[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1393-1399]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-432]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. 93612-002]
Availability of Financial Assistance To Investigate the
Feasibility of Tribal Energy Sales
AGENCY: Administration for Native Americans (ANA), ACF, DHHS.
ACTION: Announcement of availability of competitive financial
assistance to assist eligible applicants with integrated planning that
examines and develops Tribal regulatory, management and energy
conservation capabilities and opportunities available. Planning
activities is an approach to addressing the mitigation of Indian lands
due to DOD activities to Indian lands.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) has cancelled
the January 22, 1999 announcement, which announced the availability of
financial assistance for the mitigation of environmental impacts on
Indian lands due to Department of Defense Activities. (Program
Announcement No. 93612-993) The cancellation of the January 22, 1999
announcement was published in the Federal Register on September 14,
1999. (Program announcement No. 93612-0002)
The Congress has recognized that DOD activities may have caused
environmental problems for Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. These
environmental hazards can negatively impact the health and safety as
well as the social and economic welfare of Indian tribes and Alaska
Natives. Accordingly, the Congress has taken steps to help those
affected begin to mitigate environmental impacts from DOD activities by
assisting them in the planning, development and implementation of
programs for such mitigation. This environmental mitigation program was
begun through a program announcement published on December 29, 1993 as
a response to the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, Pub. L.
103-139, which was enacted on November 11, 1993.
This program continues under Pub. L. 103-335 (the Act), enacted on
September 30, 1994. Section 8094A of the Act states that funds
appropriated to the Department of Defense (DOD) for Operations and
Maintenance Defense-Wide, not less than $8,000,000 shall be made
available until expended to the Administration for Native Americans.
Provided that such funds shall be made available only for the
mitigation of environmental impacts, including training and technical
assistance to tribes, related administrative support, the gathering of
information, documenting of environmental damage, and developing a
system for prioritizing of mitigation, on Indian lands resulting from
Department of Defense activities. This program announcement primarily
focuses on planning projects that investigate the feasibility of tribal
energy sales through energy development, as a means of mitigating
Indian lands. Mitigation as defined in 40 CFR 1508.20 includes ``(e)
Compensating for the impact by replacing or providing substitute
resources or environments''.
Application Kit
Application kits, are approved by the OMB under control number
0980-0204, which expired August 31, 1999. ANA has asked OMB for a six-
month extension to use the kit while a new version is developed,
reviewed and approved. We anticipate that the new kit will be available
in January 2000. The current kit remains valid and contains the
necessary forms and instructions to apply for a grant under this
program announcement.
Application kits may be obtained from ANA training and technical
assistance providers. ANA employs contractors to provide short-term
training and technical assistance (T/TA) to eligible applicants. T/TA
is available under these contracts for a wide range of needs; however,
the contractors are not authorized to write applications. The T/TA is
provided at no cost.
To obtain an application kit and/or training and technical
assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate T/TA
provider within the appropriate service area. Each contractor's
telephone number is listed below. You may also call: Administration for
Native Americans, Applicant Help Desk, 202-690-7776; or visit ANA's web
site listing of current providers at: www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ana.
The ANA technical assistance providers for this announcement are in
four areas divided as follows:
Area I, Eastern serves federally recognized Tribes in AL, AR, CT,
DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, KS, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NY,
OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, and WV. (Native American Management
Services, Inc. 888-221-9686 toll free or 703-821-2226)
Area 2, Central federally recognized Tribes in AZ, CO, IA, KS, ND,
ND, NE, NM, MO, MT, OK, SD, UT, WY, NV, ID, and TX. (RJS and
Associates, Inc. 888-838-4757 toll free)
Area 3, Western serves federally recognized Tribes in CA, OR and
WA. (Development Associates, Inc. 800-666-9711 toll free or (925-935-
9711)
Area 4, Alaska serves all eligible applicants in AK. (Native
American Management Services, Inc. 877-770-6230 toll free or 907-770-
6230)
Copies of this program announcement and many of the required forms
may be obtained electronically at the ANA World Wide Web Page:
www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ana.
The printed Federal Register notice is the only official program
announcement. Although all reasonable efforts are taken to assure that
the files on the ANA World Wide Web Page containing electronic copies
of the Program Announcement are accurate and complete, they are
provided for information only. The applicant bears sole responsibility
to assure that the copy downloaded and/or printed from any other source
is accurate and complete.
DATES: The closing date for submission of applications is March 10,
2000.
Part I: Supplementary Information
A. Introduction and Purpose
The program announcement states the continued availability of
unobligated fiscal year 1995 financial assistance to eligible
applicants using DOD funds under Pub. L.103-335. The purpose of funds
available under this announcement is for planning projects that examine
the feasibility for Tribal energy sales through energy resources as a
means to mitigate damages done by DOD.
Financial assistance awards made under this program announcement
will be on a competitive basis and the proposals will be reviewed
against the evaluation criteria in this announcement.
The Federal government recognizes that substantial environmental
problems, resultant from defense activities, exist on Indian lands. It
also recognizes its special Trust responsibility to protect the land
and resources of Tribal lands as well as the
[[Page 1394]]
health and safety of Tribal communities. Therefore, ANA and DOD have
joined together to assist those Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives who
have been affected by DOD activities to plan for the development of
their own technical capabilities and management capacity to remediate
or mitigate those impacts.
It is recognized that the economic, social and political integrity
of Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives as well as their specialized
cultural knowledge and values are important considerations in the
planning of strategies to mitigate the social and economic impacts of
environmental damage sustained by those lands from DOD activities.
Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives are experiencing unprecedented
population growth but their economies are not fully developed to
sustain their communities. As a result the development of sustainable
local economies is a major goal shared by Indian Tribes and Alaska
Native villages with the federal government. Therefore the plans
developed by Indian Tribes and Alaska Native villages to mitigate the
affects of impacts to their lands and communities resultant from DOD
activities are expected to reflect their priority for social and
economic development.
An emergent aspect of Indian and Alaska Native social and economic
development are the opportunities to address the service issues and
costs of electric power made possible by new Federal electricity
policies. The Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Bonneville
Power Administration (BPA), electric power marketing agencies of the
Department of Energy are, for the first time since the construction of
Federal water projects by the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of
Reclamation, making direct allocations to Indian Tribes. Additionally,
the government regulated electricity industry is moving toward open
competition through Federal and state restructuring processes. These
policy changes often referred to as ``deregulation'' present
opportunities for energy/electricity development as strategies that
impact mitigation.
ANA recognizes that energy conservation, management and development
require comprehensive and integrated planning to allow for local Tribal
and Alaska Native values and priorities to be expressed in their own
policy and programs that develop their regulatory, management and
energy conservation capabilities. Under this one time only
announcement, proposals will be accepted from eligible applicants for
assistance in planning for energy/electricity conservation or
alternative or renewable energy resource development, management or
development. Proposals for implementing projects related to electricity
and energy will not be accepted under this program announcement.
B. Proposed Projects to be Funded
The purpose of this announcement is to invite single year (twelve
to seventeen month) proposals from eligible applicants to undertake
Tribal specific planning for using energy/electricity strategies for
mitigating social, economic community impacts arising from
environmental damage to Indian lands by DOD activities.
ANA continues its policy that an applicant may only submit one
application under this competitive area and no applicant may receive
more than one grant in any of ANA's competitive areas. ANA introduces
two new requirements within the review criteria for budgets in
applications. All applicants must clearly demonstrate a plan for an
employee fringe benefit package, which includes an employee 5%
retirement plan benefit, and the funding of travel for key personnel to
attend post-award grant management and administration training
sponsored by ANA.
Applicants may only apply for planning projects of up to 17 months
duration. The following are some areas of known opportunity. ANA
intends these to be viewed, as examples that may relate to Tribal or
community specific concerns and applicants will identify their own
local priorities in their applications. (It is expected that applicants
may identify additional areas of concern in their applications):
Data gathering and planning requirements for making
application for allocation of electric power from a Federal Power
Marketing Administration, e.g. Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)
and Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). These data collections may
range from documenting the size and peak consumption levels of
electricity by the Tribe or community to documenting the number and
types of electricity consumers within Tribal jurisdiction to more
sophisticated long range Integrated Electricity Resource Plans, or
Plans to investigate the development of local energy
resources such as wind, solar, natural gas, coal, biomass, geothermal
or co-generation of electric power that may be dispersed generation.
Development of an integrated energy resource and
infrastructure plan that takes into account the local conventional and
renewable energy resource base of Indian Tribes and Alaska Native
villages.
Development of energy efficiency and conservation to
reduce the cost and consumption of energy without reducing economic and
social well being. Often the money saved from well developed plans for
energy conservation exceed the costs of implementing the conservation
plan, providing a means to implement the plan with existing resources.
Development of plans to achieve a balanced and sustainable
energy supply that is reliable and affordable by aggregating the
Tribe's electricity load for bulk purchasing.
The purpose of grants funded through this program announcement is
to promote planning for energy self-determination among American Indian
Tribes. Research and planning is needed for a comprehensive review of
tribal energy resources. Energy planning is a complex endeavor that
takes into consideration the following:
Existing energy usage,
Historical trends of energy consumption,
Tribal demographics,
Changes in patterns of energy using behavior,
Presently available sources of energy to meet energy
loads,
Future planned sources of energy to meet future energy
loads,
Energy resource requirements beyond existing energy plans,
Capital requirements and availability for energy projects.
The following bullets provide descriptions of activities that are
consistent with the philosophy of this program announcement. Proposed
activities should be tailored to reflect the energy development needs
of the local community and should be consistent and supportive of the
proposed project activities. The types of planning projects which ANA
may fund will address some or all of the following topics or similar
topics:
Studies of reservation energy load profiles and load
forecasts including specific studies of residential, commercial, and
industrial energy end-use applications;
Analysis of utility records of energy consumption by
customer and customer class;
Identification, quantification and description of the
energy use of Tribal members that are not served with utility connected
services today, but who may be so served in the future;
Tribal demographics;
Determination of energy growth profiles among all energy
segments of the Tribe residential, commercial, and
[[Page 1395]]
industrial. These growth profiles should be described as ranges above
and below an average expected growth for a period of at least 10 years;
Identification and evaluation of existing energy resources
that serve current Tribal loads;
Identification and evaluation of future energy resources
currently planned by the Tribes or others (e.g., utility companies) to
meet future Tribal loads;
Review and evaluation of the sufficiency of existing and
planned energy resources to meet Tribal loads both today and in the
future;
Identification and review of alternatives to existing
plans for meeting future Tribal electricity load growth, including both
traditional sources (e.g., coal, oil, propane, diesel, and gas-fired
generation) and non-traditional sources (e.g., fuel cells, photovoltaic
cells, wind turbines, etc.).
Review of ``village electrification'' opportunities for
non grid-connected local distribution systems and distributed
generation (i.e. generation located at or near the load and scaled to
the load, not a central generation plant feeding power to the grid);
Identification of feasible co-generation opportunities to
maximize both the efficiency of energy utilization and the economic
development potential for the Tribal community. (Co-generation
facilities are agricultural or industrial facilities co-located with
generation facilities that use the heat of the generator as well as its
power.);
Identification of opportunities to develop power projects
or other energy projects for export off Tribal lands to the energy
marketplace;
Source of capital requirements for development of energy
resources.
The following is a list of major Federal environmental legislation
that should be recognized in a regulatory review as all Federal, state
and local regulatory requirements, which could have major impacts in
the planning phase.
Indian Environmental General Assistance Program Act of
1992;
Clean Air Act (CAA);
Clean Water Act (CWA);
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA);
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
(SMCRA);
Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972
(MPRSA);
Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA);
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
(FIFRA);
Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA);
Comprehensive Environmental Resource Conservation and
Liability Act (CERCLA or Superfund);
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA);
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984 (HSWA);
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA);
Title XXVI of the National Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Other Federal legislation that should be included in the regulatory
review and that should be of assistance are the tribal specific
legislative acts, such as:
American Indian Religious Freedom Act;
National Historic Preservation Act of 1991;
Indian Environmental Regulatory Enhancement Act of 1990;
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of
1990.
Other regulatory considerations could involve applicable tribal,
village, state and local laws, codes, ordinances, standards, etc. which
should also be reviewed to assist in planning, the mitigation design,
and development of the comprehensive mitigation strategy.
C. Eligible Applicants
The following organizations are eligible to apply:
Federally recognized Indian tribes;
Nonprofit Alaska Native Community entities, including
Alaska Native villages, or tribal governing bodies (IRA or traditional
councils) as recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
Nonprofit Alaska Native Regional Associations and/or
Corporations with village specific projects;
Nonprofit Native organizations in Alaska with village
specific projects.
Applicants must comply with the following administrative policies:
Current grantees funded under the previous DOD
announcement dated January 22, 1999 who wish to apply for another phase
of phases should apply under ANA's FY 2000 SEDS program announcement
dated August 17, 1999. [Program Announcement No. 93612-001] or
Applicants interested in applying for one or more of the
phases described in the January 22, 1999 announcement should apply
under SEDS, provided the applicant does not have a current SEDS grant
or has a SEDS grant that expires no later than September 29, 2000. ANA
does continue however, its policy that an applicant may only submit one
application per competitive area and may only receive one grant per
competitive area.
An application from a federally recognized Tribe, Alaska
Native Village or Native American organization must be from the
governing body of the Tribe or organization.
ANA will not accept applications from tribal components
which are tribally-authorized divisions of a larger tribe, unless the
application includes a Tribal resolution which clearly demonstrates the
Tribe's support of the project and the Tribe's understanding that the
other applicant's project supplants the Tribe's authority to submit an
application under that specific competitive area both for the current
competition and for the duration of the approved grant period, should
the application be funded.
If a federally recognized Tribe or Alaska Native village
chooses not to apply, it may support another applicant's project (e.g.,
a tribal organization) which serves or impacts their reservation. In
this case, the applicant must include a Tribal resolution which clearly
demonstrates the Tribe's approval of the project and the Tribe's
understanding that the other applicant's project supplants the Tribe's
authority to submit an application under that specific competitive area
both for the current competition and for the duration of the approved
grant period, should the application be funded.
D. Available Funds
Subject to availability of funds, approximately $1 million of
financial assistance is available under this program announcement for
eligible applicants. It is expected that about 15 awards will be made,
ranging from $50,000 to $100,000.
Each eligible applicant described above can receive only one grant
award under this announcement.
E. Grantee Share of Project
Grantees must provide at least five (5) percent of the total
approved cost of the project. The total approved cost of the project is
the sum of the Federal share and the non-Federal share. The non-Federal
share may be met by cash or in-kind contributions. The funds for the
match must be from a private source, or state source where the funds
were not obtained from the Federal government by the state, or a
Federal source where legislation or regulation authorizes the use of
these funds for matching purposes (e.g. Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance funds, through the Department of Interior and the
Department of Health and Human Services).
Therefore, a project requesting $100,000 in Federal funds must
include a match of at least $5,263 (5% total
[[Page 1396]]
project cost). To calculate 5% non-Federal share multiply the Federal
share by .05263. Applicants may request a waiver of the requirement for
a 5% non-Federal matching share. Since the matching requirement is low
it is not expected that waivers will be necessary. However, the
procedure for requesting a waiver can be found in 45 CFR part 1336,
Subpart E-Financial Assistance Provision.
As per 45 CFR 74.2 and 92.3, In-Kind contributions are defined as
``the value of non-cash contributions provided by non-Federal third
parties. Third party in-kind contributions may be in the form of real
property, equipment, supplies and other expendable property, and the
value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically
identifiable to the project or program.''
An itemized budget detailing the applicant's non-Federal share, and
its source(s), must be included in the application.
If an applicant plans to charge or otherwise seek credit for
indirect costs in its ANA application, a current copy of its Indirect
Cost Agreement must be included in the application.
It is the policy of ANA to apply the waiver of the non-federal
matching share requirement for the purposes of this particular program
announcement.
F. Review Process
1. Initial Application Review
Applications submitted by the post-marked date under this program
announcement will undergo a pre-review to determine that:
The applicant is eligible in accordance with the Eligible
Applicants Section of this announcement.
The application materials submitted are sufficient to
allow the panel to undertake an in-depth evaluation (All required
materials and forms are listed in the Grant Application Checklist.)
Applications subjected to the pre-review described above which fail
to satisfy one or more of the listed requirements will be ineligible or
otherwise excluded from competitive evaluation.
2. Competitive Review of Accepted Applications
Applications that pass the pre-review will be evaluated and rated
by an independent review panel on the basis of the specific evaluation
criteria. These criteria are used to evaluate the quality of a proposed
project, and to determine the likelihood of its success.
A proposed project should reflect the purposes stated and described
in the Introduction and Program Purpose (Section A) of this
announcement.
ANA staff cannot respond to requests for information regarding
funding decisions prior to the official notification to the applicants.
After the Commissioner has made decisions on all applications,
unsuccessful applicants are notified in writing within 30 days. The
notification will be accompanied by a critique including
recommendations for improving the application.
3. Appeal of Ineligibility
Applicants who are excluded from competitive evaluation because of
ineligibility, may appeal an ANA decision of applicant ineligibility.
Likewise, applicants may also appeal an ANA decision that an
applicant's proposed activities are ineligible for funding
consideration. The appeals process is stated in the final rule
published in the Federal Register on August 19, 1996 (61 FR 42817).
G. Criteria
The evaluation criteria are:
(1) Goals and Available Resources (30 points):
(a) The application presents specific planning goals relating to a
proposed tribal energy retail project. The application explains how the
tribe or village intends to achieve those goals identified in the
application and clearly documents the involvement and support of the
community in the planning process and implementation of the proposed
project. ANA encourages the planning process to include community
involvement. The above requirement may be met by submission of a
resolution by a tribe or tribal organization stating that community
involvement has occurred in the project planning and will occur in the
implementation of the project.
(b) The application identifies and documents pre-existing and
planned involvement and support of the community in the planning
process and implementation of the proposed project. The type of
community you serve and nature of the proposal being made, will
influence the type of documentation necessary. For example, a Tribe may
choose to address this requirement by submitting a resolution stating
that community involvement has occurred in the project planning or may
determine that additional community support work is necessary.
(c) Available resources (other than ANA and the non-Federal share)
which will assist, and be coordinated with the project are described.
The Tribe can address work already underway. These resources may be
personnel, facilities, vehicles or financial and may include other
Federal and non-Federal resources.
These resources should be documented by letters of commitment of
resources, not merely letters of support. ``Letters of commitment'' are
binding when they specifically state the nature, the amount, and
conditions under which another agency or organization will support a
project funded with ANA funds. ``Letters of support'' merely express
another organization's endorsement of a proposed project. Support
letters are not binding commitment letters or do not factually
establish the authenticity of other resources and do not offer or bind
specific resources to the project.
For example, a letter from another Federal agency or foundation
pledging a commitment of $200,000 in construction funding to complement
proposed ANA funded pre-construction activity is evidence of a firm
funding commitment. These resources may be human, natural or financial,
and may include other Federal and non-Federal resources. Statements
that additional funding will be sought from other specific sources are
not considered a binding commitment of outside resources and therefore
carry less significance.
Non-ANA resources should be leveraged to strengthen and broaden the
impact of the proposed project in the community. Project designs should
explain how those parts of projects which ANA does not fund will be
financed through other sources. For example, ANA does not fund
construction. Applicants must show the relationship of non-ANA funded
activities to those objectives and activities that are funded with ANA
grant funds.
(2) Organizational Capabilities and Qualifications (10 points)
(a) The management and administrative structure of the applicant is
explained. Evidence of the applicant's ability to manage a project of
the proposed scope is well defined. The application clearly
demonstrates the successful management of prior or current projects of
similar scope by the organization and/or by the individuals designated
to manage the project.
(b) Position descriptions and/or resumes of key personnel,
including those of consultants, are presented. The position
descriptions and/or resumes relate specifically to the staff proposed
in the Objective Work Plan and in the proposed budget. Position
descriptions very clearly describe each position and its duties and
clearly relate to the personnel staffing required to achieve the
project objectives. Resumes and/or
[[Page 1397]]
proposed position descriptions demonstrate that the proposed staff are
or will be qualified to carry out the project activities. Either the
position descriptions or the resumes contain the qualifications and/or
specialized skills necessary for overall quality management of the
project. Resumes must be included if individuals have been identified
for positions in the application.
Note: Applicants are strongly encouraged to give preference to
Native Americans in hiring staff and subcontracting services under
an approved ANA grant.
(3) Project Objectives, Approach and Activities (30 points).
The Objective Work Plan in the application includes project
objectives and activities related to the long term goals for each
budget period proposed and demonstrates that these objectives and
activities:
Are measurable and/or quantifiable;
Are based on a fully described and locally determined
balanced strategy for mitigation of impacts to the environment;
Clearly relate to the tribe or village long-range goals
which the project addresses;
Can be accomplished with available or expected resources
during the proposed project period;
Indicate when the objective, and major activities under
each objective will be accomplished;
Specify who will conduct the activities under each
objective; and
Support a project that will be completed, self-sustaining,
and leads the Tribe to an action plan.
(4) Results or Benefits Expected (20 points).
The proposed project will result in specific measurable outcomes
for each objective that will clearly contribute to the completion of
the project and will help the tribe or village meet its goals. The
specific information provided in the application on expected results or
benefits for each objective is the basis upon which the outcomes can be
evaluated at the end of each budget year.
(5) Budget (10 points)
There is a detailed budget provided which:
Fully explains the budget.
Justifies each line item in the budget categories in
Section B of the Budget Information of the application, including the
applicant's non-Federal share and its source.
Explains sufficiently cost and other detail to facilitate
the determination of cost allowability and the relevance of these costs
to the proposed project.
Demonstrates that the funds requested are appropriate and
necessary for the scope of the project.
Includes sufficient funds for principal representatives
from the applicant organization to travel to one post-award grant
training and technical assistance conference. This travel and training
should occur as soon as practical.
Includes an employee fringe benefit budget that provides
grant-funded employees with a qualified, self-directed, portable
retirement plan in addition to Social Security. The applicant must
provide a retirement plan fringe benefit for grant funded employees
salaries of five (5) percent.
ANA considers a retirement plan to be a necessary,
reasonable and allowable cost in accordance with OMB rules. Minimum
standards for an acceptable retirement fringe benefit plan are:
The plan must be ``qualified'', i.e., approved by the
Internal Revenue Service to receive special tax-favored treatment.
The plan exists for the exclusive benefit of the
participants; funds are to be used for retirement and certain other
pre-retirement needs, not for the organization's needs.
The plan must have a vesting schedule that does not exceed
the initial budget period of the ANA grant.
The plan must be a 401(k) for people who work in
corporations or 403(b) plan for people who work for not-for-profit
organizations. An alternate proposal may be submitted for review and
approval during grant award negotiations. An alternate proposal may be
submitted for review and approval during grant award negotiations.
Alternate proposals may include the use of Individual Retirement
Accounts, Money Purchase Pension Plans, Defined Benefit Pension Plans,
Combination Plans, etc. In no case will a non-qualified deferred
compensation plan, e.g., Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERPs)
or Executive Bonus Plan be accepted.
H. Contact Information
Contact the ANA Applicant Help Desk at 202-690-7776 for assistance.
You may also contact Sharon McCully at (202) 690-7776, or e-mail to
[email protected].
I. General Guidance to Applicants
The following is provided to assist applicants to develop a
competitive application.
(1) Program Guidance:
The Administration for Native Americans will fund projects
that present the strongest prospects for meeting the stated purposes of
this program announcement. Projects will not be funded on the basis of
need alone.
In discussing the problems being addressed in the
application, relevant historical data should be included so that the
appropriateness and potential benefits of the proposed project will be
better understood by the reviewers and decision-maker.
Supporting documentation, if available, should be included
to provide the reviewers and decision-maker with other relevant data to
better understand the scope and magnitude of the project.
(2) Technical Guidance:
Applicants are strongly encouraged to have someone other
than the author apply the evaluation criteria in the program
announcement and to score the application prior to its submission, in
order to gain a better sense of its quality and potential
competitiveness in the review process.
ANA will accept only one application under this program
announcement from any one applicant. If an eligible applicant sends two
applications, the one with the earlier postmark will be accepted for
review unless the applicant withdraws the earlier application.
An application from an Indian tribe, Alaska Native Village
or other eligible organization must be submitted by the governing body
of the applicant.
The application's Form 424 must be signed by the
applicant's representative (tribal official or designate) who can act
with full authority on behalf of the applicant.
The Administration for Native Americans suggests that the
pages of the application be numbered sequentially from the first page
and that a table of contents be provided. The page numbering, along
with simple tabbing of the sections, would be helpful and allows easy
reference during the review process.
Two (2) copies of the application plus the original are
required.
The Cover Page should be the first page of an application,
followed by the one-page abstract.
Section B of the Program Narrative should be of sufficient
detail as to become a guide in determining and tracking project goals
and objectives.
The applicant should specify the entire length of the
project period on the first page of the Form 424, Block 13. ANA will
consider the project period specified on the Form 424 as governing.
Line 15a of the Form 424 should specify the Federal funds
requested for the Budget period.
[[Page 1398]]
(3) Grant Administrative Guidance:
The application Form 424 must be signed by the applicant's
representative authorized to act with full authority on behalf of the
applicant.
The Administration for Native Americans recommends that
the pages of the application be numbered sequentially and that a table
of contents be provided. Simple tabbing of the sections of the
application is also helpful to the reviewers.
An application with an original signature and two
additional copies are required.
The Cover Page (included in the Kit) should be the first
page of an application, followed by the one-page abstract.
The applicant should specify the entire project length on
the first page of the Form 424, Block 13. Should the application
propose one length of project period and the Form 424 specify a
conflicting length of project period, ANA will consider the project
period specified on the Form 424 as the request. ANA may negotiate a
reduction of the project period. The approved project period is shown
on block 9 of a Financial Assistance Award.
Line 15a of the Form 424 should specify the Federal funds
requested for the Budget Period.
Applicants may propose a 17-month project period.
(4) Projects or activities that generally will not meet the
purposes of this announcement:
Proposals from consortia of tribes or villages that are
not specific with regard to support from, and roles of member tribes.
The purchase of real estate or construction.
J. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is
estimated to average 29.5 hours per response, including the time for
reviewing instruction, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and
reviewing the collection of information.
The following information collections are included in the program
announcement Application Kit, OMB control number 0980-0204, expires
August 31, 1999.
K. Due Date for Receipt of Applications
The closing date for applications submitted in response to this
program announcement is March 10, 2000.
L. Receipt of Applications
Applications must either be hand delivered or mailed to the address
in Part II, Section E, Application Process. The Administration for
Native Americans will not accept applications submitted electronically
nor via facsimile (FAX) equipment.
Deadline: Applications shall be considered as meeting the announced
deadline if they are either:
1. Received on or before the deadline date at the place specified
in the program announcement, or
2. Sent on or before the deadline date and received by the granting
agency in the time for the independent review under DHHS GAM Chapter 1-
62 (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.)
Late Applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria
above are considered late applications. The ACF shall notify each late
applicant that its application will not be considered in the current
competition.
Extension of Deadlines: The 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 applicants.
Part II--General Application Information and Guidance
A. Definitions
Funding areas in this program announcement are based on the
following definitions:
Indian land is defined as all lands used by American
Indian tribes and Alaska Native Villages.
A ``multi-purpose community-based Native American
organization'' is an association and/or corporation whose charter
specifies that the community designates the Board of Directors and/or
officers of the organization through an elective procedure and that the
organization functions in several different areas of concern to the
members of the local Native American community. These areas are
specified in the by-laws and/or policies adopted by the organization.
They may include, but need not be limited to, economic, artistic,
cultural, and recreational activities, and the delivery of human
services such as health care, day care, counseling, education, and
training.
``Budget Period'' is the interval of time (usually 12
months but may be up to 17 months) into which the project period is
divided for budgetary and funding purposes.
``Core administration'' is funding for staff salaries for
those functions which support the organization as a whole, or for
purposes unrelated to the actual management or implementation of work
conducted under an ANA approved project. However, functions and
activities that are clearly project related are eligible for grant
funding. For example, the management and administrative functions
necessary to carry out an ANA approved project are not considered
``core administration'' and are, therefore, eligible costs.
Additionally, ANA will fund the salaries of approved staff for time
actually and reasonably spent to implement a funded ANA project.
``Real Property'' means land, including land improvements,
structures and appurtenances thereto, excluding movable machinery and
equipment.
``Construction'' is the term which specifies a project
supported through a discretionary grant or a cooperative agreement, to
support the initial building of a facility.
B. Activities That Cannot be Funded
The Administration for Native Americans does not fund:
Projects that operate indefinitely or require ANA funding
on a recurring basis.
Projects in which a grantee would provide training and/or
technical assistance (T/TA) to other tribes or Native American
organizations which are otherwise eligible to apply to ANA (``third
party T/TA''). However, the purchase of T/TA by a grantee for its own
use or for its members' use (as in the case of a consortium), where T/
TA is necessary to carry out project objectives, is acceptable.
The support of on-going social service delivery programs
or the expansion, or continuation, of existing social service delivery
programs.
ANA will not fund the purchase of real property.
ANA will not fund construction.
Objectives or activities for the support of core
administration of an organization.
Costs of fund raising, including financial campaigns,
endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar
expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions are
unallowable under a grant award.
Projects or activities that generally will not meet the purposes of
this announcement are discussed further in Part I, Section H, General
Guidance to Applicants.
[[Page 1399]]
C. Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs
This program is not covered by Executive Order 12372.
D. Application Process
(1) Application Submission by Mail:
Each application should include one signed original and two (2)
copies of the grant application, including all attachments. Assurances
and certifications must be completed. Submission of the application
constitutes certification by the applicant that it is in compliance
with Drug-Free Workplace and Debarment and these forms do not have to
be submitted. The application must be hand delivered or mailed by the
closing date to: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
Administration for Children and Families, ACYF/Office of Grants
Management 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Mail Stop HHH 326-F,
Washington, DC 20447-0002, Attention: Lois B. Hodge--ANA No. 93612-002.
(2) Application Submission by Courier:
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,
ACYF/Office of Grants Management, ACF Mail Room, Second Floor Loading
Dock, Aerospace Center 901 D Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20024,
Attention: Lois B. Hodge, ANA No. 93612-002.
The application must be signed by an individual authorized: (1) To
act for the applicant tribe, village or organization, and (2) to assume
the applicant's obligations under the terms and conditions of the grant
award.
(3) Application Consideration:
The Commissioner of the Administration for Native Americans
determines the final action to be taken with respect to each grant
application received under this announcement.
The following points should be taken into consideration by all
applicants:
Incomplete applications and applications that do not
otherwise conform to this announcement will not be accepted for review.
(Incomplete applications include a missing Form SF 424 or no signed
Form 424 or does not include proof of non-profit status, if
applicable.) Applicants will be notified in writing of any such
determination by ANA.
Complete applications that conform to all the requirements
of this program announcement are subjected to a competitive review and
evaluation process. An independent review panel consisting of reviewers
familiar with environmental problems of Indian tribes and Alaska Native
villages will evaluate each application against the published criteria
in this announcement. The results of this review will assist the
Commissioner in making final funding decisions.
The Commissioner's decision will also take into account
the comments of ANA staff, state and Federal agencies having
performance-related information, and other interested parties.
As a matter of policy the Commissioner will make grant
awards consistent with the stated purpose of the announcement and all
relevant statutory and regulatory requirements under 45 CFR parts 74
and 92 applicable to grants under this announcement.
After the Commissioner has made decisions on all
applications, unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing
within approximately 120 days of the closing date. Successful
applicants are notified through an official Financial Assistance Award
(FAA) document. The Administration for Native Americans staff cannot
respond to requests for funding decisions prior to the official
notification to the applicants. The FAA will state the amount of
Federal funds awarded, the purpose of the grant, the terms and
conditions of the grant award, the effective date of the award, the
project period, the budget period, and the amount of the non-Federal
matching share requirement.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program Number 93.612
Native American Programs)
Dated: January 4, 2000.
Gary N. Kimble,
Commissioner, Administration for Native Americans.
[FR Doc. 00-432 Filed 1-7-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P