Public Health Service Evaluation Funds

To evaluate programs and services administered by public and private entities when the information will directly aid in determining the impact, need, and /or design of programs authorized under the PHS Act.

Awards made under this listing fund projects that evaluate programs to enable the continuous improvement of the programs and services of the Department, and serve decision makers in federal, state, and local government as well as the private sector, public health research and practice communities.

Any private (either profit or nonprofit) or public entity located in a State is eligible to apply for an award under this NOFO. "State" includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any agency or instrumentality thereof exclusive of local governments (45 C.F.R. §75.2). Eligible entities include private (either profit or nonprofit) or public faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, and American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander organizations.

Researchers, Policymakers

Nonprofit organizations may be requested to provide evidence of tax-exempt status. When projects involve the collaborative efforts of more than one organization or require the use of services or facilities not under the direct control of the applicant, written assurances of specific support or agreements may be required from the affected parties.

Funds may be used for research, evaluation, and statistics projects that would make significant contributions to the mission of the funding office. Under this announcement, OASH could consider research and evaluation projects that further the understanding of what works, for whom and how in any of the subject matter areas covered by program areas in OASH.

Availability of funds is limited to the period of performance. Funds are typically awarded for a 12-month initial budget period. Subsequent budget periods (typically 12 months) may be awarded after submission and review of a non-competing continuation application. Fund is subject to availability of funds, satisfactory performance and progress, and the best interests of the government.

To apply, applicants must access the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) thru Grants.gov. Enter the Assistance Listing number and follow the website instructions. Applications submitted after the published deadlines will not be accepted for review. The submission deadline will not be extended absent prior written approval from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH) Grants Management Officer (GMO). Applications which do not conform to the requirements of the NOFO will be deemed ineligible and not reviewed. Applications may only be submitted electronically via Grants.gov. Any applications submitted via any other means of electronic communication, including facsimile or electronic mail, will not be accepted for review. Applicants must have a valid SAM.gov registration prior to submitting their application to Grants.gov.

An independent review panel evaluates applications that pass the screening and meet the responsiveness criteria in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). These reviewers are experts in their fields, and are drawn from academic institutions, non-profit organizations, state and local government, and Federal government agencies. Based on the Application Review Criteria as outlined in the NOFO, the reviewers will comment on and rate the applications, focusing their comments and rating decisions on the identified criteria. In addition to the independent review panel, Federal staff will review each application for programmatic, budgetary, and grants management compliance.

Final award recommendations will be made by the head of the program office to the Grants Management Officer, using information from the independent merit review panel and the Federal staff reviews. Following a risk assessment as required by 45 CFR part 75, the Grants Management Officer may issue awards. Funded organizations receive a Notice of Award that includes all of the details of their award, and are assigned to a project officer from the program office and a Grants Management Specialist from the OASH Grants and Acquisitions Management Division.

Support is recommended for a specified period of performance, not in excess of five years. Awards are generally made in 12-month budget periods. Budget periods after the first are generally made after review and approval of a non-competing continuation application subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds, and the best interest of the government. A recipient may request a no cost extension or may compete for a new award under a posted notice of funding opportunity in this program.

All decisions, including funding level, are final and not appealable.