Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes; National Indian Health Outreach and Education II, 18414-18424 [2015-07780]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 65 / Monday, April 6, 2015 / Notices
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Food and Drug Administration
[Docket No. FDA–2013–E–1657]
Determination of Regulatory Review
Period for Purposes of Patent
Extension; JUXTAPID
AGENCY:
Food and Drug Administration,
HHS.
ACTION:
Notice.
The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) has determined
the regulatory review period for
JUXTAPID and is publishing this notice
of that determination as required by
law. FDA has made the determination
because of the submission of an
application to the Director of the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO),
Department of Commerce, for the
extension of a patent which claims that
human drug product.
ADDRESSES: Submit electronic
comments to https://
www.regulations.gov. Submit written
petitions (two copies are required) and
written comments to the Division of
Dockets Management (HFA–305), Food
and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers
Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, MD 20852.
Submit petitions electronically to
https://www.regulations.gov at Docket
No. FDA–2013–S–0610.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Beverly Friedman, Office of
Management, Food and Drug
Administration, 10001 New Hampshire
Ave., Hillandale Campus, Rm. 3180,
Silver Spring, MD 20993, 301–796–
7900.
SUMMARY:
The Drug
Price Competition and Patent Term
Restoration Act of 1984 (Pub. L. 98–417)
and the Generic Animal Drug and Patent
Term Restoration Act (Pub, L. 100–670)
generally provide that a patent may be
extended for a period of up to 5 years
so long as the patented item (human
drug product, animal drug product,
medical device, food additive, or color
additive) was subject to regulatory
review by FDA before the item was
marketed. Under these acts, a product’s
regulatory review period forms the basis
for determining the amount of extension
an applicant may receive.
A regulatory review period consists of
two periods of time: A testing phase and
an approval phase. For human drug
products, the testing phase begins when
the exemption to permit the clinical
investigations of the drug becomes
effective and runs until the approval
phase begins. The approval phase starts
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SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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with the initial submission of an
application to market the human drug
product and continues until FDA grants
permission to market the drug product.
Although only a portion of a regulatory
review period may count toward the
actual amount of extension that the
Director of the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office (USPTO) may award
(for example, half the testing phase must
be subtracted as well as any time that
may have occurred before the patent
was issued), FDA’s determination of the
length of a regulatory review period for
a human drug product will include all
of the testing phase and approval phase
as specified in 35 U.S.C. 156(g)(1)(B).
FDA has approved for marketing the
human drug product JUXTAPID
(lomitapide mesylate). JUXTAPID is
indicated as an adjunct to a low-fat diet
and other lipid-lowering treatments,
including LDL apheresis where
available, to reduce low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol, total
cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol in
patients with homozygous familial
hypercholesterolemia. Subsequent to
this approval, the USPTO received a
patent term restoration application for
JUXTAPID (U.S. Patent No. 5,712,279)
from Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.,
and the USPTO requested FDA’s
assistance in determining this patent’s
eligibility for patent term restoration. In
a letter dated January 31, 2014, FDA
advised the USPTO that this human
drug product had undergone a
regulatory review period and that the
approval of JUXTAPID represented the
first permitted commercial marketing or
use of the product. Thereafter, the
USPTO requested that FDA determine
the product’s regulatory review period.
FDA has determined that the
applicable regulatory review period for
JUXTAPID is 6,002 days. Of this time,
5,705 days occurred during the testing
phase of the regulatory review period,
while 297 days occurred during the
approval phase. These periods of time
were derived from the following dates:
1. The date an exemption under
section 505(i) of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act) (21
U.S.C. 355(i)) became effective: July 18,
1996. FDA has verified the applicant’s
claim that the date the investigational
new drug application became effective
was on July 18, 1996.
2. The date the application was
initially submitted with respect to the
human drug product under section
505(b) of the FD&C Act: February 29,
2012. FDA has verified the applicant’s
claim that the new drug application
(NDA) for Juxtapid (NDA 203–858) was
submitted on February 29, 2012.
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3. The date the application was
approved: December 21, 2012. FDA has
verified the applicant’s claim that NDA
203–858 was approved on December 21,
2012.
This determination of the regulatory
review period establishes the maximum
potential length of a patent extension.
However, the USPTO applies several
statutory limitations in its calculations
of the actual period for patent extension.
In its application for patent extension,
this applicant seeks 5 years of patent
term extension.
Anyone with knowledge that any of
the dates as published are incorrect may
submit to the Division of Dockets
Management (see ADDRESSES) either
electronic or written comments and ask
for a redetermination by June 5, 2015.
Furthermore, any interested person may
petition FDA for a determination
regarding whether the applicant for
extension acted with due diligence
during the regulatory review period by
October 5, 2015. To meet its burden, the
petition must contain sufficient facts to
merit an FDA investigation. (See H.
Rept. 857, part 1, 98th Cong., 2d sess.,
pp. 41–42, 1984.) Petitions should be in
the format specified in 21 CFR 10.30.
Interested persons may submit to the
Division of Dockets Management (see
ADDRESSES) electronic or written
comments and written or electronic
petitions. It is only necessary to send
one set of comments. Identify comments
with the docket number found in
brackets in the heading of this
document. If you submit a written
petition, two copies are required. A
petition submitted electronically must
be submitted to https://
www.regulations.gov, Docket No. FDA–
2013–S–0610. Comments and petitions
that have not been made publicly
available on https://www.regulations.gov
may be viewed in the Division of
Dockets Management between 9 a.m.
and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Dated: April 1, 2015.
Leslie Kux,
Associate Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2015–07809 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4164–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
Office of Direct Service and
Contracting Tribes; National Indian
Health Outreach and Education II
Announcement Type: New Limited
Competition.
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Funding Announcement Number:
HHS–2015–IHS–NIHOE–0002.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Number: 93.933.
Key Dates
Application Deadline Date: June 19,
2015.
Review Date: July 6–10, 2015.
Earliest Anticipated Start Date:
September 30, 2015.
Proof of Non-Profit Status Due Date:
July 3, 2015.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Statutory Authority
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is
accepting competitive applications for
two limited competition cooperative
agreements under the National Indian
Health Outreach and Education
(NIHOE) program: the Behavioral
Health—Methamphetamine and Suicide
Prevention Intervention (MSPI) outreach
and education award and the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/
AIDS) outreach and education award.
The Behavioral Health—MSPI outreach
and education award is funded by IHS
and is authorized under the Snyder Act,
codified at 25 U.S.C. § 13; the Transfer
Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. § 2001; the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014,
Public. Law 113–76. The HIV/AIDS
outreach and education award is funded
by the Office of the Secretary (OS),
Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS). Funding for the HIV/
AIDS award will be provided by OS via
an Intra-Departmental Delegation of
Authority dated to IHS to permit
obligation of funding appropriated by
the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2014, Public Law 113–76. Each award is
funded through a separate funding
stream by each respective Agency’s
appropriations. The awardee is
responsible for accounting for each of
the two awards separately and must
provide two separate financial reports
(one for each award), as indicated
below. This program is described in the
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
under 93.933.
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Background
The NIHOE program carries out
health program objectives in the
American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN)
community in the interest of improving
Indian health care for all 566 Federallyrecognized Tribes including Tribal
governments operating their own health
care delivery systems through Indian
Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act (ISDEAA) contracts and
compacts with the IHS and Tribes that
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continue to receive health care directly
from the IHS. This program addresses
health policy and health programs
issues and disseminates educational
information to all AI/AN Tribes and
villages. The NIHOE IIMSPI and HIV/
AIDS awards require that public forums
be held at Tribal educational consumer
conferences to disseminate changes and
updates in the latest health care
information. These awards also require
that regional and national meetings be
coordinated for information
dissemination as well as for the
inclusion of planning and technical
assistance and health care
recommendations on behalf of
participating Tribes to ultimately inform
IHS and the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) based on Tribal
input through a broad based consumer
network.
Purpose
The purpose of these cooperative
agreements is to further IHS health
program objectives in the AI/AN
community with expanded outreach
and education efforts for the MSPI and
HIV/AIDS programs on a national scale
and in the interest of improving Indian
health care. This announcement
includes two separate awards, each of
which will be awarded as noted below.
The purpose of the MSPI award is to
further the goals of the national MSPI
program. The MSPI is a national
demonstration project aimed at
addressing the dual problems of
methamphetamine use and suicide in
Indian Country. The MSPI supports an
AI/AN community driven focus on the
utilization and development of
evidence-based and practice-based
intervention models that promote a
culturally appropriate prevention,
treatment, and postvention approach to
methamphetamine use and suicide. The
six goals of the MSPI are to effectively
prevent, reduce, or delay the use and/
or spread of methamphetamine use;
build on the foundation of prior
methamphetamine and suicide
prevention and treatment efforts in
order to support the IHS, Tribes, and
urban Indian health organizations in
developing and implementing Tribal
and/or culturally appropriate
methamphetamine and suicide
prevention and early intervention
strategies; increasing access to
methamphetamine and suicide
prevention services; improving services
for behavioral health issues associated
with methamphetamine use and suicide
prevention; promoting the development
of new and promising services that are
culturally and community relevant; and
demonstrating efficacy and impact.
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[Note: While the national MSPI program
includes outreach to urban Indian
organizations, outreach aimed specifically at
urban Indian organizations will be addressed
in a separate award announcement. However,
materials developed by the grantee in the
(NIHOE–II) MSPI award described in this
announcement may be distributed by IHS to
urban Indian organizations, at the discretion
of the Agency.]
The purpose of the HIV/AIDS award
is to further the goals of the national
HIV/AIDS program. HIV and AIDS are a
critical and growing health issue within
the AI/AN population. The IHS National
HIV/AIDS Program seeks to avoid
complacency and to increase awareness
of the impact of HIV/AIDS on AI/ANs.
All activities are part of the IHS’s
implementation plan to meet the three
goals of the President’s National HIV/
AIDS Strategy (NHAS) to reduce the
number of people who become infected
with HIV, increase access to care and
optimize health outcomes for people
living with HIV, and reduce HIV-related
disparities. This population faces
additional health disparities that
contribute significantly to the risk of
HIV transmission such as substance
abuse and sexually transmitted
infections. Amongst AI/AN people,
HIV/AIDS exists in both urban and rural
populations (and on or near Tribal
lands); however, many of those living
with HIV are not aware of their status.
These statistics, risk factors, and missed
opportunities for screening illuminate
the need to go beyond raising awareness
about HIV and begin active integration
of initiatives that will help routinize
HIV services. If the status quo is
unchanged, prevalence will continue to
increase and AI/AN communities may
face an irreversible problem. Therefore,
the National HIV/AIDS Program is
working to change the way HIV is
discussed, to change and improve the
way HIV testing is integrated into health
services, and to firmly establish linkages
and access to care. The IHS HIV/AIDS
Program is implemented and executed
via an integrated and comprehensive
approach through collaborations across
multi-health sectors, both internal and
external to the agency. It attempts to
encompass all types of service delivery
‘systems’ including IHS/Tribal/Urban
facilities. The IHS HIV/AIDS Program is
committed to realizing the goals of the
President’s NHAS and has bridged the
objectives and implementation to the
IHS HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan.
Limited Competition Justification
Competition for both of the awards
included in this announcement is
limited to national Indian health care
organizations with at least ten years of
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experience providing education and
outreach on a national scale. This
limitation ensures that the awardee will
have: (1) A national information-sharing
infrastructure which will facilitate the
timely exchange of information between
HHS and Tribes and Tribal
organizations on a broad scale; (2) a
national perspective on the needs of AI/
AN communities that will ensure that
the information developed and
disseminated through the projects is
appropriate, useful and addresses the
most pressing needs of AI/AN
communities; and (3) established
relationships with Tribes and Tribal
organizations that will foster open and
honest participation by AI/AN
communities. Regional or local
organizations will not have the
mechanisms in place to conduct
communication on a national level, nor
will they have an accurate picture of the
health care needs facing AI/ANs
nationwide. Organizations with less
experience will lack the established
relationships with Tribes and Tribal
organizations throughout the country
that will facilitate participation and the
open and honest exchange of
information between Tribes and HHS.
With the limited funds available for
these projects, HHS must ensure that the
education and outreach efforts
described in this announcement reach
the widest audience possible in a timely
fashion, are appropriately tailored to the
needs of AI/AN communities
throughout the country, and come from
a source that AI/ANs recognize and
trust. For these reasons, this is a limited
competition announcement.
II. Award Information
Type of Award
Cooperative Agreement.
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Estimated Funds Available
The total amount of funding
identified for the current fiscal year (FY)
2015 is approximately $250,000 to fund
two cooperative agreements for one
year; $150,000 will be awarded for the
Behavioral Health—MSPI award and
$100,000 will be awarded for the HIV/
AIDS award. The amount of funding
available for competing awards issued
under this announcement is subject to
the availability of appropriations and
budgetary priorities of the Agency. The
IHS is under no obligation to make
awards that are selected for funding
under this announcement.
Secretary (OS) that one entity will
receive both awards. OS and IHS will
concur on the final decision as to who
will receive both awards.
Project Period
The project periods for each award
will be for one year and will run from
September 30, 2015 with completion by
September 29, 2016.
Cooperative Agreement
Cooperative agreements awarded by
the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) are 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
The IHS assigned program official
will monitor the overall progress of the
awardee’s execution of the requirements
of the two awards: IHS award and OS
award noted below as well as their
adherence to the terms and conditions
of the cooperative agreements. This
includes providing guidance for
required reports, developing of tools,
and other products, interpreting
program findings, and assisting with
evaluations and overcoming any
difficulties or performance issues
encountered. The IHS assigned program
official must approve all presentations,
electronic content, and other materials,
including mass emails, developed by
awardee pursuant to these awards and
any supplemental awards prior to the
presentation or dissemination of such
materials to any party.
Anticipated Number of Awards
(1) Behavioral Health—MSPI Award
i. The IHS assigned program official
will work in partnership with the
awardee to identify and provide
presentation topics on MSPI for the
National Tribal Advisory Committee
meetings; the Behavioral Health Work
Group; webinars; and IHS Area
conference calls.
ii. The IHS assigned program official
will work in partnership with the
awardee to identify MSPI projects in
need of technical assistance.
Two awards will be issued under this
program announcement. It is the
intention of IHS and the Office of the
(2) HIV/AIDS Award
IHS staff will provide support for the
HIV/AIDS award as follows:
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i. The IHS assigned program official
will work in partnership with the
awardee in all decisions involving
strategy, hiring of grantee personnel,
deployment of resources, release of
public information materials, quality
assurance, coordination of activities,
training, reports, budgets, and
evaluations. Collaboration includes data
analysis, interpretation of findings, and
reporting.
ii. The IHS assigned program official
will work closely with OS and all
participating IHS health services/
programs, as appropriate, to coordinate
award activities.
iii. The IHS assigned program official
will coordinate the following for OS and
the participating IHS program offices
and staff:
• Discussion and release of any and
all special grant conditions upon
fulfillment.
• Monthly scheduled conference
calls.
• Appropriate dissemination of
required reports to each participating
program.
iv. The IHS will, jointly with the
awardee, plan and set an agenda for
each of the conferences mentioned in
this announcement that:
• Shares the training and/or
accomplishments.
• Fosters collaboration amongst the
participating program offices, agencies,
and/or departments.
• Increases visibility for the
partnership between the awardee and
the IHS and OS.
v. IHS will provide guidance in
addressing deliverables and
requirements.
vi. IHS will provide guidance in
preparing articles for publication and/or
presentations of program successes,
lessons learned, and new findings.
vii. IHS will communicate via
monthly conference calls, individual or
collective site visits, and monthly
meetings.
viii. IHS staff will review articles
concerning the HHS, OS, and the
Agency for accuracy and may, as
requested by the awardee, provide
relevant articles.
ix. IHS will provide technical
assistance to the entity as requested.
x. IHS staff may, at the request of the
entity’s board, participate on study
groups and may recommend topics for
analysis and discussion.
B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement
Award Activities
The awardee must comply with
relevant Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) Circular provisions
regarding lobbying, any applicable
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lobbying restrictions provided under
other law and any applicable restriction
on the use of appropriated funds for
lobbying activities.
The awardee is responsible for the
following in addition to fulfilling all
requirements noted for each award
component: Behavioral Health—MSPI
and HIV/AIDS.
i. To succinctly and independently
address the requirements for each of the
two awards listed below: Behavioral
Health—MSPI and HIV/AIDS.
ii. To facilitate a forum or forums at
which concerns can be heard that are
representative of all Tribal governments
in the area of health care policy analysis
and program development for each of
the two components listed above.
iii. To assure that health care outreach
and education is based on Tribal input
through a broad-based consumer
network involving the Area Indian
health boards or health board
representatives from each of the 12 IHS
Areas.
iv. To establish relationships with
other national Indian organizations,
professional groups, and Federal, State,
and local entities supportive of AI/AN
health programs.
v. To improve and expand access for
AI/AN Tribal governments to all
available programs within the HHS.
vi. To disseminate timely health care
information to Tribal governments, AI/
AN health boards, other national Indian
organizations, professional groups,
Federal, State, and local entities.
vii. To provide periodic
dissemination of health care
information, including publication of a
newsletter four times a year that features
articles on MSPI and HIV/AIDS health
promotion/disease/behavioral health
prevention activities and models of best
or promising practices, health policy,
and funding information relevant to AI/
AN, etc.
The following schedule of
deliverables outlines the requirements
necessary to effectuate timely and
effective support services to Tribal MSPI
projects:
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Summary of Tasks To Be Performed
MSPI:
• At a minimum, the awardee shall
provide Tribal MSPI program updates at
the National Tribal Advisory Committee
meetings and conference calls; and the
Behavioral Health Work Group meetings
and conference calls.
• At a minimum, the awardee shall
serve as a committee member for the
National Action Alliance for Suicide
Prevention’s American Indian/Alaska
Native Task Force.
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• The awardee shall participate in
MSPI Area conference calls requested
by the IHS assigned program official.
The awardee must be included on the
agenda and provide presentations on
specific areas of interest identified by
the Tribal MSPI programs and IHS
assigned program official.
Outreach and Education
• The awardee shall provide
information and education via multimedia venues, including but not limited
to teleconference, webinar workshops,
and/or online training modules on
topics of particular importance to Tribal
MSPI projects. The awardee will work
with MSPI Tribal projects and the IHS
assigned program official to identify
topics. Topics will be discussed prior to
the teleconference or webinar and will
be subject to approval from the IHS
assigned program official. PowerPoint
slides must be submitted for approval
two weeks prior to the presentation and
will be made available on the IHS MSPI
Web sites. Awardee’s organizational
Web site will link to IHS MSPI Web
sites.
• The awardee shall conduct
workshops and/or presentations
including, but not limited to, the
successes of the MSPI and promising
practices and/or best practices of Tribal
MSPI programs at three national
conferences (venue and content of
presentations to be agreed upon by the
awardee and the IHS assigned program
official).
• The awardee shall maintain a booth
at identified meetings and conferences
to provide comprehensive information
on Tribal MSPI programs, curricula,
findings, and strategies to local,
regional, state, and Federal agencies and
organizations.
• The awardee shall conduct site
visits at Tribal MSPI programs, as
funding is available, with two weeks
advanced notification to the IHS
assigned program official.
Technical Assistance
• The awardee shall review progress
reports of MSPI projects identified by
the program official.
• The awardee will develop and
maintain orientation materials for MSPI
projects including but limited to
factsheets and guides.
• The awardee will provide training
and technical assistance to increase AI/
AN specific culture- or tradition-based
interventions to be listed on the IHS
Best and Promising Practice Registry.
Information Sharing
• The awardee shall develop,
maintain, and disseminate
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comprehensive information on Tribal
MSPI programs, curricula, findings,
articles, and strategies to all Tribal MSPI
programs, and present the information
at conference and meeting booths as
described above.
• The awardee will provide postings
on MSPI related information for the IHS
MSPI Web site.
• The awardee will develop and/or
maintain a comprehensive list of
evidence-based and practice-based
program development and business
practice guidelines for use by Tribal
MSPI programs.
• The awardee will develop and
publish a semi-annual MSPI newsletter
focusing on the impact and outcomes of
the MSPI projects in Tribal communities
to be cleared by IHS and then published
on the IHS MSPI Web site.
Reporting
• The awardee shall provide semiannual reports documenting and
describing progress and
accomplishment of the activities
specified above, attaching any necessary
documentation to adequately document
accomplishments.
• The awardee shall attend bi-weekly,
regularly scheduled, in-person and
conference call meetings with the IHS
assigned program official team to
discuss the awardee’s services and
MSPI/related issues. The awardee must
provide meeting minutes that highlight
the awardee’s specific involvement and
participation.
• The awardee shall obtain approval
from the IHS assigned program official
for all PowerPoint presentations,
electronic content, and other materials,
including mass emails, developed by
awardee pursuant to this award and any
supplemental awards prior to the
presentation or dissemination of such
materials to any party, allowing for a
reasonable amount of time for IHS
review.
Deliverables
• Attendance at regularly scheduled
meetings between awardee and the IHS
assigned program official, evidenced by
meeting minutes which highlight the
awardee’s specific involvement and
participation.
• Participation on MSPI Area
conference calls identified by the IHS
assigned program official, evidenced by
meeting agenda and minutes as needed.
• Report of outcomes at the following
(meeting booths, workshops, site
visitations and/or presentations
provided):
(a) National Tribal Advisory
Committee conference calls and
meetings.
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(b) Behavioral Health Work Group
conference calls and meetings.
(PowerPoint slides in electronic form
and one hard copy are to be submitted
to the program official and the IHS
assigned program official as required).
(c) IHS Area conference calls.
(d) IHS Area and national webinars.
(e) MSPI Project site visitations.
(f) Other AI/AN national conferences.
• Completed programmatic reviews of
semi and annual progress reports of
Tribal MSPI projects in order to identify
projects that require technical
assistance.
[Note: This review is not to replace IHS
review of MSPI programs. The programmatic
reviews to be conducted by grantee are
secondary reviews intended solely to identify
programs in need of technical assistance.]
Æ The awardee shall help the IHS
assigned program official identify
challenges faced by participating Tribal
communities and assist in developing
solutions.
• Copies of educational and practicebased information provided to Tribal
MSPI programs (electronic form and one
hard copy).
• Copies of all promotional and
educational materials provided to Tribal
MSPI programs and other projects
(electronic form and one hard copy).
• Copies of all promotional materials
provided to media and other outlets
(electronic form and one hard copy).
• Copies of all articles published
(electronic form and one hard copy).
Submit semi-annual and annual
progress reports to Division of
Behavioral Health (DBH), due no later
than 30 days after the reporting cycle,
attaching any necessary documentation.
For example: meeting minutes,
correspondence with Tribal MSPI
projects, samples of all written materials
developed including brochures, news
articles, videos, radio and television ads
to adequately document
accomplishments.
• The awardee will submit a
deliverable schedule to the program
official no later than 30 days after the
start date.
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HIV/AIDS
In alignment with the above program
and independent from MSPI activities
(both via fiscal resources and
programmatic implementation), the
awardee shall:
• Disseminate existing HIV/AIDS
messages to AI/AN audiences in a
format designed to solicit, collect, and
report on community-level feedback and
generate discussion regarding the
disease and its prevention. This may
include electronic and emerging means
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of communication. At least four distinct
audiences (such as women, young
people, etc.) will be addressed and
engaged. Preference will be given to
reaching audiences with the highest HIV
burden or potential increases as
supported by the NHAS.
• Disseminate existing IHS HIV/AIDS
program and other HIV/AIDS training
materials to educators, health care
providers, and other key audiences.
Collect and report on relevant
evaluation criteria, including impacts
on underlying knowledge, attitudes, or
beliefs about HIV acquisition, testing, or
treatment.
• Deliver HIV/AIDS technical
assistance and activity support program.
Engage in documented partnerships
with AI/AN communities to expand
their capacity relevant to HIV/AIDS
education and prevention efforts. Local
activity support may include subawards of resources and distribution of
incentives to qualified AI/AN-serving
community organizations increasing
HIV/AIDS education and prevention in
their populations. Sub-award eligibility
standards and management controls will
be proposed by the awardee and will be
subject to IHS approval. These activities
must be conducted in accordance with
Federal grant policies and procedures.
Awardee will collect and maintain
relevant evaluation materials and
generate reports that highlight progress
towards the President’s NHAS goals on
the community level and that collect
best practices for dissemination to other
communities.
• Contribute technical expertise to
the IHS HIV/AIDS program and develop
formal written documents responding to
information requests from the public
regarding HIV/AIDS initiatives.
• Develop and launch anti-stigma
messaging for at least one audience,
coordinated with other local activities to
increase HIV screening and increase
access to services, or increase positive
role modeling for people living with, or
at risk of, acquiring HIV/AIDS.
• Support and document issuespecific discussions with Tribal Leaders
as needed to address effective
prevention interventions for AI/AN
populations as noted in the President’s
NHAS.
• Obtain approval from the IHS
assigned program official of all
presentations, electronic content, and
other materials, including mass emails,
developed by awardee pursuant to this
award and any supplemental awards
prior to the presentation or
dissemination of such materials to any
party, allowing for a reasonable amount
of time for IHS review.
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III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligibility
To be eligible for this ‘‘New/
Competing Continuation Limited
Competition Announcement’’, an
applicant must:
Provide proof of non-profit status
with the application, e.g., 501(c)(3).
Eligible applicants that can apply for
this funding opportunity are national
Indian organizations.
The national Indian organization must
have the infrastructure in place to
accomplish the work under the
proposed program.
Eligible entities must have
demonstrated expertise in the following
areas:
• Representing all Tribal governments
and providing a variety of services to
Tribes, Area health boards, Tribal
organizations, and Federal agencies, and
playing a major role in focusing
attention on Indian health care needs,
resulting in improved health outcomes
for AI/ANs.
• Promotion and support of Indian
education and coordinating efforts to
inform AI/AN of Federal decisions that
affect Tribal government interests
including the improvement of Indian
health care.
• National health policy and health
programs administration.
• Have a national AI/AN constituency
and clearly support critical services and
activities within the IHS mission of
improving the quality of health care for
AI/AN people.
• Portray evidence of their solid
support of improved health care in
Indian Country.
• Provide evidence of at least ten
years of experience providing education
and outreach on a national scale.
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 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
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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
Mr. Paul Gettys at (301) 443–2114.
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2. Content and Form Application
Submission
Two complete separate signed
applications are required. Both
applications should address all the
following components separately in
each application. Each separate
application 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:
Æ SF–424, Application for Federal
Assistance.
Æ SF–424A, Budget Information—
Non-Construction Programs.
Æ SF–424B, Assurances—NonConstruction Programs.
• Budget Justification and Narrative
(must be single spaced and not exceed
five pages).
• Project Narrative (must be single
spaced and not exceed 20 pages).
Æ Background information on the
organization.
Æ Proposed scope of work, objectives,
and activities that provide a description
of what will be accomplished, including
a one-page Timeframe Chart.
• Letter of Support from
Organization’s Board of Directors.
• 501(c)(3) Certificate (if applicable).
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• Position Descriptions for all key
personnel.
• 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 rate (IDC) agreement (required) in
order to receive IDC.
• Organizational Chart (optional).
• Documentation of current Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) A–133
required Financial Audit (if applicable).
Acceptable forms of documentation
include:
Æ Email confirmation from Federal
Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) that audits
were submitted; or
Æ 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 and cooperative
agreements 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 20 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 81⁄2″
x 11″ paper.
Be sure to succinctly address and
answer all questions listed under the
narrative and place them 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 shall not
be considered or scored. These
narratives will assist the ORC in
becoming familiar with the applicant’s
activities and accomplishments prior to
this cooperative agreement award. If the
narrative exceeds the page limit, only
the first 20 pages will be reviewed. The
20-page page limit for the narrative does
not include the work plan, standard
forms, Tribal resolutions, 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.
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Reminder: You are required to submit
two separate complete and signed
application packages. One for the
Behavioral Health—MSPI cooperative
agreement and one complete signed
application package for the HIV/AIDS
cooperative agreement. This applies to
the narratives and budgets as well and
all components listed below. Be sure to
address each component separately in
its respective application package. The
page limitations below are for each
narrative and budget submitted.
Part A: Program Information (8 page
limitation)
Section 1: Needs
Describe how the national Indian
organization has the experience to
provide outreach and education efforts
regarding the pertinent changes and
updates in health care for each of the
two components listed herein:
Behavioral Health—MSPI and HIV/
AIDS.
Part B: Program Planning and
Evaluation (7 page limitation)
Section 1: Program Plans
Describe fully and clearly how the
national Indian organization plans to
address the NIHOE II MSPI and HIV/
AIDS requirements, including how the
national Indian organization plans to
demonstrate improved health education
and outreach services to all 566
Federally-recognized Tribes for each of
the two components described herein.
Section 2: Program Evaluation
Describe fully and clearly how the
outreach and education efforts will
impact changes in knowledge and
awareness in Tribal communities
regarding both components. Identify
anticipated or expected benefits for the
Tribal constituency.
Part C: Program Report (5 page
limitation)
Section 1: Describe Major
Accomplishments Over the Last 24
Months
Identify and describe significant
program achievements associated with
the delivery of quality health outreach
and education. Provide a comparison of
the actual accomplishments to the goals
established for the project period for
both components, or if applicable,
provide justification for the lack of
progress.
Section 2: Describe Major Activities
Over the Last 24 Months
Identify and summarize recent major
health related outreach and education
project activities of the work performed
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for both components during the last
project period.
B. Budget Narrative: This narrative
must include a line item budget with a
narrative justification for all
expenditures identifying reasonable and
allowable costs necessary to accomplish
the goals and objectives as outlined in
the project narrative. Budget should
match the scope of work described in
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
11:59 p.m. 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. Grants.gov will notify the
applicant via email if the application is
rejected.
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 Mr. 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 through Grants.gov, a
waiver must be requested. Prior
approval must be requested and
obtained from Ms. Tammy Bagley,
Acting Director of DGM, (see Section
IV.6 below for additional information).
The waiver must: (1) Be documented in
writing (emails are acceptable), before
submitting a paper application, and (2)
include clear justification for the need
to deviate from the required electronic
grants submission process. A written
waiver request must be sent to
GrantsPolicy@ihs.gov with a copy to
Tammy.Bagley@ihs.gov. Once the
waiver request has been approved, the
applicant will receive a confirmation of
approval email containing submission
instructions and the mailing address to
submit the application. A copy of the
written approval must be submitted
along with the hardcopy of the
application that is mailed to DGM.
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Paper applications that are submitted
without a copy of the signed waiver
from the Acting Director of the DGM
will not be reviewed or considered for
funding. The applicant will be notified
via email of this decision by the Grants
Management Officer of the 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
component.
• 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 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.
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• 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 Office of Direct
Service and Contracting Tribes (ODSCT)
will notify the applicant that the
application has been received.
• Email applications will not be
accepted under this announcement.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
Numbering System
All IHS applicants and grantee
organizations are required to obtain a
UEI number and maintain an active
registration in the SAM database. The
UEI number is a unique 9-digit
identification number provided to each
entity. The UEI number is site specific;
therefore, each distinct performance site
may be assigned a UEI number.
Obtaining a UEI number is easy, and
there is no charge. To obtain a UEI
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number, please contact Mr. Paul Gettys
at (301) 443–2114.
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.
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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 20 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
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minimum score of 60 points is required
for funding. Points are assigned as
follows:
1. Criteria
A. Introduction and Need for Assistance
(15 points)
(1) Describe the organization’s current
health, education and technical
assistance operations as related to the
broad spectrum of health needs of the
AI/AN community. Include what
programs and services are currently
provided (i.e., Federally-funded, Statefunded, etc.), and identify any
memorandums of agreement with other
national, Area or local Indian health
board organizations. This could also
include HHS’ agencies that rely on the
applicant as the primary gateway
organization that is capable of providing
the dissemination of health information
to Tribes. Include information regarding
technologies currently used (i.e.,
hardware, software, services, Web sites,
etc.), and identify the source(s) of
technical support for those technologies
(i.e., in-house staff, contractors, vendors,
etc.). Include information regarding how
long the applicant has been operating
and its length of association/
partnerships with Area health boards,
etc. [historical collaboration].
(2) Describe the organization’s current
technical assistance ability. Include
what programs and services are
currently provided, programs and
services projected to be provided, and
describe any memorandums of
agreement with other national Indian
organizations that deem the applicant as
the primary source of health policy
information for AI/ANs, or any other
memorandums of agreement with other
Area Indian health boards, etc.
(3) Describe the population to be
served by the proposed projects. Are
they hard to reach? Are there barriers?
Include a description of the number of
Tribes who currently benefit from the
technical assistance provided by the
applicant.
(4) Describe the geographic location of
the proposed project including any
geographic barriers experienced by the
recipients of the technical assistance to
the health care information provided.
(5) Identify all previous IHS
cooperative agreement awards received,
dates of funding and summaries of the
projects’ accomplishments. State how
previous cooperative agreement funds
facilitated education, training and
technical assistance nationwide for
AI/ANs. (Copies of reports will not be
accepted.)
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(6) Describe collaborative and
supportive efforts with national, Area,
and local Indian health boards.
(7) Explain the need/reason for the
proposed projects by identifying
specific gaps or weaknesses in services
or infrastructure that will be addressed
by the proposed projects. Explain how
these gaps/weaknesses have been
assessed.
(8) Explain what measures were taken
or will be taken to ensure the proposed
projects will not create new gaps or
weaknesses in services or infrastructure.
(9) Describe the effect of the proposed
project on current programs (i.e.,
Federally-funded, State funded, etc.)
and, if applicable, on current equipment
(i.e., hardware, software, services, etc.).
Include the effect of the proposed
projects on planned/anticipated
programs and/or equipment.
(10) Describe how the projects relate
to the purpose of the cooperative
agreement by identifying how the
proposed project will address national
Indian health care outreach and
education regarding various health data
listed, e.g., MSPI and HIV and AIDS,
dissemination, training, and technical
assistance, etc.
B. Project Objective(s), Work Plan and
Approach (40 points)
(1) Identify the proposed project
objective(s) for each of the two projects,
as applicable, addressing the following:
• Measurable and (if applicable)
quantifiable.
• Results oriented.
• Time-limited.
Example: Issue four quarterly
newsletters, provide alerts and quantify
number of contacts with Tribes. Goals
must be clear and concise.
(2) Address how the proposed
projects will result in change or
improvement in program operations or
processes for each proposed project
objective for the selected projects. Also
address what tangible products, if any,
are expected from the project, (i.e.,
legislative analysis, policy analysis,
annual conferences, mid-year
conferences, summits, etc.).
(3) Address the extent to which the
proposed projects will provide,
improve, or expand services that
address the need(s) of the target
population. Include a strategic plan and
business plan currently in place that are
being used that will include the
expanded services. Include the plan(s)
with the application submission.
(4) Submit a work plan in the
Appendix that:
• Provides the action steps on a
timeline for accomplishing each of the
projects’ proposed objective(s).
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• Identifies who will perform the
action steps.
• Identifies who will supervise the
action steps taken.
• Identifies what tangible products
will be produced during and at the end
of the proposed project objective(s).
• Identifies who will accept and/or
approve work products during the
duration of the proposed projects and at
the end of the proposed projects.
• Identifies any training that will take
place during the proposed projects and
who will be attending the training.
• Identifies evaluation activities
proposed in the work plans.
(5) If consultants or contractors will
be used during the proposed project,
please include the following
information in their scope of work (or
note if consultants/contractors will not
be used):
• Educational requirements.
• Desired qualifications and work
experience.
• Expected work products to be
delivered on a timeline.
If a potential consultant/contractor
has already been identified, please
include a resume in the Appendix.
(6) Describe what updates will be
required for the continued success of
the proposed project. Include when
these updates are anticipated and where
funds will come from to conduct the
update and/or maintenance.
C. Program Evaluation (20 points)
Each proposed objective requires an
evaluation component to assess its
progress and ensure its completion.
Also, include the evaluation activities in
the work plan.
Describe the proposed plan to
evaluate both outcomes and process.
Outcome evaluation relates to the
results identified in the objectives, and
process evaluation relates to the work
plan and activities of the project.
(1) For outcome evaluation, describe:
• What will the criteria be for
determining success of each objective?
• What data will be collected to
determine whether the objective was
met?
• At what intervals will data be
collected?
• Who will collect the data and their
qualifications?
• How will the data be analyzed?
• How will the results be used?
(2) For process evaluation, describe:
• How will the projects be monitored
and assessed for potential problems and
needed quality improvements?
• Who will be responsible for
monitoring and managing project
improvements based on results of
ongoing process improvements and
what are their qualifications?
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• How will ongoing monitoring be
used to improve the projects?
• Describe any products, such as
manuals or policies, that might be
developed and how they might lend
themselves to replication by others.
• How will the organization
document what is learned throughout
the projects’ grant periods?
(3) Describe any evaluation efforts
planned after the grant period has
ended.
(4) Describe the ultimate benefit to the
AI/AN population served by the
applicant organization that will be
derived from these projects.
D. Organizational Capabilities, Key
Personnel and Qualifications (15 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 projects outlined in
the work plans.
(1) Describe the organizational
structure of the organization beyond
health care activities, if applicable.
(2) Describe the ability of the
organization to manage the proposed
projects. Include information regarding
similarly sized projects in scope and
financial assistance, as well as other
cooperative agreements/grants and
projects successfully completed.
(3) Describe what equipment (i.e., fax
machine, phone, computer, etc.) and
facility space (i.e., office space) will be
available for use during the proposed
projects. Include information about any
equipment not currently available that
will be purchased through the
cooperative agreement/grant.
(4) List key personnel who will work
on the projects. Include title used in the
work plans. In the Appendix, include
position descriptions and resumes for
all key personnel. Position descriptions
should clearly describe each position
and duties, indicating desired
qualifications and experience
requirements related to the proposed
project. Resumes must indicate that the
proposed staff member is qualified to
carry out the proposed project activities.
If a position is to be filled, indicate that
information on the proposed position
description.
(5) If personnel are to be only partially
funded by this cooperative agreement,
indicate the percentage of time to be
allocated to this project and identify the
resources used to fund the remainder of
the individual’s salary.
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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 entire
cooperative agreement period for each
award. The budgets and budget
justifications should be consistent with
the tasks identified in the work plans.
Because each of the two awards
included in this announcement are
funded through separate funding
streams, the applicant must provide a
separate budget and budget narrative for
each of the two components and must
account for costs separately.
(1) Provide a categorical budget for
each of the 12-month budget periods
requested for each of the two projects.
(2) If IDC are claimed, indicate and
apply the current negotiated rate to the
budget. Include a copy of the rate
agreement in the Appendix. See Section
VI. Award Administration Information,
3. Indirect Costs.
(3) Provide a narrative justification
explaining why each line item is
necessary or relevant to the proposed
project. Include sufficient costs and
other details to facilitate the
determination that the cost is allowable
(i.e., equipment specifications, etc.).
Additional Documents Can Be
Uploaded as Appendix Items in
Grants.gov
• 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 Agreement.
• Organizational chart.
• Map of area identifying project
location(s).
• 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. Applications that meet
the eligibility criteria shall be reviewed
for merit by the ORC based on
evaluation criteria in this funding
announcement. The ORC could be
composed of both Tribal and Federal
reviewers appointed by the ODSCT to
review and make recommendations on
these applications. The technical review
process ensures selection of quality
projects in a national competition for
limited funding. Incomplete
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applications and applications that are
non-responsive to the eligibility criteria
will not be referred to the ORC. The
applicant will be notified via email of
this decision by the Grants Management
Officer of the DGM. Applicants will be
notified by DGM, via email, to outline
minor missing components (i.e., budget
narratives, 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.
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
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, 60 points, and were deemed
to be disapproved by the ORC, will
receive an Executive Summary
Statement from the ODSCT within 30
days of the conclusion of the ORC
outlining the strengths and weaknesses
of their application submitted. The
ODSCT will also provide additional
contact information as needed to
address questions and concerns as well
as provide technical assistance if
desired.
tkelley on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
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 2015 the approved but unfunded
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18:14 Apr 03, 2015
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application 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 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 75, Administrative
Requirements.
C. Grants Policy:
• HHS Grants Policy Statement,
Revised 01/07.
D. Cost Principles:
45 CFR part 75, subpart E. Cost
Principles.
E. Audit Requirements:
• 45 CFR part 75, subpart F. Audit
Requirements.
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 the
Grants Management Specialist listed
under ‘‘Agency Contacts’’ or the main
DGM office at (301) 443–5204.
4. Reporting Requirements
The grantee must submit required
reports consistent with the applicable
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18423
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 Payment Management
Services, 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
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.
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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 firsttier 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 DGM 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.
tkelley on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
VII. Agency Contacts
1. Questions on the programmatic
issues may be directed to:
Mr. Chris Buchanan, Director, ODSCT,
801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 220,
Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Telephone: (301) 443–1104. E-Mail:
Chris.Buchanan@ihs.gov.
2. Questions on grants management
and fiscal matters may be directed to:
Mr. John Hoffman, DGM, Grants
Management Specialist, 801
Thompson Avenue, TMP Suite 360,
Rockville, Maryland 20852.
Telephone: (301) 443–2116 Fax: (301)
443–9602. E-Mail: John.Hoffman@
ihs.gov.
3. Questions on systems matters may
be directed to:
Paul Gettys, Grant Systems Coordinator,
DGM, 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. E-Mail: Paul.Gettys@
ihs.gov.
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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 ProChildren 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 29, 2015.
Robert G. McSwain,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015–07780 Filed 4–3–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165–16–P
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Solicitation of Written Comments on
the National Vaccine Advisory
Committee’s Draft Report and Draft
Recommendations for Consideration
for Addressing the State of Vaccine
Confidence in the United States
Office of the Secretary, Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Health,
National Vaccine Program Office,
Department of Health and Human
Services
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
The National Vaccine
Advisory Committee (NVAC) was
established in 1987 to comply with Title
XXI of the Public Health Service Act
(Pub. L. 99–660) (§ 2105) (42 U.S. Code
300aa–5 (PDF–78 KB)). Its purpose is to
advise and make recommendations to
the Director of the National Vaccine
Program on matters related to program
responsibilities. The Assistant Secretary
for Health (ASH) has been designated by
the Secretary of Health and Human
Services (HHS) as the Director of the
National Vaccine Program. The National
Vaccine Program Office (NVPO) is
located within the Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH),
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services (HHS).
NVPO provides leadership and fosters
collaboration among the various federal
agencies involved in vaccine and
immunization activities. The NVPO also
supports the National Vaccine Advisory
Committee (NVAC). The NVAC advises
and makes recommendations to the
ASH in her capacity as the Director of
SUMMARY:
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National Vaccine Program on matters
related to vaccine program
responsibilities.
Recognizing that immunizations are
given across the lifespan and there are
likely to be important differences in
vaccine acceptance at different stages of
life, in February of 2013 the National
Vaccine Advisory Committee accepted
an initial charge from the Assistant
Secretary for Health (ASH) to report on
how confidence in vaccines impacts the
optimal use of recommended childhood
vaccines in the United States, including
reaching Healthy People 2020
immunization coverage targets. Focus of
such a report may include
understanding the determinants of
vaccination acceptance among parents,
what HHS should be doing to improve
parental confidence in vaccine
recommendations and how to best
measure confidence in vaccine and
vaccination to inform and evaluate
interventions in the future.
Through a series of teleconferences,
electronic communications,
presentations and public discussions
during the NVAC meetings, a working
group identified a number of draft
recommendations to further understand
and address issues of vaccine
confidence in the United States.
On behalf of NVAC, NVPO is
soliciting public comment on the draft
report and draft recommendations from
a variety of stakeholders, including the
general public, for consideration by the
NVAC as they develop their final
recommendations to the ASH. It is
anticipated that the draft report and
draft recommendations, as revised with
consideration given to public comment
and stakeholder input, will be presented
to the NVAC for adoption in June 2015
at the quarterly NVAC meeting.
DATES: Comments for consideration by
the NVAC should be received no later
than 5:00 p.m. EDT on May 6, 2015.
ADDRESSES:
(1) The draft report and draft
recommendations are available on the
Web at https://www.hhs.gov/nvpo/nvac/
subgroups/nvac-vaccine-confidencewg.html.
(2) Electronic responses are preferred
and may be addressed to: vcwg@
hhs.gov.
(3) Written responses should be
addressed to: National Vaccine Program
Office, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 200 Independence
Avenue SW., Room 733G, Washington,
DC 20201. Attn: Vaccine Confidence
Working Group.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
National Vaccine Program Office, Office
of the Assistant Secretary for Health,
E:\FR\FM\06APN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 65 (Monday, April 6, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18414-18424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07780]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Indian Health Service
Office of Direct Service and Contracting Tribes; National Indian
Health Outreach and Education II
Announcement Type: New Limited Competition.
[[Page 18415]]
Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2015-IHS-NIHOE-0002.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.933.
Key Dates
Application Deadline Date: June 19, 2015.
Review Date: July 6-10, 2015.
Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 30, 2015.
Proof of Non-Profit Status Due Date: July 3, 2015.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Statutory Authority
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting competitive
applications for two limited competition cooperative agreements under
the National Indian Health Outreach and Education (NIHOE) program: the
Behavioral Health--Methamphetamine and Suicide Prevention Intervention
(MSPI) outreach and education award and the Human Immunodeficiency
Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) outreach and
education award. The Behavioral Health--MSPI outreach and education
award is funded by IHS and is authorized under the Snyder Act, codified
at 25 U.S.C. Sec. 13; the Transfer Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. Sec.
2001; the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014, Public. Law 113-76.
The HIV/AIDS outreach and education award is funded by the Office of
the Secretary (OS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Funding for the HIV/AIDS award will be provided by OS via an Intra-
Departmental Delegation of Authority dated to IHS to permit obligation
of funding appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014,
Public Law 113-76. Each award is funded through a separate funding
stream by each respective Agency's appropriations. The awardee is
responsible for accounting for each of the two awards separately and
must provide two separate financial reports (one for each award), as
indicated below. This program is described in the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance under 93.933.
Background
The NIHOE program carries out health program objectives in the
American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) community in the interest of
improving Indian health care for all 566 Federally-recognized Tribes
including Tribal governments operating their own health care delivery
systems through Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(ISDEAA) contracts and compacts with the IHS and Tribes that continue
to receive health care directly from the IHS. This program addresses
health policy and health programs issues and disseminates educational
information to all AI/AN Tribes and villages. The NIHOE IIMSPI and HIV/
AIDS awards require that public forums be held at Tribal educational
consumer conferences to disseminate changes and updates in the latest
health care information. These awards also require that regional and
national meetings be coordinated for information dissemination as well
as for the inclusion of planning and technical assistance and health
care recommendations on behalf of participating Tribes to ultimately
inform IHS and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) based
on Tribal input through a broad based consumer network.
Purpose
The purpose of these cooperative agreements is to further IHS
health program objectives in the AI/AN community with expanded outreach
and education efforts for the MSPI and HIV/AIDS programs on a national
scale and in the interest of improving Indian health care. This
announcement includes two separate awards, each of which will be
awarded as noted below. The purpose of the MSPI award is to further the
goals of the national MSPI program. The MSPI is a national
demonstration project aimed at addressing the dual problems of
methamphetamine use and suicide in Indian Country. The MSPI supports an
AI/AN community driven focus on the utilization and development of
evidence-based and practice-based intervention models that promote a
culturally appropriate prevention, treatment, and postvention approach
to methamphetamine use and suicide. The six goals of the MSPI are to
effectively prevent, reduce, or delay the use and/or spread of
methamphetamine use; build on the foundation of prior methamphetamine
and suicide prevention and treatment efforts in order to support the
IHS, Tribes, and urban Indian health organizations in developing and
implementing Tribal and/or culturally appropriate methamphetamine and
suicide prevention and early intervention strategies; increasing access
to methamphetamine and suicide prevention services; improving services
for behavioral health issues associated with methamphetamine use and
suicide prevention; promoting the development of new and promising
services that are culturally and community relevant; and demonstrating
efficacy and impact.
[Note: While the national MSPI program includes outreach to
urban Indian organizations, outreach aimed specifically at urban
Indian organizations will be addressed in a separate award
announcement. However, materials developed by the grantee in the
(NIHOE-II) MSPI award described in this announcement may be
distributed by IHS to urban Indian organizations, at the discretion
of the Agency.]
The purpose of the HIV/AIDS award is to further the goals of the
national HIV/AIDS program. HIV and AIDS are a critical and growing
health issue within the AI/AN population. The IHS National HIV/AIDS
Program seeks to avoid complacency and to increase awareness of the
impact of HIV/AIDS on AI/ANs. All activities are part of the IHS's
implementation plan to meet the three goals of the President's National
HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) to reduce the number of people who become
infected with HIV, increase access to care and optimize health outcomes
for people living with HIV, and reduce HIV-related disparities. This
population faces additional health disparities that contribute
significantly to the risk of HIV transmission such as substance abuse
and sexually transmitted infections. Amongst AI/AN people, HIV/AIDS
exists in both urban and rural populations (and on or near Tribal
lands); however, many of those living with HIV are not aware of their
status. These statistics, risk factors, and missed opportunities for
screening illuminate the need to go beyond raising awareness about HIV
and begin active integration of initiatives that will help routinize
HIV services. If the status quo is unchanged, prevalence will continue
to increase and AI/AN communities may face an irreversible problem.
Therefore, the National HIV/AIDS Program is working to change the way
HIV is discussed, to change and improve the way HIV testing is
integrated into health services, and to firmly establish linkages and
access to care. The IHS HIV/AIDS Program is implemented and executed
via an integrated and comprehensive approach through collaborations
across multi-health sectors, both internal and external to the agency.
It attempts to encompass all types of service delivery `systems'
including IHS/Tribal/Urban facilities. The IHS HIV/AIDS Program is
committed to realizing the goals of the President's NHAS and has
bridged the objectives and implementation to the IHS HIV/AIDS Strategic
Plan.
Limited Competition Justification
Competition for both of the awards included in this announcement is
limited to national Indian health care organizations with at least ten
years of
[[Page 18416]]
experience providing education and outreach on a national scale. This
limitation ensures that the awardee will have: (1) A national
information-sharing infrastructure which will facilitate the timely
exchange of information between HHS and Tribes and Tribal organizations
on a broad scale; (2) a national perspective on the needs of AI/AN
communities that will ensure that the information developed and
disseminated through the projects is appropriate, useful and addresses
the most pressing needs of AI/AN communities; and (3) established
relationships with Tribes and Tribal organizations that will foster
open and honest participation by AI/AN communities. Regional or local
organizations will not have the mechanisms in place to conduct
communication on a national level, nor will they have an accurate
picture of the health care needs facing AI/ANs nationwide.
Organizations with less experience will lack the established
relationships with Tribes and Tribal organizations throughout the
country that will facilitate participation and the open and honest
exchange of information between Tribes and HHS. With the limited funds
available for these projects, HHS must ensure that the education and
outreach efforts described in this announcement reach the widest
audience possible in a timely fashion, are appropriately tailored to
the needs of AI/AN communities throughout the country, and come from a
source that AI/ANs recognize and trust. For these reasons, this is a
limited competition announcement.
II. Award Information
Type of Award
Cooperative Agreement.
Estimated Funds Available
The total amount of funding identified for the current fiscal year
(FY) 2015 is approximately $250,000 to fund two cooperative agreements
for one year; $150,000 will be awarded for the Behavioral Health--MSPI
award and $100,000 will be awarded for the HIV/AIDS award. The amount
of funding available for competing awards issued under this
announcement is subject to the availability of appropriations and
budgetary priorities of the Agency. The IHS is under no obligation to
make awards that are selected for funding under this announcement.
Anticipated Number of Awards
Two awards will be issued under this program announcement. It is
the intention of IHS and the Office of the Secretary (OS) that one
entity will receive both awards. OS and IHS will concur on the final
decision as to who will receive both awards.
Project Period
The project periods for each award will be for one year and will
run from September 30, 2015 with completion by September 29, 2016.
Cooperative Agreement
Cooperative agreements awarded by the Department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) are 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
The IHS assigned program official will monitor the overall progress
of the awardee's execution of the requirements of the two awards: IHS
award and OS award noted below as well as their adherence to the terms
and conditions of the cooperative agreements. This includes providing
guidance for required reports, developing of tools, and other products,
interpreting program findings, and assisting with evaluations and
overcoming any difficulties or performance issues encountered. The IHS
assigned program official must approve all presentations, electronic
content, and other materials, including mass emails, developed by
awardee pursuant to these awards and any supplemental awards prior to
the presentation or dissemination of such materials to any party.
(1) Behavioral Health--MSPI Award
i. The IHS assigned program official will work in partnership with
the awardee to identify and provide presentation topics on MSPI for the
National Tribal Advisory Committee meetings; the Behavioral Health Work
Group; webinars; and IHS Area conference calls.
ii. The IHS assigned program official will work in partnership with
the awardee to identify MSPI projects in need of technical assistance.
(2) HIV/AIDS Award
IHS staff will provide support for the HIV/AIDS award as follows:
i. The IHS assigned program official will work in partnership with
the awardee in all decisions involving strategy, hiring of grantee
personnel, deployment of resources, release of public information
materials, quality assurance, coordination of activities, training,
reports, budgets, and evaluations. Collaboration includes data
analysis, interpretation of findings, and reporting.
ii. The IHS assigned program official will work closely with OS and
all participating IHS health services/programs, as appropriate, to
coordinate award activities.
iii. The IHS assigned program official will coordinate the
following for OS and the participating IHS program offices and staff:
Discussion and release of any and all special grant
conditions upon fulfillment.
Monthly scheduled conference calls.
Appropriate dissemination of required reports to each
participating program.
iv. The IHS will, jointly with the awardee, plan and set an agenda
for each of the conferences mentioned in this announcement that:
Shares the training and/or accomplishments.
Fosters collaboration amongst the participating program
offices, agencies, and/or departments.
Increases visibility for the partnership between the
awardee and the IHS and OS.
v. IHS will provide guidance in addressing deliverables and
requirements.
vi. IHS will provide guidance in preparing articles for publication
and/or presentations of program successes, lessons learned, and new
findings.
vii. IHS will communicate via monthly conference calls, individual
or collective site visits, and monthly meetings.
viii. IHS staff will review articles concerning the HHS, OS, and
the Agency for accuracy and may, as requested by the awardee, provide
relevant articles.
ix. IHS will provide technical assistance to the entity as
requested.
x. IHS staff may, at the request of the entity's board, participate
on study groups and may recommend topics for analysis and discussion.
B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities
The awardee must comply with relevant Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) Circular provisions regarding lobbying, any applicable
[[Page 18417]]
lobbying restrictions provided under other law and any applicable
restriction on the use of appropriated funds for lobbying activities.
The awardee is responsible for the following in addition to
fulfilling all requirements noted for each award component: Behavioral
Health--MSPI and HIV/AIDS.
i. To succinctly and independently address the requirements for
each of the two awards listed below: Behavioral Health--MSPI and HIV/
AIDS.
ii. To facilitate a forum or forums at which concerns can be heard
that are representative of all Tribal governments in the area of health
care policy analysis and program development for each of the two
components listed above.
iii. To assure that health care outreach and education is based on
Tribal input through a broad-based consumer network involving the Area
Indian health boards or health board representatives from each of the
12 IHS Areas.
iv. To establish relationships with other national Indian
organizations, professional groups, and Federal, State, and local
entities supportive of AI/AN health programs.
v. To improve and expand access for AI/AN Tribal governments to all
available programs within the HHS.
vi. To disseminate timely health care information to Tribal
governments, AI/AN health boards, other national Indian organizations,
professional groups, Federal, State, and local entities.
vii. To provide periodic dissemination of health care information,
including publication of a newsletter four times a year that features
articles on MSPI and HIV/AIDS health promotion/disease/behavioral
health prevention activities and models of best or promising practices,
health policy, and funding information relevant to AI/AN, etc.
The following schedule of deliverables outlines the requirements
necessary to effectuate timely and effective support services to Tribal
MSPI projects:
Summary of Tasks To Be Performed MSPI:
At a minimum, the awardee shall provide Tribal MSPI
program updates at the National Tribal Advisory Committee meetings and
conference calls; and the Behavioral Health Work Group meetings and
conference calls.
At a minimum, the awardee shall serve as a committee
member for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention's
American Indian/Alaska Native Task Force.
The awardee shall participate in MSPI Area conference
calls requested by the IHS assigned program official. The awardee must
be included on the agenda and provide presentations on specific areas
of interest identified by the Tribal MSPI programs and IHS assigned
program official.
Outreach and Education
The awardee shall provide information and education via
multi-media venues, including but not limited to teleconference,
webinar workshops, and/or online training modules on topics of
particular importance to Tribal MSPI projects. The awardee will work
with MSPI Tribal projects and the IHS assigned program official to
identify topics. Topics will be discussed prior to the teleconference
or webinar and will be subject to approval from the IHS assigned
program official. PowerPoint slides must be submitted for approval two
weeks prior to the presentation and will be made available on the IHS
MSPI Web sites. Awardee's organizational Web site will link to IHS MSPI
Web sites.
The awardee shall conduct workshops and/or presentations
including, but not limited to, the successes of the MSPI and promising
practices and/or best practices of Tribal MSPI programs at three
national conferences (venue and content of presentations to be agreed
upon by the awardee and the IHS assigned program official).
The awardee shall maintain a booth at identified meetings
and conferences to provide comprehensive information on Tribal MSPI
programs, curricula, findings, and strategies to local, regional,
state, and Federal agencies and organizations.
The awardee shall conduct site visits at Tribal MSPI
programs, as funding is available, with two weeks advanced notification
to the IHS assigned program official.
Technical Assistance
The awardee shall review progress reports of MSPI projects
identified by the program official.
The awardee will develop and maintain orientation
materials for MSPI projects including but limited to factsheets and
guides.
The awardee will provide training and technical assistance
to increase AI/AN specific culture- or tradition-based interventions to
be listed on the IHS Best and Promising Practice Registry.
Information Sharing
The awardee shall develop, maintain, and disseminate
comprehensive information on Tribal MSPI programs, curricula, findings,
articles, and strategies to all Tribal MSPI programs, and present the
information at conference and meeting booths as described above.
The awardee will provide postings on MSPI related
information for the IHS MSPI Web site.
The awardee will develop and/or maintain a comprehensive
list of evidence-based and practice-based program development and
business practice guidelines for use by Tribal MSPI programs.
The awardee will develop and publish a semi-annual MSPI
newsletter focusing on the impact and outcomes of the MSPI projects in
Tribal communities to be cleared by IHS and then published on the IHS
MSPI Web site.
Reporting
The awardee shall provide semi-annual reports documenting
and describing progress and accomplishment of the activities specified
above, attaching any necessary documentation to adequately document
accomplishments.
The awardee shall attend bi-weekly, regularly scheduled,
in-person and conference call meetings with the IHS assigned program
official team to discuss the awardee's services and MSPI/related
issues. The awardee must provide meeting minutes that highlight the
awardee's specific involvement and participation.
The awardee shall obtain approval from the IHS assigned
program official for all PowerPoint presentations, electronic content,
and other materials, including mass emails, developed by awardee
pursuant to this award and any supplemental awards prior to the
presentation or dissemination of such materials to any party, allowing
for a reasonable amount of time for IHS review.
Deliverables
Attendance at regularly scheduled meetings between awardee
and the IHS assigned program official, evidenced by meeting minutes
which highlight the awardee's specific involvement and participation.
Participation on MSPI Area conference calls identified by
the IHS assigned program official, evidenced by meeting agenda and
minutes as needed.
Report of outcomes at the following (meeting booths,
workshops, site visitations and/or presentations provided):
(a) National Tribal Advisory Committee conference calls and
meetings.
[[Page 18418]]
(b) Behavioral Health Work Group conference calls and meetings.
(PowerPoint slides in electronic form and one hard copy are to be
submitted to the program official and the IHS assigned program official
as required).
(c) IHS Area conference calls.
(d) IHS Area and national webinars.
(e) MSPI Project site visitations.
(f) Other AI/AN national conferences.
Completed programmatic reviews of semi and annual progress
reports of Tribal MSPI projects in order to identify projects that
require technical assistance.
[Note: This review is not to replace IHS review of MSPI
programs. The programmatic reviews to be conducted by grantee are
secondary reviews intended solely to identify programs in need of
technical assistance.]
[cir] The awardee shall help the IHS assigned program official
identify challenges faced by participating Tribal communities and
assist in developing solutions.
Copies of educational and practice-based information
provided to Tribal MSPI programs (electronic form and one hard copy).
Copies of all promotional and educational materials
provided to Tribal MSPI programs and other projects (electronic form
and one hard copy).
Copies of all promotional materials provided to media and
other outlets (electronic form and one hard copy).
Copies of all articles published (electronic form and one
hard copy). Submit semi-annual and annual progress reports to Division
of Behavioral Health (DBH), due no later than 30 days after the
reporting cycle, attaching any necessary documentation. For example:
meeting minutes, correspondence with Tribal MSPI projects, samples of
all written materials developed including brochures, news articles,
videos, radio and television ads to adequately document
accomplishments.
The awardee will submit a deliverable schedule to the
program official no later than 30 days after the start date.
HIV/AIDS
In alignment with the above program and independent from MSPI
activities (both via fiscal resources and programmatic implementation),
the awardee shall:
Disseminate existing HIV/AIDS messages to AI/AN audiences
in a format designed to solicit, collect, and report on community-level
feedback and generate discussion regarding the disease and its
prevention. This may include electronic and emerging means of
communication. At least four distinct audiences (such as women, young
people, etc.) will be addressed and engaged. Preference will be given
to reaching audiences with the highest HIV burden or potential
increases as supported by the NHAS.
Disseminate existing IHS HIV/AIDS program and other HIV/
AIDS training materials to educators, health care providers, and other
key audiences. Collect and report on relevant evaluation criteria,
including impacts on underlying knowledge, attitudes, or beliefs about
HIV acquisition, testing, or treatment.
Deliver HIV/AIDS technical assistance and activity support
program. Engage in documented partnerships with AI/AN communities to
expand their capacity relevant to HIV/AIDS education and prevention
efforts. Local activity support may include sub-awards of resources and
distribution of incentives to qualified AI/AN-serving community
organizations increasing HIV/AIDS education and prevention in their
populations. Sub-award eligibility standards and management controls
will be proposed by the awardee and will be subject to IHS approval.
These activities must be conducted in accordance with Federal grant
policies and procedures. Awardee will collect and maintain relevant
evaluation materials and generate reports that highlight progress
towards the President's NHAS goals on the community level and that
collect best practices for dissemination to other communities.
Contribute technical expertise to the IHS HIV/AIDS program
and develop formal written documents responding to information requests
from the public regarding HIV/AIDS initiatives.
Develop and launch anti-stigma messaging for at least one
audience, coordinated with other local activities to increase HIV
screening and increase access to services, or increase positive role
modeling for people living with, or at risk of, acquiring HIV/AIDS.
Support and document issue-specific discussions with
Tribal Leaders as needed to address effective prevention interventions
for AI/AN populations as noted in the President's NHAS.
Obtain approval from the IHS assigned program official of
all presentations, electronic content, and other materials, including
mass emails, developed by awardee pursuant to this award and any
supplemental awards prior to the presentation or dissemination of such
materials to any party, allowing for a reasonable amount of time for
IHS review.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligibility
To be eligible for this ``New/Competing Continuation Limited
Competition Announcement'', an applicant must:
Provide proof of non-profit status with the application, e.g.,
501(c)(3). Eligible applicants that can apply for this funding
opportunity are national Indian organizations.
The national Indian organization must have the infrastructure in
place to accomplish the work under the proposed program.
Eligible entities must have demonstrated expertise in the following
areas:
Representing all Tribal governments and providing a
variety of services to Tribes, Area health boards, Tribal
organizations, and Federal agencies, and playing a major role in
focusing attention on Indian health care needs, resulting in improved
health outcomes for AI/ANs.
Promotion and support of Indian education and coordinating
efforts to inform AI/AN of Federal decisions that affect Tribal
government interests including the improvement of Indian health care.
National health policy and health programs administration.
Have a national AI/AN constituency and clearly support
critical services and activities within the IHS mission of improving
the quality of health care for AI/AN people.
Portray evidence of their solid support of improved health
care in Indian Country.
Provide evidence of at least ten years of experience
providing education and outreach on a national scale.
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 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
[[Page 18419]]
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 Mr. Paul Gettys at (301) 443-2114.
2. Content and Form Application Submission
Two complete separate signed applications are required. Both
applications should address all the following components separately in
each application. Each separate application 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 be single spaced and not exceed 20
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.
Letter of Support from Organization's Board of Directors.
501(c)(3) Certificate (if applicable).
Position Descriptions for all key personnel.
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 rate (IDC)
agreement (required) in order to receive IDC.
Organizational Chart (optional).
Documentation of current Office of Management and Budget
(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
Public Policy Requirements
All Federal-wide public policies apply to IHS grants and
cooperative agreements 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 20 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 address and answer all questions listed under
the narrative and place them 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 shall not be considered or scored. These narratives
will assist the ORC in becoming familiar with the applicant's
activities and accomplishments prior to this cooperative agreement
award. If the narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first 20 pages
will be reviewed. The 20-page page limit for the narrative does not
include the work plan, standard forms, Tribal resolutions, 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.
Reminder: You are required to submit two separate complete and
signed application packages. One for the Behavioral Health--MSPI
cooperative agreement and one complete signed application package for
the HIV/AIDS cooperative agreement. This applies to the narratives and
budgets as well and all components listed below. Be sure to address
each component separately in its respective application package. The
page limitations below are for each narrative and budget submitted.
Part A: Program Information (8 page limitation)
Section 1: Needs
Describe how the national Indian organization has the experience to
provide outreach and education efforts regarding the pertinent changes
and updates in health care for each of the two components listed
herein: Behavioral Health--MSPI and HIV/AIDS.
Part B: Program Planning and Evaluation (7 page limitation)
Section 1: Program Plans
Describe fully and clearly how the national Indian organization
plans to address the NIHOE II MSPI and HIV/AIDS requirements, including
how the national Indian organization plans to demonstrate improved
health education and outreach services to all 566 Federally-recognized
Tribes for each of the two components described herein.
Section 2: Program Evaluation
Describe fully and clearly how the outreach and education efforts
will impact changes in knowledge and awareness in Tribal communities
regarding both components. Identify anticipated or expected benefits
for the Tribal constituency.
Part C: Program Report (5 page limitation)
Section 1: Describe Major Accomplishments Over the Last 24 Months
Identify and describe significant program achievements associated
with the delivery of quality health outreach and education. Provide a
comparison of the actual accomplishments to the goals established for
the project period for both components, or if applicable, provide
justification for the lack of progress.
Section 2: Describe Major Activities Over the Last 24 Months
Identify and summarize recent major health related outreach and
education project activities of the work performed
[[Page 18420]]
for both components during the last project period.
B. Budget Narrative: This narrative must include a line item budget
with a narrative justification for all expenditures identifying
reasonable and allowable costs necessary to accomplish the goals and
objectives as outlined in the project narrative. Budget should match
the scope of work described in 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
11:59 p.m. 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. Grants.gov will notify the applicant via email if the
application is rejected.
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 Mr. 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 through Grants.gov, a waiver must be
requested. Prior approval must be requested and obtained from Ms. Tammy
Bagley, Acting Director of DGM, (see Section IV.6 below for additional
information). The waiver must: (1) Be documented in writing (emails are
acceptable), before submitting a paper application, and (2) include
clear justification for the need to deviate from the required
electronic grants submission process. A written waiver request must be
sent to GrantsPolicy@ihs.gov with a copy to Tammy.Bagley@ihs.gov. Once
the waiver request has been approved, the applicant will receive a
confirmation of approval email containing submission instructions and
the mailing address to submit the application. A copy of the written
approval must be submitted along with the hardcopy of the application
that is mailed to DGM. Paper applications that are submitted without a
copy of the signed waiver from the Acting Director of the DGM will not
be reviewed or considered for funding. The applicant will be notified
via email of this decision by the Grants Management Officer of the 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
component.
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 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 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 Office of Direct
Service and Contracting Tribes (ODSCT) will notify the applicant that
the application has been received.
Email applications will not be accepted under this
announcement.
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Numbering System
All IHS applicants and grantee organizations are required to obtain
a UEI number and maintain an active registration in the SAM database.
The UEI number is a unique 9-digit identification number provided to
each entity. The UEI number is site specific; therefore, each distinct
performance site may be assigned a UEI number. Obtaining a UEI number
is easy, and there is no charge. To obtain a UEI
[[Page 18421]]
number, please contact Mr. Paul Gettys at (301) 443-2114.
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 20 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 60 points is
required for funding. Points are assigned as follows:
1. Criteria
A. Introduction and Need for Assistance (15 points)
(1) Describe the organization's current health, education and
technical assistance operations as related to the broad spectrum of
health needs of the AI/AN community. Include what programs and services
are currently provided (i.e., Federally-funded, State-funded, etc.),
and identify any memorandums of agreement with other national, Area or
local Indian health board organizations. This could also include HHS'
agencies that rely on the applicant as the primary gateway organization
that is capable of providing the dissemination of health information to
Tribes. Include information regarding technologies currently used
(i.e., hardware, software, services, Web sites, etc.), and identify the
source(s) of technical support for those technologies (i.e., in-house
staff, contractors, vendors, etc.). Include information regarding how
long the applicant has been operating and its length of association/
partnerships with Area health boards, etc. [historical collaboration].
(2) Describe the organization's current technical assistance
ability. Include what programs and services are currently provided,
programs and services projected to be provided, and describe any
memorandums of agreement with other national Indian organizations that
deem the applicant as the primary source of health policy information
for AI/ANs, or any other memorandums of agreement with other Area
Indian health boards, etc.
(3) Describe the population to be served by the proposed projects.
Are they hard to reach? Are there barriers? Include a description of
the number of Tribes who currently benefit from the technical
assistance provided by the applicant.
(4) Describe the geographic location of the proposed project
including any geographic barriers experienced by the recipients of the
technical assistance to the health care information provided.
(5) Identify all previous IHS cooperative agreement awards
received, dates of funding and summaries of the projects'
accomplishments. State how previous cooperative agreement funds
facilitated education, training and technical assistance nationwide for
AI/ANs. (Copies of reports will not be accepted.)
(6) Describe collaborative and supportive efforts with national,
Area, and local Indian health boards.
(7) Explain the need/reason for the proposed projects by
identifying specific gaps or weaknesses in services or infrastructure
that will be addressed by the proposed projects. Explain how these
gaps/weaknesses have been assessed.
(8) Explain what measures were taken or will be taken to ensure the
proposed projects will not create new gaps or weaknesses in services or
infrastructure.
(9) Describe the effect of the proposed project on current programs
(i.e., Federally-funded, State funded, etc.) and, if applicable, on
current equipment (i.e., hardware, software, services, etc.). Include
the effect of the proposed projects on planned/anticipated programs
and/or equipment.
(10) Describe how the projects relate to the purpose of the
cooperative agreement by identifying how the proposed project will
address national Indian health care outreach and education regarding
various health data listed, e.g., MSPI and HIV and AIDS, dissemination,
training, and technical assistance, etc.
B. Project Objective(s), Work Plan and Approach (40 points)
(1) Identify the proposed project objective(s) for each of the two
projects, as applicable, addressing the following:
Measurable and (if applicable) quantifiable.
Results oriented.
Time-limited.
Example: Issue four quarterly newsletters, provide alerts and
quantify number of contacts with Tribes. Goals must be clear and
concise.
(2) Address how the proposed projects will result in change or
improvement in program operations or processes for each proposed
project objective for the selected projects. Also address what tangible
products, if any, are expected from the project, (i.e., legislative
analysis, policy analysis, annual conferences, mid-year conferences,
summits, etc.).
(3) Address the extent to which the proposed projects will provide,
improve, or expand services that address the need(s) of the target
population. Include a strategic plan and business plan currently in
place that are being used that will include the expanded services.
Include the plan(s) with the application submission.
(4) Submit a work plan in the Appendix that:
Provides the action steps on a timeline for accomplishing
each of the projects' proposed objective(s).
[[Page 18422]]
Identifies who will perform the action steps.
Identifies who will supervise the action steps taken.
Identifies what tangible products will be produced during
and at the end of the proposed project objective(s).
Identifies who will accept and/or approve work products
during the duration of the proposed projects and at the end of the
proposed projects.
Identifies any training that will take place during the
proposed projects and who will be attending the training.
Identifies evaluation activities proposed in the work
plans.
(5) If consultants or contractors will be used during the proposed
project, please include the following information in their scope of
work (or note if consultants/contractors will not be used):
Educational requirements.
Desired qualifications and work experience.
Expected work products to be delivered on a timeline.
If a potential consultant/contractor has already been identified,
please include a resume in the Appendix.
(6) Describe what updates will be required for the continued
success of the proposed project. Include when these updates are
anticipated and where funds will come from to conduct the update and/or
maintenance.
C. Program Evaluation (20 points)
Each proposed objective requires an evaluation component to assess
its progress and ensure its completion. Also, include the evaluation
activities in the work plan.
Describe the proposed plan to evaluate both outcomes and process.
Outcome evaluation relates to the results identified in the objectives,
and process evaluation relates to the work plan and activities of the
project.
(1) For outcome evaluation, describe:
What will the criteria be for determining success of each
objective?
What data will be collected to determine whether the
objective was met?
At what intervals will data be collected?
Who will collect the data and their qualifications?
How will the data be analyzed?
How will the results be used?
(2) For process evaluation, describe:
How will the projects be monitored and assessed for
potential problems and needed quality improvements?
Who will be responsible for monitoring and managing
project improvements based on results of ongoing process improvements
and what are their qualifications?
How will ongoing monitoring be used to improve the
projects?
Describe any products, such as manuals or policies, that
might be developed and how they might lend themselves to replication by
others.
How will the organization document what is learned
throughout the projects' grant periods?
(3) Describe any evaluation efforts planned after the grant period
has ended.
(4) Describe the ultimate benefit to the AI/AN population served by
the applicant organization that will be derived from these projects.
D. Organizational Capabilities, Key Personnel and Qualifications (15
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 projects
outlined in the work plans.
(1) Describe the organizational structure of the organization
beyond health care activities, if applicable.
(2) Describe the ability of the organization to manage the proposed
projects. Include information regarding similarly sized projects in
scope and financial assistance, as well as other cooperative
agreements/grants and projects successfully completed.
(3) Describe what equipment (i.e., fax machine, phone, computer,
etc.) and facility space (i.e., office space) will be available for use
during the proposed projects. Include information about any equipment
not currently available that will be purchased through the cooperative
agreement/grant.
(4) List key personnel who will work on the projects. Include title
used in the work plans. In the Appendix, include position descriptions
and resumes for all key personnel. Position descriptions should clearly
describe each position and duties, indicating desired qualifications
and experience requirements related to the proposed project. Resumes
must indicate that the proposed staff member is qualified to carry out
the proposed project activities. If a position is to be filled,
indicate that information on the proposed position description.
(5) If personnel are to be only partially funded by this
cooperative agreement, indicate the percentage of time to be allocated
to this project and identify the resources used to fund the remainder
of the individual's salary.
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 entire cooperative agreement
period for each award. The budgets and budget justifications should be
consistent with the tasks identified in the work plans. Because each of
the two awards included in this announcement are funded through
separate funding streams, the applicant must provide a separate budget
and budget narrative for each of the two components and must account
for costs separately.
(1) Provide a categorical budget for each of the 12-month budget
periods requested for each of the two projects.
(2) If IDC are claimed, indicate and apply the current negotiated
rate to the budget. Include a copy of the rate agreement in the
Appendix. See Section VI. Award Administration Information, 3. Indirect
Costs.
(3) Provide a narrative justification explaining why each line item
is necessary or relevant to the proposed project. Include sufficient
costs and other details to facilitate the determination that the cost
is allowable (i.e., equipment specifications, etc.).
Additional Documents Can Be Uploaded as Appendix Items in Grants.gov
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 Agreement.
Organizational chart.
Map of area identifying project location(s).
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.
Applications that meet the eligibility criteria shall be reviewed for
merit by the ORC based on evaluation criteria in this funding
announcement. The ORC could be composed of both Tribal and Federal
reviewers appointed by the ODSCT to review and make recommendations on
these applications. The technical review process ensures selection of
quality projects in a national competition for limited funding.
Incomplete
[[Page 18423]]
applications and applications that are non-responsive to the
eligibility criteria will not be referred to the ORC. The applicant
will be notified via email of this decision by the Grants Management
Officer of the DGM. Applicants will be notified by DGM, via email, to
outline minor missing components (i.e., budget narratives, 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.
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
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, 60 points, and were deemed to be disapproved by the
ORC, will receive an Executive Summary Statement from the ODSCT within
30 days of the conclusion of the ORC outlining the strengths and
weaknesses of their application submitted. The ODSCT 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 2015 the approved but unfunded application 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 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 75, Administrative Requirements.
C. Grants Policy:
HHS Grants Policy Statement, Revised 01/07.
D. Cost Principles:
45 CFR part 75, subpart E. Cost Principles.
E. Audit Requirements:
45 CFR part 75, subpart F. Audit Requirements.
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 the Grants Management Specialist
listed under ``Agency Contacts'' or the main DGM office at (301) 443-
5204.
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 Payment
Management Services, 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 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.
[[Page 18424]]
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 DGM 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:
Mr. Chris Buchanan, Director, ODSCT, 801 Thompson Avenue, Suite 220,
Rockville, Maryland 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-1104. E-Mail:
Chris.Buchanan@ihs.gov.
2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be
directed to:
Mr. John Hoffman, DGM, Grants Management Specialist, 801 Thompson
Avenue, TMP Suite 360, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Telephone: (301) 443-
2116 Fax: (301) 443-9602. E-Mail: John.Hoffman@ihs.gov.
3. Questions on systems matters may be directed to:
Paul Gettys, Grant Systems Coordinator, DGM, 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. E-Mail: 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: March 29, 2015.
Robert G. McSwain,
Acting Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-07780 Filed 4-3-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4165-16-P
