fy-2024-cds-nofo-fg-24-009.docx

Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration FY 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending Projects (Modified Announcement)

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. FG-24-099 Assistance Listing Number: 93.493 Key Dates:

Intergovernmental Review (E.O. 12372) Applicants must comply with E.O. 12372 if their state(s) participate(s). Review process recommendations from the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) are due no later than 60 days after the application deadline. See Section I of the Application Guide.

Electronic Grant Application Submission Requirements

You must complete three (3) registration processes:

1. System for Award Management (SAM);

2. Grants.gov; and

3. eRA Commons.

See Section A of the Application Guide (Registration and Application Submission Requirements) to begin this process.

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting non-competitive applications in response to Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) Projects in SAMHSA’s Fiscal Year FY 2024 Appropriation. CDS projects align with SAMHSA's mission to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes. Recipients are expected to fully implement the projects that were approved by Congress. With this program, SAMHSA aims to award resources enacted in the FY 2024 Further Consolidated Appropriation Act.

SAMHSA is accepting non-competitive applications in response to Congressionally Directed Spending Projects in SAMHSA’s Fiscal Year FY 2024 Appropriation. The organizations and purpose for which this funding is made available are included in Appendix B. If your organization has been awarded funding for more than one project, you must submit an application for each project.

This funding aligns with SAMHSA's mission to lead public health and service delivery efforts that promote mental health, prevent substance misuse, and provide treatments and supports to foster recovery while ensuring equitable access and better outcomes.

This notice of funding opportunity provides general information about the program, including funding amounts and limitations, Administrative and National Policy Requirements, and application instructions.

FY 2024 Congressionally Directed Spending Projects are authorized under the Further Consolidated Appropriation Act, 2024 [P.L. 118-47].

2. KEY PERSONNEL

A point of contact must be identified to serve as the Project Director (PD). This individual will have daily oversight of approved project activities for the award. The PD’s Commons ID should be reflected in Section 4 and the PD’s name and contact information should be captured in Section 8f of the SF-424. This individual may receive a salary or compensation from the project or be an in-kind contribution.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

1. AWARD AMOUNT

The award amount for the Congressionally Directed Spending Projects are included in Appendix B. The amount includes both direct and indirect costs. All costs incurred prior to the award issue date and costs not consistent with the funding opportunity, 45 CFR § 75, and the HHS Grants Policy Statement, are not allowable under this award.

2. FUNDING MECHANISM

Awards will be made as grants.

3. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance is one year (9/30/2024 - 9/29/2025).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible entities are those organizations that received a Congressionally Directed Spending Project funding amount for specific projects in the joint explanatory statement accompanying the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 [P.L. 118-47].

This announcement is not open to the public.

2. COST SHARING AND MATCHING REQUIREMENTS

Cost sharing/match is not required in this program.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

The application forms package specific to this funding opportunity can be accessed through Grants.gov Workspace or eRA ASSIST. Due to potential difficulties with internet access, SAMHSA understands that applicants may need to request paper copies of materials, including forms and required documents. See Section A of the Application Guide for more information on obtaining an application package.

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Prior to submitting your application, review the checklist in Appendix A to ensure that all of the required documents have been submitted.

REQUIRED APPLICATION COMPONENTS

You must submit the standard and supporting documents outlined below and in Section A - 2.2 of the Application Guide (Required Application Components). All files uploaded must be in Adobe PDF file format. See Section B of the Application Guide for formatting and validation requirements.

SAMHSA will not accept paper applications except under special circumstances. If you need special consideration, the waiver of this requirement must be approved in advance. See Section A - 3.2 of the Application Guide (Waiver of Electronic Submission).

· SF-424 – Fill out all Sections of the SF-424.

· In Line 4 (i.e., Applicant Identifier), enter the Commons Username of the PD/PI.

· In Line 8f, enter the name and contact information of the Project Director identified in the budget and in Line 4 (eRA Commons Username).

· In Line 17 (Proposed Project Date) enter: a. Start Date: 9/30/2024; b. End Date: 9/29/2025.

· Line 21 is the authorized official and should not be the same individual as the Project Director in line 8f.

It is recommended new applicants review the sample of a completed SF-424.

· SF-424A BUDGET INFORMATION FORM – Fill out all Sections of the SF-424A using instructions below. The totals in Sections A and B must match.

· Section A – Budget Summary: Use the first row only (Line 1) to report the total federal funds (e) requested for the one-year project only.

· Section B – Budget Categories: Use the first column only (Column 1) to report the budget category breakouts (Lines 6a through 6h) and indirect charges (Line 6j) for the total funding requested for the one-year project.

· Section C – Leave this section blank.

· Section D – Forecasted Cash Needs: enter the total funds requested, broken down by quarter, only for Year 1 of the project period. Use the first row for federal funds.

· Section E – Budget Estimates: Row 16, enter zero (0) in column (b) First.

See Section B of the Application Guide to review common errors in completing the SF-424 and the SF-424A. These errors will prevent your application from being successfully submitted.

See instructions on completing the SF-424A form at:

· Sample SF-424A (No Match Required)

· It is highly recommended you use the Budget Template on the SAMHSA website.

· PROJECT NARRATIVE – (Maximum 5 pages total)

The Project Narrative describes your project. It consists of Sections A through C. (Remember that if your Project Narrative starts on page 1 and ends on page 6, it is 6 pages long, not 5 pages.) More detailed instructions for completing each section of the Project Narrative are provided in Section V.1 – Application Review Information.

· BUDGET JUSTIFICATION AND NARRATIVE

You must submit the budget justification and narrative as a file entitled “BNF” (Budget Narrative Form). (See Section A – 2.2 of the Application Guide -Required Application Components.)

· ATTACHMENTS 1 THROUGH 8

Except for Attachment 4 (Project Timeline), do not include any attachments to extend or replace any of the sections of the Project Narrative. Reviewers will not consider these attachments.

Label the attachments as: Attachment 1, Attachment 2, etc. To upload the attachments, use the:

· Other Attachment Form if applying with Grants.gov Workspace.

· Other Narrative Attachments if applying with eRA ASSIST.

· Attachment 1: Letters of Commitment and/or Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), if applicable. Provide any letters of commitment or MOU(s) from organizations that will be partnering in the project.

· Attachment 2: Data Collection Instruments/Interview Protocols, if applicable If you are using standardized data collection instruments/interview protocols, you do not need to include these in your application. Instead, provide a web link to the appropriate instrument/protocol. If the data collection instrument(s) or interview protocol(s) is/are not standardized, you must include a copy in Attachment 2.

· Attachment 3: Sample Consent Forms, if applicable Forms to be submitted include, as appropriate, sample consent forms that provide for: (1) informed consent for participation in service intervention; (2) informed consent for participation in the data collection component of the project; and (3) informed consent for the exchange (releasing or requesting) of confidential information.

· Attachment 4: Project Timeline This attachment is scored by reviewers. Maximum of 2 pages. See instructions in Section V, B.3 of this NOFO.

· Attachment 5: Biographical Sketches and Position Descriptions See Section F of the Application Guide - Biographical Sketches and Position Descriptions for information on completing biographical sketches and position descriptions. Position descriptions should be no longer than one page each and biographical sketches should be two pages in total.

· Attachment 6: Letter to the State Point of Contact Review information in Section IV.6 and see Section I of the Application Guide (Intergovernmental Review) for detailed information on E.O. 12372 requirements to determine if this applies.

· Attachment 7: Confidentiality and SAMHSA Participant Protection/ Human Subjects Guidelines, if applicable.

This required attachment is in response to Section C of the Application Guide and reviewers will assess the response.

· Attachment 8: Form SMA 170 – Assurance of Compliance with SAMHSA Charitable Choice Statutes and Regulations. You are required to complete Form SMA 170 if your project is offering substance use prevention or treatment services. This form is posted on SAMHSA’s website at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/applying/forms-resources.

3. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

Section A of the Application Guide has information about the three registration processes you must complete including obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier and registering with the System for Award Management (SAM). You must maintain an active SAM registration throughout the time your organization has an active federal award or an application under consideration by an agency. This does not apply if you are an individual or federal agency that is exempted from those requirements under 2 CFR § 25.110.

4. APPLICATION SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Submit your application no later than 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on June 21, 2024.

If you have been granted permission to submit a paper copy, the application must be received by the above date and time. Refer to Section A of the Application Guide for information on how to apply.

All applicants MUST be registered with NIH’s eRA Commons, Grants.gov, and the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) in order to submit this application. The process could take up to six weeks. (See Section A of the Application Guide for all registration requirements).

If an applicant is not currently registered with the eRA Commons, Grants.gov, and/or SAM.gov, the registration process MUST be started immediately. If an applicant is already registered in these systems, confirm the SAM registration is still active and the Grants.gov and eRA Commons accounts can be accessed.

WARNING: BY THE DEADLINE FOR THIS NOFO, THE FOLLOWING TASKS MUST BE COMPLETED TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION:

· The applicant organization MUST be registered in NIH’s eRA Commons;

AND

· The Project Director MUST have an active eRA Commons account (with the PI role) affiliated with the organization in eRA Commons.

No exceptions will be made.

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION. Waiting until the last minute, may result in the application not being received without errors by the deadline.

5. FUNDING LIMITATIONS/RESTRICTIONS

· Food can be included as a necessary expense[footnoteRef:2] for individuals receiving SAMHSA-funded mental and/or substance use disorder treatment services, not to exceed $10.00 per person per day. [2: Appropriated funds can be used for an expenditure that bears a logical relationship to the specific program, makes a direct contribution, and be reasonably necessary to accomplish specific program outcomes established in the grant award or cooperative agreement. The expenditure cannot be justified merely because of some social purpose and must be more than merely desirable or even important. The expenditure must neither be prohibited by law nor provided for through other appropriated funding. ]

You must also comply with SAMHSA’s Standards for Financial Management and Standard Funding Restrictions in Section H of the Application Guide.

6. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW (E.O. 12372) REQUIREMENTS

All SAMHSA programs are covered under Executive Order (EO) 12372, as implemented through Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation at 45 CFR Part 100. Under this Order, states may design their own processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed federal assistance under covered programs. See the Application Guide, Section I - Intergovernmental Review for additional information on these requirements as well as requirements for the Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS).

7. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

See Section A of the Application Guide for specific information about submitting the application.

The Project Narrative describes the project and includes the Evaluation Criteria in Sections A-C below. In these sections, clearly describe how the grant funds will be used. The application will be reviewed for consistency with Congressional intent and must align with the proposal that was submitted by the organization and approved by Congress. It is not sufficient to submit the proposal submitted to the Congressional member(s). The application must respond to the evaluation criteria in Sections A-C. Deficiencies in your application may delay the grant award or lead to special terms and conditions being placed on your award. The application will be reviewed according to your response to the evaluation criteria in Sections A-C.

In developing the Project Narrative section of your application, use these instructions, which have been tailored to this program.

· The Project Narrative (Sections A-C) together may be no longer than 5 pages.

· You must use the three sections/headings listed below in developing your Project Narrative. You must indicate the Section letter and number in your response, i.e., type “A-1”, “A-2”, etc., before your response to each question. You do not need to type the full criterion in each section. You only need to include the letter and number of the criterion. You may not combine two or more questions or refer to another section of the Project Narrative in your response, such as indicating that the response for B.2 is in C.1. Only information included in the appropriate numbered question will be considered by reviewers.

SECTION A: Description of Project, Population of Focus, and Statement of Need

1. Provide a detailed description of the project that will be implemented at the start of the project period. If applicable, describe your population(s) of focus and the geographic catchment area where the project will be implemented. Specify whether mental health, substance use disorder, and/or substance use prevention services or training will be delivered.

2. Describe the need for project funding, which could include data sources, service gaps, current prevalence rates or incidence data for the population(s) of focus and other relevant information to document the need.

SECTION B: Goals and Objectives/Numbers to Be Served/Timeline

1. Describe the goals and measurable objectives of the project (see the Application Guide, Section D - Developing Goals and Measurable Objectives).

2. If providing direct services or trainings, provide the unduplicated number of persons to be served or trained with project funds. If not applicable, state this in your response.

3. In Attachment 4, provide a chart or graph depicting a realistic timeline for the one-year project period including dates, key activities, and responsible staff. The timeline cannot be more than two pages.

SECTION C: Staff and Organizational Experience

1. Describe the experience of your organization with similar projects and/or providing services/trainings to the population(s) of focus. Identify other organization(s) that you will partner with in the proposed project. Describe their experience providing services to the population(s) of focus, and their specific roles and responsibilities for this project. If applicable, provide Letters of Commitment and/or MOU from organizations that will be partnering in the project in Attachment 1.

2. Provide a complete list of staff positions for the project, including the Project Director, and other significant personnel. For each staff member describe their:

· Role,

· Level of Effort, and

· Qualifications, including their experience providing services to the population(s) of focus and familiarity with their culture(s) and language(s).

2. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION, EXISTING RESOURCES, OTHER SUPPORT

(other federal and non-federal sources) You must provide a narrative justification of the items included in your proposed budget.

The purpose of the budget narrative is to provide a detailed description of the budget entered in the SF-424A. The budget narrative must include a detailed discussion of how the Congressionally Directed Spending funds will be used. It should: 1. Justify the need for each line item and the cost estimates; and 2. Explain how the costs relate to the programmatic goals and objectives of the project. A budget narrative must be completed for each cost category.

For example, the travel line item must specify the mileage, per diem, estimated number of trips in-state and out of state, number of travelers, and other costs for each type of travel for staff. The travel costs must be allowable, only for staff employed by the organization, and integral to the proposed project or related to project activities.

All costs in the budget must be reasonable, necessary, and allowable to achieve the goals and objectives of the program. For examples of unallowable costs, refer to Section H of the Application Guide (Standard Funding Restrictions) and 45 CFR § Part 75 – General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

See the Application Guide, Section K - Budget and Justification for information on the SAMHSA Budget Template. It is highly recommended that you use the template. Your budget must reflect the funding limitations/restrictions noted in Section IV-5. Identify the items associated with these costs in your budget.

3. APPLICATION REVIEW

SAMHSA will review each application for completeness, eligibility, submission of all required documents, and compliance with the requirements outlined in this NOFO.

SAMHSA is required to review and consider any Responsibility/Qualification (R/Q) information about your organization in SAM.gov. In accordance with 45 CFR 75.212, SAMHSA reserves the right not to make an award to an entity if that entity does not meet the minimum qualification standards as described in section 75.205(a)(2). You may include in your proposal any comments on any information entered into the R/Q section in SAM.gov about your organization that a federal awarding agency previously entered. SAMHSA will consider your comments, in addition to other information in R/Q, in making a judgment about your organization’s integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards when completing the review of risk posed as described in 45 CFR 75.205 HHS Awarding Agency Review of Risk Posed by Applicants.

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

A Notice of Award (NoA) will be emailed to the following: 1) the Signing Official identified on page 3 of the SF-424 (Authorized Representative section); and 2) the Project Director identified on page 1 of the SF-424 (8f). The NoA is the sole obligating document that allows recipients to receive federal funding for the project.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

If your application is funded, you must comply with all terms and conditions of the NoA. See information on standard terms and conditions. See the Application Guide, Section J - Administrative and National Policy Requirements for specific information about these requirements.

3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

You will be required to submit a final progress report (FPR) within 120 days after the end of the project period. The FPR must address all activities that were implemented. The report must discuss:

· Progress achieved in the project, barriers encountered, including barriers serving sub-populations; and efforts to overcome these barriers.

· If applicable, the number of clients/individuals served.

· If applicable, the number of trainings provided and number of individuals trained.

In addition, you must submit a final Federal Financial Report (FFR) within 120 days after the end of the project period.

Award Management Recipients must also comply with standard award management reporting requirements, unless otherwise noted in the NOFO or NoA.

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

· If your project focuses on implementing mental health services, contact the mental health contact below.

· If your project focuses on implementing substance use treatment services, contact the substance use treatment contact below.

· If your project focuses on implementing substance use prevention services, contact the substance use prevention contact below.

· If your project includes delivering more than one of these services, contact the appropriate SAMHSA staff member based on the subject matter of the question.

To assist you in determining what staff member to contact, the recommended Point of Contact for each project is included in Appendix B.

For program questions contact:

Substance Use Treatment related questions:

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Michael Amoh

(240) 276-2908 michael.amoh@samhsa.hhs.gov

Substance Use Prevention related questions:

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Alexandria Washington

(240) 276-1790 alexandria.washington@samhsa.hhs.gov

Mental Health related questions:

Center for Mental Health Services Katie Hager

(240) 276-1268 katie.hager@samhsa.hhs.gov

For fiscal/budget questions contact:

Division of Grants Management

(240) 276-1940 FOACDS@samhsa.hhs.gov For application submission questions contact:

Michelle Armstrong Division of Grant Review

(240) 276-1084 michelle.armstrong@samhsa.hhs.gov

Appendix A: Checklist for CDS Application To ensure the application is complete, make sure the following documents and information are included in your application.

☐ Project Narrative (Response to Evaluation Criteria in Section V):

☐ A thorough description of the project is included in A.1 ☐ Realistic goals and measurable objectives are included in B.1

☐ All of the required attachments are submitted:

☐ Letters of Commitment or Memorandum of Understanding, if applicable (Attachment 1) ☐ Data collection instruments, if applicable (Attachment 2) ☐ Sample consent forms, if applicable. (Attachment 3) ☐ Project timeline (Attachment 4) ☐ Resumes and job descriptions for project staff (Attachment 5) ☐ Letter to the Single State Agency, if applicable (Attachment 6) ☐ A response to the Participant Protection Criteria. This a required attachment for all projects delivering any services and/or training to individuals. (Attachment 7)

☐ Form SMA 170 – Assurance of Compliance with SAMHSA Charitable Choice Statutes and Regulations, if applicable (Attachment 8)

☐ Budget and Budget Narrative:

☐ For each cost item listed in the budget an accompanying narrative justification is included.

☐ The budget adheres to all the funding limitations outlined in Section H of the Application Guide.

☐ The Project Director is included in the Personnel Cost Category (A) (either as a salaried employee or an in-kind contribution) ☐ If applicable, a copy of the current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement is submitted ☐ If funds will be used to purchase equipment, a description of the need for the equipment (including vehicles) (See Section K of the Application Guide)

☐ If funds will be used for minor alterations and renovations (A&R), a description of the minor A&R work and an explanation of how improvements to the facility are necessary to achieve the goals of the project. (See the 4th bullet under Standard Funding Restrictions in Section H of the Application Guide.)

Appendix B – Community Projects and Funding Amounts

A Place to Belong

Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine

Briarpatch Youth Services

Carlsbad LifeHouse

Cowlitz Indian Tribe

Families Reaching Into Each New Day (FRIENDS WAY)

including therapy and wellness services for underserved children and adults

including through integrating mental and behavioral healthcare with primary care

Walker, Inc. dba Walker Therapeutic and Educational Programs