[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6741-6742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-02017]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Availability of Program Application Instructions for the State 
Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Base Grant for the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

    Title: State Health Insurance Assistance Program: Base Grant 
Application for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: HHS-2020-ACL-CIP-SAPG-0363.
    Statutory Authority: Section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget 
Reconciliation Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 1395b-4) and Title II of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 93.324.

DATES: The deadline date for the submission of the application is 11:59 
p.m. ET on April 3, 2023.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The SHIP mission is to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-
eligible individuals, their families, and caregivers through objective 
outreach, counseling, and training, to make informed health insurance 
decisions that optimize access to care and benefits. The purpose of the 
SHIP Base Grant is to strengthen the capability of states and 
territories to support a community-based, local network of SHIP offices 
that provide personalized counseling, education, and outreach to help 
achieve the program's mission.
    The applicant of this funding opportunity must demonstrate how the 
funds will be used to enhance the SHIP program structure through 
counselor development, training activities, outreach efforts, and 
partnership building so that the states Medicare Beneficiaries are 
served. Funds are to be used to support locally accessible counseling 
services and efforts to meet the below identified SHIP Strategic 
Program Themes and objectives.

[[Page 6742]]

    The SHIP vision is to be the known and trusted community resource 
for Medicare information. Four strategic themes provide support for 
that vision. They are: (1) Service Excellence, (2) Capacity Building, 
(3) Operational Excellence, and (4) Innovation. Within each theme are a 
series of goals and objectives that can be used to achieve the overall 
vision for the project.
    There are currently 54 active SHIP grants; one in every state, the 
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 
The funds awarded through this application are for the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands to establish and implement the SHIP 
program. The project period will run April 1, 2023 through March 31, 
2025. Eligible applicants include the State Office of Insurance, the 
State Medicaid Office, or the State Department on Aging as designated 
by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, who demonstrate 
their ability and commitment to providing SHIP services statewide.

II. Award Information

1. Funding Instrument Type

    This award will be made in the form of a cooperative agreement.

2. Anticipated Total Funding per Budget Period

    Funding will be distributed through a formula as identified in the 
statute. The amounts allocated are based upon factors defined in the 
statute and will be distributed based on the formula. ACL will fund a 
project period of up to two (2) years contingent upon the availability 
of federal funds. The applicant for the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands is eligible for $50,000 for the first budget period of 
this project.

III. Eligibility Criteria and Other Requirements

    1. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include State Units on 
Aging (SUA), State Departments of Insurance (DOI), or the State 
Medicaid Agency, as directed by the state Governor.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching is not required.
    3. Unique Entity ID: All grant applicants must obtain and keep 
current a Unique Entity ID (UEI). On April 4, 2022, the unique entity 
identifier used across the federal government changed from the DUNS 
Number to the Unique Entity ID (generated by SAM.gov). The Unique 
Entity ID is a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by 
SAM.gov. The UEI is viewable in your SAM.gov entity registration 
record.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: Executive Order 12372, 
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, is not applicable to 
these grant applications.

IV. Submission Information

1. Application Instructions

    Application Instructions are available via email. Contact Margaret 
Flowers at [email protected].

2. Submission Dates and Times

    To receive consideration, applications must be submitted by 11:59 
p.m. Eastern Time on April 3, 2023 via email to Margaret Flowers at 
[email protected].

VII. Agency Contacts

    Direct inquiries regarding programmatic issues to: Margaret 
Flowers, Phone: 202.795.7315, Email: [email protected].

    Dated: January 26, 2023.
Alison Barkoff,
Acting Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2023-02017 Filed 1-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P