hhtechnical studies full 8.6.15.pdf

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Attached to: Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program FULL Application
Opportunity number: FR-5900-N-16
Issued by: Department of Housing and Urban Development

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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program FULL Application

FR-5900-N-16

H04396 Stamp

FR-5900-N-16

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Funding Opportunity Description. I.

Award Information. II.

Eligibility Information.

Eligible Applicants. A.

Cost Sharing or Matching. B.

Other. C.

III.

Application and Submission Information.

Obtaining an Application Package. A.

Content and Form of Application Submission. B.

DUNS Number and SAM Registration. C.

Application Submission Dates and Times. D.

Intergovernmental Review. E.

Funding Restrictions. F.

Other Submission Requirements. G.

IV.

Application Review Information.

Criteria. A.

Review and Selection Process. B.

Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates. C.

Award Administration Information.

Award Notices. A.

Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements. B.

Reporting. C.

VI.

Agency Contact(s). VII.

Other Information. VIII.

Appendix. IX.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes

Initial

FR-5900-N-16

14.906 September 8, 2015

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please direct questions regarding the specific program requirements of this Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to the agency contact identified in Section VII. Please direct questions regarding the FY 2015 General Section to the Office of Strategic Planning and Management, Grants Management Division, at (202) 708-0667 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons with hearing or speech impairments may access these numbers via TTY by calling the Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339.

Additional Overview Information

1. Incorporation of the General Section. HUD publishes a General Section each fiscal year that contains mandatory requirements for all applicants to HUD’s various competitive grant programs, including this NOFA. Applications must meet all of the requirements of the General Section in addition to the requirements of this NOFA to be considered and potentially receive funding. The full title of the General Section is the General Section to the Fiscal Year 2015 NOFAs for Discretionary Programs. Copies are available at Grants.gov or HUD's Funds Available page, http: //portal.hud.gov /hudportal /HUD?src= /program_offices /administration /grants /fundsavail.

2. OMB Approval Number(s): 2539-0015

I. Funding Opportunity Description.

A. Program Description.

1. Purpose.

HUD is funding studies to improve HUD's and the public's knowledge of housing-related health and safety hazards and to improve or develop new hazard assessment and control methods, with a focus on key residential health and safety hazards. HUD is especially interested in applications that will advance our knowledge on key healthy homes issues by addressing important gaps in the science related to the accurate and efficient identification of hazards and cost effective hazard mitigation. Key hazards are discussed in Appendix A, Key Residential Health and Safety Hazards, of this NOFA. A list of references that serves as the basis for the information provided in this NOFA is provided as Appendix B, Relevant Publications, Guidelines and Other Resources.

The Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program is important for the achievement of research goals identified in both HUD's Healthy Homes Strategic Plan (available at: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal /documents/huddoc ?id= hhstratplan 7 9 09.pdf) and the federal healthy homes strategic plan, Advancing Healthy Housing: A Strategy for Action (available at: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/progr amoffices/healthyhomes/advhh ).

Program Office:

Funding Opportunity Title:

Announcement Type:

Funding Opportunity Number:

Primary CFDA Number:

Due Date for Applications:

http://www.grants.gov http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavail http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc%20?id= hhstratplan 7 9 09.pdf) http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc%20?id= hhstratplan 7 9 09.pdf) http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/programoffices/healthyhomes/advhh http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/programoffices/healthyhomes/advhh

a. General Goals

The overall goal of the Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program is to advance the recognition and control of priority residential health and safety hazards and more closely examine the link between housing and health. The overall objectives of the Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program include, but are not limited to:

(1) Development and evaluation of cost effective test methods and protocols for identification and assessment of housing-related hazards.

(2) Development and assessment of cost-effective methods for reducing or eliminating housing-related hazards.

(3) Evaluation of the effectiveness of housing interventions including educational interventions, and, including barriers and incentives affecting future use of the most cost-effective strategies.

(4) Investigation of the epidemiology of housing-related hazards and illness and injuries associated with these hazards, with an emphasis on vulnerable populations (e.g., children, senior citizens, etc.).

(5) Analysis of existing data or generation of new data to improve knowledge regarding the prevalence and severity of specific hazards in various classes of housing, with a focus on low-income housing.

(6) Improved understanding of the relationship between a residential exposure and illness or injury of children or other vulnerable populations. (Note: Applicants that propose this type of study should discuss how the knowledge that is gained from the study could be used in a program to reduce these hazards in target communities).

HUD anticipates that the results of program-supported studies will help to develop evidence-based approaches that are cost-effective and efficient, and will result in the reduction of health threats for the maximum number of residents and, in particular, children and other vulnerable populations in low income households. Study results are also expected to improve our understanding of how specific aspects of indoor environmental quality can affect the health of residents.

The Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program is a component of HUD’s Healthy Homes Program. A description of the Healthy Homes Program is available on the HUD website at http://www.hud.gov/offices /lead/hhi/index.cfm.

In addition to deficiencies in basic housing conditions that may impact health (e.g., structural problems, lack of adequate heating and cooling, pest infestation, moisture infiltration), other more subtle health hazards may exist in the residential environment (e.g., asthma triggers, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, pesticide residues). While some hazards will be found disproportionately in housing that is substandard housing-related environmental hazards may also exist in housing that is otherwise of good standard, quality. Appendix A of this NOFA briefly describes the key housing-associated health and injury hazards HUD considers targets for intervention. HUD has also developed resource papers on a number of topics of importance under the Healthy Homes Program, including mold, environmental aspects of asthma, carbon monoxide, pesticides, residential assessment and unintentional injuries. These resource papers can be downloaded from http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm.

b. Community Participation

HUD believes that it is important for researchers to incorporate meaningful community participation in the development and implementation of studies that are conducted in communities and/or involve significant interaction with community residents. Community participation can improve study effectiveness in various ways, including the development of more appropriate research objectives, improving recruitment and retention of study participants, improving participants' involvement in and understanding of a study, improving ongoing communication between researchers and the affected community, and more effectively disseminating study findings. HUD encourages applicants to consider using a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach, where applicable, in study design and http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/programoffices/healthyhomes/advhh http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/index.cfm using a community based participatory research (CBPR) approach, where applicable, in study design and implementation. (See, e.g., The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences report titled Successful Models of Community-Based Participatory Research at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/docum ents/huddoc?id=DOC1 2485.pdf.

CBPR is characterized by substantial community input in all phases of a study (i.e., design, implementation, data interpretation, conclusions, and communication of results).

2. Changes from Previous NOFA.

The following is a summary of the major changes in this NOFA relative to the FY2014 Healthy Homes Technical Studies NOFA. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, so applicants should be sure to read the entire NOFA.

a. The maximum award amount for successful applicants under this NOFA has been reduced from $750,000 to $700,000.

b. The award amount available for qualified "new applicants" under this NOFA has been reduced from $750,000 to $700,000.

c. This NOFA is for Healthy Homes Technical Studies only.

d. HUD has added a new topic of particular interest as well as reduced the number of topics that the Department will not fund in FY 2015 (see section III.C.1)

e. The total points for Rating Factor 3 – Soundness of Approach has been reduced from 44 to 42.

f. The total points for Rating Factor 5 – Program Management and Administration has been increased from 10 to 12.

g. The OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, 2 CFR 200, apply now instead of 24 CFR Parts 84 and 85 and other previous OMB circulars.

3. Definitions.

a. Eligibility Requirements – Eligibility requirements are those requirements that must be met for an application to be eligible for funding. Deficiencies in meeting an eligibility requirement may be categorized as either curable or non-curable.

b. Threshold Requirement – Threshold requirements are a category of eligibility requirements. A threshold requirement is a requirement that must be met in order for an application to be reviewed.

Threshold requirements are not curable.

Threshold requirements are listed in Section III.C.2. of both the 2015 General Section and in this Program

NOFA.

Applicants must ensure their application package addresses all threshold requirements. Please check your application carefully!

c. Deficiency – Deficiencies are not the same as errors. Errors are never curable except as permitted under Section IV.C.2. Deficiencies are items of missing or omitted information within a submitted application.

Deficiencies typically involve missing documents, information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement (e.g., an unsigned form, unchecked box, etc.). Depending on specific criteria, deficiencies may be either curable or non-curable.

d. Curable Deficiency – A curable deficiency is a specific type of deficiency that applicants may correct with timely action. To be curable the deficiency must:

– Not be a threshold requirement;

– Not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and

– Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=DOC1%202485.pdf.

e. Non-Curable Deficiency – An applicant cannot correct a non-curable deficiency after the submission deadline. Non-curable deficiencies are deficiencies that if corrected would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. Non-curable deficiencies may result in an application being marked ineligible, or otherwise adversely affect an application’s score and final determination.

B. Authority.

The Healthy Homes Technical Studies program is authorized under sections 501 and 502 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1970 (12 U.S.C. §§ 1701z-1 and 1701z-2). Fiscal Year 2015 funds are authorized under the Department of Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113-235), approved on December 16, 2014.

II. Award Information.

A. Available Funds.

HUD is making available through this NOFA $2,000,000 for Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program FULL Application.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFA as a result of HUD's efforts to recapture unused funds, use carryover funds, or because of the availability of additional appropriated funds. Use of these funds will be subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the applicable funding restrictions described in the General Section and to those contained in this NOFA.

Cooperative agreements will be awarded on a competitive basis following evaluation of all eligible applications according to the rating factors described in Section V.A.1.

B. Number of Awards.

HUD expects to make approximately 4 awards from the funds available under this NOFA.

The award number may be modified subject to the availability of appropriations.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information.

1. Awards ranges are approximate and subject to change.

2. Note for New Applicants. If supported by the majority of the Application Review Panel, HUD will make an award of up to $700,000 for the highest scoring application from a qualified “new applicant”, on the condition that the application receives a score of at least 85 points. A new applicant is an organization that has not been previously funded by the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes (OLHCHH) under the Healthy Homes Technical Studies Grant Program as the primary grantee. A new applicant may have previously been a sub-grantee under an award to another organization. If there is not a qualified new applicant for funding, any remaining funds will be made available to other applicants based on the final overall ranking.

Estimated Total Funding: $2,000,000 Minimum Award Amount: $300,000 Per Project Period Maximum Award Amount: $700,000 Per Project Period D. Period of Performance.

The start date will be determined during the period of negotiations with successful applicants. The period of performance cannot exceed 36 months from the time of award. The proposed performance period should include adequate time for such project components as the Institutional Review Board process, if required, the recruitment of study participants and/or new staff, and the development of methods (e.g., analytical methods), all of which have been found to delay projects in the past.

Estimated Project Start Date: 10/01/2015 Estimated Project End Date: 09/30/2018 36-month project with three 12-month budget periodsOther

Period of performance extensions for delays due to exceptional conditions beyond the grantee's control will be considered for approval by HUD in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.308(d)(2), as applicable, and the OLHCHH Program Guide. If requested, determined to be appropriate, and subsequently approved by OLHCHH, grantees will be eligible to receive a single extension of up to 12 months in length.

E. Type of Funding Instrument.

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement

Awards will be made as cooperative agreements. Anticipated substantial involvement by HUD staff for cooperative agreements may include, but will not be limited to:

1. Review and suggestion of amendments to the study design, including: study objectives; field sampling plan; data collection methods; sample handling and preparation; and sample and data analysis.

2. Review and provision of technical recommendations in response to quarterly progress reports (e.g., amendments to study design based on preliminary results).

3. Review and provision of technical recommendations on the journal article(s) and final study report.

F. Supplementation.

Not Applicable.

III. Eligibility Information.

A. Eligible Applicants.

Eligible applicants under the NOFA include:

Based on the scoring of pre--applications (see Funding Opportunity Number FR--5900--N-15), only the applicants identified in Appendix C are eligible to submit the FULL Application.

HUD does not award grants to individuals. HUD will also not evaluate applications from ineligible applicants.

All applicants must have an active Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform) and have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.sam.gov) before submitting an application. Getting a DUNS number and completing SAM registration can take up to four weeks; therefore applicants should start this process or check their status early.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov

See also Section IV.B below for necessary content and form of the application.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching.

This Program does not require an applicant to leverage resources through cost sharing or matching.

Generally, federal sources are not allowed to be used as cost share or match unless otherwise permitted by a program’s authorizing statute.

Note: Under Rating Factor d, applicants who provide evidence of significant resource leveraging will receive points (see Leveraging Resources under Section V.A.1.d)

C. Other.

All applicants must also refer to Section III of the General Section for information on HUD-wide eligibility requirements. These requirements may determine whether your application is reviewed or make your application ineligible for funding.

Program specific eligibility criteria for this competition includes:

1. Eligible Activities.

a. HUD is particularly interested in the following topics:

(1) Assessing or improving the efficacy of current methods for residential Integrated Pest Management (IPM). (See e.g., Integrated Pest Management, A Guide for Affordable Housing, available at: www.Stoppests.org and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) IPM web page, http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/eLearn/IPM.htm . Topics of interest within the IPM topic area include but are not limited to:

(a) Identification and evaluation of specific practices and processes that help overcome current challenges/obstacles and enhance the adoption of IPM by multi-family housing owners and managers.

(b) Conducting applied research in identifying mechanisms through which human activities/behaviors influence bed bug infestations and control.

(2) Developing easily replicable, cost-effective methods for preventing and controlling mold and excess moisture in various types of residential buildings.

(3) Improving indoor air quality, such as through cost-effective approaches to upgrading residential ventilation or improving control/management of combustion appliances. This includes studies of practical approaches to mitigate the health impacts from infiltration of ambient air pollution (e.g., respirable particulate) due to motor vehicle emissions from roadways and transportation hubs such as bus terminals, etc. Applicants proposing research on methods to reduce indoor concentrations of respirable particulates should refer to guidance published by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Chan and Singer 2014).

(4) Evaluating the effectiveness of education and outreach methods designed to provide at risk families (including minority families, especially those with young children, persons with a variety of disabilities, and those with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)) with the knowledge to adopt self-protective behaviors with respect to residential health hazards. If you propose a study in this focus area you should describe, cite and discuss the theoretical basis for the education/outreach approach that you are proposing.

http://www.Stoppests.org http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehs/eLearn/IPM.htm

(5) Third Hand Smoke (THS): Some research has indicated that THS (i.e., the residue from tobacco smoke that collects on interior surfaces) could result in significant exposure to toxic substances.

Additional research is needed to improve our understanding of exposure to these residues and their potential health impact and the efficacy of cleaning techniques in reducing THS residue from surfaces in homes.

(6) Conducting cost-benefit or cost-effectiveness studies on the health benefits of specific healthy homes interventions in high risk populations (e.g., implementation of smoke-free housing policies, reductions in the incidence of injuries among children or the elderly, savings from using an integrated healthy homes assessment and intervention approach). Applicants are encouraged to team with existing projects or studies through which the housing interventions are being conducted.

(7) Injury Prevention Measures: HUD is interested in demonstrating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of incorporating injury prevention measures into residential programs, including green renovation and rehabilitation programs. Such measures include e.g., grab bars in showers, anti-scald devices, lockable medicine cabinets, etc.

(8) Radon Test Protocols in Multifamily Housing: Current guidance and requirements for radon testing in multifamily housing differ with respect to protocols for the selection and testing of units for radon. For example, one entity may require a minimum of 25% of randomly selected ground level units in covered properties be tested to determine baseline radon levels, while another may require a minimum of 10%. This differs from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists consensus standard, Protocol for Conducting Radon and Radon Decay Product Measurements in Multifamily Buildings, which requires testing of 100% of ground level units in multifamily properties (ANSI-AARST MAMF-2012) available through http://aarst.org/bookstore.shtml . State testing requirements also exist which rely on industry standards to varying degrees. The ANSI-AARST testing standard and the various multifamily testing requirements are based on professional judgment. Research is needed to develop a cost effective, evidence-based testing protocol for multifamily housing that is sufficiently protective (i.e., with respect to the ability to identify units with elevated levels) without being overly burdensome to property owners.

(9) HUD is interested in studies and methodologies that evaluate the longer term efficacy of multifaceted home asthma interventions (i.e., for children with poorly controlled asthma) conducted during the implementation of research or by programs that provide these services (e.g., HUD Healthy Homes Technical Studies, other HUD Healthy Homes Program grantees or programs of other HUD Offices or other agencies). Research and program evaluations have demonstrated that these interventions can be effective in reducing exposure to asthma triggers, improving asthma control in children, and improving caregiver quality of life; however, the maximum post-intervention follow-up period is generally 12 months. The objectives of interest to HUD are to determine whether the indoor environmental and health benefits of multifaceted home interventions persist longer than 12 months.

The extended follow-up could be conducted in the context of ongoing research or programmatic activities or following the completion of a study or an intervention program. The latter focus could assess the longer term efficacy of interventions (e.g., trigger control and asthma management education, moisture and pest control, improved dust cleaning) following removal of household support by research/program staff. Potential applicants should be aware that proposals to conduct this extended follow-up in a programmatic context must use rigorous methods for the proposals to be competitive.

(10) Applications for additional work related to ongoing HUD-funded technical studies (i.e., for work outside of the scope of the original agreement) are eligible to compete with applications for awards on new subjects. These applications will be evaluated in the same manner as applications on new subjects. Brief descriptions of current and recently completed Healthy Homes Technical Studies projects and grantee contact information can be found on the HUD website at http://portal.hud.gov /hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/hhi/hhts.

http://aarst.org/bookstore.shtml http://portal.hud.gov%20/hudportal /HUD?src= /program_offices /healthy_homes /hhi/hhts http://portal.hud.gov%20/hudportal /HUD?src= /program_offices /healthy_homes /hhi/hhts

(11) Other Focus Areas that are Consistent with the Overall Goals of HUD’s Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program. HUD will consider funding applications for technical studies on other topics that are consistent with the overall goals and objectives of the Healthy Homes Technical Studies program, as described above. In such instances, as part of being able to receive an award, it is necessary that the applicant describe in sufficient detail how the proposed study is consistent with the overall program goals and objectives.

b. HUD will not fund applications on the following topics:

(1) Studies that focus on the effects of retrofits to existing housing for the purpose of improving energy efficiency, on indoor air quality or other measures of indoor environmental quality or on occupant health.

(2) Studies that focus on determining the effectiveness of housing interventions on improving the health of adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

2. General Information. You may address one, or more than one, of the above technical studies topic areas within your proposal, or submit separate applications for different topic areas. In proposing to conduct a study on a particular topic, applicants should consider:

a. The ability of the study to generate definitive results. Since the size of the awards under this NOFA that will be made upon review of the full application limits the ability of applicants to design and implement research on health outcomes using the strongest methodology (i.e., a randomized controlled trial), applicants should consider focusing on important indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measures instead of health outcomes in studies where this is appropriate. A focus on environmental outcomes is generally expected to produce more definitive results as opposed to a health outcomes focus, and the impact of improvements to IEQ on health outcomes can be inferred where the evidence base is sufficient.

b. The “fit” of the proposed hazard assessment and/or control methods within the overall goal of addressing “priority” health and safety hazards in a cost-effective manner;

c. The expected efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the proposed methods for hazard control and risk reduction. Questions to consider include the degree to which interventions would be accepted by occupants, ease and cost of implementation, the length of time the intervention would stay effective, and the cost effectiveness of the intervention in preventing illness or injury or in improving the health of residents with existing illness;

d. Where and how these methods would be applied and tested, and/or perform demonstration activities; and

e. The degree to which the study will help develop practical, widely applicable and accepted methods and protocols or improve our understanding of a residential health hazard.

Applicants should consider the efficiencies that might be gained by working cooperatively with one or more recipients of HUD’s Healthy Homes Production grants or Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control or Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration grants, which are widely distributed throughout the United States.

Information on current grantees is available at http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices /healthy_homes/lbp/lhc.

NOTE: A limited amount of hazard control activities, which involve construction rather than research, may be conducted as part of a Healthy Homes Technical Study (see Section IV.E.8).

3. Program Requirements.

a. Program Performance. Grantees shall take all reasonable steps to accomplish all activities within the approved period of performance. HUD reserves the right to terminate the cooperative agreement prior to the expiration of the period of performance if the grantee fails to make reasonable progress in implementing the approved program of activities or fails to comply with the terms of the cooperative agreement.

http://portal.hud.gov%20/hudportal /HUD?src= /program_offices /healthy_homes /hhi/hhts http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/lbp/lhc http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/healthy_homes/lbp/lhc

b. Regulatory Compliance. Grantees must comply with all relevant federal, state, and local regulations regarding exposure to and proper disposal of hazardous materials.

c. Blood Lead Testing. Any blood lead testing, blood lead level test results, medical referral, or follow-up for children under 6 years of age must be conducted according to the recommendations of the CDC, Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children (see Appendix B of this NOFA).

d. Restricted Use of Funds. HUD Healthy Homes Technical Studies grant funds will not replace existing resources dedicated to any ongoing project.

e. Laboratory Analysis for Lead. Laboratory analysis covered by the EPA’s National Lead Laboratory Accreditation Program (NLLAP) must be conducted by a laboratory recognized under the program, unless approved by HUD.

f. Laboratory Analysis for Mold. Samples to be analyzed for mold (fungi) must be submitted to a laboratory accredited through the Environmental Microbiological Laboratory Accreditation Program (EMLAP), administered by the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), unless approved by

HUD.

g. Human Research. Human research subjects will be protected from research risks in conformance with Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, required by HUD at 24 CFR 60.101, which incorporates the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Protection of Human Subjects regulation at 45 CFR part 46. (See Section V.A.1 below regarding the Institutional Review Board process, which is required for some technical studies.)

h. OSHA Compliance. The requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (e.g., 29 CFR parts 1910 and/or 1926, as applicable) or the state or local occupational safety and health regulations, whichever are most stringent, will be met.

i. Civil Rights. The institution administering the grant must comply with all non-discrimination, affirmatively furthering fair housing and other Fair Housing requirements as set forth in section III.C.3 of the FY 2015 General Section.

j. Disclosure. All test results and other information in pre-1978 housing related to lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards must be provided to the owner of the unit, together with a statement describing the owner’s legal duty to disclose the knowledge of lead-based paint and its hazards to prospective tenants (before initial leasing, or before lease renewal with changes) and buyers (before sale) (24 CFR Part 35, subpart A). Disclosure of other identified housing-related health or safety hazards to the owner of the unit, for purposes of remediation, is encouraged but not required by HUD.

k. Privacy. Submission of any information to databases (whether website, computer, paper, or other format) of addresses of housing units identified, treated or cleared under these studies is subject to the protections of the Privacy Act of 1974, and shall not include any personal information that could identify any household member. You should also check to ensure you meet state and local privacy regulations.

l. Community Involvement. Applicants must incorporate meaningful community involvement into any study that requires a significant level of interaction with a community during implementation (e.g., projects being conducted within occupied dwellings or which involve surveys of community residents).

The term community refers to a variety of populations comprised of persons who have commonalities that can be identified (e.g., based on geographic location, ethnicity, health condition, common interests, age, disability, LEP, etc.). Applicants should identify the community that is most relevant to their particular project. Meaningful community involvement also requires that recipients ensure that information provided to the community during these activities is provided in a manner that is effective for persons with disabilities (See 24 CFR § 8.6) and gives meaningful access to persons with limited English proficiency (LEP). There are many different approaches to involving the community in the conception, design, and implementation of a study and the subsequent dissemination of findings. Examples include but are not limited to: establishing a structured approach to obtain community input and feedback (e.g., through a community advisory board); including one or more community-based organizations as study partners;

employing community residents to recruit study participants and collect data; and enlisting the community in the dissemination of findings and translation of results into improved policies and/or practices. A discussion of community involvement in research involving housing-related health hazards can be found in Chapter 5 of the Institute of Medicine publication titled “Ethical Considerations for Research on Housing-Related Health Hazards Involving Children” (see Appendix B for more information on this report).

m. Economic Opportunities for Low- and Very Low-Income Persons (Section 3). Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. § 1701u) applies to this program when activities that are conducted pursuant to this NOFA include housing construction or rehabilitation (including reduction and abatement of lead-based paint hazards). Section 3 requires that, to the greatest extent feasible, training, employment, contracting, and other economic opportunities are provided to low- and very low-income persons, particularly those who are recipients of government assistance for housing, and to business concerns that provide economic opportunities that are directed to low- and very low-income persons in the area in which the project is located. For more information on these requirements, see 24 CFR Part 135 and section III.C.3.c of the FY 2015 General Section.

n. Standardized Dust Sampling Protocol and Quality Control Requirements. Grantees collecting samples of settled dust from participant homes for environmental allergen analyses (e.g., cockroach, dust mite) will be required to use a standard dust sampling protocol, unless the grantee provides compelling justification to use an alternate protocol (e.g., the study involves the development of an alternative sampling method).

The HUD protocol can be found on the OLHCHH website at: http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/hhire sources.cfm. Grantees conducting these analyses may also be required to include quality control dust samples, provided by OLHCHH at no cost to the grantee, with the samples that are submitted for laboratory analyses.

o. Requirements for peer review of scientific data in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget Information Quality Guidelines. All HUD-sponsored research is subject to the OMB Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review (70 FR 2664-2677, January 14, 2005) prior to its public dissemination. In accordance with paragraph II.2 of the Bulletin, HUD will not require further peer review conducted on information that has already been subjected to adequate peer review.

p. Principal Investigator (PI) The PI for the proposed study must directly represent and be directly employed by the applicant's organization for the proposed role in the grant application. If the proposal includes co-PIs, the lead co-PI must represent and be directly employed by the applicant's organization.

1. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements.

Environmental Requirements.

a. Eligible Construction and Rehabilitation Activities. A FY 2015 Healthy Homes Technical Studies award does not constitute approval of specific sites where activities that are subject to environmental review may be carried out. The provisions of section 305(c) of the Multifamily Housing Property Disposition Reform Act of 1994, implemented by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58, “Environmental Review Procedures for Entities Assuming HUD Environmental Responsibilities,” are applicable to properties assisted with Healthy Homes Technical Studies funds. Therefore, recipients conducting eligible construction and rehabilitation activities must comply with 24 CFR part 58. Recipients that are States, units of general local government or Native American tribes must carry out environmental review responsibilities as a responsible entity under part 58. Recipients that are academic, not-for-profit, for-profit institutions or specialized units of local government must contact and partner with a non-recipient responsible entity, usually the unit of general local government or Native American tribe, to assume the environmental review responsibilities for construction or rehabilitation activities funded (in whole or in part) under this http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/hhiresources.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/lead/hhi/hhiresources.cfm

NOFA. Reasonable expenses incurred for compliance with these environmental requirements are eligible expenses under this NOFA. Under 24 CFR 58.11, where the recipient is not a State, unit of general local government or Native American tribe, if a responsible entity objects to performing the environmental review, or the recipient objects to the responsible entity performing the environmental review, HUD may designate another responsible entity to perform the review or may perform the environmental review itself under the provisions of 24 CFR part 50. When HUD performs the review itself, following grant award execution, HUD will be responsible for ensuring that any necessary environmental reviews are completed.

b. For all cooperative agreements under this NOFA, recipients and other participants in the project are prohibited from undertaking, or committing or expending HUD or non-HUD funds (including leveraged funds) on, a project or activities under this NOFA (other than activities listed in 24 CFR 58.34, 58.35(b) or 58.22(f)) until the responsible entity completes an environmental review and the applicant submits and HUD approves a Request for the Release of Funds and the responsible entity’s environmental certification (both on Form HUD-7015.15) or, in instances where the recipient is not a State, unit of general local government or Native American tribe and HUD performs the environmental review under part 50, HUD has completed the review and notified the grantee of its approval. The results of the environmental reviews may require that proposed activities be modified or proposed sites rejected. For Part 58 procedures, see http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/environment/index.cfm. For assistance, contact Karen Griego, the Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes Program Environmental Clearance Officer at (505) 346-6462 (this is not a toll free-number) or the HUD Environmental Clearance Officer in the HUD Field Office serving your area. If you are a hearing- or speech-impaired person, you may reach the telephone number via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339. Recipients of a grant under this program will be given additional guidance in these environmental responsibilities.

c. All other activities not related to construction or rehabilitation activities are categorically excluded under 24 CFR 50.19 (b)(1), (3), (5) and (9) from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. § 4321) and are not subject to environmental review under the related environmental laws and authorities at 24 CFR 50.4.

2. Threshold Requirements.

Only applications that meet all threshold requirements established in the General Section and Program NOFA will be evaluated. In addition to the threshold criteria outlined in the General Section, including the Resolution of Outstanding Civil Rights Matters (prior to application deadline), the following threshold requirements must be met:

Applicant must be invited (based on their score and ranking on their pre-application) to submit a full application.

3. Compliance with Nondiscrimination and Related Requirements.

See section III.C.3 of the FY 2015 General Section.

4. Other Requirements.

This program has eligibility criteria for beneficiaries No

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Obtaining an Application Package.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/environment/index.cfm.

A. Obtaining an Application Package.

An electronic copy of the Application Package and Application Instructions for this NOFA can be downloaded from Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Unless an applicant received a waiver for good cause, applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov except Continuum of Care applications. The Continuum of Care application is submitted through HUD’s e-snaps system.

An applicant demonstrating good cause may request a waiver from the requirement for electronic submission. Applicants that cannot submit their applications electronically and must seek a waiver of the electronic grant submission requirements must submit a waiver request so that the request is received at least 15 days before the application deadline. If HUD waives the requirement, your paper application must be received by HUD before the deadline of this NOFA. To request a waiver and receive a paper copy of the application materials, you should contact:

Dr. J. Kofi Berko Jr Office of Lead Hazard Control & Healthy Homes US Department of Housing & Urban Development 451 7th Street, S.W. Rm 8236 Washington, DC 20410 Phone: (202) 402-7696 Email: j.kofi.berko@hud.gov

Applicants should submit their requests for a waiver of electronic submission of their application in writing using email. See Section IV.A of the General Section for requirements for requesting and submitting a waiver. Waiver requests must be submitted no later than 15 days prior to the application deadline date and should be submitted to: j.kofi.berko@hud.gov.

Grants.gov provides customer support information on its website at http://www.grants.gov/contactus/conta ctus.jsp. If you have difficulty accessing the application and instructions or having technical problems, you can receive customer support from Grants.gov by calling (800) 518-GRANTS (this is a toll-free number) or by sending an email to support@grants.gov. (Hearing- or speech-challenged individuals may access this number through TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Relay Service at 800-877-8339.) The Grants.gov Help Desk can be reached twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, except federal holidays. HUD recommends calling the Help Desk rather than emailing, because determining the basis for the problem may take some conversation with the Grants.gov Support Customer Service Representative.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission.

To ensure that the correct Application Package and Application Instructions are used, applicants must verify that the CFDA number and CFDA Description on the first page of the Application Package downloaded from Grants.gov, as well as the Opportunity Title, and the Funding Opportunity Number match the Program and NOFA to which they are applying. Applications will only be considered for the competition indicated in boxes 11, 12, and 13 on the SF-424 submitted in the application.

1. Content

Forms for your package include the forms outlined below:

Forms / Assurances / Certifications

Submission Requirement Notes / Description http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply-for-grants.html mailto:j.kofi.berko@hud.gov mailto:j.kofi.berko@hud.gov http://Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/contactus/contactus.jsp http://www.grants.gov/contactus/contactus.jsp http://Grants.gov mailto:to_support@grants.gov http://Grants.gov http://Grants.gov

Acknowledgment of Application Receipt (HUD2993), if applicable