHS mission to protect and advance the physical and 
mental health of the American people.

    Dated: March 13, 2013.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07117 Filed 3-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P