PA-FPH-22-001_NOFO TA webinar_FINAL.pdf

FY2022 NOFO Technical Assistance Webinar:

Title X Family Planning Services Grants Opportunity Number: PA-FPH-22-001

November 9, 2021 Audio: 833 568 8864 US Toll-free

Meeting ID: 161 424 6897 Passcode: 163666

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Office of Population Affairs

Logistics

Please be on mute.

We will pause for Q&A a few times during the session Chat Q&A

Questions and Answers Submit questions via Resource Mailbox:

FY22.TitleXNOFO.National@hhs.gov Call: 240-453-2800 Submit questions via the Q&A box on your screen All questions will be added to an FAQs document which will be updated regularly Review the FAQs on OPA’s website at https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/funding/current-funding-opportunities#TitleX

• These slides and a link to the recording of this presentation will be posted on grants.gov and opa.hhs.gov following the presentation.

mailto:FY22.TitleXNOFO.National@hhs.gov https://opa.hhs.gov/grant-programs/funding/current-funding-opportunities#TitleX

Webinar Agenda

Programmatic Overview of the Notice of Funding Opportunity

(NOFO)

Introduction & Background Expectations of Recipients Application Content Application Review Information

Question and Answer Session

Grants and Acquisitions Management Competitive Application Requirements and Process

Question and Answer Session

Introduction & Background

OPA Mission

Promote health across the reproductive lifespan through innovative, evidence-based adolescent health and family planning programs, services, strategic partnerships, evaluation, and research.

OPA administers the Title X family planning program, the Teen Pregnancy Prevention program,, and the Embryo Adoption Awareness program

About Title X

The Title X Family Planning Program is the only federal grant program dedicated solely to providing comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services

Title X grants play a critical role in ensuring access to a broad range of family planning and related preventive health services for millions of low-income or uninsured individuals and others.

Family planning services are services that assist in preventing or achieving pregnancy. Title X clinics provide these services to individuals (including adolescents) with priority given to persons from low-income families.

Title X services are voluntary, confidential, and provided regardless of one’s ability to pay.

For many clients, Title X clinics are their only ongoing source of health care and health education.

Title X Statute

Section 1001 of Title X of the PHS Act authorizes grants “to assist in the establishment and operation of voluntary family planning projects which offer a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services (including natural family planning methods, infertility services, and services for adolescents).”

2021 Title X Final Rule

• On October 4, 2021, OPA amended the Title X Family Planning regulations to restore access to equitable, affordable, client-centered, quality family planning services for more Americans.

• Ensuring such access for all clients, especially for low-income clients, the Title X program creates opportunities for realigning the nation's family planning program with nationally recognized standards of care and improving the health of communities that have been historically underserved.

• The 2021 regulations also reinforce the program’s central tenets of quality, equity, and dignity for all individuals who seek Title X services and modernizes the more than 50-year-old program to better reflect the current healthcare system.

• Ensuring Access to Equitable, Affordable, Client-Centered, Quality Family Planning Services (42 CFR Part 59, October 2021) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/10/07/2021-21542/ensuring-access-to-equitable-affordable-client-centered-quality-family-planning-services

PA-FPH-22-001

• Title X Family Planning Services Grants

• Anticipated availability of funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 grants under the authority of Title X of the Public Health Service Act, Section 1001 (42 U.S.C. §300).

• Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 11, 2022 by 6:00 PM Eastern.

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The Goal

• To establish and operate voluntary Title X family planning projects.

• Family planning services include a broad range of medically approved services, which includes Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved contraceptive products and natural family planning methods, for clients who want to prevent pregnancy and space births, pregnancy testing and counseling, assistance to achieve pregnancy, basic infertility services, sexually transmitted infection (STI) services (such as HIV prevention education, counseling, testing, and referral), and other preconception health services.

• We seek a broad competition for Title X grant awards and are interested in innovative strategies to expand access, ensure quality, and achieve equity for all clients.

Expectations for Recipients

Section B2.

Pg. 7-11

© 2020 Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. All Rights Reserved.

This document is confidential and intended solely for the client to whom it is addressed.

Expectations

Recipients are expected to:

a. Comply with Title X Statute, Regulations, Legislative

Mandates, and Additional Program Guidance

b. Address OPA Program Priorities

c. Implement a quality improvement and quality assurance

(QI/QA) plan.

Recipients are expected to comply with:

1. Title X Statute (Title X of the Public Health Service Act, 42

U.S.C. 300 et seq.)

Section 1001 to assist in the establishment and operation of voluntary family planning projects which shall offer a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services (including natural family planning methods, infertility services, and services for adolescents). to the extent practicable, Title X service providers shall encourage family participation in family planning services projects.

Section 1008 “None of the funds appropriated under this title shall be used in programs where abortion is a method of family planning.”

2. Title X Regulations (42 CFR Part 59 Subpart A)

Additionally, sterilization of clients as part of the Title X program must be consistent with 42 C.F.R. part 50, subpart B (“Sterilization of Persons in Federally Assisted Family Planning Projects”).

3. Legislative Mandates “None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be made available to any entity under Title X of the PHS Act unless the applicant for the award certifies to the Secretary of Health and Human Services that it encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and that it provides counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities;”

“Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no provider of services under Title X of the PHS Act shall be exempt from any State law requiring notification or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.”

4. Additional Title X Program Guidance

a) Provide clinical services consist with the Providing Quality

Family Planning Services: Recommendations from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Office of Population Affairs (QFP)

b) Program Policy Notices https://opa.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/2020-10/providing-quality-family-planning-services-2014_1.pdf

Recipients are expected to:

b) Address OPA Program Priorities

• Advance health equity through the delivery of Title X services

• Improve and expand access to Title X services

• Deliver Title X services of the highest quality

c) Implement a quality improvement and quality assurance (QI/QA) plan.

• collecting and using data to monitor the delivery of quality family planning services

• inform modifications to the provision of services

• inform oversight and decision-making regarding the provision of services

• assess patient satisfaction

c) Implement a quality improvement and quality assurance (QI/QA) plan (contd.)

• expect recipients to address oversight and service provision at the recipient level, the subrecipient level, and the service site level within their QI/QA plan.

• must collect and report FPAR data to OPA on an annual basis (OMB approval 0990-0479, expires 9/30/2024) and are expected to use their FPAR data to inform their QI/QA activities

Program Specific Terms & Conditions (Pg. 40-41)

• Disparity Impact Statement

• Ensuring an Accurate Family Planning Service Site

Database

Application Content

Section F3.

Pg. 17-21

Project Narrative

Project Narrative is the most important part of the application Clear and concise description of the project Include all services to be provided by the project Provide evidence of ability to comply with Title X Statutes and

Regulations and Legislative Mandates

Proposed Service Area and Plans to Address the Need for Family Planning Services

Describe the proposed service area, including the service area boundaries, and the need for Title X family planning services in the proposed service area. Describe the current availability of family planning services in the proposed service area and any existing gaps in the availability or accessibility of services.

Describe your process for assessing the need for services within the proposed service area and how you have/will continue to use the results of your assessment to inform and improve service delivery.

Using and citing current data, describe the clients in need of services in the proposed service area and any factors associated with access and utilization of family planning services (e.g., geography, transportation, occupation, transience, unemployment, income level, educational attainment). Also describe any unique health care needs or characteristics that impact health status and delivery of family planning services (e.g., language barriers, food insecurity, housing insecurity, financial strain, lack of transportation, the physical environment, intimate partner violence, human trafficking).Describe the structure of your Title X network, including your recipient organization, any subrecipients that will assist in carrying out the proposed project, and the proposed services sites where family planning services will be delivered. To the extent that you will not provide all services directly, describe the process and selection criteria that will be used to select subrecipients and service sites, including a description of eligible entities for funding as subrecipients.

For each direct service site, describe the location of the site compared to the identified need; the days/hours of planned operation; the estimated number of clients expected to receive services at the site; the broad range of acceptable and effective medically approved family planning methods (including natural family planning methods) and services (including pregnancy testing and counseling, assistance to achieve pregnancy, basic infertility services, STI services, preconception health services, and adolescent-friendly health services) that will be provided directly at the site;

and a justification for any methods and services that will not be available at the site along with a description of how you will ensure client access for the methods and services not available directly at the site. 25

Describe how you will address identified health care access and utilization barriers and other factors that impact health status to ensure the availability and accessibility of family planning services within the proposed service delivery area.

Describe how you plan to educate clients and the broader service delivery area about the availability of family planning services.

Describe the number of clients in need of services, particularly low-income clients, to be served, the broad range of services and methods that will be provided, and how the proposed project will expand access to Title X services to clients in need of services in the defined service area.

• Describe the number of unduplicated clients that you project to serve on an annual basis, including the number of adolescent clients. Include how that determination took into consideration recent or potential changes in the local health care landscape (e.g., after-effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency, potential changes in insurance coverage), organizational structure, and/or workforce.

• Describe how grant funds will be used to best address the identified needs. Demonstrate that the cost per client and cost per encounter are reasonable. Describe other non-Title X resources available to address the needs for family planning services within the proposed service area and how grant funds will be used to leverage and expand available resources, and not duplicate them.

Plan to deliver family planning services in compliance with the statute, regulations, legislative mandates and aligned with OPA program priorities Describe how you will implement Title X family planning services that are in compliance with the Title X statute, regulations, and legislative mandates. Your plan should include a description of how you will ensure compliance with the statute, with each provision of the regulation (42 C.F.R. Part 59, Subpart A §59.1-§59.11), and with each legislative mandate.

mandates and aligned with OPA program priorities

Describe plans and strategies for providing family planning services that address OPA program priorities and data collection requirements, including:

Advancing health equity throughout the delivery of Title X family planning services.

Improving and expanding accessibility of Title X family planning services for all clients, especially low-income clients.

Delivering Title X family planning services that are of the highest quality and consistent with nationally recognized standards of care.

Implementing a QI/QA plan, including but not limited to, collecting, reporting, and using FPAR 2.0 data.

mandates and aligned with OPA program priorities Clearly describe your project plan including goal statements and related outcome objectives that are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-framed) and designed to provide family planning services that are in compliance with the Title X statute, regulations, and legislative mandates and that address OPA’s program priorities. The activities proposed are feasible, are clearly connected to the identified needs, and likely to achieve the stated outcomes.

Describe any major anticipated barriers and describe how you propose to overcome such barriers.

Project Capability and Project Management

Describe your project management structure and how it will enable accountability and rapid and effective use of grant funds.

Describe the expertise and experience of your organization and other organizations that will partner with you on the project to deliver family planning services. Provide evidence of your experience working in the proposed service area and with the community(ies) to be served.

Describe your experience and expertise providing clinical health services, specifically quality family planning services, and describe your capacity to deliver the comprehensive clinical family planning and related preventive health services required, including offering a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods and services.

Describe the key management team for your project.

Describe how the makeup and distribution of functions among key management staff, and their qualifications, support the operation and oversight of the proposed project.

Describe the facilities where your project will be administered and where family planning services will be delivered. Describe how the location of project facilities will ensure continued access to family planning services for clients in the proposed service area.

Provide a staffing plan which is reasonable and adheres to the Title X regulatory requirement that family planning medical services be performed under the direction of a clinical services provider, with services offered within their scope of practice and allowable under state law, and with special training or experience in family planning. Staff providing clinical services should be licensed and function within the applicable professional practice acts for the State in which they practice. Demonstrate that proposed staff have the expertise needed to implement Title X family planning services. Describe how the size, demographics, and health care needs of the service area/client population were considered when determining the number and mix of staff, and how you maintain documentation of licensure and credentialing verification for clinical staff.

Describe your plans for providing ongoing training and professional development for staff across your recipient network.

Describe how you will monitor and oversee provision of Title X family planning services across your network to ensure compliance and continuous quality improvement, including detailed plans for subrecipient monitoring.

Describe how your financial accounting and internal control systems will align with the requirements of 42 C.F.R. § 59.5 and § 59.7.

Demonstrate your ability to make use of non-federal resources (i.e., non-Title X funds) within the community to be served and the degree to which those resources are used to enhance the range of family planning services provided through the project.

Budget

Your budget request should be based on:

Number of clients who will receive services Broad range of methods and services that will be provided Average cost of providing family planning services per client in the service area in the past Availability of non-Title X funds to support the provision of family planning services in the defined service area Activities that enhance quality, access, or equity that would impact the cost of services

Appendices (Pg. 28-30)

Work plan Schedule of discounts and billing Coverage map Letters of Commitment from Referral Entities CVs/resumes for key project personnel Family Participation Certification

Appendix: Work Plan

• Should reflect, and be consistent with, the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative, and must cover all years of the period of performance.

• Each year’s activities should be fully attainable in one budget year. You may propose multi-year activities, as well as activities that build upon each other, but each phase of the project must be discreet and attainable within a single budget year.

• Should include a statement of the project’s overall goal, anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks, action steps, or products that will be pursued or developed to achieve the goal and outcome(s).

For each major task, action step, or product, your work plan should identify the timeframes involved (including start and end dates), and the lead person responsible for completing the task.

Appendix: List of Subrecipient FP Services Documentation

• You must include a detailed list of all the family planning services proposed to be provided by your project

• If some or all of the services will be provided by subrecipients, you must include a list of these entities. For each direct service site:

describe the location of the site compared to the identified need the days/hours of planned operation the estimated number of clients expected to receive services at the site the broad range of acceptable and effective medically approved family planning methods that will be provided directly at the site a justification for any methods and services that will not be available at the site along with a description of how you will ensure client access for the methods and services not available directly at the site

Appendix: Schedule of Discounts

• Include a schedule of discounts for your projects and the methodology for how you developed/will develop this schedule

• If you propose to have the subrecipient(s) develop their own schedule(s) of discounts, you should include guidance on how the schedule(s) of discounts are developed and how you intend on monitoring subrecipient development and implementation of the schedule of discounts.

• Also include a description of the processes in place to ensure that persons from low-income families, with incomes that fall at or below 100% of the current FPL, will not be charged except where third parties are authorized or legally obligated to pay; and that all reasonable efforts will be made to obtain third party payment without the application of any discounts.

• Include evidence that you have the ability to bill third parties, including private and public insurance such as Medicaid, when appropriate, and the ability to facilitate enrollment of clients into Medicaid. 39

Additional Appendices

• Coverage Map: You must include a coverage map of the areas you propose to serve indicating the location of proposed Title X service sites.

• Letters of Commitment from Referral Entities: You may include signed Letters of Commitment for the organizations that have been specifically named as referral entities to carry out any aspects of the project not provided by subrecipients (organizations that provide services that are not paid with Title X funds, but that may contribute to continuum of care for clients). The signed letters of commitment should include the specific role and resources that will be provided (if any), or activities that will be undertaken, in support of the applicant. The entity’s expertise, experience, and access to the targeted population(s) should also be described in the letter of commitment.

• Curriculum Vitae/Resume for Key Project Personnel: You must submit with your application curriculum vitae and/or resumes of all key personnel. Key Personnel includes those individuals who will oversee the technical, professional, and managerial functions and/or assume responsibility for assuring the validity and quality of your organization’s program. This includes at a minimum the Project Director, Program Manager/Coordinator, and Medical Director.

Supplementary Materials (Section K1-2, Pg. 51-52)

• Considerations in Recipient Plans for Oversight of Federal Funds

• Disparity Impact Statements

Application Review Information

Section G1.

Pg. 36-37

Proposed Service Area and Plans to Address Need for Family Planning Services

• 1) The extent to which the applicant substantiates and/or justifies that family planning services are needed locally within the proposed service area (15 points)

• 2) The extent to which the applicant identifies the number of clients, and,in particular, the number of low-income clients to be served, and describes the broad range of methods and services that will be provided to address client needs. For applicants that will not provide all services directly, the extent to which the applicant has documented the process and selection criteria it will use to identify qualified subrecipients to fulfill Title X activities. (15 points)

Plan to Deliver Family Planning Services in Compliance with the Statute, Regulations, Legislative Mandates, and Aligned with OPA Program Priorities

• 1) The degree to which the project plan adequately provides for the requirements set forth in the Title X statute, regulations (42 C.F.R. part 59, subpart A), and legislative mandates (20 points)

• 2) The ability of the applicant to advance health equity, including evidence that the structure of the recipient network will effectively address the need for services and result in increased access to quality family planning services for all clients, especially for low-income clients.

(20 points)

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Project Management and Capability

• 1) The relative need of the applicant, including the extent to which the applicant’s project management plan shows the applicant’s need for funds and the applicant’s capability to make effective use of grant funds. (5 points)

• 2) The adequacy of the applicant’s facilities and staff, including evidence of an infrastructure that is sustainable in ensuring continued access to family planning services for clients in the proposed service area. (10 points)

• 3) The capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use of the Federal assistance. Applicants must demonstrate/explain how they propose to use the federal assistance to provide quality family planning services that meet the needs of and improve access for clients in the proposed service area. (10 points).

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Budget

• 1) The relative availability of non-Federal resources within the community to be served and the degree to which those resources are committed to the project, including the degree to which the budget and budget narrative identify other sources of revenue, including but not limited to the estimated amount of program income and how the applicant proposes to invest it back into the proposed Title X project (5 points)

DASPA Criteria (Section G2. Pg. 37)

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs will take into consideration the following additional factor(s):

• The geographic distribution of services within the identified service area.

• The extent to which funds requested for a project maximize access for the population in need within the entire service area.

• The extent to which projects that rely on subrecipients to provide services can provide the required services and best serve individuals in need throughout the anticipated service area.

• The extent to which projects best promote the purposes of Section 1001 of the Public Health Service Act, within the limits of funds available for such projects (42 C.F.R. § 59.7).

Q&A

Chat in your question

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OASH Grants & Acquisition Division

PA-FPH-22-001

November 9, 2021

Submission Dates and Times (Section A)

Application is due by 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time, January 11, 2022 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 (NOFO, Section E.1)

Applicant eligibility for this NOFO:

Any public or private nonprofit entity located in a State (which includes one of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the U.S. Outlaying Islands (Midway, Wake, et al.), the Marshall Islands, the Federated State of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau (hereafter, States)) is eligible to apply for a grant under this announcement. Faith-based organizations and American Indian/Alaska Native/Native American (AI/AN/NA) organizations are eligible to apply for Title X family planning services grants.

Eligible Applicants (NOFO, Section E.1)

Examples include:

• State Governments

• U.S. territories

• County Governments

• City or township governments

• Special district governments

• Independent school districts

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

• Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

• Public Housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)

• Nonprofits having 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

• Non-profit private institutions of higher education

Cost Sharing or Matching (Section E.2)

• While there is not a fixed cost-sharing percentage or amount, projects must include financial support from sources other than Title X. The proposed project budget should reflect financial support in addition to Title X funds on both the Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information, and in the budget narrative and justification. The amount and source(s) of these funds must be clearly identified separately from the requested Title X support as indicated on the SF 424A, as well as on the SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance.

• The OASH Grants and Acquisition Management (GAM) Division will review applications to ensure that the requested amount of Title X funding is in compliance with this business requirement.

• See NOFO section E.2 and 42 C.F.R. § 59.7(c) for additional details.

Cost Sharing or Matching (Section E.2)

• The cost sharing requirements are waived for any grant made to the 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. Although projects are expected to identify additional sources of funding and not solely rely on Title X funds, there is no specific amount of level of financial match requirement for this program.

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 93.217.

• 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 OASH Grants and Acquisitions Management (GAM) Division 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.3).

• 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 the page count of your PDF and/or print the 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 http://%C2%A0http:/www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

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.

Project Abstract Summary

• It you receive an award under this announcement, your project abstract summary may be published.

• Do not include any proprietary or confidential information in your Project Abstract Summary

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.

UEI 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.

• 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.

• Average timeframe for updates in SAM.gov to appear in Grants.gov is up to 72hrs.

System for Award Management (SAM)

• SAM registration must be renewed each year.

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

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/UEI 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, budget narrative and detailed justification do not count toward page limit.

Application Disqualification Criteria

• If your 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.

• You must complete the required forms in the application package: SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-LLL, and Project Abstract Summary.

• Your application must be submitted in the English language and must be in the terms of U.S. dollars (45 C.F.R. § 75.111(a)).

Application Disqualification Criteria

• If your application does not meet the following requirements, it will be disqualified and receive no further consideration:

• 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 65 pages.

• The Total Application, including Project Narrative must not exceed 150 pages.

Application Disqualification Criteria (continued)

• If your 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 ($22,000,000)

• Your Federal funds request including indirect costs must not be below the minimum indicated in Award Floor ($200,000).

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

• Your application must meet any Application Responsiveness Criteria under Section E.3 Other - Application Responsiveness Criteria.

Other – Application Responsiveness Criteria (Section E.3)

• Family Participation Certification. Applicants must include a written statement in the appendix of the application certifying that:

“if funded, this Title X Family Planning Services project will encourage family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and will provide counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities.”

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)

a) Proposed Service Area and Plans to Address Need for Family Planning Services

b) Plan to Deliver Family Planning Services in Compliance with the Statute, Regulations, Legislative Mandates, and Aligned with OPA Program Priorities

c) Project Management and Capability

d) Budget

Application Merit Review

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

• The Merit Review process is formal and confidential. Federal staff are available to answer questions and to ensure the process is consistent and fair, but do not participate in discussion and assessment of the application.

• Then applications are reviewed:

• By GAM staff for administrative & business compliance.

• By OPA Program Office staff for programmatic compliance.

Funding Decisions (Section G.4)

• The Director of the Office of Population Affairs will make final award selections to be recommended to the Grants Management Officer for risk analysis.

• 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 management officer (GMO) 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 Supplementary Material (Section K.1), 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 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 the Program Office via 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 rating or score.

Reviewers are not allowed to do external research, including following 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 any work plans should relate directly to the proposed goals and objectives.

Supporting documents such as 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 (e.g., 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 your 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 Population Affairs Mousumi Banikya-Leaseburg Email:

FY22.TitleXNOFO.National@hhs.gov Telephone:240-453-2800

Administrative or Financial Questions Grants Management Specialist Robin Fuller Email: Robin.Fuller@hhs.gov Telephone: 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:FY22.TitleXNOFO.National@hhs.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

These slides and a link to the recording of this presentation will be posted on grants.gov and opa.hhs.gov following the presentation.

Q&A

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