[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 123 (Monday, June 26, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39417-39419]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-15988]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Targeted Capacity Building Assistance for HIV/AIDS Primary Health 
Care Program Announcement

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds; request for letters of intent 
to apply.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) 
announces the availability of Fiscal Year (FY) 2000 funds for a 
cooperative agreement to provide targeted capacity building assistance 
(TCBA) to non-profit or public, community-based organizations (CBO) 
serving communities of color significantly impacted by existing and 
emerging HIV/AIDS epidemics.
    Funds for the TCBA program are made available through the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in collaboration with 
the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Initiative to reduce disparities 
in the rate of HIV/AIDS infections within communities of color. 
Programs funded through the DHHS/CBC Initiative are to be used to 
develop, improve and/or expand HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment 
services and research opportunities targeting communities of color, 
including African American, Latino, Asian American/Pacific Islander, 
Native American, Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians, significantly 
impacted by HIV/AIDS. The DHHS/CBC Initiative funds for the TCBA 
program were appropriated to the Ryan White CARE Act Title III for 
targeted technical assistance to minority community based health care 
and service providers with a history of service provision to 
communities of color.
    The TCBA program will expand and improve the delivery of HIV/AIDS 
primary health care services by CBOs to communities of color living 
with HIV/AIDS. HRSA will provide $700,000 to support one national, 
regional or local organization representing communities of color, with 
a demonstrable record of providing TCBA and other technical assistance 
designed to strengthen HIV/AIDS systems of health care.
    The purpose of this announcement is to request Letters of Intent to 
Apply and applications to this program. HRSA is requesting Letters of 
Intent to Apply to estimate the number of applications it will receive 
and thereby plan appropriately for the timely award of these funds. 
Letters of Intent to Apply are not required to submit an application to 
the program, nor are they binding.
    Program Purpose: The purpose of the TCBA program is to increase the 
availability, accessibility and quality of HIV/AIDS primary health care 
services for underserved communities of color living with HIV/AIDS by 
developing or enhancing the HIV/AIDS primary care infrastructure within 
those communities. Targeted capacity building assistance is defined as 
a process that results in increasing the core competencies that are 
essential to

[[Page 39418]]

developing, implementing and sustaining effective programs within an 
organization. Provided TCBA will be designed to develop and/or enhance 
the core competencies needed by key staff within CBOs serving 
communities of color to enable the organization to expand, implement 
and sustain HIV/AIDS primary medical and health care programs. Core 
competencies to be developed include care and treatment protocols for 
HIV/AIDS primary health care, cultural and linguistic competency, 
program management, fiscal management, resource development, 
information systems management, governance, network development, etc. 
The TCBA also will enable CBOs to establish or participate in 
community-based provider networks delivering comprehensive HIV/AIDS 
primary health care services.
    The TCBA program will tailor provided assistance to the specific 
needs of CBOs serving communities of color significantly impacted by 
current and emerging HIV/AIDS epidemics. The TCBA program will work in 
collaboration with CBO key staff to address their organization's and 
communities' needs and concerns within the context of the communities' 
social, economic and political realities.
    Examples of TCBA include, but are not limited to, activities 
designed to improve or establish:
    (1) Staff expertise with respect to the care and treatment needs of 
clients with HIV/AIDS;
    (2) The ability to identify gaps in HIV/AIDS primary health care 
service delivery through formal needs assessment;
    (3) Staff expertise in identifying and applying for funding;
    (4) Processes, systems or procedures for core management functions 
(e.g., administration, programming, fiscal planning, resource 
development, evaluation, etc.);
    (5) The ability to identify and work effectively with other local 
HIV/AIDS service providers through referral networks; and
    (6) Capacity to document, manage, use and report information that 
tracks client demographics, service utilization and outcomes.
    Required Program Activities: Applicants must propose a plan for a 
systematic and cost effective process by which to implement the 
required activities listed below. Applicants are free to propose 
additional activities.
    (1) Market the program and outreach to CBOs who could most benefit 
from the program.
    (2) Develop a standardized tool for assessing the capacity building 
needs and goals of identified CBOs and work with each CBO to assess its 
needs.
    (3) Develop and initiate a TCBA plan in response to identified 
needs.
    (4) Evaluate the outcome and effectiveness of the TCBA provided.
    (5) Facilitate linkages, networks and collaborations among 
different providers within a specific community.
    (6) Document the components of an effective TCBA program for HIV/
AIDS primary care delivery by CBOs serving communities of color.
    (7) Coordinate activities with other capacity building programs and 
initiatives, including but not limited to, those funded by the DHHS/
Congressional Black Caucus Initiative to Address Racial/Ethnic 
Disparities in HIV/AIDS.
    (8) Work cooperatively with HRSA in the design and implementation 
of the program and the establishment of program priorities.
    Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants are public and non-profit, 
national, regional and local organizations which have served or are 
serving communities of color. The applicant must have a demonstrable 
record of providing capacity building assistance and other technical 
assistance to organizations in the development or improvement of HIV/
AIDS primary health care programs within the past five years. The 
applicant must propose a consortium of organizations to include, the 
applicant and two or more contractor organizations that satisfy the 
above criteria. Anticipated documentation of a demonstrable record of 
providing capacity building assistance and other technical assistance 
includes letters of reference, letters of collaboration, letters of 
support from former or current clients, agency annual reports, service 
agreements, etc.
    Successful applicants to this cooperative agreement will propose a 
consortium of organizations that collectively: (1) Possess 
complementary capabilities and expertise, (2) possess staff and board 
members who represent the diverse racial/ethnic demographics of those 
most severely impacted by HIV/AIDS, and (3) possess staff (or 
consultants) with direct experience implementing HIV/AIDS primary care 
programs. In addition, successful applicants will propose a consortium 
of organizations that collectively possess the capacity and 
capabilities to: (1) Provide TCBA and other technical assistance in 
various technical areas, (2) design multifaceted strategies to 
identify, deliver services to, and work effectively with CBOs serving 
communities of color, and (3) develop and deliver culturally and 
linguistically appropriate materials and instruction.
    Availability of Funds: Up to $700,000 dollars are available in FY 
2000 to award one cooperative agreement. It is expected that awards 
will be made on or before September 30, 2000. Funding will be made 
available for twelve months, with a project period of one year.
    Authorization: Sections 2651-2654 of the Public Health Service Act
    Letters of Intent To Apply: Letters of Intent to Apply to this 
program should include the following information for the applicant: (1) 
The organization name and contact information, (2) a brief 
organizational capabilities statement, and (3) a brief description of 
the program model to be proposed. Letters of Intent to Apply should be 
submitted to the HIV/AIDS Bureau, HRSA on or before July 10, 2000.
    Application Dates: In order to be considered for competition, 
applications to this cooperative agreement program must be received at 
the HRSA Grants Application Center by close of business on Friday, 
August 25, 2000. Applications shall be considered as meeting the 
deadline if they are: (1) Received on or before the deadline, or (2) 
postmarked on or before the deadline date and received in time for 
orderly processing and submission to the review committee. Applicants 
should request a legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or 
U.S. Postal Service postmark. Private metered postmarks shall not be 
acceptable as proof of mailing. Applications received after the 
deadline will be returned to the applicant and not reviewed.

ADDRESSES: All Applications should be mailed or delivered to: HRSA 
Grants Application Center, 1815 N. Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA 
22209, Attention: CFDA #93.145B. All Letters of Intent to Apply should 
be mailed or delivered to: Rene Sterling, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health 
Resources and Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-36, 
Rockville, MD 20857.
    Program Guidance & Application Kits: The Targeted Capacity Building 
Assistance for HIV/AIDS Primary Health Care Program Guidance is 
available on the HIV/AIDS Bureau web site at the following Internet 
address: http://www.hrsa.gov/hab. The required federal grant 
application kit (PHS Form 5161-1) is available at the following 
Internet address: http://forms.psc.gov/phsforms.htm. For those 
applicants who are unable to access application materials 
electronically, hard copies must be obtained from the HRSA Grants 
Application Center. The telephone

[[Page 39419]]

number to the HRSA Grants Application Center is (877) 477-2123, the fax 
number is (877) 477-2345, and the e-mail address is [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional technical information may 
be obtained from Rene Sterling, HIV/AIDS Bureau, Health Resources and 
Services Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-36, Rockville, MD 
20857. The telephone number is (301) 443-7778, the fax number is (301) 
594-2835, and the e-mail address is [email protected].

    Dated: June 20, 2000.
Claude Earl Fox,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 00-15988 Filed 6-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-15-P