Urban Indian Education and Research Organization Cooperative Agreement Program; Office of Urban Indian Health Programs; Announcement Type: New, 40746-40755 [2013-16270]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Indian Health Service

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 130 (Monday, July 8, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40746-40755]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-16270]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service

[Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2013-IHS-OUIHP-0001]


Urban Indian Education and Research Organization Cooperative 
Agreement Program; Office of Urban Indian Health Programs; Announcement 
Type: New

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.193

Key Dates

    Application Deadline Date: August 13, 2013.
    Review Date: August 19, 2013.
    Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 1, 2013.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Statutory Authority

    The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting competitive 
cooperative agreement applications for the Urban Indian Education and 
Research Organization Cooperative Agreement Program project period 
September 1, 2013--August 31, 2016. This program is authorized under: 
the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA), as amended, (25 U.S.C. 
1652, 1654, and 1655), and Section 301(a) of the Public Health Service 
Act. This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under 93.193.

Background

    The Office of Urban Indian Health Programs (OUIHP) oversees the 
implementation of the IHCIA provisions for making health services more 
accessible to urban Indians. Pursuant to those authorities, the IHS 
enters into contracts and grants with urban Indian organizations for 
the provision of health care and referral services for urban Indians 
residing in the urban centers. Those services may include (1) alcohol 
and substance abuse prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and 
education; (2) mental health needs and assessments; (3) health 
promotion and disease prevention services; and (4) immunization 
services. In addition, IHS may enter into contracts with and make 
grants to urban Indian organizations to employ American Indian and 
Alaska Natives (AI/AN) trained as Community Health Representatives to 
provide health care services.

Purpose

    The purpose of this IHS cooperative agreement is to fund a national 
urban Indian organization to act as an education and research partner 
for OUIHP and urban Indian organizations funded under the Indian Health 
Care Improvement Act.

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 $800,000. Individual award amounts are 
anticipated to be between $500,000 and $800,000. 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 awards that are selected for funding under this 
announcement.

Anticipated Number of Awards

    One award will be issued under this program announcement.

Project Period

    The cooperative agreement project period is September 1, 2013 to 
August 31, 2016.

Cooperative Agreement

    In the Department of Health and Human Services (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
    In addition to the usual monitoring and technical assistance 
provided under the cooperative agreement, the IHS/OUIHP 
responsibilities shall include:
    (1) Assurance of the availability of the services of experienced 
staff to participate in the planning and development of all phases of 
this cooperative agreement;
    (2) Working closely with the IHS Public Affairs Office regarding 
dissemination of publications completed under the cooperative 
agreement, and cooperating on the referral of inquiries and request for 
technical assistance, publications and other information;
    (3) Participation in, including the planning of, any meetings 
conducted as part of project activities;

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    (4) Assistance in establishing federal interagency and state 
contacts necessary for the successful completion of tasks and 
activities identified in the approved scope of work;
    (5) Identification of other awardees and organizations with whom 
the awardee will be asked to develop cooperative and collaborative 
relationships; and
    (6) Assisting the awardee to establish, review and update 
priorities for activities conducted under the auspices of the 
cooperative agreement.
B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities
    Requirements and obligations of the cooperative agreement recipient 
shall include:
    (1) Work collaboratively with the urban Indian organizations funded 
under the IHCIA;
    (2) Respond in a flexible manner to collaborating on occasional 
short-term projects, in addition to long-term and on-going efforts;
    (3) Work closely with the Federal Project Officer when hiring new 
key project staff and planning/implementing new activities;
    (4) Consult with the Federal Project Officer before scheduling any 
meetings, including project advisory/steering committee meetings, that 
pertain to the scope of work and at which the Project Officer's 
attendance would be appropriate;
    (5) Provide the Federal Project Officer with the opportunity to 
review, provide advisory input, and approve at the program level, any 
publications, audiovisuals and other materials produced, as well as 
meetings/conferences planned, under the auspices of this cooperative 
agreement (such review should start as part of concept development and 
include review of drafts and final products);
    (6) Provide the Federal Project Officer with an electronic copy of, 
or electronic access to, each product developed under the auspices of 
this project;
    (7) Participate in the implementation of awardee performance 
measures, including the collection of information and administrative 
data, as designated by the OUIHP;
    (8) Ensure that all products developed or produced, either 
partially or in full, under the auspices of this cooperative agreement 
are fully accessible and available for free to members of the public;
    (9) Identify IHS/OUIHP as a funding sponsor on written products and 
during meetings and conferences relevant to cooperative agreement 
activities; and
    (10) Acknowledge IHS/OUIHP has uncontested access to any and all 
data generated under this cooperative agreement, and agree to provide 
royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license for the government 
to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use any products derived from 
activities conducted under this cooperative agreement.
    (11) Comply with relevant Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular provisions regarding lobbying, any applicable lobbying 
restrictions provided under other law and any applicable restriction on 
the use of appropriated funds for lobbying activities.
C. Joint Responsibilities of Awardee and IHS/OUIHP
    The IHS/OUIHP and the awardee have a joint responsibility to 
determine which issues will be addressed during the project period, the 
sequence in which they will be addressed, what approaches and 
strategies will be used to address them, and how relevant information 
will be transmitted to specified target audiences and used to enhance 
project activities and advance the program.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligibility
    This is a competitive application for an urban Indian organization 
as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29), which has a Board of Directors that 
is at least 51 percent urban Indian and can demonstrate the Board of 
Directors is governed primarily by the urban Indian organizations from 
diverse locations. The applicant must provide proof of non-profit 
status, e.g. 501(c)(3), and a listing of Board members including their 
status as an urban Indian, professions, education degrees, and board 
appointment terms.

    Note:  Please refer to Section IV.2 (Application and Submission 
Information/Subsection 2, Content and Form of Application 
Submission) for additional proof of applicant status documents 
required such as 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 the application 
submission by the Application Deadline Date listed under the Key Dates 
section on page one of this announcement.
    An applicant submitting any of the above additional documentation 
after the initial application submission due date is 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/dgm/index.cfm?module=dsp_dgm_funding.
    Questions regarding the electronic application process may be 
directed to Paul Gettys at (301) 443-5204.
2. Content and Form Application Submission
    The applicant must include the project narrative in the appendix 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 be single spaced and not exceed 70 
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 Time 
Frame Chart.
     Letter of Support from Organization's Board of Directors.
     501(c)(3) Certificate
     Biographical sketches for all Key Personnel.

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     Contractor/Consultant resumes or qualifications and scope 
of work.
     Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL).
     Certification Regarding Lobbying (GG-Lobbying Form).
     Copy of current Negotiated Indirect Cost (IDC) rate 
agreement (required) in order to receive IDC.
     Copy of Current Approved Organizational Chart.
     Documentation of current Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) A-133 required Financial Audit.
    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.

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 70 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 grant award. If the narrative exceeds the 
page limit, only the first 70 pages will be reviewed. The 70-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
    Section 1: Needs--Public Policy, Research and Data, Structured 
Training and Technical Assistance for UIOs, Education, Public 
Relations, and Marketing of UIOs
    This section outlines the needs of urban Indian organizations. The 
target population and its unmet health needs must be described and 
documented in this section. Include socio-cultural determinants of 
health and health disparities impacting the urban Indian population or 
communities served and unmet. Demographic data should be used and cited 
whenever possible to support the information provided. Please discuss 
any relevant barriers that the project hopes to overcome. This section 
should help reviewers understand the urban Indian organizations that 
will be served by the proposed project.

Instructions

    Applicants should summarize the need for services including: (1) 
Public policy, (2) research and data, (3) structured training and 
technical assistance for urban Indian organizations, and (4) education, 
public relations and marketing of urban Indian organizations. Describe 
how the applicant determined it has the administrative infrastructure 
to provide these services. Explain the previous planning activities the 
applicant has completed and if the applicant has identified or will 
establish best-practices or evidence-based practices relative to these 
services.
(1) Public Policy
    A. Applicants should summarize the public policy opportunities and 
challenges of health care reform on urban Indian organizations: Public 
Law 111-148, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 
March 21, 2010; House of Representatives 4872, the Health Care and 
Education Reconciliation Act of March 23, 2010; and the Indian Health 
Care Improvement Reauthorization and Extension Act of 2009 (IHCIA).
    B. Applicants should identify and align the urban Indian 
organizations' priorities with the Agency priorities in the context of 
health care reform. Applicants should describe how the Healthy People 
2020 goals and objectives will be incorporated to guide their national 
health promotion and disease prevention efforts to improve the health 
of urban Indians. These priorities should align with the urban Indian 
organizations' budget formulation process that establishes their 
specific health priorities.
    C. Applicants should summarize the need to work with, but not be 
limited to, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), 
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Substance Abuse 
and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention (CDC), and Agency for Healthcare Research and 
Quality (AHRQ), and states to be able to proactively plan, implement, 
and evaluate the impact of their activities on urban Indian 
organizations' priorities for health care reform. The work with AHRQ 
needs to include specialized focus on the Patient Centered Medical Home 
(PCMH), which is a model for transforming the organization and delivery 
of primary care, and its potential to improve the quality, safety, 
efficiency, and effectiveness of urban Indian health care. The AHRQ 
PCMH Resource Center is a valuable tool to achieve intended outcomes.
    D. Applicants should summarize the need to make certain that public 
policy program activities are complementary, coordinated and non-
duplicative.
    E. Applicants should summarize the need to enhance communication, 
interaction and coordination on health care reform activities by 
initiating and maintaining partnerships and collaborative relationships 
with other urban Indian organizations, national Indian Tribal 
organizations, key state and local health entities, and education and 
safety networks.
(2) Research and Data
    A. Applicants should describe the need to collect and analyze 
health disparities data, morbidity and mortality data, urban Indian 
health services costs data and conduct data analyses in order to reduce 
urban Indian health disparities and identify, improve, evaluate, and 
document urban Indian organization practice-based and evidence-based 
best practices.
    B. Applicants should summarize the need to have access to cost and 
cost-benefit information to create accurate reasonable annual urban 
Indian health budgets.
    C. Applicants should describe coordination with IHS funded Tribal 
and Urban Epidemiological Centers, the CDC, and the IHS to reduce and/
or eliminate barriers that prevent access to data.
(3) Structured Training and Technical Assistance for Urban Indian 
Organizations
    A. Applicants should describe the need for education, technical 
support and training to urban Indian organizations as they implement 
health care reform and work with the Health Insurance Marketplace to 
implement,

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sustain and improve access to quality health care services for urban 
Indians.
    B. Applicants should describe the need for training and technical 
assistance to support urban Indian organization administration: (1) 
Board of directors: roles and responsibilities, criteria to guide 
medical staff credentialing and privileging, and ensure quality and 
patient safety; (2) develop business plans; (3) enhance revenue and 
third-party billing; (4) achieve and maintain program accreditation; 
(5) acquire state licensure, PCMH certification or other state 
credentialing; and (6) enrollment in Medicaid, Medicare, State 
Children's Health Insurance Programs, and qualified health plans 
through an Exchange, whether State-based, Federally-facilitated, or a 
Partnership arrangement.
(4) Education, Public Relations and Marketing of Urban Indian 
Organizations
    A. Applicants should summarize the need to market the urban Indian 
organizations through development of national, regional and local 
marketing strategies and campaigns.
    B. Applicants should describe the need for enhanced communication 
among local private and non-profit health care entities and county and 
state health departments.
    C. Applicants should describe their communications strategy and 
collaborative activities.
Part B: Program Planning and Evaluation
    Section 1: Program Plans--Methodology, Project Goals and 
Objectives, Project Logic Model, Work Plan, Resolution of Challenges, 
and Impact

Methodology

    Propose methods that will be used to meet each of the previously-
described program requirements and expectations in this funding 
opportunity announcement. As appropriate, include development of 
effective tools and strategies for ongoing staff training, outreach, 
collaborations, clear communication, and information sharing/
dissemination with efforts to involve urban Indian organization staff 
and patients, Federal entities, and state health personnel.

Goals and Objectives

    Applicants should state the goals for the proposed project. Project 
goals, which should be national in scope, describe the desired long-
term outcomes. Project goals need to align with and incorporate the 
Healthy People 2020 benchmarks and be monitored to encourage 
collaborations, empower individuals toward making informed health 
decisions, and measure the impact of prevention activities to improve 
the health of urban Indians.
    These goals are broad statements that establish the overall 
direction for, and focus of, a project. They serve as the foundation 
for developing project objectives.
    Applicants should provide at least one specific, achievable, 
measurable, time-framed outcome objective for each proposed project 
goal. Outcome objectives are specific statements of positive change to 
be effected in order to achieve the goals of the project. That is, 
outcome objectives are measurable steps, or stepping stones, for 
reaching goals. They form the basis for monitoring progress toward 
achieving project goals and setting targets for accountability. Each 
objective should be specific; stated in measurable terms; be achievable 
within a given time frame and available resources; be relevant to and 
congruent within the larger project goal; and include a specific time 
frame for achievement. Collectively, the proposed outcome objectives 
should frame the set of national outcomes that the applicant wants to 
achieve in meeting project goals.

Instructions

    1. Applicants should describe proposed approaches and activities 
for achieving project goals and objectives. Methods or activities 
should be presented for addressing each focus of intent for the four 
service areas for which application is made, as outlined in Part A. 
Program Information Needs. In particular, applicants should demonstrate 
that the proposed methodological approaches are national in scope and 
contribute to increased capacity within the urban Indian health system.
    2. Applicants should describe the specific activities necessary to 
carry out each methodological approach. Applicants should take into 
consideration the logic, technical soundness, feasibility, creativity 
and innovativeness, potential utility, and national applicability of 
the activities it proposes.
    3. The description of the project methodology should extend across 
the three years of the project effort.
    4. Applicants should develop a project logic model, a systematic 
diagram, that links anticipated outcomes with the project's activities/
processes and theoretical assumptions. It should include the following 
basic components: Resources/inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and 
impacts. (A useful resource is the logic model Development Guide, W.K. 
Kellogg Foundation, 2004, available at https://www.wkkf.org). The 
project logic model should be included as part of the application 
appendix.
    5. Evidence should be provided that the approaches and activities 
can reasonably be expected to be effective. Literature relevant to the 
methodology may be cited as appropriate.

Work Plan

    Describe the activities or steps that will be used to achieve each 
of the activities proposed during the entire project period in the 
Methodology section. Use a time line that includes each activity and 
identifies responsible staff. As appropriate, identify meaningful 
support and collaboration with key stakeholders in planning, designing 
and implementing all activities, including development of the 
application and, further, the extent to which these contributors 
reflect the cultural and geographic diversity of the urban Indian and 
urban Indian organization locations.

Instructions

    1. Applicants should include a Work Plan that describes the 
sequence of specific activities and steps that will be used to carry 
out each proposed methodological approach. Applicants should explicitly 
describe who will conduct each activity, as well as when, where, and 
how each activity will be carried out.
    2. A detailed time line of proposed project activities should be 
developed by the applicant, and attached as an appendix. The time line 
should link activities to project objectives and should cover the three 
years of the project period.
    3. Applicants should describe an efficient and effective plan for 
managing the project, including its personnel and resources.
    4. Applicants should describe an effective plan for monitoring and 
tracking project activities.

Resolution of Challenges

    Discuss challenges that are likely to be encountered in designing 
and implementing the activities described in the work plan sections, as 
well as approaches that will be used to address such challenges.

Instructions

    Applicants should discuss challenges, including both opportunities 
and barriers, that are likely to be

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encountered in designing and implementing the activities described in 
the Description of Methodology and Work Plan sections, as well as 
approaches that will be used to address such challenges.

Impact

    This section of the Project Narrative discusses the proposed 
project's national audiences that the applicant plans to engage, and 
how project activities will yield materials, resources and other 
benefits for them.

Instructions

    1. Applicants should explain how the proposed project's products 
and results will have a national scope and applicability.
    2. Applicants should provide an inclusive description of its 
national target audiences as well as its proposed strategies for 
reaching these audiences. The plan should include, but not be limited 
to, electronic and Internet capacity.
    3. Applicants should describe how and to what extent the proposed 
project activities will directly improve leadership within the urban 
Indian health services and systems being targeted, and contribute to 
improve health status among urban Indians. The applicant should include 
a description of how it intends to mobilize its audiences to learn from 
and actually use the materials, products and resources it has developed 
to address the four program requirements identified in Part A. Program 
Information Needs.
Section 2: Program Evaluation

Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity

    Describe current experience, skills, and knowledge, including 
individuals on staff, materials published, and previous work of a 
similar nature. As appropriate, describe the data collection strategy 
to collect, analyze and track data to measure process and impact/
outcomes, with urban Indian organizations, Tribes, national Indian 
organizations and states and explain how the data will be used to 
inform program development and service delivery.
    Evaluation and self-assessment have vital importance for quality 
improvement and assessing the value-added contribution of urban Indian 
education and research investments. Consequently, cooperative agreement 
projects are expected to incorporate a carefully designed and well-
planned evaluation protocol capable of demonstrating and documenting 
measurable progress toward reaching the project's stated goals through 
achievement of the project's measurable objectives. The evaluation 
protocol should be based on a clear rationale relating the identified 
needs of the target population with project goals, award activities, 
and the evaluation measures. Whenever possible, the measurements of 
progress toward goals should focus on outcomes and results over which 
the project has some degree of influence, rather than on intermediate 
measures such as process or outputs. However, it is understood that 
efforts similar to the categories of the Urban Indian Education and 
Research Organization Cooperative Agreement program frequently focus on 
intermediate measures as part of their evaluation. Applicants are 
encouraged to incorporate the expertise of a professional evaluation 
specialist (either on-staff or as a consultant) at the design stage of 
the project methodology.

Instructions

    1. Applicants should provide a well-conceived and logical plan for 
assessing the achievement of the project's process and outcome 
objectives and for evaluating changes in the specific problems and 
contributing factors. The evaluation plan should focus primarily on 
outcomes over which the project has influence and that have the 
capacity to produce meaningful data on an annual basis.
    2. Applicants should develop at least two (2) performance measures 
by which it will track its progress over time. A performance measure is 
a quantifiable indicator of progress and achievement that includes 
outcome, output, input, efficiency, and explanatory indicators. It can 
measure such domains as productivity, effectiveness, quality and 
timeliness (Government Accounting Standards Board, https://www.seagov.org/aboutpmg/performance_measurement.shtml).
Part C: Program Report
    Section 1: Describe major accomplishments over the last 24 months. 
Please identify and describe significant program achievements 
associated with the delivery of quality health services. Provide a 
comparison of the actual accomplishments to the goals established for 
the project period, or if applicable, provide justification for the 
lack of progress.
    Section 2: Describe major activities over the last 12 months. 
Please identify and summarize recent major health related project 
activities of the work done during the project period.
    B. Budget Narrative: This narrative must describe the budget 
requested and match the scope of work described the project narrative. 
The budget narrative 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 Daylight Time (EDT) 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) 443-5204. 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 along with the hardcopy that is 
mailed to the DGM. Once a 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., EDT, 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.

[[Page 40751]]

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 submitted as attachments to email messages addressed to IHS 
employees or offices.
    If an applicant receives a waiver to submit paper application 
documents, please follow the rules and time lines 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 time lines 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 a 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 OUIHP 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/dgm/index.cfm?module=dsp_dgm_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 70-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 70 points is 
required for funding. Points are assigned as follows:
1. Criteria
A. Program Information and Need for Assistance (20 points)
    In the context of Healthy People 2020: (1) The target population 
and its unmet health needs are described and documented; (2) Socio-
cultural determinants of health and health disparities impacting the 
urban Indian population or communities served are identified and 
described; (3)

[[Page 40752]]

Demographic data is used and cited to support the information provided; 
(4) Relevant barriers that the project hopes to overcome are discussed; 
(5) Information provided helps reviewers understand the urban Indian 
organizations that will be served by the proposed project; (6) Describe 
how the applicant determined it has the administrative infrastructure 
to provide the four program requirements: public policy, research and 
data, structured training and technical assistance and for urban Indian 
organizations, and education, public relations and marketing of urban 
Indian organizations; and (7) Explain previous planning activities the 
applicant has completed and if the applicant has identified or will 
establish best-practices or evidence-based practices relative to each 
of the four program requirements.
(1) Public Policy
    A. Summarize the public policy opportunities and challenges of 
health care reform on urban Indian organizations.
    B. Identify and align the urban Indian organizations' priorities 
with the Agency priorities in the context of health care reform. 
Describe how the Healthy People 2020 goals and objectives are 
incorporated to guide national health promotion and disease prevention 
efforts. The priorities should align with the urban Indian 
organizations' budget formulation process that establishes their 
specific health priorities.
    C. Summarize the need to work with the HHS Operating Divisions 
including CMS, HRSA, SAMHSA, CDC, AHRQ, and states to proactively plan, 
implement, and evaluate the impact of activities on urban Indian 
organizations' priorities for health care reform.
    D. Summarize the need to make certain that public policy program 
activities are complementary, coordinated and non-duplicative.
    E. Summarize enhanced communication, interaction, and coordination 
of health care reform activities, such as the PCMH model, by initiating 
and maintaining partnerships and collaborative relationships with 
national Indian Tribal organizations, key state and local health 
entities, and education and safety networks.
(2) Research and Data
    F. Describe the need to collect and analyze health disparities 
data, morbidity and mortality data, urban Indian health services costs 
data and conduct data analyses in order to reduce urban Indian health 
disparities and identify, improve, evaluate, and document urban Indian 
organizations' practice-based and evidence-based best practices.
    G. Summarize the need to have access to cost and cost-benefit 
information to create accurate reasonable annual urban Indian health 
budgets.
    H. Describe coordination with IHS funded Tribal and Urban 
Epidemiological Centers, the CDC, and the IHS to reduce and/or 
eliminate barriers that prevent access to data.
(3) Structured Training and Technical Assistance for Urban Indian 
Organizations
    I. Describe the need for education, technical support and training 
to urban Indian organizations as they implement health care reform and 
work with the Health Insurance Marketplace to implement, sustain and 
improve access to quality health care services for urban Indians.
    J. Describe the need for training and technical assistance to 
support urban Indian organization administration: (1) Board of 
directors: roles and responsibilities, criteria to guide medical staff 
credentialing and privileging, and ensure quality and patient safety, 
(2) develop business plans, (3) enhance revenue and third-party 
billing, (4) achieve and maintain program accreditation, (5) acquire 
state licensure, PCMH certification or other state credentialing, and 
(6) enrollment in Medicaid, Medicare and SHCIP programs.
(4) Education, Public Relations and Marketing of Urban Indian 
Organizations
    K. Summarize the need to market the urban Indian organizations 
through development of national, regional and local marketing 
strategies and campaigns.
    L. Describe the need for enhanced communication among local private 
and non-profit health care entities and county and state health 
departments.
    M. Describe communications strategy and collaborative activities.
B. Project Objective(s) and Approach (40 points)

Program Plans--Goals and Objectives, Methodology, Project Logic Model, 
Work Plan, Resolution of Challenges, and Impact

    Describe methods that will be used to meet each of the four program 
requirements and expectations in this funding opportunity announcement. 
Address development of effective tools and strategies for ongoing staff 
training, outreach, collaborations, clear communication, and 
information sharing/dissemination with efforts to involve urban Indian 
organization staff and patients, Federal entities, and state health 
personnel.

Goals and Objectives

    State the goals for each program requirement. Project goals are 
national in scope, describe the desired long-term outcomes for each 
program requirement, and align with and incorporate the Healthy People 
2020 benchmarks.
    Provide at least one specific, achievable, measurable, time-framed 
outcome objective for each proposed project goal. Each objective 
identified is specific, stated in measurable terms, achievable within a 
specified time frame and the available resources, is relevant to and 
congruent within the larger project goal; and includes a specific time 
frame for achievement. The proposed outcome objectives frame the set of 
national outcomes the applicant wants to achieve in meeting project 
goals.

Methodology

    1. Applicant described proposed approaches and activities for 
achieving project goals and objectives. Methods or activities are 
presented for addressing each focus of intent for each of the four 
program requirements outlined in Part A. Program Information Needs. 
Applicant demonstrates that the proposed methodological approaches are 
national in scope and contribute to increased capacity within the urban 
Indian health system.
    2. Applicant described the specific activities necessary to carry 
out each methodological approach. Applicant demonstrated consideration 
of logic, technical soundness, feasibility, creativity and 
innovativeness, potential utility, and national applicability of the 
activities it proposed.
    3. The description of the project methodology extends across the 
three years of the project effort.
    4. The applicant developed a project logic model, a systematic 
diagram, that links anticipated outcomes with the project's activities/
processes and theoretical assumptions. It includes the following basic 
components: Resources/inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and 
impacts. The project logic model is included as part of the application 
appendix.
    5. Applicant provided evidence that its approaches and activities 
can reasonably be expected to be effective. Literature relevant to the 
methodology is cited as appropriate.

[[Page 40753]]

Work Plan

    A work plan is included that describes the sequence of specific 
activities and steps that will be used to carry out each proposed 
methodological approach. The applicant explicitly described who will 
conduct each activity, as well as when, where, and how each activity 
will be carried out. A detailed time line of proposed project 
activities was developed and included in the appendix. The time line 
links activities to project objectives and covers the three years of 
the project period. The applicant described an efficient and effective 
plan for managing the project, including its personnel and resources. 
The applicant described an effective plan for monitoring and tracking 
project activities.

Resolution of Challenges

    The applicant identified and discussed challenges, including both 
opportunities and barriers, that are likely to be encountered in 
designing and implementing the activities described in the Description 
of Methodology and Work Plan sections, as well as approaches that will 
be used to address such challenges.

Impact

    The applicant explained how the proposed project's products and 
results will have a national scope and applicability. The applicant 
provided an inclusive description of its national target audiences as 
well as its proposed strategies for reaching these audiences. The plan 
includes, but is not limited to, electronic and Internet capacity. The 
applicant described how and to what extent the proposed project 
activities will directly improve leadership with the urban Indian 
health services and systems being targeted, and contribution to improve 
health status among urban Indians. The applicant included a description 
of how it intends to mobilize its audiences to learn from and actually 
use the materials, products and resources it has developed to address 
the four services areas identified in A. Program Information needs.
C. Program Evaluation and Technical Support Capacity (15 points)
    The applicant provided a well-conceived and logical plan for 
assessing the achievement of the project's process and outcome 
objectives and for evaluating changes in the specific problems and 
contributing factors. The evaluation plan focuses primarily on outcomes 
over which the project has influence and that have the capacity to 
produce meaningful data on an annual basis.
    The applicant developed at least two (2) performance measures by 
which it will track its progress over time. The performance measures 
are quantifiable indicators of progress and achievement that include 
outcome, output, input, efficiency, and explanatory indicators. The 
performance measures can be measured by domains including productivity, 
effectiveness, quality and timeliness.
D. Organizational Capabilities, Key Personnel and Qualifications (15 
points)
Organizational Capabilities
    The applicant identified its credibility including how long and why 
the organization exists, accomplishments and impact, size and 
characteristics of its constituency, its funding sources and their 
positive comments on the organization's work, and results of internal 
and external evaluations of the programs. Include a listing of the 
current Board of Directors (the listing of Board members includes their 
status as an urban Indian, professions, education degrees, and board 
appointment terms) and discuss the organization's administrative 
capacity including OMB Circular administrative requirements for non-
profit organizations, fiscal and human resources policies and 
procedures and audit reporting.
Key Personnel and Qualifications
    Identify current staff and new staff education, experience, skills, 
and knowledge; materials published; and previous work of a similar 
nature. Describe data collection strategy to collect, analyze and track 
data to measure process and impact/outcomes with urban Indian 
organizations, Tribes, national Indian organizations and states and 
explain how the data will be used to inform program development and 
service delivery.
E. Categorical Budget and Budget Justification (10 points)
    The applicant was specific and provided an itemized categorical 
budget and a clear succinct budget narrative justification to support 
the scope of work described in the project narrative.
Multi-Year Project Requirements (if applicable)
    Projects requiring second and third years must include a brief 
project narrative and budget (one additional page per year) addressing 
the developmental plans for each additional year of the project. 
Required information on multi-years should be included as an appendix.

Appendix Items

     Work plan, logic model and/or time line for proposed 
objectives.
     Position descriptions for key staff.
     Resumes of key staff that reflect current duties.
     Consultant or contractor proposed scope of work and letter 
of commitment (if applicable).
     Current Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.
     Organizational chart(s) highlighting proposed project 
staff and their supervisors as well as other key contacts within the 
organization and key community contacts.
     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 our grant 
system, GrantSolutions (https://www.grantsolutions.gov). Each entity

[[Page 40754]]

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, 70, 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 their application submitted. 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 application maybe reconsidered 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 signed 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 OMB cost principles:
    A. The criteria as outlined in this Program Announcement.
    B. Administrative Regulations for Grants:
      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 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 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 semi-annually, 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 you also send a copy of your FFR (SF-425) report to 
your Grants Management Specialist. Failure to submit timely reports may 
cause a disruption in timely payments to your organization.
    Grantees are responsible and accountable for accurate information 
being reported on all required reports: the Progress Reports and 
Federal Financial Report.
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

[[Page 40755]]

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/dgm/index.cfm?module=dsp_dgm_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: Phyllis 
Wolfe, Director, Office of Urban Indian Health Programs, 801 Thompson 
Avenue, Suite 200, Rockville, MD 20852, Phone: (301) 443-1631, Email: 
phyllis.wolfe@ihs.gov.
    2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be 
directed to: Patience Musikikongo, Grants Management Specialist, 
Division of Grants Operations, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP Suite 360, 
Rockville, MD 20852, Phone: (301) 443-5204, Email: 
patience.musikikongo@ihs.gov.
    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) 443-5204, 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, Public Law 
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: June 28, 2013.
Yvette Roubideaux,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-16270 Filed 7-5-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P