PKG00287004-instructions-1.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Center for Innovation and Partnership

Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program

HHS-2024-ACL-CIP-ATTF-0088

08/12/2024

Table of Contents Executive Summary

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Project Narrative

Summary/Abstract

Problem Statement

Goals and Objectives

Proposed Intervention

Special Target Populations and Organizations

Outcomes

Project Management

Evaluation

Dissemination

Organizational Capability

Budget Narrative/Justification

Work Plan

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies

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

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Anticipated Announcement Award Date

VI. Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13)

Appendix

Instructions for Completing Required Forms

Budget Narrative/Justification- Sample Format

Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/ Abstract

ACL Center:

Center for Innovation and Partnership Funding Opportunity Title:

Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2024-ACL-CIP-ATTF-0088

Primary CFDA Number:

93.469 Due Date for Letter of Intent:

07/18/2024 Due Date for Applications:

08/12/2024 Date for Informational Conference Call:

07/08/2024 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with https://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary https://www.grants.gov/

Additional Overview Content/Executive Summary The Administration for Community Living (ACL) issues HHS-2024-ACL-CIP-ATTF-0088, the Assistive Technology Alternative Financing Program Grant Funding Opportunity Announcement. The purpose of the Assistive Technology (AT) Alternative Financing Program (AFP) is to support programs that provide for the acquisition of AT devices and services, such as a low-interest loan fund, an interest buy-down program, a revolving loan fund, a loan guarantee, an insurance program, or additional activities that result in the acquisition of AT devices and services. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 requires applicants for AT AFP grants to provide an assurance that, and information describing the manner in which, the AFP will expand and emphasize consumer choice and control. While applicants are not restricted to disability organizations, the Act specifies that State agencies and community-based disability organizations that are directed by and operated for individuals with disabilities shall be eligible to compete.

Applicants should incorporate credit-building activities in their programs, including financial education and information about other possible funding sources. Successful applicants must emphasize consumer choice and control and build programs that will provide financing and acquisition for the full array of AT devices and services and ensure that all people with disabilities, regardless of type of disability or health condition, age, level of income, and residence, have access to the program.

I. Funding Opportunity Description The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Community Living (ACL) to fund one-year grant awards to support Assistive Technology (AT) Alternative Financing Programs (AFPs) that assist individuals with disabilities of any age to obtain services, financial assistance, and additional activities for the acquisition of AT devices and services.

Under this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), applicants must establish or expand one or more of the following types of AFPs:

(1) A low-interest loan fund.

(2) An interest buy-down program.

(3) A revolving loan fund.

(4) A loan guarantee or insurance program.

(5) A program operated for the purchase, lease, or other acquisition of assistive technology devices or assistive technology services.

(6) Another mechanism that provides financing and is approved by the Secretary.

To be considered for funding, an applicant must identify the type or types of AFP to be supported by the grant and submit the following:

(1) Administrative Policies and Procedures. An assurance that the applicant receiving a grant under this priority will submit to ACL for review and approval within the first 3 months of the project period policies and procedures for administration of the AFP as follows:

(a) A policy and/or procedure to review and process in a timely manner requests for financial assistance for assistive technology needs, including consideration of methods to reduce paperwork and duplication of effort particularly relating to need, eligibility and determination of the specific AT device or service to be financed through the program.

(b) A policy and/or procedure to ensure that individuals are allowed to apply for financing for a full array of AT devices and services regardless of type of disability or health condition, age, income level, location of residence, or type of AT device or service for which financing is requested through the program. It is permissible for programs to target individuals with disabilities who would have been denied conventional financing as a priority for AFP funding.

(c) A policy and/or procedure to expand and emphasize consumer choice and control.

(d) A policy and/or procedure for sustainability of the AFP including information on the amount of federal grant award expected to be used for operating expenses versus loan capital. Grantees must provide a sustainability plan that identifies the amount of funding that is expected to be needed on an ongoing basis for program administration and loan capital and how such funding will be secured absent the federal grant award.

(e) A policy and/or procedure for incorporating credit-building activities into the AFP, including financial education and information about other possible funding sources.

(2) Fiscal and Reporting Assurances. An applicant must provide the following assurances:

(a) The grantee will draw down and place all federal grant funds in a restricted account with the use of such funds limited to implementation of the AFP. The grantee is permitted to draw down the entire award in advance to capitalize a loan fund so long as the funds are placed in a restricted account.

(b) The grantee will expend funds in the restricted account solely for the purpose originally designated for implementation of the AFP and the restricted fund will continue until all federal and any other dollars placed into the restricted fund are expended for that purpose. As a reminder, 45 CFR 75.307(f) states, “There are no Federal requirements governing the disposition of income earned after the end of the period of performance for the Federal award, unless the HHS awarding agency regulations or terms and conditions of the award provide otherwise. The HHS awarding agency may negotiate agreements with recipients regarding appropriate use of income earned after the period of performance as part of the grant closeout process.” Consistent with 45 CFR 75.307(e)(2), “The program income must be used for the purposes and under the conditions of the Federal award.” In the event program income earned after the period of performance is used for other purposes, in noncompliance with the terms and conditions of award, or if a grantee decides to terminate its AFP while there are still funds available to operate the program, the grantee must return the funds remaining in the restricted account to the U.S.

Department of the Treasury.

(c) The grantee will complete federal cash transaction reports, as appropriate, and will submit a final federal financial report as prescribed by ACL.

(d) The grantee will provide a final program progress report within 90 days after the end of the grant award period, which along with the final fiscal report will close-out the grant award.

(3) Previous Grant Recipients. If an applicant has previously received an AFP grant award from ACL under a prior year funding opportunity, then information must be provided on the year(s), funding amount(s), the remaining balance(s) in the restricted account(s) for acquisition of AT devices and how the prior funding has been used, including the services implemented for acquisition of AT, number of devices provided, financial loans extended, individuals served, funding leveraged, and credit-building activities developed.

Statutory Authority Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant) Estimated Total Funding:

$1,970,000 Expected Number of Awards:

Award Ceiling:

$700,000 Per Budget Period

Award Floor:

$100,000 Per Budget Period

Length of Project Period:

12-month project period and budget period Additional Information on Project Periods and Explanation of 'Other' Once a grant award is in place, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time as long as it stays within the original confines of the proposed project description. Major changes may affect the integrity of the competitive review process.

Modifications and/or amendments of the grant or work plan shall be effective upon the execution of an award notice. When an award is issued the terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference unless ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 45 CFR Part 75, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments.

Applications for supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new awards.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants For FY 2024 the below guidance is provided to advance the Administration’s policy, as stated in E.O. 13985, to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.” This guidance is intended to begin to address inequities in HHS programs, processes, and policies that may serve as barriers to equal opportunity. By advancing equity in our NOFOs, we can “create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.”

Eligible applicants include: domestic public or private non-profit entities including state and local governments, Indian tribal governments and organizations (American Indian/Alaskan Native/Native American), faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, hospitals, and institutions of higher education.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

No For awards that do not require matching or cost sharing by statute, recipients are not expected to provide cost sharing or matching. However, recipients are allowed to voluntarily propose a commitment of non-federal resources. If an applicant decides to voluntarily contribute non-federal resources towards project costs and the costs are accepted by ACL, the non-federal resources will be included in the approved project budget. The applicant will be held accountable for all proposed non-federal resources as shown in the Notice of Award (NOA). A recipient's failure to meet the voluntary amount of non-federal resources that was accepted by ACL as part of the approved project costs and that was identified in the approved budget in the NOA, may result in the disallowance of federal funds. Recipients will be required to report these funds in the Federal Financial Reports.

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that fail to meet the screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

Application Screening Criteria All applications will be screened to assure a level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet the three screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration.

In order for an application to be reviewed, it must meet the following screening requirements:

1. Applications must be submitted electronically via https://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, by the due date listed in section IV.3 Submission Dates and Times.

2. The Project Narrative section of the Application must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 30 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 30 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 30 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration. NOTE: The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Project Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 30-page limit.

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from https://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an https://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the application deadline.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from https://www.grants.gov or https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants.

Please note, ACL requires applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov in Workspace. Grants.gov Workspace is the standard way for organizations and individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov. An overview and training on Grants.gov Workspace can be found here at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

• At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

• All applicants must have a UEI and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at:

Quick Start Guide for Getting a Unique Entity ID.pdf (dol.gov).

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

1.

• Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

• Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.acl.gov/grants/applying-grants http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/grants/pdfs/Quick%20Start%20Guide%20for%20Getting%20a%20Unique%20Entity%20ID.pdf

(OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

2. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

3. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

4. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

• The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New

Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. It is entered on the SF-424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide.

Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM. Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

Contact person regarding this Program Announcement:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living

Robert Groenendaal Center for Innovation and Partnership Email: Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov https://www.grants.gov mailto:Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent Due Date for Letter Of Intent 07/18/2024

07/18/2024 Applicants are requested, but not required, to submit a letter of intent to apply for this funding opportunity to assist ACL in planning for the application independent review process. The purpose of the letter of intent is to allow our staff to estimate the number of independent reviewers needed and to avoid potential conflicts of interest in the review. Letters of intent should be sent to:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living Robert Groenendaal Center for Innovation and Partnership Email: Robert.Groenendaal@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8.5” x 11” paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of no less than 11 point, preferably Times New Roman or Arial. You can use smaller font sizes to fill in the Standard Forms and Sample Formats. The suggested length for the Project Narrative is 25 to 30 pages; 30 pages is the maximum length allowed. Project Narratives that exceed 30 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 30 pages of the Project Narrative will be provided to the merit reviewers for funding consideration.

The Project Work Plan, Letters of Commitment, and Vitae of Key Personnel are not counted as part of the Project Narrative for purposes of the 30-page limit, but all the other sections noted below are included in the limit. A new requirement for all Project Narratives is information that explains the equity experience of the project team.

The sample components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 30-page limit include:

• Summary/Abstract

• Problem Statement

• Goals and Objectives

• Proposed Intervention

• Special Target Populations and Organizations

• Outcomes

• Project Management

• Evaluation

• Dissemination

• Organizational Capability

Summary/Abstract This section should include a brief - no more than 265 words maximum - description of the proposed project, including: goal(s), objectives, outcomes, and products to be developed.

Detailed instructions for completing the summary/abstract are included in the “Instructions for Completing the Project Summary/Abstract.”

Problem Statement This section should describe, in both quantitative and qualitative terms, the nature and scope of the particular problem or issue the proposed intervention is designed to address, including how the project will potentially affect older adults and /or people with disabilities, their families and caregivers and the health care and social services systems.

Goals and Objectives This section should consist of a description of the project’s goal(s) and major objectives with relation to meeting the purpose of the funding to support programs that provide for the purchase of AT devices in ways that expand and emphasize consumer choice and control. Unless the project involves multiple, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall goal.

Proposed Intervention This section should provide a clear and concise description of the intervention you are proposing to use to address the problem described in the “Problem Statement." You should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as: “lessons learned” for similar projects previously tested in your community, or in other areas of the country; factors in the larger environment that have created the “right conditions” for the intervention (e.g., existing social or economic factors that you’ll be able to take advantage of, etc.). Also note any major barriers you anticipate encountering, and how your project will be able to overcome those barriers. Be sure to describe the role and makeup of any strategic partnerships you plan to involve in implementing the intervention, including other organizations, supporters, and/or consumer groups.

Special Target Populations and Organizations This section should describe how you plan to involve organizations in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of the proposed project. This section should also describe whether, and if so, how the proposed intervention will target disadvantaged populations, including limited-English speaking populations, those of greatest economic need and those of greatest social need. Applicants should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

Outcomes This section of the project narrative must clearly identify the measurable outcome(s) that will result from the project. (NOTE: ACL will not fund any project that does not include measurable outcomes). This section should also describe how the project’s findings might benefit the field at large, (e.g., how the findings could help other organizations throughout the nation to address the same or similar problems.) List measurable outcomes in the optional work plan grid (“Project Work Plan – Sample Template”) under “Measurable Outcomes” in addition to any discussion included in the narrative along with a description of how the project might benefit the field at large.

A “measurable outcome” is an observable end-result that describes how a particular intervention benefits consumers. It demonstrates the functional status, mental well-being, knowledge, skill, attitude, awareness or behavior. It can also describe a change in the degree to which consumers exercise choice over the types of services they receive, or whether they are satisfied with the way a service is delivered. Additional examples include: a change in the responsiveness or cost-effectiveness of a service delivery system; a new model of support or care that can be replicated in the ACL network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of community living; a measurable increase in community awareness; or a measurable increase in persons receiving services. A measurable outcome is not a measurable “output,” such as: the number of clients served; the number of training sessions held; or the number of service units provided.

With regard to this FOA, outcomes should include improvements in the ability of individuals with disabilities to purchase AT devices as a result of program support and/or increases in the amount of choice and control among targeted consumers as a result of the program.

You should keep the focus of this section on describing what outcome(s) will be produced by the project. You should use the Evaluation section noted below to describe how the outcome(s) will be measured and reported.

Your application will be scored on the clarity and nature of your proposed outcomes, not on the number of outcomes cited. It is totally appropriate for a project to have only ONE outcome that it is trying to achieve through the intervention reflected in the project’s design.

Project Management This section should include a clear delineation of the roles and responsibilities of project staff, consultants and partner organizations, and how they will contribute to achieving the project's objectives and outcomes. It should specify who would have day-to-day responsibility for key tasks such as: leadership of the project; monitoring the project's on-going progress (i.e., measure of performance towards the goals stated in the funding opportunity announcement and for your specific intervention/activities), preparation of reports; communications with other partners and ACL. It should also describe the approach that will be used to monitor and track progress on the project's tasks and objectives. This section should also contain an explanation of the equity experience of the project team.

Evaluation This section should describe the specific outcomes (e.g., changes in clients, organizations, and/or communities) expected as a result of this funding as well as method(s), techniques and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether the proposed intervention achieved its anticipated outcome(s), and 2) document the “lessons learned” – both positive and negative - from the project that will be useful to people interested in replicating the intervention, if it proves successful.

Dissemination This section should describe the method that will be used to disseminate the project's results and findings in a timely manner and in easily understandable formats, to parties who might be interested in using the results of the project to inform practice, service delivery, program development, and/or policy-making, including and especially those parties who would be interested in replicating the project.

Organizational Capability Each application should include an organizational capability statement and vitae for key project personnel. The organizational capability statement should describe how the applicant agency (or the particular division of a larger agency which will have responsibility for this project) is organized, the nature and scope of its work and/or the capabilities it possesses. It should also include the organization's capability to sustain some or all project activities after Federal financial assistance has ended.

This description should cover capabilities of the applicant agency not included in the program narrative, such as any current or previous relevant experience and/or the record of the project team in preparing cogent and useful reports, publications, and other products. If appropriate, include an organization chart showing the relationship of the project to the current organization.

Please attach short vitae for key project staff only. Neither vitae nor an organizational chart will count towards the narrative page limit. Also include information about any contractual organization(s) that will have a significant role(s) in implementing project and achieving project goals.

Budget Narrative/Justification The Budget Narrative/Justification can be provided using the format included in the example document, "Budget Narrative/Justification - Sample Format," which is attached at the end of this Funding Announcement. Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought.

NOTE: Applicants will be required to resubmit budget narrative/justification documents that do not include the appropriate level of detail. For successful applicants this could create a delay in the grant award.

Work Plan The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget. It should include a statement of the project's overall goal, anticipated outcomes, key objectives, and the major tasks/action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcomes. For each major task/action step, the work plan should identify time frames involved (including start and end-dates), and the lead person responsible for completing the task. Please use the "Project Work Plan - Sample Template" format as a reference and resource, if desired.

Letters of Commitment from Key Participating Organizations and Agencies Include confirmation of the commitments to the project (should it be funded) made by collaborating organizations and agencies in this part of the application. Any organization that is specifically named to have a significant role in carrying out the project should be considered an essential collaborator. For applications submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov, signed letters of commitment should be scanned and included as attachments. Applicants unable to scan the signed letters of commitment may fax them to the ACL Office of Grants Management at 202-357-3467 by the application deadline. In your fax, be sure to include the funding opportunity number and your agency name.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) The Grants.gov registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with https://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Eastern Time.

• At the https://www.grants.gov website, you will find information about submitting an application electronically through the site, including the hours of operation. ACL strongly recommends that you do not wait until the application due date to begin the application process because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

• All applicants must have a UEI number and be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM, www.sam.gov) and maintain an active SAM registration until the application process is complete, and should a grant be made, throughout the life of the award. Effective June 11, 2018, when registering or renewing your registration, you must submit a notarized letter appointing the authorized Entity Administrator. Please be sure to read the FAQs located at www.sam.gov to learn more. Applicants should allot sufficient time prior to the application deadline to finalize a new, or renew an existing registration.

This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award. Maintain documentation (with dates) of your efforts to register or renew at least two weeks before the deadline. See the SAM Quick Guide for Grantees at: Quick Start Guide for Getting a Unique Entity ID.pdf (dol.gov).

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, allow 24 to 48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov before you can submit an application through Grants.gov. This action should allow you time to resolve any issues that may arise. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in your inability to submit your application or receive an award.

• Note: Failure to submit the correct EIN Suffix can lead to delays in identifying your organization and access to funding in the Payment Management System.

• Effective October 1, 2010, HHS requires all entities that plan to apply for and ultimately receive federal grant funds from any HHS Operating/Staff Division http://www.grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/grants/pdfs/Quick%20Start%20Guide%20for%20Getting%20a%20Unique%20Entity%20ID.pdf https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/grants/pdfs/Quick%20Start%20Guide%20for%20Getting%20a%20Unique%20Entity%20ID.pdf

(OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to:

1. Register in SAM prior to submitting an application or plan;

2. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by an OPDIV; and

3. Provide its UEI number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a UEI number at the time the subaward is made.

• The Federal Government will transition from the DUNS Number to the New Unique Entity Identifier. As of April of 2022, the federal government stopped using the DUNS number to uniquely identify entities. At that point, entities doing business with the federal government will use a Unique Entity Identifier (SAM) created in SAM.gov. They will no longer have to go to a third-party website to obtain their identifier. This transition allows the government to streamline the entity identification and validation process, making it easier and less burdensome for entities to do business with the federal government. If your entity is registered in SAM.gov today, your Unique Entity ID (SAM) has already been assigned and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations. The Unique Entity ID is currently located below the DUNS Number on your entity registration record. Remember, you must be signed in to your SAM.gov account to view entity records. To learn how to view your Unique Entity ID (SAM) go to this help article.

• You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications. In accordance with the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce reporting burden for recipients of federal financial assistance, the general certification and representation requirements contained in the Standard Form 424B (SF-424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs, and the Standard Form 424D (SF-424D) – Assurances – Construction Programs, have been standardized federal-wide. Effective January 1, 2020, the updated common certification and representation requirements will be stored and maintained within SAM.

Organizations or individuals applying for federal financial assistance as of January 1, 2020, must validate the federally required common certifications and representations annually through SAM located at SAM.gov.

• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from https://www.grants.gov that contains https://www.grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Community Living will retrieve your application form from https://www.grants.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications 08/12/2024

08/12/2024 Date for Informational Conference Call:

07/08/2024 Applications that fail to meet the application due date will not be reviewed and will receive no further consideration. You are strongly encouraged to submit your application a minimum of 3-5 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=a05adbae1b59f8982fe5ed7ae54bcbba https://www.grants.gov days prior to the application closing date. Do not wait until the last day in the event you encounter technical difficulties, either on your end or, with http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and (2) register yourself with Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the following Grants.gov web page: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

After you electronically submit your application, you will receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. (This notification indicates receipt by Grants.gov only)

If you are experiencing problems submitting your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.

If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, please contact the person listed under For Further Information Contact in section VII of this notice and provide a written explanation of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. ACL will contact you after a determination is made on whether your application will be accepted.

Note: We will not consider your application for further review if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the application deadline or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

If for any reason (including submitting to the wrong funding opportunity number or making corrections/updates) an application is submitted more than once prior to the application due date, ACL will only accept your last validated electronic submission, under the correct funding opportunity number, prior to the Grants.gov application due date as the final and only acceptable application

Unsuccessful submissions will require authenticated verification from http://www.grants.gov indicating system problems existed at the time of your submission. For example, you will be required to provide an http://www.grants.gov submission error notification and/or tracking number in order to substantiate missing the cut off date.

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) will automatically send applicants a tracking number and date of receipt verification electronically once the application has been successfully received and validated in http://www.grants.gov.

INFORMATIONAL CONFERENCE CALL

3:00 PM EASTERN TIME, JULY 8, 2024

TOLL FREE NUMBER: 888-790-1769

PARTICIPANT PASS CODE: 9477641

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

5. Intergovernmental Review This program is not subject to Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

6. Funding Restrictions The following activities are not fundable:

• Construction and/or major rehabilitation of buildings

• Basic research (e.g. scientific or medical experiments)

• Continuation of existing projects without expansion or new and innovative approaches

Note: A recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has raised considerable concerns about grantees and contractors charging the Federal Government for additional meals outside of the standard allowance for travel subsistence known as per diem expenses. Executive Orders on Promoting Efficient Spending (E.O. 13589) and Delivering Efficient, Effective and Accountable Government (E.O. 13576) have been issued and instruct Federal agencies to promote efficient spending. Therefore, if meals are to be charged in your proposal, applicants should understand such costs must meet the following criteria outlined in the Executive Orders and HHS Grants Policy Statement:

• Meals are generally unallowable except for the following:

o For subjects and patients under study (usually a research program);

o Where specifically approved as part of the project or program activity, e.g., in programs providing children’s services (e.g., Head Start);

o When an organization customarily provides meals to employees working beyond the normal workday, as a part of a formal compensation arrangement;

o As part of a per diem or subsistence allowance provided in conjunction with allowable travel; and o Under a conference grant, when meals are a necessary and integral part of a conference, provided that meal costs are not duplicated in participants’ per diem or subsistence allowances. (Note: conference grant means the sole purpose of the award is to hold a conference)

The following updated sections 2 CFR 200.216 “Prohibition on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment” became effective on or after August 13, 2020.

Recommended Actions for any recipient that has received a loan, grant, or cooperative agreement on or after August 13, 2020:

• Develop a compliance plan to implement 2 CFR 200.216 regulation.

• Develop and maintain internal controls to ensure that your organization does not expend federal funds (in whole or in part) on covered equipment, services or systems.

• Determine through reasonable inquiry whether your organization currently uses “covered telecommunication” equipment, services, or systems and take necessary actions to comply with the regulation as quickly as is feasibly possible.

7. Other Submission Requirements There are no other submission requirements.

V. Application Review Information

1. Criteria Applicants must document all of their source material. If any text, language and/or materials are from another source, the applicant must make it clear the material is being quoted and where the text comes from. The applicant must also cite any sources when they obtain numbers, ideas, or other material that is not their own. If the applicant fails to comply with this requirement, regardless of the severity or frequency of the plagiarism, the reviewers shall reduce their scores accordingly even to the degree of issuing no points at all.

Please remember that peer reviewers are instructed that appendix material is to be considered supplemental material to support or show evidence supporting statements made in the narrative.

They are neither requested nor expected to consider appendix material in rating applications.

Applicants responding to this announcement should become familiar with the selection criteria.

These criteria will be used by reviewers and the Administration for Community Living (ACL) staff to evaluate all applications. Applicants should respond to each identified criterion since failure to do so will put an application at a significant disadvantage.

Reviewers of applications report that an application written in a format that follows the peer review criteria and contains a separate budget section greatly facilitates the review process. Such a format would appear as follows:

SECTION A: Proposed Intervention

SECTION B: Special Target Populations and Organizations

SECTION C: Project Personnel

SECTION D: Problem Statement

SECTION E: Organizational Capacity

SECTION F: Project Management

SECTION G: Project Evaluation

SECTION H: Budget

APPENDICES: Assurances/Certifications, One-page Resumes, Bibliography, Letters of Support, etc.

AFP applications are scored by assigning a maximum of 100 points across 8 selection criteria:

B. Special Target Populations and Organizations Maximum Points: 10

In determining the quality of the services to be provided by the proposed AFP, the reviewers consider the quality and sufficiency of strategies for ensuring equal access and treatment for eligible project participants who are members or groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.

The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed AFP reflect up-to-date knowledge from research and effective practice.

The likely impact of the services to be provided by the proposed AFP on the intended recipients of those services.

The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed AFP involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for maximizing the effectiveness of project services.

The extent to which specific gaps or weaknesses in services, infrastructure, or opportunities have been identified and will be addressed by the proposed AFP.

C. Project Personnel Maximum Points: 10

The extent to which the application explains the equity experience of the project team and encourages applications for employment from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.

The extent to which the time commitments of the project director and other key project personnel are appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed AFP.

The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, of the proposed AFP project director and other key project personnel.

A. Proposed Intervention Maximum Points: 35

The extent to which the proposed AFP clearly and adequately responds to the funding opportunity, as described in this Program Announcement.

The extent to which the design of the proposed AFP includes a high-quality plan for project implementation to ensure successful achievement of project objectives.

The extent to which the proposed AFP represents an exceptional approach to the funding opportunity established for this Program Announcement. The extent to which the design of the proposed AFP is appropriate to, and will successfully address, the needs of the target population or other identified needs.

The extent to which the proposed AFP is likely to build capacity to provide, improve or expand services that address the needs of the target population and historically underserved communities.

The extent to which the proposed AFP will establish linkages with other appropriate agencies and organizations providing services to the target population.

The extent to which the proposed AFP encourages consumer involvement and addresses a procedure to ensure consumer choice and consumer-controlled oversight of the program.

The extent to which the proposed AFP involves the development or demonstration of promising new strategies that build on, or are alternatives to, existing strategies, and incorporates credit building activities, including financial education and information about other possible funding sources.

The extent to which the proposed AFP is designed to build statewide capacity, sustain the program and yield results that will extend beyond the period of Federal financial assistance.

D. Problem Statement Maximum Points: 10

The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed AFP are appropriate to the needs of the intended recipients or beneficiaries of those services.

The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed AFP are focused on those with the greatest needs.

The magnitude of the need for the services to be provided or the activities to be carried out by the proposed AFP.

E. Organizational Capacity Maximum Points: 10

The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, supplies and other resources, from the applicant organization or the lead applicant organization.

The relevance and demonstrated commitment of each partner in the proposed project to the implementation and success of the AFP.

The extent to which the budget is sufficient to support the proposed project.

The extent to which the services to be provided by the proposed AFP involve the use of efficient strategies and the leveraging of non-project resources.

F. Project Management Maximum Points: 10

The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives of the proposed AFP on time and within budget, including clearly defined responsibilities.

The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products and services from the proposed

AFP.

The extent to which the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed AFP, including those of individuals with disabilities, family members, guardians, advocates, authorized representatives, teachers, the business community, a variety of disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or…