Instructions HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-YE-1212.pdf

Administration for Children and Families

Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation

Access to Infant and Toddler Care and Education: Research and Evaluation

HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-YE-1212

Application Due Date: 07/08/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

I. Program Description

II. Federal Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

III.3. Other

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications

The Project Description

The Project Budget and Budget Justification

Application Submission Options

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

IV.4. Submission Dates and Times

Explanation of Due Dates

Acknowledgement of Received Application

IV.5. Intergovernmental Review

IV.6. Funding Restrictions

IV.7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

V.1. Criteria

V.2. Review and Selection Process

V.3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

VI.1. Federal Award Notices

VI.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.3. Reporting

VII. HHS Award Agency Contact(s)

VIII. Other Information

Reference Websites

Application Checklist

Appendix

Funding Opportunity Title:

Access to Infant and Toddler Care and Education: Research and Evaluation Announcement Type:

Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACF-OPRE-YE-1212

Assistance Listing Number:

93.575 Due Date for Applications:

07/08/2024

Executive Summary Notice:

• Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the entire notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) carefully and observe the application formatting requirements listed in Section IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission. For more information on applying for an award, please visit "Applying for an ACF Award" at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant.

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is soliciting applications for Access to Infant and Toddler Care and Education: Research and Evaluation awards. The early care and education (ECE) landscape has shifted in recent years due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, increasing state and local investments in public pre-kindergarten, a declining supply of home-based ECE settings, changing ECE workforce qualification or educational requirements, and ECE workforce shortages and provider instability exacerbated by the COVID- 19 pandemic. This shifting landscape has implications, including unintended consequences, for access to infant and toddler care and education (i.e., the extent to which families can identify and secure care with reasonable effort, the affordability of care, care that meets parents’ needs, care that supports children’s development).

This opportunity will provide funding to address key research and evaluation questions related to care and education access for infants and toddlers at the national, state, or local level.

Specifically, these awards will support either:

1. descriptive research studies to document current access, shifts in access over time, or the characteristics of specific policies, practices, or other efforts that may be affecting access;

or

2. evaluations to explore the implementation or effects of specific policies, practices, or other efforts that may be affecting access.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/how-apply-grant

Proposed projects can include primary data collection and/or leverage secondary data sources.

Proposed projects can use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods data at the national, state or territory, or local level.

For further information about ACF's Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), see http://acf.hhs.gov/opre.

I. Program Description

Statutory Authority Section 658O(a)(5) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act (42 U.S.C.

9858m(a)(5))

Description Background

As described in Defining and Measuring Access to High-Quality Early Care and Education (ECE): A Guidebook for Policymakers and Researchers, access can be conceptualized as:

• the extent to which families can identify and secure care with reasonable effort (including the interaction between the supply of ECE programs and the demand and use of ECE programs by families, the extent to which information about ECE programs is readily available to parents, and disparities in access);

• the affordability of care (including the cost to parents and the cost to ECE programs of providing early care and education services);

• care that meets parents’ needs (including the type of ECE program, the availability of transportation to the program, and the program’s hours of operation); and

• care that supports children’s development (including quality of care, coordination of services within and across ECE settings, practices that support children’s stability in ECE arrangements, and program practices that meet children’s unique needs, including those children who may be particularly vulnerable).

The first three years of life are critical for supporting child growth and development. Yet, access to high-quality care and education for infants and toddlers has long been limited. This is in part due to higher operational costs of serving infants and toddlers than children of other ages.

The ECE landscape has shifted in recent years due to a number of factors, including, but not limited to, increasing state and local investments in public pre-kindergarten, a declining supply of home-based ECE settings, changing ECE workforce qualification or educational requirements, and ECE workforce shortages and provider instability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This shifting landscape may have implications, including unintended consequences, for further limiting access to infant and toddler care and education.

Project Goals and Requirements

This opportunity will provide funding for projects that address key research and evaluation questions related to care and education access for infants and toddlers at the national, state, or local level and to disseminate findings from those projects.

The goals of these awards are to:

http://acf.hhs.gov/opre https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/defining-and-measuring-access-high-quality-early-care-and-education-ece-guidebook https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/report/defining-and-measuring-access-high-quality-early-care-and-education-ece-guidebook

• Answer key questions to inform policy, program administration, and future research related to infant and toddler care and education access.

• Encourage active communication, networking, and collaboration among those studying access to infant and toddler care and education.

Specifically, these awards will support either:

1. descriptive research studies to document current access, shifts in access over time, or the characteristics of specific policies, practices, or other efforts that may be affecting access;

or

2. evaluations to explore the implementation or effects of specific policies, practices, or other efforts that may be affecting access.

Potential research and evaluation projects may examine topics at the national, state, or local level, as they are relevant to access to infant and toddler care and education, including, but not limited to:

• Publicly funded pre-kindergarten policies or practices (e.g., eligibility requirements;

delivery system; ages served);

• Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) policies and practices (e.g., eligibility requirements; consumer education activities; strategies for increasing the supply and quality of infant and toddler services including uses of infant and toddler quality set-aside funds, infant and toddler copayment/reimbursement rates to meet demand);

• Shifts in minimum preservice qualification or educational requirements for the infant and toddler care and education workforce or shifts for the care and education workforce serving preschool-aged children that may have implications for infant and toddler access;

• Efforts to improve the supply of home-based providers serving infants and toddlers to meet demand;

• Incentives or initiatives to keep existing or expand their infant and toddler slots (e.g., set-asides or funds to support infant and toddler slots);

• Provisions of the 2024 CCDF Final Rule, Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund (e.g., implementation of provisions related to eligibility and enrollment processes, family co-payment policies, or use of grants and contracts for direct services for infants and toddlers);

• Disparities or inequities in access for infants and toddlers from underserved or marginalized communities and/or “equal access” provisions of CCDF that aim to ensure eligible children have access to child care services that are comparable to services for children whose parents are not eligible; or

• Other uses of federal, state, and/or local funds to improve access to infant and toddler care and education.

Recipients must align their proposed measurement of access with at least one of the dimensions of access presented above (i.e., the extent to which families are able to secure care with reasonable effort, the affordability of care, care that meets parents’ needs, or care that supports children’s development).

Recipients will conduct primary data collection and/or leverage secondary data sources. Potential secondary data sources may include, but are not limited to:

• State or local administrative data (e.g., licensing, Child Care Resource & Referral, Quality Rating and Improvement System, workforce registry, child care subsidy system, pre-kindergarten program);

• National administrative data (e.g., ACF-801);

• State or local survey data (e.g., CCDF Lead Agency market rate survey)

• National survey data (e.g., National Survey of Early Care and Education, U.S. Census

Bureau American Community Survey, Early Head Start Child-Care Partnerships National Descriptive Study and Sustainability Study);

Recipients will analyze quantitative, qualitative, or mixed- methods data. Recipients will analyze a singular data source or link multiple data sources.

Attendance at Meetings.

The Project Director or Principal Investigator must participate in a consortium of recipients. The Project Director or Principal Investigator will meet and communicate regularly with federal staff and the consortium to:

• share lessons learned;

• identify opportunities for collaboration;

• plan for dissemination; and

• develop collective expertise and resources to be shared with the field at large.

The Project Director or Principal Investigator must attend:

• quarterly virtual calls with other recipients.

• meetings of the Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium

(CCEEPRC) in 2025 and 2027. CCEEPRC is typically held in spring/summer in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and lasts approximately 2 days.

• ACF’s National Research Conference on Early Childhood (NRCEC) in 2026. NRCEC is typically held in spring/summer in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and lasts approximately 3 days.

• Two meetings of all recipients. Each meeting will last approximately 1 day and be held in conjunction with CCEEPRC 2025 and 2027.

Acknowledgment of Federal Funding

Please refer to the Stevens Amendment on the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements for guidance requiring all HHS grant and cooperative agreement recipients to acknowledge federal funding when publicly communicating projects or programs funded through the HHS annual appropriation.

Subawards Recipients under this program may opt to transfer a portion of substantive programmatic work to other organizations through subaward(s). The prime recipient must maintain a substantive role in the project. ACF defines a substantive role as conducting activities and/or providing services funded under the award that are necessary and integral to the completion of the project.

Subrecipient monitoring activities alone, as specified in 45 CFR § 75.352, do not constitute a https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements substantive role. Furthermore, ACF does not fund awards where the role of the applicant is primarily to serve as a conduit for passing funds to other organizations unless that arrangement is authorized by statute.

Subrecipient(s) must meet the eligibility requirements identified in the NOFO, Section III.1.

Eligible Applicants. Additionally, all subrecipient(s) must obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) assigned by the System for Award Management (SAM), if they do not already have one.

Prime recipients are required to check the SAM to verify that the subrecipient(s) is/are not debarred, suspended, or ineligible.

Please reference the Award Term and Condition on Subawards on the ACF Administrative and National Policy Requirements website for further requirements involving subawards.

II. Federal Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

CA (Cooperative Agreement) Estimated Total Funding:

$2,400,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$450,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$75,000 Per Budget Period

Average Projected Award Amount:

$300,000 Per Budget Period

Anticipated Project Start Date:

09/30/2024 Length of Project Periods:

Other

Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' 36-month project period with two 18-month budget periods

Definitions

Budget Period: The period of time for which funds are made available to a particular recipient.

Projects will have two budget periods, each 18 months in length. The first budget period will start on September 30, 2024, and end March 29, 2026. The second budget period will start on March 30, 2026, and end September 29, 2027.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#book_content_14

Project Period: The total length of the proposed project. The project period is 36 months in length starting on September 30, 2024, and ending September 29, 2027.

Additional Information on Awards:

Awards made under this funding opportunity are subject to the availability of federal funds.

Applications requesting an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period, or per project period, as stated in this section, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. Please see Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Description of ACF's Anticipated Substantial Involvement Under the Cooperative Agreement Award

Under this cooperative agreement, substantial involvement is anticipated between ACF and the recipient throughout the duration of the funded project.

• ACF will collaboratively negotiate with the recipient regarding the roles and responsibilities outlined in this funding opportunity, prior to finalizing the cooperative agreement. This will include discussions regarding whether there are gaps or weaknesses identified by the review panel that need to be addressed to address significant gaps or weaknesses.

• ACF will monitor the recipient, providing guidance and feedback when necessary to facilitate accomplishment of project goals.

• ACF will facilitate collaboration and coordination with other ACF-sponsored recipients and projects (e.g., research projects, the training and technical assistance system) and ACF program offices (e.g., Office of Child Care).

III. Eligibility Information

III.1. Eligible Applicants Eligibility is unrestricted.

Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. See Section III.3. Other, Application Disqualification Factors.

Faith-based and community organizations that meet the eligibility requirements are eligible to receive awards under this funding opportunity. Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at and, subject to the protections and requirements of 45 CFR Part 87 and 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., ACF will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization on the basis of the organization's religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

Reference to Legal Status See Section IV.2. Legal Status of Applicant Entity for documentation required to support eligibility.

III.2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No See Section IV.2. The Project Budget and Budget Justification, Commitment of Non-Federal Resources for more information.

III.3. Other Applicant organizations/entities may submit more than one application on behalf of more than one researcher, if the applications are distinct in scope.

Application Disqualification Factors Applications from individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Award Ceiling Disqualification

Applications that request an award amount that exceeds the Award Ceiling per budget period or per project period, as stated in Section II. Federal Award Information, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity. This disqualification applies only to the Award Ceiling listed for the first 12-month budget period for projects with multiple budget periods. If the project and budget period are the same, the disqualification applies to the Award Ceiling listed for the project period.

Required Electronic Application Submission

ACF requires electronic submission of applications at Grants.gov. Paper applications received that have not been approved for an exemption from required electronic submission will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

If you do not have an internet connection or sufficient capacity to upload large documents to the internet you may contact ACF for an exemption that will allow you to submit your application in paper format. Information and the requirements for requesting an exemption from required electronic application submission are found in "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Electronic Application Submission."

Missing the Application Deadline (Late Applications)

The deadline for electronic application submission is 11:59 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Electronic applications submitted to Grants.gov after 11:59 pm ET on the due date, as indicated by a dated and time-stamped email from Grants.gov, will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf

Applications submitted to Grants.gov which fail their validation check, will not be received at, or acknowledged by ACF. If you submit an application for the same NOFO more than once, only the last on-time submission will be acknowledged.

Paper applications with an approved exemption from the electronic submission requirement must be received by 4:30 pm ET on the due date listed in the Overview and in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. Paper applications received after 4:30 pm ET on the due date will be disqualified from the merit review and funding under this funding opportunity.

Notification of Application Disqualification Applicants will be notified of a disqualification determination by email or by USPS postal mail within 30 federal business days from the closing date of this NOFO.

IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.1. Address to Request Application Package OPRE Review Team Access to Infant and Toddler Care and Education c/o ICF 1902 Reston Metro Plaza Reston

VA

20190 877-350-5913 703-934-3740 ITAccess@icf.com Application Packages

Electronic Application Submission:

The electronic application submission package is available in the NOFO's listing at Grants.gov.

IV.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

FORMATTING APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Notice of Two-File Requirement Applicants applying via Grants.gov must upload only two electronic files, excluding Standard Forms (SFs) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB)-approved forms. Additional files will be removed prior to the merit review.

FOR ALL APPLICATIONS:

Signature of Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) Each applicant must designate an authorized organization representative (AOR) with authority to act on the organization’s behalf on matters related to the application submission and administration of awards. The AOR signature must appear on all forms in which a signature is required. By signing, the AOR agrees the organization will abide by all applicable Federal statutes, regulations and terms and conditions of the award.

Accepted Font Style and Size Applications must be in Times New Roman 12-point font, except for footnotes, which may be 10-point font. Pages that contain blurred or illegible text will be removed.

If documents must be scanned, the font size on any scanned documents must be large enough so that it is readable. You may not scan more than one page of a documents onto a single page.

Pages with blurred text will be removed from the application.

English Language Applications must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of United States (U.S.) dollars. See 45 CFR §75.111 for more information.

Page Limitations You must observe the page limitation(s) listed under "PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS" later in this section. Page limitation(s) do not include SFs and OMB-approved forms.

All applications must be double-spaced. An application that exceeds the cited page limitation for double-spaced pages will have extra pages removed, and those pages will not be reviewed.

Application Elements Exempted from Double-Spacing Requirements The following elements of the application submission are exempt from the double-spacing requirements and may be single-spaced:

• Table of Contents

• One-page Project Summary

• Required Assurances and Certifications

• SFs and OMB-approved forms

• Resumes, Logic Models, Proof of Legal Status/Non-Profit Status, Third-Party

Agreements, Letters of Support, footnotes and tables

• Line-Item Budget and/or the Budget Justification

Adherence to NOFO Formatting, Font, and Page Limitation Requirements Applications that fail to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will be adjusted by the removal of page(s) from the application. Pages will be removed before the merit review and will not be made available to reviewers.

NOTE: Applicants failing to adhere to ACF’s NOFO formatting, font, and page limitation requirements will receive a letter from ACF notifying them that their application was amended.

The letter will be sent after awards have been issued and will specify the reason(s) for removal of page(s).

Corrections/Updates to Submitted Applications When applicants revise a previously submitted application, ACF will accept only the last on-time application for pre-review under the Application Disqualification Factors. See Section III.3.

Other, Application Disqualification Factors and Section IV.2. Application Submission Options.

Copies Required Applicants must submit one complete copy of the application package electronically. Applicants must follow the registration and application submission instructions provided at Grants.gov.

Accepted Application Format With the exception of the required SFs and OMB-approved forms, all application materials must be formatted so that they are 8 ½" x 11" white paper with 1-inch margins all around.

If possible, applicants are encouraged to include page numbers for each page within the application.

PAGE LIMITATIONS AND CONTENT FOR ALL SUBMISSION FORMATS:

With the exception of SFs and OMB-approved forms, the application submission is limited to 75 pages in its entirety.

Applicants must number the pages of their application beginning with the Table of Contents.

Applicants must include the following materials according to the format for their application package and in the order presented below:

1. Project Description. (File 1) o Table of Contents.

o Project Summary.

o Project Description (Approach, Expected Outcomes, Timeline and Milestones).

o Staffing and Management Plan.

o Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information.

o Dissemination Plan.

o Budget and Budget Justification.

2. Appendices. (File 2) o Legal Status of Applicant Entity.

o Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities.

o Third-Party Agreements.

o Resumes and/or Curricula Vitae and/or other evidence of Organizational

Capacity.

o Letters of Support.

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

You are required to submit applications electronically unless you have received an exemption that will allow submission in paper format. See Section IV.2. Application Submission Options for information about requesting an exemption.

Electronic applications will only be accepted via Grants.gov. ACF will not accept applications submitted via email or via facsimile.

Each applicant is required to upload ONLY two electronic files, excluding SFs and OMB-approved forms.

File One: Must contain the entire Project Description, and the Budget and Budget Justification (including a line-item budget and a budget narrative).

File Two: Must contain all documents required in the Appendices.

Formatting Submission Files ACF strongly recommends that File One and File Two be uploaded as Portable Document Files (PDFs).

To adhere to the two-file requirement, you may need to convert and/or merge documents together using a PDF converter software. Applicants using Adobe Acrobat Reader software will be able to merge these documents together. ACF recommends merging documents electronically rather than scanning multiple documents into one document manually.

Applicants must ensure that the version of Adobe Acrobat Reader they are using is compatible with Grants.gov. To verify Adobe software compatibility please go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” at the top bar menu and select “Adobe Software Compatibility."

Naming Application Submission Files Carefully observe the file naming conventions required by Grants.gov. Limit file names to 50 characters (characters and spaces).Please also see https://www.grants.gov/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters.

Use only file formats supported by ACF While ACF supports all of the following file formats, we strongly recommend that the two files (Project Description and Appendices) are uploaded as PDFs in order to comply with the two-file upload limitation.

ACF supports the following file formats:

• Adobe PDF – Portable Document Format (.pdf)

• Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx)

• Microsoft Excel (.xls or .xlsx)

• Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt) https://www.grants.gov/applicants/submitting-utf-8-special-characters

• Image Formats (.JPG, .GIF, .TIFF, or .BMP only)

Documents in file formats not listed here will be removed from the application and will not be used in the merit review. This may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

Do Not Encrypt or Password-Protect the Electronic Application Files If ACF cannot access submitted electronic files because they are encrypted or password protected, the affected file will not be reviewed. This may make the application incomplete, and ACF will not make awards based on an incomplete application.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PAPER APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS:

You must receive an exemption in order for a paper application to be accepted for review. For more information on the exemption, see "ACF Policy for Requesting an Exemption from Required Electronic Application Submission."

Applicants with an approved exemption for paper application submission should download the forms package associated with the NOFO's Synopsis on Grants.gov under the Package tab.

All copies of mailed paper applications must be submitted in a single package. If an applicant is submitting multiple applications under a single NOFO, or multiple applications under separate NOFOs, each submission must be packaged separately. The package(s) must be clearly labeled with the NOFO title and Funding Opportunity Number.

Applicants must submit one original and two copies of the complete application, including all SFs and OMB-approved forms. The original copy must have original signatures. Copies of the application, not the original, will be reproduced by the federal government for review. All application materials must be one-sided for duplication purposes. All pages in the application submission must be sequentially numbered.

Required Forms, Assurances, and Certifications Applicants seeking an award under this funding opportunity must submit the listed SFs, assurances, and certifications with the application. All required SFs, assurances, and certifications are available in the Application Package posted for this NOFO at Grants.gov.

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

Protection of Human Subjects Assurance Identification / IRB Certification / Declaration of Exemption (Common Rule)

Submission of the required information and forms is due with the application package by the due date listed in the Overview and Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. If

Form is available at http:// www.hhs.gov/ ohrp/ assurances/ forms/index.html.

General information about the HHS Protection of Human Subjects regulations can be obtained at http://www. hhs.gov/ ohrp/ . Applicants may also https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ACF_Policy_for_Requesting_an_Exemption_from_Required_Electronic_FINAL_0.pdf http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/assurances/forms/index.html http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/ http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description the information is not available at the time of application, it must be submitted prior to the award of a grant.

contact OHRP by email (OHRP@HHS.gov) or by phone (240-453-6900).

SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

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

Required of all applicants.

Applicants must have a UEI and maintain an active SAM registration throughout the application and project award period.

Obtain a UEI and SAM registration at:

http://www.sam.gov.

See Section IV.3. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) for more information.

SF-424 Key Contact Form

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications.

Certification Regarding Lobbying (Grants.gov Lobbying Form)

Submission required of all applicants with the application package. If it is not submitted with the application package, it must be submitted prior to award.

Submission of the certification is required for all applicants.

mailto:OHRP@HHS.gov https://www.sam.gov/

Forms/Assurances/Certifications Submission Requirement Notes/Description

SF-424A - Budget Information - Non- Construction Programs and SF-424B - Assurances - Non- Construction Programs

Submission is required for all applicants when applying for a non-construction project.

SFs must be used.

Forms must be submitted by the application due date.

By signing and submitting the SF- 424B, applicants are making the appropriate certification of their compliance with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination.

Required for all applications when applying for a non-construction project.

SF-Project/Performance Site Location(s) (SF-P/PSL)

Submission is required for all applicants by the application due date.

Required for all applications. In the SF-P/PSL, applicants must cite their primary location and up to 29 additional performance sites.

SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

If submission of this form is applicable, it is due at the time of application. If it is not available at the time of application, it may also be submitted prior to award.

If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of Congress in connection with this commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a loan, the applicant shall complete and submit the SF-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.

Additional Required Assurances and Certifications Mandatory Grant Disclosures All applicants and recipients are required to submit, in writing, to ACF and the HHS Office of the Inspector General, all information related to violations of federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the federal award. (Mandatory Disclosures, 45 CFR § 75.113)

Disclosures must be sent in writing to:

The Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Grants Management, ATTN: Grants Management Specialist, 330 C Street, SW., Switzer Building, Corridor 3200, Washington, DC 20201

And to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, ATTN:

Mandatory Grant Disclosures, Intake Coordinator, 330 Independence Avenue, SW., Cohen Building, Room 5527, Washington, DC 20201

Fax: (202) 205-0604 (Include “Mandatory Grant Disclosures” in subject line) or Email: grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

SF-424 Key Contact Form The contact form should include information for the Principal Investigator or Project Director and the AOR.

Proprietary Information and Personally Identifiable Information (PII) ACF will be using non-federal reviewers in the review process. You have the option of omitting from the application copies (not the original) specific salary rates or amounts for individuals specified in the application budget as well as Social Security Numbers, if otherwise required for individuals. The copies may include summary salary information. If applications are submitted electronically, ACF will omit the same specific salary rate information from copies made for use during the review process.

The Project Description The Project Description Overview

General Expectations and Instructions The Project Description requests the information by which an application is evaluated and ranked in competition with other applications for financial assistance. It must address all activities for which federal funds are being requested and all application requirements as stated in this section. The Project Description must explain how the project will meet the purpose of the NOFO, as described in Section I. Program Description. As a reminder, reviewers will be evaluating this section in accordance with Section V.1. Criteria.

mailto:grantdisclosures@oig.hhs.gov

The Project Description must be clear, concise, and complete. ACF is particularly interested in Project Descriptions that convey strategies for achieving intended performance. Project Descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance and measurable outcomes, not length.

Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. Supporting documents designated as required must be included in the Appendix of the application.

Letter of Intent Applicants are strongly encouraged to notify ACF of their intention to submit an application under this NOFO. The letter of intent is optional. Failure to submit a letter of intent will not impact eligibility to submit an application and will not disqualify an applicant from the merit review. Letter of intent information will be used to determine the number of expert reviewers needed to evaluate applications.

Please submit a letter of intent by the deadline date listed in Section IV.4. Submission Dates and Times. The letter of intent should include the following information: number and title of this funding opportunity; the name and address of the applicant organization; and the name, phone number, fax number and email address of a contact person.

Letters of intent should be submitted via e-mail to ITaccess@icf.com or mailed to the following address:

OPRE Review Team: Access to Infant and Toddler Care and Education c/o ICF 1902 Reston Metro Plaza Reston, VA 20190

Table of Contents List the contents of the application including corresponding page numbers. The table of contents may be single spaced.

Project Summary Provide a summary of the project description. The summary must include a brief description of the applicant's proposed project including the needs to be addressed, the proposed activities or services, and if applicable, the population group(s) to be served. The summary must be clear, accurate, concise, and without cross-references to other parts of the application. Please place the following at the top of the Project Summary:

• Project Title

• Applicant Name

• Address

• Contact Phone Numbers (Voice, Fax, Cell)

• Email Address

• Website Address, if applicable

The Project Summary must be single-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, and limited to one page in length. Additional pages will be removed and will not be reviewed.

mailto:%20ITaccess@icf.com

Legal Status of Applicant Entity Applicants must provide the following documentation:

Non-Profit Organizations

Proof of Non-Profit Status Options:

Option 1: 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) non-profit organizations are eligible Non-profit organizations applying for funding are required to submit proof of their non-profit status. Proof of non-profit status is any one of the following:

• A reference to the applicant organization's listing in the IRS's most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in the IRS Code.

• A copy of a currently valid IRS tax-exemption certificate.

• A statement from a state taxing body, state attorney general, or other appropriate state official certifying that the applicant organization has non-profit status and that none of the net earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals.

• A certified copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status.

• Any of the items in the subparagraphs immediately above for a state or national parent organization and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-profit affiliate.

Unless directed otherwise, applicants must include proof of non-profit status in the Appendices file of the application submission.

For-Profits and Small Businesses For-profit organizations (including small businesses) applying for funding must submit the following to provide proof of their legal status: Documentation establishing the power granted to the entity to enter into contractual relationships and/or accept awards (i.e., articles of incorporation, bylaws).

Expected Outcomes Identify the outcomes to be achieved from the project. Outcomes should relate to the overall program as described in Section I. Program Description. If research is part of the proposed work, outcomes must include hypothesized results and implications of the proposed research.

Approach Outline a plan of action that describes the scope and detail of how the proposed project will be accomplished. Applicants must account for all functions or activities identified in the application.

Cite potential obstacles and challenges to accomplishing project goals and explain strategies that will be used to address these challenges.

The approach should be carefully developed in accordance with the goals of the awards as described in Section I. Program Description of this announcement. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the detailed Evaluation Criteria found in Section V.1. to inform the development of their approach. The following information must be included:

A. Background, Significance, and Objectives. Applicants must demonstrate:

• understanding of the relevant literature on critical issues;

• the objective and the overall significance of the proposal;

• how the proposal will address issues of relevance to infant and toddler care and education access;

• how the proposal is related to the goals of the award (articulated in Section I. Project

Description); and

• how project findings will inform CCDF policy, CCDF Lead Agencies, and/or CCDF providers.

Applicants must incorporate the following information:

• A thorough and rigorous literature review that:

o draws on the most recent literature available;

o discusses previous studies related to the proposed research or evaluation project;

o identifies gaps in the literature; and o justifies the proposed research or evaluation project and the outcomes of interest.

• A theoretical or conceptual framework underlying the proposed research or evaluation project and a description of how it relates to the project goals and research questions.

B. Research Design and Methodology. Applicants must demonstrate:

• A strong research or evaluation design;

• A clear methodology; and

• A clear connection between the research questions proposed and the methodology that will be used, illustrating that the methodology is appropriate to address the research questions of interest.

Applicants must incorporate the following information:

• Specific research questions of interest and discussion of how they relate to access to infant and toddler care and education and related critical issues in the field;

• Hypothesized results justified by findings from the current literature;

• Identification and description of the data sources that will be used;

i. For Secondary Data Sources: Provide evidence of access to any secondary data sources, to the extent that such documentation can be generated at the time of application submission; for example, include copies of written agreements between the applicant and the individuals/entities authorized to provide access to specific administrative data sources or copies of licenses or approvals for restricted-use data sources. If secondary data sources are not yet accessible at the time of application, describe the expected timeline and activities necessary to obtain data source access prior to award. If applicable, describe how communications with data owners or archivers have informed the expected timeline and activities. Describe the original research or other purpose of the data, describe the original sample, and explain how the data source is appropriate for the proposed project.

ii. For Primary Data Sources: Describe the data that will be collected and the methods that will be used to collect the data.

• Description of the proposed study sample, including:

o how it will be constructed or selected/recruited;

o how it relates to the population of interest; and o demonstration that the analytic sample size will be sufficient to conduct the proposed analytic strategy.

• Description of how the proposed project will provide for adequate protection of human subjects and the process by which Human Subjects Certification/Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval has or will be obtained prior to award or, if applicable, exemption has already been obtained.

• Description of the measures that will be used including, as applicable:

o how they will be constructed;

o the psychometric properties of each measure;

o demonstration that the measures are appropriate to answer the proposed research questions;

o how access to infant and toddler care and education access will be measured in alignment with the definition articulated in Section I., Project Description.

o primary and secondary outcome measures (for evaluations).

• A detailed analytic plan describing, as applicable:

o the analytic approach, including statistical techniques, and methods of inference that will be used to analyze and interpret the data;

o how missing data will be handled;

o how weights will be used;

o procedures that will be used to link data sources; and o procedures that will be used to clean and process data.

C. Dissemination Plan. Applicants must demonstrate:

• how findings will be disseminated to a range of stakeholders, including, but not limited to, researchers, CCDF Administrators, policymakers, and/or child care and early education program staff;

• dissemination vehicles that will be used to achieve the greatest reach, including the intended distribution channels;

• how the dissemination plan encompasses both research and policy/program-oriented products (e.g., briefs targeted to policymakers or practitioners, journal articles highlighting methodological or empirical findings for research audiences, etc.).

• an approach to disseminate to national audiences (e.g., presentations at professional meetings with diverse and relevant audiences);

• an approach to archive final dissemination products, including the study data (if appropriate); and

• a rigorous approach to pre-register the project with an appropriate public registry highlighting what will be included in the pre-registration as well as a plan to update the pre-registration over the course of the project, as needed.

D. Staffing and Management Plan. Applicants must demonstrate:

• they have or will have staff who will oversee the proposed project, including who the proposed staff are and the number of hours staff will devote to the current research project;

• they have or will have staff with the necessary expertise (e.g., skills, training, analytic experience/education, and expertise) to execute their proposed approach;

• sufficient management to ensure high-quality final products;

• a clear plan for achieving the objectives of the project on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing the project;

• experience gaining Human Subjects Certification/IRB approval with an established, reputable IRB/research institution; and

• history of research and budget oversight.

Project Timeline and Milestones Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections (for the entire project period) of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity, in such terms as the number of people to be served and the number of activities accomplished. Data may be organized and presented as project tasks and subtasks with their corresponding timelines during the project period. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and their target dates.

Organizational Capacity Provide the following information on the applicant organization and, if applicable, on any cooperating partners:

• Resumes.

• Curricula Vitae (CV).

• Evidence that the applicant organization, and any partnering organizations, have relevant experience and expertise with administration, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of programs similar to that offered under this funding opportunity.

• Evidence that each participating organization, including partners, contractors and/or subrecipients, possess the organizational capability to fulfill their role(s) and function(s) effectively.

If known at the time of application submission, the applicant must disclose their intent to enter into subaward arrangements in their application. For each proposed subaward, the applicant must include a description of the work to be performed by the subrecipient(s).

Current and Pending Funding Support

Applicants must submit a list of their current and pending funded support for ongoing projects and proposals from all sources including federal, state and local governments, public or private foundations, for-profit organizations, etc. All projects and proposals requiring a committed portion of time for the Project Director, Principal Investigator, or key personnel must be included. Indicate the total award amount, awarding entity, and amount of time staff will devote to each project.

Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds and Activities Recipients are required to ensure proper oversight in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart D.

These regulations set forth the following standards for effective oversight:

• Financial and Program Management

• Property Management

• Procurement

• Performance and Financial Monitoring and Reporting

• Subrecipient Monitoring and Management

• Record Retention and Access

• Remedies for Noncompliance

• Prior Written Approval

Describe the framework (e.g., governance, policies and procedures, risk management, systems) in place to ensure proper oversight of federal funds and activities in accordance with 45 CFR Part 75 Subpart D. The description must include: system(s) for record-keeping and financial management; procedures to identify and mitigate risks and issues (e.g., audit findings, continuous program performance assessment findings, program monitoring); and those key staff that will be responsible for maintaining oversight of program activities staff, and, if applicable, partner(s) and/or subrecipient(s).

Protection of Sensitive and/or Confidential Information Provide a description of how protected PII and other information that is considered sensitive, consistent with applicable federal, state, local and tribal laws regarding privacy and obligations of confidentiality, will be collected and safeguarded. The applicant must provide the methods and/or systems that will be used to ensure that confidential and/or sensitive information is properly handled and if applicable, address the process for subrecipient(s) and/or contractors.

Also, provide a plan for the disposition of such information at the end of the project period. See 45 CFR § 75.303(e) for more information.

Dissemination Plan Applicants must propose a plan to disseminate reports, products, and/or project outputs so that information is provided to key target audiences.