[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 130 (Friday, July 6, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35651-35652]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16939]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Notice of Intent To Fund International Social Service, United 
States of America Branch, Inc., Baltimore, Maryland

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, DHHS.

[[Page 35652]]


ACTION: This is a Notice of Intent to Fund a Sole Source Cooperative 
Agreement to International Social Service, United States of America 
Branch, Inc. (ISS-USA), Baltimore, Maryland, to provide services to 
U.S. citizens returned from abroad through the U.S. Repatriate Program.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the technical assistance agreement is to ensure 
the provision of direct assistance to repatriates to aid in their 
return to the U.S. from abroad. Repatriates are referred from officials 
of the U.S. Consular offices, Department of State, and are provided 
services upon arrival in the U.S. through U.S. human service 
organizations, public and private.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sue Benjamin at (202) 401-4851.

Legislative Authority

    Title XI, Section 1113 of the Social Security Act (Assistance for 
United States Citizens Returned from Foreign Countries) [42 U.S.C. 1313 
(a) (1)]; Public Law 86-571 (Hospitalization for Mentally Ill 
Repatriates and Other Services) [24 U.S.C. parts 321-329]; and 
Executive Order 12656 which assigns DHHS the responsibility for 
planning for the reception, temporary care, and onward transportation 
for U.S. citizens and dependents returned to the U.S. in a national 
emergency.
    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned 
to this announcement is 93.579.
    Funding Availability--ORR intends to award one cooperative 
agreement to ISS-USA, Baltimore, Maryland, for up to $850,000.
    Project Period and Budget Period--The project period is for five 
years, from September 30, 2001--September 29, 2006. Each award will be 
for a one-year budget period, with the first budget period from 
September 30, 2001--September 29, 2002.

Part I: Background

    The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), an agency of the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for 
administering the U.S. Repatriate Program. In 1996, ORR awarded a five-
year technical assistance cooperative agreement to ISS-USA, Baltimore, 
Maryland, to ensure that direct assistance would be provided to 
repatriates to aid in their return to the U.S. from abroad.
    ISS-USA is a member of a consortium entitled the Refugee Council 
USA, whose members are private organizations that provide assistance in 
almost all communities in the U.S. ISS-USA also has established links 
with state and county public human service organizations. Additionally, 
as a member of an international consortium of international social 
services organizations, ISS-USA is able to respond to a U.S. repatriate 
who requires services prior to returning to the U.S. Finally, ISS-USA 
staff have the required social work credentials and have experience 
working with the mentally ill, with criminal cases, and with child 
welfare cases.
    ISS-USA has capably provided technical assistance and coordination 
of services in all counties in the U.S., assisting repatriates 
returning from abroad, for the past five years under the current 
agreement. This sole source cooperative agreement will permit ACF to 
continue funding ISS-USA, which has proven abilities to be responsive 
to repatriated persons anywhere within the U.S.
    The ISS-USA performed the following types of activities under this 
technical assistance cooperative agreement.

Client Services

 Casework
 Data and financial services
 Maintenance of the State Contact List
 Group or emergency repatriation
    Archive Maintenance
 Maintaining case files prior to archiving according to DHHS 
policies and procedures.
    Since ISS-USA has successfully performed under the current 
cooperative agreement, ACF intends to fund them for another five-year 
project period, subject to availability of funds, satisfactory progress 
of the grantee and a determination that continued funding would be in 
the best interest of the Government. Organizations who believe they 
have the capacity to provide the required services and are interested 
in competing for the award must contact Sue Benjamin, within 30 days 
from date of publication in the Federal Register, at the following 
address: Office of Refugee Resettlement, 37 L'Enfant Promenade, 
Washington, DC 20447, Tel: (202) 401-4851, Fax: (202) 401-0981, Email: 
[email protected].

    Dated: July 2, 2001.
Carmel Clay-Thompson.
Acting Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 01-16939 Filed 7-5-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-M