2017-17311. Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native Tribes and Urban Indian Communities

Announcement Type: Competing Supplement

Funding Announcement Number: HHS-2017-IHS-EPI-0001

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.231

Key Dates

Application Deadline Date: September 19, 2017

Review Date: September 21, 2017

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Statutory Authority

The Indian Health Service (IHS) Office of Public Health Support, Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention (DEDP), is accepting applications for a cooperative agreement for competitive supplemental funds to enhance activities in the Epidemiology Program for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Tribes and Urban Indian communities. This program is authorized under: The Public Health Service Act, at 42 U.S.C. 241, 247b(k)(2), 282, 284 and 285t. Funding for this award will be provided by: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) and the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The authorities will be exercised through an Intra-Departmental Delegation of Authority (IDDA) with IHS to create a new funding opportunity for Tribal Epidemiology Centers: This program is described in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) under 93.231.

Background

The Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) program was authorized by Congress in 1998 as a way to provide public health support to multiple Tribes and Urban Indian communities in each of the IHS Areas. The funding opportunity announcement is open to eligible Tribes, Tribal organizations, Indian organizations, intertribal consortia, and Urban Indian organizations, including currently-funded TECs.

TECs are uniquely positioned within Tribes, Tribal and Urban Indian organizations to conduct disease surveillance, research, prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability, and to assess the effectiveness of AI/AN public health programs. In addition, they can fill gaps in data needed for Government Performance and Results Act and Healthy People 2020 measures. Some of the existing TECs have already developed innovative strategies to monitor the health status of Tribes and Urban Indian communities, including development of Tribal health registries and use of sophisticated record linkage computer software to correct existing state data sets for racial misclassification. TECs work in partnership with IHS DEDP to provide a more accurate national picture of Indian health status. This program will utilize CDC and NIH funding to further the ongoing work of IHS and the TECs.

The mission of NIMHD is to promote minority health and to lead, coordinate, support, and assess the NIH effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate health disparities.

The NCEH has identified a public health gap in the nation's ability to link environmental hazards and exposure to chronic disease issues, and to provide information to a variety of audiences from a nationwide network of integrated health and environmental data that drives actions to improve health outcomes. The NCEH is seeking, through this announcement, to support the creation of a mechanism by which Tribal data can be submitted to the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network and further explore the application of Tribal data to environmental public health.

Purpose

The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to strengthen public health capacity and to fund Tribes, Tribal and Urban Indian organizations, and intertribal consortia in identifying relevant health status indicators and priorities using sound epidemiologic principles. Work-plans submitted in response to this announcement must clearly state the grantee's desired objectives and address at least one of the Recipient Activities under this announcement. Recipient Activities may address one or all of the below two groups of activities:

A. NIH, NIMHD Activities

(1) Development and implementation of data collection efforts to identify and document health disparities experienced by AI/AN populations;

(2) Compilation of existing data (e.g., healthcare utilization, vital statistics data) to generate health profiles and document health disparities in AI/AN populations;

(3) Implementation and evaluation of public health awareness campaigns to increase knowledge and attention to significant high priority health issues in AI/AN communities; and

(4) Implementation and evaluation of public health interventions to promote health or address disparities in AI/AN communities.

B. CDC, NCEH Activities

(1) Establish data sources to pilot-test Tribal data within the Tracking Network, a Web-based system of environmental health data and information;

(2) Identify and work with Tribal partners to use environmental health data and data outputs relevant to local decision-making and implementing environmental health interventions;

(3) Establish indicators for the priorities identified;

(4) Work with CDC to address confidentiality concerns through methods such as temporal aggregation and suppression;

(5) Work with CDC to develop content for the AI/AN Web pages on the Tracking Network and to establish the data displays for Tribal data, such as maps or charts to visualize Tribal data;

(6) Work with CDC and its partners to explore the application of Tribal data to environmental public health;

(7) Build environmental epidemiology capacity within the TECs;

(8) Provide assistance to fellow TECs regarding Tribal issues with addressing environmental health data gaps; and

(9) Present results from environmental health data assessment and promote pilot project methodology and outcomes to other TECs.

Limited Competition Justification

TECs are statutorily authorized as public health authorities for tribes and Urban Indian communities with responsibility for essential public health infrastructure services such as data collection and analysis, evaluation and targeting of services, and provision of technical assistance. [25 U.S.C. 1621(m)] Other organizations do not have capacity to provide this support. Additionally, like state, local and territorial health departments, TECs have statutory public health authorities as described above and perform public health functions for the Tribes in their administrative area. They also derive authority from the Tribes they serve to perform these functions. Unlike their counterparts, they have no (or little) funding from their jurisdictional governments to perform these public functions.

IHS, CDC, and NIH have determined that the TECs provide the most effective approach to strengthen public health capacity and support to support Tribes, Tribal and Urban Indian organizations, and intertribal consortia in identifying relevant health status indicators and priorities using sound epidemiologic principles.

II. Award Information

Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.

Estimated Funds Available

The total amount of funding identified for the current fiscal year (FY) 2017 is approximately $961,500. A total of $840,000 will be awarded for NIMHD-funded activities and a total of $121,500 will be awarded for CDC/NCEH Activities.

Individual award amounts are anticipated to be between $70,000 and $191,500 annually. The amount of funding available for competing and continuation awards issued under this announcement are subject to the availability of appropriations and budgetary priorities of the funding agencies and the IHS. The IHS is under no obligation to make awards that are selected for funding under this announcement.

Anticipated Number of Awards

Approximately 12 awards will be issued under this program announcement.

Project Period

The project period is for four years and will run consecutively from September 30, 2017 to September 29, 2021.

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 is required to have substantial programmatic involvement in the project during the entire award segment. Below is a detailed description of the level of involvement required for both IHS and the grantee. IHS will be responsible for activities listed under section A and the grantee will be responsible for activities listed under section B as stated:

Substantial Involvement Description for Cooperative Agreement

A. IHS Programmatic Involvement

(1) Provide funded TECs with ongoing consultation and technical assistance to plan, implement, and evaluate each component as described under Recipient Activities. Consultation and technical assistance may include, but not be limited to, the following areas:

i. Interpretation of current scientific literature related to epidemiology, statistics, surveillance, and other public health issues;

ii. Design and implementation of each program component such as surveillance, epidemiologic analysis, outbreak investigation, development of epidemiologic studies, development of disease control programs, and coordination of activities; and

iii. Overall operational planning and program management.

(2) Conduct routine site visits to TECs and/or coordinate TEC visits to IHS to assess work plans and ensure data security; confirm compliance with applicable laws and regulations; assess program activities; and to mutually resolve problems, as needed.

(3) Provide training in the use of data from the Epidemiology Data Mart (EDM) for the purposes of creating reports for disease surveillance, epidemiologic analysis, and epidemiologic studies. Training can be provided online, or at the request of the grantee onsite.

(4) Coordinate reporting and technical assistance with funding agencies.

B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities

(1) Develop and deploy a plan of action to accomplish each component as described under Recipient Activities.

(2) Submit all data products to IHS, with a brief description of the methodologies and data sources used to produce the products.

(3) Succinctly and independently address and report on the requirements for each funding stream awarded under Recipient Activities. Specifically:

(i) NIMHD Program Activities must report:

(a) NIMHD support and collaboration must be highlighted in all documents and press releases associated with the activities.

(ii) CDC, NCEH

(a) Provide a work plan to accomplish tasks described under CDC, NCEH Activities.

(b) Quarterly calls with a CDC Project Officer to discuss progress of activities.

(c) Provide a final report that highlights successes and challenges over the previous project year.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligibility

Only current TEC grantees are eligible to apply for the competing supplemental funding under this announcement and must demonstrate that they have complied with previous terms and conditions of the TEC program.

Eligible Applicants must be one of the following as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603:

• A Federally-recognized Indian Tribe as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(14); operating an Indian health program operated pursuant to a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or compact with IHS pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), 25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.
• A Tribal organization as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(26); operating an Indian health program operated pursuant to a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or compact with the IHS pursuant to the ISDEAA, 25 U.S.C. 5301 et seq.
• An Urban Indian organization as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29); operating a Title V Urban Indian health program that currently has a grant or contract with the IHS under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, 25 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. [Public Law (Pub. L.) 93-437]. Applicants must provide proof of non-profit status with the application, e.g. 501(c)(3).

Note:

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

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

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

3. Other Requirements

If application budgets exceed the highest dollar amount outlined under the “Estimated Funds Available” section within this funding announcement, the application will be considered ineligible and will not be reviewed for further consideration. If deemed ineligible, IHS will not return the application. The applicant will be notified by email by the Division of Grants Management (DGM) of this decision.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Obtaining Application Materials

The application package and detailed instructions for this announcement can be found at: http://www.Grants.gov or http://www.ihs.gov/​dgm/​funding/​.

Questions regarding the electronic application process may be directed to Mr. Paul Gettys at [phone] or [phone].

2. Content and Form Application Submission

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

• Table of contents.
• Abstract (one page) summarizing the project.
• Application forms:

○ SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance.

○ SF-424A, Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs.

○ SF-424B, Assurances—Non-Construction Programs.

• Budget Justification and Narrative (must be single-spaced and not exceed 5 pages).
• Project Narrative (must be single-spaced and not exceed 10 pages).

○ Background information on the organization.

○ Proposed scope of work, objectives, and activities that provide a description of what will be accomplished, including a one-page Timeframe Chart.

• Tribal Resolution(s).
• Letters of Support from organization's Board of Directors.
• 501(c)(3) Certificate (if applicable).
• Biographical sketches for all Key Personnel.
• Contractor/Consultant resumes or qualifications and scope of work.
• Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL).
• Certification Regarding Lobbying (GG-Lobbying Form).
• Copy of current Negotiated Indirect Cost rate (IDC) agreement (required in order to receive IDC).
• Organizational Chart (optional).
• Documentation of current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Financial Audit (if applicable).

Acceptable forms of documentation include:

○ Email confirmation from Federal Audit Clearinghouse (FAC) that audits were submitted; or

○ Face sheets from audit reports. These can be found on the FAC Web site: https://harvester.census.gov/​facdissem/​Main.aspx.

Public Policy Requirements

All Federal-wide public policies apply to IHS grants and cooperative agreements with exception of the Discrimination policy.

Requirements for Project and Budget Narratives

A. Project Narrative: This narrative should be a separate Word document that is no longer than 10 pages and must: Be single-spaced, be type written, have consecutively numbered pages, use black type not smaller than 12 points, and be printed on one side only of standard size 81/2″ × 11″ paper.

Be sure to succinctly answer all questions listed under the evaluation criteria (refer to Section V.1, Evaluation criteria in this announcement) and place all responses and required information in the correct section (noted below), or they will not be considered or scored. These narratives will assist the Objective Review Committee (ORC) in becoming familiar with the applicant's activities and accomplishments prior to this possible cooperative agreement award. If the narrative exceeds the page limit, only the first 10 pages will be reviewed. The 10-page limit for the narrative does not include the work plan, standard forms, Tribal resolutions, table of contents, budget, budget justifications, narratives, and/or other appendix items.

There are three parts to the narrative: Part A—Program Information; Part B—Program Planning and Evaluation; and Part C—Program Report. See below for additional details about what must be included in the narrative.

The page limitations below are for each narrative and budget submitted.

Part A: Program Information (3 pages)

Section 1: Introduction and need for assistance.

Must include the applicant's background information, a description of epidemiological service, epidemiological capacity and history of support for such activities. Applicants need to include current public health activities, what program services are currently being provided, and interactions with other public health authorities in the region (state, local, or Tribal).

Section 2: Organizational capabilities.

The applicant must describe staff capabilities or hiring plans for the key personnel with appropriate expertise in epidemiology, health sciences, and program management. The applicant must also demonstrate access to specialized expertise such as a doctoral level epidemiologist and/or a biostatistician. Applicants must include an organizational chart, and provide position descriptions and biographical sketches of key personnel including consultants or contractors. The position description should clearly describe each position and its duties. Resume should indicate that proposed staff is qualified to carry out the project activities.

Section 3: User population.

The number of AI/ANs served must be substantiated by documentation describing IHS user populations, United States Census Bureau data, clinical catchment data, or any method that is scientifically and epidemiologically valid.

Part B: Program Planning and Evaluation (5 pages)

Section 1: Program Plans.

Applicant must include a work-plan that describes program goals, objectives, activities, timeline, and responsible person for carrying out the objectives/activities. The applicant must specify which activities listed under the Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities are proposed.

Section 2: Program Evaluation.

Applicant must define the criteria to be used to evaluate activities listed in the work-plan under the Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities. They must explain the methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified for the objectives are being met and if the outcomes identified are being achieved and describe how evaluation findings will be disseminated to stakeholders.

Part C: Program Report (2 pages)

Section 1: Describe your organization's significant program activities and accomplishments over the past five years associated with the goals of this announcement.

Section 2: Describe major activities over the last 24 months.

Sample: Please identify and summarize recent major health related project activities of the work done during the project period.

B. Budget Narrative (5 pages)

This narrative must include a line item budget with a narrative justification for all expenditures identifying reasonable allowable, allocable costs necessary to accomplish the goals and objectives as outlined in the project narrative. Budget should match the scope of work described in the project narrative.

3. Submission Dates and Times

Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on the Application Deadline Date listed in the Key Dates section on page one of this announcement. Any application received after the application deadline will not be accepted for processing, nor will it be given further consideration for funding. Grants.gov will notify the applicant via email if the application is rejected. IHS will not acknowledge receipt of applications.

If technical challenges arise and assistance is required with the electronic application process, contact Grants.gov Customer Support via email to [e-mail] or at [phone]. Customer Support is available to address questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except on Federal holidays). If problems persist, contact Mr. Gettys ([e-mail]), DGM Grant Systems Coordinator, by telephone at [phone] or [phone]. Please be sure to contact Mr. Gettys at least ten days prior to the application deadline. Please do not contact the DGM Grant Systems Coordinator until you have received a Grants.gov tracking number. In the event you are not able to obtain a tracking number, call the DGM Grant Systems Coordinator as soon as possible.

4. Intergovernmental Review

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

5. Funding Restrictions

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

6. Electronic Submission Requirements

All applications must be submitted electronically. Please use the http://www.Grants.gov Web site to submit an application electronically and select the “Find Grant Opportunities” link on the homepage. Follow the instructions for submitting an application under the Package tab. Electronic copies of the application may not be submitted as attachments to email messages addressed to IHS employees or offices.

If the applicant needs to submit a paper application instead of submitting electronically through Grants.gov, a waiver must be requested. Prior approval must be requested and obtained from Mr. Robert Tarwater, Director, DGM, (see Section IV.6 below for additional information). A written waiver request must be sent to [e-mail] with a copy to [e-mail]. The waiver must: (1) be documented in writing (emails are acceptable), before submitting a paper application, and (2) include clear justification for the need to deviate from the required electronic grants submission process.

Once the waiver request has been approved, the applicant will receive a confirmation of approval email containing submission instructions and the mailing address to submit the application. A copy of the written approval must be submitted along with the hardcopy of the application that is mailed to DGM. Paper applications that are submitted without a copy of the signed waiver from the Director of the DGM will not be reviewed or considered for funding. The applicant will be notified via email of this decision by the Grants Management Officer of the DGM. Paper applications must be received by the DGM no later than 5:00 p.m., EDT, on the Application Deadline Date listed in the Key Dates section on page one of this announcement. Late applications will not be accepted for processing or considered for funding. Applicants that do not adhere to the timelines for System for Award Management (SAM) and/or http://www.Grants.gov registration or that fail to request timely assistance with technical issues will not be considered for a waiver to submit a paper application.

Please be aware of the following:

• Please search for the application package in http://www.Grants.gov by entering the CFDA number or the Funding Opportunity Number. Both numbers are located in the header of this announcement.
• If you experience technical challenges while submitting your application electronically, please contact Grants.gov Support directly at: [e-mail] or [phone]. Customer Support is available to address questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except on Federal holidays).
• Upon contacting Grants.gov, obtain a tracking number as proof of contact. The tracking number is helpful if there are technical issues that cannot be resolved and a waiver from the agency must be obtained.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged not to wait until the deadline date to begin the application process through Grants.gov as the registration process for SAM and Grants.gov could take up to fifteen working days.
• Please use the optional attachment feature in Grants.gov to attach additional documentation that may be requested by the DGM.
• All applicants must comply with any page limitation requirements described in this funding announcement.
• After electronically submitting the application, the applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The DGM will download the application from Grants.gov and provide necessary copies to the appropriate agency officials. Neither the DGM nor the DEDP will notify the applicant that the application has been received.
• Email applications will not be accepted under this announcement.

Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)

All IHS applicants and grantee organizations are required to obtain a DUNS number and maintain an active registration in the SAM database. The DUNS number is a unique 9-digit identification number provided by D&B which uniquely identifies each entity. The DUNS number is site specific; therefore, each distinct performance site may be assigned a DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy, and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, you may access it through http://fedgov.dnb.com/​webform,, or to expedite the process, call [phone].

All HHS recipients are required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006, as amended (“Transparency Act”), 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 were not registered with Central Contractor Registration and have not registered with SAM will need to obtain a DUNS number first and then access the SAM online registration through the SAM home page at https://www.sam.gov (U.S. organizations will also need to provide an Employer Identification Number from the Internal Revenue Service that may take an additional 2-5 weeks to become active). Completing and submitting the registration takes approximately one hour to complete and SAM registration will take 3-5 business days to process. Registration with the SAM is free of charge. Applicants may register online at https://www.sam.gov.

Additional information on implementing the Transparency Act, including the specific requirements for DUNS and SAM, can be found on the IHS Grants Management, Grants Policy Web site: http://www.ihs.gov/​dgm/​policytopics/​.

V. Application Review Information

The instructions for preparing the application narrative also constitute the evaluation criteria for reviewing and scoring the application. Weights assigned to each section are noted in parentheses. The 10 page narrative should include only the first year of activities; information for multi-year projects should be included as an appendix. See “Multi-year Project Requirements” at the end of this section for more information. The narrative section should be written in a manner that is clear to outside reviewers unfamiliar with prior related activities of the applicant. It should be well organized, succinct, and contain all information necessary for reviewers to understand the project fully. Points will be assigned to each evaluation criteria adding up to a total of 100 points. A minimum score of 65 points is required for funding. Points are assigned as follows:

1. Criteria

A. Introduction and Need for Assistance (25 points)

(1) Describe the applicant's current public health activities including programs or services currently provided, interactions with other public health authorities in the regions (state, local, or Tribal) and how long it has been operating. Specifically describe current epidemiologic capacity and history of support for such activities.

(2) Provide a physical location of the TEC and area to be served by the proposed program including a map (include the map in the attachments), and specifically describe the office space and how it is going to be paid for.

(3) Describe the applicant's user population. The applicant must demonstrate AI/ANs will be served and must be substantiated by documentation describing IHS user populations, United States Census Bureau data, clinical catchment data, or any method that is scientifically and epidemiologically valid data.

B. Project Objective(s), Work Plan and Approach (45 points)

(1) State in measurable and realistic terms the objectives and appropriate activities to achieve each objective for the projects as listed in the Substantial Involvement Description for Cooperative Agreement, B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities.

(2) Identify the expected results, benefits, and outcomes or products to be derived from each objective of the project.

(3) Include a work-plan for each objective that indicates when the objectives and major activities will be accomplished and who will conduct the activities.

C. Program Evaluation (10 points)

(1) Define the criteria to be used to evaluate activities listed in the work-plan under the Substantial Involvement Description for Cooperative Agreement, B. Grantee Cooperative Agreement Award Activities.

(2) Explain the methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified for the objectives are being met and if the outcomes identified are being achieved.

(3) Describe how evaluation findings will be disseminated to stakeholders.

D. Organizational Capabilities, Key Personnel and Qualifications (15 points)

(1) Explain both the management and administrative structure of the organization including documentation of current certified financial management systems from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, IHS, or a Certified Public Accountant and an updated organizational chart (include in appendix).

(2) Describe the ability of the organization to manage a program of the proposed scope.

(3) Provide position descriptions and biographical sketches of key personnel, including those of consultants or contractors in the Appendix. Position descriptions should very clearly describe each position and its duties, indicating desired qualification and experience requirements related to the project. Resumes should indicate that the proposed staff is qualified to carry out the project activities. Applicants with expertise in epidemiology will receive priority.

(4) Applicant must at least have two epidemiologists as part of the proposal.

E. Categorical Budget and Budget Justification (5 points)

(1) The five points for Categorical Budget only applies to Year 1. Provide a line item budget and budget narrative for Year 1.

(2) Provide a justification by line item in the budget including sufficient cost and other details to facilitate the determination of cost allowance and relevance of these costs to the proposed project. The funds requested should be appropriate and necessary for the scope of the project.

(3) If use of consultants or contractors are proposed or anticipated, provide a detailed budget and scope of work that clearly defines the deliverables or outcomes anticipated.

(4) If the applicant will be hosting a conference, the applicant must include a separate detailed budget justification and narrative for the conference. The cost categories to be addressed are as follows: (1) Contract/Planner, (2) Meeting Space/Venue, (3) Registration Web site, (4) Audio Visual, (5) Speakers Fees, (6) Non-Federal Attendee Travel, (7) Registration Fees, (8) Other (explain in detail and cost breakdown).

(5) Applicant is encouraged to submit a line item budget and budget narrative by category for years 2-5 as an appendix to show the five-year plan of the proposal.

Multi-Year Project Requirements

Projects requiring a second, third, fourth, and/or fifth year must include a brief project narrative and budget (one additional page per year) addressing the developmental plans for each additional year of the project.

Additional Documents Can Be Uploaded as Appendix Items in Grants.gov

• Work plan, logic model and/or time line for proposed objectives.
• Position descriptions for key staff.
• Resumes of key staff that reflect current duties.
• Consultant or contractor proposed scope of work and letter of commitment (if applicable).
• Current Indirect Cost Agreement.
• Organizational chart.
• Map of area identifying project location(s).
• Additional documents to support narrative (i.e. data tables, key news articles, etc.).

2. Review and Selection

Each application will be prescreened by the DGM staff for eligibility and completeness as outlined in the funding announcement. Applications that meet the eligibility criteria shall be reviewed for merit by the ORC based on evaluation criteria in this funding announcement. The ORC could be composed of both Tribal and Federal reviewers appointed by the IHS Program to review and make recommendations on these applications. The technical review process ensures selection of quality projects in a national competition for limited funding. Incomplete applications and applications that are non-responsive to the eligibility criteria will not be referred to the ORC. The applicant will be notified via email of this decision by the Grants Management Officer of the DGM. Applicants will be notified by DGM, via email, to outline minor missing components (i.e., budget narratives, audit documentation, key contact form) needed for an otherwise complete application. All missing documents must be sent to DGM on or before the due date listed in the email of notification of missing documents required.

To obtain a minimum score for funding by the ORC, applicants must address all program requirements and provide all required documentation.

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

The Notice of Award (NoA) is a legally binding document signed by the Grants Management Officer and serves as the official notification of the grant award. The NoA will be initiated by the DGM in our grant system, GrantSolutions (https://www.grantsolutions.gov). Each entity that is approved for funding under this announcement will need to request or have a user account in GrantSolutions in order to retrieve their NoA. The NoA is the authorizing document for which funds are dispersed to the approved entities and reflects the amount of Federal funds awarded, the purpose of the grant, the terms and conditions of the award, the effective date of the award, and the budget/project period.

Disapproved Applicants

Applicants who received a score less than the recommended funding level for approval, 65, and were deemed to be disapproved by the ORC, will receive an Executive Summary Statement from the IHS program office within 30 days of the conclusion of the ORC outlining the strengths and weaknesses of their application. The summary statement will be sent to the Authorized Organizational Representative that is identified on the face page (SF-424) of the application. The IHS program office will also provide additional contact information as needed to address questions and concerns as well as provide technical assistance if desired.

Approved But Unfunded Applicants

Approved but unfunded applicants that met the minimum scoring range and were deemed by the ORC to be “Approved,” but were not funded due to lack of funding, will have their applications held by DGM for a period of one year. If additional funding becomes available during the course of FY 2017 the approved but unfunded application may be re-considered by the awarding program office for possible funding. The applicant will also receive an Executive Summary Statement from the IHS program office within 30 days of the conclusion of the ORC.

Note:

Any correspondence other than the official NoA signed by an IHS grants management official announcing to the project director that an award has been made to their organization is not an authorization to implement their program on behalf of IHS.

2. Administrative Requirements

Cooperative Agreements are administered in accordance with the following regulations 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.

3. Indirect Costs

This section applies to all grant recipients that request reimbursement of indirect costs (IDC) in their grant application. In accordance with HHS Grants Policy Statement, Part II-27, IHS requires applicants to obtain a current IDC rate agreement prior to award. The rate agreement must be prepared in accordance with the applicable cost principles and guidance as provided by the cognizant agency or office. A current rate covers the applicable grant activities under the current award's budget period. If the current rate is not on file with the DGM at the time of award, the IDC portion of the budget will be restricted. The restrictions remain in place until the current rate is provided to the DGM.

Generally, IDC rates for IHS grantees are negotiated with the Division of Cost Allocation (DCA) https://rates.psc.gov/​ and the Department of Interior (Interior Business Center) https://www.doi.gov/​ibc/​services/​finance/​indirect-Cost-Services/​indian-tribes. For questions regarding the indirect cost policy, please call the Grants Management Specialist listed under “Agency Contacts” or the main DGM office at [phone].

4. Reporting Requirements

The grantee must submit required reports consistent with the applicable deadlines. Failure to submit required reports within the time allowed may result in suspension or termination of an active grant, withholding of additional awards for the project, or other enforcement actions such as withholding of payments or converting to the reimbursement method of payment. Continued failure to submit required reports may result in one or both of the following: (1) The imposition of special award provisions; and (2) the non-funding or non-award of other eligible projects or activities. This requirement applies whether the delinquency is attributable to the failure of the grantee organization or the individual responsible for preparation of the reports. 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 annually, within 30 days after the budget period ends. These reports must include a brief comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals established for the period, 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 budget/project period.

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. It is recommended that the applicant also send a copy of the FFR (SF-425) report to the Grants Management Specialist. Failure to submit timely reports may cause a disruption in timely payments to the organization.

Grantees are responsible and accountable for accurate information being reported on all required reports: The Progress Reports and Federal Financial Report.

C. Federal 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.

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 project period is made up of more than one budget period) and where: (1) The project period start date was October 1, 2010 or after; and (2) the primary awardee will have a $25,000 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 Web site at: http://www.ihs.gov/​dgm/​policytopics/​.

D. 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. 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 http://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 http://www.hhs.gov/​civil-rights/​for-individuals/​section-1557/​index.html and http://www.hhs.gov/​civil-rights/​index.html. Recipients of FFA also have specific legal obligations for serving qualified individuals with disabilities. Please see http://www.hhs.gov/​civil-rights/​for-individuals/​disability/​index.html. Please contact the HHS OCR for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws at http://www.hhs.gov/​ocr/​about-us/​contact-us/​headquarters-and-regional-addresses/​index.html or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697. Also note it is an HHS Departmental goal to ensure access to quality, culturally competent care, including long-term services and support, 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: http://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 Web site: http://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.

E. 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) 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. 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.

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: [phone].

Fax: [phone].

Email: [e-mail].

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: http://oig.hhs.gov/​fraud/​report-fraud/​index.asp.

(Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line)

Fax: [phone] (Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line) or

Email: [e-mail]

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: Lisa C. Neel, MPH, Public Health Advisor, Office of Public Health Support, Division of Epidemiology & Disease Prevention, Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mailstop: 09E17B, Rockville, MD 20857, Phone: [phone], E-Mail: [e-mail].

2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be directed to: John Hoffman, Senior Grants Management Specialist, IHS Division of Grants Management, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mailstop: 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857, Phone: [phone], E-Mail: [e-mail].

3. Questions on systems matters may be directed to: Paul Gettys, Grant Systems Coordinator, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857, Phone: [phone]; or the DGM main line [phone], Fax: [phone], E-Mail: [e-mail].

VIII. Other Information

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

Dated: August 10, 2017.

Michael D. Weahkee,

RADM, Assistant Surgeon General, U.S. Public Health Service, Acting Director, Indian Health Service.