Administration for Community Living

Center for Innovation and Partnership

Senior Medicare Patrol State Project Grants - Pennsylvania

HHS-2026-ACL-CIP-MPPG-0020

04/13/2026

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

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:

Center for Innovation and Partnership Funding Opportunity Title:

Senior Medicare Patrol State Project Grants - Pennsylvania Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2026-ACL-CIP-MPPG-0020

Primary CFDA Number:

93.048 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

03/03/2026 Due Date for Applications:

04/13/2026 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

I. Funding Opportunity Description SMP Mission https://www.grants.gov/

The mission of the SMP program is to empower and assist Medicare beneficiaries to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse through outreach, counseling, and education. To further this mission, all SMP program activities are organized around four strategic program objectives:

1. Provide group education and one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a statewide basis, with a specific emphasis on those with the greatest economic and social need.

2. Recruit, train, and retain a sufficient, effective, and representative workforce equipped to provide high-quality education and one-on-one support.

3. Monitor and assess SMP results through operational and quality measures.

4. Position SMP to nimbly and effectively respond to changes in the programmatic landscape.

Program History

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) estimates that Medicare loses billions of dollars each year due to errors, fraud, and abuse. The 1997 Senate Report 104-368 noted that "senior citizens are our best front-line defense against these losses, but they often don't have the information and experience needed" to recognize and accurately report cases of error, fraud, and abuse. These losses are due, to a considerable extent, to the many ways in which the funds are disbursed as well as to the sheer magnitude surrounding the dynamics of healthcare expenditures. Both factors increase the probability of errors while opening wider opportunities for fraud and abuse.

To address this growing issue the Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control (HCFAC) Program was created to coordinate federal, state, and local law enforcement activities with respect to healthcare fraud and abuse. Now in its 28th year of operation, the HCFAC Program continues to demonstrate its success in protecting beneficiaries by identifying and prosecuting the most egregious instances of healthcare fraud and preventing future fraud and abuse. As partner in these efforts, ACL administers the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program which funds a nationwide network of local community-based partners and team members to provide outreach and education to Medicare beneficiaries about how to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud. The SMP program plays an important role in the broader HCFAC Program by focusing on community outreach and Medicare beneficiary empowerment with the goal of stopping fraud before it occurs.

SMP Program Today

ACL funds 54 state SMP projects, including grantees in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the US Virgin Islands. The SMP projects use this funding to provide local outreach, education, and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries through a trained volunteer and in-kind workforce. SMP projects teach Medicare beneficiaries to take proactive steps to protect themselves and the Medicare program from potential fraud, errors, and abuse. SMP projects actively disseminate fraud prevention and identification information through the media, outreach campaigns, community events, and one-on-one beneficiary support. SMPs help individuals and their loved ones understand how to review their healthcare statements and bills for accuracy, as well as how to identify and avoid potential fraud schemes. If suspicious activity is identified or suspected, SMPs can help answer questions, resolve errors, or report suspicious activity for further investigation.

One key role of the SMP projects is to assist beneficiaries by referring potential fraud complaints on to other investigative entities, as appropriate. This process can include facilitating referrals to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) - Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Federal Bureau of lnvestigations (FBI), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), state Medicaid fraud control units (MFCUs), state attorney generals, and other organizations. Capturing SMP program activity data is also a key function of the projects, including tracking, analyzing, and reporting of beneficiary complaints, referrals, potential savings, and other outcomes.

Annual OIG Report on SMP Program

In previous years, the HHS-OIG completed an annual performance report on the SMP projects.

In FY2023, the 54 SMP projects had a total of 5,532 active team members who conducted a total of 22,356 group outreach and education events, reaching an estimated 1,244,697 people. In addition, the projects had 270,348 individual interactions with, or on behalf of, Medicare beneficiaries.

According to a previous OIG Report, the program has educated over 45 million beneficiaries since its inception through 513,000 group education and outreach sessions. The true value of the program and primary focus of SMP grantee work is on education, prevention, and teaching beneficiaries how to protect themselves and avoid fraud in the first place. The impact of these education and prevention activities is extremely difficult to quantify in dollars and cents. As HHS-OIG indicated in their 2023 report on the SMP program:

We note that the projects may not be receiving full credit for recoveries, savings, and cost avoidance attributable to their work. It is not always possible to track referrals to Medicare contractors or law enforcement from beneficiaries who have learned to detect fraud, waste, and abuse from the projects. In addition, the projects are unable to track the potentially substantial savings derived from a sentinel effect whereby Medicare beneficiaries' scrutiny of their bills reduces fraud and errors.

Strategic Program Objectives

This opportunity will fund SMP work done in the state of Pennsylvania only. Applicants must address each of the following strategic program objectives as part of their project narrative to further the goal of preventing Medicare fraud in Pennsylvania:

1. Provide group education and one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a statewide basis, with a specific emphasis on those with greatest economic and social need.

2. Recruit, train, and retain a sufficient, effective, and representative workforce equipped to provide high-quality education and one-on-one support.

3. Monitor and assess SMP results through operational and quality measures.

4. Position SMP to nimbly and effectively respond to changes in the programmatic landscape.

Project narratives should propose specific goals and activities to address each component of the four strategic program objectives as follows:

1. Provide group education and one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a statewide basis, with a specific emphasis on those in Pennsylvania with the greatest economic and social need. Applicants must describe a comprehensive plan to achieve statewide SMP coverage. Statewide coverage means the applicant must have the capacity to provide SMP services, including group education and one-on-one assistance, in each county within the state. In the project narrative, applicants must:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the geographic service area, including barriers to program access and strategies specifically designed to overcome these barriers.

2. Identify populations with the greatest historical and current needs within the state, any barriers to program access specific to these populations, and plans for addressing those barriers.

3. Explain plans to provide one-on-one assistance, both in-person and virtually.

Applicants must describe the types and levels of service to be provided as well as the approaches to achieve or enhance services, such as the development of websites and web-based strategies, the use of toll-free lines, ability to flexibly shift to atypical service provision as public need requires, and/or the development of sub-grants, contracts, or partnerships with other local, regional, or statewide organizations.

4. Explain plans to provide in-person group education sessions to teach beneficiaries to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. Applicants must describe the types and levels of service to be provided, as well as the approaches to achieving or enhancing services, such as the development of sub-grants, contracts, or partnerships with other local, regional, or statewide organizations.

5. Describe plans to build on existing partnerships and the development of new partnerships to establish a strong network to deliver SMP services. Examples of potential partners could include, but are not limited to:

1. Other local or state programs receiving ACL funding to provide services to older adults and people with disabilities, including but not limited to:

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, Elder Abuse Prevention programs, Benefits Enrollment Centers, Centers for Independent Living (CILs), Aging and Disability Resource Centers/No-Wrong Door (ADRC/NWD), Assistive Technology programs, Traumatic Brain Injury Programs, State Councils on Developmental Disabilities, State Protection and Advocacy Systems, Nutrition Services, Falls Prevention and Chronic Disease Self- Management Programs, and Legal Assistance programs.

2. Local, state, and national organizations within the law enforcement and health care networks, which may include state attorneys general, state MFCUs, CMS, HHS-OIG, FBI, and FTC.

3. Partnerships to intentionally focus on reaching those in the greatest economic and social need. This may include organizations or groups who have demonstrated expertise and previous success in focusing on these populations.

6. Outline a statewide media and outreach plan based on a preliminary assessment of state and national healthcare fraud trends and issues, including focus on targeting those in greatest economic and social need of SMP program services and those traditionally underserved.

2. Recruit, train, and retain a sufficient, effective, and representative workforce equipped to provide high quality education and one-on-one support. Applicants must provide a plan to ready a nimble workforce to provide high quality service to beneficiaries including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Describe a plan to initially and continually train and certify all SMP team members (staff, in-kind, and volunteers) with the information necessary to perform the work of the SMP program:

1. At the most basic level, including:

▪ Basic mission and functions of the SMP program;

▪ Medicare basics; and

▪ Healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse.

2. At a more advanced workforce training level, including:

▪ Development of effective skills in conducting educational presentations and outreach;

▪ Resolution of beneficiary inquiries and complaints;

▪ Referrals for further action, when appropriate; and

▪ Understanding and implementation of skills to support serving those in the greatest economic and social need.

3. The training plan should also cite the training materials and resources to be used to achieve the training objectives. NOTE: The SMP National Resource Center develops and provides training materials that are available for use to all successful SMP awardees. Non-incumbent applicants may contact the SMPRC for access to basic training-related material information.

4. Minimum initial and ongoing training requirements, knowledge testing, and certification of all SMP team member roles must be clearly defined by the grantee and consistently applied to all team members.

https://smpresource.org/ https://smpresource.org/

2. Describe a plan to recruit, train, retain, and manage paid, volunteer, and in-kind team members throughout the state. The plan should include implementation of ACL's Volunteer Risk and Program Management (VRPM) policies and the ACL Conflict of Interest guidance for the SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA programs.

Identifying and appropriately managing risks related to team member involvement and service delivery is an important aspect of effective program management. Proposals should include approaches to ensure team members are:

1. Appropriately recruited and screened to ensure the ability to perform assigned duties and to identify potential conflicts of interest;

2. Thoroughly trained to provide effective service, and enhance the quality of the SMP program;

3. Consistently provided ongoing supervision, management, and support to ensure the safety, integrity, and professionalism of the SMP workforce;

4. Habitually compliant with procedures and practices to ensure that confidentiality of program information is maintained; and

5. Supported to ensure retention and continued high morale.

In every case, applicants should propose activities that will effectively employ the unique skills, varied experiences, good will, and availability of team members in assisting beneficiaries to become more educated about Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse.

ACL's VRPM policy and procedure resources are available on ACL's website:

https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/volunteer-risk-and-program-management-vrpm-policies. The VRPM policies provide a framework that allows each individual SMP project to have the flexibility and responsibility to develop volunteer risk and program management policies and procedures. NOTE: Any new (non-incumbent) SMP project grantees will receive a reasonable amount of time to implement these policies. Successful non-incumbent applicants will be asked to negotiate this timeline with ACL individually after awards are made.

ACL's Conflict of lnterest: Identification, Remedy, and Removal guidance found here: https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/managing-conflicts-interest-ship-smp-and-mippa-programs. This guidance was developed to provide technical assistance to the SMP, SHIP, and Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) programs and their community-based partners on how to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest and mitigate risk.

3. Monitor and assess SMP results through operational and quality measures. ACL requires SMP projects to use the SMP data system, known as the SMP Information and Reporting System (SIRS), to collect, track, assess, and measure program performance data. SIRS data is summarized annually in a report titled Performance Data for the Senior Medicare Patrol Projects. Recent reports are available on ACL's website:

https://acl.gov/programs/protecting-rights-and-preventing-abuse/senior-medicare-patrol-smp https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/volunteer-risk-and-program-management-vrpm-policies https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/volunteer-risk-and-program-management-vrpm-policies https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/managing-conflicts-interest-ship-smp-and-mippa-programs https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/managing-conflicts-interest-ship-smp-and-mippa-programs https://acl.gov/programs/protecting-rights-and-preventing-abuse/senior-medicare-patrol-smp https://acl.gov/programs/protecting-rights-and-preventing-abuse/senior-medicare-patrol-smp

Applicants must describe plans to comply with SMP reporting requirements including:

1. Timely data entry of SMP activities into SIRS, including one-on-one interactions with beneficiaries, group education and outreach events, media education and outreach events, SMP team members, and SMP team member activities.

2. Participation in quality assurance activities:

1. Successful applicants must participate in an SMP Customer Satisfaction Survey which requires evaluation of both one-on-one interactions and group education events. To satisfy this requirement, SMPs will be asked to:

▪ Ensure proper collection and reporting of beneficiary information, so ACL may conduct post-service satisfaction surveys of a random sample of SMP clients.

▪ Periodically administer pre- and post- surveys at group education events, as requested by ACL. Each SMP project will be surveyed twice annually.

2. Describe any additional quality assessment activities proposed outside the required surveys described above.

3. Ongoing performance management, including regular assessment of progress toward goals and objectives, growth areas and obstacles, and strategies for performance improvement on the SMP performance measures listed below, as well as any other applicant-identified measures of success. Applicants are expected to provide a plan to continually assess gaps in program reach in order to strengthen provided services.

Performance Measure

(PM)

Definition

1.TOTAL NUMBER OF

ACTIVE SMP TEAM

MEMBERS

Total number of individuals who spent time on the SMP program, including SMP-paid, in-kind paid, and volunteer team members

2. TOTAL NUMBER OF

SMP TEAM MEMBER

HOURS

Total number of hours contributed by team members while performing SMP work and receiving training to perform SMP work, including time spent by SMP-paid, in-kind paid, and volunteer team members

3. NUMBER OF GROUP

OUTREACH AND

EDUCATION EVENTS

Total number of community outreach events, education activities, and presentations to educate beneficiaries, family members, caregivers, and others about SMP services and detecting healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse

4. ESTIMATED

NUMBER OF PEOPLE

REACHED THROUGH

GROUP OUTREACH

AND EDUCATION

EVENTS

Total estimated number of people reached as a result of SMP group outreach and education activities

5. NUMBER OF

INDIVIDUAL

INTERACTIONS WITH,

OR ON BEHALF OF, A

MEDICARE

BENEFICIARY

Total number of individual interactions between SMP team members and beneficiaries, family members, caregivers, or others for the purpose of discussing or gathering information about potential health care fraud, errors, or abuse

6. COST AVOIDANCE

ON BEHALF OF

MEDICARE, MEDICAID,

BENEFICIARIES, OR

OTHERS

Healthcare expenditures for which the government, a beneficiary, or other entity was relieved of responsibility for payment

7. EXPECTED

MEDICARE

RECOVERIES

Actual and expected Medicare recoveries from criminal actions, settlements, civil judgments, or over payments that resulted from the referral. Includes recoveries associated with a project's referral that resulted in the opening of an investigation or where the SMP made a meaningful contribution to an existing investigation

8. ADDITIONAL

EXPECTED MEDICARE

RECOVERIES

Actual and expected Medicare recoveries from criminal actions, settlements, civil judgments, or over payments that resulted from the referral. Includes recoveries associated with a project's referral to an existing investigation where the SMP's information validated existing information

9. EXPECTED

MEDICAID

RECOVERIES

Actual and expected Medicaid recoveries from criminal actions, settlements, civil judgments, or over payments that resulted from the referral. Includes recoveries associated with a project's referral that resulted in the opening of an investigation or where the SMP made a meaningful contribution to an existing investigation

10. ADDITIONAL

EXPECTED MEDICAID

RECOVERIES

Actual and expected Medicaid recoveries from criminal actions, settlements, civil judgments, or over payments that resulted from the referral. Includes recoveries associated with a project's referral to an existing investigation where the SMP's information validated existing information

11. ACTUAL SAVINGS

TO BENEFICIARIES

Amount of money recouped to beneficiaries

12. OTHER SAVINGS

Amount of money recouped to an entity other than Medicare, Medicaid, or a beneficiary

4. Position SMP to nimbly and effectively respond to changes in the programmatic landscape. Applicants must propose a plan to adapt to changes in the programmatic landscape, such as the increasing Medicare beneficiary population, changes in the geographic distribution of beneficiaries, changes in public health need, varied beneficiary needs by age, and traditionally underserved populations that may need additional assistance understanding how to prevent, detect, and report Medicare fraud, errors, and abuse. Specifically, applicants must:

1. Identify any anticipated changes in the programmatic landscape and explain how these changes will be addressed by the SMP project;

2. Address readiness to nimbly and effectively shift as unanticipated changes in the programmatic landscape are identified;

3. Describe the target populations to be served, including:

1. Identifying the target populations and the reasons why the applicant has chosen to target the specific populations;

2. Addressing barriers in access or provision of program services to the target populations; and

3. Detailing proposed innovative and collaborative methods to reach the target populations.

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for the grant under this program announcement is contained in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 (PL 104-191); (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.048) and Older Americans Act, Title 42 U.S.C.

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,100,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$1,100,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$0 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

24-month project period with two 12-month budget periods Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other'

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants Domestic public or private non-profit entities, including state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; public and state contro11ed institutions of higher education; Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized); Native American tribal organizations (other than Federa11y recognized tribal governments); nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education; or private institutions of higher education.

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 do not meet the following responsiveness criteria will be administratively eliminated and will not be reviewed. The successful SMP applicant will be an organization that meets the following basic evaluation criteria:

1. Demonstrated expertise in implementation through collaboration and work with volunteers to achieve program objectives;

2. Technological capacity to implement the SMP web-based data collection, management tracking, and reporting system, known as SIRS; and

3. Organizational capacity to provide statewide virtual and in-person SMP program coverage.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the three 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, sized 8 ½" x 11" with l" margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The http://www.grants.gov/

Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit.

Applicants seeking late submission approval must provide authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of submission. For example, applicants will be required to provide an http://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number to substantiate missing the application deadline.

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 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:

SAM.GOV Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations.

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.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ 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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov https://sam.gov https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=54e0016fdb3bbd90a8cb4a3913961934

• 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.

• 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

Rebecca Kinney

Center for Innovation and Partnership

Phone Number: (202) 795-7375

Email: rebecca.kinney@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent Number of Days from Publication 21 https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov mailto:rebecca.kinney@acl.hhs.gov

03/03/2026 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:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Administration for Community Living

Rebecca Kinney

Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling

Washington, D.C. (202) 795-7375

Email: rebecca.kinney@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative Project Narrative must be double-spaced, sized 8 ½" x 11" with 1" margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. Smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats can be used. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 10 to 20 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 20-page limit, but all other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The Project Narrative is the most important part of the application since it will be used as the primary basis to determine whether the project meets the minimum requirements for grants under the authorizing statutes. The Project Narrative should provide a clear and concise description of the proposed SMP project. ACL recommends that the project narrative include the following components as part of the 20-page limit:

• Summary/Abstract

• Problem Statement

• Goal(s) and Objective(s)

• Proposed Intervention

• Special Target Populations and Organizations

• Outcomes

• Project Management Evaluation

• Dissemination

• Organizational Capability

Summary/Abstract Include a brief - no more than 265 words maximum - description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed. Detailed instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the "Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract."

Problem Statement Describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address, including how the project will potentially affect older adults and/or people with disabilities, identified state-specific marginalized communities, their families and caregivers, and the health care and social services systems.

Goals and Objectives Describe the project's goal(s) and major objectives. Unless the project involves multiple complex interventions, ACL recommends proposing only one overall goal. The proposed project goal(s) and objectives should be reflective of the priority activities discussed in SMP Strategic Program Objectives (see Section I).

Proposed Intervention Provide a clear and concise description of the proposed intervention to address the problem described in the "Problem Statement." Describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: "lessons learned" for similar projects previously tested in the targeted community(ies) 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 to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any anticipated major barriers, and how the proposed intervention will address those barriers.

Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any planned strategic partnerships in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups. This section should also provide a detailed plan for the management and operation of the SMP project. Plans must address the key elements discussed in Section I - "SMP Mission and Strategic Program Objectives," including:

1. Provide group education and one-on-one assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on a statewide basis.

2. Recruit, train, and retain a sufficient and effective workforce ready to provide high quality education and one-on-one support.

3. Monitor and assess SMP results through operational and quality measures.

4. Position SMP to nimbly and effectively respond to changes in the programmatic landscape.

Special Target Populations and Organizations Describe plans to involve organizations in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of the proposed project. This section should also describe whether the proposed intervention will target commonly underserved populations and, if so, how.

Outcomes 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). List measurable outcomes in the work plan grid ("Project Work Plan-Sample Template") under "Measurable Outcomes" in addition to any discussion included in the narrative along with a description of how the project might benefit the field at large.

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 aging network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of aging; 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.

The focus of this section is describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project. Use the Evaluation section noted below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported.

Applications will be scored on the clarity and nature of proposed outcomes, not on the number of outcomes cited. It is appropriate for a project to have only ONE outcome that it is trying to achieve through the intervention reflected in the project's design.

As discussed in Section 1 under "SMP Mission and Strategic Program Objectives," ACL utilizes the SIRS data system to collect data, track, and measure a number of program outcomes. ACL will use program data contained in the SMP data system to assess SMP project progress in reaching SMP Strategic Program Objectives. Hence, applicant's plans should discuss expected outcomes and link these outcomes to the project priorities and activities provided in the "Proposed Intervention" upon which the outcomes are based.

Project Management Clearly delineate 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 the key staff with day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as leadership of project; monitoring the project's ongoing progress; preparation of reports; and 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 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 in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

In addition, describe a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the proposed SMP project in achieving project outcomes. As discussed, ACL utilizes SIRS to collect data, track, assess, and measure program outcomes. In addition, ACL will use data to assess SMP project progress in reaching SMP Strategic Program Objectives. Hence, applicant plans must discuss priorities, activities, and staff capacity to capture project performance data accurately and timely.

Dissemination Describe the method that will be used to disseminate the project's results and findings in a timely manner and in easily understandable formats. Recipients could include parties interested in using the results of the project to inform practice, service delivery, program development, and/or policymaking; especially those parties who would be interested in replicating the project.

Dissemination examples should include sharing information with ACL, the National SMP Resource Center, fellow SMP projects, and other national, state, and local partner organizations.

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, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. A detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for year 1 of the grant funding is required.

Work Plan The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget. It should include a statement of the project’s overall goal, anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks / action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task / action step, the work plan should identify timeframes involved (including start-and end-dates), and the lead person responsible for completing the task. Please use the “Project Work Plan - Sample Template” format as a reference and resource, if desired.

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies Include confirmation of the commitments and key activities/work (not just lending support to the application) to the project (should it be funded) made by key collaborating organizations and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments. Applicants unable to scan the signed letters of commitment may email them to Rebecca Kinney at rebecca.kinney@acl.hhs.gov. In your email, be sure to include the funding opportunity number and your agency name in the subject line.

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 http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov 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 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:

SAM.GOV Quick Start Guide for Financial Assistance Registrations.

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.

https://sam.gov https://sam.gov https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=54e0016fdb3bbd90a8cb4a3913961934 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=a05adbae1b59f8982fe5ed7ae54bcbba

• 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.

• 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 Number Of Days from Publication 60

04/13/2026 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.