FRVI NOFO.pdf

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction: First Responder Vaccine Initiative (FRVI) Pilot

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and/or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM. It may take 4 weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize your information. Information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM is available from Grants.gov at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Section D of this NOFO, subsection, Content and Form of Application Submission.

Table of Contents A. Program Description

Issued By Assistance Listings Number (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number) Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title) Notice of Funding Opportunity Title NOFO Number Authorizing Authority for Program Appropriation Authority for Program Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

B. Federal Award Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions Funding Instrument

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants Other Eligibility Criteria - Applications DHS Considers Non-Responsive Maintenance of Effort (MOE) Cost Share or Match

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times Other Key Dates Address to Request Application Package Content and Form of Application Submission Proposal Preparation Instructions:

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Electronic Delivery How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov How to Submit an Application to DHS via Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission Funding Restrictions

E. Application Review Information

Application Evaluation Criteria Review and Selection Process Selection Process Supplemental Financial Integrity Review

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Notice of Award Notice of Not Selection for Award Administrative and National Policy Requirements Reporting Federal Financial Reporting Requirements Program Performance Reporting Requirements Close Out Reporting Requirements Disclosing Information per 2 C.F.R. § 180.335

G. DHS Awarding Agency Contact Information

Contact and Resource Information H. Additional Information

Extensions Carry-forward/Carry-over Financial Risk Assessment Evaluation Applicant Disclosure of Risk Status Obligation by DHS/GFAD Program Income

DHS-19-CWMD-077-001

A. Program Description

Issued By U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Test and Evaluation Division

Assistance Listings Number (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number) 97.077

Assistance Listings Title (formerly CFDA Title) Homeland Security Research, Development, Testing, Evaluation, and Demonstration of Technologies Related to countering Weapons of Mass Destruction

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction: First Responder Vaccine Initiative (FRVI) Pilot

NOFO Number

Authorizing Authority for Program Section 2(a)(4) of the First Responder Anthrax Preparedness Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-268) “the Secretary of Homeland Security shall select not fewer than 2 nor more than 5 States for voluntary participation in the pilot program.”

Appropriation Authority for Program Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), Division F – Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2018, Title IV, Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, Operations and Support, and Consolidated Appropriations Act 2019 (P.L. 116-6).

Program Type New

Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities DHS is executing a First Responder Vaccine Initiative (FRVI) Pilot that has as a primary objective the establishment of a mechanism to offer pre-event vaccinations to emergency response providers through a voluntary vaccination pilot program. This is being accomplished in operational partnership or coordination with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Office of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The FRVI Pilot will work with selected State and Local jurisdictions with emergency response providers who have been assessed as high risk for exposure to aerosolized anthrax spores during the course of their assigned duties in the event of a wide area anthrax attack in the jurisdiction in which they work or live. The participating jurisdictions will have the following responsibilities:

(1) to conduct user training on the anthrax threat, the anthrax vaccine program, and the ramifications of volunteering for the vaccination program;

(2) to deliver and administer a full pre-event course of anthrax vaccines drawn from the SNS; and

(3) to assess the acceptance level and understanding of risks and benefits in the emergency response provider community and assess operational impact of the voluntary pre-event anthrax vaccination program.

The initial training and engagement with responders in the jurisdictions is designed to increase awareness of the anthrax risk and the efficacy of pre-event vaccinations to save lives. This training will be developed by DHS CWMD, but will be administered by the selected jurisdictions. The Pilot will conclude with a final assessment of the acceptability of the voluntary pre-event vaccination program among responders, and the operational impact among those responders who volunteer to undergo the full course of vaccinations. The FRVI Pilot program does this by 1) identifying suitable State and Local jurisdictions to provide volunteer emergency response providers to participate in a vaccination program, and 2) executing Cooperative Agreements with awardees to deliver training to the potential volunteers, to administer the vaccine sequence to the volunteers, and to assess the potential operational impact of the vaccine sequence on emergency response providers. The FRVI Pilot program facilitates this effort by encouraging applicants to have university or industrial partners.

Priorities Each application will be evaluated based on the criteria provided in Evaluation Criteria under the Application Review Information section. The focus of this NOFO will be on the identification of the State and Local jurisdictions best suited to participation in the FRVI Pilot. Areas of interest in this NOFO are 1) sufficient number of emergency response providers deemed high risk for anthrax exposure should a terrorist attack occur in the future and who are willing to volunteer for a series of anthrax vaccinations; 2) existing infrastructure to enable the receipt, storage, and administration of a sequence of anthrax vaccine doses provided by the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile; and 3) a capability to identify and quantify potential negative operational impacts of mass vaccinations of volunteer emergency response providers.

Expected Outcomes The overall project goals at each selected Pilot site reflect the priorities listed above. The expected outcome at each site will be a defined number of volunteer emergency response providers who have agreed to complete a full sequence of five vaccinations over a period of 18 months. These emergency response providers will initially undergo awareness training (the content of which is provided by the DHS FRVI Pilot program office), in order to make an informed decision to volunteer. Those volunteering for the program will then have an initial anthrax vaccination, with follow-up vaccinations at intervals of 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months after the initial dose. The local jurisdiction (Offeror) will assess and quantify any negative (or positive) operational impacts of the vaccinations. This will include such items as:

• Total number of eligible emergency response providers who comprise the pool of potential participants in the voluntary vaccine program in the local jurisdiction

• Number of eligible emergency response providers who receive the initial training

• Percentage of eligible emergency response providers who volunteer for the vaccine program

• Percentage of volunteers who receive each successive dose of the vaccine sequence

• Percentage of duty time lost to ill effects of receiving the vaccine

• Additional costs accrued as a result of negative operational impacts of the voluntary vaccine program (e.g., excess overtime or administrative costs)

• Man-hours required to deliver the required emergency responder anthrax training

• Man-hours required to administer the course of anthrax vaccinations

• Estimated improvements in response times and response efficiencies following an anthrax attack when the responders have pre-event vaccinations

Progress will be tracked through monthly reports to the DHS FRVI Pilot program office.

The reports will include the total number of high-risk emergency response providers identified, the number/percentage completing the awareness training, and the number/percentage completing each round of the vaccination program. In addition, the report should address the other metrics listed above, as well as the current project costs and schedule.

Program Structure Project Schedule Successful Offerors will be awarded a Cooperative Agreement covering a two-year period (funded annually) to administer the initial training, complete the full 18-month sequence of vaccines, and to assess the operational impact. Offerors are encouraged to identify a university or industry partner to support the training, data collection, and anthrax vaccine logistics required under the FRVI Pilot program. Preference will be given to those Offerors who have a partner before submitting a proposal, but in some circumstances, partnership can be developed during the period of performance if the proposal is awarded.

Project Budget It is understood that as the project matures, additional funding may be necessary for completion of all the desired tasks at a Pilot site, particularly if a jurisdiction identifies additional emergency response provider participants. The proposed budget should be structured to account for this.

Project Management Metrics The FRVI Pilot program requires reporting of various project management metrics to allow for adequate project oversight. These metrics will be reported monthly. Templates for reporting can be requested after awards are made. The project management metrics include:

1) tracking of the numbers of emergency response providers completing each phase of the program; 2) schedule (Gantt chart); 3) financial/budget execution; and 4) current quantitative and qualitative assessment of operational impacts of the vaccine program.

B. Federal Award Information

Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions Available Funding for the NOFO: $800,000

Projected number of Awards (Optional): 2-5

Period of Performance: up to 24 months

DHS anticipates the period of performance of awards to encompass an 18-month sequence of anthrax vaccinations, plus preparatory time to train the participants and begin the vaccination sequence and time to collect and analyze the final operational impact data. Awardees must deliver a final report on the economic and operational feasibility of the voluntary First Responder vaccine program within 24 months of award.

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 09/30/2019

Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09//29/2021

Funding Instrument Cooperative Agreements

The CWMD Office will have substantial involvement in the administration of the award(s), including monthly conference calls with each performer to continually monitor operational impacts and to track funding levels, expenditures, risks, and overall progress. The CWMD Program Manager is responsible for managing the scope, schedule, costs, and risks of the effort. The performers will be required to maintain close and regular interaction with the CWMD T&E Division through monthly reports of the current project status.

The CWMD office will continually monitor the progress in the initial emergency responder training, and reserves the right to halt or redirect activities at each participating site if required training goals and objectives are not met. Similarly, the CWMD Office will closely monitor the progress during the vaccination series of the effort. The performers are required to submit requests for anthrax vaccine doses to the CWMD Office throughout the entire vaccination series (over the 24-month duration of the Pilot), and when the requested doses are received, performers are required to coordinate closely with the CWMD Office to verify the condition and quantity of doses so that CWMD can acknowledge custody of the vaccine to HHS by providing a signed copy of ASPR SNS Property Transfer Agreement. The

CWMD office may also halt or redirect activities at each participating site if the planned goals and objectives of the vaccination series are not met.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants The following entities below are eligible to apply for this NOFO:

• State, County, or Local government jurisdictions

• While not a condition of eligibility, preference during evaluation will be given to those eligible government entities who have identified a university or industry partner with existing capabilities to support one or more goals of the FRVI Pilot.

Other Eligibility Criteria - Applications DHS Considers Non-Responsive DHS will not consider applications that do not adhere to one or more of the following requirements:

1. Deadlines. DHS will not accept late applications. Without exception, applications must be received by Grants.gov on or before the deadline in this announcement or they will not be considered.

2. Application relevance. Applications that do not address the purpose of this announcement will not be considered.

3. Compliance and completeness. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements in this announcement or they will not be considered.

Maintenance of Effort (MOE) MOE is not required in this NOFO.

Cost Share or Match Cost Share or Mathis is not required in this NOFO.

D. Application and Submission Information

Key Dates and Times Application Start Date: 07/09/2019

Application Submission Deadline: 8/15/2019 at 11:59:59PM EDT

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: 09/13/2019

Anticipated Award Date: 09/20/2019

Other Key Dates

Address to Request Application Package Application forms and instructions are available at Grants.gov. To access these materials, go to http://www.grants.gov , select “Applicants” then “Apply for Grants.” In order to obtain the application package select “Download a Grant Application Package.” Enter the Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA) and/or the funding opportunity number located on the cover of this NOFO, select “Download Package,” and then follow the prompts to download the application package.

For a hardcopy of the full NOFO, please write or fax a request to:

Janet Bailey Office of Procurement Operations (MGMT I OPO) 245 Murray Lane SW, Mail Stop 0115 Washington, D.C. 20528-0115 Office: (202) 447-0362 Email: janet.bailey@hq.dhs.gov

Content and Form of Application Submission Note: There are two groups of forms associated with this application: mandatory and optional. Please read the instructions carefully to determine which forms you must submit.

Mandatory Forms

• SF424 (R&R) Application for Federal Assistance (SF424-V2.0)

Please complete this form in its entirety. If you fill this form out first, other required forms will populate with basic data such as name, address, etc. Signature and date will auto-fill when you submit the application package through Grants.gov.

a. Block 1, Type of Submission – Please check “Application.”

b. Block 8, Type of Application – Please check “New.”

c. Block 12, Proposed Project – Enter Dates of Entire Project Period

d. Block 15a, Estimated Project Funding – This amount should correspond to your R&R Budget form’s total and budget justification total for the requested budget period.

e. Block 16, E.O. 12372 review question – Please check “No.”

Event Suggested Deadline For Completion Obtaining DUNS Number Four weeks before actual submission deadline <date> Obtaining a valid EIN Four weeks before actual submission deadline <date> Updating SAM registration Four weeks before actual submission deadline <date> Starting application in Grants.gov One week before actual submission deadline <date> If applicable additional critical dates http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:janet.bailey@hq.dhs.gov

f. Block 17 - By submitting this application, your organization is providing certifications and assurances regarding:

i. Drug-Free Workplace Requirements

ii. Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters—Primary

Covered Transactions

iii. Assurance that your organization is not delinquent on any Federal debt.

• Research & Related (R&R) Budget An R&R Budget is required for ALL applications. Please ensure that the total amount requested corresponds to Block 15.a on the SF 424 R&R form.

Include up to two to five annual budgets, one for each year of the duration of the award; a cumulative budget will be automatically generated by Grants.gov. A detailed budget justification (up to three pages) should document proposed expenses. Multi-institutional proposals should use the award-sub award proposal mechanisms or the collaborative mechanism.

Mention if any government-furnished equipment (GFE, e.g. vaccine storage or administration supplies) is required. Attach an expanded equipment list (see item C on R&R Budget Form) if necessary.

• Budget Justification A Budget Justification is required for ALL applications. Please ensure that items listed in the budget justification correspond to the funds requested on the R&R Budget form. Attach the Budget Justification to the R&R Budget form. If you need to attach more than one file to fully capture your budget justification, you may use the optional “Attachments” form.

Please use the following guidance when assembling your budget justification:

Use the following cost categories to group items of cost in your budget justification.

PERSONNEL

FRINGE BENEFITS

TRAVEL

EQUIPMENT (see item C on R&R Budget Form) SUPPLIES (see item F.1 on R&R Budget Form) CONTRACTUAL (see item F.5 on R&R Budget Form) OTHER DIRECT COSTS (see items under item F on R&R Budget Form)

INDIRECT COSTS

If you wish to display your budget justification by task, please ensure that you supply a total for each of the cost categories listed above (and related fields on the R&R Budget Form) for the proposed budget period in your application.

• Project/Performance Site Location(s) Please provide information for every site (including university partners and outside vendors, with sub-awards or subcontracts of $25,000 or more) in your project. This should clearly identify the locations for administration of the required training, as well as the sites where vaccine doses will be administered.

• SF 424B Assurances for Non-Construction Programs Submit this form. It will be electronically signed upon submission to Grants.gov as part of your application.

• Certification Regarding Lobbying (GG_Lobbying Form-V1.1) Submit this form. If paragraph two of the certification applies, then complete and submit the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying, which is provided as an optional form in the application package.

• Required Agreement Each applicant that participates in the pilot program must submit an agreement to provide written certification to the Secretary of Homeland Security stating that each emergency response provider within the State that participates in the pilot program will be provided with disclosures and educational materials provided to selected performers by CWMD and designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, which may include—

(A) materials regarding the associated benefits and risks of any vaccine provided under the pilot program, and of exposure to anthrax;

(B) additional material consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s clinical guidance; and

(C) notice that the Federal Government is not obligated to continue providing anthrax vaccine after the date on which the pilot program ends.

• Data Collection Plan Due to the requirement for periodic reporting of operational impact and programmatic data, each applicant must submit a Data Collection Plan that describes the methodology to be used for monitoring, collecting, evaluating, and reporting the data defined in Section A, Program Description, Expected Outcomes.

• Other Project Information

Tips: Write for a general audience. Please define any technical terminology that is discipline-specific. Be concise and direct in descriptions. The file submission for this section shall have the cover page, project summary and quad chart followed by the items 3-5 below.

Proposal Preparation Instructions:

1. Cover Sheet:

The cover sheet information is shown below. Note: for a proposal ID, please follow the following naming convention: FRVINOFO19-XXXX-YYYY- 0## where:

XXXX = four letter (maximum 4 letter) character shortcut for organization name

YYYY = four letter (maximum 4 letter) character shortcut for department/division name

## = number of proposal submission

Example: Organization A, Dept. B’s submission for its first proposal would have the following ID: FRVINOFO19-ORGA-DEPB- 001

The cover sheet should describe:

- Overall project information (Requested budget for this period, project duration, project title)

- Primary Organization Information (Name and address, DUNS+4, TIN/EIN)

- Principal Investigator information (Name and address, phone, email, Co-PI information if applicable)

- Contact information for any organization involved in a collaborative effort

(such as a university or industry partner), if applicable.

For a fillable .pdf copy of the cover sheet, please send a request to frvi@hq.dhs.gov.

2. Project Summary:

The Project Summary is limited to a one page narrative and a quad chart that summarizes the effort.

The Project Summary must address the jurisdiction’s existing infrastructure and operational capabilities to administer vaccines in mass, and the broader operational impacts of the proposal, and must include a brief but explicit statement on how the proposed activities relate to the goals and objectives of the FRVI Pilot.

Omission of this statement will result in the proposal being returned without review.

The quad chart provides a single page summary of the effort and should include a picture, graphic or artist's conception of the effort in the top left, a summary of jurisdiction’s existing infrastructure and operational capabilities in the bottom left, a summary of broader operational impact on the top right, and a summary of schedule and proposed budget in the bottom right.

For a quad chart template, please send a request to frvi@hq.dhs.gov.

3. Project Description:

Describe the vision and goals of the proposed activities, approaches and methodologies to attain the goals, and the expected outcomes as described in Section A. The project description must present a clear and compelling explanation of the extent of the proposed work and its potential impact. The Project Description narrative is limited to a total of eight (8) pages.

4. Proposed Activities: Narrative consisting of the following items:

• An explanation of the operational context, relevance to the FRVI Pilot goals in Section A above, and level of commitment of the proposing jurisdiction’s leadership;

• A detailed description of the proposed approach to achieving the goals, objectives and milestones of the FRVI Pilot, and any substantive risks and risk mitigation strategies;

mailto:dndo.ari@hq.dhs.gov mailto:dndo.ari@hq.dhs.gov

• A description of the mode of training emergency response providers on the benefits and risks of any vaccine provided under the pilot program (training will be prepared by DHS);

• Plans for dissemination and education/outreach to solicit maximum participation by eligible emergency response providers in the voluntary vaccination program;

• The proposed Data Collection Plan;

• A discussion of the broader impacts of the proposed work (how might the

Pilot contribute to a broader First Responder Vaccine program in the State);

• A description of the contribution to be made by any university or industry partners; and

• A timeline for the planned activities.

The Proposed Activities narrative is limited to a total of twelve (12) pages.

5. Management Plan: If appropriate, narrative describing:

• How the group effort will be coordinated, including the role of university or industry partners;

• How decisions will be made regarding the conduct of the project;

• How financial and schedule progress will be monitored and reported;

• The required statement regarding agreement to provide written certification to the Secretary of Homeland Security stating that each emergency response provider within the State that participates in the pilot program will be provided with necessary disclosures and educational materials; and

• A statement that all necessary reviews and approvals from their Institutional Review Board will be obtained prior to beginning recruitment of emergency responders.

The Management Plan narrative will be limited to a total of three (3) pages.

6. Formatting: The format applies to items 2-5 above:

a. Margins – Margins for length and width should be at least one (1) inch.

b. Page formatting – Use standard, single-column format.

c. Figures, Tables, Diagrams – Use captions and appropriate references with at least size 10 font for caption descriptions.

d. Spacing – Use at least single spacing (for size 12 font and higher) and use single and a half (for size 11).

e. Font and size (except for item c above) - Use Calibri or Times New Roman font at size 11 or larger.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants for this award must:

1. Be registered in SAM before submitting its application;

2. Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and

3. Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

DHS may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time DHS is ready to make a federal award. DHS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Electronic Delivery

DHS is participating in the Grants.gov initiative to provide the grant community with a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. DHS encourages applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov.

How to Register to Apply through Grants.gov

1. Instructions: Read the instructions below about registering to apply for DHS funds.

Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

The registration process can take up to four weeks to complete. Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required application submission deadlines.

Organizations must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number, active System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and Grants.gov account to apply for grants.

If individual applicants are eligible to apply for this grant funding opportunity, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

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

2. Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form.

For more detailed instructions for obtaining a DUNS number, refer to:

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

3. Register with SAM: In addition to having a DUNS number, all organizations applying online through Grants.gov must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually.

For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html

4. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process.

For more information, follow the on-screen instructions or refer to:

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

5. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all of your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the DUNS Number for the organization in the DUNS field while adding a profile.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

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

6. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, the organization applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access is sent to the EBiz POC. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been assigned the AOR role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

7. Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

8. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature.

The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html

How to Submit an Application to DHS 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 Notice of Funding Opportunity, 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 using Workspace, refer to:

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

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

2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission.

3. 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 DHS 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

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

7. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

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

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1- 800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist DHS with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Online Submissions. All applications must be received by Midnight Eastern Daylight Time on 8/15/2019. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. This applicant with the AOR role will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When DHS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role who submitted the application. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by DHS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Intergovernmental Review https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov

An intergovernmental review may be required. Applicants must contact their state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372 (See https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html;

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf).

Funding Restrictions Award Size: DHS intends to make 2-5 awards in FY 2019, with a total cumulative value not to exceed $800k. The value of individual awards may differ, and will be determined by the anticipated benefit to the overall FRVI Pilot program effort.

For the purposes of this announcement, applicants should account for time to ramp up activities to identify potential emergency response providers, provide training, and identify the initial number of required doses of anthrax vaccine. Budgets should be identified by year over the course of the period of performance.

Kick-Off Review: This meeting will be held remotely or on-site to discuss in detail the technical and programmatic aspects of the proposed activities.

Project Reports and Updates: The FRVI program requires monthly progress reports, as well as a final report summarizing the performance of the Pilot and the assessment of potential operational impacts of the FRVI Pilot vaccine program.

Publications and Press Releases: All public-facing materials which discuss activities completed under the FRVI Pilot including, but not limited to, publications, abstracts, presentations, media releases, and interviews, must be approved for public release by the CWMD T&E Office. The T&E Office requires 10 business days to review any material in advance of submission.

Foreign Travel: Foreign travel is not anticipated nor required in the performance of the duties approved in this Award.

Management and Administration (M&A) Costs.

M&A are not operational costs but are necessary costs incurred in direct support of the grant or cooperative agreement or as a consequence of it, such as travel, meeting-related expenses, and salaries of full/part-time staff in direct support of the program. As such these can be itemized in financial reports.

Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs.

Indirect Cost (IDC) is allowable by the recipient and sub-recipients. IDC is based on a federally approved and negotiated rate. Please provide a copy of the negotiated rate approved by the applicant’s cognizant agency at the time of application. Indirect costs on sub-awards are limited to the first $25,000 of direct costs

Other Submission Requirements All files submitted in the application shall be in .pdf format. Limit filenames to 50 characters or less. Do not password-protect files.

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf

E. Application Review Information

Application Evaluation Criteria Prior to making a federal award, the <DHS FAO> is required by 31 U.S.C. § 3321 note, 41 U.S.C. § 2313, and 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant:

1. Financial stability.

2. Quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards.

3. History of performance in managing federal award.

4. Reports and findings from audits.

5. Ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

Criteria I and II are of equal importance. Criteria III is of lesser importance.

Criteria I: Technical and Operational Approach The following elements will be considered upon evaluation of the proposal:

• The Offeror identifies a specific number of potentially high-risk emergency response providers who would be eligible to volunteer for the FRVI Pilot vaccination program.

• The Offeror (including university or industry partner) demonstrates existing infrastructure for mass training of emergency response providers sufficient to train the full number of potentially high-risk emergency response providers prior to the initiation of the first round of vaccinations, as well as the capacity to administer surveys or other viable means to assess feedback from the trainees regarding the quality of the training.

• The proposed team (including university or industry partner) has the infrastructure, the experience (include prior, if available), and the expertise to conduct the proposed vaccine reception, storage, and administration activities implicit under the FRVI Pilot.

• The proposed team (including university or industry partner) has a demonstrated ability to collect and assess operational impact data as defined in the Expected Outcome section above from the full spectrum of emergency response providers involved in the FRVI Pilot in their jurisdiction.

• The proposed performance plan is clear and complete and addresses cost/schedule, technical strategies, and resources.

• The proposed approach has reasonable likelihood of maximizing the number of emergency response provider volunteer participants, and capturing operational impact data.

Criteria II: Operational Impact The following elements will be considered upon evaluation of the proposal:

• The governmental leadership of the proposing jurisdiction demonstrates a commitment to the performance of the FRVI Pilot and a willingness to provide the required operational impact data.

• The proposed activities and existing infrastructure and policies demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of transitioning to a larger-scale First Responder vaccine program (regional or state-wide).

Criteria III: Management Plan The following elements will be considered upon evaluation of the proposal:

• The Offeror clearly identifies the proposed participants (including any university or industry partner), and which organization(s) will serve as the lead. A single functional point of contact for the jurisdiction should be identified.

• The Offeror identifies the process by which decisions will be made regarding the conduct of the project, and how coordination amongst the proposed participants will be maintained;

• The Offeror identifies a method to track and report financial and schedule progress monthly.

• The Offeror includes the required statements regarding agreement to provide written certification to the Secretary of Homeland Security stating that each emergency response provider within the State that participates in the pilot program will be provided with necessary disclosures and educational materials.

• The Offerer includes a statement that they have obtained, or a description of how they will obtain, all necessary reviews and approvals from their Institutional Review Board prior to beginning recruitment of emergency responders.

Review and Selection Process

Application Receipt. All completed applications (“proposals”) submitted through grants.gov in response to this NOFO will be subjected to a technical evaluation by a panel review.

Proposals that are determined non-compliant to the required format and content requirements outlined in this NOFO will not be considered for technical evaluation.

Application Handling. Completed applications will be handled following DHS safeguarding procedures. All application materials will be treated as confidential.

Panel Review and Reviewers. Each application will be reviewed by at least three (3) panelists. The panelists are subject-matter experts (SMEs) or program managers familiar with the purpose and structure of the FRVI Pilot. The panelists and review will be established and conducted by the CWMD T&E office.

Selection Process

Evaluation: Reviewers will conduct their individual evaluation for each application.

Following the individual evaluation, a consensus review will be held to formulate a recommendation for each application. The rating of recommendations for each application will follow:

Recommended (R) – Proposals have met and/or exceed the topic requirements/objectives and have high likelihood to conduct successful research. Proposals under this rating are recommended for funding.

Selectable (S) – Proposals will likely satisfy the topic requirements/objectives and has reasonable likelihood of successful research. Proposals under this rating are recommended for funding, if available.

Not Recommended (NR) – Proposals that are non-responsive to the topic area requirements/objectives and/or do not satisfy the evaluation criteria and will unlikely conduct a successful research. Proposals under this rating are not recommended for funding.

A summary of the recommendation and accompanying narrative will be completed by each reviewer. The CWMD Office will make the selection based on the consensus evaluation.

Please note that decisions to fund all the recommended for funding proposals are subjected to available funding.

Supplemental Financial Integrity Review When the anticipated federal share of a federal award will be greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000 (see Section 805 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal year 2008, Pub. L. No. 115-91, OMB Memorandum M-18-18 at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf):

i. Prior to making a federal award with a total amount of federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, DHS is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS).

ii. An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.

iii. DHS will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2 C.F.R. § 200.205 federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/M-18-18.pdf

F. Federal Award Administration Information Notice of Award Notification of the award is made to the submitting organization via email by a Grants Officer in the Grants and Financial Assistance Division. Notification may be made prior the award being completed. The notification of award is not an authorization to begin performance. Award documentation, signed by the grants officer, is the authorizing document. The award documentation will also have period of performance dates.

Notice of Not Selection for Award Applications that were not selected for award will be notified by a Grants Officer via e-mail in the Grants and Financial Assistance Division in a timely manner. The Applicant will receive feedback comments from the consensus reviews. The feedback comments will not include the identities of the panelists and reviewers.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements All successful applicants for DHS grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with DHS Standard Terms and Conditions, which are available online at:

DHS Standard Terms and Conditions

The applicable DHS Standard Terms and Conditions will be those in effect at the time the award was made, unless the application is for a continuation award. In that event, the terms and conditions in effect at the time the original award was made will generally apply. What terms and conditions will apply for the award will be clearly stated in the award package at the time of award.

Before accepting the award, the AOR should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the grant award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under federal awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any special terms and conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Reporting Federal Financial Reporting Requirements.

The Federal…