Office of Urban Indian Health Programs; Urban Indian Education and Research Program, 17851-17858 [2019-08413]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
• Indian Health Service

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 81 (Friday, April 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17851-17858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08413]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Indian Health Service


Office of Urban Indian Health Programs; Urban Indian Education 
and Research Program

    Announcement Type: New or Competing Continuation.
    Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2019-IHS-UIHP3-0001.
    Assistance Listing (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance or CFDA) 
Number: 93.193.

Key Dates

    Application Deadline Date: August 15, 2019.
    Earliest Anticipated Start Date: September 15, 2019.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Statutory Authority

    The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Urban Indian Health 
Programs (OUIHP), is accepting applications for a cooperative agreement 
for the Urban Indian Education and Research Organization Program. This 
program is authorized under: The Snyder Act, 25 U.S.C. 13, and Section 
301(a) of the Public Health Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 241(a). This program 
is described in the Assistance Listings located at https://beta.sam.gov 
(formerly known as Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance) under 
93.193.

Background

    The OUIHP oversees the implementation of the Indian Health Care 
Improvement Act (IHCIA) provisions for making health care services more 
accessible to Urban Indians. Pursuant to those authorities, the IHS 
enters into contracts and grants with Urban Indian Organizations (UIOs) 
for the provision of health care and referral services for Urban 
Indians residing in urban centers. This program provides services and 
education for UIOs that include the following Five Core Projects: (1) 
Public policy; (2) research and data; (3) training and technical 
assistance; (4) education, public relations, and marketing; and (5) 
payment system reform/monitoring regulations.

Purpose

    The purpose of this IHS announcement is to fund a National Urban 
Indian Organization to act as an education and research partner for 
OUIHP and UIOs funded under the IHCIA.

Limited Competition Justification

    Competition for the one award included in this announcement is 
limited to national organizations with at least ten years of experience 
providing national awareness, visibility, advocacy, education and 
outreach related to urban Indian health care 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 IHS and UIOs on a broad scale; (2) a 
national perspective on the needs of urban Indian communities that will 
ensure the information developed and disseminated through the projects 
is appropriate and useful and addresses the most pressing needs of 
urban Indian communities; and (3) established relationships with UIOs 
that will foster open and honest participation by urban Indian 
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 
urban Indians nationwide. Organizations with less experience will lack 
the established relationships with UIOs throughout the country that 
will facilitate participation and the open and honest exchange of 
information between UIOs and the IHS. With the limited funds available 
for these Five Core Projects, the IHS 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 urban Indian communities throughout the country, and come 
from a source that urban Indians recognize and trust.

Pre-Conference Grant Requirements

    The awardee is required to comply with the ``HHS Policy on 
Promoting Efficient Spending: Use of Appropriated Funds for Conferences 
and Meeting Space, Food, Promotional Items, and Printing and 
Publications,'' dated January 23, 2015 (Policy), as applicable to 
conferences funded by grants and cooperative agreements. The Policy is 
available at https://www.hhs.gov/grants/contracts/contract-policies-regulations/efficient-spending/?language=es.
    The awardee is required to:
    Provide a separate detailed budget justification and narrative for 
each conference anticipated. The cost categories to be addressed are as 
follows: (1) Contract/Planner, (2) Meeting Space/Venue, (3) 
Registration website, (4) Audio Visual, (5) Speakers Fees, (6) Non-
Federal Attendee Travel, (7) Registration Fees, (8) Other (explain in 
detail and cost breakdown). For additional questions, please contact 
Shannon Beyale at 301-945-3657 or email at [email protected].

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument

    Cooperative Agreement.

Estimated Funds Available

    The total funding identified for fiscal year (FY) 2019 is 
approximately $1,050,000. Award amount for the first budget year is 
anticipated to be $1,050,000. The funding available for competing and 
subsequent continuation 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

    One award will be issued under this program announcement.

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Period of Performance

    The period of performance is for three years.

Cooperative Agreement

    Cooperative agreements awarded by the Department of Health and 
Human Services (HHS) are administered under the same policies as a 
grant. However, the funding agency (IHS) is anticipated 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 the IHS.

Substantial Involvement Description for Cooperative Agreement

    In addition to the usual monitoring and technical assistance 
provided under the cooperative agreement, the IHS OUIHP 
responsibilities shall include:
    (1) Assurance of the availability of services from experienced 
OUIHP staff to participate in the planning and development of all 
phases of this cooperative agreement;
    (2) Participation in, including the planning of, any meetings 
conducted as part of the Five Core Projects;
    (3) Assistance in establishing federal interagency contacts 
necessary for the successful completion of tasks and activities 
identified in the approved scope of work;
    (4) Identification of organizations with whom the awardee will be 
asked to develop cooperative and collaborative relationships;
    (5) Assisting the awardee to establish, review, and update 
priorities for the Five Core Projects conducted under this cooperative 
agreement; and
    (6) Assisting the awardee in determining issues to be addressed 
during the project period, sequence in which they will be addressed, 
what approaches and strategies will be used to address them, and how 
relevant information will be transmitted to specified target audiences 
and used to enhance core project activities and advance the program.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligibility

    To be eligible for this New and Competing Continuation FY 2019 
Funding Opportunity, applicants must be national organizations with at 
least ten years of experience providing national awareness, visibility, 
advocacy, education and outreach related to urban Indian health care on 
a national scale. See Limited Competition Justification section above.

    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 letter of support from organization's board of 
directors, 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

    Applications with budget requests that exceed the highest dollar 
amount outlined under the Award Information, Estimated Funds Available 
section, or exceed the Period of Performance outlined under the Award 
Information, Period of Performance section will be considered not 
responsive and will not be reviewed. The Division of Grants Management 
(DGM) will notify the applicant.
Proof of Non-Profit Status
    Organizations claiming non-profit status must submit a copy of the 
501(c)(3) Certificate with the application.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Obtaining Application Materials

    The application package and detailed instructions for this 
announcement are hosted on https://www.Grants.gov.
    Please direct questions regarding the application process to Mr. 
Paul Gettys at (301) 443-2114 or (301) 443-5204.

2. Content and Form Application Submission

    The applicant must include the project narrative as an attachment 
to the application package. Mandatory documents for all applicants 
include:
     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.
     Project Narrative (not to exceed 20 pages). See IV.2.A 
Project Narrative for instructions.
    [cir] Background information on the organization.
    [cir] Proposed scope of work objectives, and activities that 
provide a description of what the applicant plans to accomplish.
     Budget Justification and Narrative (not to exceed 5 
pages). See IV.2.B Budget Narrative for instructions.
     Letter of Support from the organization's Board of 
Directors.
     501(c)(3) Certificate.
     Biographical sketches for all Key Personnel (not to exceed 
one page each).
     Contractor/Consultant proposed scope of work and letter of 
commitment (not to exceed one page each, if applicable).
     Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL).
     Certification Regarding Lobbying (GG-Lobbying Form).
     Copy of current Negotiated Indirect Cost (IDC) rate 
agreement (required in order to receive IDC).
     Organizational chart.
     Documentation of current Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) 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. Applicants can find these on 
the FAC website: https://harvester.census.gov/facdissem/Main.aspx.
Public Policy Requirements
    All federal public policies apply to IHS grants and cooperative 
agreements with the exception of the Discrimination Policy.
Requirements for Project and Budget Narratives
    A. Project Narrative: This narrative should be a separate document 
that is no more than 20 pages and must: (1) Have consecutively numbered 
pages; (2) use black font 12 points or larger; (3) be single-spaced; 
and (4) be formatted to fit standard letter paper (8\1/2\ x 11 inches).
    Be sure to succinctly answer all questions listed under the 
evaluation criteria (refer to Section V.1, Criteria) and place all 
responses and required information in the correct section noted below 
or they will not be considered or scored. If the narrative exceeds the 
page limit, the application will be considered not responsive and not 
be reviewed. The 20-page limit for the narrative does not include the 
standard forms, line item budgets, budget justifications and 
narratives, and/or other appendix items.
    There are four parts to the project narrative: Part 1--Statement of 
Need; Part 2--Program Information/Proposed Approach; Part 3--
Organizational Capacity and Staffing/Administration; and Part 4--
Performance Measurement Plan and Evaluation. See below for additional 
details about what must be included in the narrative.
    Part 1: Statement of Need--Corresponds to Criteria, Section V.1.A.
    This section should help reviewers understand the UIOs that will be 
served

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by the proposed project. Summarize the overall need for assistance: (1) 
The target population and its unmet health needs; and (2) sociocultural 
determinants of health and health disparities impacting the urban 
Indian population or communities served and unmet. Demographic data 
should be used and cited whenever possible to support the information 
provided.
    Part 2: Program Information/Proposed Approach--Corresponds to 
Criteria, Section V.1.B.
    Describe the purpose of the proposed project, including a clear 
statement of goals and objectives. Clearly state how proposed 
activities address the needs detailed in the statement of need. You are 
required to address all Five Core Projects in your project narrative. 
Address each project with a corresponding time frame.
    Part 3: Organizational Capacity and Staffing/Administration--
Corresponds to Criteria, Section V.1.C.
    Describe your organizational capacity for all Five Core Projects 
and experience working with UIOs. Outline current staff and future 
positions for the five program components.
    Part 4: Performance Measurement Plan an Evaluation--Corresponds to 
Criteria, Section V.1.D.
    Describe efforts to collect and report project data that will 
support and demonstrate grant activities for all Five Core Projects. 
Awardee will be required to collect and report data pertaining to 
activities, processes, and outcomes. Also describe the plan to evaluate 
program activities. Describe in the evaluation plan the expected 
results and any identified metrics to support program effectiveness. 
Incorporate questions related to outcomes and processes, including 
documentation of lessons learned.
    B. Budget and Budget Narrative--Corresponds to Criteria, Section 
V.1.E.
    Provide a budget narrative that explains the amounts requested for 
each line of the budget. The budget narrative should specifically 
describe how each item will support the achievement of all five 
proposed projects. Be very careful about showing how each item in the 
``other'' category is justified. For subsequent budget years, the 
narrative should highlight the changes from year one or clearly 
indicate that there are no substantive budget changes during the period 
of performance. Do NOT use the budget narrative to expand the project 
narrative. The conference budget and budget narrative will not count as 
part of the 5-page budget and budget narrative. Please include a line 
item amount for the conference in the budget and budget narrative.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. 
Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the Application Deadline Date. Any 
application received after the application deadline will not be 
accepted for review. Grants.gov will notify the applicant via email if 
the application is rejected.
    If technical challenges arise and assistance is required with the 
application process, contact Grants.gov Customer Support (see contact 
information at https://www.grants.gov). If problems persist, contact 
Mr. Paul Gettys ([email protected]), DGM Grant Systems Coordinator, 
by telephone at (301) 443-2114 or (301) 443-5204. Please be sure to 
contact Mr. Gettys at least ten days prior to the application deadline. 
Please do not contact the DGM until you have received a Grants.gov 
tracking number. In the event you are not able to obtain a tracking 
number, call the DGM as soon as possible.
    The IHS will not acknowledge receipt of applications.

4. Intergovernmental Review

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

5. Funding Restrictions

     Pre-award costs are not allowed.
     The available funds are inclusive of direct and indirect 
costs.
     Only one cooperative agreement will be awarded per 
applicant.

6. Electronic Submission Requirements

    All applications must be submitted via Grants.gov. Please use the 
https://www.Grants.gov website to submit an application. Find the 
application by selecting the ``Search Grants'' link on the homepage. 
Follow the instructions for submitting an application under the Package 
tab. No other method of application submission is acceptable.
    If the applicant cannot submit an application through Grants.gov, a 
waiver must be requested. Prior approval must be requested and obtained 
from Mr. Robert Tarwater, Director, DGM. A written waiver request must 
be sent to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]. 
The waiver must: (1) Be documented in writing (emails are acceptable) 
before submitting an application by some other method, and (2) include 
clear justification for the need to deviate from the required 
application submission process.
    Once the waiver request has been approved, the applicant will 
receive a confirmation of approval email containing submission 
instructions. A copy of the written approval must be included with the 
application that is submitted to the DGM. Applications that are 
submitted without a copy of the signed waiver from the Director of the 
DGM will not be reviewed. The Grants Management Officer of the DGM will 
notify the applicant via email of this decision. Applications submitted 
under waiver must be received by the DGM no later than 5:00 p.m., EDT, 
on the Application Deadline Date. Late applications will not be 
accepted for processing. Applicants that do not register for both the 
System for Award Management (SAM) and Grants.gov and/or fail to request 
timely assistance with technical issues will not be considered for a 
waiver to submit an application via alternative method.
    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, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support (see 
contact information at https://www.grants.gov).
     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.
     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 20 
working days.
     Please follow the instructions on Grants.gov to include 
additional documentation that may be requested by this funding 
announcement.
     Applicants must comply with any page limits described in 
this funding announcement.
     After submitting the application, the applicant will 
receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a 
Grants.gov tracking number. The IHS will not notify the applicant that 
the application has been received.
Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
    Applicants and grantee organizations are required to obtain a DUNS 
number and maintain an active registration in the SAM database. The 
DUNS number is a unique 9-digit identification number provided by D&B 
that uniquely identifies each entity. The DUNS

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number is site specific; therefore, each distinct performance site may 
be assigned a DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy, and there 
is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, please access the request 
service through https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform, or call (866) 705-5711.
    The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, as 
amended (``Transparency Act''), requires all HHS recipients to report 
information on sub-awards. Accordingly, all IHS grantees must notify 
potential first-tier sub-recipients that no entity may receive a first-
tier sub-award 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 are 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). Please see SAM.gov for details on the registration process and 
timeline. Registration with the SAM is free of charge, but can take 
several weeks to process. Applicants may register online at https://www.sam.gov.
    Additional information on implementing the Transparency Act, 
including the specific requirements for DUNS and SAM, are available on 
the DGM Grants Management, Policy Topics website: https://www.ihs.gov/dgm/policytopics/.

V. Application Review Information

    Weights assigned to each section are noted in parentheses. The 20-
page project narrative and 5-page budget and budget 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 
project 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 possible points.

    Note: Additional documentation requested as attachments do not 
count towards the narratives' page limits, e.g. position 
descriptions, timelines, biographical sketches, etc.

1. Criteria

A. Statement of Need (25 Points)
    (1) Describe and document the target population and its unmet 
needs.
    (2) Based on the information and/or data currently available, 
document the need to implement, sustain, and improve health care 
services offered to urban Indians.
    (3) Based on available data, describe the service gaps and other 
problems related to the needs of urban Indians. Identify the source of 
the data. Documentation of need may come from a variety of qualitative 
and quantitative sources. Examples of data sources for the quantitative 
data that could be used are epidemiologic data such as Tribal 
Epidemiology Centers or IHS Area Offices, state data from state needs 
assessments, and/or national data from the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Services Administration's National Survey on Drug Use and Health 
or from the National Center for Health Statistics/Centers for Disease 
Control, and census data. This list is not exhaustive. Applicants may 
submit other valid data, as appropriate for the applicant's programs.
B. Program Information/Proposed Approach (30 Points)
    Describe the purpose of the proposed project, including a clear 
statement of goals and objectives. Provide a work plan for the first 
year of the project period that details expected key activities, 
accomplishments, and includes responsible staff for each of the Five 
Core Projects. The project narrative is required to address all Five 
Core Projects of the program, see below:
    (1) Public Policy: Summarize the public policy opportunities and 
challenges of UIOs in the implementation of the various laws. Describe 
efforts to increase awareness and actively seek support for the health 
care needs of urban Indians. Describe efforts to engage Urban Indian 
Organization Leaders' participation in policy workgroups, national 
advisory committees, Urban Confers, budget formulation, and listening 
sessions.
    (2) Research and Data: Describe the need to collect and analyze 
health disparities data, morbidity and mortality data, and urban IHS 
cost data in order to reduce urban Indian health disparities and 
identify, improve, evaluate, and document UIOs' efforts through 
practice-based and evidence-based best practices. Describe efforts to 
solidify partnerships with UIOs, tribal and urban epidemiology centers, 
and other data and research partners to improve and increase research 
and data on urban Indian issues.
    (3) Training and Technical Assistance: Describe the need for UIOs' 
training and technical assistance to support new and continuing 
executive directors and chief executive officers, board of directors 
and program staff (clinical staff, administration, business office, 
health information technology, integrated behavioral health, etc.).
    (i) Further describe the need for training and technical assistance 
to support Urban Indian Organization administration in orienting new 
Urban Indian Organization Leaders and Board of Directors, grant 
writing, and credentialing and privileging. Describe the need for 
technical assistance and training for UIOs to effectively engage in the 
IHS Urban Confer process. Describe the need for UIOs to attract and 
retain skilled, culturally competent health service providers.
    (4) Education, Public Relations, and Marketing: Summarize the need 
to market the UIOs through development of national, regional, and local 
marketing strategies and campaigns.
    (i) Describe efforts to increase awareness of health care needs of 
urban Indians. Describe efforts to engage UIOs to participate in 
national health campaigns. Describe the need for enhanced communication 
among local private and non-profit health care entities. Summarize the 
need to enhance communication, interaction, and coordination on policy 
and health care reform activities by initiating and maintaining 
partnerships and collaborative relationships with other UIOs, national 
Indian organizations, key state and local health entities, and 
education and public safety networks. Describe efforts to strengthen 
the capacity of UIOs to work as a community to improve knowledge 
sharing.
    (5) Payment System Reform/Monitoring Regulations: Describe services 
to be provided, e.g., billing, health information technology, 
regulations, etc. Describe efforts to support UIOs' efforts to 
diversify funding and increase third party reimbursement to ensure 
UIOs' sustainability. Describe technical assistance, training, and 
tools to be provided on billing and coding best practices, and 
negotiating with private health insurers and health plans. Describe 
efforts to establish and enhance third party billing for UIOs that

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have limited or no third party billing capabilities. Describe the need 
to understand, document and analyze current and new federal regulations 
impacting UIOs for reimbursement. Describe services to be provided to 
UIOs on regulations. Describe types of regulatory activities needed to 
support efforts to lessen the impact on UIOs financial and operational 
systems.
C. Organizational Capacity and Staffing/Administrationm (15 Points)
    (1) Describe the management capability of the National Urban Indian 
Organization and other participating organizations in administering 
similar projects.
    (2) Identify staff to maintain open and consistent communication 
with the IHS program official on any financial or programmatic barriers 
to meeting the requirements of the award.
    (3) Identify the department(s) and/or division(s) that will 
administer all Five Core Projects. Include a description of these 
department(s) and/or division(s), their functions, and their placement 
within the National Urban Indian Organization and their direct link to 
management.
    (4) Discuss the National Urban Indian Organization's experience and 
capacity to provide culturally appropriate and competent services to 
UIOs and specific populations of focus.
    (5) Describe the resources available for the proposed project 
(e.g., facilities, equipment, information technology systems, and 
financial management systems).
    (6) Identify other organization(s) that will participate in the 
proposed project. Describe their roles and responsibilities and 
demonstrate their commitment to all Five Core Projects.
    (7) Describe how project continuity will be maintained if there is 
a change in the operational environment (e.g., staff turnover, change 
in project leadership, etc.) to ensure project stability over the life 
of the grant.
    (8) Provide a list of staff positions for the project and other key 
personnel, showing the role of each and their level of effort and 
qualifications for all Five Core Projects. Key personnel include the 
Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director, Chief Financial Officer, 
Deputy Director, and Information Officer.
    (9) Demonstrate successful project implementation for the level of 
effort budgeted for the project staff and other key staff.
    (10) Include position descriptions as attachments to the 
application for all key personnel. Position descriptions should not 
exceed one page each.
    (11) For individuals who are currently on staff, include a 
biographical sketch with their name for each individual that will be 
listed as the project staff and other key positions. Describe the 
experience of identified staff in all Five Core Projects. Include each 
biographical sketch as attachments to the project proposal/application. 
Biographical sketches should not exceed one page per staff member. Do 
not include any of the following:
    (a) Personally Identifiable Information (social security number and 
date and place or birth);
    (b) Resumes; or
    (c) Curriculum Vitae.
D. Performance Measurement Plan and Evaluation (20 Points)
    Describe plans to monitor activities under all Five Core Projects, 
demonstrate progress towards program outcomes, and inform future 
program decisions over the 3-year project period. Describe how issues 
will be addressed during the project period, the sequence in which they 
will be addressed, what approaches and strategies will be used to 
address them, and how relevant information will be transmitted to 
specified target audiences and used to enhance project activities and 
advance the program.
    1. Describe proposed data collection efforts (performance measures 
and associated data) and how you will use the data to answer evaluation 
questions. This should include (data collection method, data source, 
data measurement tool, identified staff for data management, and data 
collection timeline).
    2. Identify key program partners and describe how they will 
participate in the implementation of the evaluation plan (e.g., Tribal 
Epidemiology Centers, universities, etc.).
    3. Describe how evaluating findings will be used at the applicant 
level. Discuss how data collected (e.g., performance measurement data) 
will be used and shared by the key program partners.
    4. Discuss any barriers or challenges expected for implementing the 
plan, collecting data (e.g., responding to performance measures), and 
reporting on evaluation results. Describe how these potential barriers 
would be overcome. In addition, applicants may also describe other 
measures to be developed or additional data sources and data collection 
methods that applicant will use.
E. Budget and Budget Narrative (10 Points)
    1. Include a line item budget for all Five Core Projects including 
expenditures identifying reasonable and allowable costs necessary to 
accomplish the goals and objectives as outlined in the project 
narrative for Budget year one only.
    2. Provide a categorized budget for all Five Core Projects. If it 
is anticipated that there will be travel costs to cover the cost of 
staff and Urban Indian Organization Leaders' attendance at national 
advisory committees and workgroups, the applicant should ensure the 
associated travel costs are included in the categorized budget for 
public policy.
    3. Ensure that the budget and budget narrative are aligned with the 
project narrative. Questions to address include: What resources are 
needed to successfully carry out and manage the Five Core Projects? 
What other resources are available from the organization? Will new 
staff be recruited? Will outside contractors/consultants be required?
    4. Include the total cost for any outside contractors/consultants 
broken down by activity within each core project.
    5. If indirect costs are claimed, indicate and apply the current 
negotiated rate to the budget. Include a copy of the current negotiated 
IDC rate agreement in the appendix.
Multi-Year Project Requirements
    Applications must include a brief project narrative and budget (one 
additional page per year) addressing the developmental plans for each 
additional year of the project. This attachment will not count as part 
of the project narrative or the budget narrative.
Additional Documents Can Be Uploaded as Appendix Items in Grants.gov
     Work plan or logic model, with time line, for proposed 
goals and objectives.
     Position descriptions for key staff (not to exceed one 
page each).
     Biographical sketches for key staff (not to exceed one 
page each).
     Consultant or contractor proposed scope of work and letter 
of commitment (if applicable).
     Current Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.
     Organizational chart.
     Additional documents to support narrative (e.g., data 
tables, key news articles, etc.).

[[Page 17856]]

2. Review and Selection

    Each application will be prescreened 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. Incomplete applications and applications 
that are not responsive to the administrative thresholds will not be 
referred to the ORC and will not be funded. The applicant will be 
notified of this determination.
    Applicants must address all program requirements and provide all 
required documentation.

3. Notifications of Disposition

    All applicants will receive an Executive Summary Statement from the 
IHS OUIHP within 30 days of the conclusion of the ORC outlining the 
strengths and weaknesses of their application. The summary statement 
will be sent to the Authorizing Official identified on the face page 
(SF-424) of the application.
A. Award Notices for Funded Applications
    The Notice of Award (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. Each entity approved for funding must have a 
user account in GrantSolutions in order to retrieve the NoA. Please see 
the Agency Contacts list in Section VII for the systems contact 
information.
B. Approved but Unfunded Applications
    Approved applications not funded due to lack of available funds 
will be held for one year. If funding becomes available during the 
course of the year, the application may be reconsidered.

    Note: Any correspondence other than the official NoA executed 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 the IHS.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Administrative Requirements

    Cooperative agreements are administered in accordance with the 
following regulations and policies:
    A. The criteria as outlined in this program announcement.
    B. Administrative Regulations for Grants:
     Uniform Administrative Requirements for HHS Awards, 
located at 45 CFR part 75.
    C. Grants Policy:
     HHS Grants Policy Statement, Revised 01/07.
    D. Cost Principles:
     Uniform Administrative Requirements for HHS Awards, ``Cost 
Principles,'' located at 45 CFR part 75, subpart E.
    E. Audit Requirements:
     Uniform Administrative Requirements for HHS Awards, 
``Audit Requirements,'' located at 45 CFR part 75, subpart F.

2. Indirect Costs

    This section applies to all recipients that request reimbursement 
of indirect costs (IDC) in their application budget. 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 agreement 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 agreement 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/finance/indirect-Cost-Services/indian-tribes. For 
questions regarding the indirect cost policy, please call the Grants 
Management Specialist listed under ``Agency Contacts'' in Section VII 
or the main DGM office at (301) 443-5204.

3. 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. Per DGM policy, all reports are required to be submitted 
electronically by attaching them as a ``Grant Note'' in 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 quarterly, 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, a summary of progress to date 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 period of performance.
B. Financial Reports
    Federal Financial Report (FFR or SF-425), Cash Transaction Reports 
are due 30 days after the close of every calendar quarter to the 
Payment Management Services, HHS at https://pms.psc.gov. The applicant 
is also requested to upload a copy of the FFR (SF-425) into our grants 
management system, GrantSolutions. Failure to submit timely reports may 
result in adverse award actions blocking access to funds.
    Grantees are responsible and accountable for accurate information 
being reported on all required reports: The Progress Reports and 
Federal Financial Report.
C. Post Conference Grant Reporting
    The following requirements were enacted in Section 3003 of the 
Consolidated Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, and Section 119 of 
the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014; Office of Management and 
Budget Memorandum M-12-12: All HHS/IHS awards containing grants funds 
allocated for conferences will be required to complete a mandatory post 
award report for all conferences. Specifically: The total amount of 
funds provided in this award/cooperative agreement that were spent for 
``Conference X'', must be reported in final detailed actual costs 
within 15 days of the completion of the conference. Cost categories to 
address should be: (1) Contract/Planner, (2) Meeting Space/Venue, (3) 
Registration website, (4) Audio Visual, (5) Speakers

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Fees, (6) Non-Federal Attendee Travel, (7) Registration Fees, (8) 
Other.
D. Federal Sub-Award Reporting System (FSRS)
    This award may be subject to the Transparency Act sub-award and 
executive compensation reporting requirements of 2 CFR part 170.
    The Transparency Act requires the OMB to establish a single 
searchable database, accessible to the public, with information on 
financial assistance awards made by federal agencies. The Transparency 
Act also includes a requirement for recipients of federal grants to 
report information about first-tier sub-awards and executive 
compensation under federal assistance awards.
    The 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 sub-award obligation dollar threshold met for any 
specific reporting period. Additionally, all new (discretionary) IHS 
awards (where the period of performance is made up of more than one 
budget period) and where: (1) The period of performance start date was 
October 1, 2010 or after, and (2) the primary awardee will have a 
$25,000 sub-award 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 
website at https://www.ihs.gov/dgm/policytopics/.
E. Compliance With Executive Order 13166 Implementation of Services 
Accessibility Provisions for All Grant Application Packages and Funding 
Opportunity Announcements
    Recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS must 
administer their programs in compliance with federal civil rights law. 
This means that recipients of HHS funds must ensure equal access to 
their programs without regard to a person's race, color, national 
origin, disability, age and, in some circumstances, sex and religion. 
This includes ensuring your programs are accessible to persons with 
limited English proficiency. The HHS provides guidance to recipients of 
FFA on meeting their legal obligation to take reasonable steps to 
provide meaningful access to their programs by persons with limited 
English proficiency. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/limited-english-proficiency/guidance-federal-financial-assistance-recipients-title-VI/.
    The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) also provides guidance on 
complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/section-1557/; and 
https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/. Recipients of FFA also have 
specific legal obligations for serving qualified individuals with 
disabilities. Please see https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/disability/. Please contact the HHS OCR for more 
information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil 
rights laws at https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/about-us/contact-us/ 
or call (800) 368-1019 or TDD (800) 537-7697. Also note it is an HHS 
Departmental goal to ensure access to quality, culturally competent 
care, including long-term services and supports, for vulnerable 
populations. For further guidance on providing culturally and 
linguistically appropriate services, recipients should review the 
National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate 
Services in Health and Health Care at https://minorityhealth.hhs.gov/omh/browse.aspx?lvl=2&lvlid=53.
    Pursuant to 45 CFR 80.3(d), an individual shall not be deemed 
subjected to discrimination by reason of his/her exclusion from 
benefits limited by federal law to individuals eligible for benefits 
and services from the IHS.
    Recipients will be required to sign the HHS-690 Assurance of 
Compliance form which can be obtained from the following website: 
https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/forms/hhs-690.pdf, and send it 
directly to the: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office 
of Civil Rights, 200 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20201.
F. Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)
    The IHS is required to review and consider any information about 
the applicant that is in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity 
Information System (FAPIIS), at https://www.fapiis.gov, before making 
any award in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000) over the period of performance. An applicant may review and 
comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency 
previously entered. The IHS will consider any comments by the 
applicant, in addition to other information in FAPIIS in making a 
judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record 
of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk 
posed by applicants as described in 45 CFR 75.205.
    As required by 45 CFR part 75 Appendix XII of the Uniform Guidance, 
non-federal entities (NFEs) are required to disclose in FAPIIS any 
information about criminal, civil, and administrative proceedings, and/
or affirm that there is no new information to provide. This applies to 
NFEs that receive federal awards (currently active grants, cooperative 
agreements, and procurement contracts) greater than $10,000,000 for any 
period of time during the period of performance of an award/project.
G. Mandatory Disclosure Requirements
    As required by 2 CFR part 200 of the Uniform Guidance, and the HHS 
implementing regulations at 45 CFR part 75, effective January 1, 2016, 
the IHS must require a non-federal entity or an applicant for a federal 
award to disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the IHS or pass-
through entity all violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, 
bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal 
award.
    Submission is required for all applicants and recipients, in 
writing, to the IHS and to the HHS Office of Inspector General all 
information related to violations of federal criminal law involving 
fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the 
federal award. 45 CFR 75.113.
    Disclosures must be sent in writing to: U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Division of Grants 
Management, ATTN: Robert Tarwater, Director, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail 
Stop: 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857, (Include ``Mandatory Grant 
Disclosures'' in subject line).
    Office: (301) 443-5204.
    Fax: (301) 594-0899.
    Email: [email protected].

and

    U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector 
General, ATTN: Mandatory Grant Disclosures, Intake Coordinator, 330 
Independence Avenue SW, Cohen Building, Room 5527, Washington, DC 
20201, URL: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/, (Include 
``Mandatory Grant Disclosures'' in subject line).
    Fax: (202) 205-0604 (Include ``Mandatory Grant Disclosures'' in 
subject line) or
    Email: [email protected].

[[Page 17858]]

    Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the 
remedies described in 45 CFR 75.371 Remedies for noncompliance, 
including suspension or debarment (See 2 CFR parts 180 & 376 and 31 
U.S.C. 3321).

VII. Agency Contacts

    1. Questions on the programmatic issues may be directed to: Shannon 
Beyale, Health Information Specialist, Office of Urban Indian Health 
Programs, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 08E65D, Rockville, MD 20857, 
Phone: (301) 945-3657, Fax: (301) 443-8446, Email: 
[email protected].
    2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be 
directed to: Donald Gooding, Grants Management Specialist, 5600 Fishers 
Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857, Phone: (301) 443-2298, 
Fax: (301) 594-0899, Email: [email protected].
    3. Questions on systems matters may be directed to: Paul Gettys, 
Grant Systems Coordinator, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70, 
Rockville, MD 20857, Phone: (301) 443-2114; or the DGM main line (301) 
443-5204, Fax: (301) 594-0899, Email: [email protected].

VIII. Other Information

    The Public Health Service strongly encourages all grant, 
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.

Michael D. Weahkee,
RADM, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service, Principal 
Deputy Director, Indian Health Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-08413 Filed 4-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4165-16-P