[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 104 (Wednesday, May 31, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30933-30935]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-8365]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration on Aging


Availability of Funding Opportunity Announcement

    Funding Opportunity Title/Program Name: Senior Medicare Patrol 
Integration Projects.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity: Number: HHS-2006-AoA-SM-0608.
    Statutory Authority: The Older Americans Act, Public Law 106-501.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.048, Title 
IV and Title II, Discretionary Projects, and the Health Insurance 
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-191).
    Dates: The deadline date for the receipt of applications is July 
19, 2006.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    In 2004, AoA announced a new competitive grant program to support 
Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) project efforts to advance collaborative 
and innovative approaches for integration of Medicare and Medicaid 
fraud awareness and prevention activities within states and 
communities, and to support development of models for program 
integration to be shared with SMP projects throughout the country. 
Fourteen grants were awarded for a two-year period that were designed 
to support the SMP projects' efforts to integrate the SMP program into 
other areas of health care fraud awareness. Models developed by these 
integration grantees, which are focused on Medicaid fraud, home health 
care fraud, and fraud related to the new prescription drug benefits of 
the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) are being disseminated by AoA and 
the National Consumer Technical Support Center (the Center) to enable 
SMP projects to adapt these strategies to their states and target 
populations.
    Further information may be found at http://www.aoa.gov/doingbus/fundopp/fundopp.asp or http://www.grants.gov.

SMP Program Objectives

    In 2006, the Assistant Secretary for Aging approved five strategic 
objectives for the SMP Program. The objectives guide the development of 
program requirements, including grants, and the measurement of 
performance and program outcomes. The SMP program objectives include:
    1. Foster national and statewide program coverage.
    2. Improve beneficiary education and inquiry resolution for other 
areas of health care fraud.
    3. Foster national program visibility and consistency.
    4. Improve the efficiency of the SMP Program while increasing 
results for both operational and quality measures.
    5. Target training and education to isolated and hard-to-reach 
populations.
    Applications are sought from organizations with expertise and 
experience required to focus the integration of the SMP program 
message, outreach and materials to either a targeted population OR a 
targeted area of health care integrity. Criteria and requirements for 
the two application options are provided below. Applicants may apply 
under either Option I or Option II.
    Option I: Targeted Health Care Integrity. This option is provided 
to enhance program efforts in support of SMP program objective 
2, to improve beneficiary education and inquiry resolution for 
other areas of health care fraud. Applications are limited to existing 
SMP projects that were not awarded FY 2004 Integration Grant funding. 
This is to ensure that additional states are provided the opportunity 
for integration of the SMP program into other areas of health care 
fraud awareness.
    Grantees must develop models for integrating beneficiary education, 
and inquiry resolution through effective partnering with new 
organizations in order to leverage these resources to disseminate the 
fraud prevention and control message. The grantee may target either one 
or two of the following areas for integration:
     Medicaid fraud;
     Home health care fraud;

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     Durable Medical Equipment fraud; or
     Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit related fraud.
    Grantees will be required to demonstrate how the proposal will 
advance the integration of the SMP program into the fabric of the aging 
and fraud prevention networks in states and communities.
    Option II: Targeted Populations. This option is provided to enhance 
program efforts in support of SMP Program Objective 5, target 
training and education to isolated and hard-to-reach populations. The 
opportunity provided with Option II provides a new opportunity to more 
fully integrate beneficiary education and awareness of health care 
error, fraud and abuse within populations thus far generally 
underserved by the SMP program. These include minority, ethnically or 
culturally diverse, non-English speaking, tribal, isolated or rural 
populations, as well as others not traditionally reached, such as the 
homebound or long-term care residents.
    Applications are sought from public/private non-profit 
organizations with expertise in the culture, language, and demographics 
of the targeted population group. Status as a current or previous SMP 
project grantee is not required. However, applicants must demonstrate 
expertise and experience in serving or representing the target 
population group. Knowledge of the SMP program and health care 
integrity issues impacting seniors is preferred but not mandatory.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type

    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 projects. The cooperative agreement will 
describe training, technical assistance, and support that will be 
provided by AoA and the Center to the integration grantees. The 
cooperative agreement will also specify performance goals and criteria, 
as well as measures of project outcomes. The AoA project officer for 
the SMP project grant will provide technical assistance and support on 
grant management and implementation issues, including execution of the 
cooperative agreement.
    The Administration on Aging, primarily through services of the 
Center, will provide technical assistance and support to the project as 
required and appropriate for the specific integration activities of the 
grantee. The Administration on Aging will conduct at least one national 
conference and one regional meeting in alternate years for the purpose 
of providing technical assistance and training to SMP projects. 
Participation of integration grantees in these conferences is specified 
as part of the cooperative agreement.
    The SMP integration grantee and the Administration on Aging will 
work cooperatively to determine the performance goals and priority 
activities required by the project to achieve these goals, and develop 
the work plan for each year 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 plan will 
also specify actions to integrate the specific targeted population or 
special area of health care fraud, as appropriate. The work plan will 
also include staff assignments, work locations, and other areas that 
require Administration on Aging consultation, review, and/or prior 
approval. Either the Administration on Aging or the project can propose 
a revision of the final work plan at any time. The Administration on 
Aging (AoA) will define project performance criteria and expectations, 
and will monitor, evaluate and support the project's efforts in 
achieving performance goals. AoA will provide mentoring, on-line 
training, and other technical support through the Center. Grantees are 
encouraged to contact the Center to receive information on the SMP 
program and specialized areas related to the integration project. The 
Administration on Aging will evaluate grantee performance, and provide 
support and technical assistance, in coordination with the Center, to 
assist projects in achieving performance goals.
    The Administration on Aging 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 Administration 
on Aging will also share information with the project about other SMP 
projects, including statewide project grants, other integration grants, 
and other federally sponsored projects and activities relevant to the 
interests of SMP projects.
Anticipated Total Priority Area Funding per Budget Period
    Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement.
    Anticipated Total Funding: $1.17 Million.
    Individual Award Ceiling: $100,000.
    Anticipated Number of Awards: Up to 14.
    Length of Project Period: Up to two years.

III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements

1. Eligible Applicants

    Option I is limited to existing SMP projects from states not 
previously awarded integration grants. Integration Grants were 
previously awarded in: Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, 
California, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Texas, and 
Wisconsin.
    Option II is open to public and private organizations organized 
under IRS section 501(C)(3) with expertise and experience serving or 
representing the target population. Status as a current or former SMP 
grantee is not required. Faith-based organizations and federally 
financed tribes are encouraged to apply.
    Existing SMP projects that submit Option I applications may not 
apply under Option II.
    In order to ensure the program reaches Medicare/Medicaid 
beneficiaries in the maximum number of states, given available funding, 
only one project from each state or territory will be funded.
    It is strongly recommended that statewide collaborative efforts be 
forged with organizations with experience working with or representing 
the targeted population.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Under this Older Americans Act (OAA) program, AoA will fund no more 
than 75% of the project's total cost, which means the applicant must 
cover at least 25% of the project's total cost with non-Federal 
resources. In other words, for every three (3) dollars received in 
Federal funding, the applicant must contribute at least one (1) dollar 
in non-Federal resources toward the project's total cost (i.e., the 
amount on line 18 in Attachment A). You can use this formula to 
calculate your minimum required match. A common error applicants make 
is to match 25% of the federal share, rather than 25% of the project's 
total cost. Match is not one of the responsiveness criteria as noted in 
Section III, 3 Application Screening Criteria.

3. DUNS Number

    The Office of Management and Budget requires applicants to provide 
a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal

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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 19, 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 5:30 PM Eastern Time July 19, 2006.
    Please note AoA is requiring applications for this announcement to 
be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov. The Grants.gov 
registration process can take several days. If your organization is not 
currently registered with www.grants.gov, please begin this process 
immediately. For assistance with www.grants.gov, please contact Arthur 
Miller at AoA's Grants.gov helpdesk at (202)357-3438. At 
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 website.
    Applicants unable to submit their application via 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-SM-0608), 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-SM-0608).
    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).

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: Barbara Lewis, Telephone: (202) 357-3532, 
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. E6-8365 Filed 5-30-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P