cms-1z0-13-002 - foa-iii-outreachgrants.pdf

Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services

MEDICAID PROGRAM AND CHILDREN’S HEALTH INSURANCE

PROGRAM GRANTS

Initial Announcement Invitation to Apply for 2013:

Connecting Kids to Coverage

OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT GRANTS

CFDA 93.767

DATE: January 7, 2013

Agency Funding Opportunity Number:

CMS-1Z0-13-002

Competition ID Number:

CMS-1Z0-13-002-016205

Applicable Dates:

Voluntary Notice of Intent to Apply: January 29, 2013 Electronic Grant Application Due Date: February 21, 2013

Anticipated Issuance of Notice of Awards: June 1, 2013 Grant Period of Performance/Budget Period: June 1, 2013– May 31, 2015

Teleconferences for Applicants:

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold at least two applicant teleconferences to provide an opportunity to ask questions about this solicitation. The first teleconference will take place on January 16, 2013, from 2 p.m. to 3 pm eastern time. The dates, times, and call information for this and future teleconferences will be posted on the Insure Kids Now website at www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/grantees.

http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/grantees

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. Purpose

This solicitation seeks applications for Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment (Cycle III) grant funding, provided under the Section 2113 of the Social Security Act, as amended by section 10203(d)(2)(E)(i) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Pub. L. 111-148). A total of $32 million is available for grants to states, local governments, community-based and non-profit organizations. Indian health care providers and tribal entities also are eligible to apply for grants under this FOA. In addition, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be announcing a separate FOA exclusively for Indian health care providers and tribal entities, under which $4 million will be made available for outreach and enrollment grants. Cycle III grants will support outreach strategies similar to those conducted in previous grant cycles, and also will fund activities designed to help families understand new application procedures and health coverage opportunities, including Medicaid, CHIP and insurance affordability programs under the ACA.

2. Authority

The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) (Pub. L. 111-3), signed into law by President Obama on February 4, 2009, reauthorized the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through federal fiscal year (FFY) 2013.

(The ACA extended CHIP funding through 2015.) In addition to financing health coverage for low-income children, the law contained provisions aimed at reducing the number of children who were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but are not enrolled and improving retention so that eligible children stay covered for as long as they qualified. To support such efforts, CHIPRA provided a total of $100 million for outreach and enrollment activities, including $80 million for grants to states, local governments, community-based and non-profit organizations and others;

$10 million in grant funds exclusively for Indian health care providers and tribal entities; and $10 million devoted to a national outreach and enrollment campaign.

To continue this work, section 10203(d)(2)(E) of the Patient Protection and ACA, enacted on March 23, 2010, provided an additional $40 million in funding for outreach and enrollment activities, available through FFY 2015. These funds are allocated in the same proportion as the funding available through CHIPRA, with $32 million for grants to states, local governments, community-based and non-profit organizations; $4 million for Indian health care providers and tribal entities (as noted above, these funds will be made available in a separate FOA); and, $4 million for a national outreach and enrollment campaign.

To date, a total of $90 million in grant funding has been awarded. The first $40 million, released in Cycle I, was awarded to 68 grantees in 42 states in September 2009. This was followed in April 2010 with awards amounting to $10 million in grants to 41 American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) grantees in 19 states. Cycle II grants were awarded in August 2011 with another $40 million going to 39 grantees in 23 states. All grants support projects aimed at raising awareness about the availability of health insurance for eligible children under Medicaid and CHIP and facilitating their enrollment. The Cycle II grants were geared specifically to outreach efforts in five focus areas: (1) using technology to facilitate enrollment and renewal; (2) focusing on retention of coverage for eligible children; (3) engaging schools in outreach, enrollment and renewal strategies; (4) reaching out to populations likely to experience gaps in coverage; and (5) ensuring that eligible teens are enrolled and stay covered.

3. Background

Since 2009, the nation has made substantial progress toward reducing the number of children who remain uninsured, and toward providing health coverage to all children who are eligible for Medicaid and CHIP but are not enrolled. An analysis of the most recent Census data by Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families found that the number of uninsured children fell from 6.4 million in 2009 to 5.5 million in 2011, and children’s coverage rates rose to 92.5 percent.1 During this period, the number of children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP increased.

In addition to the increase in enrollment, Medicaid and CHIP participation rates also increased, indicating that a greater proportion of eligible children were enrolling in coverage and gaining access to the health benefits that Medicaid and CHIP provide. A recent study by the Urban Institute, which has been tracking Medicaid and CHIP participation rates, found that nationally such rates have increased steadily from 81.7 percent in 2008 to 84.3 percent in 2009 to

85.8 percent in 2010.2 Similarly, participation rates have increased over time in every state, and a growing number of states in every region of the country have attained participation rates of 90 percent or higher. The researchers attribute these achievements, to a great extent, to the efforts states have made to simplify eligibility rules and streamline enrollment and renewal procedures, and also to state and community-based outreach efforts that have helped families get their eligible children signed up for Medicaid and CHIP.

While this progress is significant, the Urban Institute analysis shows that approximately

4.4 million children remain eligible for Medicaid and CHIP but are not enrolled.3 Recent improvements have narrowed gaps in coverage – in some cases, substantially – among subgroups

1 Joan Alker, et. al. “Uninsured Children: 2009-2011: Charting the Nation’s Progress,” Center for Children and Families, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, October 23, 2012.

2 Genevieve M. Kenney, et. al. “Medicaid and CHIP Participation Among Children and Parents,” Urban Institute, October 2012.

of children, such as adolescents, Hispanic and American Indian/Alaska Native children, yet coverage disparities persist. In short, the nation is moving forward to ensure that children have the health coverage they need, but there is more work to be done.

There also are new challenges to be addressed. While the effort to find and enroll eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP remains among the Department of Health and Human Services’ highest priorities, the system through which children and families obtain coverage under Medicaid and CHIP is on the verge of a simplifying transformation for 2014 with the introduction of a single, streamlined application which will be accessible to consumers in both electronic and paper formats and can be submitted online, by phone, by mail and in person.

Outreach efforts will be needed to ensure that families and communities understand these new developments and to provide eligible individuals the assistance they need to secure and retain coverage as smoothly as possible during the transition and beyond. This funding opportunity – the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Grants (Cycle III) – is designed to support projects that focus on both our longstanding goals for increasing children’s participation in Medicaid and CHIP and on helping consumers navigate new changes in the application and renewal process for children and families in 2014.

4. Program Requirements

The Cycle III grants will be awarded in accordance with the statute with respect to the types of entities eligible to receive funding and for activities related to boosting enrollment and retention of eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP. Successful proposals will be based on approaches to increasing participation rates and educating consumers that have been shown to be effective based on research and experience.

Applicants should take the following factors into consideration as they prepare their proposals:

• To be most effective, outreach efforts should link families with eligible children to direct enrollment and renewal assistance. Incorporating technology into outreach and enrollment activities can make the application and renewal process more efficient and consumer-friendly, helping families to successfully get coverage for their children.

• While the emphasis of the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment (Cycle III) grants program remains focused on enrolling eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP, a large body of research finds that when eligible parents get enrolled in health insurance, their children are more likely to get enrolled and receive necessary preventive care and other health services.4 Appropriate messaging and strategies that help enroll eligible

3 ibid 4 Sara Rosenbaum, et al., “Parental Health Coverage as Child Health Policy: Evidence from the Literature,” Department of Health Policy, George Washington University, June2007; Karyn Schwartz, “Spotlight on Uninsured Parents: How a Lack of Coverage Affects Parents and their Families,” Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the parents can also facilitate the enrollment of eligible children.

Activities funded under Cycle III grants may emphasize increasing enrollment among particular groups of children or conducting outreach in settings where large numbers of eligible children may be easily identified and enrolled. Cycle III grants may also be used to build and enhance community-based resources for assisting families with the application process. Applicants should select one of the following five Areas of Focus on which to base their proposals:

1. Engaging schools in outreach, enrollment and retention activities;

2. Bridging health coverage disparities by reaching out to subgroups of children that exhibit lower than average health coverage rates;

3. Designing and executing targeted enrollment strategies to streamline health coverage enrollment for individuals participating in other public benefit programs, such as SNAP, WIC or other programs;

4. Establishing and developing application assistance resources to provide high quality, reliable Medicaid/CHIP enrollment and renewal services in local communities; and,

5. Conducting training programs to equip communities to help families understand the new application and enrollment system and to deliver effective assistance to families with children eligible for Medicaid and CHIP.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

1. Total Funding A total of $32 million in federal funding will be available for grants for activities to increase enrollment and retention of eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP over a 24-month period.

2. .Award Amount Grants will range in size from $250,000 to $1 million.

3. .Number of Awards We anticipate awarding approximately 40 grants.

4. .Type of Awards These awards are discretionary grants.

5. Anticipated Award Date We anticipate that awards for the Cycle III grants will be announced on June 1, 2013.

Uninsured, June 2007; and Leighton Ku and Matthew Broaddus, “Coverage of Parents Helps Children Too,” Center on budget and Policy Priorities, October 2006.

6. Anticipated Period of Performance The anticipated period of performance for the Cycle III grants will be June 1, 2013, to May 31, 2015.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

This grant opportunity is open to the following individual eligible entities, coalitions or collaboratives of eligible entities.

Eligible entity means any of the following (see Attachment 3, page 34 for definitions), and includes a coalition made up of such entities or a collaborative among such entities:

1) A State with an approved child health plan under this title [42 U.S.C. section1397aa et seq.];

2) A local government;

3) An Indian tribe or tribal consortium, a tribal organization, an urban Indian organization receiving funds under title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C.

1651 et seq.), or an Indian Health Service provider;

4) A Federal health safety net organization;

5) A national, state, local, or community-based public or nonprofit private organization, including organizations that use community health workers or community-based doula programs;

6) A faith-based organization or consortia, to the extent that a grant awarded to such an entity is consistent with the requirements of section 1955 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-65) relating to a grant award to nongovernmental entities;

7) An elementary or secondary school

2. Former and Current Grantees (Cycle I, Cycle II and AI/AN Grantees)

Current grantees (Cycle II) submitting new proposals must be grantees in good standing, meaning they must have met all reporting requirements and other contractual obligations under their current grant.

Applicants awarded Cycle I, Cycle II or AI/AN grants may apply for a Cycle III grant only if their proposals meet one of the following criteria:

• New and distinct activities: A Cycle I, Cycle II or AI/AN grantee may submit a proposal for activities that are new and distinct from those previously funded under a Cycle I, Cycle II or AI/AN grant, provided the work described in the new proposal falls under one of the Areas of Focus described in this solicitation, OR

• Continuation of successful activities: A Cycle I, Cycle II or AI/AN grantee that wishes to continue activities it is currently conducting, or conducted during Cycle I, may submit a proposal for a Cycle III grant, but must present data demonstrating that the activities it wishes to continue have proved successful in enrolling and/or retaining eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP and warrants further funding. The continuing activities must also fall under one of the Areas of Focus described in this solicitation.

3. Non-State Applicants

These grant funds are intended to be widely distributed across a range of governmental and non-governmental organizations that have the ability to promote enrollment in children’s health coverage. While not all state Medicaid and CHIP agencies will be interested in participating directly in this initiative due to state budget or other issues, state support helps ensure success and, at a minimum, is important with respect to making data available to document progress and identify areas for improvement.

Non-state applicants awarded grants under Areas of Focus 1-4 will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with their respective state, or secure some other appropriate formal statement of commitment, in order to ensure that they will be able to meet the data and reporting requirements for this grant project, including semi-annual enrollment and retention numbers, as appropriate. If the applicant cannot secure a MOU from the state, it must show that an attempt was made to obtain an MOU, but was unsuccessful. The applicant must provide a statement detailing how it will document the number of eligible children enrolled or retained in Medicaid and CHIP as a result of the project.

Non-state applicants awarded grants under Area of Focus 5 will not need a MOU; however, evidence that the state supports the applicant’s training efforts will be preferred. CMS will work with grantees and states to help them understand the reporting requirements and will provide guidance on producing the required data. For more information see sections IV and VI.

4. Multiple State Applicants

In states where both the state agency and a non-state entity receive grants through separate applications, or where two non-state entities receive a grant, grantees must work together to ensure their efforts are complementary and coordinated.

5. Coalitions or Collaboratives

Coalitions and collaborations may represent broad-based community partnerships or more narrowly-based partnerships that utilize the strengths of each group that is involved. Proposals from coalitions or collaboratives should identify all member organizations and the roles and responsibilities of each. Proposals must designate a lead agency/organization. Proposals from coalitions will be considered on their strengths and merits in the same manner as individual states or other entities. Proposals should include a written Letter of Commitment from the director (or other responsible person) of each organization participating in the coalition or collaborative. The letter should confirm the organization’s participation in the coalition or collaborative and the role it will play. Alternatively, applicants may include one Statement of Collaborative Effort (SCE) which lists each partner organization, the role each will play and the signature of the director of each organization (or other responsible person). Where applicable, Letters of Commitment or the SCE should provide information about past joint endeavors.

6. Non-Eligible Entities

Foreign and International Organizations are not eligible to apply. Applicants must be public and/or not-for-profit entities. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply.

7. Other Eligibility Information

Cost Sharing/Matching and Maintenance of Outreach Funding Awardees, including states, are not required to provide a matching contribution. However, any outside funding that will be contributed to this effort by other entities should be mentioned in the Budget Narrative. In the case of a state that is awarded a grant, the state funds expended for outreach and enrollment activities during the grant project period shall not be less than the level of such funds expended in the federal fiscal year proceeding the first fiscal year for which the grant is awarded.

Single Application Requirement Only one application may be submitted by any given lead eligible entity for funding for a Cycle III grant; however, an eligible entity may be a member of multiple applicant coalitions.

Entities working together as a coalition shall submit one application. Only one Cycle III grant will be awarded to a single eligible entity or to the lead agency of a coalition. If an eligible entity submits more than one application, only the latest eligible application submitted will be accepted for review. No others will be accepted. All awardees must attest that they will not finance the same scope of work under more than one Cycle III grant award or other federal funding stream.

CMS/Grantee Collaboration The applicant must include a statement of commitment to fulfill all grant reporting requirements, participate in key grantee activities as identified by CMS and to support national outreach campaign activities, including:

• Submit, in a timely manner, semi-annual and annual required data elements utilizing the web-based tool provided by CMS (see section VI for a description of the required data reporting process).

• Submit timely, accurate Financial Status Reports (SF425), as required.

• Participate on conference calls, Web conferences, regional meetings and other forums as requested by CMS.

• Work with CMS to identify successful strategies and share information about grant activities.

• Share best practices and lessons learned with other grantees via peer-to-peer learning opportunities provided by CMS.

• Attend National Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Conference, if one is sponsored by CMS. (Project budgets should include funding for two staff to attend a conference in a major city in the continental U.S. during the first year of the grant.)

• Coordinate messages and strategies with the national Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Campaign.

• Cooperate fully with the independent evaluation of the grant program conducted by the CMS evaluator.

Legal Status All applicants must have a valid Employer Identification Number, otherwise known as a Taxpayer Identification Number assigned by the Internal Revenue Service.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Submitting the Electronic Application Package This solicitation serves as the application package for this grant and contains all the instructions that a potential applicant requires to apply for grant funding. The application should be written primarily as a narrative with the addition of standard forms required by the federal government for all grants. Applicants are required by HHS to submit their applications in the form of a complete electronic application package, including all required forms, to http://www.grants.gov.

For assistance with Grants.gov, contact support@grants.gov or call 1-800-518-4726. The solicitation can also be viewed on the CMS website at www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/grantees.

Standard application forms and related instructions may also be requested from http://www.grants.gov OR by email from Paul Schimmel, at OAGMGrantsBaltimore@cms.hhs.gov.

Specific instructions for applications submitted via http://www.grants.gov:

• You can access the electronic application for this project at http://www.grants.gov. You must search the downloadable application page by the CFDA number shown on the cover page of this announcement.

• At the http://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. HHS strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process through http://www.grants.gov because of the time needed to complete the required registration steps. All applicants under this announcement must have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) to apply. Please note, the time needed to complete the EIN registration process can be substantial, and applicants should therefore begin the process of obtaining an EIN immediately upon posting of this FOA to ensure the EIN is received in advance of application deadlines.

mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.insurekidsnow.gov/professionals/outreach/grantees http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OAGMGrantsBaltimore@cms.hhs.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

• All applicants, as well as sub-recipients, must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number at the time of application in order to be considered for a grant or cooperative agreement. A DUNS number is required whether an applicant is submitting a paper application (only applicable if a waiver is granted) or using the Government-wide electronic portal, www.grants.gov. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number that uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and free. To obtain a DUNS number, access the following website:

www.dunandbradstreet.com or call 1-866-705-5711. This number should be entered in the block with the applicant's name and address on the cover page of the application (Item 8c on the Form SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance). The name and address in the application should be exactly as given for the DUNS number. Applicants should obtain this DUNS number as soon as possible after the announcement is posted to ensure all registration steps are completed in time.

• System for Award Management (SAM)

The applicant must also register in the System for Award management (SAM)* database in order to be able to submit the application (www.sam.gov) Information about SAM is available at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. Registering an account with SAM is a separate process from submitting an application. Applicants are encouraged to register early. Therefore, registration should be completed in sufficient time to ensure that it does not impair your ability to meet required submission deadlines.

*Applicants were previously required to register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR.) However, SAM has integrated the CCR and 7 other federal procurement systems into a new, streamlined system. If an applicant has an active record in CCR, there will be an active record in SAM. Nothing more is needed unless a change in the business circumstances requires updates to the Entity record(s) in order for the applicant to be paid, receive an award, or to renew the Entity prior to expiration. Please consult the SAM website listed above for additional information.

• Authorized Organizational Representative: The Authorized Organizational Representative

(AOR) who will officially submit an application on behalf of the organization must register with www.grants.gov for a username and password. AORs must complete a profile with www.grants.gov using their organization’s DUNS Number to obtain their username and password, at http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. AORs must wait at least one business day after registration in before entering their profiles in www.grants.gov.

Applicants should complete this process as soon as possible after successful registration in SAM to ensure this step is completed in time to apply before application

When an AOR registers with Grants.gov to submit applications on behalf of an organization, that organization’s E-Biz point-of-contact will receive an e-mail notification. The e-mail address provided in the profile will be the e-mail used to send the notification from Grants.gov to the E-Biz POC with the AOR copied on the correspondence.

http://www.dunandbradstreet.com/ https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp

The E-Biz POC must then login to Grants.gov (using the organization’s DUNS number for the username and the special password called “M-PIN”) and approve the AOR, thereby providing permission to submit applications.

The AOR and the DUNS must match. If your organization has more than one DUNS number, be sure you have the correct AOR for your application.

• Any files uploaded or attached to the Grants.Gov application must be PDF file format and must contain a valid file format extension in the filename. Even though Grants.gov allows applicants to attach any file format as part of their application, CMS restricts this practice and only accepts PDF file formats. Any file submitted as part of the Grants.gov application that is not in a PDF file format, or contains password protection, will not be accepted for processing and will be excluded from the application during the review process. In addition, the use of compressed file formats such as ZIP, RAR, or Adobe Portfolio will not be accepted. The application must be submitted in a file format that can easily be copied and read by reviewers.

It is recommended that scanned copies not be submitted through Grants.gov unless the applicant confirms the clarity of the documents. Pages cannot be reduced in size, resulting in multiple pages on a single sheet, to avoid exceeding the page limitation. All documents that do not conform to the above constraints will be excluded from the application materials during the review process.

• Prior to application submission, Microsoft Vista, and Office 2007 users should review the Grants.gov compatibility information and submission instructions provided at www.grants.gov. Click on “Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 Compatibility Information.”

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic email from www.grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. Please be aware that this notice does not guarantee that the application will be accepted by the Grants.gov system. Rather, this email is only an acknowledgement of receipt of the application by the Grants.gov system.

All applications must be validated by the Grants.gov system before they will be accepted.

Please note that applicants may incur a time delay before they receive acknowledgement that the application has been validated and accepted by the Grants.gov system. In some cases, the validation process could take up to 48 hours. If for some reason the application is not accepted, then the applicant will receive a subsequent notice from Grants.gov system indicating that the application submission has been rejected.

Applicants should not wait until the application deadline to apply because notification by Grants.gov that the application is incomplete may not be received until close to or after the application deadline, eliminating the opportunity to correct errors and resubmit the application. Applications submitted after the deadline because the original submission failed validation and is therefore rejected by Grants.gov, as a result of errors on the part of the applicant, will not be accepted by CMS and/or granted a waiver. For this reason, CMS recommends that applicants apply in advance of the application due date and time.

o The most common reasons why an application fails the validation process and is rejected by Grants.gov are:

SAM/CCR registration cannot be located and validated;

SAM/CCR registration has expired;

The AOR is not authorized by the E-Biz POC to submit an application on behalf of the organization; and, File attachments do not comply with the Grants.gov file attachment requirements.

• HHS retrieves applications from Grants.gov only after Grants.gov validates and accepts the applications. Applications that fail validation and are rejected by the Grants.gov system are not retrieved by HHS, and HHS will not have access to rejected applications.

• After HHS retrieves your application from Grants.gov, you will receive an email notification from Grants.gov stating that the agency has received your application and once the receipt is processed, you will receive another email notification from Grants.gov citing the Agency Tracking Number that has been assigned to your application. It is important for applicants to keep these notifications and know the Grants.gov Tracking Number and Agency Tracking Numbers associated with their application submission.

• Each year organizations and entities registered to apply for federal grants and cooperative agreements through www.grants.gov will need to renew their registration with SAM. You can register online. Failure to renew registration prior to application submission will prevent an applicant from successfully applying.

Applications cannot be accepted through any email address. Full applications can only be accepted through www.grants.gov. Full applications cannot be received via paper mail, courier, or delivery service, unless a waiver is granted per the instructions below.

All applications for the awards must be submitted electronically and be received through www.grants.gov by February 21, 2013, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time.

All applications will receive an automatic time stamp upon submission and state applicants will receive an e-mail reply acknowledging the application’s receipt.

To be considered timely, applications must be received in Grants.gov on or before the published deadline date and time. However, a general extension of a published application deadline that affects all applicants or only those applicants in a defined geographical area may be authorized by circumstances that affect the public at large, such as natural disasters (e.g.

floods or hurricanes) or disruptions of electronic (e.g., application receipt services) or other services, such as a prolonged blackout.

The applicant must seek a waiver at least 10 days prior to the application deadline in order to submit a paper application. Applicants that receive a waiver to submit paper application documents must follow the rules and timelines that are noted below.

In order to be considered for a waiver application, an applicant must have adhered to the timelines for obtaining a DUNS number, registering with the SAM, registering as an Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR), obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN), and completing Grants.gov registration, and must have requested timely assistance with technical problems. Applicants who do not adhere to timelines and/or do not demonstrate timely action with regards to these steps will not be considered for waivers based on the inability to receive this information in advance of application

Please be aware of the following:

1) Search for the application package in Grants.gov by entering the CFDA number.

This number is shown on the cover page of this announcement.

2) If you experience technical challenges while submitting your application electronically, please contact by email support@grants.gov, or by phone at

(800) 518-4726. Customer Support is available to address questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except on federal holidays). CMS encourages applicants not to wait until close to the due date to submit the application.

3) 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.

4) If it is determined that a waiver is needed from the requirement to submit your proposal electronically, you must submit a request in writing (e-mails are acceptable) to OAGMGrantsBaltimore@cms.hhs.gov with a clear justification for the need to deviate from our standard electronic submission process.

5) If the waiver is approved, the application should be sent directly to the Division of

Grants Management and received by the application due date.

Grants.gov complies with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If an individual uses assistive technology and is unable to access any material on the site, including forms contained with an application package, he or she can e-mail the Grants.gov contact center at support@grants.gov for help, or call 1-800-518-4726.

Submit Your Application Early. CMS strongly encourages applicants to submit well before the closing date and time so that if your application is rejected due to errors, an applicant will have time to correct the errors and/or to solicit help from Grants.gov. Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission.

Please consider this in developing your submission timeline.

mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:OAGMGrantsBaltimore@cms.hhs.gov

For issues including, but not limited to, downloading the application, retrieving your password, or error messages, please contact grants.gov directly at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Hours of Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, closed on federal holidays. Please have the following information available when contacting grants.gov to help expedite your inquiry:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Name of Agency to Which You Are Applying

• Specific Area of Concern

Please do not contact CMS regarding Grants.gov related issues.

You can visit the following website: http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp for additional resources.

2. Content and Forms for Complete Application Submission

A. Each application must include all contents described below, in the order indicated on the

Application Cover Sheet and Check-Off List (Attachment 2). Applications that do not include the required documents will not be reviewed. The contents must be in conformance with the following specifications:

• Use 8.5 x 11" pages (on one side only) with one-inch margins (top, bottom and sides).

Paper sizes other than 8.5 x 11" will not be accepted. This is particularly important because it is often not possible to reproduce copies in a size other than 8.5 x 11. Use a font not smaller than 12-point.

The following four sections combined must not exceed 20 pages, as described below.

Proposals that do not adhere to this strict page limitation will not be reviewed and will be rejected.

• Applicant’s Cover Letter, described below, will not exceed one page and may be single spaced.

• The Project Abstract, as described below, will not exceed one page and must be double spaced.

• The Project Narrative and Evaluation Plan (combined), as described in Section V, will not exceed 15 pages and must be double-spaced.

• The Budget and Budget Narrative, as described in Section V, will not exceed 3 pages and may be single spaced.

Additional information about the items listed above follow:

1) Applicant’s Cover Letter:

A letter from the applicant must identify the:

https://owa.hhs.gov/owa/redir.aspx?C=737ed0517c6b4c20bde23a7004c0284c&URL=mailto%3asupport%40grants.gov http://www07.grants.gov/applicants/app_help_reso.jsp

• Eligible entity, or (if the proposal is submitted by a collaborative or coalition of eligible entities) the entity that will serve as the lead agency;

• Title of the project;

• The Area of Focus being selected;

• Total amount of funding requested for the grant period;

• Names of the coalition members actively participating in the project; and

• Name and contact information for the Project Director of the grant project.

The letter should indicate that the submitting agency or Lead Agency has clear authority to oversee and coordinate the proposed activities, and is capable of convening a suitable working group of all relevant members.

2) Project Abstract:

A one-page, double spaced abstract should serve as a succinct description of the proposed project and should include a statement of the primary Area of Focus, the goals of the project, the total 2-year budget, a description of how the grant will be used to increase enrollment of eligible children in Medicaid and CHIP and/or prepare families and the community for navigating the new application and renewal system.

3) Project Narrative and Evaluation Plan

The applicant is required to justify the need for the project, define project goals and describe the strategies to be employed during the grant period. In addition, the applicant is required to provide an Evaluation Plan. The elements of the Project Narrative and the details of the Evaluation Plan are described in the Application Review Criteria, section V.

4) Proposed Budget and Budget Narrative:

The applicant is required to provide a detailed budget for the 2-year grant period. The budget presentation must include the following:

• Estimated Budget Total

• State applicants must include a statement of the current state funding for Medicaid and CHIP outreach and enrollment efforts, including the amount of money that was spent in the preceding federal fiscal year on outreach, to determine compliance with the Maintenance of Outreach Funding requirement. This information is required for state applicants.

• Total estimated budget broken down by quarter.

• Funding from other sources, including in-kind support.

• Total estimated funding requirements for each of the cost categories listed below.

For each cost category, please provide an itemized breakdown of all expenses requested. For each item, please provide a cost estimate, how this estimate was calculated and a brief description on how this expense will further the objectives of the grant. Please provide this same level of detail for any expected contracts.

• Personnel o Note: Consistent with Section 203 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L.112-74) none of the funds appropriated in this law shall be used to pay the salary of an individual through a grant or other extramural mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II ($179,700/year).

• Fringe benefits

• Contractual costs, including subcontract contracts

• Equipment

• Supplies

• Travel, including travel for HHS National Outreach and Enrollment Conference, if

CMS sponsors one

• Indirect charges, in compliance with the appropriate OMB Circulars. If requesting indirect costs in the budget, a copy of the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement is required o Note: If an organization intends to establish an indirect cost rate, they may request in this application an amount equaling one-half of the amount of indirect costs up to a maximum of ten (10) percent of direct salaries and wages (exclusive of fringe benefits).

• Other costs

Provide budget notes for major expenditures and notes on personnel costs and major contractual costs.

B. The additional supporting documentation listed below is required for a complete application.

These documents are excluded from the 20-page limit and may be single-spaced.

There is a page limit of 18 pages for the additional supporting documentation, exclusive of the standard forms (1), Letters of Commitment from coalition partners and letters from appropriate state agencies (2). Proposals should include within the 18-page limit the documents listed below section (3) Appendices. Proposals that exceed this limit will not be reviewed.

1) Cover Sheet and Standard Forms (are NOT included in the page limits):

a. Application Cover Sheet and Check-Off List (Attachment 2) Note: This document presents the order in which all application materials must appear in the complete application package.

b. Standard Forms: must be completed and included in the application.

i. SF 424: Official Application for Federal Assistance (see note below)

ii. SF 424A: Budget Information Non-Construction

iii. SF 424B: Assurances - Non-Construction Programs

iv. SF LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

v. Additional Assurance Certifications:

http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SSA_AdditionalAssurances- V1.1.pdf

vi. List of Key Contacts including the Project Officer and Financial Officer who is responsible for completing the Financial Status Report (SF-425) and the Federal Cash Transactions Report (PSC 272).

Note: On SF 424 “Application for Federal Assistance”:

• Item 15 “Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.” Please indicate in this section the name of this grant: Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Grant.

• Check box “C” to item 19, as Review by State Executive Order 12372 does not apply to these grants.

• Assure that the total Federal grant funding requested is for the period of the grant.

2) Letters of Commitment including (The number of such letters will vary depending on the nature of the proposal, so there is no explicit limit):

a. Letters from coalition partners or a Statement of Collaborative Effort, as required.

b. Letters from appropriate state agencies, if applicable, related to maintenance of outreach effort and Memorandum of Understanding for data sharing.

3) Appendices

• A 2-year project Work Plan and Timeline as described in section V. The work plan may be presented in table format and be single spaced.

• Project Staffing Plan as well as resumes/job descriptions for Project Director and

Assistant Director and a statement of the percentage of time that each person will be working on this project and the percentage of time that is spent on duties outside of the grant activities.

3. Submission Dates and Times

All grant applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov and are due on February 21, 2013. Applications received through www.grants.gov until 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 21, 2013, will be considered “on time.” All applications will receive an automatic time stamp upon submission and applicants will receive an automatic e-mail reply acknowledging the application’s receipt.

Customer Service for Grants.gov is as follows:

• Grants.gov Contact Center: 1-800-518-4726 or by email at support@grants.gov. Hours of Operation: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

• iPortal: Top 10 requested help topics (FAQs), Searchable knowledge base, self-service ticketing and ticket status, and live web chat (available 7:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M. ET).

Applications that do not meet the above criteria for submission through www.grants.gov will be considered late. Late applications will not be reviewed.

4. Intergovernmental Review

Applications for these grants are not subject to review by states under Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs” (45 CFR 100). Please check box “C” to item 19 of the SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) as Review by State Executive Order 12372 does not apply to these grants.

http://www.grants.gov/

5. Funding Restrictions

1) Indirect Costs

Applicable cost principles are as follows:

• OMB Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal

Governments, which establishes the cost principles for permissibility of costs incurred by state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments under federally-sponsored agreements.

• OMB Circular-122, which establishes cost principals for permissibility of costs incurred by nonprofit organizations under Federally-sponsored agreements.

• 45 CFR Part 74, Appendix E establishes the cost principles for permissibility of costs incurred by hospitals under Federally-sponsored agreements.

If requesting a specific indirect cost rate, the applicant must submit a copy of the approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement used in calculating the budget. Note: if an organization intends to establish an indirect cost rate, they may request in this application an amount equaling one-half of the amount of indirect costs up to a maximum of ten (10) percent of direct salaries and wages (exclusive of fringe benefits).

2) Direct Services

Grant funds are not to be used to pay for direct services (e.g., medical and other services covered by Medicaid or CHIP).

3) Reimbursement of Pre-Award Costs No grant funds awarded under this solicitation may be used to reimburse pre-award costs (e.g., consultant fees associated with preparing the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Grant proposal).

4) Prohibited Uses of Grant Funds Funding for the Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Grants for FY 2013-2015 may not be used for any of the following:

a) To cover the costs to provide direct services to individuals.

b) To match any other Federal funds.

c) To provide services, equipment, or supports that are the legal responsibility of another party under federal or state law (e.g., vocational rehabilitation or education services) or under any civil rights laws. Such legal responsibilities include, but are not limited to, modifications of a workplace or other reasonable accommodations that are a specific obligation of the employer or other party.

d) To provide infrastructure for which federal Medicaid or CHIP matching funds are claimed.

e) To supplant existing state, local, or private funding of infrastructure or services such as staff salaries, etc.

f) To be used for data processing software or hardware in excess of the software and personal computers required for staff devoted to the grant.

The same scope of work may not be paid for by more than one Connecting Kids to Coverage Outreach and Enrollment Grant award or other federal funding stream.

Note: A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report number 11-43 has raised considerable concerns about grantees and contractors charging the federal government for additional meals outside of the standard allowance for travel subsistence known as per diem expenses. Executive Orders on Promoting Efficient Spending (EO 13589) and Delivering Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government (EO 13576) have been issued and instruct federal agencies to promote efficient spending. Therefore, if meals are charged in your proposal, applicants should understand such costs must meet the following criteria outlined in the Executive Orders and HHS Grants Policy Statement:

Meals are generally unallowable except for the following:

• For subjects and patients under study (usually a research program);

• Where specifically approved as part of the project or program activity, e.g. in programs providing children’s services (e.g. Headstart);

• When an organization customarily provides meals to employees working beyond the normal workday, as a part of a formal compensation arrangement;

• As part of a per diem or subsistence allowance provided in conjunction with allowable travel; and,

• Under a conference grant, when meals are a necessary and integral part of a conference, provided that meal costs are not duplicated in participants’ per diem or subsistence allowances. (Note: conference grant means the sole purpose of the award is to hold a conference.)

3. Notice of Intent to Apply

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a non-binding Notice of Intent to Apply (See Attachment 1). However, Notices of Intent to Apply are not required and submission or failure to submit a notice has no bearing on the scoring of proposals received. The receipt of notices enables CMS to better plan for the application review process. Notices of Intent to Apply are due, and should be faxed to CMS at 410-786-8534 by January 29, 2013.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. CRITERIA

A. Project Narrative (Weight: 55 points)

• Statement of Area of Focus (described below) (5 points)

• Statement of Project Goal (5 points) o Specify the goals for your proposed project, including the number of children that will be enrolled and the number that will be retained in Medicaid and CHIP, if applicable. If the proposal is for activities under Area of Focus 5, specify other appropriate metrics, for example, metrics related to training activities, such as number of organizations and staff that will receive training.

• Description of Need (5 points) o Describe the target population and provide demographic data on the number and/or rate of uninsured, as well as estimates of the number and/or percent of eligible children who are…