[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 94 (Thursday, May 15, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Page 26298]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12133]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration on Aging

[Program Announcement No. AoA-03-04]


Fiscal Year 2003 Program Announcement; Availability of Funds and 
Notice Regarding Applications

AGENCY: Administration on Aging, HHS.

ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and request for 
applications.

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SUMMARY: The Administration on Aging (AoA) announces that under this 
program announcement it will hold a competition for one award to 
support a National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center at a 
federal share of approximately $450,000 per year for a project period 
of three years.
    Legislative authority: The Health Insurance Portability and 
Accountability Act of 1996, the Older Americans Act, Public Law 106-501 
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 93.048, Title IV and Title II 
Discretionary Projects).
    Purpose of grant award: The purpose of this award is to establish 
one National Consumer Protection Technical Resource Center to provide 
advice, guidance and technical assistance to AoA's Senior Medicare 
Patrol (SMP) projects. These projects test the best ways of using the 
skills of retired nurses, doctors, accountants and other professionals 
to train seniors as expert resources to curb health care error, fraud, 
and abuse.
    The award is a cooperative agreement because the Administration on 
Aging will be substantially involved in the development and execution 
of the activities of the grantee.
    The applicant and AoA will negotiate a work plan which details 
activities necessary to implement advice, guidance and technical 
assistance to SMP projects. The applicant will develop strategies with 
AoA to replicate nationwide best practices of the SMP program. The AoA 
will plan national and regional conferences, forums and meetings to 
provide program information, training, and education. The applicant 
will participate in these events to report on the activities of the 
center.
    The AoA will provide a contact person for the center's project 
director/staff to receive SMP grantee information and orientation on 
the resources available ``in house'' for start up activities. AOA will 
also conduct conference calls to identify priorities or as a tool for 
planning upcoming events. The grantee will be required to report 
semiannually on the progress of this project. Based on the review of 
the report, AoA will negotiate any modifications needed to the 
cooperative agreement. At the end of each budget period, the AoA will 
review the project's performance and determine at the time if future 
funding is justified.
    Eligibility for grant awards and other requirements: Public and 
non-profit agencies, organizations, institutions, and federally 
recognized tribes are eligible to apply under this program 
announcement. Faith-based organizations are eligible to apply. To be 
considered for funding, however, the applicant must be experienced in 
providing advice, guidance and technical assistance to Medicare fraud 
educational/outreach efforts.
    Executive Order 12372 is not applicable to this grant application.
    Grantees must cover at least 25% of the project's total cost with 
non-federal cash or in-kind resources. Grantees must contribute at 
least one (1) dollar in non-federal cash or in-kind resources for every 
three (3) dollars received in federal funding.
    Screening criteria: All applications will be screened to assure a 
level playing field for all applicants. Applications that fail to meet 
the screening criteria described below will not be reviewed and will 
not receive further consideration.
    1. Applications must be postmarked by midnight, June 30, 2003, or 
hand-delivered by 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time, on June 30, 2003, or 
submitted electronically by midnight, June 30, 2003.
    2. Electronic submissions must be sent to: http://www.aoa.gov/egrants. Note: For electronic submissions, the required signature form 
must be postmarked by midnight, June 30, 2003, or hand-delivered by 
5:30 p.m., Eastern Time, on June 30, 2003.
    3. The Project Narrative section of the application must not exceed 
20 pages. Page fifteen of the application kit details the components of 
the application not included in this limitation.
    Review of Applications: Applications will be evaluated against the 
following criteria: Purpose and Need for Assistance. (20 Points), 
Approach, Work Plan and Activities. (30 Points), Project Outcomes, 
Evaluation and Dissemination. (30 Points); and Level of Effort (20 
points).

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of applications is June 30, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Application kits are available by writing to the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 
Office of Consumer Choice and Protection, Washington, DC 20201, by 
calling (202) 357-3532, or online at http://www.aoa.gov/egrants.
    Applications may be mailed to the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Grants Management, 
Washington, DC 20201, attn: Margaret Tolson (AoA-03-04).
    Applications may be delivered to the U.S. Department of Health and 
Human Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Grants Management, 
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW., Room 4604, Washington, DC 20201, attn: 
Margaret Tolson (AoA-03-04).
    If you elect to mail or hand deliver your application you must 
submit one original and two copies of the application; an 
acknowledgement card will be mailed to all applicants.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All grant applicants are encouraged to 
obtain a D-U-N-S number from Dun and Bradstreet. It is a nine-digit 
identification number, which provides unique identifiers of single 
business entities. The D-U-N-S number is free and easy to obtain from 
http://www.dnb.com/US/duns_update/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Consumer Choice and 
Protection, Washington, DC 20201, telephone: (202) 357-3532.

    Dated: May 12, 2003.
Josefina G. Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 03-12133 Filed 5-14-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P