[Federal Register: December 19, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 244)]
[Notices]
[Page 70801-70810]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr19de03-69]
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
Office of Child Support Enforcement
Funding Opportunity Title: Office of Child Support Enforcement's
Special Improvement Project (SIP) Grants.
Announcement Type: Initial.
Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2004-ACF-OCSE-SIP-0001.
CFDA Number: 93.601.
Due Date for Applications: March 3, 2004.
SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of
Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) invites eligible applicants to submit
competitive grant applications for special improvement projects which
further the national child support mission, vision, and goals which
are: All children to have parentage
[[Page 70802]]
established; all children in IV-D cases to have financial and medical
orders; and all children in IV--D cases to receive financial and
medical support. For FY 2004, we are looking for projects in which a
variety of partners, which may include community and faith-based
organizations, collaborate as appropriate. Applications will be
screened and evaluated as indicated in this program announcement.
Awards will be contingent on the outcomes of the competition and the
availability of funds. For FY 2004, approximately $1.5 million is
available for all priority areas. A non-Federal match is not required.
The anticipated start date for the new awards is May 1, 2004; projects
may go through September 30, 2005, for a period of up to 17 months.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Legislative Authority. Section 452(j) of the Social Security Act,
42 U.S.C. 652(j), provides Federal funds for information dissemination
and technical assistance to States, and training of Federal and State
staff to improve child support programs and research and demonstration
programs and special projects of regional or national significance
relating to the operation of State child support enforcement programs.
Program Purpose and Objectives. To fund a number of special
improvement projects which further the national child support mission
to ensure that all children receive financial and medical support from
their parents and which strengthens the ability of the nation's child
support program to collect support on behalf of children and families.
For FY 2004, we are looking for innovative projects to improve child
support program performance and in which new partners collaborate so we
can produce greater impacts on child support outcomes (e.g., increasing
the establishment of child support orders and child support
collections). We invite partnerships, such as courts/tribunals and
community- and faith-based organizations, that can address the needs of
harder-to-serve populations, such as low-income non-custodial fathers
and culturally diverse populations to apply for these projects.
Applicants should understand that OCSE will not award grants for
special improvement projects which (a) Duplicate automated data
processing and information retrieval system requirements/enhancements
and associated tasks which are specified in the Social Security Act; or
(b) which cover costs for routine activities which would normally be
reimbursed under the Child Support Program (e.g. adding staff positions
to perform routine CSE tasks), or by other Federal funding sources.
Proposals and their accompanying budgets will be reviewed from this
perspective.
Priority Areas:
Priority Area 1: Improving the Judicial/Administrative Processing of
Child Support Enforcement Case Activities
OCSE is looking for projects that would expedite and facilitate
courts'/tribunals' processing of child support case actions. In many
states, courts/tribunals play a key role in establishing, modifying, or
enforcing child support orders. In these jurisdictions, courts/
tribunals may find that current rules, practices, or procedures create
obstacles to more timely and equitable processing of child support
cases. For example, courts/tribunals may require the physical presence
of the parents at hearings; may accept only an official employer/
corporate verification of earnings statements as evidence of income; or
require a formal hearing or otherwise impose procedural obstacles to
allowing deviations from guidelines to determine support orders. Under
this solicitation, we are looking for projects that would address at
least one of the following design elements:
[sbull] Design and implement new practices or procedures that
enable courts/tribunals to remove barriers to participation in Title
IV-D child support proceedings such as requiring the physical presence
of the parents at hearings and other legal proceedings. Projects would
demonstrate the effectiveness of using more flexible approaches, such
as allowing telephone or videoconference hearings when it is difficult
for a parent to personally attend a hearing due to distance, health, or
other reasons. Projects might show how courts/tribunals can overcome
legal and other obstacles to holding telephone hearings, using
facsimile machines to transmit evidence, etc., and how other
jurisdictions can adapt similar procedures. Possible outcomes include
improved customer service; timelier case processing; reduction in
continuances, default orders, and use of imputed income; increased
collections; and reduction in arrears, especially in interstate cases.
[sbull] Develop and implement procedures that could demonstrate the
effectiveness of courts' use of Federal or State-certified information
from the Federal or State Parent Locator Services (FPLS/SPLS) in Title
IV-D cases, including New Hire information, to establish or modify
child support orders. These projects would show how courts/tribunals
that allow use of SPLS/FPLS data certified by a child support agency,
rather than by an employer, overcome evidentiary or other obstacles to
the use of such data. The projects should be designed to assist courts/
tribunals or other relevant decision makers to develop and/or implement
changes necessary to promote the effective and efficient use of FPLS/
SPLS information in the establishment or modification of orders. The
projects should show how removing obstacles, such as the requirement of
employer/corporate verification of earnings, would lead to improved
program performance or customer service, including expedited
establishment/modification of child support orders; increased number of
orders established; reduced use of imputed income; decreased accrual of
arrears; increased collections; and/or increased cost-effectiveness.
[sbull] Develop and implement revised criteria, as established by
the State, and guidance allowing judicial or administrative personnel
greater authority to deviate from State child support order guidelines
without a hearing. Projects would demonstrate the benefits of having
greater discretionary guidance in this area. For example, such
discretion may be warranted when application of the guidelines is
considered unjust or inappropriate, such as in cases involving
excessive health care costs, child care or education costs or multiple
non-custodial parent families. These projects should be designed to
assist other jurisdictions to adapt similar discretionary guidance and
categories and to show that providing this type of discretion would
improve program performance or customer service, including expedited
case processing, increased collections, reduction of arrears and/or
increased cost-effectiveness. Proposals must be consistent with section
467 of the Social Security Act which governs the application of State
child support guidelines.
Funding: A total $200,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $100,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 1, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
Priority Area 2: Educating Public on Parental Responsibilities and
Promoting Healthy Marriage
The purpose of this solicitation is to educate the public about
child support enforcement tools and parental obligations with the aim
of increasing paternity establishment, child support
[[Page 70803]]
payment, or healthy marriages for unwed parents, reducing out-of
wedlock births for older teens and young adults who are not parents. We
are looking for projects which educate the public on their parental
responsibilities and about strictly enforced child support enforcement
policies if they have a child outside of marriage or if they separate
or divorce. Since many States have already developed outreach videos or
materials, we are not looking for projects to develop these tools.
Projects would use child support workers to educate low-income, unwed
parents, or older teens and young adults who are not parents, about
child support enforcement policies and parental financial
responsibilities when a child is born outside of marriage or a marriage
breaks up. Research also generally suggests that strong child support
enforcement encourages families to form, stay together, or avoid
conceiving a child out of wedlock. In addition, many unwed parents,
especially at the time of their child's birth may be thinking about the
possibility of marriage. However, they may lack knowledge about and
understanding of the importance of child support, family stability, and
healthy marriage in the lives of their children. OCSE envisions that
child support workers would provide information to unwed couples at
pre-natal clinics, hospitals, faith-based and community-based
organizations, etc. Projects might also coordinate with schools,
community-based and faith-based organizations where older teens and
young adults congregate in the community. The presentations would cover
current automated enforcement tools such as automated wage withholding,
tax offset, and driver's license suspension, to enhance the public's
understanding of current child support enforcement mechanisms as well
as the financial and emotional impact of having children outside of
marriage. We expect that people hearing about the child support
enforcement program from the workers who have first-hand knowledge of
parents' child support concerns should help reinforce for parents who
may be considering marriage, the benefits of healthy marriage, or help
persuade others not to conceive children outside of marriage.
Funding: A total $200,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $100,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 2, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
Priority Area 3: Encouraging More Timely and Appropriate Order
Modifications
Projects would develop guidelines/procedures for modifying child
support orders in a more timely and efficient manner. Under section 467
of the Social Security Act, states must review orders every three years
at the request of either parent, or at the request of the state child
support agency. In addition to using cost-of-living adjustments (COLA)
that alter orders periodically without reviews, States can also use
automated methods to identify orders eligible for review and to apply
the appropriate adjustments to the orders.
In 1997, OCSE funded a research and demonstration grant to the
State of Alaska Department of Revenue Child Support Enforcement
Division (CSED) to develop and test a more efficient method of
reviewing and adjusting child support award amounts. The project,
``Alaska: Review and Adjustment of Child Support Order Amounts:
Evaluation of Electronic Modification (ELMO),'' used income information
from automated sources, such as the National Directory of New Hires
(NDNH), linked electronically to its child support system to review
child support orders annually. Promising results from this project
include an increased number of reviews, more timely reviews, and
modifications which more accurately reflect the noncustodial parents'
ability to pay.
Under this solicitation, OCSE is looking for additional
demonstration projects which States can conduct under current State
law. These projects would demonstrate the feasibility of automating the
review and adjustment process, using a variety of data sources
including FPLS/New Hire earnings data, to better reflect current
noncustodial/custodial parent income and assets (i.e., at the time when
noncustodial/custodial parent gets a raise or has increased assets and,
alternatively, when noncustodial/custodial parent loses a job, has
reduced salary, has an excessive default order, etc.) Projects would
assess outcomes or effects such as the increase in both upward and
downward adjustments; payment frequency by noncustodial parent;
reduction in arrearage growth created by default orders; systems
enhancements and other resources needed; guideline changes; and overall
cost-effectiveness of automated review and adjustment.
Funding: A total $200,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $100,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 3, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
Priority Area 4: Expanding Customer Service Through Agency-Initiated
Contact
Under this solicitation, OCSE is looking for child support agencies
to initiate customer contact to alert customers of upcoming
appointments or missed appointments, and potential problems, such as
missed payments, in order to improve customer satisfaction or resolve
issues before they become problematic. Generally, State/local child
support agencies use a responsive approach to customers; i.e., using
call centers, Web sites, or individual staff to respond to customer
inquiries. The Australian child support enforcement system uses an
agency-initiated customer service approach in which caseworkers notify
clients, rather than waiting for clients to contact the agency,
regarding payments and other case matters. This approach has been
successful in Australia.
We are looking for child support agency approaches designed to
alert customers to important case activities such as scheduled
appointments or hearings, payment changes/delays, and to obtain case
information. These projects would demonstrate the effectiveness of
initiating contact to notify customers of important case activities or
the need for information to complete case actions in order to improve
child support outcomes such as increased collections, cost-
effectiveness, customer service satisfaction, reduction in arrears,
missed appointments, etc. Agency-initiated customer contact strategies
could include automated notification systems and/or personal staff
customer contact. A concern of many child support agencies in
initiating client contact is the difficulty in reaching noncustodial
and custodial parents by phone, since some do not have stable addresses
or phone access. These projects would help determine the feasibility of
an agency-initiated approach. Also, we prefer projects that compare
different strategies (automation vs. personal contact) to ascertain
which is more feasible and cost-effective; and/or projects that could
assess the pros and cons of using agency-initiated approaches in
different localities such as urban vs. rural localities, or large vs.
small offices.
Funding: A total $200,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $100,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 4, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
[[Page 70804]]
Priority Area 5: Helping Noncustodial Parents (NCPs) Meet Their Child
Support and Family Responsibilities
Projects would demonstrate effective child support strategies to
help low-income NCPs meet their child support and family
responsibilities. There is a very high rate of default cases where the
noncustodial parent is either not appropriately served or simply does
not show up for either paternity or child support hearings. As a
result, orders are not always appropriate for the NCP's financial
situation, or are not based on the NCP's actual income. Further, many
low-income NCPs fall behind in their payment of child support due to
unemployment or underemployment. This solicitation would address at
least one of the following design elements:
[sbull] Develop, implement and determine the effectiveness of
alternative measures for avoiding default cases, and/or using imputed
income/minimum order amounts in establishing child support orders which
can create excessive payment levels for low-income NCPs. These
alternatives could include adopting more customer-friendly approaches
in establishing orders for low-income fathers to avoid a high level of
default orders (such as using alternative service of process methods to
ensure NCPs get served and understand the notice to avoid defaults);
and/or securing and using more complete income information, e.g. using
New Hire data for the NCP and custodial parent in default situations or
where incomplete income information is given. Order amounts should be
reasonable for low-income NCPs, taking into account their ability to
pay when confronted with intermittent unemployment. Applicants must
provide assurance that, under State guidelines, orders can be
established based upon the NCP's ability to pay. We are looking for
outcome measures which would demonstrate that effective alternatives
for establishing child support orders in low-income cases result in
increased payment rates for low-income NCPs.
[sbull] Develop and implement strategies to provide employment
services to low-income fathers who are unemployed or under-employed and
cannot meet their child support obligations. Projects should include
voluntary and/or mandatory referral, as appropriate, of NCPs for
employment and training services by child support agencies or courts/
tribunals, to local workforce development agencies or other public
employment agencies and local organizations, including community-based
and faith-based organizations. For example, projects could include
collaboration with TANF agencies to use TANF funds to support
employment and training services for NCPs in public assistance cases to
demonstrate whether custodial parents left TANF more quickly because of
child support receipt. Incentive to NCPs could be reduction/compromise
of arrears. Or, projects could develop partnerships with workforce
development boards and courts/tribunals to demonstrate the impact on
child support outcomes if unemployed or under-employed NCPs, who had
past due child support obligations, were required to participate in a
job training/placement program or be sentenced to a period in jail.
Outcome measures would include increased payment rates on orders, as
well as increases in employment, job retention rates and wages.
Funding: A total $400,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $200,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 5, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
Priority Area 6: Improving Child Support Services for Ethnic and
Culturally Diverse Populations
Under this solicitation, projects would target underserved ethnic
and culturally diverse populations, including, but not limited to, the
Hispanic/Latino community, the Asian-American and Pacific Islander
community, the African-American community, and Native Americans,
American Indians, and Alaskan Natives so that they may receive more
effective child support enforcement services. OCSE has funded several
small-scale community projects which developed outreach media campaigns
and language-appropriate materials and/or used community and volunteer
resources to help these groups better understand the child support
program. Under this solicitation, we are looking for projects which are
either statewide or serve multiple counties or a large county. We are
interested in collaborations between State/local governments and
courts/tribunals with community-based and faith-based organizations to
offer model service approaches (not outreach campaigns) that will
result in large-scale, systematic, institutionalized approaches to
service delivery to underserved populations. Projects should identify
nature/causes of barriers to effective child support enforcement
service delivery for customers with language and diversity barriers and
develop/implement approaches to reduce or eliminate them. Such
approaches could include providing bilingual staff, resources,
training, etc. to judges/attorneys to address the needs of these
customers and assure judicial fairness and/or development of new
delivery strategies within the community to increase child support
outcomes, such as an increase in numbers of orders established and
collections. This solicitation is not designed to provide funding for
the development and implementation of Tribal child support enforcement
programs since these provisions are being addressed through Federal
regulation.
Funding: A total $200,000 is anticipated to be available for
projects in this priority area and OCSE anticipates funding two grants
of approximately $100,000 each.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 6, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
Priority Area 7: Furthering the Child Support Mission to Ensure All
Children Receive Financial and Medical Support From Their Parents
Under this announcement, OCSE is looking for projects that are not
covered by any of the above priority areas. OCSE is looking for
projects that will test new interventions and approaches to increase
paternity and support order establishments and collections. Applicants
would propose new ways of doing business, within Federal law and
regulations, and put them into effect. We encourage collaborations
among entities which may include State/local governments, non-profit
organizations, faith-based and community-based organizations, and
tribal governments and universities (including historically black
colleges and universities).
Funding: A total of $100,000 is anticipated to be available for one
grant in this priority area.
Budget Period: For Priority Area 7, the budget period will be up to
17 months.
II. Award Information
Availability of Funds. Approximately $1.5 million is available for
all priority areas. OCSE expects to award a total of approximately 13
grants, approximately two grants per priority area, ranging from
$100,000 to $200,000, as specified under each priority area.
Over the past five years, OCSE has awarded an average of 9 grants
per year, totaling approximately $1.3 million per year. All grant
awards are subject to the availability of appropriated funds. A non-
Federal match is not required. The anticipated start date for the new
awards is May 1, 2004; projects may go through September 2005, for a
period of up to 17 months.
[[Page 70805]]
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants for these special
improvement project grants are State (including District of Columbia,
Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) Human Services Umbrella
agencies, other State agencies (including State IV-D agencies), tribes
and tribal organizations, local public agencies (including IV-D
agencies), nonprofit organizations (including faith-based and
community-based organizations and universities such as historically
black colleges and universities) and consortia of State and/or local
public agencies. Any non-profit organization submitting an application
must submit proof of its non-profit status in its application at the
time of submission. The non-profit agency can accomplish this by
providing a reference to the applicant organization's listing in the
Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt
organizations described in the IRS Code; a copy of a currently valid
IRS tax exemption certificate; a statement from a State taxing body,
State attorney general, or other appropriate State official certifying
that the applicant organization has a non-profit status and that none
of the net earnings accrue to any private shareholders or individuals;
a certified copy of the organization's certificate of incorporation or
similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status; or any of
the items referenced above for a State or national parent organization
and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant
organization is a local non-profit affiliate.
The Federal OCSE will provide the State CSE agency the opportunity
to comment on the merits of local CSE agency applications before final
award. Given that the purpose of these projects is to improve child
support enforcement programs, it is critical that applicants have the
cooperation of IV-D agencies to operate these projects. Preference will
be given to applicants representing CSE agencies and applicant
organizations which have letters of commitment or cooperative
agreements with CSE agencies. All applications developed jointly by
more than one agency/organization must identify a single lead
organization as the official applicant. The lead organization will be
the recipient of the grant award. Participating agencies and
organizations can be included as co-participants, subgrantees, or
subcontractors with their written authorization.
Private non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents
and Forms'' titled ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants''
at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching. Applicants are not required to match
Federal grant funds under this solicitation.
3. Other. None.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package. Application kits (Forms
424, 424A-B and Certifications) to apply for a grant under this program
announcement are available from the Administration for Children and
Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement, Division of State,
Tribal and Local Assistance, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 4th Floor,
East Wing, Washington, DC 20447 (this is not the mailing address for
submission of applications, see Part IV. 3.); or at OCSE's Web site
(http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/) under new announcements; or from Jean
Robinson, Program Analyst, phone (202) 401-5330, Fax (202) 205-4315; e-
mail, jrobinson@acf.hhs.gov.
For specific questions regarding the application or program
concerns regarding the announcement, contact: Susan A. Greenblatt,
Deputy Director, Division of State, Tribal and Local Assistance, Office
of Child Support Enforcement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 4th Floor,
East Wing, Washington, DC 20447 (this is not the mailing address for
submission of applications, see Part IV. 3.); phone (202) 401-4849, e-
mail, sgreenblatt@acf.hhs.gov.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission. The applicant should
clearly indicate in its application(s) for which specific priority area
it is applying. Applicants may submit different applications covering
different priority areas or they may submit different applications for
different projects under one priority area; however, they may not
submit one application for the same project covering multi-priority
areas. The length of the application, excluding the application forms,
certifications, and resumes, should be about 20 pages, double-spaced
format preferred. A page is a single-side of an 8\1/2\'' x 11'' sheet
of plain white paper. (Applicants are requested not to send pamphlets,
maps, brochures or other printed material along with their application
as these are difficult to photocopy. These materials, if submitted,
will not be included in the review process.) Each page of the
application will be counted (excluding required forms, certifications
and resumes) to determine the total length. The project description
should include all the information requirements described in the
specific evaluation criteria outlined in the program announcement under
Part V.
In addition to the project description, the applicant needs to
complete all the standard forms required for making applications for
awards under this announcement. Applicants requesting financial
assistance for non-construction projects must file the Standard Form
424B, ``Assurances: Non-Construction Programs.'' Applicants must sign
and return the Standard Form 424B with their applications.
Applicants must provide a certification regarding lobbying when
applying for an award in excess of $100,000. Applicants must sign and
return the certification with their applications.
Applicants must disclose lobbying activities on the Standard Form
LLL when applying for an award in excess of $100,000. Applicants who
have used non-Federal funds for lobbying activities in connection with
receiving assistance under this announcement shall complete a
disclosure form, if applicable, with their applications.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their
compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. By signing and
submitting the application, the applicant is providing the
certification and need not mail back the certification with the
application.
Applicants must make the appropriate certification that they are
not presently debarred, suspended or otherwise ineligible for an award.
By signing and submitting the application, the applicant is providing
the certification and need not mail back the certification with the
application.
The forms (Forms 424, 424A-B; and Certifications including
Certification Regarding Lobbying; Debarment, Suspension, etc.; Drug
Free Workplace and Environmental Tobacco Smoke) may be found at:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cse/ under new announcements.
Private non-profit organizations are encouraged to submit with
their applications the survey located under ``Grant Related Documents
and Forms'' titled ``Survey for Private, Non-Profit Grant Applicants''
at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/forms.htm.
On June 27, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget published in
the Federal Register a new Federal policy applicable to all Federal
grant applicants. The policy requires all Federal grant applicants to
provide a
[[Page 70806]]
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when
applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or after
October 1, 2003. The DUNS number will be required whether an applicant
is submitting a paper application or using the government-wide
electronic portal (http://www.Grants.gov). A DUNS number will be required for
every application for a new award or renewal/continuation of an award,
including applications or plans under formula, entitlement and block
grant programs, submitted on or after October 1, 2003.
Please ensure that your organization has a DUNS number. You may
require a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free
DUNS number request line on 1-866-705-5711 or you may request a number
on-line at http://www.dnb.com.
The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13): All
information collections within this program announcement are approved
under the following currently valid OMB control number: OMB control
number 0970-0139 which expires on 12/31/2003. Public reporting burden
for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 hours per
response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of
information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
3. Submission Dates and Times. Due date: March 3, 2004. See section
IV.6 for more detailed information on submission requirements.
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What to submit Required content Required form or format When to submit
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Table of Contents................ As described above..... Consistent with guidance in By application due
``Application Format'' date.
section of this announcement.
Abstract of Proposed Project..... Brief abstract that Consistent with guidance in By application due
identifies the type of ``Application Format'' date.
project, the target section of this announcement.
population and the
major elements of the
proposed project.
Completed Standard Form 424...... As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
Completed Standard Form 424A..... As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
Narrative Budget Justification... As described above..... Consistent with guidance in By application due
``Application Format'' date.
section of this announcement.
Project Narrative................ A narrative that Consistent with guidance in By application due
addresses issues ``Application Format'' date.
described in the section of this announcement.
``Application Review
Information'' and the
``Review and Selection
Criteria'' sections of
this announcement.
Certification regarding lobbying. As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
Certification regarding drug-free As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
workplace. per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
Certification regarding As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
environmental tobacco smoke. per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
Certification regarding As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
debarment, suspension or per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
ineligibility. forms.htm.
Certification regarding non- As described above and May be found on http:// By application due
construction programs. per required form. http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/ date.
forms.htm.
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4. Intergovernmental Review. This program is covered under
Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities.''
Under the Order, States may design their own processes for reviewing
and commenting on proposed Federal assistance under covered programs.
All States and Territories except Alabama, Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York,
Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont,
Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, American Samoa and Palau have elected to
participate in the Executive Order process and have established Single
Points of Contact (SPOCs). Applicants from these 28 jurisdictions need
take no action regarding E.O. 12372. Applicants for projects to be
administered by federally-recognized Indian tribes are also exempt from
the requirements of E.O. 12372. Otherwise, applicants should contact
their SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them of the prospective
applications and receive any necessary instructions. Applicants must
submit any required material to the SPOCs as soon as possible so that
the program office can obtain and review SPOC comments as part of the
award process. It is imperative that the applicant submit all required
materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the date of this submittal
(or indicate ``not applicable'' if no submittal is required) on the
Standard Form 424, item 16a.
Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application
deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards.
SPOCSs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine
endorsements as official recommendations.
Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly differentiate between
mere advisory comments and those official State process recommendations
which may trigger the ``accommodate or explain'' rule.
When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be
addressed to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management,
Division of Discretionary Grants, 370
[[Page 70807]]
L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 4th floor, Washington, DC 20447.
A list of the Single Points of Contact for each participating State
and Territory can be found on the Web at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html
.
5. Funding Restrictions. Construction is not an allowable activity
or expenditure under this solicitation. Grant awards will not allow
reimbursement of pre-award costs.
6. Other Submission Requirements. Applicants may choose to mail
applications or have them hand-delivered. The closing time and date for
the receipt of applications is 4:30 p.m. (eastern time zone), March 3,
2004. Mailed or hand-delivered applications received after 4:30 p.m. on
the closing date will be classified as late.
Deadline: Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting an
announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline time
and date at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Grants Management,
Division of Discretionary Grants, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW.,
Washington, DC 20447, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal
holidays). This address must appear on the envelop/package containing
the application with the note ``Attention: Barbara Ziegler Johnson.''
Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not
always deliver as agreed.
Applicants are responsible for mailing applications well in advance
to ensure that the application is received on or before the deadline
date and time. Applicants should submit a signed original and two
copies of the complete application package and submit it as follows:
Mail applications to: Administration for Children and Families,
Office of Grants Management, Division of Discretionary Grants, 370
L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 4th Floor West, Washington, DC 20447. Attn:
Barbara Ziegler Johnson, SIP Application.
Hand-delivered applications to: Applications should be hand
delivered, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., e.s.t., addressed
to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for
Children and Families, Office of Grants Management, Division of
Discretionary Grants, Attention: Barbara Ziegler Johnson, SIP
Application, and delivered at ACF Mailroom, 2nd Floor (near loading
dock), Aerospace Building, 901 D Street, SW., Washington, DC 20024,
between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). This address
must appear on the envelope/package containing the application. ACF
will not send applicants an acknowledgement of receipt for applications
received during the application period.
Questions may be directed to: Barbara Ziegler Johnson, Office of
Grants Management, Division of Discretionary Grants, Administration for
Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 4th Floor West,
Washington, DC 20447; (202) 401-4646, bziegler-johns1@acf.hhs.gov.
Late applications: Applications that do not meet the criteria above
are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant
that its application will not be considered in the current competition.
Any application received after 4:30 p.m. on the deadline date will
not be considered for competition. Applicants using express/overnight
mail services should allow two working days prior to the deadline date
for receipt of applications. (Applicants are cautioned that express/
overnight mail services do not always deliver as agreed.)
Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend an application deadline when
circumstances such as acts of God (floods, hurricanes, etc.) occur, or
when there are widespread disruptions of the mail service, or in other
rare cases. A determination to extend or waive deadline requirements
rests with ACF's Chief Grants Management Officer.
ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax.
Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF by fax will not be accepted
regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt.
You may submit your application to us in either electronic or paper
format. To submit an application electronically, please use the
http://www.Grants.gov apply site. If you use Grants.gov, you will be able to
download a copy of the application package, complete it off-line, and
then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. You may
not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following if you plan to submit your application
electronically via Grants.gov:
[sbull] Electronic submission is voluntary.
[sbull] When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation. We strongly recommend that you
do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the
application process through Grants.gov.
[sbull] To use Grants.gov, you, as the applicant, must have a DUNS
Number and register in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). You
should allow a minimum of five days to complete the CCR registration.
[sbull] You will not receive additional point value because you
submit a grant application in electronic format, nor will we penalize
you if you submit an application in paper format.
[sbull] You may submit all documents electronically, including all
information typically included on the SF 424 and all necessary
assurances and certifications.
[sbull] Your application must comply with any page limitation
requirements described in this program announcement.
[sbull] After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contains a
Grants.gov tracking number. The Administration for Children and
Families will retrieve your application from Grants.gov
[sbull] We may request that you provide original signatures on
forms at a later date.
[sbull] You may access the electronic application for this program
on http://www.Grants.gov
[sbull] You must search for the downloadable application package by
the CFDA number.
V. Application Review Information
Instruction: The project description is approved under OMB control
number 0970-0139 which expires 12/31/2003. An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Uniform Project Description (UPD) elements to be included in the
project description are:
Purpose
The project description provides a major means by which an
application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications
for available assistance. The project description should be concise and
complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are
being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can
present information clearly and succinctly. In preparing your project
description, all information requested through each specific evaluation
criterion should be provided. Awarding offices use this and other
information in making their funding recommendations. It is important,
therefore, that this information be included in the application.
[[Page 70808]]
Introduction
Applicants are required to submit a full project description and
shall prepare the project description statement in accordance with the
instructions and the specified evaluation criteria in the sections
below. The instructions give a broad overview of what your project
description should include while the evaluation criteria expand and
clarify more program-specific information that is needed.
Project Summary Abstract
Provide a summary of the project description (a page or less) with
reference to the funding request.
Objectives and Need for Assistance
Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial,
institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need
for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate
objectives of the project must be clearly stated; supporting
documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from
concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any
relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred
to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate demographic data and
participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In developing the
project description, the applicant may volunteer or be requested to
provide information on the total range of projects currently being
conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of which may be
outside the scope of the program announcement.
Approach
Outline a plan of action which describes the scope and detail of
how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions
or activities identified in the application. Cite factors which might
accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the
proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of
the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in
cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement.
Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the
accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such
terms as the number of people to be served and the number of activities
accomplished. For example, increased use of an interstate child support
enforcement remedy (such as income withholding, tax refund offset) is
projected to have quarterly results of a 5% increase in income
withholding collections and a 5% increase in automated enforcement
collections. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or
function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of
accomplishments and their target dates.
If any data is to be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated,
clearance may be required from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
(OMB). This clearance pertains to any ``collection of information that
is conducted or sponsored by ACF.'' List organizations, cooperating
entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the
project along with a short description of the nature of their effort or
contribution.
Staff and Position Data
Provide a biographical sketch for each key person appointed and a
job description for each vacant key position. A biographical sketch
will also be required for new key staff as appointed.
Evaluation
Provide a narrative addressing how the results of the project and
the conduct of the project will be evaluated. In addressing the
evaluation of results, state how you will determine the extent to which
the project has achieved its stated objectives and the extent to which
the accomplishment of objectives can be attributed to the project.
Discuss the criteria to be used to evaluate results, and explain the
methodology that will be used to determine if the needs identified and
discussed are being met and if the project results and benefits are
being achieved. With respect to the conduct of the project, define the
procedures to be employed to determine whether the project is being
conducted in a manner consistent with the work plan presented and
discuss the impact of the project's various activities on the project's
effectiveness.
Budget and Budget Justification
Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget
object class identified on the Budget Information Form. Detailed
calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs,
and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to
be duplicated. Provide a narrative budget justification that describes
how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity,
reasonableness and allocability of the proposed costs.
Travel
Description: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the
applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel).
Justification: For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s),
travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if
privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs
and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF-
sponsored workshops should be detailed in the budget.
Personnel
Description: Costs of employee salaries and wages.
Justification: Identify the project director or principal
investigator, if known. For each staff person, provide the title, time
commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project
(as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary,
wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel
costs of delegate agencies or of specific project(s) or business to be
financed by the applicant.
1. Evaluation Criteria. Proposed projects will be reviewed using
the following evaluation criteria:
Criterion I: Objectives and Need for Assistance (Maximum 30 points)
The application should demonstrate a thorough understanding and
analysis of the problem(s) being addressed in the project, the need for
assistance and the importance of addressing these problems in improving
the effectiveness of the child support program. The applicant should
describe how the project will address this problem(s) through
implementation of changes, enhancements and innovative efforts and
specifically, how this project will improve program results. The
applicant should address one or more of the activities listed under the
``Design Elements in the Application'' described above for the specific
priority area they are applying for (refer to Part I. Priority Areas).
The applicant should identify the key goals and objectives of the
project; describe the conceptual framework of its approach to resolve
the identified problem(s); and provide a rationale for taking this
approach as opposed to others.
Criterion II: Approach (Maximum: 30 points)
A well thought-out and practical management and staffing plan is
mandatory. The application should include a detailed management plan
that includes time-lines and detailed
[[Page 70809]]
budgetary information. The main concern in this criterion is that the
applicant should demonstrate a clear idea of the project's goals,
objectives, and tasks to be accomplished. The plan to accomplish the
goals and tasks should be set forth in a logical framework. The plan
should identify what tasks are required of any contractors and specify
their relevant qualifications to perform these tasks. Staff to be
committed to the project (including supervisory and management staff)
at the state and/or local levels must be identified by their role in
the project along with their qualifications and areas of particular
expertise. In addition, for any technical expertise obtained through a
contract or subgrant, the desired technical expertise and skills of
proposed positions should be specified in detail. The applicant should
demonstrate that the skills needed to operate the project are either on
board or can be obtained in a reasonable time.
Criterion III: Evaluation (Maximum 25 points)
The application describes how the success of this project can be
measured and how the success of this project has broader application in
contributing to child support enforcement policies, practices, and/or
providing solutions that could be adapted by other states/
jurisdictions. The application describes the specific results/products
that will be achieved; as appropriate, identifies the kinds of data to
be collected and maintained; describes procedures for informed consent
of participants, where applicable, and discusses the criteria to be
used to evaluate the results of the project. The application describes
the evaluation methodology to be used to determine if the process
proposed was implemented and if the project goals/objectives were
achieved. Sound evaluations to determine whether or not project goals
have been realized are of importance to child support enforcement
policy makers and administrators. Thus, the proposal should include a
process evaluation component and comparison of before/and after the
project site(s)' experience, as appropriate, to demonstrate the results
achieved.
Criterion IV: Budget and Budget Justification (Maximum 10 points)
The project costs need to be reasonable in relation to the
identified tasks, including the evaluation component. A detailed budget
(e.g., the staff required, equipment and facilities that would be
leased or purchased) should be provided identifying all agency and
other resources (i.e., State, community, or other programs such as TANF
or Head Start) that will be committed to the project. Grant funds
cannot be used for capital improvements or the purchase of land or
buildings. Explain why this project's resource requirements cannot be
met by the State/local agency's regular program operating budget.
Criterion V: Preferences (Maximum 5 points)
Preference will be given to those grant applicants representing IV-
D agencies and applicant organizations who have documented IV-D agency
commitment to the project, either through a cooperative agreement or
letter of commitment, which needs to be signed and attached to the
application.
2. Review and Selection Process. Each application submitted under
this program announcement will undergo a pre-review to determine that
(1) The application was received by the closing date and submitted in
accordance with the instructions in this announcement and (2) the
applicant is eligible for funding. It is necessary that applicants
state specifically which priority area they are applying for.
Applications will be screened for priority area appropriateness. If
applications are found to be inappropriate for the priority area in
which they are submitted, applicants will be contacted for verbal
approval of redirection to a more appropriate priority area.
Applications which pass the initial ACF screening will be evaluated
and rated by an independent review panel on the basis of specific
evaluation criteria. The results of these reviews will assist the
Commissioner and OCSE program staff in considering competing
applications. Reviewers' scores will weigh heavily in funding decisions
but will not be the only factors considered. Applications generally
will be considered in order of the average scores assigned by
reviewers. However, highly ranked applications are not guaranteed
funding because other factors are taken into consideration. These
include, but are not limited to, the number of similar types of
existing grants or projects funded with OCSE funds in the last five
years; comments of reviewers and government officials; staff evaluation
and input; geographic distribution; previous program performance of
applicants; compliance with grant terms under previous DHHS grants;
audit reports; investigative reports; an applicant's progress in
resolving any final audit disallowance on previous OCSE or other
Federal agency grants. OCSE will consider the geographic distribution
of funds among States and the relative proportion of funding among
rural and urban areas. The evaluation criteria were designed to assess
the quality of a proposed project, and to determine the likelihood of
its success. The evaluation criteria are closely related and are
considered as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application.
Points are awarded only to applications which are responsive to the
evaluation criteria within the context of this program announcement.
Federal reviewers will be used for the review process.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates. OCSE anticipates that
successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of the results
of this grant competition within 90 days of the application deadline
date identified in the ``Overview Information'' section under Dates.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices. Successful applicants will receive, by postal
mail, a cover letter signed by the Commissioner, OCSE, attaching the
official notice of award, the Financial Assistance Award (FAA) notice,
which is signed by the grants management officer. As indicated in Part
V.3. above, OCSE anticipates that successful and unsuccessful
applicants will be notified of the results of this grant competition
within 90 days of the application deadline.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. 45 CFR part 74
and 45 CFR part 92.
3. Reporting. All grantees are required to submit quarterly program
reports; grantees are also required to submit semi-annual expenditure
reports using the required financial standard form (SF-269) which is
located on the Internet at: http://forms.psc.gov/forms/sf/SF-269.pdf. A
suggested format for the program report will be sent to all grantees
after the awards are made.
VII. Agency Contacts
For copies of forms and the announcement, contact: Jean Robinson,
Program Analyst, at (202) 401-5330, Fax (202) 205-4315; email,
jrobinson@acf.dhhs.gov.
For questions regarding application development, forms, or program
concerns regarding the announcement contact: Susan A. Greenblatt,
Deputy Director, Division of State, Tribal and Local Assistance, at
(202) 401-4849; e-mail, sgreenblatt@acf.dhhs.gov.
For questions regarding application submittal or other grants
management concerns, contact Barbara Ziegler Johnson at (202) 401-4646;
e-mail, bziegler-johns1@acf.hhs.gov.
[[Page 70810]]
VIII. Other Information
Funding Reconsideration. After Federal funds are exhausted for this
grant competition, applications which have been independently reviewed
and ranked but have no final disposition (neither approved nor
disapproved for funding) may again be considered for funding.
Reconsideration may occur at any time funds become available within
twelve (12) months following ranking. ACF does not select from multiple
ranking lists for a program. Therefore, should a new competition be
scheduled and applications remain ranked without final disposition,
applicants are informed of their opportunity to reapply for the new
competition, to the extent practical.
Sherri Z. Heller,
Commissioner, Office of Child Support Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 03-31375 Filed 12-18-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P