[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30935-30937]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8364]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration on Aging


Availability of Funding Opportunity Announcement

    Funding Opportunity Title/Program Name: Model Approaches to 
Statewide Legal Assistance Systems.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2006-AoA-SL-0609.
    Statutory Authority: Title IV of the Older Americans Act, Public 
Law 106-501.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.048.
    Dates: The deadline date for the receipt of applications is July 
24, 2006.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    This announcement seeks proposals from eligible states (as defined 
in Section III below) to develop model systems for incorporating low-
cost legal assistance mechanisms into the statewide legal services 
development and delivery program. A detailed description of the funding 
opportunity, including the program objectives and application 
materials, may be obtained at http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/fundopp.asp or http://www.grants.gov.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type

    Cooperative Agreement. The award is a cooperative agreement because 
the Administration on Aging (AoA) will be substantially involved in the 
development and execution of the activities of the projects. The 
cooperative agreement will describe the technical assistance and 
support to be provided by the AoA project officer. The cooperative 
agreement will also specify project performance criteria and measures 
relative to the 2006 AoA Legal Assistance Program goal and objectives. 
The AoA project officer for these new cooperative agreements will 
provide technical assistance and support on grant management and 
implementation issues, including execution of the cooperative 
agreement.
    The grantees and the AoA will work cooperatively to determine the 
priority activities to be completed by the project and develop the work 
plan for each year

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of the project. Within 45 days of the award and 45 days of each 
continuation award, the grantee will agree upon and adhere to a work 
plan that details expectations for major activities, products, and 
reports during the current budget period. The work plan will include a 
timetable for project and activity implementation, staff assignments, 
and other areas that require AoA consultation, review, and/or prior 
approval. Either the AoA or the project can propose a revision of the 
final work plan at any time.
    The AoA will define project performance criteria and expectations, 
and will monitor, evaluate, and support the projects' efforts in 
achieving performance goals through mentoring, listserv communications, 
and other technical support. The AoA will assist the project leadership 
in understanding the strategic goals and objectives, policy 
perspectives, and priorities of the Assistant Secretary for Aging and 
the Department of Health and Human Services by sharing such information 
via e-mail, conference calls, briefings and other consultations. The 
AoA will also share information with the project about other federally 
sponsored projects and activities relevant to the interests of the AoA 
Legal Assistance Program.

2. Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding per Budget Period

    The AoA intends to make available, under this program announcement, 
grant awards for up to four (4) cooperative agreements at a federal 
share of approximately $100,000 per year for a project period of up to 
three (3) years, contingent upon the availability of Federal funds. 
Grantees are required to cover 25% of the total cost of the project 
from non-Federal cash or in-kind assistance.

III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements

1. Eligible Applicants

    Awards will be made to the agency within each eligible state that 
currently houses (or proposes to house) the Legal Services Developer. 
This agency must partner with an entity experienced in providing legal 
services to older persons within that state through a low-cost service 
delivery mechanism, such as the senior legal helpline model, funded by 
AoA under the Title IV Legal Assistance Grants Program.
    Eligible states include all those not currently receiving AoA Title 
IV Legal Assistance Grants initially awarded in 2005 (Connecticut, 
Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont). This 
is in keeping with AoA's goal of maximizing the number of states 
utilizing low-cost legal assistance mechanisms as part of their 
statewide legal services development and delivery program.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    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.

3. DUNS Number

    The Office of Management and Budget requires applicants to provide 
a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) 
number when applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements on or 
after October 1, 2003. It is entered on the SF 424. It is a unique, 
nine-digit identification number, which provides unique identifiers of 
single business entities. The DUNS number is free and easy to obtain.
    Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the 
dedicated toll-free DUNS Number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or by 
using this link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/duns_num_guide.pdf.

4. Intergovernmental Review

    Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, is not applicable to these grant applications.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    All applicants are required to submit electronically through http://www.grants.gov by midnight July 24, 2006.
    Exceptions to this requirement may only be made by the AoA grants 
management officer, Stephen Daniels on (202) 357-3464. Exceptions may 
only be made to allow for catastrophic events such as tornadoes, 
floods, etc. Applicants are responsible for mailing or hand delivering 
applications to AoA in sufficient time to be received by 5 p.m. Eastern 
Time July 24, 2006. Please note AoA is requiring applications for this 
announcement to be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process can take several 
days. If your organization is not currently registered with http://www.grants.gov, please begin this process immediately. For assistance 
with http://www.grants.gov, please contact Arthur Miller at AoA's 
Grants.gov helpdesk at (202) 357-3438. At http://www.grants.gov, you 
will be able to download a copy of the application packet, complete it 
off-line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov 
Web site.
    Applicants unable to submit their application via http://www.grants.gov may request permission to submit a hard copy from AoA 
Grants Management Officer, Stephen Daniels, (202) 357-3464, 
[email protected].

1. Address for Application Submission

    Hard copy submissions for which approval has been requested and 
received (per section IV(6) of the announcement), may be mailed to the 
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging, 
Office of Grants Management, Washington, DC 20201, attn: Stephen 
Daniels (HHS-2006-AoA-SL-0609), or hand-delivered (in person, via 
messenger) 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: Stephen Daniels 
(HHS-2006-AoA-SL-0609).
    Applications not submitted electronically must include one original 
and two copies of the application. Please include a stamped self 
addressed postcard for acknowledgement of receipt. Instructions for 
electronic mailing of grant applications are available at http://www.grants.gov/.

2. Submission Dates and Times

    To receive consideration, applications must be received by the 
deadline listed in the DATES section of this Notice.

V. Responsiveness Criteria

    Each application submitted will be screened to determine whether it 
was received by the closing date and time. Applications received by the 
closing date and time will be screened for completeness and conformity 
with the requirements outlined in Sections III and IV of this Notice 
and the Program Announcement. Only complete applications that meet 
these requirements will be reviewed and evaluated competitively.

VI. Application Review Information

    Eligible applications in response to this announcement will be 
reviewed according to the following evaluation 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).

[[Page 30937]]

VII. Agency Contacts

    Direct inquiries regarding programmatic and grant issues to:
    Project Officer: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration on Aging, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: Valerie Soroka. 
Telephone: (202) 357-3531, e-mail: [email protected].
    Grants Management Specialist: U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, Administration on Aging, Washington, DC 20201, Attn: Stephen 
Daniels. Telephone: (202) 357-3464, e-mail: 
[email protected].

    Dated: May 24, 2006.
Josefina G. Carbonell,
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
 [FR Doc. E6-8364 Filed 5-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P