SATC FOA.pdf

Administration for Community Living

Center for Integrated Programs

2017 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance (TA) Center

Grant

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-SATC-0224

Application Due Date: 07/10/2017

2017 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance (TA) Center

Grant

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-SATC-0224

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

3. Submission Dates and Times

4. Intergovernmental Review

5. Funding Restrictions

6. 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

Department of Health & Human Services

ACL Center: Center for Integrated Programs Funding Opportunity Title: 2017 State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)

Technical Assistance (TA) Center Grant Announcement Type: Initial Funding Opportunity Number:

HHS-2017-ACL-CIP-SATC-0224

Primary CFDA Number: 93.324 Due Date For Letter of Intent: 05/23/2017 Due Date for Applications: 07/10/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call:

05/18/2017

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 http://www.grants.gov. Grants.gov can take up to 48 hours to notify you of a successful submission.

Executive Summary

The mission of the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) is to empower, educate and assist Medicare-eligible individuals, their families and caregivers through objective outreach, counseling and training to make informed health insurance decisions that optimize their access to care and benefits. There are currently 54 active SHIP grants: one in every state, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The SHIP National Technical Assistance Center serves as a centralized and significant source of information, expertise, and technical assistance for the SHIP grantee projects. With this funding opportunity, ACL is seeking applicants for a single cooperative agreement to operate the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center (The SHIP TA Center).

ACL plans to fund one (1) cooperative agreement at the federal funding level of $950,000 per year, over a five (5) year project period, pending availability of federal funds.

An informational teleconference will be held on May 18, 2017 at 2:00PM EST.

Call in number: 202-774-2300 Access Code: 990 888 967

I. Funding Opportunity Description https://www.grants.gov

The State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) was created under Section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990 (Public Law 101-508). This section of the law authorized the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to make grants to states to establish and maintain health insurance information and assistance programs for Medicare beneficiaries. Grant funds were made available to support information, counseling, and assistance activities relating to Medicare, Medicaid, and other related health insurance options such as: Medicare supplemental insurance, long-term care insurance, managed care options, and other health insurance benefit information.

The purpose of the SHIP grant program is to strengthen the capability of states to support a community-based, grassroots network of local SHIP offices that provide personalized counseling, education, and outreach to assist Medicare beneficiaries with their Medicare questions. Grant funds are to be used to support locally accessible counseling services to individual beneficiaries in coordination with ACL, Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and community partners. Services provided by SHIPs are intended for Medicare beneficiaries who prefer or need information, counseling, and enrollment assistance beyond what they are able to receive on their own through other information channels, including 1-800- MEDICARE and www.medicare.gov. Grant funds from ACL enhance states’ efforts to support a network of local partners, programs, staff, and volunteers that will provide accurate and objective information to help beneficiaries understand and utilize their Medicare benefits.

SHIPs have a long history of outreach and assistance to underserved populations, including people with limited incomes, Medicare beneficiaries under the age of 65 with disabilities, and dual eligible individuals. SHIPs play a large and important role in beneficiary counseling and education, offering both direct in-person beneficiary counseling and over-the-phone counseling.

Because they fill such an important role in supporting information needs of beneficiaries, it is essential that the SHIPs have access to accurate, relevant, and timely information. By increasing the ease of communications to and amongst the SHIPs, ACL can enhance the flow of accurate and consistent information to Medicare beneficiaries. The changing nature of the Medicare program and health care insurance in general has reinforced the need for special support services to SHIPs in the form of a SHIP National Technical Assistance Center.

The Role of the SHIP National Technical Assistance Center The SHIP TA Center serves as a central source of information, expertise, and technical assistance for the SHIP grantee projects by disseminating knowledge and best practices;

providing ongoing support and information on issues and trends in Medicare, Medicaid for dual eligible persons, and volunteer management; developing new products and tools for the national SHIP network, including fact sheets and training manuals; and providing technical assistance through webinars, one-on-one assistance, and written instructions. Applicants for the SHIP TA Center should demonstrate the ability to draw upon wide-ranging resources to respond to a rapidly changing programmatic environment and have knowledge of the issues associated with the aging network, Medicare, and the broader health insurance industry affecting Medicare beneficiaries.

National SHIP TA Center Priority Functions Applicants should focus their program narrative on describing how they will provide support and technical assistance to the SHIP state programs as the grantees work toward achieving the programmatic strategic themes outlined in the FY2017 SHIP Base Grant Funding Opportunity Announcement. The themes, which are described more fully below, are: 1) Service Excellence;

2) Capacity Building; 3) Operational Excellence; and 4) Innovation.

SHIP Program Theme 1: Service Excellence Objectives:

1. Consistently and confidentially provide accurate, objective, and comprehensive information and assistance.

2. Promote awareness, knowledge, and visibility of the program.

The SHIP TA Center supports the theme by providing training and technical assistance to SHIP grantees in support of their efforts to provide beneficiary counseling that is consistent, confidential, accurate, objective, and comprehensive. Additionally, the SHIP TA Center should produce and disseminate materials that will promote awareness, knowledge, and visibility of the program. Specific areas of focus are explained in detail below.

Increase Medicare and Related Benefits Content Knowledge of the SHIP Network The development and dissemination of SHIP subject matter expertise, training, and materials is a core function of the SHIP TA Center. In order to meet the learning needs of the variety of SHIP team members nationally and to improve efficiency of the SHIP program as a whole, the SHIP TA Center must provide standardized expert information and access to resources that assist SHIPs in obtaining and/or maintaining competency in the areas of basic Medicare, Medicaid for dual eligible persons, and other related health insurance options such as: Medicare supplement insurance, long-term care insurance, managed care options, prescription drug plans, and other health insurance benefit information. This includes development of training materials and curricula as well as ensuring SHIP grantees have access to subject matter expertise to assist with complicated beneficiary situations and general casework, as needed.

With this funding opportunity, applicants should expect to play an important role in enhancing SHIP network training and support by soliciting input from SHIPs, disseminating materials, conducting webinar trainings, and coordinating updates of the program, as needed. Successful applicants will show the ability to support these activities by illustrating the capacity to develop SHIP network training materials and curricula and provide subject matter expertise in the areas of Medicare; Medicaid; Medicare Supplemental Insurance; use of the Medicare and “Medigap” Plan Finder websites; and client confidentiality.

Provide SHIP Program Information and Technical Support Applicants must provide plans to ensure timely and accurate responses to SHIP grantee inquiries for information, guidance, or technical assistance. In addition, plans must provide a strategy for ensuring the SHIP TA Center remains abreast of current developments in Medicare, health care trends, and related beneficiary issues, as well as a plan to ensure these developments are shared with the SHIP network in a timely manner. In summary, successful applicant plans should:

Ensure responsive, integrated support of the SHIP program that promotes and enhances the efficiency of SHIP operations and the quality of SHIP results;

Provide a streamlined and seamless gateway for SHIP project grantees to access needed resources, information and technical support via a SHIP TA Center website, publications, and other innovative and effective communications strategies;

Develop and implement training to enhance SHIP efforts to perform key SHIP program functions, including easily replicable and proven effective methods of conducting Medicare outreach, counseling, and education to Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers;

Detail specific SHIP TA Center approaches, roles, and activities to enhance team member training support including soliciting input from SHIPs, disseminating materials developed, conducting webinar trainings, and coordinating updates of the program, as needed; and

Provide timely information to ACL based on input from the SHIP network to be used in planning annual SHIP training conference agendas and activities.

Develop and Adhere to an Integrated Communications Strategy Clear and informative communication with and between the SHIP grantees, ACL, and the general public is central to the success of the SHIP program as a whole. The SHIP TA Center should act as the resource and clearinghouse to facilitate this communication as much as possible by proactively working to further the SHIP message nationally. This should include:

Developing and maintaining a comprehensive and user-friendly SHIP TA Center website which provides information to the general public but also serves as a SHIP resource library where SHIPs can access materials, tools, resources, and information developed by the SHIP TA Center and other SHIPs;

Creating and distributing a regular SHIP newsletter to provide up-to-date information to SHIP staff and volunteers on Medicare coverage changes; updates from ACL, CMS, and other federal partners; and/or best practices from SHIPs across the country; and

Maintaining and updating as necessary an online SHIP locator to provide the Medicare beneficiaries and the general public a quick and easy tool to find their local SHIP.

Potential sources for information include ACL, Medicare, and CMS websites; professional newsletters and websites; governmental agency publications; and national news sources.

Relevant information may include, but is not limited to:

Medicare and other health insurance materials, including fact sheets, publications, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), press releases and training materials;

Professional reports, research studies, and policy briefs, including those that highlight SHIP activities; Program support materials, including materials related to outreach and promotion, volunteer recruitment, retention and management, counselor training, program administration, and program evaluation;

Information from SHIP partners and other relevant professional organizations, including links to their websites;

Calendar of events, including key Medicare program dates, key SHIP program dates, relevant activities of SHIP partners, national and regional meetings/conferences, and training opportunities for SHIP Program Directors; and

Daily news articles on Medicare and other topics of interest to SHIPs.

Enhance Exposure of SHIP to the Public In order to increase the public’s knowledge of the program, the SHIP TA Center should plan to provide an enhanced public-facing portion of the Center website. The public-facing portion of the site should improve the public’s understanding of the nature of SHIP activities and the impact of the SHIP program. Applicants for this funding opportunity should demonstrate the ability to promote understanding of the mission of government programs to wide audiences.

Additionally, to promote the program to those in greatest need of SHIP services, the SHIP TA Center should plan to create templates for use by SHIPs in their marketing campaigns, including brochures and other materials. Applicants should demonstrate the ability to develop and disseminate materials that can be easily understood by diverse populations, including those with limited literacy and those for whom English is a second language.

SHIP Program Theme 2: Capacity Building Objective:

1. Recruit, train and retain a diverse, sufficient, and effective workforce at all levels.

As SHIPs work toward their goal to recruit, train and retain a diverse, sufficient, and effective workforce at all levels, the SHIP TA Center should be available to provide training and technical assistance on program and team member management. Applicants should provide plans to provide comprehensive and responsive support to the SHIP grantees. Specific areas of focus for this theme are as follows:

Support SHIP Project Grantee Volunteer Management Abilities In 2009, ACL embarked on a multi-year project to help the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program improve their volunteer engagement practices. Known as the Volunteer Risk and Program Management (VRPM) project, the goal of this work was to provide the SMP network with a standard set of policies and tools to mitigate programmatic risk and improve volunteer recruitment and management practices. Given the success of VRPM within the SMP network, in 2016, ACL revised and enhanced the VRPM policies and procedures to include the SHIP network. The VRPM project provides a framework that allows each individual state project the flexibility and responsibility to develop their own volunteer risk and program management policies and procedures. As indicated in the FY 2017 SHIP Base Grant Funding Opportunity Announcement, all SHIP projects have until April 1, 2018 to fully implement the newly revised VRPM policies.

ACL envisions that successful applicants of this funding opportunity will provide plans on how they will encourage and assist with the implementation of the VRPM initiative and support the

SHIP network with training on policies, procedures, and proven, effective strategies related to volunteer recruitment, management, and training. Applicants should demonstrate the ability to develop and disseminate comprehensive plans to provide technical assistance, tools, products, and trainings to assist SHIPs in enhancing their volunteer workforce to address current and future needs of Medicare beneficiaries.

Support Professional Well-being of the SHIP Network As with any profession that has substantial and direct interaction with the public, the SHIP network may at times experience interpersonal challenges in their work with the program. The SHIP TA Center should prepare to support the SHIP network by sharing resources that encourage professional and emotional wellness while at work to assist with these interpersonal interactions that occur on a daily basis throughout the network. This could include materials or training on professional boundaries; burn out; managing interactions with difficult or vulnerable beneficiaries; recognizing beneficiaries at risk; self-care; recognizing when a colleague is in emotional distress; and above all, knowing where to go to for help when faced with these challenging situations. Successful applicants to this funding opportunity should describe plans to find, collect, and disseminate valid and reliable information of this type to be used by the SHIP grantees with the broader SHIP network.

Maintain an Online Counselor Certification Tool For the last several years, the current SHIP TA Center has provided and supported a version of an online counselor certification tool that is available for use by any interested SHIP. The SHIPs have identified this as a valuable way to support the success of their team member management and training efforts. Successful applicants to this funding opportunity should show the ability to take the lessons learned by the network on this initiative thus far and a plan for the continued use of a tool of this nature that supports the training and technical assistance needs identified by the SHIPs moving forward. Plans must clearly state how any transition between tools, if necessary, will be managed including specifics and timelines. A gap in the availability of this tool would be severely disruptive to the network and should be avoided as much as possible.

Collaborate with ACL Resource Centers ACL funds a number of resource and technical assistance centers focused on a variety of specialized topics and programs. Examples include the Senior Medicare Patrol National Resource Center, the National Center for Benefits Outreach and Enrollment, the Aging Networks Volunteer Collaborative, the National Center on Elder Abuse, and the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. While each resource center has its own mission, focus, and special target population, it is important for each to work together on collaborative efforts that are mutually beneficial to support the work being done by all. This allows each to benefit from the specialist subject matter experts found within each group throughout the network.

Successful applicants to this funding opportunity should provide a plan to work collaboratively with the other ACL resource centers to help enhance the capacity of all.

SHIP Program Theme 3: Operational Excellence Objective:

1. Develop and strengthen the program structure and organization, including policies, processes, and procedures, to enable effective and efficient operations.

The SHIP TA Center will play a supporting role in helping SHIPs develop and strengthen their program structures and organization, including overarching policies, processes, and procedures.

Successful applicants to this funding opportunity should outline efforts to assist grantees in interacting with the SHIP data system and understanding the new SHIP performance measures.

Training on New SHIP Data System A new SHIP data system will be deployed during the period covered by this cooperative agreement. ACL may contract with IT specialists who are responsible for data system development and implementation. However, the SHIP TA Center should expect to provide ongoing feedback and quality assurance testing on all aspects of the new data system, including software features and system training materials. Once the system is deployed, the SHIP TA Center should plan to support the deployment through webinars and other training events in conjunction with ACL and the IT specialist(s) involved in the project. Applicants should describe how they will partner with ACL in the development of a training plan based on the needs of the end-users of the system. Important components of the partnership include providing thoughtful and comprehensive feedback on the training products created by the contractor that will enable the products to be useful to the SHIPs; and offering continuous online training for all levels of users (directors and other SHIP team members) of the new data system.

Technical Assistance in Support of Revised SHIP Performance Measures With the announcement of the FY 2017 SHIP Base Grant Funding Opportunity, ACL implemented new SHIP performance measures in an effort to simplify the way grantee performance is assessed and to better align the measures with program goals. The SHIP TA Center should be prepared to offer, in conjunction with ACL, regular trainings on the new measures and how the measures can be used to improve program management. As with other aspects of this FOA, the SHIP TA Center should be prepared to collect, develop, and disseminate best practices and other technical assistance materials to assist SHIPs with the implementation and management of the new SHIP Performance Measures.

SHIP Program Theme 4: Innovation Objective:

1. Promote adaptable and sustainable processes and activities to position the SHIP for changes in the programmatic landscape.

As SHIPs work toward increased program adaptability and sustainability, the SHIP TA Center should describe plans to support the grantees as they position for changes in the programmatic landscape. Applicants should demonstrate an ability to gather, compile, and disseminate examples of unique, innovative, and effective counseling, training, outreach, or program strategies used by SHIPs in the following program areas:

Access points for beneficiary information; SHIP promotion and outreach;

Targeted outreach, including strategies for reaching hard to reach populations;

New partnerships; and

Quality assurance.

Applicants should propose innovative, technology-based approaches for providing training and information to SHIP projects on Medicare coverage, changes, and issues, focusing on Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicare Part D, Medicare supplement insurance, home health care, durable medical equipment, and any other emerging trends or issues that would affect the ability of the SHIPs to accurately address and support beneficiary questions and needs.

Statutory Authority The statutory authority for grants under this Program Announcement is contained in Section 4360 of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 1395b-4) and Title II of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014.

II. Award Information

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement Estimated Total Funding: $950,000 Expected Number of Awards: 1 Award Ceiling: $950,000 Per Project Period Award Floor: $0 Per Project Period Length of Project Period: 60-month project with five 12-month budget periods

The anticipated project period is 09/01/17 to 08/31/22.

COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT

This award will be a new cooperative agreement. ACL will be substantially involved in the SHIP TA Center project activities. The terms and conditions of the agreement will be included in the Notice of Award (NOA), which is subject to modification by either party as listed below.

The terms and conditions for this cooperative agreement are as follows:

ACL will carry out the following activities for the cooperative agreement as listed below:

1. ACL Project Officer will perform the day-to-day federal responsibilities of managing a grant initiative and will work with the grantee to ensure that the necessary requirements for the grant are met.

2. Assist the grantee project leadership in understanding the policy concerns and/or priorities of ACL by conducting periodic briefings and by carrying out ongoing consultations.

3. Work cooperatively with the grantee to clarify the programmatic and budgetary issues to be addressed by the project. If issues are identified, work with the grantee to revise the project work plan, detailing expectations for major activities and products during the

60-month grant.

4. Review and provide technical assistance on grantee work products.

5. Provide consultation to the grantee in identifying emerging issues as they relate to the goals and objectives of this grant program and SHIP TA Center activities.

6. Work with the grantee on the development and implementation of evaluation and quality assurance systems to ensure that performance is measured and continuous improvement occurs.

7. Attend and participate in major project events as appropriate.

The Grantee will execute the responsibilities of the cooperative agreement as listed below:

1. Collaborate with the ACL in the modification and execution of the work plan, initially within 45 days of the award.

2. Participate in Training Opportunities. A portion of this grant award shall be designated for travel expenses to these events:

o Attend the Annual SMP/SHIP Conference – The grantee is required to send at least one person to this event annually. Attendees may be the SHIP TA Center Director and any other staff that would be deemed necessary for full participation in the event. The grantee should expect to help with planning and presenting at this event annually.

o Grantees are also expected to send appropriate staff to other pertinent trainings provided by ACL, CMS, or other federal or state partners to ensure staff maintains a comprehensive understanding of the grant expectations and Medicare knowledge needed to appropriately manage the grant.

3. Share information with ACL; the SHIP network; national, state, and local partner organizations; and other entities as appropriate.

4. Maintain a comprehensive and user-friendly SHIP TA Center website which provides information to the general public but also serves as a password-protected SHIP resource library.

5. Maintain an online SHIP locator to provide the Medicare beneficiaries and the general public a quick and easy tool to find their local SHIP.

6. Create and distribute a regular SHIP newsletter to provide up-to-date information to SHIP staff and volunteers on Medicare coverage changes, updates from ACL, CMS, and other federal partners, and/or best practices from SHIPs across the country.

7. Work with the ACL SHIP Project Officer to evaluate performance results reported semiannually and jointly develop strategies to address those areas requiring improvement.

8. Fulfill all requirements of the grant initiative as detailed in this program announcement, specifically:

o Increase Medicare and Related Benefits Content knowledge of the SHIP network; Provide SHIP Program Information and Technical Support;

o Develop and Adhere to an integrated Communications Strategy; Enhance

Exposure of SHIP to the public;

o Support SHIP Project Grantee Volunteer Management Abilities; Support

Professional Wellbeing of the SHIP network o Maintain an Online Counselor Certification Tool; Collaborate with ACL

Resource Centers; Training on the New SHIP Data System; and o Provide technical assistance in Support of Revised SHIP performance measures.

9. Include the express acknowledgment on all SHIP public information materials, "This project was supported, in part by grant number 90SATC####, from the U.S.

Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Administration for Community Living policy." (HHS Grants Policy Statement: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files /grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf). The grantee should also use the SHIP Logo and Tagline on all SHIP publications, as feasible.

Once a cooperative agreement is in place, requests to modify or amend it or the work plan may be made by ACL or the awardee at any time. Modifications and/or amendments of the Cooperative Agreement or work plan shall be effective upon the mutual agreement of both parties, except where ACL is authorized under the Terms and Conditions of award, 2 CFR Part 200, or other applicable regulation or statute to make unilateral amendments. When an award is issued, the cooperative agreement terms and conditions from the program announcement are incorporated by reference.

III. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants 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

3. Responsiveness and Screening Criteria https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/grants/grants/policies-regulations/hhsgps107.pdf

Application Responsiveness Criteria Applications that do not meet the following responsiveness criteria will be administratively eliminated and will not be reviewed.The successful applicant will be an organization that meets the following criteria:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of the SHIP program and expertise in Medicare, Medicaid, and other related coverage, policy, and issues.

2. Demonstrated experience in working with state aging agencies, state health and public health agencies, community-level aging service provider organizations, and community health provider organizations.

3. Demonstrated expertise in providing technical training and support to professionals on volunteer team member management, general program management, and Medicare content.

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 http://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 ½” x 11” plain white paper with 1” margins on both sides, and a standard font size of not less than 11, preferably Times New Roman or Arial.

3. The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages. Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 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 20-page limit.

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 application deadline.

IV. Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package Application materials can be obtained from http://www.grants.gov.

Please note, ACL is requiring applications for all announcements to be submitted electronically http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ through http://www.grants.gov. The Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) registration process can take several days. If your organization is not currently registered with http://www.grants .gov, please begin this process immediately. For assistance with http://www.grants.gov, please contact them at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Eastern Time.

At the http://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 through http://www.grants.gov ;because of the time involved to complete the registration process.

All applicants must have a DUNS number (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/) 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. Applicants should finalize a new, or renew an existing, registration at least two weeks before the application deadline. 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: https://www.sam .gov /sam/ transcript/ SAM_Quick_ Guide_Grants_ Registrations-v1.6. ;pdf.

The agency is prohibited from making an award until an applicant has complied with these requirements. At the time an award is ready to be made, if the intended recipient has not complied with these requirements, the agency:

o May determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award; and o May use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Note: Once your SAM registration is active, you will need to 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 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 (OPDIV/STAFFDIV) or receive subawards directly from the recipients of those grant funds to be:

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 DUNS number in each application or plan to submit to the OPDIV.

Additionally, all first-tier subaward recipients must have a DUNS number at the time http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:support@grants.gov?subject=Support http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/SAM_Quick_Guide_Grants_Registrations-v1.6.pdf the subaward is made.

Since October 1, 2003, The Office of Management and Budget has required applicants to provide a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements. It is entered on the SF 424. It is a unique, nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.

Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by using this link to access a guide: fedgov.dnb.com/webform/newReq.do.

You must submit all documents electronically, including all information included on the SF424 and all necessary assurances and certifications.

Your application must comply with any page limitation requirements described in this Program Announcement.

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

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Rebecca Kinney Center for Integrated Programs Phone Number: (202) 795-7375 E-mail: Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Letter of Intent

Due Date for Letter of Intent: 05/23/2017 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. The deadline for submission of the letter of intent is listed above and should be sent to:

Letters of intent should be sent to:

Administration for Community Living https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/newReq.do http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov

Rebecca Kinney Center for Integrated Programs Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov

Project Narrative The Project Narrative must be double-spaced, on 8 ½” 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 10 to 20 pages; 20 pages is the maximum length allowed.

Project Narratives that exceed 20 pages will have the additional pages removed and only the first 20 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 20-page limit, but all of the other sections noted below are included in the limit.

The components of the Project Narrative counted as part of the 20-page limit include:

Summary/Abstract Problem Statement Goal(s) and Objective(s) Proposed Intervention Special Target Populations and Organizations Outcomes Project Management Evaluation Dissemination Organizational Capacity Statement

Summary/Abstract This section should include a brief (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 as well as 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. Unless the project involves multipe, complex interventions, we recommend you have only one overall mailto:Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov 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”. Applicants should also describe the rationale for using the particular intervention, including factors such as:

“lessons learned” from 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 SHIP state grantees in a meaningful way in the planning and implementation of the proposal project. This section should also describe how the proposed intervention will target hard-to-reach Medicare populations and those in greatest need of SHIP services

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 aging network; new knowledge that can contribute to the field of aging; 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.

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 project; monitoring the project’s on-going progress, 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.

Evaluation This section should describe the method(s), techniques and tools that will be used to: 1) determine whether or not 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 Capacity Statement 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 vitas 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 document, “Budget Narrative/Justification – Sample Format.” Applicants are encouraged to pay particular attention to this document, which provides an example of the level of detail sought. A combined multi-year Budget Narrative/Justification, as well as a detailed Budget Narrative/Justification for each year of potential grant funding, is required.

Work Plan

The Project Work Plan should reflect and be consistent with the Project Narrative and Budget and should cover all five (5) years of the project period. It should include a statement of the project’s overall goal, anticipated outcome(s), key objectives, and the major tasks / action steps that will be pursued to achieve the goal and outcome(s). For each major task / action step, the work plan should identify timeframes 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 key 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.

3. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: 07/10/2017 Date for Informational Conference Call: 05/18/2017 An informational teleconfernece call will be held on May 18, 2017 at 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

The call in number is: 202-774-2300; Passcode: 990 888 967.

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

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.

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…