[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 25493-25500] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-12301] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families Notice of Availability of Funding for Alternative Projects for the Provision of Comprehensive Refugee Resettlement Services, Including Interim Financial Assistance, Social Services and Case Management for Newly Arriving Refugees AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF, DHHS. ACTION: Request for applications for alternative projects for the provision of comprehensive refugee resettlement services, including interim financial assistance, social services and case management for newly arriving refugees. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announces that competing applications will be accepted for new grants pursuant to the Director's discretionary authority under section 412(c)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and pursuant to the Secretary's authority under section 412(e)(7) of the INA for alternative projects, as amended by section 311 of the Refugee Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-212), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); 8 U.S.C. 1522(e)(7); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note, insofar as it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and Haitian entrants the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by section 412(c) of the INA, as cited above; and the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-605). This announcement offers applicants the opportunity to implement alternative projects to test the feasibility of providing comprehensive resettlement services to newly arriving refugees \1\ under a public/ private-sector [[Page 25494]] partnership among States and national and local voluntary agencies responsible for reception and placement services to refugees. Funding is available to these projects under both the ``Wilson/Fish'' authority and ORR's discretionary social services program. \1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status'', eligibility for refugee social services also includes: (1) Cuban and Haitian entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422; (2) certain Amerasians from Vietnam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under section 584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); and certain Amerasians from Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under title II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. L. 101- 513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this notice to encompass all such eligible persons unless the specific context indicates otherwise. Refugees admitted to the U.S. under admissions numbers set aside for private-sector-initiative admissions are not eligible to be served under the social service program (or under other programs supported by Federal refugee funds) during their period of coverage under their sponsoring agency's agreement with the Department of State--usually two years from their date of arrival or until they obtain permanent resident alien status, whichever comes first. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- DATES: The closing date for submission of applications is August 6, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carmel Clay-Thompson, Director, Division of Community Resettlement, (202) 401-4557. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: All newly arrived refugees, regardless of family size, are eligible for these programs. Projects should be designed to meet their needs in a manner that promotes complementary services, coordination between assistance and services, culturally and linguistically appropriate service delivery, and emphasizes employment and the needs of the refugee family as a unit. The services should be cost-effective by promoting welfare avoidance and by enhancing refugees' prospects for early economic and social self-sufficiency. Effective projects will demonstrate (1) close linkage in the delivery of financial assistance and employment services; and (2) successful resettlement along the key indicators of labor force participation, per capita and household income, English language acquisition, car ownership, and reductions in refugee reliance on public assistance. Alternative projects are to provide interim financial assistance as needed to newly arrived refugees who might otherwise be deemed eligible for either the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Program or the Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) Program. Federal reimbursement of the costs of cash assistance are available through CMA appropriated funds for a period not to exceed the eighth month (although funds are not available for the first month of Reception and Placement) after a refugee's date of entry into the U.S. Consistent with section 412 (e)(7)(B) of the INA, refugees in projects funded under this announcement will be precluded from receiving cash assistance under the TANF program or the RCA Program. Alternative options for medical care are not available under this announcement. Participating refugees will retain eligibility for medical coverage under the Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) program or under Medicaid, Title XIX of the Social Security Act. Applicants may apply for discretionary funds in proportion to the number of refugee participants in the project, for the purpose of establishing or enhancing existing refugee-specific employment services. Funds will be awarded under a cooperative agreement. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number assigned to this announcement is 93.576. This Program Announcement consists of four parts: Part I covers information on available funds, legislative authorities, eligible applicants, definition of terms used in the Program Announcement, the purpose and scope of the program and types of projects to be considered, details on project and budget periods, cost sharing, restrictions on funds, third-party evaluation, and application content. Part II provides general instructions for preparing a full project description. Part III describes the review criteria used in the assessment of applications. Part IV describes the application procedures, the availability of forms, where and how to submit an application, instructions for completing the SF-424 and the intergovernmental review. Part I--General Information Availability of Funds Approximately $4,000,000 is available under this announcement in discretionary social service funds, to be used for refugee-specific employment and case management services, as well as the administrative costs of the projects. ORR anticipates making 4-6 individual grant awards in amounts up to $1,000,000 each for these costs. Requests for discretionary funds should be justified in proportion to the size of the population enrolled in the project. Successful applicants will also be eligible to receive reimbursement of costs for interim support and related administrative costs from ORR's CMA appropriations. The Director reserves the right to award less, or more, than the funds described, in the absence of worthy applications, or under such other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the government. In order to be considered for funding under this Announcement, applicants must submit a request which includes: (a) Reimbursement of cash assistance and related administrative costs incurred by the applicant for refugees participating in the project. This request should be substantially equivalent to the level of funds the project's participating population would otherwise receive during the designated eight-month budget period under the publicly supported program of assistance (TANF or RCA) for which they would otherwise be eligible. Thus, the TANF payment rate should be the basis for computing payments for TANF-type participants. The RCA payment rate should be the basis for computing payments for RCA-type participants. (b) A request for social services discretionary funding for enhanced, refugee-specific services for refugees who have been targeted for inclusion in this alternative project. Requests for services funding should be proportional to the size of the participating eligible population of new arrivals. Legislative Authority Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the INA authorizes the Director ``to make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public or private nonprofit agencies for projects specifically designed--(i) to assist refugees in obtaining the skills which are necessary for economic self sufficiency, including projects for job training, employment services, day care, professional refresher training, and other recertification services; (ii) to provide training in English where necessary (regardless of whether the refugees are employed or receiving cash or other assistance); and (iii) to provide where specific needs have been shown and recognized by the Director, health (including mental health) services, social services, educational and other services.'' Projects are also authorized by section 412(e)(7) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. 1522(e)(7) which states: ``The Secretary shall develop and implement alternative projects for refugees who have been in the United States less than thirty-six months, under which refugees are provided interim support, medical services, support services, and case management, as needed, in a manner that encourages self sufficiency, reduces welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among the resettlement agencies and service providers.'' Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are those agencies of State government that are responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5 as well as private, non-profit voluntary agencies under agreement [[Page 25495]] with the Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration to conduct the reception and placement program for refugees. Definition of Terms Eligible refugee participants: All newly arrived refugees in the designated State or local jurisdiction, whether they are primary or secondary migrants to that area. Refugees who for reasons of age or disability may be eligible for SSI are ineligible for participation in these projects. Income and asset disregards may be used in determining continuing eligibility for these projects. Interim Support: To provide financial assistance adequate to meet the subsistence needs of refugees otherwise eligible for RCA and/or TANF and to preclude the need to access public cash assistance during the first eight months following arrival in the U.S. Interim support includes provision of financial assistance, as necessary, for up to eight months. This assistance may be in the form of cash, an income floor, a grant diversion, financial bonuses or incentives, payment for work-related expenses, income disregards, or other ``Make Work Pay'' incentives for early employment. Financial assistance shall not begin under the grant before the 31st day after the refugee's arrival. During the second through the eighth month, the alternative program must provide interim support in amounts substantially equivalent to the State's established payment under the RCA or TANF program, as appropriate, adjusted for the size of the family unit, for a period not to exceed the eight month following U.S. arrival, or earlier, if the refugee case as a whole is receiving wages sufficient to render interim support unnecessary. Refugee-Specific Services: Services which are designed specifically to meet refugee needs, such as employment, English language training, cultural orientation, and social adjustment, and are conducted in a linguistically and culturally appropriate manner, in keeping with the objectives of the refugee program. Purpose and Scope The purpose of this announcement is to enable applicants to implement alternative projects to provide interim financial assistance, support services and case management to refugees in a manner that encourages self-sufficiency, reduces the likelihood of welfare dependency, and fosters greater coordination among the resettlement agencies and service providers. ORR's intent is to encourage applicants to serve all newly arriving refugees in their jurisdiction, regardless of family composition and regardless of the program of cash assistance (RCA or TANF) for which they would otherwise be eligible, in a refugee- specific program of interim cash assistance and services. Refugees who apply and are found eligible for SSI will not be eligible for these projects. These awards are intended to help refugees attain self-sufficiency within eight months after arrival in the U.S., without access to public cash assistance. Applicants may submit a single application which proposes funding on a State-wide basis or which proposes an alternative project for refugees arriving in one or more communities or localities. Cash assistance funding may be requested for a period not to exceed seven months (excluding the first month of Reception and Placement) following the arrival of refugees otherwise eligible for the RCA or TANF program. Applicant must ensure that the target population is afforded all safeguards specified in section 412 (e) of the INA and other applicable law including but not limited to: Application of eligibility criteria, administrative procedures, fair hearings, and appeals of adverse decisions. Applicants must also ensure that all relevant statutory conditions and prohibitions are applied to the target population. Use of Funds Applicants may request discretionary funds under this announcement to enhance their ability to provide refugee-specific employment services to this population. The discretionary funds may be used in the following ways: Job development, placement, and post-placement services, on-the-job training, legally established employer or employee incentives, post-placement services, competency-based English language training, case management and related administrative overhead. Short- term skills training may be provided with these funds only to the extent that such training is consistent with industry standards and leads directly to a specific job. To be considered, applicants must apply on behalf of all newly arriving refugees in the designated jurisdiction or service area who are otherwise eligible for the specific assistance category(ies) for which this project is an alternative. Types of Projects To Be Considered for Funding Projects are encouraged where refugees are adversely affected by changes brought about under welfare reform. Programs are also encouraged where there is an interest in restructuring the refugee program for new arrivals to produce comprehensive service delivery, coordinated among publicly and privately supported agencies, for assisting refugees in achieving economic and social self-sufficiency. Circumstances where an alternative project may be appropriate include the following examples: Where States are having difficulty maintaining RCA in new welfare systems and wish to find alternative resettlement methods. Where TANF refugees may not have access to culturally and linguistically appropriate services. Where refugees, particularly two-parent families, are in danger of dependency on public assistance. Where a transition period of additional financial resources is needed for refugee-specific services which are not funded under ORR's formula allocations. Where continuity of services from time of arrival through attainment of self-sufficiency needs to be strengthened. Applicants may establish alternative programs in various ways: some options include: The State government separates the refugee program from the public welfare system and transfers its implementation to one or more voluntary resettlement agencies, under the mechanism of a subgrant or subcontract. The State government, in partnership with national and local networks of voluntary agencies, privatizes both the operations and service delivery of refugee interim support and services. The State government transfers responsibility for the administration of the program to a national voluntary agency or consortium of several voluntary agencies. National and local voluntary resettlement agencies form a consortium to operate a comprehensive resettlement program that is an alternative to public welfare. Project and Budget Periods Under this announcement the Director solicits applications for project periods up to three years. Awards, on a competitive basis, will be for a one-year budget period; applications for continuation grants funded under these awards beyond the one-year budget period may be entertained on a non-competitive basis, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory progress of the project, and a [[Page 25496]] determination that continuation would be in the best interest of the government. Cost Sharing States are encouraged to share the costs of interim support in this program by contributing a share of funds--either Federal or State TANF assistance for TANF-eligible refugees in the project or State (non- TANF) funds which, subject to the necessary conditions, may be counted towards the State's maintenance of effort requirement--in proportion to the targeted TANF-type population in this demonstration, that would have been expended in their behalf in the absence of this alternative project. Restrictions Refugees covered under an alternative program are precluded from receiving cash assistance under TANF and/or RCA, for which this project is an alternative, during the first eight months following their arrival in the U.S. Third-Party Evaluation An independent evaluation of each project funded under this announcement will be conducted by ORR. For this purpose, successful grantees will be expected to maintain and provide access to appropriate client-specific data on date of arrival, family size, age, gender, employment, job retention, financial assistance provided, and other key indicators of successful resettlement, as well as on service delivery and program implementation. Grantees will be strongly encouraged to evaluate project effectiveness through feedback provided by participants after completing the program. Part II--General Instructions for Preparing a Project Description General Instructions Cross-referencing should be used rather than repetition. ORR is particularly interested in specific factual information and statements of measurable goals in quantitative terms. Project descriptions are evaluated on the basis of substance, not length. Extensive exhibits are not required. (Supporting information concerning activities that will not be directly funded by the grant or information that does not directly pertain to an integral part of the grant funded activity should be placed in an appendix.) Pages should be numbered and a table of contents should be included for easy reference. Applicants shall prepare the project description statement in accordance with the following instructions. A. Project Summary/Abstract Provide a summary of the project description with reference to the funding request. ORR is also interested in the following:The total number of refugees to be served when the program is fully operational. The total ORR funds requested for a 12 month period when the project is fully operational. The amount and source of any additional funding that will help support the project. The community to be served (name of county(ies) or State). The type of program option(s) proposed (for TANF-type refugees if included with RCA-type refugees) and the proposed services. The target date for beginning full services to newly arrived refugees. B. Objectives and Need for Assistance Clearly identify the physical, economic, social, financial, institutional, and/or other problem(s) requiring a solution. The need for assistance must be demonstrated and the principal and subordinate objectives of the project must be clearly stated; supporting documentation, such as letters of support and testimonials from concerned interests other than the applicant, may be included. Any relevant data based on planning studies should be included or referred to in the endnotes/footnotes. Incorporate demographic data and participant/beneficiary information, as needed. In developing the project description, the applicant may volunteer or be requested to provide information on the total range of projects currently being conducted and supported (or to be initiated), some of which may be outside the scope of the program announcement. ORR is particularly interested in the following: 1. Describe the problem in the current resettlement situation to be addressed by the alternative project with respect to: (a) Refugee welfare utilization data, by category of assistance, duration, and the reasons, if applicable, for high utilization in the refugee community; (b) barriers to, and the need for, coordination among public and private refugee agencies; (c) current employment and other program strategies and outcomes; (d) refugees' access to entry- level employment through culturally and linguistically appropriate services; (e) confusion among refugees regarding the purpose of public welfare and the employment services available within the community. 2. State the rationale for this alternative project relative to welfare reform and justify the proposed strategy intended to reduce welfare dependency, promote employment, and foster coordination among resettlement agencies and service providers. Discuss the proposed project's anticipated cost effectiveness. C. Results or Benefits Expected Identify the results and benefits to be derived. Describe proposed program outcomes, in terms of appropriate indicators, including GPRA measures currently in use in the refugee resettlement program. Include the plan for measuring progress along these indicators: e.g., welfare avoidance and/or reduction, numbers of refugees who retain employment for a designated period of time, number of single refugees and refugee families who attain self-sufficiency. Describe data collection and analyses anticipated to document project implementation and outcomes. Describe the plan and schedule for project monitoring. Successful applicants will also be required to report outcomes on ORR's standard Quarterly Performance Report. D. Approach Outline a plan of action which describes the scope and detail of how the proposed work will be accomplished. Account for all functions or activities identified in the application. Cite factors which might accelerate or decelerate the work and state your reason for taking the proposed approach rather than others. Describe any unusual features of the project such as design or technological innovations, reductions in cost or time, or extraordinary social and community involvement. Provide quantitative monthly or quarterly projections of the accomplishments to be achieved for each function or activity in such terms as the number of people to be served. ORR is particularly interested in the following: 1. Describe (a) The target population (numbers, ethnicity, and demographic characteristics) (b) anticipated refugee welfare utilization by the category of public assistance for which the targeted population may otherwise be eligible; 2. Financial assistance (e.g., eligibility criteria, payment standards, administrative procedures, etc.) Include a description of levels of support and all other incentives or cash mechanisms for providing interim support; measures to [[Page 25497]] ensure fair and equitable access to financial support, provisions for sanctions for non-cooperation and for fair hearings and appeals. 3. Discuss how refugees in this project will have eligibility for, and access to, other programs, specifically, Refugee Medical Assistance or Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Food Stamps, expanded medical coverage under OBRA, etc. 4. Describe how the alternative project will provide interim cash assistance and support services of case management and employment in a manner that is coordinated and that promotes self-sufficiency and reduces welfare dependency. a. Demonstrate how the services of the project will be coordinated among resettlement agencies and service providers, including voluntary resettlement agencies, Mutual Assistance Associations, and other public and private, non-profit agencies that provide services to refugees. Provide letters of agreement, if available. b. An integrated system of assistance and services is considered an essential characteristic of an alternative project. Describe how this integration will be effected in this project. 5. Provide a description with documentation of consultation with the State Refugee Coordinator, if applicant is a private, non-profit agency; and with appropriate national voluntary agencies, if applicant is a State government. 6. Where the application is for a State-wide project, describe how the proposed project will address any element of the current program which the new project would include, replace, interrelate with, or otherwise impact. Identify the kinds of data to be collected, maintained, and/or disseminated. Note that clearance from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget might be needed prior to a ``collection of information'' that is ``conducted or sponsored'' by ACF. List organizations, cooperating entities, consultants, or other key individuals who will work on the project along with a short description of the nature of their effort or contribution. E. Geographic Location Describe the precise location of the project and boundaries of the area to be served by the proposed project. Maps or other graphic aids may be attached. F. Additional Information 1. Staff and Position Data Provide a biographical sketch for each key person appointed and a job description for each vacant key position. A biographical sketch will also be required for new key staff as appointed. ORR is also interested in the following: Describe the organization's plan for administering and managing the project. Describe the location of the project in the structure of the agency and include position descriptions, qualifications, and names of key project staff. Describe plans and qualification for training and on-going technical assistance. 2. Third-Party Agreements Include written agreements between grantees and subgrantees or subcontractors or other cooperating entities. These agreements must detail scope of work to be performed, work schedules, remuneration, and other terms and conditions that structure or define the relationship. G. Budget and Budget Justification Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form, e.g., cash assistance, employment and other services, case management, and administrative costs by program activity. Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs. ORR is also interested in the following: Provide a client-loading chart and related budget (samples are available from ORR.) Use the costs of the current program for the most recent 12 month period, including numbers of refugees served and unit costs of services, to project your budget. Include the anticipated arrival rates of refugees into the community by probable category of public assistance for which they would otherwise be eligible. Provide a narrative to support the costs included in each category. List and describe all anticipated funding sources with projected amounts, i.e., ORR, State government, other federal program, and any other resources. Part III: Application Review Criteria A. Objectives, Need for Assistance, and Rationale for Proposing the Alternative Project 1. Identification of the problem to be addressed by the project is based on a thorough examination and description of: Refugee welfare utilization, current coordination of services in the local resettlement community; opportunity for early employment for refugees; availability of concurrent, culturally and linguistically appropriate employment and language services; adequacy of the statistics used to describe the problem. Points: (10) 2. The degree to which the rationale for proposing the demonstration project is justifiable and appropriate; probability that the project will increase refugee self-sufficiency, reduce or avoid welfare dependency among arriving refugees, and increase coordination among service providers. Probability that the project will be cost- effective. Points: (10) B. Approach/Program Strategy The proposed project design is clear, logical and theory based, reflecting the state of knowledge and experience in this field. Clarity, completeness and reasonableness of the proposed strategy as it relates to the target population and the geographic area to be covered; anticipated need for interim cash assistance; adequacy of the cash assistance policies and administration; reasonableness of policies and procedures for appeals and fair hearings; coordination of services and assistance; availability of other Federal and State programs; consultation with the State Coordinator and voluntary agencies, as appropriate. Points: (35) C. Results, Benefits Expected, and Proposed Outcomes The proposed project, if successfully implemented, is capable of achieving the stated results. Reasonableness of the outcomes proposed; feasibility of the methodology for collecting outcome data and client feedback. Points: (15) D. Organizational Capacity Adequacy of the organizational capacity and resources for project administration and management; the qualification and expertise of the project staff; and the quality of the design and adequacy of the proposed program monitoring and reporting system. Points: (15) E. Project Budget Reasonableness and adequacy of the budget in relation to the expected [[Page 25498]] activities and outcomes. Completeness of the budget and line-item budget narrative. Reasonableness of procedures used to estimate the budget request. Points: (15) Part IV: Application Submission The Director reserves the right to award more or less than the funds described above depending upon the quality of the applications, or such other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the Government. Applicants may be required to reduce the scope of selected projects to accommodate the amount of the approved grant award. Standard Form 424 with instructions for submitting an application was published in the Federal Register on December 9, 1997 (62 FR 64856). If an application represents a consortium (that is, the applicant includes other types of agencies among its membership), the single organization identified as applicant by the Authorized Representative's signature on the SF-424, Box 18.d, will be the grant recipient and will have primary administrative and fiscal responsibilities. An applicant entity must be a public or private nonprofit organization. General Application Procedures All applications which meet the stipulated deadline and other requirements will be reviewed competitively and scored by an independent review panel of experts in accordance with ACF grants policy and the criteria stated above. The results of the independent review panel scores and explanatory comments will assist the Director of ORR in considering competing applications. Reviewers' scores will weigh heavily in funding decisions but will not be the only factors considered. Applications generally will be considered in order of the average scores assigned by the reviewers. Highly ranked applications are not guaranteed funding since other factors are taken into consideration, including: Comments of reviewers and of ACF/ORR officials; previous program performance of applicants; compliance with grant terms under previous DHHS grants; audit reports; and investigative reports. Final funding decisions will be made by the Director of ORR. A. Availability of Forms Copies of the Federal Register are available on the Internet website address: www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html#cfr) and at most local libraries and Congressional District Offices for reproduction. If copies are not available at these sources, they may be obtained by sending a written or faxed request to the following office: Office of Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Washington, D.C. 20447, Fax: (202) 401-5487. B. Forms, Certifications, Assurances, and Disclosure 1. Applicants for financial assistance under this announcement must file the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance; SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; SF-424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The forms may be reproduced for use in submitting applications. An application with an original signature and two copies is required. 2. Budget and Budget Justification--Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form. Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs. The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed and justified in the budget and narrative justification. According to the instructions for completing the SF-424A and the preparation of the budget and budget justification, ``Federal resources'' refers only to the ACF/ORR grant for which you are applying. Non-Federal resources are all other Federal and non-Federal resources. It is suggested that budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: first column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. The budget justification should be a narrative. Personnel: Costs of employee salaries and wages. Identify the project director and for each staff person, provide the title, time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to the project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants or personnel costs of delegate agencies. Fringe Benefits: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated as part of an approved indirect cost rate. Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc. Travel: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel). For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF/ ORR-sponsored meetings should be detailed in the budget. Equipment: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property, having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit. For each type of equipment requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project. Supplies: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that included under the Equipment category. Specify general categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide other information which supports the amount requested. Contractual: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except for those which belong under other categories such as equipment, supplies, etc. Contracts with secondary recipient organizations, including delegate agencies (if applicable), should be included under this category. All procurement transactions shall be conducted in a manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, open and free competition. If procurement competitions were held or if procurement without competition is being proposed, attach a list of proposed contractors, indicating the names of the organizations, the purposes of the contracts, the estimated dollar amounts, and the award selection process. Justify any anticipated procurement action that is expected to be awarded without competition and to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold fixed at 41 USC 403(11). Recipients might be required to make available to ACF pre-award review and procurement documents, such as requests for proposal or invitations for bids, independent cost estimates, etc. Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the project to another agency, [[Page 25499]] the applicant must provide a detailed budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency title, along with the required supporting information referred to in these instructions. Other: Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to insurance, professional services costs, space and equipment rentals, printing and publication, computer use, training costs, such as tuition and stipends, staff development, and administrative costs. Provide computations, a narrative description and a justification for each cost under this category. Indirect Costs: This category should be used only when the applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by the Department of Health and Human Services or another cognizant Federal agency. An applicant proposing to charge indirect costs to the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that an award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal based on its most recently completed fiscal year in accordance with the principles set forth in the cognizant agency's guidelines for establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals may also request indirect costs. It should be noted that when an indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is allowed under the agreement, the authorized representative of the applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed. Program Income: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to be generated from this project. Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application which contain this information. Program income generated under a Federal grant resulting from this announcement may be added to funds committed to the project and used to further program objectives. There is no requirement to request prior approval to defer use of program income for a later period. Non-Federal Resources: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424. The firm commitment of these resources must be documented and submitted with the application in order to be given credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for each funding source. 3. Applicants must provide the following certifications. Copies of the forms and assurances are located at the end of this announcement. a. Certification regarding lobbying if your anticipated award exceeds $100,000. b. Certification regarding environmental tobacco smoke. By signing and submitting the applications, applicant provides certification that they will comply with the requirements of the Pro-Children Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-227, Part C--Environmental Tobacco Smoke) and need not mail back the certification with the application. c. Certification regarding debarment, suspension, and other Ineligibility. By signing and submitting the applications, applicant provides certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended or otherwise ineligible for this award and therefore need not mail back the certification with the application. d. Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988. C. Deadline 1. Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting this announced deadline if they are sent on or before the deadline date and received by ORR in time for the independent review. Applications should be mailed to: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for Children and Families, Division of Community Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20447, Attention: Alternative Projects. Applicants must ensure that a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark, or a legibly dated, machine produced postmark of a commercial mail service appears on the envelope/package containing the application(s). An acceptable postmark from a commercial carrier is one which includes the carrier's logo/emblem and shows the date the package was received by the commercial mail service. Private metered postmarks shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing. Applications hand-carried by applicants, applicant couriers, or by overnight/express mail couriers shall be considered as meeting an announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline date, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at the Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal holidays). (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail services do not always deliver as agreed.) ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or through other electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to ACF electronically will not be accepted regardless of date or time of submission and time of receipt. 2. Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late applicant that its application will not be considered in the current competition. 3. Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend the deadline for applicants affected by acts of God such as floods and hurricanes, or when there is widespread disruption of the mails. A determination to waive or extend deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants Management Officer. 4. Once an application has been submitted, it is considered as final and no additional materials will be accepted by ACF. D. Nonprofit Status Applicants other than public agencies must provide evidence of their nonprofit status with their applications. Either of the following is acceptable evidence: (1) A copy of the applicant organization's listing in the Internal Revenue Service's most recent list of tax- exempt organizations described in section 501 (c) (3) of the IRS Code; or (2) a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate. E. Intergovernmental Review This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100, ``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services Programs and Activities.'' As of June 15, 1997, the following jurisdictions have elected not to participate in the Executive Order process. Applicants from these jurisdictions need take no action in regard to E.O. 12372: Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, American Samoa, and Palau. All remaining jurisdictions participate in the E.O. process and have established Single Points of Contact (SPOCs). [[Page 25500]] Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them to the prospective applications and receive instructions. Applicants must submit any required material to the SPOCs as soon as possible so that ORR can obtain and review SPOC comments as part of the award process. The applicant must submit all required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the date of this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on the Standard Form 424, item 16a. Under 45 CFR 100.8 (a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards. SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine endorsements as official recommendations. Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly differentiate between mere advisory comments and those official State process recommendations which may trigger the ``accommodate or explain'' rule. When comments are submitted directly to ACF, they should be addressed to: Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Division of Community Resettlement, 6th Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. F. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) All information collections within this Program Announcement are approved under the following currently valid OMB control numbers: 424, (0348-0043); 424A (0348-0044); 424B (0348-0040); Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (0348-0046); Uniform Project Description (0970-0139), Expiration date 10/31/2000. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 150 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. G. Applicable Regulations Applicable DHHS regulations can be found in 45 CFR Part 74 or 92. H. Reporting Requirements Grantees are required to file the Financial Status Report (SF-269) semi-annually and Program Performance Reports (OMB Approval No. 0970- 0036) on a quarterly basis. Funds issued under these awards must be accounted for and reported upon separately from all other grant activities. Although ORR does not expect the proposed components/projects to include evaluation activities, it does expect grantees to maintain adequate records to track and report on project outcomes and expenditures by budget line item. The official receipt point for all reports and correspondence is the ORR Division of Community Resettlement. An original and one copy of each report shall be submitted within 30 days of the end of each reporting period directly to the Project Officer named in the award letter. The mailing address is: 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Sixth Floor, Washington, DC 20447. A final Financial and Program Report shall be due 90 days after the budget expiration date or termination of grant support. Dated: April 30, 1998. Lavinia Limon, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement. [FR Doc. 98-12301 Filed 5-7-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-01-P