The Grantee's roles and responsibilities are essential to the overall success of the project. Therefore the grantee must:

III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for a negotiation cooperative agreement under this announcement, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:
A. Be a Federally-recognized Tribe as defined in Title V, Pub. L. 106-260, Tribal Self-Governance Amendments of 2000, of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDA), Pub. L. 93-638, as amended. However, Alaska Native Villages or Alaska Native Village Corporations are not eligible if they are located within the area served by an Alaska Native regional health entity already participating in ISDA compacting (25 U.S.C. 458aaa-2(e)). Those Tribes not represented by a self-governance Tribal consortium compact, within their area, may still be considered to participate in the TSGP.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
The Self-Governance Negotiation Cooperative Agreement does not require matching funds or cost sharing to participate in the competitive grant process.
3. Other Requirements
The following documentation is required (if applicable):
A. This program is described at 93.210 in the CFDA.
B. Request participation in self-governance by resolution from the governing body of the Indian Tribe. An Indian Tribe that is proposing a Cooperative Agreement affecting another Indian Tribe must include resolutions from all affected Tribes to be served.
C. Tribal Resolution - A resolution of the Indian Tribe served by the project must accompany the application submission. For Tribal Consortia applying for a Negotiation Cooperative Agreement, individual Tribal Council Resolutions from all individual Tribes whose PSFAs will be compacted must be submitted.
Draft resolutions are acceptable in lieu of an official resolution to submit with the application. However, an official signed Tribal resolution must be received by the Division of Grants Operations (DGO), Attn: John Hoffman, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP 360, Rockville, MD 20852, by Friday, April 25, 2008. If an official signed resolution is not submitted by April 25, 2008 the application will be considered incomplete and will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.
*It is highly recommended that the Tribal resolution be sent by Federal Express for proof of receipt.
D. Demonstrate, for three FYs, financial stability and financial management capability, which is defined as no uncorrected significant and material audit exceptions in the required annual audit of the Indian Tribe's self-determination contracts or self-governance funding agreements with any Federal agency.
E. Grantees are required to submit a current version of the organization's audit report. Audit reports can be lengthy; therefore, the applicants may submit them separately via regular mail by the due date, April 28, 2008. If the grantee determines that the audit reports are not lengthy, the applicants may scan the documents and attach them to the electronic application. While all of the other components of the application will be submitted through www.Grants.gov (Grants.gov) the applicants must submit two copies of the audits that reflect three previous fiscal years under separate cover directly to the Division of Grants Operations, Attn: John Hoffman, 801 Thompson Avenue, TMP 360, Rockville, MD 20852, referencing the Funding Opportunity Number, HHS-2008-IHS-TSGP-0002, as prescribed by Pub. L. 98-502, the Single Audit Act, as amended (see OMB Circular A-133, revised June 24, 1997, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations). If this documentation is not submitted with the application by the application receipt date, April 28, 2008, the application will be considered as incomplete and be returned to the applicant without further consideration. Applicants must include the grant tracking number assigned to their electronic submission by Grants.gov and the date submitted via Grants.gov in their cover letter transmitting the required audits for the previous three fiscal years.
If the application budget exceeds the stated dollar amount that is outlined within this announcement, the application will be returned to the applicant without further consideration.

IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Applicant package may be found in Grants.gov or at: http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/gogp/gogp_funding.asp.
Information regarding the electronic application process may be directed to Michelle G. Bulls at (301) 443 6528.

The entire application package is available at: http://www.ihs.gov/NonMedicalPrograms/SelfGovernance/index.cfm?module=planning_negotiation.
Detailed application instructions for this announcement are downloadable on Grants.gov.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission:

3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 12:00 midnight Eastern Standard Time (EST). If technical challenges arise and the applicant is unable to successfully complete the electronic application process, the applicant should contact Michelle G. Bulls, Grants Policy Staff (GPS), at least fifteen days prior to the application deadline and advise of the difficulties. The grantee must obtain prior approval, in writing (e-mails are acceptable) allowing the paper submission. If submission of a paper application is requested and approved, the original and two copies may be sent to the appropriate grants contact that is listed in Section IV.1. above. Applications not submitted through Grants.gov, without an approved waiver, may be returned to the applicant without review or consideration. Late applications will not be accepted for processing, will be returned to the applicant, and will not be considered for funding.

4. Intergovernmental Review:
Executive Order 12372 requiring intergovernmental review is not applicable to this program.

5. Funding Restrictions:
A. Only one negotiation cooperative agreement will be awarded per applicant.
B. Each negotiation cooperative agreement shall not exceed $20,000.
C. The available funds are inclusive of direct and appropriate indirect costs.
D. IHS will not acknowledge receipt of applications.

6. Other Submission Requirements:
A. Table of Contents.
B. Abstract (one page) - Summarizes the project.
C. Narrative (no more than 7 pages) and should include the following:
(1) Background information on the Tribe.
(2) Proposed scope of work, objectives, and activities that provide a description of what will be accomplished including a one-page Time Frame Chart.
D. Budget narrative and justification.
E. Tribal Resolution.
F. Appendices to include:
(1) Resumes or position descriptions of key staff.
(2) Contractors/Consultants resumes or qualifications and scope of work.
(3) Current Indirect Cost Agreement.
(4) Organizational Chart (Optional) Abstract (one page) - Summarizes the project.

ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION The preferred method for receipt of applications is electronic submission through Grants.gov. However, should any technical challenges arise regarding the submission, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1 800 518 4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center hours of operation are Monday Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST. If you require additional assistance please call (301) 443 6290 and identify the need for assistance regarding your Grants.gov application. Your call will be transferred to the appropriate grants staff member. The applicant must seek assistance at least fifteen days prior to the application deadline. Applicants that do not adhere to the timelines for Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and/or Grants.gov registration and/or requesting timely assistance with technical issues will not be a candidate for paper applications.

To submit an application electronically, please use the http://www.Grants.gov and select

Please be reminded of the following:

DUNS NUMBER
Applicants are required to obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the Federal Government. The DUNS number is a nine digit identification number, which uniquely identifies business entities. Obtaining a DUNS number is easy and there is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access <http://www.dunandbradstreet.com> or call 1 866 705 5711. Interested parties may wish to obtain their DUNS number by phone to expedite the process.

Applications submitted electronically must also be registered with the CCR. A DUNS number is required before CCR registration can be completed. Many organizations may already have a DUNS number. Please use the number listed above to investigate whether or not your organization has a DUNS number. Registration with the CCR is free of charge.

Applicants may register by calling 1 888 227 2423. Please review and complete the CCR Registration Worksheet located on http://www.grants.gov/CCRRegister.

More detailed information regarding these registration processes can be found at http://www.grants.gov.

V. Application Review Information
The instructions for preparing the application narrative also constitute the evaluation criteria for reviewing and scoring the application. Weights assigned to each section are noted in parentheses.
1. Criteria
DEMONSTRATION OF PREVIOUS PLANNING ACTIVITIES (30 points)
Has the Indian Tribe determined the PSFAs to be assumed? Has the Indian Tribe determined it has the administrative infrastructure to support the assumption of the PSFAs? Are the results of what was learned or is being learned during the planning process clearly stated?

THOROUGHNESS OF APPROACH (25 points)
Is a specific narrative provided regarding the direction the Indian Tribe plans to take in the TSGP? How will the Tribe demonstrate improved health and services to the community it serves? Are proposed time lines for negotiations indicated?

PROJECT OUTCOME (25 points)
What beneficial contributions are expected or anticipated for the Tribe? Is information provided on the services that will be assumed? What improvements will be made to manage the health care system? Are Tribal needs discussed in relation to the proposed programmatic alternatives and outcomes which will serve the Tribal community?

ADMINISTRATIVE CAPABILITIES (20 points)
Does the Indian Tribe clearly demonstrate knowledge and experience in the operation and management of health programs? Is the internal management and administrative infrastructure of the applicant described?

APPENDIX ITEMS

VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices
The Notice of Award (NoA) will be initiated by the DGO and will be mailed via postal mail to each entity that is approved for funding under this announcement. The NoA will be signed by the Grants Management Officer and this is the authorizing document under which funds are dispersed to the approved entities. The NoA will serve as the official notification of the grant award and will reflect the amount of Federal funds awarded the purpose of the grant, the terms and conditions of the award, the effective date of the award, and the budget/project period. The NoA is the legally binding document. Applicants who are approved but unfunded or disapproved based on their Objective Review score will receive a copy of the Final Executive Summary which identifies the weaknesses and strengths of the application submitted. Any other correspondence announcing to the Project Director that an application was selected is not an authorization to begin performance.
2. Administrative Requirements
Cooperative Agreements are administered in accordance with the following documents:

Generally, indirect costs rates for IHS grantees are negotiated with the Division of Cost Allocation (DCA) http://rates.psc.gov/ and the Department of Interior (National Business Center) http://www.nbc.gov/acquisition/ics/icshome.html . If your organization has questions regarding the indirect cost policy, please contact the DGO at 301 443 5204 or Grants Policy Staff at 301-443-6290.
4. Reporting
A. Progress Report. Program progress reports are required semi-annually. These reports must be submitted within 30 days of the end of the half year and will include a brief comparison of actual accomplishments to the goals established for the period, or, if applicable, provide sound justification for the lack of progress, and other pertinent information as required. A final report must be submitted within 90 days of expiration of the budget/project period.
B. Financial Status Report. Semi annual financial status reports must be submitted within 30 days of the end of the half year. Final financial status reports are due within 90 days of expiration of the budget/project period. Standard Form 269 (long form) will be used for financial reporting. The final SF 269 must be verified from the grantee's records on how the value was derived. Grantees must submit reports in a reasonable period of time.

Failure to submit required reports within the time allowed may result in suspension or termination of an active cooperative agreement, withholding of additional awards for the project, or other enforcement actions such as withholding of payments or converting to the reimbursement method of payment. Continued failure to submit required reports may result in one or both of the following: (1) the imposition of special award provisions; and (2) the non funding or non award of other eligible projects or activities. This applies whether the delinquency is attributable to the failure of the grantee organization or the individual responsible for preparation of the reports.
5. Telecommunication for the hearing impaired is available at: TTY 301 443 6394.

VII. Agency Contact(s)

1. Questions on the programmatic issues may be directed to:
Matt Johnson, Policy Analyst
Office of Tribal Self-Governance
Telephone No.: 301-443-7821
Fax No.: 301-443-1050
E-mail: matthew.johnson@ihs.gov

2. Questions on grants management and fiscal matters may be directed to:
John Hoffman, Grants Management Specialist
Division of Grants Operations
Telephone No.: 301-443-5204
Fax No.: 301-443-9602
E-mail: john.hoffman2@ihs.gov

VIII. Other Information
The Public Health Service (PHS) strongly encourages all cooperative agreement and contract recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and promote the non-use of all tobacco products. In addition, Pub. L. 103-227, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of the facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, health care or early childhood development services are provided to children. This is consistent with the PHS mission to protect and advance the physical and mental health of the American people.

Date: ___________________ _____________________________
Robert G. McSwain
Acting Director
Indian Health Service