SATC NOFO Q and A -7.9.25.pdf

State Health Insurance Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center

(HHS-2025-ACL-CIP-SATC-0021)

Application and Submission

• Who is eligible for this funding opportunity?

o This Funding Opportunity is “unrestricted” which means it’s open to any type of entity except foreign organizations.

• Is this NOFO for a 3-year or 5-year project period? It is listed both ways in different places on grants.gov and in the NOFO.

o This NOFO is for a 3-year project period.

• What is the preferred format or content for the Letter of Intent (LOI) to be sent to Rebecca Kinney by July 10, 2025, and how will it be used in the review planning process?

Is it even required?

o Please email Letters of Intent to the NOFO POCs: Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov and Melissa.Simpson@acl.hhs.gov.

o There is no required format. A simple email expressing interest and intent to apply will suffice.

o These are not required but they are used to help ACL determine how many independent reviewer panels we need to establish to ensure timely review and proper evaluation of the applications received. The Letters of Intent will not be shared with the reviewers and are only used to help ACL in the planning process.

• Can ACL clarify the exact page limit for the Project Narrative, as the document references "X pages" (Page 14) but later mentions 20 pages?

o Yes, the page limit for the Project Narrative is 20 pages.

• Can ACL confirm whether this funding opportunity is subject to Intergovernmental Review under Executive Order 12372 (Page 22), and if so, what steps should applicants take?

o This NOFO is not subject to the Intergovernmental Review under EO 12372.

mailto:Rebecca.Kinney@acl.hhs.gov mailto:Melissa.Simpson@acl.hhs.gov

Funding and Budget

• What specific activities are explicitly not fundable under this cooperative agreement, as Page 23 mentions restrictions but does not list them?

o There are no explicit restrictions on this cooperative agreement beyond what is listed on pages 22 and 23 of the NOFO.

• Can ACL provide guidance or a template for the Budget Narrative/Justification, particularly for the multi-year budget breakdown (Page 19)?

o The sample Budget Narrative/Justification starts on page 38 of the NOFO.

• Can ACL provide a draft or sample of the standard terms and conditions for the cooperative agreement, as they are subject to modification in the Notice of Award (Page 10)?

o Please review the cooperative agreement language included on pages 10-13 of the NOFO. These will be part of the terms and conditions of the award.

o ACL’s standard terms and conditions can be found at Managing a Grant | ACL Administration for Community Living under Terms and Conditions.

o Other standard terms and conditions will be outlined upon award and include reference to current HHS grants policies. Terms and Conditions may be modified after receipt of award as well.

Website and Help Desk

• What is the expected scope, functionality, and technical requirements for the SHIP TAC’s comprehensive, secure, and user-friendly website and help desk (Page 6)?

o The minimum requirements and expectations for the SHIP TAC’s website are broad and outlined throughout the NOFO. Please refer to the SHIP TAC Functional Themes on pages 3-9.

Collaboration

• Can ACL provide a complete list of ACL Resource Centers requiring collaboration (Page 9) and specify expectations for collaborative activities?

o There is no comprehensive list of other ACL Centers and partners that the SHIP TAC is required to partner with or collaborate.

https://acl.gov/grants/managing-grant o Collaboration with other ACL funded Centers is encouraged but not required. At a minimum ACL would like to see open communication between Centers particularly where there is overlap in function and audience.

Performance and Evaluation

• What are the specific performance measures and technical requirements for data validation and reporting in the SHIP Tracking and Reporting System (STARS) (Page 26)?

o Please review the reporting requirements for the state SHIP grants as outlined in the state 2025 NOFO: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355724.

o The STARS forms can be found on the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website here: https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=202310- 0985-004.

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• What are acceptable evaluation methods or tools for measuring SHIP TAC performance, particularly for collaboration with ACL on evaluation and quality assurance systems (Page 12)?

o There is no established evaluation method required for this grant. The applicant should include their proposed outcomes and evaluation plans for their activities in their application.

Programmatic Requirements

• Can ACL provide access to or a detailed description of the Volunteer Risk and Program Management (VRPM) framework to guide applicants in incorporating it into proposals (Page 8)?

o The VRPM can be found at Volunteer Risk and Program Management (VRPM) Policies | ACL Administration for Community Living o The SHIP TAC grantee will work with ACL to identify needed updates and/or technical assistance needs around the VRPM framework specifically. Beyond that, ACL expects the SHIP TAC to help support the SHIP state grantees with the recruitment, retention, and management of their teams. This includes providing technical assistance and training around volunteer management.

• What are the specific guidelines or resources for ensuring all products and deliverables are 508-compliant (Page 13)?

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355724 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=202310-0985-004 https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAICList?ref_nbr=202310-0985-004 https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/volunteer-risk-and-program-management-vrpm-policies https://acl.gov/programs/senior-medicare-patrol/volunteer-risk-and-program-management-vrpm-policies o An outline on the HHS 508-compliance expectations for grantees can be found here: HHS Accessibility & Section 508 | HHS.gov. This site includes resources and tools to assist with compliance.

Reporting

• What is the expected level of detail for semi-annual narrative progress reports and financial reports (SF-425), and are specific templates or formats required (Page 29)?

o ACL has information, resources, tools, and forms available to current grantees on our website here: https://acl.gov/grants/managing-grant. Within that site is a link to a suggested format for the performance report.

Additional Clarifications

• Can ACL clarify how to classify organizations as subrecipients or subcontractors to ensure compliance with procurement standards (Page 37)?

o For clarity on how to manage and monitor subrecipients please refer to the HHS Grants Policy Statement: www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-grants-policy-statement-october-2024.pdf.

https://www.hhs.gov/web/section-508/index.html https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/grants/0985-0006%20Discretionary%20ACL%20Grantees%20%20PPR.pdf http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-grants-policy-statement-october-2024.pdf http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-grants-policy-statement-october-2024.pdf