Program Instruction (ACYF-PI-CC-01-01)

1. Log No. ACYF-PI-CC-01-01

2. Issuance Date: February  5, 2001

3. Originating Office: Child Care Bureau

4. Key Word: Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF); Construction and Renovation Procedures for Indian Tribes

Tribal Lead Agencies administering child care programs under the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 as amended, and other interested parties.

Section 658O(c)(6) of the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (Child Care Development Block Grant Act) as amended. 45 CFR 98.2, 98.83(g), and 98.84. ACYF-PIQ-CC-99-01.

Procedures for Requests to Use CCDF Funds for Construction or Major Renovation of Child Care Facilities

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-193) amended the Child Care Development Block Grant Act to allow Tribal Lead Agencies to use CCDF funds for construction or renovation of child care facilities. A Tribal Lead Agency must first request and receive approval from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) before using CCDF funds for construction or major renovation. Under the law, ACF must develop and implement uniform procedures for the solicitation and consideration of requests. This Program Instruction contains the uniform procedures.

This Program Instruction supersedes ACYF-CC-PI-97-05 (issued August 18, 1997) and ACYF-PI-CC-97-06 (issued November 4, 1997). The revised procedures contained in this new Program Instruction update and clarify the construction and renovation procedures by:

• reflecting final CCDF regulations issued July 24, 1998 and other recent policy documents;
• ensuring consistency with Head Start requirements, where appropriate, to promote Head Start/child care collaboration;
• streamlining the application process by reducing the number of application items;
• clarifying some requirements by making them more specific;
• including new attachments on the National Environmental Policy Act (Attachment B) and the National Historic Preservation Act (Attachment C)-information that was previously contained in a separate program instruction (ACYF-PI-CC-97-06);
• updating guidance on the National Environmental Policy Act to reflect new procedures issued by the Department of Health and Human Services;
• updating guidance on the National Historic Preservation Act to reflect new regulations issued by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and
• including a new attachment that summarizes the documents (with deadlines) that need to be submitted to the ACF Regional Office (Attachment E).

Effective Date These revised procedures apply to construction and renovation applications submitted after the date of issuance of this Program Instruction.

Questions Direct all inquiries to the appropriate ACF Regional Administrator listed at Attachment F.

Direct all inquiries to the appropriate ACF Regional Administrator listed at Attachment F.