[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 151 (Wednesday, August 6, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45816-45817]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18549]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources and Services Administration


Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program: Request for Single-
Case Deviation

AGENCY: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HHS.

ACTION: Notice of Exception from Competition Requirements to Extend 
Duration of Grant for Remaining Project Period.

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SUMMARY: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)'s 
Bureau of Health Workforce is issuing a single-case deviation from 
competition requirements for the Virginia Health Workforce Development 
Authority (VHWDA) Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Point of Service 
Maintenance and Enhancement (POSME) Award (Grant #U77HP26289) 
to extend the duration of the grant, through August 31, 2017.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Intended Recipient of the Award: Virginia Health Workforce 
Development Authority (VHWDA).
    Amount of Funding Requested through Remaining 3-Year Project 
Period: $2,640,543. The estimated award for fiscal year 2014 is 
approximately $800,000.

    Authority: Section 751 of the Public Health Service Act (42 
U.S.C. 294a), as amended by Section 5403 of the Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act, Public Law 111-148.

    CFDA Number: 93.107.
    Remaining Project Period: September 1, 2014, through August 31, 
2017.
    Justification: The VHWDA is uniquely qualified to carry out the 
programmatic activities as described in the approved AHEC work plan for 
Virginia.
    The mission of the VHWDA, as defined in the Code of Virginia, is 
``to facilitate the development of a statewide health professions 
pipeline that identifies, educates, recruits, and retains a diverse, 
appropriately geographically distributed and culturally competent 
quality workforce.\1\ The mission of the Authority is accomplished by: 
(i) Providing the statewide infrastructure required for health 
workforce needs assessment and planning that maintains engagement by 
health professions training programs in decision making and program 
implementation; (ii) serving as the advisory board and setting 
priorities for the Virginia Area Health Education Centers Program . . 
.'' The VHWDA's authorizing legislation also includes specific language 
allowing it to serve as a consortium of medical schools in order to 
meet the AHEC Program eligibility requirement as outlined in Section 
751(b) of the Public Health Service Act.\2\
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    \1\ VA. CODE ANN. Sec.  32.1-122.7:2 (2010).
    \2\ 42 U.S.C. 294a(b).
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    There will be no significant change in the scope or objectives of 
the originally approved project. The same geographic area and 
population will be served as stated in the original grant. This project 
timeline is consistent with all other AHEC Program awardees. A full

[[Page 45817]]

competitive application process for the remaining project period for 
only one applicant would be a waste of very limited federal resources, 
and an inefficient and cumbersome process. Additionally, competing a 
grant to serve the state of Virginia would interrupt and jeopardize the 
Virginia AHEC Program's approved work plan that has been in progress 
for almost 2 years. Disrupting this plan would affect the currently 
established partnerships with medical schools and community partners, 
which could impact the ability to place students in medically 
underserved communities, offer health careers enrichment programs, and 
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carryout ongoing data collection and reporting activities.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jamie Weng, MPH, Project Officer, AHEC 
Branch, Health Resources and Services Administration, Division of 
Public Health and Interdisciplinary Education, 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 
9C-05, Rockville, Maryland 20857, phone: (301) 443-0186, or email: 
[email protected].

    Dated: July 29, 2014.
Mary K. Wakefield,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2014-18549 Filed 8-5-14; 8:45 am]
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