FAQ Responses for PA-FPT-20-001 rev GAM.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers for

PA-FPT-20-001 / AH-TPS-20-001 / WH-AST-20-002

Q. What is the anticipated award type for this single award?

A. As outlined throughout the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and specifically stated within the Executive Summary on page 3, only one application will be selected for award as three (3) cooperative agreements (one each funded by Title X, Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP), and Office on Women’s Health (OWH)) that together will constitute the National Training Center. This is not a contract solicitation.

Q. The FOA requires that applicants must submit a distinct narrative for each of the three National Training Center components. However, a few general overview items within organizational capacity, evaluation, etc. could be repetitive if included in all three separate proposals. Will there be three separate objective reviews or can there be some summary information that is not repeated for each component? Will reviewers have access to the entire proposal?

A. As stated in the Executive Summary, a single application will be required consisting of a distinct proposal for each of the three program areas making awards under this announcement. Each eligible application, comprised of three proposals, will be reviewed in its entirety by an objective review committee as a single application. Applicants must submit their full proposal under the PA-FPT-20-001 announcement.

Q. Can applicants provide detailed information on a cross-cutting technical approach in one narrative (e.g., Title X) and then refer back to that narrative when addressing the same task in the TPP narrative, for example?

A. Applicants must be sure to include all required information for each component outlined in the FOA.

As long as their submission adheres to the requirements outlined in the FOA, applicants may use their discretion to include information in a format that will best convey their proposed plan to the objective reviewer committee.

Q. Should applicants include resumes for only key positions or is it acceptable to include resumes for support staff?

A. Based on the guidance provided in the FOA, applicants may choose to include curriculum vitae/resumes for their key staff, support staff, and others based on what the applicant believes will best demonstrate their capacity to satisfy the requirements for successfully implementing a National Training Center.

Q. On page 29 of the FOA it lists a few organizations that the successful Training Center is expected to work with. Are there others?

A. Office of Population Affairs (OPA) works with partners, grant recipients, and contractors which change over time. OPA will provide a list of current contractors and points of contact to the successful applicant at the time of grant award.

Q. Should applicants propose a single Work Plan to encompass all three components, i.e., Title X, Office on Women’s Health (OWH), and TPP? Or is it the Government's expectation that there are three individual Work Plans for each of these components?

A. Applicants must include a work plan encompassing all relevant program activities proposed to take place under the cooperative agreements awarded through this FOA.

Q. As outlined in the Executive Summary, the National Training Center will be expected to, for example, "establish and maintain a Leadership Council" across 2 components (Title X and TPP grantees). Should applicants include a Leadership Council for the OWH component, as well?

A. As described throughout the FOA, the OWH component is linked to the training and technical assistance provided to both Title X and TPP grantees rather than as a stand-alone project, and therefore would be broadly encompassed in the work with the Leadership Council.

Q. As outlined in the Executive Summary, the National Training Center will be expected to, for example, "establish and maintain a robust website and knowledge management system to support the training and technical assistance provided to grantees". What is the Government's expectation for how these associated budget costs would be allocated across three separate budgets for each component, i.e., Title X, OWH, and TPP, without requesting a fourth budget for the National Training Center?

A. The FOA clearly defines the National Training Center as being comprised of training and technical assistance delivery for Title X and TPP grantees, with the OWH component being integrated in the training and technical assistance designed for Title X and TPP grantees. The proposed budgets should reflect how each component will be included and accounted for.

Q. Given the composition of the National Training Center funded under this announcement, how should applicants incorporate administrative oversight, management, and organization of the three components, i.e., Title X, OWH, and TPP?

A. The successful applicant will incorporate administrative oversight, management, and organization within each component of their proposal.

Q. Are past performance references or reports required as part of the submission? If so, how many are required and in what format? (reference/POC information only, CPARS, past performance narratives with accompanying POC information, etc?)

A. All required application submission elements are listed under “F. Application and Submission Information” beginning on page 38 of the FOA. Grants management staff will review FAITAS and other appropriate resources during risk assessment.

Q. Can tables, charts, and figures use 10 pt font, provided that they are easy to read?

A. As stated on page 39 of the FOA under “Application Format”, applicants should use an easily readable typeface, such as Times New Roman or Arial, and must use 12-point font. Applicants may single-space tables or use alternate fonts but they must ensure the tables are easy to read.

Q. When the currently funded grant project period ends (March 31, 2022), will the current Title X grantees be eligible to apply to extend their programming? This information will help us gauge the anticipated program turnover mid-cooperative agreement.

A. As stated on page 11 and 12 of the FOA, Priorities and expectations for Title X family planning service delivery grantees are specified in the OPA Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that were used to award the grant funds and include all of the legal requirements covered within the Title X statute, regulations, and legislative mandates, as well as other key issues of importance to OPA. Specific information regarding the Title X Family Planning Service Delivery grant is listed in the FOA referenced within Appendix C and published here.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=308947

Q. When building the level of effort associated with this work, does the Government have a preferred cost model basis (e.g. 1920 vs. 2080)?

A. There is no preferred method, however, applicants should identify the method they used to calculate the level of effort.

Q. The example provided further explaining how to describe cost effectiveness states: "For example, if you are proposing to provide services to clients, you should describe how many clients are you expecting to serve, the unity cost of serving each client, and how this is cost effective"; is it the Government's expectation that a cost effective explanation is included for each line item in the three budgets? What aspects of the budgets require a cost effective explanation?

A. As described in the example statement, applicants should describe the cost effectiveness for the proposed training and technical assistance provided in their proposal and should include the explanation for all relevant aspects of their proposed budget. An explanation is necessary for each relevant line of funding.

Q. Can the Government further define and provide an example of what is meant by "program income" that this project may generate if funded (and is thus excluded from the applicant's budget unless being used for cost sharing)?

A. According to 45 CFR 75.2 Program income means gross income earned by the non-Federal entity that is directly generated by a supported activity or earned as a result of the Federal award during the period of performance except as provided in § 75.307(f). (See Period of performance.) Program income includes but is not limited to income from fees for services performed, the use or rental or real or personal property acquired under Federal awards, the sale of commodities or items fabricated under a Federal award, license fees and royalties on patents and copyrights, and principal and interest on loans made with Federal award funds. Interest earned on advances of Federal funds is not program income.

Except as otherwise provided in Federal statutes, regulations, or the terms and conditions of the Federal award, program income does not include rebates, credits, discounts, and interest earned on any of them. See also §§ 75.307, 75.407 and 35U.S.C. 200–212 (applies to inventions made under Federal awards). The description under 75.307 Program income (a) General states that Non-Federal entities are encouraged to earn income to defray program costs where appropriate.

Q. Although Cost Sharing or Matching is not required, does the Government view cost sharing or matching as a way to represent and increase cost-effectiveness of the applicant's ability to perform the work? Although not required, is cost sharing or matching preferred by the Government?

A. According to 45 CFR 75.2 Voluntary committed cost sharing means cost sharing specifically pledged on a voluntary basis in the proposal’s budget or the Federal award on the part of the non-Federal entity and that becomes a binding requirement of Federal award.

§ 75.306 Cost sharing or matching.

(a) Under Federal research proposals, voluntary committed cost sharing is not expected. It cannot be used as a factor during the merit review of applications or proposals, but may be considered if it is both in accordance with HHS awarding agency regulations and specified in a notice of funding opportunity.

Criteria for considering voluntary committed cost sharing and any other program policy factors that may be used to determine who may receive a Federal award must be explicitly described in the notice of funding opportunity. Furthermore, only mandatory cost sharing or cost sharing specifically committed in the project budget must be included in the organized research base for computing the indirect (F&A) cost rate or reflected in any allocation of indirect costs. See also §§ 75.414, 75.203, and appendix I to this part.

Q. Can the Government provide guidance on what items in the budget do not bear overhead (what items can be omitted from Total Direct Costs) to make up the Modified Total Direct Costs in which the 8% indirect cap is then applied?

A. According to 45 CFR 75.2 Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.