Foa_Content_of_HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0061-1.pdf

Administration for Community Living

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Understanding the Experience and Outcomes of Students with Disabilities who have 504 Plans

HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0061

06/23/2023

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

Table of Contents

Summary/ Abstract

Work Plan

Vitae/Biosketches of Key Project Personnel

References

Data Management Plan

Budget Narrative/Justification

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Summary of Involved Individuals and Organizations

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

4. Submission Dates and Times

Informational Conference Call

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:

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research Funding Opportunity Title:

Understanding the Experience and Outcomes of Students with Disabilities who have 504 Plans Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2023-ACL-NIDILRR-DPGE-0061

Primary CFDA Number:

93.433 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

05/30/2023 Due Date for Applications:

06/23/2023 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/16/2023 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

The purpose of NIDILRR's Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) is to achieve the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act, by generating new knowledge, or developing methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technologies that advance a wide range of health and function, community living, and employment outcomes among people with disabilities, especially people with disabilities https://www.grants.gov/ who have the greatest support needs. Under this particular DRRP priority, the grantee must conduct research toward new knowledge of the school experiences and outcomes among elementary or secondary students who have 504 plans. These formal plans protect the rights of children with disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, by giving them the accommodations, supports, or services they need in school. NIDILRR plans to make one grant under this opportunity in FY 2023. This grant will have a 60-month project period, with five 12-month budget periods.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

Background:

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a Federal Civil Rights statute which prohibits discrimination against and protects the rights of people with disabilities in programs and activities that receive Federal funding. In the context of public education, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act mandates that schools must provide students with disabilities ages 3-21 a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE), which may take place in a general education and/or special education setting, depending on the needs of the individual student. Section 504 entitles students with disabilities with the right to aids and services necessary to meet their educational needs. Section 504 extends beyond the classroom by stipulating that students with disabilities must have an equal opportunity to participate in school athletics and extracurricular activities, and to be educated in settings free from harassment and bullying based on disability (US Department of Education, 2022; US Department of Education, 2016). To qualify under Section 504, students must have a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more major life activities substantially.

Students with disabilities may also be qualified for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Authorized by Congress in 1975, the IDEA also mandates that public education students with disabilities age 3-21 years old are entitled to a free and appropriate education (FAPE) under the law. Under IDEA students are required to have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) which documents the students’ special education needs and how those needs will be met by the school.

Students with disabilities attending U.S. public schools can be eligible for services under both Section 504 and IDEA, or under section 504 alone (Forber-Pratt et.al., 2020). Section 504 is an anti-discrimination statute that protects both students who receive an IEP in special education and students with disabilities in the general education setting who are not enrolled in special education. While much has changed regarding the rights and opportunities available to students since the passage of the Rehabilitation Act, there is still too little known about the school experiences and outcomes of students who have 504 plans, including those with or without an

IEP.

Preliminary evidence indicates that students with 504 plans experience inequitable and unfavorable experiences and outcomes on a number of measures associated with academic success when compared to their non-disabled counterparts. Those measures include absenteeism;

law enforcement referrals; suspension rates; experiences of bullying and peer exclusion;

exposure to physical, emotional and sexual abuse; school violence, reduced access to extracurricular activities; fewer post-secondary education and career preparation opportunities;

lower levels of self-determination; and worse outcomes related to social and emotional wellbeing

(Losen, 2021; Guillermo et.al, 2021; Horner-Johnson et.al, 2021; Lipscomb et al, 2017; Lui et.al;

2018; Ivery, 2018.) Evidence also suggests that these unfavorable experiences and outcomes are often exacerbated among students with disabilities who are underserved based on their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, geography, and class (Forber-Pratt et al., 2020; Losen et.al, 2021;

Horner-Johnson et.al, 2021; Newman, 2021; MacSuga-Gage, 2022).

There is a need to further understand the school experiences and outcomes of students who have 504 plans. NIDILRR aims to build on the existing knowledge about K-12 age public school students with disabilities who have 504 plans by supporting innovative and well-designed research focusing on these student experiences and outcomes.

References:

Forber-Pratt, A.J., Merrin, G.J. & Espelage, D.L. (2020). Exploring the intersections of disability, race, and gender on student outcomes in high school. Remedial and Special Education, 42, 1-14.

Guillermo, M.S., Tucker, M.S., Corona, V., McFarlane, F.R. and Jacobs, R. (2021). Pursuing Graduation: Differences in work experience supports for young SSI recipients pursuing diplomas or certificates. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44(2), 110-119.

Horner-Johnson, W., Senders, A., Tejera, C.H., & McGee, M.G. (2021). Sexual health experiences among high school students with disabilities. Journal of Adolescent Health, 69, 255- 262.

Ivery, D., Endicott, M. A. (2018). Addressing violence among students with disabilities in schools. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Special Issue 39-47.

Lipscomb, S., Haimson, J., Liu, A.Y., Burghardt, J., Johnson, D.R., & Thurlow, M.L. (2017).

Preparing for life after high school: The characteristics and experiences of youth in special education. Findings from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012. Volume 1:

Comparisons with other youth: Executive summary (NCEE 2017-4017). Washington, DC: U.S.

Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance.

Losen, D. J., Martinez, P., & Shin, G.H.R. (2021). Disabling inequity: The urgent need for race-conscious resource remedies, The Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the Civil Rights Project, UCLA: Los Angeles, CA.

MacSuga-Gage, A.S., Kaplan, R., Batton, B., Ellis, K. and Gage, N.A. (2022). Outcomes in rural and urban settings for students with disabilities. Rural Special Education Quarterley, 41(2), 61- 72.

Newman, L., Garcia, E.B., Trainor, A. A., & Chong, M. (2021). National picture of the self-determination characteristics of secondary school English learners with disabilities. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 44(4), 216–228.

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools (December 2016). Retrieved December 9, 2022 from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide- 201612.pdf https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/504-resource-guide-201612.pdf

US Department of Education (2022). Protecting students with disabilities: Frequently asked questions about Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities. Retrieved December 9th, 2022 from https://www2.ed.gov/print/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html#

Priority:

The Administrator of the Administration for Community Living establishes a priority for a Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project (DRRP) on Understanding the Experience and Outcomes of Students With Disabilities who have 504 Plans. The DRRP must contribute to the outcome of optimizing positive school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans (kindergarten through 12th grade), including those with the greatest support needs. The target population of students with 504 plans may include students who also have Individualized Education Plans under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Research conducted by this DRRP must address school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans. These student experiences and outcomes include but are not limited to: access to extracurricular activities; relationships with peers, teachers, school professionals, and parents or guardians; student assessments; and student agency, safety, and social emotional learning. To contribute to the optimization of positive school experiences and outcomes among students with 504 plans, the DRRP must--

a. Conduct research in one or more of the following priority areas, focusing on students with 504 plans as a group, or students with 504 plans in specific disability or demographic subpopulations:

i. Technology to improve school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans;

ii. Individual and environmental factors associated with school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans;

iii. Interventions, including any strategy, practice, program, policy, or tool--designed to improve school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans;

iv. Effects of government policies and programs on school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans;

v. Effects of school policies and practices on the school experiences and outcomes among students with disabilities who have 504 plans.

b. Focus its research on a specific stage(s) of research. If the DRRP is to conduct research that can be categorized under more than one stage, including research that progresses from one stage to another, those stages must be clearly specified and justified. These stages:

exploration and discovery, intervention development, intervention efficacy, and scale-up evaluation, are defined in this funding opportunity announcement. Applicants must justify the need and rationale for research at the proposed stage or stages and describe fully an appropriate methodology or methodologies for the proposed research.

c. Conduct knowledge translation activities (i.e., utilization, dissemination) to facilitate stakeholder use of the knowledge, interventions, programs, policies, technologies, or products that result from the research activities conducted under paragraph (a) of this priority. Stakeholders may include but are not limited to students who have 504 plans, family members, school personnel, and policymakers.

https://www2.ed.gov/print/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html

d. Involve students with disabilities who have 504 plans and other key stakeholder groups in the design and conduct of research activities carried out under paragraph (a) of this priority, to maximize the relevance and usability of the knowledge, interventions, programs, policies, technologies, or products to be developed. Such involvement is consistent with Executive Order 14091, Section 5: Delivering Equitable Outcomes in Partnership with Underserved Communities.

e. Demonstrate, in its original application, that students with disabilities who have 504 plans and are from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds will be included in study samples in sufficient numbers to generate knowledge and products that are relevant to the racial and ethnic diversity of the population students with 504 plans. The DRRP must describe and justify, in its original application, the racial and ethnic distribution of students with 504 plans who will participate in the proposed research activities.

Definitions: Stages of Research

(a) Exploration and discovery means the stage of research that generates hypotheses or theories through new and refined analyses of data, producing observational findings and creating other sources of research-based information. This research stage may include identifying or describing the barriers to and facilitators of improved outcomes of individuals with disabilities, as well as identifying or describing existing practices, programs, or policies that are associated with important aspects of the lives of individuals with disabilities. Results achieved under this stage of research may inform the development of interventions or lead to evaluations of interventions or policies. The results of the exploration and discovery stage of research may also be used to inform decisions or priorities;

(b) Intervention development means the stage of research that focuses on generating and testing interventions that have the potential to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

Intervention development involves determining the active components of possible interventions, developing measures that would be required to illustrate outcomes, specifying target populations, conducting field tests, and assessing the feasibility of conducting a well-designed intervention study. Results from this stage of research may be used to inform the design of a study to test the efficacy of an intervention;

(c) Intervention efficacy means the stage of research during which a project evaluates and tests whether an intervention is feasible, practical, and has the potential to yield positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Efficacy research may assess the strength of the relationships between an intervention and outcomes, and may identify factors or individual characteristics that affect the relationship between the intervention and outcomes. Efficacy research can inform decisions about whether there is sufficient evidence to support “scaling-up” an intervention to other sites and contexts. This stage of research may include assessing the training needed for wide-scale implementation of the intervention, and approaches to evaluation of the intervention in real-world applications; and

(d) Scale-up evaluation means the stage of research during which a project analyzes whether an intervention is effective in producing improved outcomes for individuals with disabilities when implemented in a real-world setting. During this stage of research, a project tests the outcomes of an evidence-based intervention in different settings. The project examines the challenges to successful replication of the intervention, and the circumstances and activities that contribute to https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/02/22/2023-03779/further-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal successful adoption of the intervention in real-world settings. This stage of research may also include well-designed studies of an intervention that has been widely adopted in practice, but lacks a sufficient evidence base to demonstrate its effectiveness.

Statutory Authority 29 U.S.C. § 764(a)

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$600,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$600,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$595,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

60-month project period with five 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 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.”

States; public or private agencies, including for-profit agencies; public or private organizations, including for-profit organizations; IHEs; and Indian tribes and tribal organizations.

Foreign entities are not eligible to compete for, or receive, awards made under this announcement.

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 To be considered for review under this grant opportunity, applicants must propose to run a DRRP on Understanding the Experiences and Outcomes of Students with Disabilities Who Have 504 Plans that is responsive to all of the requirements in the Priority section of this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Application Screening Criteria We will screen all applications and reject any application that:

Is submitted after the established deadline;

Proposes a budget that exceeds $600,000 in a single budget year;

Proposes a project period that exceeds 60 months.

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

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.

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.

If you have any questions about the programmatic or substantive requirements of this funding opportunity, please contact the competition manager:

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

Angel Miles Angel.Miles@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter Of Intent 05/30/2023

05/30/2023 Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review. Letters of intent should be sent to:

Megan.Alvarado@acl.hhs.gov

Each LOI should be limited to a maximum of four pages and include the following information:

Title of the proposed project, the name of the applicant, the name of the Project Director or Principal Investigator (PI), and the names of partner institutions and entities;

A brief statement of the vision, goals, and objectives of the proposed project and a description of its proposed activities at a sufficient level of detail to allow NIDILRR to select potential peer reviewers;

A list of proposed project staff including the Project Director or PI and key personnel;

A list of individuals whose selection as a peer reviewer might constitute a conflict of interest due to their involvement in proposal development (e.g., an advisory board member or co-PIs on other projects);

Contact information for the Project Director or PI.

For further information regarding the LOI submission process, contact Megan Alvarado.

https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov mailto:Megan.Alvarado@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative

The Project Narrative portion of your application is where you describe your proposed project and address each of the review criteria. Applicants should directly address each of the review criteria (see Section V), in the project narrative. Each applicant must limit the Project Narrative to the equivalent of no more than 60 pages using the following standards:

A page is 8.5" x 11" on one side only with 1" margins at the top, bottom, and both sides;

Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all narrative text in the project narrative. You are not required to double space titles, headings, footnotes, references, captions, or text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs; Applicants who unnecessarily place narrative text in tables to avoid the double-spacing requirement run the risk of exceeding the page limit;

Use a font that is not less than size 12 and is Times New Roman, Courier, Courier New or Arial;

Include all critical information, including the Work Plan, in the Project Narrative, minimizing the need for additional appendices;

Ensure that you attach PDF files only for any attachments to your application. While you are able to attach files to your application in formats other than PDF, non-PDF files are converted into PDF format before reviewers see and evaluate your application. The conversion to PDF format may not maintain your original formatting. Therefore, to ensure the integrity of your application documents we strongly recommend that you attach only PDF files as you submit your application.

NOTE: The page limit for the Project Narrative does not apply to the Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the table of contents, budget narrative/justification, the forms, the summary/abstract, the vitae/ biosketches, references, the letters of commitment from key participating organizations and agencies, the summary of involved individuals and organizations, data management plan, or the data safety and monitoring plan (if applicable).

For project narratives that exceed 60 double-spaced pages, NIDILRR will instruct reviewers to disregard all of the content on the pages beyond the 60th page.

Table of Contents

The table of contents should show where and how the important sections of your proposal are organized. While the application will be submitted electronically, the reviewers may use printed copies during the review process. The table of contents will assist reviewers in more efficiently and effectively evaluating your application.

Summary/ Abstract

The one-page abstract should be a comprehensive description of the whole project (all years) and not a description of the competency of the institution or Project Director/PI. It is not an executive summary. The abstract can be single-spaced.

Work Plan

Applicants must provide a Work Plan (Plan of Operation) in their Project Narrative. The Work Plan should cover all years of the project period. The Work Plan should include a statement of the project's overall goal(s), anticipated outcome(s), and the major tasks that are proposed to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task, the Work Plan should identify timeframes involved and the lead person responsible for the task. A "Project Work Plan - Sample Template" is provided in the Appendix section of this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Vitae/Biosketches of Key Project Personnel

Vitae or biosketches of key project personnel should include information that is specifically pertinent to the applicant’s proposed project. Applicants are encouraged to use NIH’s biosketch format, which provides reviewers with a concise description of training, expertise, and productivity that is relevant to the proposed project.

References

Applicants should provide references for works cited in the Project Narrative. Applicants may provide references in any format (i.e., APA, AMA, MLA), though the formatting should be consistent.

Data Management Plan

NIDILRR requires applicants to include a Data Management Plan in the application. NIDILRR will review the data management plans of potential awardees for completeness and compliance before making the awards. The Data Management Plan does not count against the page limitation described in this FOA and is not subject to evaluation and scoring by the peer review panel.

The data management plan (DMP) must include the following components:

1. Description of the types and format of data to be collected, and how they will be organized, stored, and preserved.

2. Description of metadata to be included in the data submission to a repository in order to enable meaningful and useful analysis of the data by users who are not part of the research team.

3. Indication of whether the awardee will submit the scientific data to ICPSR or another public data repository. If the data are to be submitted to ICPSR, no further justification is required. If another repository is identified, the awardee must provide a justification of how this repository will provide for a long-term preservation of, and public access to, scientific data in digital formats resulting from ACL/NIDILRR funded research at no cost. This justification should include a description of the way in which shared digital data will be discoverable, retrievable, and analyzable through the chosen data repository.

4. If applicable, explain why data sharing, long-term preservation, and access cannot be justified.

5. Provide a plan to address the study participants’ consent process to enable the de-identified data to be shared broadly for future research.

6. Indicate an estimated cost to implement the data management plan. This cost is allowable as part of the award’s direct costs.

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm https://grants.nih.gov/grants/forms/biosketch.htm

For the DMP preparation, applicants may seek technical assistance from the Interuniversity Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). ICPSR is the preferred data repository for archiving and sharing of scientific data generated under NIDILRR awards. ICPSR can be accessed at https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ or contact help@icpsr.umich.edu or 734-647- 2200.

NIDILRR recommends that all applicants view a 3-part training video entitled “NIDILRR Data Archiving and Sharing.” This training video is available at:

https://dataarchivingandsharing.naric.com/

Budget Narrative/Justification

The applicant must submit an itemized budget breakdown for each project year and the basis for estimating the costs of personnel salaries, benefits, project staff travel, materials and supplies, consultants and subcontracts, indirect costs, and any other projected expenditures.

The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format” included in this document. Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. A combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding is required. This information will be uploaded in the "Budget Narrative/Justification" section under the "Optional" category. If applicable, address cost share in a separate section of the budget narrative labeled "cost share."

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

Include letters of commitment from key participating organizations and agencies after the Budget Narrative/Justification.

Summary of Involved Individuals and Organizations

Submit an appendix that lists every collaborating organization, and every individual who is named to a professional role in the proposed project. These individuals should include staff, consultants, contractors, and advisory board members. We will use this information to screen for conflicts of interest with potential peer reviewers.

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 https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ mailto:help@icpsr.umich.edu https://dataarchivingandsharing.naric.com/ 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

Due Date for Applications 06/23/2023

06/23/2023 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/16/2023 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.

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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 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.

Informational Conference Call

An informational conference call will be held between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date listed above for the informational conference call. Interested parties are invited to participate in the pre-application meeting to discuss the funding priority and to receive information and technical assistance. You must contact Megan.Alvarado@acl.hhs.gov in order to participate in this meeting. NIDILRR staff also will be available to provide information and technical assistance via individual phone consultations from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the date listed above. Requests for individual consultations during this one-hour window must be made in advance to Megan Alvarado.

Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the date listed immediately above for "Due Date for Applications."

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

How to Submit an Application to HHS via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

1. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete the application online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

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2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace, complete all the required forms, and check for errors before submission.

a. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard or HHS forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe- software-compatibility.html

b. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the package. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

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

5. Intergovernmental Review

This program is not subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

6. Funding Restrictions

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:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html 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., Headstart);

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

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.

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…