[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 58 (Monday, March 27, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15766-15770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-7506]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families


Availability of Funding for Alternative Approaches to the 
Provision of Cash Assistance, Medical Assistance, Social Services, and 
Case Management to Refugees\1\

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for 
Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services 
(DHHS).

    \1\In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 
400.43, eligibility for refugee services also includes: (1) Cuban 
and Haitian entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education 
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. No. 96-422); (2) certain Amerasians 
from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under 
section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
Programs Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 
Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. No. 100-202); and (3) certain 
Amerasians from Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under title II of 
the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. No. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. No. 
101-167), and 1991 (Pub. L. No. 101-513). For convenience, the term 
``refugee'' is used in this notice to encompass all such eligible 
persons unless the specific context indicates otherwise.
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ACTION: Request for applications under the Office of Refugee 
Resettlement's program to implement alternative projects to provide 
cash assistance, medical assistance, social services, and case 
management to refugees. This notice supersedes the notice published in 
the Federal Register of June 11, 1985 (50 FR 24583).

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ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: Eligible applicants for the alternative program 
grants include public and private non-profit organizations, such as 
States and public and private non-profit organizations and 
institutions.

SUMMARY: This is a standing announcement. It governs the competitive 
award of grants for the purpose of implementing alternative programs in 
order to improve the outcomes of the refugee resettlement program. 
Improvement is to be achieved by promoting employment at the earliest 
time possible, by increasing economic independence among refugees, and 
by improving delivery and coordination of assistance and services to 
refugees.
    The intent of this announcement is to encourage Wilson/Fish 
alternative projects in areas where refugees have had a history of 
extended welfare utilization. Projects are also encouraged where there 
is interest in restructuring the program to become more cost effective: 
(a) By increasing the number of refugees who become self-sufficient, 
(b) by avoiding welfare dependency in the arriving refugee populations, 
and (c) by increasing coordination among assistance and social services 
agencies.
    Alternative programs that provide interim cash and medical 
assistance to the project's refugees must be an alternative to Refugee 
Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA), and/or Aid 
To Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and Medicaid Programs. 
Refugees receiving assistance through Wilson/Fish alternative projects 
are not eligible to receive comparable assistance from RCA/RMA and/or 
AFDC/Medicaid for which the Wilson/Fish projects are alternatives. 
However, this applies only to the assistance provided; e.g., if only 
cash assistance is provided under the alternative project, refugees 
would continue to be eligible for medical assistance (RMA or Medicaid) 
and the State would continue to receive reimbursement for RMA from ORR 
and from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) for Medicaid.
    ORR has no separate funding appropriated for the implementation of 
the alternative projects. Successful applicants will be awarded grants 
from existing ORR appropriations for cash and medical assistance and 
for social services. The grant awards must be reconciled with the level 
of funds the project's target population would otherwise receive during 
the same budget and project periods under the current program. If AFDC 
refugees are part of the application's target population, funds also 
will be awarded from the Federal share of Title IV-A (AFDC) assistance 
and from HCFA for Title XIX (Medicaid), if the project proposes an 
alternative to Medicaid. The State government will be required to 
contribute its share of funds for these programs as they would in the 
absence of an alternative project.
    This announcement is soliciting applications for project periods up 
to five years. Awards, on a competitive basis, will be for a one-year 
budget period. Applications for continuation grants funded under these 
awards beyond the one-year budget period but within the five year 
project period will be entertained in subsequent years on a 
noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, 
satisfactory progress of the project and a determination that continued 
funding would be in the best interest of the government. In the event 
that changes to the previously approved project are proposed, these 
changes will be reviewed by the same criteria used for the original 
application. These criteria are: (a) Increasing refugee self-
sufficiency, (b) avoiding welfare dependency, and (c) increasing 
coordination among the service providers and the voluntary agencies. 
For the first two years of the project, funds will be awarded under a 
cooperative agreement. Whether to continue subsequent awards under a 
cooperative agreement will be within the discretion of the Director.
    This announcement also provides for an alternative project to be a 
vehicle to continue resettlement programs in States where the State 
government chooses not to administer RCA/RMA or equivalent programs.
    The authorizing legislation permits alternative projects for 
refugees who have been in the U.S. less than 36 months, but it also 
permits projects to cover specific groups of refugees who have been in 
the U.S. for 36 months or longer and are determined to have been 
significantly and disproportionately dependent upon welfare, if the 
services proposed are needed for them to become self-sufficient and if 
including them under the project would be cost-effective.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This is a standing announcement. Review of applications 
will take place twice a year, or at the discretion of the Director, as 
indicated under ``REVIEW AND DUE DATES.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Allan Gall, Director, Division of 
Operations, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 6th Floor, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447, (202) 401-9251.

AUTHORIZATION: Projects are authorized by section 412(e)(7) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1522(e)(7). The applicable 
text of this provision, known as the ``alternative projects 
amendment,'' follows:

    (7)(A) The Secretary shall develop and implement alternative 
projects for refugees who have been in the United States less than 
thirty-six months, under which refugees are [[Page 15767]] provided 
interim support, medical services, support services, and case 
management, as needed, in a manner that encourages self-sufficiency, 
reduces welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among 
the resettlement agencies and service providers. The Secretary may 
permit alternative projects to cover specific groups of refugees who 
have been in the United States 36 months or longer if the Secretary 
determines that refugees in this group have been significantly and 
disproportionately dependent on welfare and need the services 
provided under the project in order to become self-sufficient and 
that their coverage under the projects would be cost-effective.
    (B) Refugees covered under such alternative projects shall be 
precluded from receiving cash or medical assistance under any other 
paragraph of this subsection or under title XIX or part A of title 
IV of the Social Security Act.
    (C) . . .
    (D) To the extent that the use of such funds is consistent with 
the purposes of such provisions, funds appropriated under paragraph 
(1) or (2) of section 414(a) of this Act, part A of title IV of the 
Social Security Act, or title XIX of such Act, may be used for the 
purpose of implementing and evaluating alternative projects under 
this paragraph.

    Purpose and Scope: The purpose of this announcement is to provide 
eligible applicants an opportunity to increase effectiveness in meeting 
arriving refugees' needs for assistance and services in a manner that 
promotes the refugees' social integration, early employment, and 
financial self-sufficiency. It offers applicants the opportunity to 
test ways of meeting arriving refugees' basic needs through services 
that are concurrent, are culturally and linguistically compatible, 
emphasize employment, and address the needs of all family members when 
providing employment and other social services. The services should be 
cost-effective by promoting welfare avoidance and by enhancing 
refugees' prospects for earliest possible self-sufficiency and should 
improve coordination of refugee social services in the community of 
resettlement.
    There are several circumstances where an alternative project may be 
considered. For example, it may be appropriate: (1) Where the program 
of refugee cash and medical assistance is not being provided in a 
manner that is coordinated effectively with concurrent employment and 
language services to promote early self-sufficiency; (2) where the 
existing program of services is ineffective in assisting certain groups 
of refugees to become self-sufficient; (3) where AFDC-eligible refugees 
may not be priority clients for the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills 
Training (JOBS) program or may not have access to refugee service 
agencies that have culturally and linguistically compatible staff and 
services; (4) where the dual systems for assistance and services for 
refugees receiving AFDC and those receiving RCA/RMA limit the service 
providers' effectiveness in delivering services in a unified, 
coordinated, and consistent manner which is understood by the refugee 
community; and, (5) where refugees have to wait before enrolling in 
language and employment services because the demand for these services 
exceeds the supply.
    Applications which propose to implement programs of both assistance 
and social services are strongly encouraged because ORR believes that 
assistance-only, or services-only, projects would not effectively 
implement the spirit of the amendment. If the application does not 
propose a comprehensive system of assistance and services, ORR will 
expect the application to give a rationale for the program proposed, to 
describe the exceptional circumstances surrounding it, and to offer a 
justification for its limited scope.
    Wilson/Fish alternative projects will not be considered by ORR 
where they would represent competition for alternatives for the same 
assistance or services. For example, where a State has a Medicaid 
demonstration project approved by HCFA which covers refugees who would 
otherwise be eligible for RMA, ORR will not consider funding 
alternative health care services. However, ORR will reimburse the State 
for its share of the costs of HCFA-approved Medicaid alternative 
projects which cover refugees who would otherwise be RMA eligible.

Application Procedures

    Designing a well-coordinated system of assistance and services for 
refugees is a complex task. For that reason, ORR urges all prospective 
applicants to consult extensively and collaborate fully with ORR while 
developing the application. The following procedures are designed to 
assist the process:
    1. Prospective applicants who have contacted ORR will be provided 
informal consultation on the conceptualization of the problem and on 
potential corrective program strategies. In the event there is more 
than one applicant for the same community/geographic area, ORR will 
encourage prospective applicants to collaborate in one application; 
but, if collaboration is not possible, competing applications will be 
considered.
    2. Prospective applicants shall submit a 3-5 page concept paper 
which is to include: a statement of the problem with respect to the 
goals of the alternative project (please cite statistics, if available, 
to document the problem with respect to the target population and the 
geographic area to be covered); a brief description of the current 
system of assistance and services; a description of current employment 
outcomes for refugees by 6-month arrival intervals; the proposed 
strategy to remedy the problem; a statement of the applicant agency's 
qualifications for administering the program proposed; and any 
additional information which the applicant feels is relevant in 
considering the concept proposed.
    3. An application for a one-time-only planning grant to cover the 
costs of developing an alternative program may be submitted. The 
request should describe the proposed planning activities and the time 
needed to complete them. If the planning activities are to continue for 
more than 3 months, the application should include a proposed reporting 
schedule for planning activities and financial reports every 3 months. 
A line-item budget with supporting narrative must be provided. The 
costs of preparing an application will not be considered in the 
planning grant.
    4. ORR staff will review the concept paper and, if submitted, the 
planning grant application. ORR will respond to concept papers within 
30 days. Responses to requests for planning grants may require up to 60 
days. Where indicated, ORR will provide comments and guidance on how, 
if possible, the concept might be made more feasible. Planning grant 
awards will be made at the Director's discretion.
    5. The applicant will conduct comprehensive planning activities 
coordinated with the refugee resettlement community and commences with 
writing the application. If there is more than one applicant for the 
project, ORR will provide equal access by all applicants to information 
and consultation. As noted in earlier sections, alternative project 
grants are awarded from the existing appropriations, so award levels 
must be met from the funds available for cash and medical assistance 
and for social services. Therefore, prospective applicants are urged to 
consult frequently with ORR throughout the development of the 
application.
    6. The application will be submitted.
    7. The application will be reviewed against the criteria herein and 
against applicable ACF discretionary grant review procedures.
    ORR strongly urges all applicants to follow these steps to ensure a 
comprehensive consultation process. However, the applications of 
agencies [[Page 15768]] that do not follow the steps suggested above 
will be given equal consideration and will be reviewed by the same 
criteria and applicable grant review procedures.

Application Content

1. Problem Statement

    Describe the problem in the current resettlement situation with 
respect to: (a) Voluntary agencies placing refugees in the community 
and their relationship to the proposed alternative project; (b) the 
target population (numbers, ethnicities, and characteristics that might 
affect achievement of economic self-sufficiency, such as social 
adaptation, employment patterns, etc.) and the geographic area to be 
covered; (c) refugees' access to, and the availability of, entry-level 
employment in the community; (d) whether there is concurrent provision 
of language and employment services; (e) refugee welfare utilization 
data and the reasons, if applicable, for high utilization in the 
targeted community; (f) barriers to, and need for, coordination among 
public and private refugee service providers; and (g) current 
employment and other program outcomes.

2. Proposed Strategy: The Program Design

    A. Describe the proposed program and address the specific policies 
and procedures of the program designed to include the following as 
appropriate:
    1. Cash and medical assistance (e.g., eligibility criteria, payment 
standards, administrative procedures, etc.). The level of support must 
be equivalent to local AFDC/RCA payment standards and be distributed to 
the recipients fairly and equitably; there must be provision for 
sanctions for non-cooperation with employment and social services 
plans; and there must be provision for fair hearings and appeals 
similar to procedures followed in the AFDC or RCA programs.
    2. Employment services, language training, case management and 
other social services. The application must discuss the services 
proposed to be provided under the project and to discuss how these will 
be coordinated with services for refugees available to project 
participants from providers not participating in the alternative 
project. The application should discuss how the targeted population 
will access the services, how they rank in priorities for available 
services and what limits exist, or will exist, on the scope of 
services, e.g., maximum number of hours of language training.
    3. Access to other Federal programs. The application should discuss 
access and eligibility of the project's participants to other programs, 
e.g. Food Stamps, WIC, PIC/JTPA, AFDC/SSI/JOBS, expanded medical 
coverage under OBRA, etc.
    B. Describe how the proposed project will improve the applicant's 
refugee resettlement program and how it proposes to provide interim 
financial support, medical services, support services and case 
management, as needed, in a manner that encourages self-sufficiency, 
reduces welfare dependency, and fosters coordination among the 
resettlement agencies and service providers.
    C. An integrated system of assistance and services is considered an 
essential characteristic of an alternative project. The application 
should describe how this integration will be effected in the project.
    D. Alternative options for medical care are encouraged, but because 
these can be expensive and difficult to develop, applications will not 
be required to include alternative medical assistance where RMA or 
Medicaid remain available for refugees. If the applicant for an 
alternative project does not propose to provide medical services, the 
application must describe how medical services will be provided.
    Any alternative to RMA proposed under an alternative project must 
provide services equivalent to the approved Medicaid Plan of the 
State(s) in which the project will be implemented. Where HCFA approves 
a State Medicaid demonstration, this becomes a State's approved 
Medicaid Plan for the persons eligible thereunder.
    Where a State expands Medicaid eligibility through a Medicaid 
(Title XIX) demonstration project approved by HCFA to cover refugees 
not previously Medicaid eligible, medical coverage for refugees in 
alternative projects will not be considered, and where medical coverage 
is in effect, it will be terminated in a reasonable and timely manner 
to permit refugees to enroll under the HCFA-approved demonstration. ORR 
will reimburse States for the State's share of medical demonstration 
project costs for refugees who otherwise would have been eligible for 
RMA. (See ORR State Letter # 95-01, January 12, 1995. Attachment.)
    E. Describe also the measures to be used to assure coordination of 
refugee service providers, including voluntary resettlement agencies, 
MAAs, and the other public and private agencies that provide services 
to refugees.
    F. Provide documentation of consultation with the State Refugee 
Coordinator.
    G. If a manual guiding the provision of assistance and services to 
the refugees is to be developed, this should be described and the 
proposed timeline for its completion included. If a manual is 
completed, this should be attached to the application to support the 
narrative of this section.
    H. Where the application for the proposed alternative is a 
comprehensive State-wide project, the application must describe how the 
proposed alternative program will address any other element of the 
current State program which the new project would include, replace, 
interrelate with, or otherwise impact. This could include funding for 
Mutual Assistance Associations (MAAs), coordination with the State 
public health program for services to refugees, resources for language 
training services, etc. Projects proposing alternative cash assistance 
will need to coordinate with the State welfare office and these 
applicants must include a contact point within the State welfare system 
with whom the project proposes to coordinate as needed.

3. Rationale for the Alternative Projects

    State the rationale for using the alternative project as the means 
for addressing the problem. State the rationale for the proposed 
program strategy that encourages refugees' self-sufficiency, reduces 
welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among the 
resettlement agencies and service providers. Discuss the proposed 
strategy's anticipated cost effectiveness.

4. Organizational System

    Describe the organization's plan for administering and managing the 
project. Describe the location of the project in the structure of the 
agency and include key personnel position descriptions and names of 
those who will implement the project. Describe the plans for training 
and on-going technical assistance.
    Describe the overall data collection and analysis anticipated to 
document project outcomes. Describe the plan and schedule for program 
monitoring, evaluation, and required audits. Successful applicants will 
be required to report outcomes on ORR's standard Quarterly Performance 
Report (QPR).
    If a manual is to be developed for the management and 
administration of the project, it should be described and the proposed 
timeline for its completion included. If the manual is completed, this 
should be attached to the [[Page 15769]] application to support the 
narrative of this section.

5. Program Outcomes

    Describe proposed program outcomes. Include the plan for measuring 
project outcomes: e.g., welfare avoidances and numbers of refugees who 
achieve self-sufficiency, employment counseling and other services 
contacts, job placements, 90-day retention of employment, English 
language training participation numbers, etc.

6. Project Budget

    Provide a detailed line-item budget by cost category: (a) Cash 
assistance, (b) medical assistance, (c) social services, to include 
employment services, language training, social adjustment services, and 
other allowable services, (d) administration (break out administrative 
costs by program activity). Describe how the costs for cash and medical 
assistance were calculated. (Sample client-loading chart and sample 
budget are available from ORR.) Discuss the costs of the current 
program using the most recent 12 month period for which data exists, 
including numbers of refugees served, to provide a base for comparing 
the estimated costs of the project. Discuss unit costs of services to 
the refugees for the current program and for the proposed project 
(e.g., include the anticipated arrival rates of refugees into the 
community). Provide a narrative to support the costs included in each 
category. Since ORR does not receive funds specific to the 
implementation of alternative projects and has not specified ``funds 
available'' in this notice, it is important to discuss the amount of 
funds requested during the planning and application process with ORR in 
order to assure a project design which ORR can fund. It is also 
important to list the anticipated funding sources with projected 
amounts, i.e., ORR, State government, other federal programs, and any 
other resources.

Application Review Criteria

1. Problem Statement

    Clarity and completeness of description of: The problem; targeted 
population; coordination of services in the local resettlement 
community; opportunity for early employment for refugees; availability 
of concurrent employment and language services; adequacy of the 
statistics used to describe the problem. Points: (10)

2. Proposed Program Strategy

    Clarity, completeness, and reasonableness of the proposed strategy 
as it relates to the target population to be served and the geographic 
area to be covered; adequacy of the cash and, if provided, medical 
assistance policies and administration; fairness and equity of the 
eligibility criteria for assistance; reasonableness of the sanctioning 
procedures and the clients' access to appeals and fair hearings 
procedures; coordination of assistance and services; availability of 
other Federal and State programs; entry-level employment opportunities; 
provision, availability, and coordination with existing language 
training; appropriateness and purpose of case management strategies; 
coordination with other service providers within the community of 
resettlement; consultation with the State Coordinator; and if the State 
will no longer administer the program, the adequacy of the coordination 
with the mainstream State-administered agencies which also provide 
services to refugees, i.e., public health, AFDC program (if not 
included in the alternative projects target population), etc. Points: 
(35)
3. Rationale for Proposing the Alternative Projects

    Appropriateness and reasonableness of the rationale for proposing 
an alternative project. Probability that the project will increase 
refugee self-sufficiency, avoid welfare dependency among arriving 
refugees, and assure coordination among the service providers and 
voluntary agencies. Probability that the project will be cost-
effective. Points: (10)

4. Organizational System

    Adequacy of the organizational system for project administration. 
Adequacy of staff training and ongoing technical assistance activities. 
Adequacy of reporting design (e.g., use of ORR Quarterly Performance 
Report, data analysis, etc.). Adequacy of plan for program monitoring 
and evaluation. Points: (15)

5. Proposed Outcomes

    Reasonableness of the outcomes proposed; feasibility of the 
methodology proposed for collecting outcome data. Points: (15)

6. Project Budget

    Reasonableness, adequacy, and completeness of the budget and line-
item budget narrative. Reasonableness of procedures (e.g., client-
loading chart) used to estimate the budget amount requested. Adequacy 
of the discussion of the anticipated funding sources. Points: (15)

Application Submission Information

Application Assurances Forms

    Attachments contain the standard forms necessary for the 
application for awards under this announcement. Copies may be obtained 
by writing or telephoning: Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade SW., Washington, DC 20447, Telephone: (202) 401-9251.
    Each application should complete and include one original and two 
additional copies of the following forms. The instructions and forms 
required for submission of applications are attached. The forms may be 
reproduced for use in submitting applications:
    a. A completed Standard Form 424 which has been signed by an 
official of the organization applying for the grant who has authority 
to obligate the organization legally. The applicant must be aware that 
in signing and submitting the application for this award, it is 
certifying that it will comply with the Federal requirements concerning 
the Drug-Free Workplace Certification and the Debarment Certification.
    b. ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs'' SF-424A).
    c. A completed, signed and dated ``Assurance-Non-Construction 
Programs'' (SF-424B).
    d. Restrictions on Lobbying--Certification for Contracts, Grants, 
Loans, and Cooperative Agreements: completed, sign and date form.
    e. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, SF-LLL: completed, sign and 
date form, if necessary.
    f. A project Narrative consisting of the elements described in the 
Application Content section of this announcement.

Procedures for Submission

    Applications must be submitted in accordance with the closing dates 
specified below.
    a. Deadlines:
    Review and Due Dates: Applications to this standing announcement 
will be considered on April 1 and October 1 each year. Applications 
received at other times will be reviewed at the discretion of the 
Director. Applications will be considered to have met the April 1 and 
October 1 review dates if they are either:
    (1) Received on or before the deadline date at the address 
specified in this program announcement; or
    (2) Mailed on or before the deadline date and received by the 
granting agency in time for the independent review. (Applicants must be 
cautioned to request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or to 
obtain a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier 
[[Page 15770]] or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks will 
not be accepted as proof of timely mailing.)
    b. Application Delivery:
    By Hand: Hand delivered applications are accepted during the normal 
working hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, on or 
prior to the established closing date at: Administration for Children 
and Families, Division of Discretionary Grants, 6th Floor OFM/DDG, 901 
D Street, SW., Washington, DC 20447.
    By Mail: Applications may be mailed to the Department of Health and 
Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Division of 
Discretionary Grants, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., 6th Floor, OFM/DDG, 
Washington, DC. 20447. A formal grant application sent by mail--
including Express Mail and other, private ``express'' mail service 
parcels--must be addressed as indicated above and must be postmarked no 
later than midnight on the closing date in order to be considered.
    c. Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
in paragraph a. of this section are considered late applications. ACF 
will notify each late applicant that its application is not being 
considered in the current competition.
    d. Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend the deadline for all 
applicants because of acts of God such as floods, hurricanes, etc., or 
when there is a widespread disruption of the mails. However, if the 
granting agency does not extend the deadline for all applicants, it may 
not waive or extend the deadline for any applicant.
    Once an application has been submitted, it is considered as final 
and no additional materials will be accepted by ACF. An application 
with an original signature and two copies is required.
    e. Non-profit status: Applicants other than public agencies must 
provide evidence of their nonprofit status with their applications. Any 
of the following is acceptable evidence: (1) A copy of the applicant 
organization's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's most recent 
list of tax-exempt organizations described in section 501 (c) (3) of 
the IRS Code; or (2) a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption 
certificate.

Intergovernmental Review (SPOC)

    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, Colorado, Connecticut, 
Hawaii, Alaska, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, 
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, 
American Samoa and Palau have elected to participate in the Executive 
Order process and have established Single Points of Contact (SPOCs). 
Applicants from these 19 jurisdictions need take no action regarding 
Executive Order 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 application 
and to 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 the date of contact 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 date to comment on proposed new or competing continuation 
awards.
    When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be 
addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration 
for Children and Families, Division of Discretionary Grants, 6th Floor, 
OFM/DDG, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Washington, DC. 20447.
    A list of Single Points of Contact for each State and Territory is 
included as appendix A of this announcement.
Applicable Regulations

    Applicable HHS regulations will be provided to grantees upon award.

Post Award Requirements for Reports and Records

    Grantees are required to file Financial Status (SF-269) reports on 
a semi-annual basis and Program Progress Reports on a quarterly basis. 
Funds shall be accounted for and reported upon separately from all 
other grant activities.
    The official receipt point for all reports and correspondence is 
the Division of Discretionary Grants. The original copy of each report 
shall be submitted to the Grants Management Specialist, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 
Division of Discretionary Grants, 6th Floor, OFM/DDG, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade SW., Washington, DC. 20447.
    The final Financial and Program Progress Reports shall be due 90 
days after the project period expiration date or termination of grant 
support.

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980

    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980, Pub. L. 96-511, the 
Department is required to submit to OMB for review and approval any 
reporting and record keeping requirements in regulations, including 
program announcements. This program announcement does not contain 
information collection requirements beyond those approved for ACF grant 
applications under OMB Control Number 0348-0043.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 
assigned to this announcement is 93.583.

    Dated: March 20, 1995.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 95-7506 Filed 3-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P