Foa_Content_of_HHS-2023-ACL-AOD-UCDA-0049.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Administration on Disabilities

Disaster Assistance for University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service Disability Programs in Puerto Rico and Florida

HHS-2023-ACL-AOD-UCDA-0049

04/24/2023

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Summary/Abstract

Problem Statement

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

Budget Narrative/Justification

Work Plan

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Administration on Disabilities Funding Opportunity Title:

Disaster Assistance for University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service Disability Programs in Puerto Rico and Florida Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACL-AOD-UCDA-0049

Primary CFDA Number:

93.632 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

03/24/2023 Due Date for Applications:

04/24/2023 Date for Informational Conference Call:

Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary https://www.grants.gov/

The Administration for Community Living (ACL) announces a new funding opportunity to address the needs of people with disabilities impacted by Hurricanes Fiona and Ian. People with disabilities often have unique needs during a crisis. For example, they may have a wider variety of functional limitations, sometimes requiring more supports, many of which are often in short supply during and after a crisis event. It is critical that individuals, service providers, and communities actively engage in emergency planning and response that is inclusive of people with disabilities to ensure they continue to be supported in their communities and not in institutions.

Effective emergency and disaster response and recovery promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play. The disability networks funded by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) play essential roles in that work. As the nation's visible and trusted network of programs, these organizations provides variety of services, including those related to assisting with emergency and disaster recovery efforts, such as offering case management support, relocating impacted individuals to safe housing in the community, and ensuring state and local services provided are accessible to people with disabilities. Understanding the resources available and the needs of people with disabilities in their areas, these networks have over 50 years of community experience and possess intimate knowledge of how to address emergencies and disasters.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Puerto Rico and Florida were directly impacted by major category 4 hurricanes which significantly affected the vital services and programs that support older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers to live as independently as possible in their own communities. The Aging and Disability Network has been attempting to meet an increased need for services in impacted communities with current Older Americans Act (OAA) funding, Rehabilitation Act funding, and Developmental Disabilities Act funding. None of these authorities include direct funding for disaster related activities and programs are redirecting funds intended for other activities to address immediate needs caused by the Hurricanes. This funding is intended for the ACL Aging and Disability Network in Florida and Puerto Rico to help advance recovery and response efforts that are inclusive of people with disabilities and provide gap-filling services for older adults, people with disabilities, and their family caregivers for immediate and long-term disaster response and recovery.

Examples of activities consistent with the purpose of this directed announcement funding are the following:

Program a staffing costs to support response and recovery efforts, including care coordination.

Program materials and supplies costs to support response efforts.

General outreach to people with disabilities and information and referral.

Monitoring shelters / temporary dwellings for health, wellness, and safety.

Coordination with emergency response partners and other local and state agencies to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are being addressed.

Providing case management and managing transitions to home / community placement for those placed in skills nursing facilities.

Assisting with replacing supplies, durable medical equipment, and medication.

Providing food assistance and home delivered groceries / meals.

Obtaining needed personal hygiene items.

Providing or assisting with access to personal care assistance and transportation assistance.

Assisting with finding new accessible housing and assisting with home modifications.

Advocating on behalf of people with disabilities at the state and local level.

Awards authorized under Subtitle D of the DD Act, University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), shall be provided funding under this opportunity. Award recipients will be required to submit annual progress reports on the activities conducted, challenges, successes, and lessons learned and provide a written summary. In addition, to show impact of the grant awards, the grantee will include the number of people served or impacted by the services provided against each of the activities chosen to be implemented. To be eligible to receive this grant, the grantee must submit a Letter of Assurance to ACL containing all the assurances required, (see below, “Section III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements” and “Section IV. Submission Information”). UCEDDs who do not complete assurance requirements below, or otherwise indicate no desire to receive funds will be excluded from receiving funds.

Statutory Authority Subtitle D of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act).

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$4,000,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$4,000,000 Per Project Period

Award Floor:

$1,000,000 Per Project Period

Length of Project Period:

Other Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 17-month project period with 17-month budget period

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

For FY 2023 the below guidance is provided to advance the Administration’s policy, as stated in E.O. 13985, to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This guidance is intended to begin to address inequities in HHS programs, processes, and policies that may serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity in our NOFOs, we can “create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.”

The entity eligible for this award is the agency designated as a University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service in Florida and in Puerto Rico will be provided funding under this opportunity. Award recipients will be required to submit annual progress reports on the activities conducted, challenges, successes, and lessons learned and provide a written summary. In addition, recipients must show impact of the grant awards, the grantee will include the number of people served or impacted by the services provided against each of the activities chosen to be implemented. To be eligible to receive this grant, the grantee must submit a Letter of Assurance to ACL containing all the assurances required, (see below, “Section III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements” and “Section IV. Submission Information”). UCEDDs who do not complete assurance requirements below, or otherwise indicate no desire to receive funds will be excluded from receiving funds.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that fail to meet the eligibility and responsiveness criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

Application Screening Criteria The successful applicant will be an eligible entity for this award is the agency designated as a University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and Service in Florida or Puerto Rico. Applications that fail to meet the four screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 8 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 8 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 8 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

NOTE: The Budget Page Narrative and other pertinent attachments are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 8-page limit. Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide a http://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

4. A Letter of Assurance is required to be submitted by the eligible entity in order to receive an award.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

Application materials can be obtained from https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a UEI and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.sam.gov/ more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

1. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

2. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

3. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Pamela O'Brien

Project Officer pamela.obrien@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

03/24/2023 Letters of Intent are not required for this funding opportunity.

Project Narrative

The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 6 to 8 pages; 8 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 8 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 8 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. The Budget Narrative and other pertinent attachments are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 8-page limit, but all the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The sample components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 8 page limit include:

•Summary/Abstract •Problem Statement •Goal(s) and Objective(s) •Proposed Intervention •Special Target Populations and Organizations •Outcomes •Project Management •Evaluation •Dissemination •Organizational Capability

The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of your project. ACL recommends that your project narrative include the following components

Summary/Abstract

This section should include a brief description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed. Detailed instructions for completing the https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

Problem Statement

This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address. It should include how the project will potentially affect older adults and people with disabilities, their families and caregivers, the UCEDDs and the Developmental Disabilities Network Partners, Centers for Independent Living, Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) or other partners' service and support systems. Information that should be included damages caused by the hurricanes Fiona and Ian; including a brief description of the disaster; incident period; number and the names of the UCEDDs and Developmental Disabilities Councils, State Protection and Advocacy Systems, Centers for Independent Living, and AAA whose planning and service areas were affected;

include the best data on estimated number of individuals with disabilities and older adults affected in the Hurricane Ian and Fiona disaster areas; and the best data estimates on amount and severity of need.

Goals and Objectives

This section should consist of a description of the project’s goal(s) and major objectives. Unless the project involves multiple, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall goal.

Proposed Intervention

This section should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention you are proposing to use to address the problem described in the “Problem Statement”. You should also describe the rationale of how the funds will be distributed to the UCEDDs, DD Network Partners, Centers for Independent Living and Area Agencies on Aging whose planning and services areas have been most impacted by the disaster. You should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the “right conditions” for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any major barriers you anticipate encountering, and how your project will be able to overcome those barriers. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships you plan to involve in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups.

Special Target Populations and Organizations

This section should describe how you plan to involve University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, State Protection and Advocacy Systems, Centers for Independent, Living and Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), as applicable, in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of the proposed project.

This section should also describe whether, and if so, how the proposed intervention will target underserved populations, including limited-English speaking populations, individuals with disabilities and older adults including those of greatest economic need and those of greatest social need. For AoD programs, language should be included that states “Please describe how you plan to reach underserved/under-resourced communities including but not limited to individuals who are Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and other persons of color; members of religious minorities;

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities;

and persons who live in rural areas.”

Outcomes

This section of the project narrative must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project. (NOTE: ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes). This section should also describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations throughout the nation to address the same or similar problems.). A “measurable outcome” is an observable end-result that describes how a particular intervention benefits consumers. It demonstrates the functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness or behavior.) It can also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. Additional examples include: a change in the responsiveness or cost effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated in the ACL network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of community living; a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in persons receiving services. A measurable outcome is not a measurable “output”, such as: the number of clients served; the number of training sessions held; or the number of service units provided. You should keep the focus of this section on describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project. You should use the Evaluation section noted below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported. Your application will be scored on the clarity and nature of your proposed outcomes, not on the number of outcomes cited. It is totally appropriate for a project to have only ONE outcome that it is trying to achieve through the intervention reflected in the project’s design.

Project Management

This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of project staff, consultants and partner organizations, and how they will contribute to achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes. It should specify who would have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as: leadership of project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress, preparation of reports; communications with other partners and ACL. It should also describe the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project’s tasks and objectives.

Evaluation

This section should describe the method(s), techniques and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether the proposed intervention achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

Dissemination

This section should describe the method that will be used to disseminate the project’s results and findings in a timely manner and in easily understandable formats, to parties who might be interested in using the results of the project to inform practice, service delivery, program development, and/or policy-making, including and especially those parties who would be interested in replicating the project.

Organizational Capability

Each application should include an organizational capability statement. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency which will have responsibility for this project) is eligible to apply for this funding announcement, the nature and scope of its work and/or the capabilities it possesses. It should also include the organization’s capability to sustain some or all project activities after federal financial assistance has ended, as applicable. This description should cover capabilities of the applicant agency not included in the program narrative, such as any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, and other products. Also include information about any contractual organization(s) such as State Councils on Developmental Disabilities or Area Agencies on Aging that will have a significant role(s) in implementing project and achieving project goals. A vita for key project staff is not required.

Budget Narrative/Justification

The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the document, “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document and to use the format, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. The applicants should include in the budget justification for pre-award costs incurred.

Work Plan

A Project Work Plan is not required for this funding opportunity

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Letters of Commitment are not required for this funding opportunity.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a UEI number and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the mailto:support@grants.gov application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration.

This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

1. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

2. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

3. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. They will no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier. This transition allows the government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome for entities to do business with the federal government. If your entity is registered in SAM.gov today, your Unique Entity ID (SAM) has already been assigned and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations. The Unique Entity ID is currently located below the DUNS Number on your entity registration record. Remember, you must be signed in to your SAM.gov account to view entity records. To learn how to view your Unique Entity ID (SAM) go to this help article.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=a05adbae1b59f8982fe5ed7ae54bcbba

Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide. Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM.

Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times

04/24/2023 Date for Informational Conference Call:

Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and (2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only)

If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, please contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice and provide a written explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. ACL will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

Note: We will not consider your application for further review if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the application deadline or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

If for any reason (including submitting to the wrong funding opportunity number or making corrections/updates) an application is submitted more than once prior to the application due date, ACL will only accept your last validated electronic submission, under the correct funding https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html opportunity number, prior to the Grants.gov application due date as the final and only acceptable application

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an http://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the cut off date.

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) will automatically send applicants a tracking number and date of receipt verification electronically once the application has been successfully received and validated in http://www.grants.gov.

5. Intergovernmental Review

This program is subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. Applicants must contact their State's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State's process under the EO 12372.

6. Funding Restrictions

The following activities are not fundable:

Construction and/or major rehabilitation of buildings Basic research (e.g. scientific or medical experiments) Continuation of existing projects without expansion or new and innovative approaches

Note: A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report 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 (E.O. 13589) and Delivering Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government (E.O. 13576) have been issued and instruct Federal agencies to promote efficient spending. Therefore, if meals are to be 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:

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

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

o When an organization customarily provides meals to employees working beyond the normal workday, as a part of a formal compensation arrangement, o As part of a per diem or subsistence allowance provided in conjunction with allowable travel; and o Under a conference grant, when meals are 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.)

The following updated sections 2 CFR 200.216 “Prohibition on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment” became effective on or after August 13, 2020.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Recommended Actions for any recipient that has received a loan, grant, or cooperative agreement on or after August 13, 2020:

Develop a compliance plan to implement 2 CFR 200.216 regulation.

Develop and maintain internal controls to ensure that your organization does not expend federal funds (in whole or in part) on covered equipment, services or systems.

Determine through reasonable inquiry whether your organization currently uses “covered telecommunication” equipment, services, or systems and take necessary actions to comply with the regulation as quickly as is feasibly possible.

7. Other Submission Requirements

Other Requirements

A. Letter of Assurance

A Letter of Assurance is required to be submitted by the eligible entity in order to receive an award. The Letter of Assurance must include the following:

1. Assurance that the award recipient is the agency or entity designated as UCEDD in the state or territory.

2. Assurance that funds will supplement and not supplant existing UCEDD funding.

3. Assurance that funds will be spent in ways consistent with the purpose of the funding in carrying out one or more of the following activities:

Program a staffing costs to support response and recovery efforts, including case management.

Program materials and supplies costs to support response efforts.

General outreach to people with disabilities and information and referral.

Monitoring shelters / temporary dwellings for health, wellness, and safety.

Coordination with emergency response partners and other local and state agencies to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are being addressed.

Providing case management and managing transitions to home / community placement for those placed in skills nursing facilities.

Assisting with replacing supplies, durable medical equipment, and medication.

Assisting with replacing supplies, durable medical equipment, and medication.

Providing food assistance and home delivered groceries / meals.

Obtaining needed personal hygiene items.

Providing or assisting with access to personal care assistance and transportation assistance.

Assisting with finding new accessible housing and assisting with home modifications Advocating on behalf of people with disabilities at the state and local level.

4. Assurance that the award recipient will do outreach to Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Centers for Independent Living, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and other

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in the state as appropriate to maximize state coordination wherever possible.

5. Assurance to provide semi-annual federal financial reports and annual program reports that describes activities conducted, challenges, successes, and lessons learned. The written summary will also include number of people served or impacted by the services provided. I understand that ACL will provide further guidance on how to submit these reports.

6. I furthermore certify that I am the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and the Director of the UCEDD identified above and have the authority to submit this request on behalf of the above identified agency.

B. Action Plan

To be eligible to receive this grant, the eligible entity must submit a plan detailing the need(s) they plan to address of people with disabilities impacted by Hurricanes Ian or Fiona and how they intend to implement authorized activities to address these needs. The plan must include a budget request with a justification for how the funds would be used to support disaster recovery efforts.

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Project Relevance & Current Need Maximum Points: 20 The application will be reviewed based upon information including regarding the disaster include: brief description of the damage and impact of Hurricane Fiona and Ian date; number and the names of the UCEDDs, Developmental Disability Partners, Centers for Independent Living, Area Administrations on Aging, and Aging and Disability Resource Centers whose planning and service areas were affected; your best data on estimated number of individuals with disabilities including intellectual and developmental disabilities and older adults affected in the areas most impacted hy Hurricanes Fiona and Ian and the best data estimates on amount and severity of need including impacts to UCEDD's programs services and supports to individuals with ID/DD and families.

Approach Maximum Points: 20 Action Plan

To be eligible to receive this grant, the eligible entity must submit an Action plan detailing the need(s) they plan to address of people with disabilities impacted by Hurricanes Ian or Fiona and how they intend to implement authorized activities to address these needs. The plan must include a budget request with a justification for how the funds would be used to support disaster recovery efforts in Florida or Puerto Rico. The plan includes an Assurance signed by the AOR for the University. The Action plan describes the target population, rationale for how the funds will be distributed to the UCEDD, the Developmental Disabilities Partners and Centers for Independent Living and engagement with Area Agencies on Aging (if applicable). Examples of activities consistent with the purpose of funding announcement funding are the following:

Program staffing costs to support response and recovery efforts, including care coordination and training.

Program materials and supplies costs to support response efforts.

General outreach to people with disabilities and information and referral.

Monitoring shelters / temporary dwellings for health, wellness, and safety.

Coordination with emergency response partners and other local and state agencies to ensure the needs of people with disabilities are being addressed.

Providing care coordination t and managing transitions to home / community placement for those placed in skills nursing facilities.

Assisting with replacing supplies, durable medical equipment, and medication.

Providing food assistance and home delivered groceries / meals.

Obtaining needed personal hygiene items.

Providing or assisting with access to personal care assistance and transportation assistance.

Assisting with finding new accessible housing and assisting with home modifications.

Advocating on behalf of people with disabilities at the state and local level.

Budget Maximum Points: 20 The Budget Narrative justification and SF-424A are clear, concise, and presents a need for assistance and a budget justification for pre-award costs incurred. An assurance that states the funds will supplement and not supplant existing UCEDD funding.

Project Impact Maximum Points: 20 The applicant describes the impact of the project including on people with disabilities and older adults and the Disability and Aging Network system. In addition, the grantee will include the number of people served or impacted by the services provided against each of the activities chosen to be implemented.

Organizational Capacity Maximum Points: 20 1, The applicant describes that they are a designated University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research and includes an Assurance that the award recipient is the agency or entity designated as UCEDD in the state or territory.

2. Assurance that funds will supplement and not supplant existing UCEDD funding.

3. Assurance that funds will be spent in ways consistent with the purpose of the funding in carrying out one or more of the following activities: specified in Section

4. Assurance that the award recipient will do outreach to Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Centers for Independent Living, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, and other University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities in the state as appropriate to maximize state coordination wherever possible.

5. Assurance to provide semi-annual federal financial reports and annual program reports that describes activities conducted, challenges, successes, and lessons learned. The written summary will also include number of people served or impacted by the services provided. I understand that ACL will provide further guidance on how to submit these reports.

6. Assurance signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) identified above and has the authority to submit this request on behalf of the above identified agency.

2. Review and Selection Process

An independent review panel of at least three individuals will evaluate applications that pass the screening and meet the responsiveness criteria if applicable. Based on the Application Review Criteria as outlined under section V.1, the reviewers will comment on and score the applications, focusing their comments and scoring decisions on the identified criteria.

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

Award notices to successful applicants will be sent out prior to the project start date.

The anticipated project period start date for this announcement is: 05/01/2023 VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

Successful applicants will receive an electronic Notice of Award. The Notice of Award is the authorizing document from the U.S. Administration for Community Living authorizing official, Office of Grants Management. Acceptance of this award is signified by the drawdown of funds from the Payment Management System. Unsuccessful applicants are generally notified within 30 days of the final funding decision and will receive a disapproval letter via e-mail. Unless indicated otherwise in this announcement, unsuccessful applications will not be retained by the agency and will be destroyed.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The award is subject to HHS Administrative Requirements, which can be found in 45 CFR Part 75 and the Standard Terms and Conditions, included in the Notice of Award as well as implemented through the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

Should you successfully compete for an award, recipients of federal financial assistance (FFA) from HHS will be required to complete an HHS Assurance of Compliance form (HHS 690) in which you agree, as a condition of receiving the grant, to administer your programs in compliance with federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex and disability, and agreeing to comply with federal conscience laws, where applicable. This includes ensuring that entities take meaningful steps to provide meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency; and ensuring effective communication with persons with disabilities. Where applicable, Title XI and Section 1557 prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and gender identity, The HHS Office for Civil Rights provides guidance on complying with civil rights laws enforced by HHS. See https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-providers/provider-obligations/index.html and https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/nondiscrimination/index.html.

A standard term and condition of award will be included in the final notice of award; all applicants will be subject to a term and condition that applies the terms of 48 CFR section 3.908 to the award and requires the grantees inform their employee in writing of employee whistleblower rights and protections under 41 U.S.C.