NOFO_NV-VSR-21-001VaccineConfidence_Webinar (07.28.21)_508.pdf

FY2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity

NV-VSR-21-001

Promoting Vaccine Confidence in Local Communities Through Partnership with HHS

Regional Health Offices

July 22, 2021

Webinar Agenda Notice of Funding Opportunity NV-VSR-21-001

• Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) and Office of Regional Health Operations (ORHO)

• Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) program overview

• Grants and Acquisitions Management application requirements

• Question and answer

Program Overview

Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP)

Assure that everybody has a fair and realistic opportunity to optimize their health.

Distribute and democratize health care knowledge, capabilities, and delivery.

Prioritize health considerations in all sectors and policy areas.

OIDP Vision: A world free of infectious diseases.

OIDP MISSION: Provide strategic leadership and management, while encouraging collaboration, coordination, and innovation among federal agencies and stakeholders, to reduce the burden of infectious diseases.

Office of Regional Health Operations (ORHO)

MISSION: Provide regional coordination and support for Departmental public health initiatives and accelerate implementation of public health policies.

LENS: Health Disparities (Health Equity)

Promote and advance the public health and safety of our communities by Connecting people, Convening local partners, Establishing networks, Providing public policy recommendations, & Focusing on the underserved and vulnerable

Identify Gaps

• Champion prevention

• Respond to threats

• Surface challenges

Policy Analysis

• Policies

• Programs

• Promising Practices

Support Execution

• Connect people

• Convene partners

• Establish Networks

U.S. Virgin Islands Puerto Rico Region 2

American Samoa Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands

Federated States of Micronesia Guam Republic of the Marshall Islands Republic of Palau

Partnering to Elevate Initiatives in:

• Immunizations

• Vaccine Confidence &

Access Issues

• HIV/AIDS

Notice of Funding Opportunity

This notice solicits applications for projects to expand traditional immunization partnerships to plan, implement, and evaluate evidence-based strategies and innovative approaches to increase confidence in the use of routinely recommended vaccines in local communities, particularly those that serve racial and ethnic minorities and other populations with low vaccination coverage rates.

Objectives

• Identify communities with low coverage rates for routinely recommended vaccines for children and adults

• Plan strategies to increase confidence in use of routinely recommended vaccines

• Implement targeted interventions to increase vaccine uptake

• Evaluate intervention effectiveness with qualitative and quantitative measures

• Disseminate findings to advance programs and inform policies

Award Information

• Authorized in sections 1702 and 1703 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u-1 and 300u-2)

• Total federal funds available: $750,000 per year for 3 years

• Anticipated number of awards: 6-8

• Award amount: Up to $125,000 per awardee per year

• Initial budget period: 12 months

• Period of performance: Up to 3 years

• Type of award: Cooperative agreement

• Application due date: August 17, 2021

• Start date: September 30, 2021

Approach to Promote Confidence in Routinely Recommended Vaccines

• Build strong advocacy team and collaboration among stakeholders

• Describe local landscape for vaccines that are routinely recommended for children and adults

• Identify disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations in local community (e.g., racial and ethnic minority, non- English speaking, rural)

• Identify barriers that erode confidence in use of vaccines that are routinely recommended

• Develop intervention plans to reduce barriers and strengthen vaccine confidence

Outcomes

Short-term Outcomes

• Engagement of stakeholders

• Assessment of community needs

• Identify vaccine confidence issues

• Develop locally-tailored intervention plans

• Implement prioritized intervention activities

Intermediate Outcomes

• Track data to monitor effectiveness

• Develop standards to expand or modify activities

• Conduct interim evaluations

• Document changes in data based on intervention strategies

Long-term Outcomes

• Increased confidence in vaccines

• Increased confidence in healthcare systems that deliver vaccination services

• Increased collaboration among stakeholders to promote vaccine confidence

Project Collaboration

• Technical assistance with OIDP/ORHO staff (conference calls, site visits, review of plans and progress)

• Prior approval for changes in time, key personnel, allocation of funds

• Assist in establishing, reviewing, updating priorities

• Identification of partner organizations

• Monitor progress (data collection and analysis, reporting)

• Participate in preparation of presentations and publications

For project success…

• Partner with local or state health department immunization program

• Include plan for needs assessment

• Develop a sound logic model

• Include strong qualitative and quantitative evaluation plan based on logic model

Grants and Acquisitions Management Application Requirements

Submission Dates and Times Application is due by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, August 17, 2021.

Your submission time will be determined by the date and time stamp provided by Grants.gov when you complete your submission.

Strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-

5 days prior to the application closing date.

Grants.gov may take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

If you fail to submit your application by the due date and time, we will not review it, and it will receive no further consideration.

Eligible Applicants (Section E.1)

Any public or private entity located in a State (which includes one of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands) is eligible to apply for an award under this announcement. Faith-based organizations and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations are eligible to apply.

Cost Sharing or Matching (Section E.2)

• You are not required to provide cost sharing or matching in your proposed budget.

• If you voluntarily include cost sharing in your application, you must include in your budget narrative a non-federal sources justification.

During the merit review of an application, cost sharing will only be considered in the overall review of the adequacy of the total proposed budget (Federal and non-Federal share) to support the project proposed.

• Applications including voluntary cost sharing or matching that result in an award will include the cost sharing or matching commitment on the notice of award at the level proposed in the application. Any change in that commitment will require prior approval of the Grants Management Officer.

Application Responsiveness Criteria (Section E.3)

• We will review your application to determine whether it meets the responsiveness criterion in Section E.3.

• If your application does not meet the responsiveness criterion, we will disqualify it from the competition; we will not review it beyond the initial screening.

• The responsiveness criterion is as follows:

Please read and review pages 13-14 of the NOFO to determine what criteria reviewers will utilize to screen your application once it has been successfully submitted to ensure it meets all grant requirements.

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Announcement

• The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) provides information and guidance related to applications.

• Read the entire funding announcement.

• Follow the NOFO carefully!

• The information provided in the NOFO takes precedence over any conflicting information in other documents.

Address to Request Application Package

Obtain an application package electronically by accessing Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/. Find it by searching the Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number found on page 2 of the NOFO.

The Assistance Listing (CFDA) Number is 93.344

Be sure to subscribe to the announcement in Grants.gov so you receive notification of any updates to the NOFO or supporting documents.

http://www.grants.gov/

Application Submission

• OASH requires that all applications be submitted electronically via Grants.gov unless an exemption has been granted by the grants management officer (Section F.5).

• If you submit an application via any other electronic communication, it will not be accepted for review.

• Grants.gov is a website portal. All funding opportunities and grant application packages are made available on www.Grants.gov .

• An application will not be considered valid until all application components are entered in Grants.gov and received by HHS Office of Grants and Acquisitions Management according to the deadlines specified in the “DATES” section of the NOFO (Section A.1).

• Contact Grants.gov with any questions or concerns regarding the electronic application process 1-800-518-4726.

Applications must be submitted as three (3) files:

File 1: The ENTIRE project narrative (Section F.3.a)

File 2: The ENTIRE budget narrative, including supporting documentation described in the Budget Narrative content section (Section F.3.b)

File 3: All documents in the appendices uploaded in the Attachments section of your Grants.gov application (Section F.3.c)

Note: required standard forms do not apply toward your page count limitations in the submission requirements as stated in Disqualification Criteria (Section E.4).

Any files uploaded or attached to the Grants.gov application must be of the following file formats –

• Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Adobe PDF, or image formats (JPG, GIF, TIFF, or BMP only).

• Microsoft Excel files will NOT be accepted.

HHS/OASH strongly recommends that electronic applications be uploaded as Adobe PDF.

• If you convert to PDF prior to submission, you may prevent any unintentional formatting that might occur with submission of an editable document.

• Check your page count of the PDF and/or print your file to ensure that the document does not exceed the page limit.

• Be complete and do not leave blanks on forms unless the information is clearly not applicable.

• The individual submitting the application forms must have the legal authority to act on behalf of the organization.

• To ensure successful submission of your application, carefully follow the step-by-step instructions provided at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

• These instructions are kept up-to-date and also provide links to Frequently Asked Questions and other troubleshooting information

Application Elements Forms Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Budget Information for Non-construction Programs (SF-424A) Assurances for Non-construction Programs (SF-424B) Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Project Abstract Summary

Files Project Narrative – Submit all Project Narrative content as a single acceptable file.

Budget Narrative – Submit all Budget Narrative content as a single acceptable file.

Appendices – Submit all appendix content as a single acceptable file, in the Attachments section of your Grants.gov application.

Application Format Be sure to follow Project Narrative format instructions in the NOFO. Your application will be disqualified if it does not conform to the format requirements.

You must double-space the Project Narrative pages.

You must use 12-point font.

You should use an easily readable typeface, such as

Times New Roman or Arial.

You may single-space tables or use alternate fonts but you must ensure the tables are easy to read.

For Appendices and Budget Narrative, you should use the same formatting specified for the Project Narrative.

Appendix documents such as résumés may use alternate formats common to such documents.

DUNS Number and the System for Award Management (SAM) (Section F.4)

• You are required to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal

Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for Federal awards through Grants.gov.

• You will find instructions on the Grants.Gov web site as part of the organization registration process at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html.

• Your organization must register online in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Applicants are advised to begin the SAM registration process immediately.

If you are selected for an award, an active SAM registration may be required prior to receiving an award.

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

System for Award Management (SAM)

• If you are registering a new entity in SAM.gov, you need to create a login.gov account, if you don't already have one.

• Please note that the complete process for registering a new entity involves submission of a notarized letter by mail.

• If you are renewing you registration, your old SAM.gov username and password will not work anymore. You will need to create a login.gov account if you do not already have one.

• Minimum timeframe to complete an initial SAM registration online is 30 min.

• Timeframe for applicant’s registration to become active is up to 10 days and may take longer depending on volume.

• SAM registration must be renewed each year.

• Average timeframe for updates in SAM.gov to appear in Grants.gov is up to

72hrs.

SAM (continued)

• We strongly recommend applicants check for an active registration in SAM well before application deadline.

• If you are successful and receive an award, you must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during the active award.

• If you have not complied with the SAM registration requirements, HHS/OASH May determine you are not qualified to receive an award; and May use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

• Should you successfully compete and receive an award, all first-tier sub-award recipients must have a DUNS number at the time you, the recipient, make a sub-award.

Funding Restrictions

• If you are successful and receive an award, by accepting the award, you agree that the award and any activities thereunder are subject to all provisions of 45 CFR part 75, currently in effect or implemented during the period of the award, other Department regulations and policies in effect at the time of the award, and applicable statutory provisions.

• Costs must be allowable, allocable, reasonable, and necessary direct expenses or indirect costs in accordance with regulations and current policy.

• Indirect costs may be included per 45 CFR 75.414. Applicants should indicate which method or rate is used for this application.

(Section F.3.b.1.o)

• Pre-award costs are not allowed. (Section F.7.a)

• Current Salary Limitation: $199,300 effective January 2021 (Section F.7.b)

Budget Narrative and Forms

The Project Budget Information:

SF 424A Budget Forms

Budget Narrative Detailed Budget Justification

Must be consistent with the requirements of the NOFO Budgeted costs must reflect proposed activities Budget line item descriptions and justification requirements are explained in the NOFO Suggested table formats in the NOFO Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds (Section F.3.b.2)

Forms, narrative and detailed justification do not count toward page limit.

Application Disqualification Criteria If you application does not meet the following requirements it will be disqualified and receive no further consideration:

• Submitted electronically via www.grants.gov by due date and time (unless an exemption was granted 2 business days prior to the deadline).

• If you successfully submit multiple applications for the same project, we will only review the last application received by the deadline.

• HHS/OASH/GAM deems your application eligible.

• Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on the equivalent of 8.5” X 11” page size with 1” margins on all sides and font size not less than 12 points.

• Project Narrative must not exceed 30 pages.

• The Total Application, including Project Narrative must not exceed 75 pages.

Application Disqualification Criteria (continued) If you application does not meet the following requirements it will be disqualified and receive no further consideration:

• Your Federal funds request including indirect costs does not exceed the maximum indicated in Award Ceiling.

• $125,000

• If you have included voluntary cost sharing or matching, you must include in your budget narrative a non-federal sources justification.

• Application meets the Application Responsiveness Criteria (section E.3).

Application Disqualification Criteria (continued)

• Applications that lack the required supporting documentation or submit additional appendix files will not be disqualified from competitive review;

However, this may impact your application’s scoring under the evaluation criteria.

• Be sure to follow submission instructions carefully.

Application Review Criteria (Section G.1)

1) Problem Statement

2) Goals, Objectives and Outcomes

3) Project Approach

4) Work Plan

5) Organizational Capacity

6) Evaluation Plan

7) Sustainability Plan

Application Merit Review

• Eligible applications will be reviewed and scored by a panel of independent reviewers with technical expertise in applicable fields according to the criteria listed in the NOFO.

• Objective Review Committee process is formal and confidential. Federal staff are available for questions and to ensure the process is consistent and fair, but do not participate in discussion and scoring.

• Applications are then also reviewed:

• By GAM staff for administrative & business compliance.

• By OIDP Program Office staff for programmatic compliance.

Funding Decisions (Section G.4)

• The Director of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS

Policy will make final award selections to be recommended to the Grants Management Officer for risk analysis.

• In making these decisions, the Director of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy will take into consideration the following additional factor(s):

• Distribution of awards across the focus populations

• Upon completion of risk analysis and concurrence of the Grants

Management Officer, HHS/OASH will then issue Notices of Award.

• No award decision is final until a Notice of Award is issued.

• All award decisions, including level of funding, if an award is made, are final and you may not appeal.

Funding Process

• We are not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of this announcement.

• Only the grants officer can bind the Federal government to the expenditure of funds.

• If you receive communications to negotiate an award or request additional or clarifying information, this does not mean you will receive an award; it only means that your application is still under consideration.

• All award decisions, including level of funding if an award is made, are final and you may not appeal.

Funding Process – Review of Risk Posed by Applicant

• HHS/OASH will evaluate each application in the fundable range for risks posed by the applicant before issuing an award in accordance with 45 CFR 75.205

• OASH will use a risk-based approach and may consider any items such as the following as stated in the NOFO:

• Applicant’s financial stability;

• Quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards prescribed in 45 CFR part 75;

• History of performance – Applicant’s record in managing

Federal awards including timeliness of compliance with applicable reporting requirement, and conformance to the terms and conditions of previous Federal awards;

• Reports and findings from audits performed; and

• The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities.

Plan for Oversight of Federal Award Funds (Section F.3.b.2)

• If your internal controls are available online, you may provide the link as part of your plan in the budget narrative.

• We have also included Appendix A, which contains questions applicants may find useful in considering their Plan for Oversight of Federal Funds.

Non-funded Applications as a Result of Risk Review

• If we determine your organization does not meet either or both of the minimum qualification standards as described in 45 CFR §75.205(a)(2) and we do not make an award to you as a result, we must report that determination to the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, (FAPIIS) if certain conditions apply.

• The standards include at a minimum, if you are a prior Federal award recipient the information in FAPIIS must “demonstrate a satisfactory record of executing programs or activities under Federal grants, cooperative agreements, or procurement awards; and integrity and business ethics.” 45 CFR § 75.205(a)(2)

• Information reported in FAPIIS is available for other organizations to review when considering you for an award.

Notice of Award (NOA)

The Notice of Award:

• Notifies the successful applicant of the selection; award amount; project and budget periods.

• Includes any conditions on the award (i.e., requirements that must be met as a condition of receiving the grant funds).

• Includes standard terms, reporting requirements and contact information for OASH/GAM and the Program Office.

Funding Process – Points of Contact

• GAM is the official contact for awardees throughout the award life cycle.

• All official communication related to the award is between GAM and the successful applicant.

• Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by OIDP Program Office via email and/or letter.

Summary and Tips Project Narrative Description:

Be clear, complete and concise in the project description; follow and address exactly what is requested in the NOFO.

Don’t make the reviewer search for the required information.

Generally, the easier the application is to review, the better the score.

Reviewers are not allowed to do external research, follow embedded links, etc.

Clearly identify the sections of the application and indicate which component is being addressed.

The project narrative must include all required information within the page limit. Do not use appendices to expand the page limit.

Project Narrative Description:

Make the goals and objectives “SMART;” Specific;

Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; and Time-framed.

Activities presented in the work plan should relate directly to the proposed goals and objectives.

The program work plan, evaluation plan and budget should provide a complete picture of how the applicant will address the needs as well as address the purpose and expectations in the NOFO.

Staffing:

• The staffing should be appropriate and reasonable for the goals, objectives and activities of the proposed project.

• Be complete in describing what staff will do, the expertise required and the percent time they will be assigned to the project.

Budget:

• The budget should include adequate funds to carry out the proposed work plan, evaluation plan and administrative responsibilities of the project.

• The budget should be reasonable and relate directly to the goals and objectives.

• Do not request more funds than are available, as listed in the NOFO. This amount is inclusive of indirect costs.

• The operating budget should be complete and include Federal and non-Federal funds, projected program income from fees and third party payers and other contributing funds.

Overall:

• Include full names (First Middle Last) for Authorized Official, Principal Investigator/Project Director and all Essential Personnel

• Electronic submission IS required.

• Do not wait until the last minute to begin SAM registration or update registration.

• Do not wait until the last minute to begin the electronic submission—problems could arise.

NOFO Inquiries

Program Questions Program Office Attn: Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy David Kim Email: David.Kim@hhs.gov Telephone: 202-795-7697 Administrative or Financial Questions Grants Management Specialist Duane Barlow Email: Duane.Barlow@hhs.gov Telephone: Phone: 240-453-8822

Electronic Submission Requirements Grants.gov Applicant Support www.grants.gov

Email: support@grants.gov

Telephone: 800-518-4726

Please do not contact OASH Program or Grants office staff for Grants.gov issues.

mailto:support@grants.gov

Question and Answer Session

FAQs will be posted to Grants.gov