Fund Availability Under the Grants for Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas, 53923-53928 [2015-22576]
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 173 / Tuesday, September 8, 2015 / Notices
Current Actions: There is no change
in the paperwork burden previously
approved by OMB.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals and
Households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
7400.
Estimated Time Per Respondent: .50
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 3700.
Title: EE–63–88 (Final and temporary
regulations) Taxation of Fringe Benefits
and Exclusions From Gross Income for
Certain Fringe Benefits; IA–140–86
(Temporary) Fringe Benefits; Listed
Property; and REG–209785–95 (Final)
Substantiation of Business Expenses.
OMB Number: 1545–0771.
Regulation Project Number: EE–63–
88; IA–140–86; and REG–209785–95.
Abstract: EE–63–88—This regulation
provides guidance on the tax treatment
of taxable and nontaxable fringe benefits
and general and specific rules for the
valuation of taxable fringe benefits in
accordance with Code sections 61 and
132. The regulation also provides
guidance on exclusions from gross
income for certain fringe benefits. IA–
140–86—This regulation provides
guidance relating to the requirement
that any deduction or credit with
respect to business travel,
entertainment, and gift expenses be
substantiated with adequate records in
accordance with Code section 274(d).
The regulation also provides guidance
on the taxation of fringe benefits and
clarifies the types of records that are
generally necessary to substantiate any
deduction or credit for listed property.
REG–209785–95—This regulation
provides that taxpayers who deduct, or
reimburse employees for, business
expenses for travel, entertainment, gifts,
or listed property are required to
maintain certain records, including
receipts, for expenses of $75 or more.
Current Actions: There are no changes
to these existing regulations.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Individuals or
households, business or other for-profit
organizations, not-for profits
institutions, farms and Federal, state,
local or tribal governments.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
28,582,150.
Estimated Time per Respondent: 1 hr.,
20 min.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 37,922,688.
Title: Qualifying Advanced Coal
Project Program.
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OMB Number: 1545–2003.
Form Number: Notice 2006–24.
Abstract: This notice establishes the
qualifying advanced coal project
program under § 48A of the Internal
Revenue Code. The notice provides the
time and manner for a taxpayer to apply
for an allocation of qualifying advanced
coal project credits and, once the
taxpayer has received this allocation,
the time and manner for the taxpayer to
file for a certification of its qualifying
advanced coal project.
Current Actions: There are no changes
to the total burden being made at this
point in time.
Type of Review: Extension of a
currently approved collection.
Affected Public: Businesses and other
for-profit organizations.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
45.
Estimated Time Per Respondent: 110
hours.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 4,950.
The following paragraph applies to all
of the collections of information covered
by this notice:
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a valid OMB control number.
Books or records relating to a collection
of information must be retained as long
as their contents may become material
in the administration of any internal
revenue law. Generally, tax returns and
tax return information are confidential,
as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Approved: September 1, 2015.
Elaine Christophe,
IRS Reports Clearance Officer.
53923
The meeting will be held
Wednesday, October 14, 2015.
DATES:
Otis
Simpson at 1–888–912–1227 or 202–
317–3332.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is
hereby given pursuant to section
10(a)(2) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. (1988)
that a meeting of the Taxpayer
Advocacy Panel Taxpayer Assistance
Center Improvements Project Committee
will be held Wednesday, October 14,
2015, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The
public is invited to make oral comments
or submit written statements for
consideration. Due to limited
conference lines, notification of intent
to participate must be made with Otis
Simpson. For more information please
contact: Otis Simpson at 1–888–912–
1227 or 202–317–3332, TAP Office,
1111 Constitution Avenue NW., Room
1509–National Office, Washington, DC
20224, or contact us at the Web site:
https://www.improveirs.org.
The committee will be discussing
various issues related to the Taxpayer
Assistance Centers and public input is
welcomed.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dated: September 1, 2015.
Sheila Andrews,
Director, Taxpayer Advocacy Panel.
[FR Doc. 2015–22582 Filed 9–4–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Fund Availability Under the Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas
[FR Doc. 2015–22588 Filed 9–4–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Notice of funding availability
(grant renewals).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
Open Meeting of the Taxpayer
Advocacy Panel Taxpayer Assistance
Center Improvements Project
Committee
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
An open meeting of the
Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Taxpayer
Assistance Center Improvements Project
Committee will be conducted. The
Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is soliciting
public comments, ideas, and
suggestions on improving customer
service at the Internal Revenue Service.
SUMMARY:
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The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is announcing the
availability of funds under the Grants
for Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas. This Notice contains
information concerning the Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas program, grant renewal
application process, and amount of
funding available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Darren Wallace, National Coordinator,
Highly Rural Transportation Grants,
Veterans Transportation Program, Chief
Business Office (10NB2G), 2957
Clairmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30329;
(404) 828–5380 (this is not a toll-free
number); and Sylvester Wallace at
sylvester.wallace2@va.gov.
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 173 / Tuesday, September 8, 2015 / Notices
Announcement Type: Notice of
Funding Availability (Grant Renewals).
Funding Opportunity Number: VA–
HRTG–2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 64.035.
Dates and Addresses: Applications for
assistance under the Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas Program must be submitted
to www.grants.gov by 4:00 p.m. eastern
standard time on October 8, 2015. In the
interest of fairness to all competing
applicants and with the single exception
described farther below regarding
unforeseen technical problems beyond
the control of the applicant with the
Grants.gov Web site, this deadline is
firm as to date and hour, and VA will
treat as ineligible for consideration any
application that is received after the
deadline. Applicants should take this
practice into account and make early
submission of their materials to avoid
any risk of loss of eligibility brought
about by unanticipated delays,
computer service outages (in the case of
grants.gov), or other delivery-related
problems.
Access to the Application
The application can be found at
www.grants.gov/search/basic.do,
utilizing the ‘‘search by Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance number’’
function, and entering in that search
field the number 64.035. Questions
should be referred to the Veterans
Transportation Program Office at (404)
828–5380 (this is not a toll-free number)
or by email at HRTG@va.gov. For further
information on Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas Program requirements, see
the Final Rule published in the Federal
Register (78 FR 19586) on April 2, 2013,
which is codified in 38 CFR 17.700
through 17.730.
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Submission of Application Package
Applications may not be sent by
facsimile. Applications must be
submitted to www.grants.gov by the
application deadline. Applications must
be submitted as a complete package.
Materials arriving separately will not be
included in the application package for
consideration and may result in the
application being rejected. All
applicable forms cited in the application
description must be included.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Funding Opportunity Description
Overview
Access to VA care for Veterans that
are in highly rural areas continues to be
an issue across the United States. The
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VA has established this program to help
address barriers to access to care. This
program funds innovative approaches to
transporting veterans in highly rural
areas who typically have longer
commute times to Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VA
Medical Centers).
Purpose
VA Veterans Transportation Program
(VTP) is pleased to announce that it is
seeking grant renewal applications for
Grants for Transportation of Veterans in
Highly Rural Areas. This program
furthers the Department’s mission by
offering renewal grants to current
grantees to enable them to continue to
assist veterans in highly rural areas
through innovative transportation
services to travel to VA Medical Centers
and to otherwise assist in providing
transportation services in connection
with the provision of VA medical care
to these veterans.
Authority
Funding applied for under this Notice
is authorized by section 307 of the
Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus
Health Services Act of 2010, Public Law
111–163, section 307 (the 2010 Act), as
implemented by regulations codified at
38 CFR 17.700 through 17.730, Grants
for Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas. Funds made available
under this Notice are subject to the
requirements of the aforementioned
regulations and other applicable laws
and regulations.
Award Information
In accordance with 38 CFR 17.710,
VA is issuing this Notice of Funding
Availability (Notice) for renewal grants
under the Grants for Transportation of
Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program
for fiscal year 2015. Approximately $3
million is authorized to be appropriated
for this fiscal year. If additional funding
becomes available, VA will issue
additional Notices of Funding
Availability to permit other grantees to
apply for Grants under the Program (in
accordance with the terms and
conditions of such Notices of Funding
Availability). The following
requirements apply to grants awarded
under this Notice:
• One renewal grant may be awarded
to each grantee for fiscal year 2015 for
each highly rural area in which the
grantee provides transportation services.
Transportation services may not be
simultaneously provided by more than
one grantee in any single highly rural
area.
• No single grant will exceed $50,000.
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• A veteran who is provided
transportation services through a
grantee’s use of these grant monies will
not be charged for such services.
• Renewal grants awarded under this
Notice will be for a 1-year period.
• All awards are subject to the
availability of appropriated funds and to
any modifications or additional
requirements that may be imposed by
law.
Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
Current 2014 grantees are the only
eligible entities that are eligible to apply
for a renewal grant. Interested eligible
entities must submit a complete renewal
grant application package to be
considered for a grant renewal. Further,
a renewal grant will only be awarded if
the grantee’s program will remain
substantially the same as the program
for which the original grant was
awarded. How the grantee will meet this
requirement must be specifically
addressed in the renewal grant
application.
Cost Sharing or Matching
This solicitation does not require
grantees to provide matching funds as a
condition of receiving such grants.
Other
Additional grant application
requirements are specified in the
application package. Submission of an
incorrect or incomplete application
package will result in the application
being rejected during the threshold
review, the initial review conducted by
VA, to ensure the application package
contains all required forms and
certifications. Complete packages will
then be subject to the evaluation/scoring
and selection processes described in
§ 17.705(c) and (d), respectively.
Applicants will be notified of any
additional information needed to
confirm or clarify information provided
in the renewal grant application and the
deadline by which to submit such
information.
Application and Submission
Information
Renewal applications will be
submitted through Grants.gov.
Grants.gov is a ‘‘one-stop storefront’’
that provides a unified process for all
customers of federal awards to find
funding opportunities and apply for
funding. Complete instructions on how
to register and submit a renewal grant
application can be found at
www.Grants.gov. If the applicant
experiences technical difficulties at any
point during this process, please call the
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Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at
800–518–4726, 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, except federal holidays.
Registration in Grants.gov is required
prior to submission. VA strongly
encourages registering with Grants.gov
several weeks before the deadline for
application submission. The deadline
for applying for funding under this
announcement is October 8, 2015.
Search for the funding opportunity on
Grants.gov. Please use the following
identifying information when searching
for the funding opportunity on
Grants.gov. The Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for
this solicitation is 64.035, titled
‘‘Veterans transportation program,’’ and
the funding opportunity number is VA–
HRTG–2015.
Submit an application consistent with
this solicitation by following the
directions in Grants.gov. Within 24–48
hours after submitting the electronic
application, the applicant should
receive an email validation message
from Grants.gov. The validation message
will state whether the renewal grant
application has been received and
validated, or rejected, with an
explanation. Important: Applicants are
urged to submit their applications at
least 72 hours prior to the due date of
the application to allow time to receive
the validation message and to correct
any problems that may have caused a
rejection notification.
If an applicant experiences
unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues
beyond the applicant’s control that
prevent submission of its application by
the deadline, the applicant must contact
the Veterans Transportation Program
Office staff no later than 24 hours after
the deadline and request approval to
submit its application. At that time,
Veterans Transportation Program Office
staff will instruct the applicant to
submit specific information detailing
the technical difficulties. The applicant
must email: A description of the
technical difficulties, a timeline of
submission efforts, the complete grant
application, the applicant DUNS
number, and Grants.gov Help Desk
tracking number(s) received. After the
program office reviews all of the
information submitted, and contacts the
Grants.gov Help Desk to validate the
technical issues reported, VA will
contact the applicant to either approve
or deny the request to submit a late
application. If the technical issues
reported cannot be validated, the
application will be rejected as untimely.
To ensure a fair competition for
limited discretionary funds, the
following conditions are not valid
reasons to permit late submissions: (1)
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Failure to begin the registration process
in sufficient time, (2) failure to follow
Grants.gov instructions on how to
register and apply as posted on its Web
site, (3) failure to follow all of the
instructions in the VA solicitation, and
(4) technical issues experienced with
the applicant’s computer or information
technology (IT) environment.
Notifications regarding known technical
problems with Grants.gov, if any, are
posted on the Grants.gov Web site.
Content and Form of Application
Submission
This section describes what a renewal
application must include. Applicants
should anticipate that failure to submit
an application that contains all of the
specified elements will result in the
rejection of their application at the
threshold review stage. Moreover,
applicants should anticipate that if
applications are not adequately
responsive to the scope of the
solicitation, particularly to any critical
element, or fail to include a program
narrative, budget detail worksheet
including a budget narrative, tribal
resolution (if applicable), eligibly entity
designation, or a list of the highly rural
county or counties to be served, they
will be rejected and receive no further
consideration.
Threshold Review Criteria: (Critical
Elements)
• Application deadline: Applications
not received by the application deadline
through www.grants.gov will not be
reviewed.
• Eligibility: Applications that do not
conform to the eligibility requirements
at the beginning section of this
document will not be reviewed.
• Budget detail worksheet including a
budget narrative. VA strongly
recommends use of appropriately
descriptive file names (e.g., ‘‘Program
Narrative,’’ ‘‘Budget Detail Worksheet
and Budget Narrative,’’ ‘‘Timelines,’’
‘‘Memoranda of Understanding,’’
‘‘Resumes’’) for all attachments. VA
recommends that resumes be included
in a single file.
• Information to complete the
Application for Federal Assistance (SF–
424). The SF–424 is a standard form
required for use as a cover sheet for
submission of pre-applications,
applications, and related information.
Grants.gov takes information from the
applicant’s profile to populate the fields
on this form.
• Program Narrative (Only required if
you are making significant changes that
do not substantially change the nature
of the originally funded program.) The
title should read, ‘‘Change of Scope’’.
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53925
Provide a detailed narrative of your
program scope and specifically discuss
the innovative modes and methods of
transportation services to be provided. If
the provision of transportation services
will necessitate procurement or use of
specific equipment, such equipment
must be specifically listed.
Note on project evaluations:
Applicants that propose to use funds
awarded through this solicitation to
conduct project evaluations should be
aware that certain project evaluations
(such as systematic investigations
designed to develop or contribute to
knowledge) may constitute research.
However, project evaluations that are
intended only to generate internal
improvements to a program or service or
are conducted only to meet VA’s
performance measure data reporting
requirements likely do not constitute
research. Research, for the purposes of
VA-funded programs, is defined as, ‘‘a
systematic investigation, including
research development, testing, and
evaluation, designed to develop or
contribute to generalizable knowledge.’’
38 CFR 16.102(d). In addition, research
involving human subjects is subject to
certain added protections, as set forth in
38 CFR part 16. Applicants should
provide sufficient information for VA to
determine whether particular project
activities they propose would either
intentionally or unintentionally collect
and/or use information in such a way
that it meets VA’s regulatory definition
of research and thereby invoke the
requirements and procedures set forth
38 CFR part 16.
Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget
Narrative
Budget Detail Worksheet
A sample SF 424A Budget Detail
Worksheet can be found at
www.grants.gov Web site. Please submit
a budget as the example above indicates,
and label it if the budget is submitted in
a different format, the budget categories
listed in the sample budget worksheet
must be included.
Budget Narrative: The Budget
Narrative should thoroughly and clearly
describe every category of expense listed
in the Budget Detail Worksheet. The
narrative should be mathematically
sound and correspond with the
information and figures provided in the
Budget Detail Worksheet. The narrative
should explain how all costs were
estimated and calculated and how they
are relevant to the completion of the
proposed project. The narrative may
include tables for clarification purposes
but need not be in a spreadsheet format.
As with the Budget Detail Worksheet,
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the Budget Narrative must be broken
down by year. Note: All non-federal
entities have to be in compliance with
2 CFR 200.400–475 Cost Principles and
all Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) Regulations and Circulars.
Budget Brief (example):
1. Our organization requests ______for
the acquisition of _________van(s).
2. The total cost of the van(s)_________
______. This is the amount requested
from VA.
3. Our organization will utilize _______
________for innovative approaches for
transporting veterans. This is the
amount requested from VA for a
maximum of $50,000.
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Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if
applicable)
Indirect costs are allowed only if the
applicant has a federally approved
indirect cost rate. (This requirement
does not apply to units of local
government.) A copy of the rate
approval must be attached. If the
applicant does not have an approved
rate, one can be requested by contacting
the applicant’s cognizant federal agency,
which will review all documentation
and approve a rate for the applicant
organization or, if the applicant’s
accounting system permits, costs may be
allocated in the direct cost categories. If
VA is the cognizant federal agency,
obtain information needed to submit an
indirect cost rate proposal at the contact
person listed in this solicitation.
Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if
applicable)
If an application identifies a
subrecipient that is either (1) a tribe or
tribal organization or (2) a third party
proposing to provide direct services or
assistance to residents on tribal lands,
then a current authorizing resolution of
the governing body of the tribal entity
or other enactment of the tribal council
or comparable governing body
authorizing the inclusion of the tribe or
tribal organization and its membership
must be included with the application.
In those instances when an organization
or consortium of tribes proposes to
apply for a grant on behalf of a tribe or
multiple specific tribes, then the
application must include a resolution
from all tribes that will be included as
a part of the services/assistance
provided under the grant. A consortium
of tribes for which existing consortium
bylaws allow action without support
from all tribes in the consortium (i.e.,
without authorizing resolution or other
enactment of each tribal governing
body) may submit a copy of its
consortium bylaws with the application
in order to satisfy this requirement.
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Submission Dates and Times
Renewal grant applications under the
Grants for Transportation of Veterans in
Highly Rural Areas Program must be
submitted to www.grants.gov by 4:00
p.m. eastern standard time on October 8,
2015. In the interest of fairness to all
competing applicants, this deadline is
firm as to date and hour and with the
single exception described above
regarding unforeseen technical
problems beyond the control of the
applicant with the Grants.gov Web site,
VA will treat as ineligible for
consideration any application that is
received after the deadline. Applicants
should take this into account and make
early submission of their materials to
avoid any risk of loss of eligibility
brought about by unanticipated delays,
computer service outages (in the case of
grants.gov), or other delivery-related
problems.
The application can be found at
www.grants.gov/search/basic.do,
utilizing the ‘‘search by Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance number’’
function, and entering in that search
field the number 64.035. Questions
should be referred to the Veterans
Transportation Program Office at (404)
828–5380 (this is not a toll-free number)
or by email at HRTG@va.gov. For further
information on Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas Program requirements, see
the governing regulations codified at 38
CFR 17.700 through 17.730.
Renewal grant applications may not
be sent by facsimile. These applications
must be submitted to www.grants.gov by
the application deadline; they must also
be submitted as a complete package.
Materials arriving separately will not be
included in the application package for
consideration and may result in the
application being rejected. All
applicable forms cited in the application
description must be included.
Intergovernmental Review
Some states require that applicants
must contact their State’s Single Point of
Contact (SPOC) to find out and comply
with the State’s process, to comply with
Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 (1982).
Names and addresses of the SPOCs are
listed in the Office of Management and
Budget’s homepage at
www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/.
Funding Restrictions
Grants will only be awarded to those
organizations that are eligible under law
as described in the eligibility
information section.
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Other Submission Requirements
For technical assistance with
submitting the application, contact the
Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at
800–518–4726 or via email to support@
grants.gov.
Note: The Grants.gov Support Hotline
hours of operation are 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, except Federal holidays. For
assistance with any other requirement of this
solicitation, contact Darren Wallace, National
Program Coordinator for Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural
Areas, at (404) 828–5380 (this is not a tollfree number) or by email to
Sylvester.Wallace2@va.gov.
Additional forms that may be required
in connection with an award are
available for download on
www.grants.gov. Examples of these
forms can be viewed at the
www.grants.gov Web site. For successful
applicants, receipt of funds will be
contingent upon submission of all
necessary forms. Please note in
particular the following forms:
Certifications Regarding Lobbying;
Debarment, Suspension and Other
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free
Workplace Requirement; Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities (Required for any
applicant that expends any funds for
lobbying activities; this form must be
downloaded, completed, and then
uploaded); and Standard Assurances
(SF 424B) Standard Assurances
(required to be submitted to the
Veterans Transportation Program Office
prior to the receipt of any award funds).
Application Review Information
Criteria
VA is committed to ensuring a fair
and open process for awarding these
renewal grants. The Veterans
Transportation Program Office will
review the renewal grant application to
make sure that the information
presented is reasonable, understandable,
measurable, and achievable, as well as
consistent with the solicitation. Peer
reviewers will conduct a threshold
review of all applications submitted
under this solicitation to ensure they
meet all of the critical elements and all
other minimum requirements as
identified herein. The Veterans
Transportation Program Office may use
either internal peer reviewers, external
peer reviewers, or a combination to
review the applications under this
solicitation. An external peer reviewer
is an expert in the field of the subject
matter of a given solicitation who is
NOT a current U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs employee. An internal
reviewer is a current U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs employee who is well-
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versed or has expertise in the subject
matter of this solicitation. Eligible
applications will then be evaluated,
scored, and rated by a peer review
panel. Peer reviewers’ ratings and any
resulting recommendations are advisory
only.
The Chief Business Office Veterans
Transportation Program Office conducts
a financial review of applications for
potential discretionary awards to
evaluate the fiscal integrity and
financial capability of applicants;
examines proposed costs to determine if
the Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget
Narrative accurately explain project
costs; and determines whether costs are
reasonable, necessary, and allowable
under applicable federal cost principles
and agency regulations.
Absent explicit statutory
authorization or written delegation of
authority to the contrary, the Veterans
Health Administration, through the
Veterans Transportation Program Office,
will forward the reviewers’
recommendations for award to the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs who will
then review and approve each award
decision. Such determinations by the
Secretary will be final. VA will also give
consideration to factors including, but
not limited to, underserved populations,
geographic diversity, strategic priorities,
and available funding when making
awards.
Review and Selection Process
Selection of Renewal Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly
Rural Areas is very competitive. Listed
below are the scoring and selection
criteria:
1. Renewal Grant Scoring: Renewal
applications will be scored using the
following selection criteria:
A. VA will award up to 55 points
based on the success of the grantee’s
program, as demonstrated by the
following: Application shows that the
grantee or identified subrecipient
provided transportation services which
allowed participants to be provided
medical care timely and as scheduled;
and application shows that participants
were satisfied with the transportation
services provided by the grantee or
identified subrecipient, as described in
the Notice of Fund Availability;
B. VA will award up to 35 points
based on the cost effectiveness of the
program, as demonstrated by the
following: The grantee or identified
subrecipient administered the program
on budget and grant funds were utilized
in a sensible manner, as interpreted by
information provided by the grantee to
VA under § 17.725(a)(1) through (a)(7);
and
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C. VA will award up to 15 points
based on the extent to which the
program complied with the grant
agreement and applicable laws and
regulations.
2. Renewal Grant Selection: VA will
use the following process to award
renewal grants:
A. VA will rank those grantees who
receive at least the minimum amount of
total points and points per category set
forth in the Notice of Fund Availability.
The grantees will be ranked in order
from highest to lowest scores.
B. VA will use the grantee’s ranking
as the basis for selection for funding. VA
will fund the highest-ranked grantees
for which funding is available.
Award Administration Information
Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a
Notice of Award (NoA) signed and
dated by the Veterans Transportation
Program Office that will set forth the
amount of the award and other pertinent
information. The NoA is the legal
document/instrument issued to notify
the awardee that an award has been
made and that funds may be requested.
It will also include standard Terms and
Conditions related to participation in
the Program.
The NoA will be sent through the U.S.
Postal Service to the awardee
organization as listed on its SF 424.
Note that any communication between
the Veterans Transportation Program
Office and awardees prior to the
issuance of the NoA is not authorization
to begin performance on the project.
Unsuccessful applicants will be
notified of their status by letter, which
will likewise be sent through the U.S.
Postal Service to the applicant
organization as listed on its SF 424.
Renewal Grant Agreements
After an applicant is selected for a
renewal grant in accordance with
§ 17.705(d), VA will draft a renewal
grant agreement to be executed by Chief
Business Officer in VA and the grantee.
Upon execution of the renewal grant
agreement, VA will obligate the
approved amount. The renewal grant
agreement will provide that:
1. The grantee must operate the
program in accordance with the
provisions of this section and the grant
application;
2. If a grantee’s renewal application
identified a subrecipient, such
subrecipient must operate the program
in accordance with the provisions of
this section and the grant application;
and
3. If a grantee’s application identified
that funds will be used to procure or
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Frm 00169
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
53927
operate vehicles to directly provide
transportation services, the following
requirements must be met:
A. Title to the vehicles must vest
solely in the grantee or in the identified
subrecipient or with leased vehicles in
an identified lender.
B. The grantee or identified
subrecipeint must, at a minimum,
provide motor vehicle liability
insurance for the vehicles to the same
extent they would insure vehicles
procured with their own funds.
C. All vehicle operators must be
licensed in a U.S. State or Territory to
operate such vehicles.
D. Vehicles must be safe and
maintained in accordance with the
manufacturer’s recommendations; and
E. Vehicles must be operated in
accordance with applicable Department
of Transportation regulations
concerning transit requirements under
the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Successful applicants selected for
awards must agree to comply with
additional applicable legal requirements
upon acceptance of an award. (VA
strongly encourages applicants to
review the information pertaining to
these additional requirements prior to
submitting a renewal application.) As to
those additional requirements, we note
that while their original grants were
subject to additional legal requirements
as set forth in 38 CFR parts 43 and 49
those regulatory provisions have since
been superseded by the Common Rule
governing all Federal Grant Programs.
The Common Rule is codified at 2 CFR
part 200. Thus, grantees and identified
subrecipients awarded renewal grants
under the Program must agree as part of
their grant agreement to comply with all
requirements of the Common Rule, as
applicable.
Reporting
Progress Reports
Awardees must agree to cooperate
with any VA evaluation of the program
and provide required quarterly, annual,
and final (at the end of the fiscal year
reports in a form prescribed by VTP. A
final report consists of a summation of
grant activities which include progress
toward goals, financial administration of
grant funds, grant administration issues
and barriers. Reports are to be submitted
electronically. These reports must
outline how grant funds were used,
describe program progress and barriers,
and provide measurable outcomes.
Required quarterly and annual reports
must include the following information:
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08SEN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 173 / Tuesday, September 8, 2015 / Notices
• Record of time expended assisting
with the provision of transportation
services.
• Record of grant funds expended
assisting with the provision of
transportation services.
• Trips completed.
• Total distance covered.
• Veterans served.
• Locations which received
transportation services.
• Results of veteran satisfaction
survey
Program Monitoring
The Veterans Transportation Program
is responsible for program monitoring.
All awardees will be required to
cooperate in providing the necessary
data elements to the VTP. The goal of
program monitoring is to ensure
program requirements are met; this will
be accomplished by tracking
performance and identifying quality and
compliance problems through early
detection. Methods of program
monitoring may include: Monitoring the
performance of a grantee’s or
subrecipient’s personnel, procurements,
and/or use of grant-funded property;
collecting, analyzing data, and assessing
program implementation and
effectiveness; assessing costs and
utilization; and providing technical
assistance when needed. Site visit
monitoring will include the abovedescribed activities, in addition to the
conduct of safety assessments and, if
applicable, verification of both current
driver’s licenses and vehicle insurance
coverage.
Federal Financial Report
Awardees are required to submit the
FFR SF 425 on quarterly basis. More
details will be announced in the Notice
of Award.
Audit Requirements
Awardees must comply with the audit
requirements of Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance 2
CFR part 200, subpart F. Information on
the scope, frequency and other aspects
of the audits can be found on the
Internet at https://federalregister.gov/a/
2013–30465.
asabaliauskas on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Program Variations
Any changes in a grantee’s program
activities which result in deviations
from the grant renewal agreement must
be reported to VA.
Additional Reporting
Additional reporting requirements
may be requested by VA to allow VA to
fully assess program effectiveness.
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Jkt 235001
Notice of New Post-Award Reporting
Requirements
Applicants should anticipate that all
recipients (excluding an individual
recipient of Federal assistance) of
awards of $25,000 or more under this
solicitation, consistent with the Federal
Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA),
Public Law 109–282 (Sept. 26, 2006)
will be required to report award
information on the subaward reporting
system of any first-tier subawards
totaling $25,000 or more, and, in certain
cases, to report information on the
names and total compensation of the
five most highly compensated
executives of the recipient and first-tier
subrecipients. Each applicant entity
must ensure that it has the necessary
processes and systems in place to
comply with the reporting requirements
should it receive funding.
It is expected that reports regarding
subawards will be made through the
FFATA Subaward Reporting System
(FSRS) found at https://www.fsrs.gov.
The FFATA Subaward Reporting
System is the reporting tool Federal
prime awardees (i.e. prime contractors
and prime grants recipients) use to
capture and report subaward and
executive compensation data regarding
their first-tier subawards to meet the
FFATA reporting requirements. Prime
contract awardees will report against
sub-contracts awarded and prime grant
awardees will report against sub-grants
awarded. Prime Contractors awarded a
Federal contract or order that is subject
to Federal Acquisition Regulation clause
52.204–10 (Reporting Executive
Compensation and First-Tier
Subcontract Awards) are required to file
a FFATA subaward report by the end of
the month following the month in
which the prime contractor awards any
subcontract greater than $25,000.
Please note also that applicants
should anticipate that no subaward of
an award made under this solicitation
may be made to a subrecipient that is
subject to the terms of FFATA unless
the potential subrecipient acquires and
provides a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number.
Other Information
Pursuant to § 17.730(a), VA may
recover from the grantee any funds that
are not used in accordance with a grant
agreement. If VA decides to recover
funds, VA will issue to the grantee a
notice of intent to recover grant funds,
and the grantee will then have 30 days
to submit documentation demonstrating
why the grant funds should not be
recovered. After review of all submitted
documentation, VA will determine
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Frm 00170
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
whether action will be taken to recover
the grant funds. When VA determines
action will be taken to recover grant
funds from the grantee, the grantee is
then prohibited under § 17.730(b) from
receipt of any further grant funds.
Approved: September 2, 2015.
William F. Russo,
Acting Director, Office of Regulation Policy
and Management, Office of General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2015–22576 Filed 9–4–15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS
Solicitation of Nomination for
Appointment to the Research Advisory
Committee on Gulf War Veterans’
Illnesses
ACTION:
Notice.
The Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) is seeking nominees to be
considered for membership on the
Research Advisory Committee on Gulf
War Veterans’ Illnesses (Committee).
The Committee is authorized by Public
Law 105–368, § 104 (the statute), to
provide advice to the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs (Secretary) on the
proposed research studies, plans, and
strategies related to understanding and
treating the health consequences of
military service in the Southwest Asia
theatre of operations during the 1990–
1991 Gulf War. In accordance with the
statute and the Committee’s current
charter, the majority of the membership
shall consist of non-Federal employees,
appointed by the Secretary from the
general public, serving as Special
Government Employees. The Committee
provides, not later than December 1 of
each year, an annual report
summarizing its activities for the
preceding year. The Committee reports
to the Secretary through the Under
Secretary for Health. The Secretary
appoints Committee members for a
period of 2 to 3 years. A term of service
for any member may not exceed 3 years.
The Secretary may reappoint members
for additional terms.
Self-nominations and nominations of
non-Veterans will be accepted. Any
letters of nomination from organizations
or other individuals should accompany
the package when it is submitted.
In accordance with OMB guidance,
federally-registered lobbyists may not
serve on Federal advisory committees in
their individual capacity. Additional
information regarding this issue can be
found at: www.federalregister.gov/
articles/2014/08/13/2014-19140/
revised-guidance-on-appointment-of-
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\08SEN1.SGM
08SEN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 173 (Tuesday, September 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53923-53928]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22576]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Fund Availability Under the Grants for Transportation of Veterans
in Highly Rural Areas
AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability (grant renewals).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the
availability of funds under the Grants for Transportation of Veterans
in Highly Rural Areas. This Notice contains information concerning the
Grants for Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas program,
grant renewal application process, and amount of funding available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Darren Wallace, National Coordinator,
Highly Rural Transportation Grants, Veterans Transportation Program,
Chief Business Office (10NB2G), 2957 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30329;
(404) 828-5380 (this is not a toll-free number); and Sylvester Wallace
at sylvester.wallace2@va.gov.
[[Page 53924]]
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Availability (Grant Renewals).
Funding Opportunity Number: VA-HRTG-2015.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 64.035.
Dates and Addresses: Applications for assistance under the Grants
for Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program must be
submitted to www.grants.gov by 4:00 p.m. eastern standard time on
October 8, 2015. In the interest of fairness to all competing
applicants and with the single exception described farther below
regarding unforeseen technical problems beyond the control of the
applicant with the Grants.gov Web site, this deadline is firm as to
date and hour, and VA will treat as ineligible for consideration any
application that is received after the deadline. Applicants should take
this practice into account and make early submission of their materials
to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility brought about by unanticipated
delays, computer service outages (in the case of grants.gov), or other
delivery-related problems.
Access to the Application
The application can be found at www.grants.gov/search/basic.do,
utilizing the ``search by Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
number'' function, and entering in that search field the number 64.035.
Questions should be referred to the Veterans Transportation Program
Office at (404) 828-5380 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email
at HRTG@va.gov. For further information on Grants for Transportation of
Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program requirements, see the Final Rule
published in the Federal Register (78 FR 19586) on April 2, 2013, which
is codified in 38 CFR 17.700 through 17.730.
Submission of Application Package
Applications may not be sent by facsimile. Applications must be
submitted to www.grants.gov by the application deadline. Applications
must be submitted as a complete package. Materials arriving separately
will not be included in the application package for consideration and
may result in the application being rejected. All applicable forms
cited in the application description must be included.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Funding Opportunity Description
Overview
Access to VA care for Veterans that are in highly rural areas
continues to be an issue across the United States. The VA has
established this program to help address barriers to access to care.
This program funds innovative approaches to transporting veterans in
highly rural areas who typically have longer commute times to
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VA Medical Centers).
Purpose
VA Veterans Transportation Program (VTP) is pleased to announce
that it is seeking grant renewal applications for Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas. This program furthers
the Department's mission by offering renewal grants to current grantees
to enable them to continue to assist veterans in highly rural areas
through innovative transportation services to travel to VA Medical
Centers and to otherwise assist in providing transportation services in
connection with the provision of VA medical care to these veterans.
Authority
Funding applied for under this Notice is authorized by section 307
of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010,
Public Law 111-163, section 307 (the 2010 Act), as implemented by
regulations codified at 38 CFR 17.700 through 17.730, Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas. Funds made available
under this Notice are subject to the requirements of the aforementioned
regulations and other applicable laws and regulations.
Award Information
In accordance with 38 CFR 17.710, VA is issuing this Notice of
Funding Availability (Notice) for renewal grants under the Grants for
Transportation of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program for fiscal
year 2015. Approximately $3 million is authorized to be appropriated
for this fiscal year. If additional funding becomes available, VA will
issue additional Notices of Funding Availability to permit other
grantees to apply for Grants under the Program (in accordance with the
terms and conditions of such Notices of Funding Availability). The
following requirements apply to grants awarded under this Notice:
One renewal grant may be awarded to each grantee for
fiscal year 2015 for each highly rural area in which the grantee
provides transportation services. Transportation services may not be
simultaneously provided by more than one grantee in any single highly
rural area.
No single grant will exceed $50,000.
A veteran who is provided transportation services through
a grantee's use of these grant monies will not be charged for such
services.
Renewal grants awarded under this Notice will be for a 1-
year period.
All awards are subject to the availability of appropriated
funds and to any modifications or additional requirements that may be
imposed by law.
Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
Current 2014 grantees are the only eligible entities that are
eligible to apply for a renewal grant. Interested eligible entities
must submit a complete renewal grant application package to be
considered for a grant renewal. Further, a renewal grant will only be
awarded if the grantee's program will remain substantially the same as
the program for which the original grant was awarded. How the grantee
will meet this requirement must be specifically addressed in the
renewal grant application.
Cost Sharing or Matching
This solicitation does not require grantees to provide matching
funds as a condition of receiving such grants.
Other
Additional grant application requirements are specified in the
application package. Submission of an incorrect or incomplete
application package will result in the application being rejected
during the threshold review, the initial review conducted by VA, to
ensure the application package contains all required forms and
certifications. Complete packages will then be subject to the
evaluation/scoring and selection processes described in Sec. 17.705(c)
and (d), respectively. Applicants will be notified of any additional
information needed to confirm or clarify information provided in the
renewal grant application and the deadline by which to submit such
information.
Application and Submission Information
Renewal applications will be submitted through Grants.gov.
Grants.gov is a ``one-stop storefront'' that provides a unified process
for all customers of federal awards to find funding opportunities and
apply for funding. Complete instructions on how to register and submit
a renewal grant application can be found at www.Grants.gov. If the
applicant experiences technical difficulties at any point during this
process, please call the
[[Page 53925]]
Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726, 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, except federal holidays.
Registration in Grants.gov is required prior to submission. VA
strongly encourages registering with Grants.gov several weeks before
the deadline for application submission. The deadline for applying for
funding under this announcement is October 8, 2015.
Search for the funding opportunity on Grants.gov. Please use the
following identifying information when searching for the funding
opportunity on Grants.gov. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) number for this solicitation is 64.035, titled ``Veterans
transportation program,'' and the funding opportunity number is VA-
HRTG-2015.
Submit an application consistent with this solicitation by
following the directions in Grants.gov. Within 24-48 hours after
submitting the electronic application, the applicant should receive an
email validation message from Grants.gov. The validation message will
state whether the renewal grant application has been received and
validated, or rejected, with an explanation. Important: Applicants are
urged to submit their applications at least 72 hours prior to the due
date of the application to allow time to receive the validation message
and to correct any problems that may have caused a rejection
notification.
If an applicant experiences unforeseen Grants.gov technical issues
beyond the applicant's control that prevent submission of its
application by the deadline, the applicant must contact the Veterans
Transportation Program Office staff no later than 24 hours after the
deadline and request approval to submit its application. At that time,
Veterans Transportation Program Office staff will instruct the
applicant to submit specific information detailing the technical
difficulties. The applicant must email: A description of the technical
difficulties, a timeline of submission efforts, the complete grant
application, the applicant DUNS number, and Grants.gov Help Desk
tracking number(s) received. After the program office reviews all of
the information submitted, and contacts the Grants.gov Help Desk to
validate the technical issues reported, VA will contact the applicant
to either approve or deny the request to submit a late application. If
the technical issues reported cannot be validated, the application will
be rejected as untimely.
To ensure a fair competition for limited discretionary funds, the
following conditions are not valid reasons to permit late submissions:
(1) Failure to begin the registration process in sufficient time, (2)
failure to follow Grants.gov instructions on how to register and apply
as posted on its Web site, (3) failure to follow all of the
instructions in the VA solicitation, and (4) technical issues
experienced with the applicant's computer or information technology
(IT) environment. Notifications regarding known technical problems with
Grants.gov, if any, are posted on the Grants.gov Web site.
Content and Form of Application Submission
This section describes what a renewal application must include.
Applicants should anticipate that failure to submit an application that
contains all of the specified elements will result in the rejection of
their application at the threshold review stage. Moreover, applicants
should anticipate that if applications are not adequately responsive to
the scope of the solicitation, particularly to any critical element, or
fail to include a program narrative, budget detail worksheet including
a budget narrative, tribal resolution (if applicable), eligibly entity
designation, or a list of the highly rural county or counties to be
served, they will be rejected and receive no further consideration.
Threshold Review Criteria: (Critical Elements)
Application deadline: Applications not received by the
application deadline through www.grants.gov will not be reviewed.
Eligibility: Applications that do not conform to the
eligibility requirements at the beginning section of this document will
not be reviewed.
Budget detail worksheet including a budget narrative. VA
strongly recommends use of appropriately descriptive file names (e.g.,
``Program Narrative,'' ``Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget
Narrative,'' ``Timelines,'' ``Memoranda of Understanding,''
``Resumes'') for all attachments. VA recommends that resumes be
included in a single file.
Information to complete the Application for Federal
Assistance (SF-424). The SF-424 is a standard form required for use as
a cover sheet for submission of pre-applications, applications, and
related information. Grants.gov takes information from the applicant's
profile to populate the fields on this form.
Program Narrative (Only required if you are making
significant changes that do not substantially change the nature of the
originally funded program.) The title should read, ``Change of Scope''.
Provide a detailed narrative of your program scope and specifically
discuss the innovative modes and methods of transportation services to
be provided. If the provision of transportation services will
necessitate procurement or use of specific equipment, such equipment
must be specifically listed.
Note on project evaluations: Applicants that propose to use funds
awarded through this solicitation to conduct project evaluations should
be aware that certain project evaluations (such as systematic
investigations designed to develop or contribute to knowledge) may
constitute research. However, project evaluations that are intended
only to generate internal improvements to a program or service or are
conducted only to meet VA's performance measure data reporting
requirements likely do not constitute research. Research, for the
purposes of VA-funded programs, is defined as, ``a systematic
investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation,
designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.'' 38 CFR
16.102(d). In addition, research involving human subjects is subject to
certain added protections, as set forth in 38 CFR part 16. Applicants
should provide sufficient information for VA to determine whether
particular project activities they propose would either intentionally
or unintentionally collect and/or use information in such a way that it
meets VA's regulatory definition of research and thereby invoke the
requirements and procedures set forth 38 CFR part 16.
Budget Detail Worksheet and Budget Narrative
Budget Detail Worksheet
A sample SF 424A Budget Detail Worksheet can be found at
www.grants.gov Web site. Please submit a budget as the example above
indicates, and label it if the budget is submitted in a different
format, the budget categories listed in the sample budget worksheet
must be included.
Budget Narrative: The Budget Narrative should thoroughly and
clearly describe every category of expense listed in the Budget Detail
Worksheet. The narrative should be mathematically sound and correspond
with the information and figures provided in the Budget Detail
Worksheet. The narrative should explain how all costs were estimated
and calculated and how they are relevant to the completion of the
proposed project. The narrative may include tables for clarification
purposes but need not be in a spreadsheet format. As with the Budget
Detail Worksheet,
[[Page 53926]]
the Budget Narrative must be broken down by year. Note: All non-federal
entities have to be in compliance with 2 CFR 200.400-475 Cost
Principles and all Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Regulations
and Circulars.
Budget Brief (example):
1. Our organization requests ______for the acquisition of
_________van(s).
2. The total cost of the van(s)_______________. This is the amount
requested from VA.
3. Our organization will utilize _______________for innovative
approaches for transporting veterans. This is the amount requested from
VA for a maximum of $50,000.
Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable)
Indirect costs are allowed only if the applicant has a federally
approved indirect cost rate. (This requirement does not apply to units
of local government.) A copy of the rate approval must be attached. If
the applicant does not have an approved rate, one can be requested by
contacting the applicant's cognizant federal agency, which will review
all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization or,
if the applicant's accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in
the direct cost categories. If VA is the cognizant federal agency,
obtain information needed to submit an indirect cost rate proposal at
the contact person listed in this solicitation.
Tribal Authorizing Resolution (if applicable)
If an application identifies a subrecipient that is either (1) a
tribe or tribal organization or (2) a third party proposing to provide
direct services or assistance to residents on tribal lands, then a
current authorizing resolution of the governing body of the tribal
entity or other enactment of the tribal council or comparable governing
body authorizing the inclusion of the tribe or tribal organization and
its membership must be included with the application. In those
instances when an organization or consortium of tribes proposes to
apply for a grant on behalf of a tribe or multiple specific tribes,
then the application must include a resolution from all tribes that
will be included as a part of the services/assistance provided under
the grant. A consortium of tribes for which existing consortium bylaws
allow action without support from all tribes in the consortium (i.e.,
without authorizing resolution or other enactment of each tribal
governing body) may submit a copy of its consortium bylaws with the
application in order to satisfy this requirement.
Submission Dates and Times
Renewal grant applications under the Grants for Transportation of
Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program must be submitted to
www.grants.gov by 4:00 p.m. eastern standard time on October 8, 2015.
In the interest of fairness to all competing applicants, this deadline
is firm as to date and hour and with the single exception described
above regarding unforeseen technical problems beyond the control of the
applicant with the Grants.gov Web site, VA will treat as ineligible for
consideration any application that is received after the deadline.
Applicants should take this into account and make early submission of
their materials to avoid any risk of loss of eligibility brought about
by unanticipated delays, computer service outages (in the case of
grants.gov), or other delivery-related problems.
The application can be found at www.grants.gov/search/basic.do,
utilizing the ``search by Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
number'' function, and entering in that search field the number 64.035.
Questions should be referred to the Veterans Transportation Program
Office at (404) 828-5380 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email
at HRTG@va.gov. For further information on Grants for Transportation of
Veterans in Highly Rural Areas Program requirements, see the governing
regulations codified at 38 CFR 17.700 through 17.730.
Renewal grant applications may not be sent by facsimile. These
applications must be submitted to www.grants.gov by the application
deadline; they must also be submitted as a complete package. Materials
arriving separately will not be included in the application package for
consideration and may result in the application being rejected. All
applicable forms cited in the application description must be included.
Intergovernmental Review
Some states require that applicants must contact their State's
Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out and comply with the State's
process, to comply with Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 (1982). Names and
addresses of the SPOCs are listed in the Office of Management and
Budget's homepage at www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/.
Funding Restrictions
Grants will only be awarded to those organizations that are
eligible under law as described in the eligibility information section.
Other Submission Requirements
For technical assistance with submitting the application, contact
the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline at 800-518-4726 or via email to
support@grants.gov.
Note: The Grants.gov Support Hotline hours of operation are 24
hours a day, 7 days a week, except Federal holidays. For assistance
with any other requirement of this solicitation, contact Darren
Wallace, National Program Coordinator for Grants for Transportation
of Veterans in Highly Rural Areas, at (404) 828-5380 (this is not a
toll-free number) or by email to Sylvester.Wallace2@va.gov.
Additional forms that may be required in connection with an award
are available for download on www.grants.gov. Examples of these forms
can be viewed at the www.grants.gov Web site. For successful
applicants, receipt of funds will be contingent upon submission of all
necessary forms. Please note in particular the following forms:
Certifications Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension and Other
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirement; Disclosure of
Lobbying Activities (Required for any applicant that expends any funds
for lobbying activities; this form must be downloaded, completed, and
then uploaded); and Standard Assurances (SF 424B) Standard Assurances
(required to be submitted to the Veterans Transportation Program Office
prior to the receipt of any award funds).
Application Review Information
Criteria
VA is committed to ensuring a fair and open process for awarding
these renewal grants. The Veterans Transportation Program Office will
review the renewal grant application to make sure that the information
presented is reasonable, understandable, measurable, and achievable, as
well as consistent with the solicitation. Peer reviewers will conduct a
threshold review of all applications submitted under this solicitation
to ensure they meet all of the critical elements and all other minimum
requirements as identified herein. The Veterans Transportation Program
Office may use either internal peer reviewers, external peer reviewers,
or a combination to review the applications under this solicitation. An
external peer reviewer is an expert in the field of the subject matter
of a given solicitation who is NOT a current U.S. Department of
Veterans Affairs employee. An internal reviewer is a current U.S.
Department of Veterans Affairs employee who is well-
[[Page 53927]]
versed or has expertise in the subject matter of this solicitation.
Eligible applications will then be evaluated, scored, and rated by a
peer review panel. Peer reviewers' ratings and any resulting
recommendations are advisory only.
The Chief Business Office Veterans Transportation Program Office
conducts a financial review of applications for potential discretionary
awards to evaluate the fiscal integrity and financial capability of
applicants; examines proposed costs to determine if the Budget Detail
Worksheet and Budget Narrative accurately explain project costs; and
determines whether costs are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under
applicable federal cost principles and agency regulations.
Absent explicit statutory authorization or written delegation of
authority to the contrary, the Veterans Health Administration, through
the Veterans Transportation Program Office, will forward the reviewers'
recommendations for award to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs who will
then review and approve each award decision. Such determinations by the
Secretary will be final. VA will also give consideration to factors
including, but not limited to, underserved populations, geographic
diversity, strategic priorities, and available funding when making
awards.
Review and Selection Process
Selection of Renewal Grants for Transportation of Veterans in
Highly Rural Areas is very competitive. Listed below are the scoring
and selection criteria:
1. Renewal Grant Scoring: Renewal applications will be scored using
the following selection criteria:
A. VA will award up to 55 points based on the success of the
grantee's program, as demonstrated by the following: Application shows
that the grantee or identified subrecipient provided transportation
services which allowed participants to be provided medical care timely
and as scheduled; and application shows that participants were
satisfied with the transportation services provided by the grantee or
identified subrecipient, as described in the Notice of Fund
Availability;
B. VA will award up to 35 points based on the cost effectiveness of
the program, as demonstrated by the following: The grantee or
identified subrecipient administered the program on budget and grant
funds were utilized in a sensible manner, as interpreted by information
provided by the grantee to VA under Sec. 17.725(a)(1) through (a)(7);
and
C. VA will award up to 15 points based on the extent to which the
program complied with the grant agreement and applicable laws and
regulations.
2. Renewal Grant Selection: VA will use the following process to
award renewal grants:
A. VA will rank those grantees who receive at least the minimum
amount of total points and points per category set forth in the Notice
of Fund Availability. The grantees will be ranked in order from highest
to lowest scores.
B. VA will use the grantee's ranking as the basis for selection for
funding. VA will fund the highest-ranked grantees for which funding is
available.
Award Administration Information
Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award (NoA) signed
and dated by the Veterans Transportation Program Office that will set
forth the amount of the award and other pertinent information. The NoA
is the legal document/instrument issued to notify the awardee that an
award has been made and that funds may be requested. It will also
include standard Terms and Conditions related to participation in the
Program.
The NoA will be sent through the U.S. Postal Service to the awardee
organization as listed on its SF 424. Note that any communication
between the Veterans Transportation Program Office and awardees prior
to the issuance of the NoA is not authorization to begin performance on
the project.
Unsuccessful applicants will be notified of their status by letter,
which will likewise be sent through the U.S. Postal Service to the
applicant organization as listed on its SF 424.
Renewal Grant Agreements
After an applicant is selected for a renewal grant in accordance
with Sec. 17.705(d), VA will draft a renewal grant agreement to be
executed by Chief Business Officer in VA and the grantee. Upon
execution of the renewal grant agreement, VA will obligate the approved
amount. The renewal grant agreement will provide that:
1. The grantee must operate the program in accordance with the
provisions of this section and the grant application;
2. If a grantee's renewal application identified a subrecipient,
such subrecipient must operate the program in accordance with the
provisions of this section and the grant application; and
3. If a grantee's application identified that funds will be used to
procure or operate vehicles to directly provide transportation
services, the following requirements must be met:
A. Title to the vehicles must vest solely in the grantee or in the
identified subrecipient or with leased vehicles in an identified
lender.
B. The grantee or identified subrecipeint must, at a minimum,
provide motor vehicle liability insurance for the vehicles to the same
extent they would insure vehicles procured with their own funds.
C. All vehicle operators must be licensed in a U.S. State or
Territory to operate such vehicles.
D. Vehicles must be safe and maintained in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations; and
E. Vehicles must be operated in accordance with applicable
Department of Transportation regulations concerning transit
requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Successful applicants selected for awards must agree to comply with
additional applicable legal requirements upon acceptance of an award.
(VA strongly encourages applicants to review the information pertaining
to these additional requirements prior to submitting a renewal
application.) As to those additional requirements, we note that while
their original grants were subject to additional legal requirements as
set forth in 38 CFR parts 43 and 49 those regulatory provisions have
since been superseded by the Common Rule governing all Federal Grant
Programs. The Common Rule is codified at 2 CFR part 200. Thus, grantees
and identified subrecipients awarded renewal grants under the Program
must agree as part of their grant agreement to comply with all
requirements of the Common Rule, as applicable.
Reporting
Progress Reports
Awardees must agree to cooperate with any VA evaluation of the
program and provide required quarterly, annual, and final (at the end
of the fiscal year reports in a form prescribed by VTP. A final report
consists of a summation of grant activities which include progress
toward goals, financial administration of grant funds, grant
administration issues and barriers. Reports are to be submitted
electronically. These reports must outline how grant funds were used,
describe program progress and barriers, and provide measurable
outcomes.
Required quarterly and annual reports must include the following
information:
[[Page 53928]]
Record of time expended assisting with the provision of
transportation services.
Record of grant funds expended assisting with the
provision of transportation services.
Trips completed.
Total distance covered.
Veterans served.
Locations which received transportation services.
Results of veteran satisfaction survey
Program Monitoring
The Veterans Transportation Program is responsible for program
monitoring. All awardees will be required to cooperate in providing the
necessary data elements to the VTP. The goal of program monitoring is
to ensure program requirements are met; this will be accomplished by
tracking performance and identifying quality and compliance problems
through early detection. Methods of program monitoring may include:
Monitoring the performance of a grantee's or subrecipient's personnel,
procurements, and/or use of grant-funded property; collecting,
analyzing data, and assessing program implementation and effectiveness;
assessing costs and utilization; and providing technical assistance
when needed. Site visit monitoring will include the above-described
activities, in addition to the conduct of safety assessments and, if
applicable, verification of both current driver's licenses and vehicle
insurance coverage.
Federal Financial Report
Awardees are required to submit the FFR SF 425 on quarterly basis.
More details will be announced in the Notice of Award.
Audit Requirements
Awardees must comply with the audit requirements of Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform Guidance 2 CFR part 200, subpart F.
Information on the scope, frequency and other aspects of the audits can
be found on the Internet at https://federalregister.gov/a/2013-30465.
Program Variations
Any changes in a grantee's program activities which result in
deviations from the grant renewal agreement must be reported to VA.
Additional Reporting
Additional reporting requirements may be requested by VA to allow
VA to fully assess program effectiveness.
Notice of New Post-Award Reporting Requirements
Applicants should anticipate that all recipients (excluding an
individual recipient of Federal assistance) of awards of $25,000 or
more under this solicitation, consistent with the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (FFATA), Public Law 109-282
(Sept. 26, 2006) will be required to report award information on the
subaward reporting system of any first-tier subawards totaling $25,000
or more, and, in certain cases, to report information on the names and
total compensation of the five most highly compensated executives of
the recipient and first-tier subrecipients. Each applicant entity must
ensure that it has the necessary processes and systems in place to
comply with the reporting requirements should it receive funding.
It is expected that reports regarding subawards will be made
through the FFATA Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) found at https://www.fsrs.gov. The FFATA Subaward Reporting System is the reporting tool
Federal prime awardees (i.e. prime contractors and prime grants
recipients) use to capture and report subaward and executive
compensation data regarding their first-tier subawards to meet the
FFATA reporting requirements. Prime contract awardees will report
against sub-contracts awarded and prime grant awardees will report
against sub-grants awarded. Prime Contractors awarded a Federal
contract or order that is subject to Federal Acquisition Regulation
clause 52.204-10 (Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier
Subcontract Awards) are required to file a FFATA subaward report by the
end of the month following the month in which the prime contractor
awards any subcontract greater than $25,000.
Please note also that applicants should anticipate that no subaward
of an award made under this solicitation may be made to a subrecipient
that is subject to the terms of FFATA unless the potential subrecipient
acquires and provides a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.
Other Information
Pursuant to Sec. 17.730(a), VA may recover from the grantee any
funds that are not used in accordance with a grant agreement. If VA
decides to recover funds, VA will issue to the grantee a notice of
intent to recover grant funds, and the grantee will then have 30 days
to submit documentation demonstrating why the grant funds should not be
recovered. After review of all submitted documentation, VA will
determine whether action will be taken to recover the grant funds. When
VA determines action will be taken to recover grant funds from the
grantee, the grantee is then prohibited under Sec. 17.730(b) from
receipt of any further grant funds.
Approved: September 2, 2015.
William F. Russo,
Acting Director, Office of Regulation Policy and Management, Office of
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2015-22576 Filed 9-4-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
