FAQs MP-CPI-21-002 FINAL.pdf

FAQs for MP-CPI-21-002:

Accessing Social Determinants of Health Data through Local Data Intermediaries

Initiative

A. ELIGIBILITY

1. What applicants are eligible and how will they be defined for this funding opportunity?

a. Any public or private nonprofit entity located in a State (which includes one of the 50

United States, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of

Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands) is eligible to apply for an award under this announcement. Examples include:

State Governments

County Governments

City or township governments

Special district governments

Independent school districts

Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

Public Housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)

Nonprofits having 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

Private nonprofit institutions of higher education

U.S. territories

2. Are eligible communities just those with high proportions of racial and ethnic minorities? Is there a threshold that determines whether my community is eligible? Who will decide?

a. There is no threshold that determines eligibility of your community. This funding opportunity is intended for communities with the greatest needs. All eligible entities that submit applications will advance through the screening process, and those with eligible applications, will advance to objective review. Your problem statement and the data you present to support the need of your community and other required elements

(see G. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION on pages 41-47) are vital in determining how well your application does in the objective review process. The Deputy Assistant

Secretary for Minority Health will make the final funding recommendation to the OASH

Grants Management Officer.

B. PREPARING TO APPLY

1. What is the deadline for submitting an application in response to this funding opportunity?

a. Applications are due July 28, 2021 by 6 p.m. Eastern Time. To receive consideration, you must submit your application electronically via Grants.gov no later than this due date and time.

2. How can I get more information on this funding opportunity?

a. We strongly suggest that you register and attend the Technical Assistance webinar scheduled for June 2 from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Eastern Time. To attend the webinar, please register at:

https://hhs.webex.com/hhs/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8c285b5187892fa10e9f2f4bb3125b

27. After you enter your information and click “Register,” you will get a confirmation email with details on how to join the webinar. There will be an opportunity to submit questions.

b. The webinar will be recorded for those unable to attend live. The recording will be posted to the OMH YouTube channel

(https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficeMinorityHealth).

2. How can I stay up to date on any updates or changes to the notice of funding opportunity

(NOFO), additional information and resources, and other developments?

a. The best way to stay up to date is to subscribe to this NOFO on grants.gov. Please go to www.grants.gov and click the “Search Grants” tab in the upper left of the screen.

b. On the next screen, look for the “BASIC SEARCH CRITERIA” fields under SEARCH GRANTS header in the upper left corner. Enter MP-CPI-21-002 in the Opportunity Number field and click the SEARCH button.

c. Click on the link under the Opportunity Number header. You will see a red “Subscribe” icon in the right corner. You then be prompted to either enter your username and password or establish one, after which you’ll be able to subscribe and get alerts.

3. Who should I contact if I still have questions about the NOFO? Questions about developing my application?

a. Who to contact will depend on the nature of your question. For programmatic questions, such as developing elements of your application, contact Sheila James, sheila.james@hhs.gov. Please include/CC: Deborah Hayes (deborah.hayes@hhs.gov) on your email.

b. Contact Deborah Hayes, deborah.hayes@hhs.gov, for financial and grants-related questions. Please include/CC: Sheila James (sheila.james@hhs.gov) on your email.

4. Who should I contact if I have issues with the grants.gov portal or the electronic application process?

a. Please contact Grants.gov Applicant Support:

Email: support@grants.gov

Telephone: 800-518-4726

5. What registrations are needed to apply to this funding announcement?

a. Besides your registration at www.grants.gov, you will need a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B)

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant through www.grants.gov. If you do not already have a DUNS, please contact Grants.gov to create a temporary DUNS number, which will allow you to apply. You will also need to https://hhs.webex.com/hhs/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8c285b5187892fa10e9f2f4bb3125b27 https://hhs.webex.com/hhs/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8c285b5187892fa10e9f2f4bb3125b27 https://www.youtube.com/user/OfficeMinorityHealth http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:sheila.james@hhs.gov mailto:deborah.hayes@hhs.gov mailto:deborah.hayes@hhs.gov mailto:sheila.james@hhs.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ register your organization with the System for Award Management (SAM); please see page 35-36 of NOFO for more information.

b. A step-by-step description of the requirements for registering your organization to be able to apply for this and other funding announcements , along with the expected time for each step, can be found here:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

6. How do we get a DUNS number?

a. Obtaining a Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number is the first step in registering as an organization applicant in Grants.gov. You can request a number through the Dun and Bradstreet website devoted to providing DUNS numbers to applicants for Federal awards, typically within one business day at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do. You may also call toll-free 1-

866-705-5711 for a new DUNS number or if you have forgotten an existing one.

b. The following website has step-by-step instructions:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html

7. How do I register my organization on SAM.gov? What if my registration is expired?

a. Please refer to pages 35-36 of the NOFO. Your organization must register online in SAM

(https://www.sam.gov/SAM/). Grants.gov may reject submissions from applicants with nonexistent or expired SAM Registrations. A completed registration in SAM may be required prior to receiving any award based on your application.

b. Further helpful information and helpful tips are also available through the following quick start guide:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf (PDF, 111 KB).

c. We recommend beginning your registration process immediately as delays in processing have been reported. Under normal operating conditions we recommend allowing at least up to 10 business days after you submit your registration for it to become active in

SAM. This timeframe may be longer if SAM flags the information you provide for manual validation or there are delays in the required submission of a notarized letter by mail.

You will receive an email alerting you when your registration is active.

8. Can you explain the page limits? What does or does not count for which limits?

a. Your project narrative is limited to 50 pages and does not include your Project Abstract

Summary. Since your project narrative plus appendices cannot exceed 75 pages, that leaves 25 pages for your appendices. The appendices should include the items described on pages 33-34 of the NOFO and listed here:

i. Supplemental Information/Supporting Documentation for Work Plan

ii. Project Population(s) of Focus

iii. Memorandums of Agreement and/or Letters of Commitment from Partners, Sub-recipient Organizations, and Agencies

iv. Logic Model

v. Curriculum Vitae/Résumé for Key Project Personnel

vi. Organizational Chart https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/displayHomePage.do https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf

b. You must submit these appendices as a single electronic file uploaded to the

Attachments section of your Grants.gov application.

c. The SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, Project Abstract Summary, and Budget Narrative

(including budget tables) do not count towards your 50 – 75-page limit.

9. What is the Privacy Rule and Security Rule of the Health Insurance Portability and

Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and where can an applicant find information about the

Act?

a. The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals' medical records and other personal health information and applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and those health care providers that conduct certain health care transactions electronically. The Rule requires appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information and sets limits and conditions on the uses and disclosures that may be made of such information without patient authorization. Information about HIPPA can be found at:

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html

10. What is Healthy People 2030?

a. Healthy People 2030 sets data-driven national objectives to improve health and well-being over the next decade. Please refer to the appendices of the NOFO for more information on Healthy People 2030. The website is: https://health.gov/healthypeople.

11. What is a Disparity Impact Statement?

a. A Disparity Impact Statement refers to the demographic, cultural, and linguistic data that identify the population(s) in which health disparities exist and the quality improvement plan designed to address the noted disparities. Please refer to Appendix C of the NOFO for more information.

12. What is a Local Data Intermediary?

a. A local data intermediary is a community-based entity that acts as the mediator between data and local stakeholders, such as nonprofit organizations, community and faith-based organizations, governments, foundations, and residents.

C. APPLICATION REVIEW

1. How will my application be reviewed?

a. An independent, objective review panel will assess all eligible applications according to criteria outlined in the notice of funding opportunity. In addition to the independent review, Federal staff will review each application for programmatic, budgetary, and grants management compliance. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health provides recommendations for funding to the Grants Management Officer to conduct risk analysis. Upon completion of the risk analysis and concurrence of the Grants Management Officer, HHS/OASH issues Notices of Award.

2. Are budgets scored as part of the review process?

a. Budgets will not be scored by objective review committees, but they may comment on the appropriateness of the budget, like for example, if too much or too little is budgeted for a corresponding activity. Federal staff will review budgets for compliance with regulatory requirements.

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/security/laws-regulations/index.html

3. Who makes the final funding decisions? Can we appeal if we are not selected?

a. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health makes the final funding recommendations, based on the results of objective reviews. In making these decisions, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health will take into consideration equitable geographic distribution of projects. The funding decisions are final and cannot be appealed.