[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 123 (Monday, June 28, 1999)] [Notices] [Pages 34667-34673] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 99-16337] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Office of Refugee Settlement Administration for Children and Families (ACF); Community Service Employment Opportunities AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, DHHS. ACTION: Notice of Availability of FY 1999 discretionary funds to provide Community Service Employment opportunities for refugees \1\ who have experienced long-term difficulties with assimilation. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,'' eligibility for targeted assistance includes: (1) Cuban and Haitian entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 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. 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. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. L. 101-513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this notice to encompass all such eligible persons unless the specific context indicates otherwise. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This program announcement governs the availability of social services funds and award procedures for $3 million in FY 1999 discretionary grants to provide community service employment opportunities for refugees who have experienced long-term difficulties with assimilation. These grants, which will be awarded on a competitive basis, are for localities with large concentrations of refugees who have experienced difficulty integrating socially and economically into local communities. Eligible grantees are private, non-profit organizations and agencies of State government that are responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5. Applications may include project periods of up to three years, with an initial budget period of one year. Where awards are made for a multiple year project period, continuation grant applications will be entertained in subsequent years on a noncompetitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, successful progress of the project, and ACF/ORR's determination that this would be in the best interest of the government. DATES: The closing date for applications is July 30, 1999. ADDRESSES: Address applications to: Shirley Parker, Grants Officer, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 6th Floor East, Aerospace Building, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Washington, DC 20447. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carolyn Plummer, Program Analyst, Division of Community Resettlement (DCR), ORR, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Telephone: (202) 401-5449; Fax: (202) 401- 5487; E-mail: CP[email protected]). SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This program announcement consists of four parts: Part I: Background--program purpose, program objectives, legislative authority, funding availability, CFDA number, definition of terms Part II: Project and Applicant Eligibility--funding priorities, preferences, eligible applicants, project and budget periods, multiple applications, treatment of program income Part III: The Review Process--intergovernmental review, initial ACF screening, evaluation criteria and competitive review Part IV: The Application--application materials application development, application submission Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13): Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average fourteen hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. The following information collection is included in the program announcement: OMB Approval No. 0970-0139, ACF UNIFORM PROJECT DESCRIPTION (UPD), which expires 10/31/2000. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Part I. Background Program Purpose and Objectives: There are communities across this [[Page 34668]] country with large concentrations of refugees, many of whom entered the United States over a decade ago. For some refugees, language skills, cultural barriers, the lack of financial resources, and years of relying on public assistance, have isolated them from the mainstream, limited their employment opportunities and hindered integration into American communities. Their rate of assimilation has been documented in many localities on such key indicators as poverty levels, welfare utilization, car and home ownership, high school completion, college attendance or graduation, language fluency, employment rates, household income, per capita income, and naturalization rates. In some of these communities, refugees represent a significant percentage of the population and, relative to non-refugee groups, have a sizeable impact on local services, medical clinics, and school systems. The purpose of this announcement is to improve refugee rates of assimilation in heavily impacted communities by providing funding for workforce experience, earned income for refugees and their families, and increased access to needed services for refugees. Legislative Authority: This program is authorized by Section 412(c)(1)of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(1), as amended. Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the INA authorizes the Director of ORR ``to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies for projects specifically designed--(i) to assist refugees in obtaining the skills which are necessary for economic self-sufficiency, including projects for job training, employment services, day care, professional refresher training, and other recertification services.'' Grant awards are also subject to the following federal regulations: 45 CFR part 74--Uniform administrative requirements for awards and subawards to institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations, and commercial organizations; and certain grants and agreements with States, local governments and Indian tribal governments and 45 CFR part 92, Uniform administrative requirements for grants and cooperative agreements to State and local governments. Funding Availability: Approximately $3 million will be available for awards. It is expected that most grant awards will be between $300,000 and $500,000. ORR anticipates making 6 to 10 awards with these funds for projects that will secure employment for approximately 100 eligible participants during the approved project period. The Director of ORR will make final award decisions based on such factors as: the geographic distribution of the competitive applications; the extent to which the grants reflect a reasonable distribution of funds across the areas impacted by refugees, and the availability of funds. Successful applicants will receive grants to identify and develop subsidized employment opportunities for unemployed refugees at local organizations. Applicants must demonstrate a specific need for supplementation of available resources to provide these services for refugees. Projects funded under this announcement will be designed to (a) Connect refugees to the labor force, (b) provide earned income to refugees and their households, and eventual transition to unsubsidized employment; and (c) through the presence and assistance of a refugee employee in these agencies, give refugee communities greater access to local community services. Grantees must establish a network of relationships with appropriate public or private employers to identify and develop suitable subsidized community service employment positions. Grant funds may be used to reimburse employers for up to 100% of the employment wage (including fringe benefits), for a maximum of 12 months, under the terms of a contract. In exchange for the salary subsidy, the employer agrees to provide the refugee employee additional supervisory assistance in learning the job and to retain the refugee employee in this position after the wage subsidy has ended. If insufficient funds are available to continue the position, it is expected that the employer will assist the refugee employee in securing other employment. Refugee employees should be eligible for all benefits available to all other employees at the work site. Applicants should identify the types and number of employment positions targeted in their project, including job descriptions, qualifications, and salary levels. Project participants must be paid an hourly wage equivalent to the prevailing rates of pay for persons employed in similar occupations by the same employer. No wage should be lower than the federal minimum wage. Approximately 75-80% of grant funds should be designated for salary subsidies. Applicants may include 5% for employer incentives. Within the remaining 15-20% of available funds, grantees may provide supportive services to assist project participants in retaining successful community service employment. Such supportive services may include: on-site technical assistance; employment counseling; work- related incidental expenses for such items as work shoes, uniforms, glasses, public transportation passes, etc. if these are not available from other sources. If projects are designed and implemented by coalitions of local community agencies and refugee organizations, clear respective roles and responsibilities for each participating agency within the coalition must be identified and stipulated in a signed written agreement. Applicants must also provide for the creation of an advisory board, delineating the roles and responsibilities of each member, compensation, if any, to members, a definitive and measurable work plan, and a schedule of meetings. The advisory board must include members of the refugee community. Funds may not be used for union-related activities, with the exception of union dues required in order for refugees to become employed; nor may funds be used for politically related employment as a form of political patronage. Wage subsidies must be used for a net increase in the number of positions within a given agency, not to replace currently funded positions. Refugees employed as a result of this project may not displace employed workers or workers on layoff. CFDA: The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned to this announcement is 93.576. Part II. Project and Applicant Eligibility Under this announcement, the Office of Refugee Resettlement solicits applications from eligible applicants who wish to compete for funds to provide community service employment for refugees who have experienced long-term difficulties with assimilation into American communities. Community service employment offers a job for the individual, household income for refugee families, community participation, cross- cultural exposure for public and private agencies, and access to community services for refugee communities. For these reasons, ORR is providing funding under this announcement to be used primarily for employer subsidies to create or increase the number of community work experience jobs for refugees. Community service employment may be in the public or private sector; however, given the emphasis of this announcement on gaining refugee access to community services, ORR anticipates that most successful applicants will target these subsidies to public and private nonprofit organizations that may not otherwise [[Page 34669]] have the resources to provide this type of employment. Eligible grantees are private, nonprofit organizations and agencies of State and local governments that are responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5. Refugees eligible to participate in projects funded under this announcement must be at least 21 years of age. Eligible participants must also either be unemployed, without earned income, or members of families receiving public assistance. Refugees are eligible to participate in these projects if they have resided in the U.S. for a minimum of three years and residents of their communities for a minimum of six months. Refugees who have become U.S. citizens are ineligible to participate in this program. ORR anticipates that refugees targeted for these positions would be long-term welfare recipients (12 months or more) or those who face termination from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) within the 12 month period following enrollment in this project. The project description provides a major means by which an application is evaluated and ranked to compete with other applications for available assistance. The project description should be concise and complete and should address the activity for which Federal funds are being requested. Supporting documents should be included where they can present information clearly and succinctly. Applicants are encouraged to provide information on their organizational structure, staff, related experience, and other information considered being relevant. The Office of Refugee Resettlement uses this and other information to determine whether the applicant has the capability and resources necessary to carry out the proposed project. It is important, therefore, that this information be included in the application. However, in the narrative the applicant must dintinguish between resources directly related to the proposed project from those that will not be used in support of the specified project for which funds are requested. A. Objectives and Need for Assistance Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate objectives of the project must be clearly stated; supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate demographic data and participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In developing the project description, the applicant may volunteer or be requested to provide information on the total range of projects currently being conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of which may be outside the scope of the program announcement. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is particularly interested in the following: A description, with documentation, of the need for services within the proposed target area, including documentation of the number of refugees in the target area and the ratio between refugees and the non- refugee population in the community. Data and analyses of family and community needs, including the implications of welfare reform and employment patterns on family needs for child care and other support services. A discussion of how the targeted refugees have the most need of the proposed services. Submit evidence of poor assimilation of refugees relative to the community at-large. Indicators may include: poverty levels, public assistance utilization, unemployment, low rates of high school completion, college attendance, car and homeownership, and attainment of citizenship. B. Approach Outline a plan of action which describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors which might accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement. Describe how community service employment positions will be developed with local employers; how these employers will be encouraged to customize the jobs and provide supervisory support to the employees under this project; identify any local employers who have made commitments to the project and describe them (e.g., number and types of jobs, supportive services and training, qualifications and salary levels, etc.). Include a description of the proposed target area(s) for services, recruitment strategies, and priorities for selecting refugee clients for participation; and availability of other community services and resources for refugee employment. Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such terms as the number of people to be served. When accomplishments cannot be quantified by activity or function, list them in chronological order to show the schedule of accomplishments and their target date. Identify the kinds of data to be collected, maintained and/or disseminated. Note that clearance from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget might be needed prior to a ``collection of information'' that is ``conducted or sponsored'' by ACF/ORR. List organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project along with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution. Note: ORR expects that all applicants funded under this announcement will begin serving refugees and their families no later than March, 2000. C. Results or Benefits Expected Identify the results and benefits to be derived for refugees and their families as well as for the community. Based on the stated program objectives, a discussion of the specific results or benefits that could be expected for the refugees and families participating in the program. A discussion of the specific community-wide results or benefits including those resulting from collaborative partnership with other community agencies including the agencies which employ refugees. The qualitative and quantitative data the program will collect to measure progress toward the stated results or benefits. A discussion of how the program will determine the extent to which it has achieved its stated objectives. Applicants are encouraged to use ORR standards under the Government Performance And Result Act (GPRA) to measure project results. These are:The number of refugees who entered employment. Cash assistance terminations due to earnings. Average hourly wage at placement. Employment retention. Employment with health benefits. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is particularly interested in the following: Numbers, types and average salaries of refugees to be employed in community service employment positions; the degree to which employee benefits, including medical coverage, are available for these jobs; expectations for job or employment retention after one year; expected average earnings one year [[Page 34670]] after placement into subsidized employment; cost per placement into subsidized community service employment. The application may include other performance outcomes, as appropriate. D. Organization Profiles Provide information on the applicant organization(s) and cooperating partners such as organizational charts, financial statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed Public Accountants, Employer Identification Numbers, names of bond carriers, contact persons and telephone numbers, child care licenses and other documentation of professional accreditation, information on compliance with Federal/State/local government standards, documentation of experience in the program area, and other pertinent information. Any non-profit organization submitting an application must submit proof of its non-profit status in its application at the time of submission. The non-profit agency can accomplish this by providing a copy of the applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in Section 501 (3) of the IRS code, or by providing a copy of the articles of incorporation bearing the seal of the State in which the corporation or association is domiciled. Describe the staff and systems capacity for managing the project, to include: key staff resumes or position descriptions; a project organizational chart identifying all agencies involved in the project and their respective roles and responsibilities; Identify the critical activities, time frames, and responsibilities for implementing the project. Local Collaboration and Sustainability Identify a coalition of key agencies, respective roles and responsibilities, and agreements. Describe the local partnerships and each member's contribution to the project; the extent to which the project is coordinated with key community activities; the commitment and integration of other community resources; any involvement of, or participation by, local employers; and the extent to which the community and the coalition have developed plans to maintain and expand the capacity to serve the targeted refugee population. Identify and Submit Position Descriptions or Resumes for Advisory Board Positions. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is particularly interested in the following: Evidence of the applicant's ability and experience to administer an employment program and to manage a community service employment program. Include a discussion of any proposed changes and improvements in program management. A description of the applicant's experience in management of employment services for refugees who have had a protracted history of unemployment. A description of the applicant's experience in management of community, State and Federal partnerships. A description of the applicant's history and relationship with the target community. Include a complete discussion of the program's financial status and program operations. Include an organizational chart of the program. A Description of the Mechanisms for Recruiting and Hiring Well-Trained and Appropriately Credentialed staff Members A discussion of all proposed key staff or managerial positions, their proposed salary rates, the length of time they would be employed each year and the applicant's plans for ongoing monitoring and supervision of other staff including refugees employed under the community employment service program if appropriate. Applicants who are electing to create partnerships with other agencies, providers, or funding sources should provide: letters of commitment from partner agencies and providers, including documentation of any additional resources such as child care, health care or transportation subsidies, etc. that will enhance the program. Explain and itemize these resources or services, and state whether or not these costs are included as part of the non-Federal share. Plans for managing, coordinating or monitoring, and assisting the efforts of partnering agencies and other forms of collaborative arrangements in meeting the goals of the project. A description of the experience of the applicant and the proposed partnering agencies in collaborating to deliver effective employment services and in managing multiple sources of funding. A description of how the applicant will track, manage and account for refugee employment costs and, if applicable, the availability of other funding sources. E. Budget and Budget Justification Provide line items and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is particularly interested in the following: A description of how your proposed budget is reasonable, appropriate and cost effective in view of the proposed services, strategies and anticipated outcomes. A description of the extent to which your proposal includes significant other resources to complement the ORR funds. General Instructions ORR is particularly interested in specific factual information and statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not length. Extensive exhibits are not required. (Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the grant funded activity should be placed in an appendix.) Pages should be numbered and a Table of Contents should be included for easy reference. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is also requesting that applicants provide a summary of the project description which includes: The name and address of the applicant agency. The total number of employment placements when the program is completed. The total ORR funds requested for a 12 month period. The amount and source of any additional funding that will help support the project (i.e., funds that are in addition to Federal ORR funds.) The community to be served (name of town(s), city(ies) and county(ies) and the targeted refugee groups. The proposed type of jobs, hours per week and wages. The target date for beginning full services to refugees. Additional Information Following is a description of additional information that should be placed in the appendix of the application. 1. Staff and Position Data: Provide a biographical sketch for each key person [[Page 34671]] appointed and a job description for each vacant position. A biographical sketch will also be required for new key staff as appointed. 2. Organizational Profile: Provide information on the applicant organization and cooperating partners such as organizational charts, financial statements, audit reports or statements from CPAs/Licensed Public Accountants, Employer Identification Numbers, contact persons and telephone numbers, documentation of experience in the program area, and other pertinent information. Any non-profit organization submitting an application must submit proof of its non-profit status in its application at the time of submission. The nonprofit agency can accomplish this by providing a copy of the applicant's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) most recent list of tax-exempt organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, or by providing a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate, or by providing a copy of the articles of incorporation bearing the seal of the State in which the corporation or association is domiciled. Part III. The Review Process A. Intergovernmental Review This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100, ``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities.'' Under the Order, States may design their own processes for reviewing and commenting on proposed Federal assistance under covered programs. All States and territories except Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, 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 twenty-four jurisdictions need not take action regarding Executive Order 12372. Applicants should contact their SPOC as soon as possible to alert them to the prospective application and to receive any necessary instructions. Applicants must submit any required material to the SPOC as early 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 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 to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards. SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly differentiate between mere advisory comments and those official State process recommendations which may trigger the ``accommodate or explain'' rule. When comments are submitted directly to the ORR, they should be addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 6th Floor East, Aerospace Building, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. B. Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria Information provided in response to this announcement will be used to review and evaluation applications using the following criteria: a. Need for Assistance To Increase Assimilation (20 points) Quality of description and documentation with regard to the target refugee groups and their needs. Program Design and Approach (15 points) Soundness of and innovation in program design and methodology for securing community service employment for refugees, including evidence of prospects for placement and permanent employment opportunities. Results and Benefits (30 points) Employment results which are timely, appropriate, and measurable using ORR standards for outcome performance under GPRA. Project Management and Implementation (15 points) The extent of demonstrated capacity of the applicant organization, key leaders and managers and, where appropriate, proposed partnering organizations in managing the proposed community employment services in a timely, cost effective manner. Evidence of successful partnership with the targeted refugee communities, families, and other community organizations, institutions and agencies. Cost Effectiveness and Budget Appropriateness (20 points) The extent to which the project's costs are reasonable and cost- effective in view of the activities to be carried out and the anticipated outcomes. The extent to which proposed salaries and fringe benefits reflect appropriate levels of compensation for the responsibilities of staff and the Advisory Board (if compensation is necessary). The extent to which costs for refugee wages in community service employment are reasonable and equitable. Part IV: The Application A. Required Forms Applicants interested in applying for funds must submit a complete application including the required forms--Standard Form 424 and attachments. In order to be considered for a grant under this announcement, an application must be submitted on the Standard Form 424 (approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Control Number 0348-0043), a copy of which is available through the Administration for Children and Families/ORR website at: http:// www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/orr (at ``Informational Materials'' choose HHS application forms). Each application must be signed by an individual authorized to act for the applicant and to assume responsibility for the obligations imposed by the terms and conditions of the grant award. Applicants requesting financial assistance for non- construction projects must file the Standard Form 424B, Assurances: Non-Construction Programs (approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 0348-0040). Applicants must sign and return the Standard Form 424B with their application. Applicants must provide a certification concerning lobbying. Applicants must provide information consistent with ACF's approved Uniform Project Description (OMB # 0970-0139), as found in Part II of this Program Announcement. Prior to receiving an award in excess of $100,000, applicants shall furnish an executed copy of the lobbying certification (approved by the Office of Management and Budget under Control Number 0348-0046). Applicants must sign and return the certification with their application. Applicants must make the appropriate certification of their compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. By signing and submitting the application, applicants are providing the certification and need not mail back the certification with the application. Applicants must make the [[Page 34672]] appropriate certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended or otherwise ineligible for award. By signing and submitting the application, applicants are providing the certification and need not mail back the certification with the application. Applicants must also understand that they will be held accountable for the smoking prohibition included within Public Law 103-227, Part C Environmental Tobacco Smoke (also known as Pro-Children's Act of 1994). A copy of the Federal Register notice which implements the smoking prohibition is included with the forms. By signing and submitting the application, applicants are providing the certification and need not mail back the certification with the application. B. Application Submission One signed original and two complete copies of the grant application, including all attachments, are required. Each application must be limited to no more than 20 double-spaced pages of program narrative (not including the Project Summary and the forms which make up the SF-424A and Budget Justification). If the narrative portion of the application is more than 20 double- spaced pages, the other pages will be removed from the application and not considered by the reviewers. The attachments/appendices to each application must be limited to no more than 15 pages, (in addition to the 20 pages permitted for the narrative portion of the application). If the attachments/appendices to each application are more than 15 pages, the other pages will be removed from the application and not considered by the reviewers. C. Application Considerations Applicants will be scored against the evaluation criteria described above. The review will be conducted by a panel consisting of experts in the areas of refugee and employment services. The results of the competitive review will be taken into consideration by the Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement, in determining the projects to be funded. The Director of ORR will make the final selection of the applicants to be funded. An application may be funded in whole or in part, depending on the relative need for services, applicant ranking, geographic location, proposed costs, and funds available. Successful applicants will be notified through the issuance of a Financial Assistance Award which sets forth the amount of funds granted, the terms and conditions of the grant, the effective date of the grant, the budget period for which support is given, and the total project period for which support is provided. D. Checklist for a Complete Application A complete application consists of the following items in this order: Introductory Material: Cover letter. Table of Contents. Project Description Summary. (1) Application for Federal Assistance (SF424). (2) Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (SF 424 A and B). (3) Budget Justification. (4) Project Description and Appendices. (5) Proof of non-profit status as appropriate. (6) Assurances Non-Construction Programs. (7) Certification Regarding Lobbying. (8) Where appropriate, a completed SPOC certification with the date of SPOC contact entered in line 16, page 1 of the SF 424. Applicants are reminded that the narrative portion of the application cannot exceed 20 double-spaced pages in a 12-pitch font with 1\1/2\ inch margins at the top and 1 inch at the bottom and both sides and that attachments/Appendices to the application can not exceed 15 pages. Attachments and appendices should be used only to provide supporting documentation such as maps, administration charts, position descriptions, resumes, and letters of intent/agreement. Please do not include books or videotapes as they are not easily reproduced and are, therefore, not accessible to the reviewers. Each page should be numbered sequentially. General The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed and justified in the budget and narrative justification. According to the instructions for completing the SF-424A and the preparation of the budget and budget justification, ``Federal resources'' refers only to the ACF grant for which you are applying. Non-Federal resources are all other Federal and non-Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be a narrative. Personnel: Costs of employee salaries and wages. Justification-- Identify the project director and for each staff person, provide the title, time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel costs of delegate agencies. Fringe Benefits: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as part of approved indirect cost rate. Justification--Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc. Travel: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel). Justification--For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF/ ORR-sponsored meetings should be detailed in the budget. Equipment: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property, having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. Justification--For each type of equipment requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, as well as use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends. Supplies: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category. Justification--Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information which supports the amount requested. Contractual: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except for those which belong under other categories such as equipment, supplies, etc. Contracts with secondary recipient organizations, including delegate agencies (if applicable), should be included under this category. Justification--All procurement transactions shall be conducted in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, open and free competition. If procurement competitions were held or if procurement without competition is being proposed, attach a list of proposed contractors, indicating the names of the organizations, the purposes of the contracts, the estimated dollar amounts, and the award selection process. Justify [[Page 34673]] any anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without competition and to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 USC 403(11). Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-award review and procurement documents, such as requests for proposal or invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc. Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency title, along with the required supporting information referred to in these instructions. Other: Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, professional services costs, space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development, and administrative costs. Justification--Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category. Indirect Costs: This category should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Health and Human Services or another cognizant Federal agency. Justification--An applicant proposing to charge indirect costs to the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that an award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal based on its most recently completed fiscal year in accordance with the principles set forth in the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. It should be noted that when an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is allowed under the agreement, the authorized representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed. Program Income: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to be generated from this project. Justification--Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application which contain this information. Non-Federal Resources: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Justification--The firm commitment of these resources must be documented and submitted with the application in order to be given credit in the review process. E. Due Date for the Receipt of Applications Deadlines: The closing date for submission of applications is 4:30 p.m. (EDT) on July 30, 1999. Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting the deadline if they are either received on or before the deadline date or sent on or before the deadline date and received by ORR in time for the independent review. Applications should be mailed to: Ms. Shirley B. Parker, Grant Officer, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 6th Floor East, Aerospace Building 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Applicants are cautioned to request a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark or to obtain a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications hand carried by applicants, courier services, or by overnight/express mail couriers shall be considered as meeting the announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at the above stated address, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services may not always deliver as agreed. In addition, some non-postal service carriers will only deliver to ORR's street address which is 901 D Street SW. instead of 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW.) ORR cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or through other electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to ORR electronically will not be accepted regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt. Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered late applications. ORR shall notify each late applicant that its application will not be considered. Extension of deadlines: ORR 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 ORR does not extend the deadline for all applicants, it may not waive or extend the deadline for any applicants. A determination to waive or extend deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants Management Officer. Reporting Requirements--Grantees are required to file the Financial Status Report (SF-269) semi-annually and Program Progress Reports on a quarterly basis. Although ORR does not expect the proposed components/ projects to include evaluation activities, it does expect grantees to maintain adequate records to track and report on expenditures by budget line item, project outcomes and participant demographics information which may include but is not limited to: date of birth, sex, country of birth, date of entry, education, employment history, marital status and number of children. The official receipt point for all reports and correspondence is the Grant Officer, Office of the Director. An original and one copy of each report shall be submitted within 30 days of the end of each reporting period. The mailing address is: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Sixth Floor East, Aerospace Building, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. A final Financial and Program Report shall be due 90 days after the budget expiration date or termination of grant support. Dated: June 15, 1999. Lavinia Limon, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement. [FR Doc. 99-16337 Filed 6-25-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-01-P