[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 151 (Friday, August 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47931-47932]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17941]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration on Aging

[Program Announcement No. AoA-04-08]


Fiscal Year 2004 Program Announcement; Availability of Funds and 
Notice Regarding Applications

AGENCY: Administration on Aging, HHS.

ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and request for 
applications for the Aging Services Network Integrated Care Management 
Grants Program.

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SUMMARY: The Administration on Aging announces that it will hold a 
competition under this program announcement for grant awards for up to 
twenty (20) projects varying in size up to $50,000 each. The 
approximate amount of federal funds available for these projects is 
$600,000 and the project period will be one year.
    Legislative authority: 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 awards: The purpose of this grants program is to 
support the design, implementation, and dissemination of innovative 
models and approaches that demonstrate how Community Aging Services 
Providers (CASPs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) can either build 
capacity to adopt capitated financing approaches or, partner with 
Medicare and/or Medicaid managed care organizations, to improve the 
delivery of services that maximize the health and quality of life for 
older persons. The projects funded under this program should enhance 
the integration of health and social services and generate new 
knowledge and information that will help position the Aging Services 
Network in the evolving health and long term care environment. 
Recognizing that successful managed care models and approaches already 
exist in the Aging Services Network, this program will:
     Identify and document existing models or approaches that 
can be replicated by other aging services provider organizations, area 
agencies on aging, and/or managed care organizations (Existing 
Practices)
     Facilitate further refinements of existing models and 
approaches that are already in place (Program Enhancements);
     Support the design and/or implementation of new models or 
approaches that support the Aging Services Network's role in managed 
care (New Models or Approaches).
    Consistent with these objectives, grants will be made in three (3) 
priority areas:
     Existing Practices. The grantee will develop detailed 
model replication materials for an existing successful project or 
approach that is consistent with the purposes of this program.
     Program Enhancements. The grantee will propose to build-
upon and expand their existing model or approach in a way that broadens 
the scope and/or effectiveness of the program and/or gather data to 
assess the effectiveness of the program.
     New Models or Approaches. The grantee will propose to 
design and/or implement a new project consistent with the purposes of 
this program.
    The awards will be cooperative agreements in which the grantee and 
the Administration on Aging work collaboratively to clarify the issues 
to be addressed by the project.
    Awardee activities for this initiative are as follows:
    a. Working collaboratively with AoA to refine and implement their 
project plan.
    b. Working collaboratively with AoA, managed care organizations and 
other grantees under this initiative to refine concepts related to 
Aging Services Network opportunities concerning managed care. This 
collaboration will take the form of conference calls, web-based 
exchanges, on-site discussions, and national meetings.
    c. Working collaboratively with AoA to develop and deliver 
dissemination and replication documents and presentations that are the 
critical products of these grants for Community Aging Services Provider 
organizations, Area Agencies on Aging and/or Medicare and/or Medicaid 
managed care organizations.
    AoA activities for this initiative will include expert technical 
assistance and the coordination of mutual learning opportunities among 
AoA, grantees under this initiative, other federal agencies (CMS, NIH, 
CDC, AHRQ), foundations, and other national organizations and experts 
appropriate to this initiative. AoA activities will also include:
    a. Working collaboratively with the grantee to refine project plans 
and resolve implementation issues.
    b. Reviewing and commenting on dissemination and replication 
documents and presentations that are the critical products of the 
grants for Community Aging Services Provider organizations, Area 
Agencies on Aging, and/or Medicare and/or Medicaid managed care 
organizations.
    Eligibility for grant awards and other requirements: Eligibility 
for grant awards is limited to Community Aging Service Providers 
(CASPs) and Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). A CASP is defined as a not-
for-profit community-based organization that currently receives funding 
under the Older Americans Act and has a history and mission focused on 
the provision of home and community-based services, primarily for older 
people. Area Agencies on Aging are agencies officially designated as 
such by a State Unit on Aging under the provisions of the Older 
Americans Act. Faith-based organizations and Tribal organizations that 
fit the definition of a CASP or an AAA are encouraged to apply. An AAA 
can only apply as an AAA. Grantees are required to provide at least 25 
percent of the total program costs from non-federal cash or in-kind 
resources in order to be considered for the award. No organization or 
agency may apply for more than one grant under this competition.
    Executive Order 12372 is not applicable to these grant 
applications.
    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 
receive no further consideration:
    1. Postmark Requirements--Applications must be postmarked by 
midnight of the deadline date indicated below, or hand-delivered by 
5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on that date, or submitted electronically by 
midnight on that date.
    2. Organizational Eligibility--Eligibility for grant awards is 
limited to Community Aging Service Providers (CASPs) and Area Agencies 
on Aging (AAAs).
    3. Responsiveness to Priority Area Description--Applications will 
be screened on whether the application is responsive to the priority 
area description.
    4. Project Narrative--The Project Narrative section of the 
application must not exceed 15 pages.
    5. Other Programmatic Requirements--None.
    Review of applications: Applications will be evaluated against the 
following criteria:
    Purpose and Need for Assistance (25 points); Approach/Method--
Workplan and Activities (25 points); Outcomes/Benefits/Impacts (20 
points); and Level of Effort, Program Management, and Organizational 
Capacity (30 points).

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of applications is 
September 10, 2004.

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ADDRESSES: Application kits are available by writing to the U.S. 
Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 
Washington, DC 20201, by calling 202/357-3447, or online at http://www.grants.gov.
    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-04-08).
    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 20001, attn: 
Margaret Tolson (AoA-04-08).
    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 applicants.
    Instructions for electronic mailing of grant applications are 
available at http://www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, Administration on Aging, Office of Grants Management, 
Washington, D.C. 20201, Telephone: (202) 357-3440.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All grant applicants are required 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 
https://eupdate.dnb.com/requestoptions.html.

    Dated: August 2, 2004.
Josefina G. Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 04-17941 Filed 8-5-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P