FAQs WH-AST-22-003 FINAL.pdf

FAQs for WH-AST-22-003 Reducing Maternal Deaths Due to Substance Use Disorder

A. ELIGIBILITY

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

A. Any public or private (profit or 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. Community-based organizations, faith-based organizations and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations are eligible to apply.

B. Examples of eligible Organizations include:

• State Governments

• U.S. territories

• 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 institutions of higher education

• For profit organizations, including small businesses.

B. PREPARING TO APPLY

2. What is the deadline to apply to this funding opportunity?

a. Applications are due July 11, 2022, 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.

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

a. The NOFO can be found on grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=wh-ast-22-003

b. The webinar recording is posted to the OWH YouTube channel https://youtu.be/IvIK2zJFLG4.

c. FAQs will be posted to the NOFO on grants.gov and updated as needed.

4. 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 the SEARCH GRANTS header in the upper left corner. Enter WH-AST-22-003 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 will be prompted to either enter your username and password or establish one, after which you’ll be able to subscribe and get alerts.

5. 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(s). For programmatic questions, such as developing elements of your application, contact Linda Stella, Linda.Stella@hhs.gov. Please CC. Duane Barlow on your email

b. Contact Duane Barlow, Duane.Barlow@hhs.gov for financial and grants-related questions. Please CC. Linda Stella on your email.

6. 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

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

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=wh-ast-22-003 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html?keywords=wh-ast-22-003 https://youtu.be/IvIK2zJFLG4 http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Linda.Stella@hhs.gov mailto:Duane.Barlow@hhs.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

a. As of April 4, 2022, you are required to provide a twelve-digit Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) number when applying for Federal awards through Grants.gov. It is a unique, twelve-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. Please refer to page 27 of the NOFO.

8. How do we get a UEI number?

a. The UEI(SAM) are required for submission of applications. You may find additional information about the transition for both existing and new SAM registrants at https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=e31c534f1b40c1103565ed 3ce54bcbce.

b. You will find instructions on the Grants.Gov web site as part of the organization registration process at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html. Please refer to pages 28-29 of the NOFO.

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

a. Please refer to page 29 of the NOFO. Your organization must register online in the System for Award Management (SAM). Grants.gov will reject submissions from applicants with nonexistent or expired SAM Registrations.

b. If you are registering a new entity or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter formally appointing an Entity Administrator to SAM.GOV For detailed instructions on the content of the letter and process for domestic entities see:

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?sys_kb_id=8cfe46491b1cb8909ac5ddb6bc4bcbbb&id=kb _article_view&sysparm_rank=1&sysparm_tsqueryId=c6131c131bdcf0d0a7d7da49bc4bcb 1a.

c. A quick start guide for registrants is available at https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=80f49f211bdcfc909ac5ddb6bc4bcb76.

You should allow a minimum of five days to complete an initial SAM registration. Allow up to 10 business days after you submit your registration for it to be active in SAM. This timeframe may be longer if SAM flags the information you provide for manual validation.

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

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

a. Your project narrative must not exceed 25 pages. Your total application, including the project narrative and appendices, must not exceed 50 pages. Please refer to page 13 of the NOFO.

b. The appendices should include the items described on page 27 of the NOFO and listed here:

• Work Plan

• Memoranda of Agreement and/or Letters of Commitment

• Organizational Chart

• Curriculum Vitae/Résumé/Bio sketches for Key Project Personnel

• References Cited

You must submit these appendices as a single electronic file uploaded to the Attachments https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=e31c534f1b40c1103565ed3ce54bcbce https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=e31c534f1b40c1103565ed3ce54bcbce https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?sys_kb_id=8cfe46491b1cb8909ac5ddb6bc4bcbbb&id=kb_article_view&sysparm_rank=1&sysparm_tsqueryId=c6131c131bdcf0d0a7d7da49bc4bcb1a https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?sys_kb_id=8cfe46491b1cb8909ac5ddb6bc4bcbbb&id=kb_article_view&sysparm_rank=1&sysparm_tsqueryId=c6131c131bdcf0d0a7d7da49bc4bcb1a https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?sys_kb_id=8cfe46491b1cb8909ac5ddb6bc4bcbbb&id=kb_article_view&sysparm_rank=1&sysparm_tsqueryId=c6131c131bdcf0d0a7d7da49bc4bcb1a https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=80f49f211bdcfc909ac5ddb6bc4bcb76 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 25-or 50-page limit.

11. Are applicants required to submit memorandums of agreement (MOAs) and

Letters of Commitment (LOCs)?

a. Refer to pages 27-28 in the NOFO. If applicable and available at the time of submission, signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) or signed Letters of Commitment (LOCs) should be submitted for each partner (or one signed MOA with all partners). MOAs must include specific roles, responsibilities, resources, and contributions of partner(s) to the project.

C. APPLICATION REVIEW

1. How will my application be reviewed?

a. An independent review panel will evaluate applications that meet the responsiveness criteria, if applicable, and are not disqualified. These reviewers are experts in their fields, and are drawn from academic institutions, non-profit organizations, state and local government, and Federal government agencies. In addition to the independent review panel, Federal staff will review each application for programmatic, budgetary, and grants management compliance. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health will provide recommendations for funding to the Grants Management Officer to conduct risk analysis.

Please refer to page 36 of the NOFO.

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

a. Yes. Please refer to page 36 of the NOFO.

D. PROGRAM

1. What do you mean by transitioning a successful project to sustainability?

a. We expect recipients to plan for and work toward sustainability of successful evidence-based interventions beyond the end of the funded project. Recipients should begin to develop a plan for sustainability by the end of the second year. After three years, successful projects will have the option to compete for one more year of funding to transition to sustainability. Please refer to page 92 of the NOFO.

2. What is expected of applicants?

a. The goals of this initiative are to:

1) Partner with hospital and community-based organizations to implement evidence-based interventions that strengthen perinatal and postnatal support structures for patients with SUDs;

2) Create a technologically innovative education and outreach product to provide support accessible to perinatal and postpartum patients with SUDs at home and on the go to reduce triggers, decrease stress, and increase feelings of support, thereby lowering the chance of a return to drug use or overdose. This product should include education on the biological, emotional, and psychosocial milestones and struggles at each stage during pregnancy and the first 12 months following birth; and

3) Improve health outcomes and reduce deaths among perinatal and postpartum patients associated with SUD.

3. Is there an indirect cost rate cap?

a. Refer to pages 24-25 of the NOFO, “Indirect Costs Description,” for more information about indirect cost rates.

4. Is there a list of recommended evidence-based interventions that should be considered?

a. No.

E. ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

1. On page 13 of the NOFO, there is a statement that reads, "If you successfully submit multiple applications from the same organization for the same project, we will only review the last application received by the deadline." Does the statement mean that our organization, as an entity, only submits a total of one (1) application? Or may we submit more than one as long as they are scientifically distinct?

a. An organization may submit multiple proposals for a given notice of funding opportunity.

Each proposal must be for a distinctly separate project. By distinctly separate project, this could mean a different focus area or a different location. The project abstract and project must be clear so that the distinction is obvious.

2. We are interested in submitting to the WH-AST-22-003 grant. As we have not submitted grants specifically to the Office on Women's Health in the past, we would like to request a meeting to discuss the grant and our proposal to make sure that it aligns with the needs of the Office.

a. We do not have private meetings, and we prefer to receive questions and answer them in an updated FAQ on the grants.gov website so that all applicants have access to the same information. With this in mind, page 2 of the NOFO, in the Executive Summary, it states, “HHS/OASH encourages applicants to review all program requirements, eligibility information, application format and submission information, evaluation criteria, and other information in this funding announcement to ensure that its application complies with all requirements and instructions.”

3. My question is specifically regarding the project length. I read in the Announcement that the grant will be awarded for one year with up to three additional years of non-competing continuation. The project that I would like to propose is development of (…) that provides specific education and support for pregnant and postpartum people with substance use disorders. The (…) will likely take at least 6 months to develop, so in order to deploy it and track outcomes, it would certainly take longer than a year. As I am working on the Project Narrative, should I include information about the three-year plan even though the award is only technically granted for the first year?

a. You should follow the instructions in the NOFO. Write your project for the 3 anticipated years. See page 20 of the NOFO for more details on Work Plan.

4. My organization is working on an application in response to the FOA “Reducing Maternal Deaths Due to Substance Use Disorder.” I was hoping you could clarify whether the application must cover the entire perinatal and postpartum period, or whether we could propose something that was specifically targeted to the postpartum period?

a. Please see the notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) document will govern which applications are selected and how they are reviewed. Please see the Executive Summary (p.1- 2), Expectations for Recipients (p. 9), and the Review Criteria (Section G).

5. We are requesting clarification for the Reducing Maternal Deaths Due To Substance Use Disorder Funding Opportunity Number: WH-AST-22-003. Specifically, is this opportunity a one year award with a ceiling of $300,000 or will this be a multiple year award in which a ceiling of $300,000 per year?

a. Please refer to page 11, D. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION, Award Information of he NOFO: Award Ceiling (Federal Funds including indirect costs): $ 300,000 per budget period.

Estimated Period of performance: Not to exceed 3 year(s) with an optional competitive fourth year for transition to sustainability. Anticipated Initial Budget Period Length: 12 months.

6. We have a team at University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve U exploring this grant opportunity. I know that grants and programs like this are always funded dependent on an administration/congressional priorities. However, is there any information you can share about whether this grant might be posted again in 2023 or a future year?

a. We have no information on future posting for this notice of funding opportunity.