U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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About HHS - FAQs:
PSC is the Program Support Center of The Department of Health and Human Services. As a part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) the Center was created in 1995 to provide a wide range of administrative support within HHS, allowing the Department Operating Divisions to concentrate on their core functional and operational objectives.
For more information visit the PSC website or contact PSC directly.
All invitations for the Secretary's time for conferences, events, or meetings must come in writing. Requests must be emailed to scheduling@hhs.gov.
You can help us process your request by providing as much information as possible in your invitation. For all requests, please include:
- Name
- Mailing address
- Phone and email for the event contact person
- Specific topic of the meeting
- Who will attend the meeting
- Dates for the meeting
- Any other information about the meeting that may be helpful to us.
For conferences or events, please include the following details in your request:
- Date
- Time
- Location of the event
- Topic you would like the Secretary's speech to address
- Whether members of the press or media will attend
- number of people you expect will attend the conference or event
A letter confirming receipt of your request will be emailed to you. We will confirm or decline requests for the Secretary's attendance at a conference or event approximately one month to six weeks prior to the date of the event.
To report suspected Medicare fraud, call toll free 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
HHS has joined with the Department of Justice and AARP to launch a national initiative against fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare program. The campaign,"Who Pays? You Pay," is aimed at both waste and at criminal fraud and abuse against the Medicare program.
Learn More:
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Medicare Fraud Overview (Medicare.gov)
To contact HHS employees, you may search the employee directory at http://directory.psc.gov/employee.htm. Or, you may call toll free 1-877-696-6775. If you are in the Washington, D.C. area, you may also call (202) 619-0257.
On April 28, 2009, Kathleen Sebelius was sworn in as the 21st Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. The Secretary leads national efforts to protect the health of all Americans and provide essential human services to those in need. She manages the largest civilian department in the federal government, with more than 67,000 employees and a budget that accounts for almost one out of every four Federal dollars.
Learn more about the Secretary: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/
History of HHS
The roots of the Department of Health and Human Services go back to the earliest days of the nation. In the year...
1798 : Passage of an act for the relief of sick and disabled seamen, which established a federal network of hospitals for the care of merchant seamen, forerunner of today's U.S. Public Health Service.
1862 : President Lincoln appointed a chemist, Charles M. Wetherill, to serve in the new Department of Agriculture. This was the beginning of the Bureau of Chemistry, forerunner to the Food and Drug Administration.
1871 : Appointment of the first Supervising Surgeon (later called Surgeon General) for the Marine Hospital Service, which had been organized the prior year.
1878 : Passage of the National Quarantine Act began the transfer of quarantine functions from the states to the federal Marine Hospital Service.
1887 : The federal government opened a one-room laboratory on Staten Island for research on disease, thereby planting the seed that was to grow into the National Institutes of Health.
1891 : Passage of immigration legislation, assigning to the Marine Hospital Service the responsibility for medical examination of arriving immigrants.
1902 : Conversion of Marine Hospital Service into the Public Health and Marine Hospital Service in recognition of its expanding activities in the field of public health. In 1912, the name was shortened to the Public Health Service.
1906 : Congress passed the Pure Food and Drugs Act, authorizing the government to monitor the purity of foods and the safety of medicines, now a responsibility of the FDA.
1912 : President Theodore Roosevelt's first White House Conference urged creation of the Children's Bureau to combat exploitation of children.
1921 : The Bureau of Indian Affairs Health Division was created, the forerunner to the Indian Health Service.
1930 : Creation of the National Institute (late Institutes) of Health, out of the Public Health Service's Hygenic Laboratory.
1935 : Passage of the Social Security Act.
1938 : Passage of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.
1939 : The Federal Security Agency was created, bringing together related federal activities in the fields of health, education and social insurance.
1946 : The Communicable Disease Center was established, forerunner of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
1953: The Cabinet-level Department of Health, Education and Welfare was created under President Eisenhower, officially coming into existence April 11, 1953. In 1979, the Department of Education Organization Act was signed into law, providing for a separate Department of Education. HEW became the Department of Health and Human Services, officially arriving on May 4, 1980.
Some highlight dates in HEW and HHS history:
1955 : Licensing of the Salk polio vaccine. The Indian Health Service was transferred to HHS from the Department of Interior.
1961 : First White House Conference on Aging.
1962 : Passage of the Migrant Health Act, providing support for clinics serving agricultural workers.
1964 : Release of the first Surgeon General's Report on Smoking and Health.
1965 : Creation of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, making comprehensive health care available to millions of Americans. Also in 1965, the Older Americans Act created the nutritional and social programs administered by HHS Administration on Aging. In addition, the Head Start program was created.
1966 : International Smallpox Eradication program established -- led by the U.S. Public Health Service, the worldwide eradication of smallpox was accomplished in 1977. Also in 1966, the Community Health Center and Migrant Health Center programs were launched.
1970 : Creation of the National Health Service Corps.
1971 : National Cancer Act signed into law.
1975 : Child Support Enforcement program established.
1977 : Creation of the Health Care Financing Administration to manage Medicare and Medicaid separately from the Social Security Administration.
1980 : Federal funding provided to states for foster care and adoption assistance.
1981 : Identification of AIDS. In 1984, the HIV virus was identified by PHS and French scientists. In 1985, a blood test to detect HIV was licensed.
1984 : National Organ Transplantation Act signed into law.
1988 : Creation of the JOBS program and federal support for child care.
Passage of the McKinney Act to provide health care to the homeless.1989 : Creation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (now the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality).
1990 : Human Genome Project established. Passage of the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act, authorizing the food label. Also, the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resource Emergency (CARE) Act began providing support for people with AIDS.
1993 : The Vaccines for Children Program is established, providing free immunizations to all children in low-income families.
1995 : The Social Security Administration became an independent agency.
1996 : Enactment of welfare reform under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Enactment of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
1997 : Creation of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), enabling states to extend health coverage to more uninsured children.
1999 : The Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 is signed, making it possible for millions of Americans with disabilities to join the workforce without fear of losing their Medicaid and Medicare coverage. It also modernizes the employment services system for people with disabilities. Initiative on combating bioterrorism is launched.
2000 : Publication of human genome sequencing.
2001 : The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid is created, replacing the Health Care Financing Administration. HHS responds to the nation's first bioterrorism attack -- delivery of anthrax through the mail.
2002 : Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness created to coordinate efforts against bioterrorism and other emergency health threats.
2003 : Enactment of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, the most significant expansion of Medicare since its enactment, including a prescription drug benefit.
2006: Medicare Part D, a federal program to subsidize the costs of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries in the United States, went into effect on January 1, 2006.
2010: The Affordable Care Act was signed on March 23, 2010, puting in place comprehensive health insurance reforms.
- Health Insurance Finder was launched July 2010 to assist the public with finding affordable health care insurance options.
You can call the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-438-4338 or online at http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft to report identity theft.
The OIG Hotline takes all allegations of fraud and abuse seriously. Providing your identity and contact information, however, could facilitate any subsequent investigation, as the agency assigned to review your complaint may have additional questions. OIG will exercise due caution to protect your identity, but we can provide no guarantees of this.
If you choose to remain anonymous, the best method to transmit your complaint would be via regular mail:
Office of the Inspector General
HHS TIPS Hotline
P.O. Box 23489
Washington, DC 20026
You can call the Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 or online at http://oig.ssa.gov/ to report disability fraud.
You should contact the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Hotline to report fraud and abuse in the programs and initiatives administered by the Department of Health and Human Services. The Hotline screens all submissions to determine whether the situation falls under the jurisdiction of the OIG and whether there is sufficient information to pursue the matter further.
The Hotline is not the proper venue to complain about Department policy. Similarly, the Hotline is not able to provide information about Department programs, comment on OIG activity, or offer judgments on hypothetical situations.
If the Hotline determines that your complaint of fraud and abuse merits further scrutiny, it will refer the complaint to appropriate field agency for review and development. That agency will then decide how to proceed with the complaint.
We cannot provide information regarding what action we have taken on any allegation reported to our office. Federal regulations prohibit the disclosure of information contained in law enforcement records even to the individual making the allegation. The complaint resolution process usually takes at least six months.
CMS is the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS is the federal HHS agency responsible for administering the Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance), and several other health-related programs.
Additional information regarding CMS and it's programs is available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/home/aboutcms.asp.
The Inspector General Hotline is designed to receive and process complaints of possible fraud, waste and abuse in programs administered by the department.
All HHS and contractor employees have a responsibility to assist in combating fraud, waste and abuse in all departmental programs. Matters involving fraud, waste and mismanagement in any departmental program(s) should be reported to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The Hotline offers a confidential means for reporting vital information.
HHS is comprised of 11 agencies (also known as Operating Divisions) and 16 staff divisions and is headed by the Secretary for Health and Human Services.
An organizational chart is available at http://www.hhs.gov/about/orgchart.html
You may want to visit the Web sites of our agencies to learn about the offices within each of these branches:
- OS - Office of the Secretary
- ACF - Administration for Children & Families
- ACL - Administration for Community Living
- AHRQ - Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
- ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease
- CDC - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- CMS - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- FDA - Food & Drug Administration
- HRSA - Health Resources & Services Administration
- IHS - Indian Health Service
- NIH - National Institutes of Health
- OIG - Office of Inspector General
- SAMHSA - Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
The HHS Careers page at http://www.hhs.gov/careers/index.html provides information about employment opportunities, including federal jobs, student internships, fellowships, etc. There is also information about:
The Social Security Administration (SSA), formerly a part of HHS, became an independent federal agency on March 31, 1995. For more information about your social security records, retirement and disability benefits, and assistance for survivors of benefit recipients, please contact SSA at http://www.ssa.gov.
Complaints of possible fraud, waste, and abuse can be reported to the Inspector General's Hotline. There are several ways to contact the Hotline:
- Toll-free phone: 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477), 8:00 am - 5:30 pm, Eastern Time, Monday-Friday
- Fax: 1-800-223-8164 (10 pages or less, please)
- TTY: 1-800-377-4950
- E-mail: hhstips@oig.hhs.gov
- Mail: HHS TIPS Hotline
P.O. Box 23489
Washington, DC 20026
(Note: please do not send any original documents)
You can also access the OIG Hotline guide for filing a complaint by going to the OIG Web site at http://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/hotline/.
For security reasons, the Inspector General staff cannot offer a face-to-face interview.
Please provide the following information. If you would like your referral to be submitted anonymously please indicate in your email or phone call (1-800-447-8477) that you wish to remain anonymous.
This is the information needed for all complaints:
- Your Name
- Your Street Address
- Your City/County
- Your State
- Your Zip Code
- Your Email Address
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Subject/Person/Business/Department that allegation is against:
- Name of Subject
- Title of Subject (if applicable)
- Subject's Street Address
- Subject's City/County
- Subject's State
- Subject's Zip Code
- Please provide a brief summary relating to your allegation.
Secretaries of HEW:
- Oveta Culp Hobby, April 11, 1953 - July 31, 1955
- Marion B. Folsom, August 1, 1955 - July 31, 1958
- Arthur S. Flemming, August 1, 1958 - January 19, 1961
- Abraham Ribicoff, January 21, 1961 - July 13, 1962
- Anthony J. Celebrezze, July 31, 1962 - August 17, 1965
- John W. Gardner, August 18, 1965 - March 1, 1968
- Wilbur J. Cohen, May 16, 1968 - January 20, 1969
- Robert H. Finch, January 21, 1969 - June 23, 1970
- Elliot L. Richardson, June 24, 1970 - January 29, 1973
- Caspar W. Weinberger, February 12, 1973 - August 8, 1975
- David Mathews, August 8, 1975 - January 20, 1977
- Joseph A. Califano, Jr., January 25, 1977 - August 3, 1979
- Patricia Roberts Harris, August 3, 1979 - May 3, 1980
Secretaries of HHS:
- Patricia Roberts Harris, May 4, 1980 - January 20, 1981
- Richard S. Schweiker, January 22, 1981 - February 3, 1983
- Margaret M. Heckler, March 9, 1983 - December 13, 1985
- Otis R. Bowen, M.D., December 13, 1985 - January 20, 1989
- Louis W. Sullivan, M.D., March 1, 1989 - January 20, 1993
- Donna E. Shalala, January 22, 1993 - January 20, 2001
- Tommy G. Thompson, February 2, 2001 - January 26, 2005
- Michael O. Leavitt, January 26, 2005 - January 20, 2009
- Kathleen Sebelius, April 28, 2009 to Present
You may submit your request at any time before the date you wish to meet with the Secretary, or before the conference or event. Requests for events on a date certain will be reviewed starting eight to ten weeks prior to the event. We will confirm or decline requests approximately one month to six weeks prior to the date of the event.
You should not include the Secretary's name or title in any materials until we confirm the Secretary's attendance. You also should not list the Secretary as "invited" until we confirm the Secretary's attendance.
Birth, death, and marriage certificates are issued by state government vital records offices. To obtain a certificate if you were born in the US, you will need to contact the vital records office in the state where the event occurred. To find state vital records offices, go to http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm.
If you are foreign-born, but are a US Citizen, information is available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w/foreign.htm
If you have any questions about a document issued by a state government vital records office, please contact that office for further assistance.
You should check your Medicare Summary Notices carefully to verify that you received the services that Medicare paid for. If you do not recognize a particular service that does not necessarily mean that fraud has been committed. For example, it is possible that you received the service, but the provider name or service description is unfamiliar.
If you identify an erroneous charge on your Medicare Summary Notice, you should call the number listed in the Customer Service Box in order to speak with the Medicare-contracted insurance company that processed the claim. A representative will be able to access your records via computer, and may be able to determine immediately whether the service charge represents a billing error, a misunderstanding on your part, or a potential instance of fraud.
If you are unable to reach the Medicare contractor, or if so advised by the contractor representative, you may also report the charge to the Inspector General's Hotline at 1-800-HHS-TIPS (1-800-447-8477).
See more Frequently Asked Questions about Medicare fraud, waste, and abuse at: http://questions.medicare.gov/app/answers/list
HHS sponsors a number of online training programs in many categories. To learn more, select from the following:
Library of Online Training Programs
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CDC Learning Connection
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National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Educational Tutorials (NHLIB)
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute offers tutorials for the public on heart and vascular, cholesterol, high blood pressure, overweight and physical activity, and sleep disorders.
Healthy Lifestyles
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Understanding Your Body (AHRQ)
Understanding Your Body provides easy-to-understand explanations of body systems and disease conditions. This material can be used for patient education, life sciences curriculum development, or to enhance public understanding of general health concepts. Permission for such use is not required, but citation as to source is requested. -
Next Steps After Your Diagnosis, Finding Information and Support (AHRQ)
Next Steps After Your Diagnosis offers general advice for people with almost any disease or condition. And it has tips to help you learn more about your specific problem and how it can be treated. The information here is presented in a simple way to help you scan the material and read only what you need right now. Organizations, publications, and other resources are included if you would like to know more. This online version has many additional resources with their Internet links. This document is also available in Spanish.
Disease/Condition-Related Training
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Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Education/Training Courses and Materials (SAMHSA)
Information on this site is primarily for professionals working with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. -
Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Education and Training Centers
The AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) Program of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program supports a network of 11 regional centers (and more than 130 local associated sites) that conduct targeted, multidisciplinary education and training programs for health care providers treating people living with HIV/AIDS. The AETCs serve all 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the 6 U.S. Pacific Jurisdictions. The AETC Program increases the number of health care providers who are effectively educated and motivated to counsel, diagnose, treat, and medically manage people with HIV disease, and to help prevent high-risk behaviors that lead to HIV transmission. -
Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Curriculum Self-Study Modules for Clinicians (CDC)
Seven web-based educational modules, each based on a specific STD topic. Each module is considered to be an individual course, and a student may complete as many modules as he or she chooses. -
Video: Smallpox: What Every Clinician Should Know (CDC)
The purpose of the Smallpox: What Every Clinician Should Know video is to provide clinicians with information on the virology, epidemiology, clinical features, and diagnosis of smallpox; the characteristics and use of smallpox vaccine; and proper management of smallpox vaccine recipients. -
National Sudden and Unexpected Infant/Child Death & Pregnancy Loss Resource Center Training Toolkit
A number of resources are available to assist professionals, first responders, and parents to reduce the risk of sudden death in young children.
Public Health and Health Care
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NIH Office of Intramural Training and Education
The NIH Office of intramural Training & Education (OITE) is a division of the Office of Intramural Research (OIR), Office of the Director (OD). The mission is to enhance the training experience of students and fellows on all of the NIH campuses. The staff works closely with the Training Offices in the NIH Institutes and Centers to help trainees in the Intramural Research Program (IRP). The intramural program is the sum of all the research projects carried out by NIH investigators and trainees in NIH facilities) develop scientific and professional skills that will enable them to become leaders in the biomedical research community. -
Public Health Assessment Process Interactive Learning Program (CDC/ATSDR)
This program provides an overview of the public health assessment process that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) uses to evaluate whether people will be harmed by hazardous materials from waste sites or from other places where hazardous substances have been spilled or released into the environment. -
Environmental Health and Medicine Education (ATSDR)
Environmental medicine education products present current environmental medicine content drawn from peer-reviewed medical literature. These products are accredited for free continuing education. -
Health Information Technology Knowledge Library (AHRQ)
In an effort to ensure that stakeholders are on the same page when talking about health IT, we have developed a series of key topic articles. Each article includes beginner-level background information on the topic, a description of current activities in this part of the field, and lessons emerging from the array of projects sponsored by AHRQ. These articles also include recommended tools and resources for individuals engaged in health IT projects.
Drug and Food
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Training & Continuing Education Courses from the FDA
Information on state-level resources for food investigators; online training for health professionals about the safe use of medicine and the drug regulatory process; and online courses for industry on safety and effectiveness of medical devices and exposure to radiation from medical devices. -
Make Your Calories Count: Use the Nutrition Facts Label for Health Weight Management (FDA)
Make Your Calories Count is an interactive learning program that provides consumers with information to help plan a healthful diet while managing calorie intake. The exercises will help consumers use the food label to make decisions about which food choice is right for them. For simplicity, the program presents two nutrients that should be limited (saturated fat and sodium) and two nutrients that should be consumed in adequate amounts (fiber and calcium).
Emergency Preparedness & Response
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Radiological Terrorism: Medical Response to Mass Casualties (CDC)
The purpose of this training is to prepare clinicians in first receiver settings to: (1) Identify factors impacting immediate medical response to mass casualties following major types of radiological incidents, and (2) Demonstrate appropriate patient assessment, triage, treatment and disposition decision-making required during a radiological mass casualty incident.
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Radiation Emergency Training & Education Webcasts (CDC)
Topics include basic components of-
radiological population monitoring guidelines,
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key radiation principles & procedures,
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protective measures and evacuation and sheltering guidelines
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signs and symptoms of radiation syndrome
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decontamination of patients
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radiological population monitoring guidelines,
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Video: The History of Bioterrorism (CDC)
These videos describe the Category A diseases: smallpox, anthrax, botulism, plague, tularemia, and viral hemorrhagic fevers. If these germs were used to intentionally infect people, they would cause the most illness and death. Watch these videos to learn how some of these agents have been or can be used as bioterrorist weapons.
Research/Researchers
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Human Participant Protections Education for Research Teams Login (NIH)
This free, web-based course presents information about the rights and welfare of human participants in research. The tutorial is designed for those involved in conducting research involving human participants. -
Incorporating Cancer Clinical Trials Into Your Practice (NIH)
A Web-based course for healthcare professionals who are new to the clinical trials research process. The course contains practical information for professionals interested in referring patients to clinical trials, or conducting clinical trials, for the first time. -
Clinical Research Training for Principal Investigators at the NIH Clinical Center
This program responds to the federal mandate requiring human subjects protection education for research teams at the NIH Clinical Center. -
Research and Training Opportunities at the National Institutes of Health
Information about career advancement and services, internships, and enrichment opportunities in research training. -
National Human Genome Research Institute Training Programs
The National Human Genome Research Institute provides a wide range of programs aimed at furthering the professional training and career development of students, educators, health professionals and research scientists. This page describes the various training and educational opportunities available for individuals at various stages of their careers. -
Stem Cell Training Programs
NIH provides listings of trainings of stem cell research training programs. -
Research in NIH Labs & Clinics
Learn about NIH training opportunities, lab research support, clinical research support, computational biology, and other Federal Resources. -
Diversity Training Programs
The Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) Diversity Training Branch (DTB), leads NCI’s efforts in the training of students and investigators from diverse populations who will be part of the next generation of competitive researchers in cancer and cancer health disparities research. -
Medical Informatics Training Program
The Lister Hill Center provides training opportunities for individuals at various stages in their careers. -
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Training and Career Development
Information about the training programs and grant mechanisms for students and researchers. -
Extramural Training Mechanisms grants and Fellowships
Funding opportunities for training programs.
The US Government hosts an official Web site for all Federal Forms at http://www.forms.gov/. The best way to find a form is to search by the official name.
If you are new to doing business with HHS, you should register to attend one of our FREE Vendor Outreach Sessions (VOS). They are scheduled for the second Tuesday of every other month from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
If you are not able to attend one of these sessions, visit our Web site and review each of our operating divisions within the Department.
- OS - Office of the Secretary
- ACF - Administration for Children & Families
- AoA - Administration on Aging
- AHRQ - Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
- ATSDR - Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease
- CDC - Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
- CMS - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- FDA - Food & Drug Administration
- HRSA - Health Resources & Services Administration
- IHS - Indian Health Service
- NIH - National Institutes of Health
- OIG - Office of Inspector General
- SAMHSA - Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
You can also contact our Small Business Specialists within their respective division for further guidance.
Also, be sure to check our Small Business Calendar of Events.
The Department of Health and Human Services does not require any special business-related certifications. The Small Business Administration (SBA) certifies firms under their 8(a) Business Development Program, the Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) Program and the Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) program.
Small, Women-Owned, Veteran-Owned and Service-Disabled Veteran Owned businesses rely on self-certifications. Self-certification is not questioned until a competitor or other interested party protests. A Contracting Officer may also request a size determination from the SBA.
Service-Disabled Veteran Owned businesses should obtain validation from the Veterans Administration and register on VetBiz.
Learn More:
HHS does not provide grants or loans to start small businesses. If you are seeking financial assistance to start a business or expand an existing business, please contact your local Small Business Administration office or visit the SBA Web site to learn the answer to these questions:
It should be noted that, the Department of Health and Human Services is the largest grant-making organization in the Federal Government. Our 300 plus grant programs cover mission specific topics and are handled by the various operating components of the Department. All grant announcements across the government are available at: http://www.grants.gov.
Additional information about managing HHS grants may be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/asfr/ogapa/aboutog/grantsnet.html
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) profiles all Federal grant programs, which provides financial assistance, including HHS programs, and list a specific point of contact for obtaining additional information and applications. It also includes a helpful section on writing grant applications. The Web site for CFDA is http://www.cfda.gov.
Information technology is the area where we receive the most small business inquiries, so the competition is substantial. When presenting your capabilities to potential customers, we suggest that you tailor your IT capabilities to specific functions, i.e., IT relating to medical analysis, data base management, or IT related to security.
In addition to the above recommendation, you should be aware that HHS has several Multiple Award, Indefinite Delivery contracts for IT services. These contracts, in addition to the significant use of GSA Schedules, make identification of opportunities challenging. If you do not have a GSA schedule contract, we strongly recommend you contact GSA to obtain one. We also recommend that you contact major prime contractors for potential subcontracting opportunities. We have provided a list of HHS Prime Contractors on our web site for your information.
The Small Business Act defines the 8(a) program as a procurement program. At its inception, it sought to develop small businesses that were socially and economically disadvantaged while providing the Federal Government a faster way to obtain goods and services. Unlike Small Business set-asides, there is no statutory requirement for Executive Departments to use the 8(a) program. Contracting Officers must determine if a specific requirement is conducive to the 8(a) program. It has been the practice of the Federal Government to maintain these requirements in the 8(a) program once that determination is made. Contracting Officers are also required to notify the SBA if they intend to “remove” a requirement from the 8(a) program. The SBA has the sole authority over this decision.
Today, Government-Wide Multiple Award, (GWAC) IDIQ type contracts, in addition to GSA Schedule contracts, has become the most expeditious method of acquiring Government goods and services. We strongly encourage you to obtain one or more GSA Schedule contracts and/or GWACs. Being on schedule and/or a GWAC makes good “business sense” and will provide your company with multiple options.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program is a highly competitive three-phase award system which provides qualified small business concerns with opportunities to propose innovative ideas that meet the specific research and research and development needs of the Federal Government.
Phase I is a feasibility study to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of an idea. Awards are made for periods of up to six months in amounts up to $100,000.
Phase II is to expand on the results of and further pursue the development of Phase I. Awards are made for periods of up to two years in amounts up to $750,000. You must have participated in a Phase I award to be considered for a Phase II.
Phase III is for the commercialization of the results of Phase II and requires the use of private sector or non-SBIR Federal funding.
STTR is a highly competitive three-phase program that reserves a specific percentage of Federal research and development funding for award to small businesses in partnership with nonprofit research institutions to move ideas from the laboratory to the marketplace, to foster high-tech economic development and to address the technological needs of the Federal Government.
Phase I is the startup phase for the exploration of the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of an idea or technology. Awards are for periods of up to one year in amounts up to $100,000. Phase II is to expand Phase I results. During this period the R&D work is performed and the developer begins to consider commercialization potential. Awards are for periods of up to two years in amounts up to $500,000. Phase III is the period during which Phase II innovation moves from the laboratory into the marketplace. There is no STTR funding in this phase.
For continuously updated information concerning the program, you should visit the Small Business Administration (SBA) website: http://www.sba.gov/content/small-business-technology-transfer-program-sttr
The HHS information is available on: http://grants1.nih.gov/grants/funding/sbir.htm
To obtain a hard copy of an SBIR solicitation, contact the following:
PHS SBIR/STTR Solicitation Office
13687 Baltimore Avenue
Laurel, MD 20707-5096
Telephone: (301) 206-9385
Fax: (301) 206-9722
Internet Address: a2y@cu.nih.gov
For general information or questions concerning the National Institutes of Health SBIR/STTR programs, contact:
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Dr. Matthew Portnoy |
For general information or questions concerning the Administration for Children and Families' (ACF) SBIR program, contact:
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Ms. Anne F. Bergan, ACF |
At the Department of Health and Human Services, our mission is to help provide the building blocks that Americans need to live healthy, successful lives. We fulfill that mission every day by providing millions of children, families, and seniors with access to high-quality health care, by helping people find jobs and parents find affordable child care, by keeping the food on Americans’ shelves safe and infectious diseases at bay, and by pushing the boundaries of how we diagnose and treat disease.
To achieve these goals, we must always keep an eye on the future – to prepare for the next public health emergency, to pursue the next lifesaving cure, and to support the development of the next generation of Americans. But we must also frequently look closer at old programs and existing services and ask: What needs to be changed? How can we serve Americans better? What can be done less expensively, faster and more transparently?
These priorities reflect both considerations – a clear-eyed view of the new investments we will need to meet the challenges and opportunities of a new decade, and a tough-minded assessment about how we can reform and refocus existing programs to make an even bigger difference in Americans’ lives.
Together, they form our vision for how our department can contribute to an even stronger, healthier, and more prosperous America in the years to come.
Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), you can request any records that are in an agency's possession and control and are not in the public domain. Records considered under the public domain are those that could be found in a library or available from a clearinghouse.
The FOIA requests for records that may be located at any of the major operating divisions (CDC, FDA, NIH, etc.) should be submitted to the relevant FOIA Requester Service Center. We recommend that before submitting the FOIA request, you first consult the Guide to Information Resources, to determine which component of HHS is most likely to have the records being requested (http://www.hhs.gov/about/infoguid.html#pub).
The addresses for HHS FOIA Requester Service Centers can be found at http://www.hhs.gov/foia/contacts/index.html. Each FOIA Service Center webpage includes the direct contact information for the FOIA office for that organization.
There are three ways to submit a FOIA request:
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Online - Go to the OS Submit a FOIA Request web page and complete the form.
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Mail - Submit your request to the OS FOIA Office at the following address:
OS Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts Division
330 C Street, S.W.
Switzer Building, Room 2206
Washington, D.C. 20201
- Fax – Fax a letter stating your request to: (202) 690-8320
No, but you may complete the online form located at the Submit a Request web page, or mail or fax a letter with as much detail as possible about the specific records you need and which organizational component you believe may have the records.
If you request medical or personnel records, you must provide a consent form that names the person to whom the records pertain, a statement that HHS may release the records requested, with date and signature of the individual to whom the records pertain (for adults), and notarization.
If you request the records of a minor (a person under 18 years of age) your consent form must be signed by the minor's parent or guardian. The relationship between the minor and the person signing must be noted on the consent form.
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The FOIA Request is received and logged in.
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Request is sent to program office within HHS for a search for responsive records.
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Program office conducts a search and sends responsive records, if any, to the FOIA Office.
- The FOIA office:
- reviews the records;
- coordinates with other components, agencies and entities that have in interest in the disposition of the records;
- prepares records for release or withholding as appropriate under the FOIA; and
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responds with any released records to the requester.
In the original FOIA request, you are encouraged to specify the range of dates of the records you need. If you do not specify the time period which you would like the search to cover, the cut-off date will be the date on which the search is performed.
When your request is logged into the tracking system, you will receive a letter or card to acknowledge its receipt. Under the FOIA program, agencies initially have 20 working days and may take an additional ten (10) working days to respond to the request. The Office of the Secretary (OS) FOIA office will do its best to meet this deadline, but the nature of your request can be a factor in the speed of processing.
Some factors affecting the processing may include:
- whether or not your request asks for a large volume of records, as opposed to a small amount,
- the detail and adequacy of the description of the records you want,
- whether or not a search must done in multiple organizational components and/or geographical locations,
- whether the request requires significant consultation or coordination with various components or agencies,
- whether your letter includes a statement of willingness to pay all FOIA processing fees,
- whether or not the request requires substantial review of material which may be exempt from release, or
- whether the request is complex in other ways, for example, if it seeks very old records, or if the information requires consultation with the original submitter of proprietary data prior to release.
To assure a faster processing time for your request, we ask that you:
- limit your request to the minimum records needed,
- provide a clear and concise description of the information sought, including any available information as to which organizational component or geographic location you believe may contain the records, and
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provide a statement of willingness to pay FOIA processing services fees.
Expedited processing is not typically applicable for most requests, but may be granted in certain instances.
For more information on expedited processing, please see the U.S. Department of Justice’s FOIA Guide at www.usdoj.gov/oip/procereq.htm#expedited.
Under the FOIA, the government may withhold portions or all of some records if the records contain information that falls under any of the nine FOIA exemptions. The OS FOIA Office makes every attempt to provide a full release where possible, this is not always possible. The following are the most commonly cited exemptions which form the basis for withholding records.
- Exemption 3: Protects information that is prohibited from disclosure by a statute other than the FOIA.
- Exemption 4: Protects trade secrets and confidential commercial or financial information.
- Exemption 5: Permits the withholding of inter- and intra-agency records, which are predecisional and contain staff advice, opinion and recommendation. This exemption is intended to preserve free and candid internal dialogue leading to decision-making, and includes the attorney-client privilege and/or the attorney work product privilege.
- Exemption 6: Permits the withholding of information that if released would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of privacy.
- Exemption 7: Protects certain law enforcement records or information compiled for law enforcement purposes.
To learn more about the exemptions, you may wish to view the FOIA, as amended, including the statutory exemption language: (http://www.justice.gov/oip/amended-foia-redlined-2010.pdf).
In the response letter you receive from the OS FOIA office, there will be a statement concerning which, if any, records were withheld, in full or in part, and which exemption(s) provide(s) for withholding the records.
In all cases, it is the intent of the OS FOIA Office to release the records requested to the fullest extent possible.
If FOIA records are withheld, in part or in full, your response letter will include a statement of your appeal rights. The letter will say that you may appeal and provide instructions on how to appeal.
If you do appeal, it will be logged into the Office of the Secretary's FOIA tracking system, and the initial request will be reconsidered in light of the issues you raise in your appeal. The Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA), or his/her designee, will respond on behalf of the Department as to the final determination on the appeal.
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If the decision is to reverse, in whole or part, an initial determination to withhold records, you will receive the records that were withheld. If your appeal is denied, you may contact the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), which offers mediation services to resolve disputes between FOIA requesters and Federal agencies. Using OGIS services does not affect your right to pursue litigation.
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If your appeal is denied, you may file a FOIA lawsuit in the U.S. District Court where you live, in the district where the documents are located, or in the District of Columbia.
The OS FOIA office will respond in writing if the records were not located, and will also inform you of your right to appeal.
If you appeal, the appeal will be logged into the OS FOIA tracking system, and will be forwarded to whatever organizations may have records, including those which originally performed a search, for a follow-up search. The search results will be reviewed, and the ASPA or his/her designee will assess and make the final decision as to the adequacy of the search.
If the OS FOIA office is aware that another Department or Federal agency may have records you want, they will inform you of this.
We are allowed to recover part of the costs associated with the processing of FOIA requests. Unless you state a specific fee limit in your request, we will assume that you are willing to pay all the fees incurred in the processing of your request and we may contact you concerning the fees.
If your estimated fees exceed $250.00, you may be given the opportunity to narrow your request to reduce the fees or to confirm your commitment to pay the estimated amount.
You may wish to specify, in your request, the amount of fees you are willing to pay. We will then notify you if the anticipated fees will exceed this limit, and ask whether you wish us to proceed with the processing of your request.
The need to clarify fee issues or the absence of your willingness to pay processing costs could result in the delay or cancellation of your request. We ask each requester, therefore, to provide a statement of willing to pay all FOIA processing costs, as the amount of search and review time involved in processing your request may not be readily apparent.
For purposes of fee assessments, the FOIA divides requesters into three categories: commercial use requesters; representatives of the media, and educational or noncommercial scientific institutions whose purpose is scholarly or scientific research; and, all other requesters.
For more information on fees/fee waivers see the Department's implementing regulations at 45 CFR part 5, Subpart D (http://www.hhs.gov/foia/45cfr5.html#Subd).
The OS FOIA Office can be reached by:
- Phone, please call (202) 690-7453, or
- Fax at 202-690-8320, or
- Mail at:
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OS Freedom of Information/Privacy Acts Division
330 C Street, S.W.
Switzer Building, Room 2206
Washington, D.C. 20201
The leader of the Medicaid and CHIP programs is a Deputy Administrator and Director. The list of the leadership and program functional statement are available at: http://www.cms.gov/CMSLeadership/07_Office_CMCSC.asp
Information about the President's Budget for HHS is available at: http://www.hhs.gov/about/hhsbudget.html.
Also on the Budget page are reports regarding the Congressional Budget Justifications and Performance Appendices.
