Super Notice of Funding Availability for National Competition Programs (National SuperNOFA)

SUMMARY: This National SuperNOFA announces the availability of

approximately $5,050,000 in HUD program funds covering three (3)

National Competition Programs operated and managed by the following HUD

Offices: Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO), Housing, and Lead

Hazard Control. The General Section of this National SuperNOFA contains

the procedures and requirements applicable to all 3 programs. The

Programs Section of this National SuperNOFA contains a description of

the specific programs for which funding is made available under this

National SuperNOFA and additional procedures and requirements that are

applicable to each.

APPLICATION DUE DATES: The information contained in this ``APPLICATION

DUE DATES'' section applies to all programs contained in this National

SuperNOFA. Completed applications must be submitted to HUD no later

than July 7, 1998. Applications may not be sent by facsimile (FAX). The

Program Chart also lists the application due dates.

ADDRESSES AND APPLICATION SUBMISSION PROCEDURES: Addresses. Completed

applications must be submitted to the location specified in the

Programs Section of this SuperNOFA. When submitting your application,

please refer to the program name for which you are seeking funding.

Applications to HUD Headquarters. All applications under this

National SuperNOFA are to be submitted to HUD Headquarters at:

Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW.,

Room ________ (See Program Chart or Programs Section for room

location), Washington DC 20410. Please follow the requirements of the

Programs Section to ensure that you submit your application to the

proper location. HUD requests additional copies in order to

expeditiously review your application and appreciates your assistance

in providing the copies. Please note that timeliness of submission will

be based on the time the application is received at HUD Headquarters.

Applications Procedures--Mailed Applications. Applications will be

considered timely filed if postmarked on or before 12:00 midnight on

the application due date and received by the designated HUD Office on

or within ten (10) days of the application due date.

Applications Sent by Overnight/Express Mail Delivery. Applications

sent by overnight delivery or express mail will be considered timely

filed if received before or on the application due date, or upon

submission of documentary evidence that they were placed in transit

with the overnight delivery service by no later than the specified

application due date.

Hand Carried Applications. For applications submitted to HUD

Headquarters, hand carried applications delivered before and on the

application due date must be brought to the specified location and room

number between the hours of 8:45 am to 5:15 pm, Eastern time.

Applications hand carried on the application due date will be accepted

in the South Lobby of the HUD Headquarters Building at the above

address from 5:15 pm until 12:00 midnight, local time.

FOR APPLICATION KITS, FURTHER INFORMATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE: The

information contained in this section is applicable to all programs

contained in this National SuperNOFA.

For Application Kits and SuperNOFA User Guide. HUD is pleased to

provide you with application kits and/or a guidebook to all HUD

programs. When requesting an application kit, please refer to the

program name of the application kit you are interested in receiving.

Please be sure to provide your name, address (including zip code), and

telephone number (including area code).

Requests for application kits should be made immediately to ensure

sufficient time for application preparation. We will distribute

application kits as soon as they become available.

The SuperNOFA Information Center (1-800-HUD-8929) can provide you

with assistance, application kits, and guidance in determining which

HUD Office(s) should receive a copy of your application.

Consolidated Application Submissions. Where an applicant can apply

for funding under more than one program in this National SuperNOFA, the

applicant need only submit one originally signed SF-424 and one set of

original signatures for the other required assurances and

certifications, accompanied by the matrix contained in each application

kit. As long as the applicant submits one originally signed set of

these documents with an application, only copies of these documents may

be submitted with any additional application submitted by the

applicant.

For Further Information. For answers to your questions about this

National SuperNOFA, you have several options. You may call the HUD

Office or Processing Center serving your area at the telephone number

listed in your program area section to this National SuperNOFA, or you

may contact the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons

with hearing or speech impairment may call the Center's TTY number at

1-800-HUD-2209. Information on this National SuperNOFA also may be

obtained through the HUD web site on the Internet at http://

www.hud.gov.

For Technical Assistance. Before the application due date, HUD

staff will be available to provide general guidance and technical

assistance about this National SuperNOFA. Current law does not permit

HUD staff to assist in preparing the application. Following selection

of applicants, but prior to award, HUD staff will be available to

assist in clarifying or confirming information that is a prerequisite

to the offer of an award or Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) by HUD.

Introduction to the SuperNOFA Process

To further HUD's objective, under the direction of Secretary Andrew

Cuomo, of improving customer service and providing the necessary tools

for revitalizing communities and improving the lives of people within

those communities, HUD will publish three SuperNOFAs, in addition to

this National SuperNOFA, in 1998, which coordinate program funding for

nearly 40 programs and cut across traditional program lines.

(1) The first is the SuperNOFA and consolidated application process

for Housing and Community Development Programs, published in the March

31, 1998, Federal Register, at 63 FR 15490, covering 19 Housing and

Community Development Programs.

(2) The second is the SuperNOFA and consolidated application

process for Economic Development and Empowerment Programs. This second

SuperNOFA includes funding for the following programs and initiatives:

Brownfields; Youthbuild; Economic Development Initiative; Neighborhood

Initiatives; Tenant Opportunity Program; Economic Development and

Supportive Services; Mark to Market Outreach and Training, and Mark to

Market Technical Assistance Intermediaries Grant Administration.

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This second SuperNOFA is published elsewhere in today's Federal

Register.

(3) The third is the SuperNOFA and consolidated application process

for Targeted Housing and Homeless Assistance Programs. This third

SuperNOFA includes the following programs and initiatives: Housing

Opportunities for Persons with Aids; Continuum of Care Assistance;

Section 202 Elderly Housing; Section 811 Disabled Housing; Service

Coordinators; and Elderly Housing Revitalization. This third SuperNOFA

is published elsewhere in today's Federal Register.

All of these SuperNOFAs and consolidated applications, to the

greatest extent possible, given statutory, regulatory and program

policy distinctions, will have one set of rules that, together, offer a

``menu'' of approximately 39 programs. From this menu, communities will

be made aware of funding available for their jurisdictions. Nonprofits,

public housing agencies, local and State governments, tribal

governments and tribally designated housing entities, veterans service

organizations, faith-based organizations and others will be able to

identify the programs for which they are eligible for funding. HUD is

anticipating publishing all three SuperNOFAs before May 1, 1998.

The National Competition SuperNOFA

In addition to the three SuperNOFAs, HUD is publishing this single

NOFA for three national competitions: the Fair Housing Initiatives

Program (FHIP) National Focus Education and Outreach Competition; the

National Housing Counseling Training Program; and the National Lead

Hazard Awareness Campaign.

The Housing and Community Development SuperNOFA

The first SuperNOFA announced the availability of approximately

$1,247,906,870 in HUD program funds covering nineteen (19) Housing and

Community Development Programs operated and managed by the following

HUD Offices: Community Planning and Development (CPD), Public and

Indian Housing (PIH), Housing, Policy Development and Research (PD&R),

Office of Lead Hazard Control, and Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity

(FHEO).

Assisting Communities to Make Better Use of Available Resources.

The SuperNOFA approach represents a marked departure from, and HUD

believes a significant improvement over, HUD's past approach to the

funding process. In the past, HUD has issued as many as 40 separate

NOFAs, all with widely varying rules and application processing

requirements. This individual program approach to funding, with NOFAs

published at various times throughout the fiscal year, did not

encourage and, at times, unintentionally impeded local efforts directed

at comprehensive planning and development of comprehensive local

solutions. Additionally, the old approach seemed to require communities

to respond to HUD's needs rather than HUD responding to local needs.

Secretary Cuomo brings to the leadership of HUD the experience of

successfully implementing a consolidated planning process in HUD's

community development programs. As Assistant Secretary for Community

Planning and Development, Secretary Cuomo consolidated the planning,

application, and reporting requirements of several community

development programs. The Consolidated Plan rule, published in 1995,

established a renewed partnership among HUD, State, and local

governments, public and private agencies, tribal governments, and the

general citizenry by empowering field staff to work with other entities

in fashioning creative solutions to community problems.

The SuperNOFA approach builds upon Consolidated Planning

implemented by Secretary Cuomo in HUD's community development programs,

and also reflects the Secretary's organizational changes for HUD, as

described in the Secretary's management reform plan. On June 26, 1997,

Secretary Cuomo released the HUD 2020 Management Reform Plan, which

provides for significant management reforms at HUD. This plan calls for

significant consolidation of like programs to maximize efficiency and

dramatically improve customer service. The plan also calls for HUD to

improve customer service by adopting a principle of ``menus not

mandates.''

By announcing the funding of groups of related programs in one

NOFA, HUD hopes to assist communities in making better use of available

resources to address their needs and the needs of those living within

the communities in a holistic and effective fashion. These funds are

available for eligible applicants to support individual program

objectives, as well as cross-cutting and coordinated approaches to

improving the overall effective use of available HUD program funds.

To date, HUD has been consolidating and simplifying the submission

requirements of many of its formula grant and discretionary grant

programs to offer local communities a better opportunity to shape

available resources into effective and coordinated neighborhood housing

and community development strategies that will help revitalize and

strengthen their communities, physically, socially and economically. To

complement this overall consolidation and simplification effort, HUD

designed this process to increase the ability of applicants to consider

and apply for funding under a wide variety of HUD programs in response

to a single NOFA. Everyone interested in HUD's assistance programs can

benefit from having this information made available in one NOFA.

Coordination, Flexibility, and Simplicity in the HUD Funding Process

This National SuperNOFA coordinates the application process for

those program activities which successful grantees will be required to

implement on a nationwide, rather than a local or regional, basis. This

nationwide scope is the unique characteristic which distinguishes the

three programs included in this National SuperNOFA. The programs which

make funding available under the other three FY 1998 SuperNOFAs focus

on meeting local housing and community development needs. For those

programs, the SuperNOFAs encourage greater coordination by, and provide

flexibility to, eligible applicants to determine what HUD program

resources best fit a community's needs, as identified in local

Consolidated Plans and Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

(``Analysis of Impediments'' (AI)).

This National SuperNOFA seeks to implement the same improvements

for nationwide activity grant competitions as the other SuperNOFAs do

for local activity grants: a simplification of the application process;

the promotion of effective and coordinated use of program funds; a

reduction of duplication in the delivery of services and housing and

community development programs; permitting interested applicants to

seek to deliver a wider, more integrated array of services; and an

improvement in the system for potential grantees to be aware of, and

compete for program funds.

HUD encourages eligible applicants to apply for multiple HUD

programs and work together to coordinate and, to the maximum extent

possible, join their activities to form a seamless and comprehensive

program of assistance to meet the nationwide needs addressed by this

National SuperNOFA.

The specific statutory and regulatory requirements of each of the

three separate programs continue to apply to

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each program. The National SuperNOFA reflects, where necessary, the

statutory requirements and differences applicable to the specific

programs. Please pay careful attention to the individual program

requirements that are identified for each program. Also, you will note

that not all applicants are eligible to receive assistance under all

three programs identified in this SuperNOFA.

The National SuperNOFA contains two major sections. The General

Section contains the procedures and requirements applicable to all

applications. The Programs Section describes each program for which

funding is made available in the National SuperNOFA. As in the past,

each program provides a description of eligible applicants, eligible

activities, and any additional requirements or limitations that apply

to the program. An additional feature of this National SuperNOFA is

that it consolidates both the factors for award and application

submission requirements into common elements that apply to all three

national programs. The presentation of a single set of uniform rating

factors and submission requirements further advances the coordination

and simplification of the NOFA process, and demonstrates the

interconnections that can be realized even with programs as diverse as

the three covered under this National SuperNOFA.

Please read carefully both the General Section and the Programs

Section of the SuperNOFA for the program(s) to which you are applying.

This will ensure that you apply for program funding for which your

organization is eligible to receive funds and you fulfill all the

requirements for that program(s).

The Programs of this National SuperNOFA and the Amount of Funds

Allocated

The three programs for which funding availability is announced in

this National SuperNOFA are identified in the following chart. The

approximate available funds for each program are listed as expected

funding levels based on appropriated funds. Should recaptured or other

funds become available for any program, HUD reserves the right to

increase the available program funding amounts by the amount available.

The chart also includes the application due date for each program,

the OMB approval number for the information collection requirements

contained in the specific program, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance (CFDA) number.

BILLING CODE 4210-32-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30AP98.014

BILLING CODE 4210-32-C

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Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

For those programs listed in the chart which have OMB approval

numbers, the information collection requirements contained in this

National SuperNOFA for those programs have been approved by the Office

of Management and Budget (OMB) in accordance with the Paperwork

Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520). For those programs listed

in the chart for which an OMB approval number is pending, the approval

number when received will be announced by HUD in the Federal Register.

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to

respond to, a collection of information unless the collection displays

a valid control number.

General Section of the National SuperNOFA

I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; Eligible Applicants and

Eligible Activities

(A) Authorities

The authority for Fiscal Year 1998 funding availability under this

National SuperNOFA is the Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing

and Urban Development and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998

(Pub.L. 105-65, approved October 27, 1997) (FY 1998 HUD Appropriations

Act). Where applicable, additional authority for each program in this

National SuperNOFA is identified in the Programs Section.

(B) Purpose

The purpose of this National SuperNOFA is to:

(1) Make funding available through a variety of programs to

implement information, outreach and education activities on a

nationwide scale that will empower communities and their residents,

particularly the poor and disadvantaged, to develop viable communities,

provide decent housing and a suitable living environment for all

citizens, without discrimination in order to improve themselves both as

individuals and as a community.

(2) Simplify and streamline the application process for funding

under HUD programs. By making available to eligible applicants the

application requirements for HUD programs with nationwide coverage in

one NOFA, HUD hopes that the result will be a less time consuming and

less complicated application process. This new process also allows an

applicant to submit one application for funds for several programs.

Except where statutory or regulatory requirements or program policy

mandate differences, the National SuperNOFA strives to provide for one

set of rules, standardized rating factors, and uniform and consolidated

application procedures.

(3) Enhance the ability of applicants to make more effective and

efficient use of HUD national funding to implement coordinated

information, outreach and education activities on a nationwide scale.

Through this National SuperNOFA process, applicants are encouraged to

promote methods for developing more coordinated and effective

approaches to dealing with national problems by recognizing the

interconnections among the underlying problems and ways to address them

through layering of available HUD programs;

(4) Promote the ability of eligible applicants to participate in

the programs contained in this National SuperNOFA; provide an increased

opportunity to assist the effort to develop and implement consistent,

national programs which promote fair housing practices and open housing

opportunities; and provide technical assistance and services to improve

program results and increase the productivity of HUD programs in

meeting community needs; and

(5) Recognize and make better use of the expertise that each of the

programs, and organizations eligible for funding under this National

SuperNOFA, can contribute when developing and implementing nationwide

information, outreach and education activities.

(C) Amounts Allocated

The amounts allocated to specific programs in this National

SuperNOFA are based on appropriated funds. Should recaptured funds

become available in any program, HUD reserves the right to increase the

available funding amounts by the amount of funds recaptured.

(D) Eligible Applicants and Eligible Activities

The eligible applicants and eligible activities for each program

are identified and described for the program in the Programs Section of

the National SuperNOFA.

II. Requirements and Procedures Applicable to All Programs

Except as may be modified in the Programs Section of this Super

NOFA, or as noted within the specific provisions of this Section II,

the following principles apply to all programs. Please be sure to read

the program area section of the National SuperNOFA for additional

requirements or information.

(A) Statutory Requirements

All applicants must meet and comply with all statutory and

regulatory requirements applicable to the program for which they are

seeking funding in order to be awarded funds. Copies of the regulations

are available from the SuperNOFA Information Center or through the

Internet at http://www.HUD.gov. HUD may reject an application from

further funding consideration if the activities or projects proposed

are ineligible, or HUD may eliminate the ineligible activities from

funding consideration and reduce the grant amount accordingly.

(B) Threshold Requirements--Compliance with Fair Housing and Civil

Rights Laws

All applicants must comply with all applicable Fair Housing and

civil rights laws, statutes, regulations and executive orders as

enumerated in 24 CFR Sec. 5.105(a). If an applicant (1) has been

charged with a violation of the Fair Housing Act by the Secretary; (2)

is the defendant in a Fair Housing Act lawsuit filed by the Department

of Justice; or (3) has received a letter of noncompliance findings

under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act, or Section 109 of the Housing and Community

Development Act, the applicant is not eligible to apply for funding

under this National SuperNOFA until the applicant resolves such charge,

lawsuit, or letter of findings to the satisfaction of the Department.

(C) Additional Nondiscrimination Requirements

Applicants must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act,

and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.

(D) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing

Where applicable, each successful applicant will have a duty to

affirmatively further fair housing. Applicants should include in their

work plans the specific steps that they will take to (1) address the

elimination of impediments to fair housing; (2) remedy discrimination

in housing; or (3) promote fair housing rights and fair housing choice.

Further, applicants have a duty to carry out the specific activities

cited in their responses to the rating factors that address

affirmatively furthering fair housing in this National SuperNOFA.

(E) Forms, Certifications and Assurances

Each applicant is required to submit signed copies of the standard

forms,

[[Page 23963]]

certifications, and assurances, listed in this section, unless the

program requirements in the Programs Section specifies otherwise.

(1) Standard Form for Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424);

(2) Standard Form for Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs

(SF-424A) or Standard Form for Budget Information-Construction Programs

(SF-424C), as applicable;

(3) Standard Form for Assurances--Non-Construction Programs (SF-

424B) or Standard Form for Assurances--Construction Programs (SF-424D),

as applicable;

(4) Drug-Free Workplace Certification (HUD-50070);

(5) Certification and Disclosure Form Regarding Lobbying (SF-LLL);

(Tribes and tribally designated housing entities (THDEs) established by

an Indian tribe as a result of the exercise of the tribe's sovereign

power are not required to submit this certification. Tribes and TDHEs

established under State law are required to submit this certification.)

(6) Applicant/Recipient Disclosure Update Report (HUD-2880);

(7) Certification that the applicant will comply with the

requirements of the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

of 1964, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age

Discrimination Act of 1975, and will affirmatively further fair

housing.

(8) Certification required by 24 CFR 24.510. (The provisions of 24

CFR part 24 apply to the employment, engagement of services, awarding

of contracts, subgrants, or funding of any recipients, or contractors

or subcontractors, during any period of debarment, suspension, or

placement in ineligibility status, and a certification is required.)

(F) OMB Circulars

The policies, guidances, and requirements of OMB Circular No. A-87

(Cost Principles Applicable to Grants, Contracts and Other Agreements

with State and Local Governments) and 24 CFR part 84 (Grants and

Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other

Non-Profit Organizations) and 24 CFR part 85 (Administrative

Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State, Local, and

Federally recognized Indian tribal governments) apply to the award,

acceptance and use of assistance under the programs of this SuperNOFA,

and to the remedies for noncompliance, except when inconsistent with

the provisions of the FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act, other Federal

statutes or the provisions of this SuperNOFA. Compliance with

additional OMB Circulars may be specified for a particular program in

the Programs Section of the SuperNOFA. Copies of the OMB Circulars may

be obtained from EOP Publications, Room 2200, New Executive Office

Building, Washington, DC 10503, telephone (202) 395-7332 (this is not a

toll free number).

(H) Prohibition Against Multiple Billing

A recipient may not bill two or more awards for the same work,

materials, or any other expenses.

III. Application Selection Process

(A) General

To review and rate applications, HUD may establish panels including

persons not currently employed by HUD to obtain certain expertise and

outside points of view, including views from other Federal agencies.

(1) Rating. All applications for funding in each program listed in

this National SuperNOFA will be evaluated and rated against the

criteria in this National SuperNOFA. The rating of the ``applicant'' or

the ``applicant's organization and staff'' for technical merit or

threshold compliance, unless otherwise specified, will include any sub-

contractors, consultants, sub-recipients, and members of consortia

which are firmly committed to the project.

(2) Ranking. Applicants will be ranked within each program.

Applicants will be ranked only against others that applied for the same

program funding and where there are set-asides within the competition,

the applicant would only compete against applicants in the same set-

aside competition.

(B) Threshold Requirements

HUD will review each application to determine whether the

application meets all of the threshold criteria described for program

funding made available under this National SuperNOFA. Applications that

meet all of the threshold criteria will be eligible to be rated and

ranked, based on the criteria described, and the total number of points

to be awarded.

(C) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications

(1) For all of the programs for which funding is available under

this National SuperNOFA, the points awarded for the factors total 100.

(2) The Five Standard Rating Factors. In accord with the other

three SuperNOFAS for this year, this National SuperNOFA uses Five

Standard Rating Factors. One of these factors in the other SuperNOFAs,

Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem, has been modified to

reflect the national scope of the programs under this National

SuperNOFA. The Need in the other SuperNOFA programs must be identified

by applicants at the local level at which they propose to undertake

activities. In this National SuperNOFA, the need for the eligible

activities has been determined by HUD to exist at the national level.

Therefore, applicants will be expected to address this factor by

describing the basis or rationale they used to determine why the

proposed work activities will best address the needs that HUD has

identified.

The factors for rating and ranking applicants and the maximum

points for each factor are listed in this Section III(C)(2) as follows:

Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant Organizational

Experience (30 Points)

This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant has the

organizational resources necessary to successfully implement the

proposed activities in a timely manner, and the applicant's ability to

develop and implement large information campaigns, community tension

projects, or training programs, as appropriate, on a national scale.

The rating of the ``applicant'' or the ``applicant's organization and

staff'' for technical merit or threshold compliance, unless otherwise

specified, will include any sub-contractors, consultants, sub-

recipients, and members of consortia that are firmly committed to the

project. In rating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to which

the application demonstrates:

(1) General Description of Applicant Organization and Relevant

Experience.

(a) The eligibility and qualifications of the applicant

organization; the type of organization (e.g., public, private, non-

profit, for profit); and the organization's general areas of activity

or line of business.

(b) If the applicant has managed large, complex, interdisciplinary

projects, the applicant must include information on them in its

response.

(c) Awards and major accomplishments of the applicant organization

must be described. HUD will also consider any documented evidence, such

as performance reviews, newspaper articles, or monitoring findings,

that may reflect positively or negatively upon the ability of the

applicant and its proposed staff to perform the work.

(d) The applicant's capability in handling financial resources with

adequate financial control procedures and accounting procedures. In

addition,

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HUD will consider findings identified in applicants' most recent

audits; internal consistency in the application of numeric quantities;

accuracy of mathematical calculations; and other available information

on financial management capability.

(2) Specific Description of Staff for Proposed Activities. The

applicant has sufficient personnel or will be able to quickly access

qualified experts or professionals to deliver the proposed activities

in a timely and effective fashion, including the readiness and ability

of the applicant to immediately begin the proposed work program; the

knowledge and experience of the overall proposed project director and

staff, including the day-to-day program manager, consultants and

contractors in planning and managing programs for which funding is

being requested. To demonstrate that the applicant has sufficient

personnel, the applicant must submit the proposed number of staff hours

for the employees and experts to be allocated to the project, the

titles and relevant professional background and experience of each

employee and expert proposed to be assigned to the project, and the

roles to be performed by each identified employee and expert.

Experience will be judged in terms of at least two years' worth of

recent and relevant experience to undertake eligible program activities

or projects similar in scope or nature and directly relevant to the

work activities proposed.

(3) Specific Description of Experience Relevant to the Proposed

Activities. Applicants must describe their ability to effectively

develop, implement, and manage a media campaign, tension reduction

project for communities, or training program, as appropriate, on a

national scale. Applicants for FHIP program funding must specifically

describe their experience in formulating or crrying out programs to

prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices. Applicants must

discuss their knowledge of implementing coordinated national training

programs, reducing community tensions, or marketing national awareness

campaigns, especially in the areas of fair housing, discrimination,

public health, and housing. In responding to this subfactor, the

applicant must describe the extent to which its past activities have

resulted in successful national media campaigns, training programs, or

reduction of tensions in communities, as appropriate, especially with

respect to developing and implementing innovative strategies resulting

in positive public response.

Rating Factor 2: Need/Approach to the Problem (10 Points)

This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant documents

the national need that its proposed activities and methods are intended

to address, and how its proposal offers the most effective approach for

dealing with that national need. In responding to this factor, an

applicant will be evaluated on the following:

(1) The extent to which the applicant describes and documents the

national need the application intends to address, which demonstrates a

grasp of the elements of the problem and its pervasiveness at the

national level. The applicant's description of the national need will

be used to evaluate the depth of the applicant's understanding of the

problem as an indication of ability to address the problem; and

(2) The extent to which the applicant provides a rationale for how

its proposed activities and methods most effectively deal with the

national need described by the applicant in response to subfactor (1),

immediately above. To the extent possible, applicants should

demonstrate effectiveness in terms of scope and cost.

Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach (40 Points)

This factor addresses the quality and cost-effectiveness of the

applicant's proposed work plan. In evaluating this factor, HUD will

consider the extent to which:

(1) Work Plan. Applications include work plans that:

(a) Clearly describe the specific tasks and subtasks to be

performed, the sequence in which the tasks are to be performed, noting

areas of work which must be performed simultaneously, estimated

completion dates, and the work and program deliverables to be completed

within the grant period, including specific numbers of quantifiable end

products and program improvements the applicant aims to deliver by the

end of the award agreement period as a result of the work performed;

(b) Provide national coverage, specific protected class focus, as

well as focus on persons traditionally underserved; and

(c) Describe the immediate benefits of the project and how the

benefits will be measured. Applicants must describe the methods they

will use to determine the effectiveness of their national marketing

strategies or training programs.

(2) Budget. Applications include proposed budgets that demonstrate:

(a) Cost estimates of salary levels, staff assignments, number of

staff hours, and all other budget items are reasonable, allowable, and

appropriate for the proposed activities;

(b) The proposed program is cost effective in achieving its

anticipated results, as well as in achieving significant impact;

(3) Proposed activities will be conducted in a manner (e.g.,

languages, formats, locations, distribution, use of minority media)

that will reach and benefit all members of the public, especially

members of target groups identified in the individual program sections

of this National SuperNOFA;

(4) Applications describe how proposed activities will yield long-

term results and innovative strategies or ``best practices'' that can

be readily disseminated to other organizations and State and local

governments; and

(5) The proposed media campaign, community tensions project, or

training program makes activities, training and meeting sites, and

information services and materials in places and formats that are

accessible to all persons including persons with disabilities.

Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (10 Points)

This factor addresses the ability of the applicant to secure other

resources which can be combined with HUD's program resources to achieve

program purposes. In evaluating this factor HUD will consider:

The extent to which the applicant has partnered with other entities

to secure additional resources, including financial resources, to

increase the effectiveness of the proposed program activities.

Resources may include funding or in-kind contributions, such as

services or equipment, allocated to the purpose(s) of the award the

applicant is seeking. Resources may be provided by governmental

entities, public or private nonprofit organizations, for-profit private

organizations, or other entities willing to partner with the applicant.

Applicants must also describe how they plan to use their affiliated

branches, or partner with other organizations, to distribute materials,

training or services developed under this National SuperNOFA for use at

the local level. Applicants may also partner with other program funding

recipients to coordinate the use of resources in the target area or

subject.

Applicants must provide evidence of leveraging/partnerships by

including in the application letters of firm commitment, memoranda of

understanding, or agreements to participate from those entities

identified as partners in the application. Each letter of commitment,

memorandum of

[[Page 23965]]

understanding, or agreement to participate should include the

organization's name, proposed level of commitment and responsibilities

as they relate to the proposed program. The commitment must also be

signed by an official of the organization legally able to make

commitments on behalf of the organization.

Rating Factor 5: Comprehensiveness and Coordination (10 Points)

This factor addresses the extent to which the applicant's program

makes materials, training or services available to local community

programs and implements a coordinated process of addressing the

national need by using HUD funding resources and other available

resources. Applicants must also describe how they plan to use their

affiliated branches, or partner with other organizations, to distribute

materials, training or services developed under this National SuperNOFA

for use at the local level. In evaluating this factor, HUD will

consider:

(1) The extent to which the application demonstrates that project

activities will reach the targeted audience. This includes a discussion

of the applicant's methods or approaches to ensure that activities and

materials are made available to local groups and organizations and a

description of how such activities can enhance or work in tandem with

local activities and materials. At a minimum, the application should

discuss procedures to be used to promote awareness of the services

provided by the proposed project.

(2) The extent to which the application demonstrates that the

applicant, in carrying out program activities, will make communities

and organizations aware of opportunities for linking activities with:

(a) Other HUD funded program activities, proposed or on-going; or

(b) Other proposed or on-going State, Federal, local or privately

funded activities which, taken as a whole, support and sustain a

comprehensive system to address the purposes of these programs.

(D) Negotiation

After all applications have been rated and ranked and a selection

has been made, HUD requires that all winners participate in

negotiations to determine the specific terms of the grant agreement and

budget. In cases where HUD cannot successfully conclude negotiations or

a selected applicant fails to provide HUD with requested information,

awards will not be made. In such instances, HUD may offer an award to

the next highest ranking applicant, and proceed with negotiations with

the next highest ranking applicant.

(E) Adjustments to Funding

HUD reserves the right to fund less than the full amount requested

in any application to ensure the fair distribution of the funds and to

ensure the purposes of the programs contained in this National

SuperNOFA are met. HUD also reserves the right to adjust funding based

on revisions in locations for project activities. HUD may choose not to

fund portions of the applications that are ineligible for funding under

applicable program statutory or regulatory requirements, or which do

not meet the requirements of this General Section of this National

SuperNOFA or the requirements in the Programs Section for the specific

program, and fund eligible portions of the applications.

If funds remain after funding the highest ranking applications, HUD

may fund part of the next highest ranking application in a given

program area. If the applicant turns down the award offer, HUD will

make the same determination for the next highest ranking application.

If funds remain after all selections have been made, remaining funds

may be available for other competitions for each program area where

there is a balance of funds.

Additionally, in the event of a HUD procedural error that, when

corrected, would result in selection of an otherwise eligible applicant

during the funding round of this National SuperNOFA, HUD may select

that applicant when sufficient funds become available.

(F) Performance and Compliance Actions of Grantees

Performance and compliance actions of grantees will be measured and

addressed in accordance with applicable standards and sanctions of

their respective programs.

IV. Application Submission Requirements

As discussed earlier in the introductory section of this National

SuperNOFA, part of the simplification of this funding process is to

reduce the duplication effort involved in completing and submitting

similar applications for HUD funded programs. The application

submission requirements for all three programs under this National

SuperNOFA have been consolidated. In addition to the forms,

certifications and assurances listed in Section II.(E) of the General

Section of this National SuperNOFA, all applications must, at a

minimum, contain the following items:

(A) Transmittal Letter which identifies the SuperNOFA, the program

under the SuperNOFA for which funds are requested, the dollar amount

requested for each program, and the applicant submitting the

application. If applying for more than one program, please indicate in

the letter the location where the original signed application was

submitted.

(B) Budget identifying costs by cost category in accordance with

the following:

(1) Direct Labor by position or individual, indicating the

estimated hours per position, the rate per hour, estimated cost per

staff position and the total estimated direct labor costs;

(2) Fringe Benefits identifying the rate, the salary base the rate

was computed on, and the total estimated fringe benefit cost;

(3) Material Costs indicating the item, unit cost per item, the

number of items to be purchased, estimated cost per item, and the total

estimated material costs;

(4) Transportation Costs, as applicable. Where a local private

vehicle is proposed to be used, costs should indicate the proposed

number of miles, rate per mile of travel identified by item, and

estimated total private vehicle costs. Where air transportation is

proposed, costs should identify the destination(s), number of trips per

destination, estimated air fare and total estimated air transportation

costs. For purposes of estimating travel costs for the Housing

Counseling National Training Program and the FHIP Community Tensions

Project, applicants should project travel costs to the District of

Columbia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans. The actual

sites of activities will be determined by HUD. If other transportation

costs are listed, the applicant should identify the other method of

transportation selected, the number of trips to be made and

destination(s), the estimated cost, and the total estimated costs for

other transportation costs. In addition, applicants should identify per

diem or subsistence costs per travel day and the number of travel days

included, the estimated costs for per diem/subsistence, other travel

costs, such as those for HUD-sponsored training, as appropriate, and

the total estimated transportation costs;

(5) Equipment Charges, if any. Equipment charges should identify

the type of equipment, quantity, unit costs and total estimated

equipment costs;

(6) Consultant Costs, if applicable. Indicate the type, estimated

number of

[[Page 23966]]

consultant days or hours, rate per day or hour, total estimated

consultant costs per consultant and total estimated costs for all

consultants;

(7) Subcontract Costs, if applicable. Indicate each individual

subcontract and amount. For each proposed subcontract that is in excess

of 10% of the grant amount, a separate budget which identifies costs by

cost categories should be included;

(8) Other Direct Costs listed by item, quantity, unit cost, total

for each item listed, and total direct costs for the award;

(9) Indirect costs should identify the type, approved indirect cost

rate, base to which the rate applies and total indirect costs. The

submission should include the rationale used to determine costs and

validation of fringe and indirect cost rates, if the applicant is not

using an accepted, Federally negotiated indirect cost rate.

(C) Financial Management and Audit Information. Each applicant must

submit a certification from an Independent Public Accountant or the

cognizant government auditor, stating that the financial management

system employed by the applicant meets the applicable prescribed

standards for fund control and accountability required by: OMB Circular

A-133, Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit

Organizations; OMB Circular A-110 (as codified at 24 CFR Part 84),

Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With

Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit

Organizations; and/or OMB Circular A-102 (as codified at 24 CFR Part

85) Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative

Agreements to State, Local and Federally Recognized Indian Tribal

Governments. This information should contain the name and telephone

number of the Independent Auditor, cognizant Federal auditor, or other

audit agency, as applicable. Copies of the OMB Circulars may be

obtained from EOP Publications, Room 2200, New Executive Office

Building, Washington, DC 10503, telephone (202) 395-7332 (this is not a

toll free number).

(D) Narrative statement addressing the five Rating Factors in

Section III.(C) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA. Your

narrative response should be numbered in accordance with rating factor

and subfactor identified under Section III.(C) of the General Section.

(E) A Work Plan which incorporates all activities to be funded in

the application and details how the proposed work will be accomplished.

Following a task-by-task format, the Work Plan must identify activities

conducted and how the tasks meet the requirements of Rating Factor 3,

Soundness of Approach, in the General Section of this National

SuperNOFA.

V. Corrections to Deficient Applications

After the application due date, HUD may not, consistent with 24 CFR

part 4, subpart B, consider unsolicited information from an applicant.

HUD may contact an applicant, however, to clarify an item in the

application or to correct technical deficiencies. Applicants should

note, however, that HUD may not seek clarification of items or

responses that improve the substantive quality of the applicant's

response to any eligibility or selection criterion. Examples of curable

technical deficiencies include failure to submit the proper

certifications or failure to submit an application containing an

original signature by an authorized official. In each case, HUD will

notify the applicant in writing by describing the clarification or

technical deficiency. HUD will notify applicants by facsimile or by

return receipt requested. Applicants must submit clarifications or

corrections of technical deficiencies in accordance with the

information provided by HUD within 14 calendar days of the date of

receipt of the HUD notification. If the deficiency is not corrected

within this time period, HUD will reject the application as incomplete.

VI. Findings and Certifications

(A) Environmental Impact

This National SuperNOFA does not direct, provide for assistance or

loan and mortgage insurance for, or otherwise govern or regulate, real

property acquisition, leasing, rehabilitation, alteration, demolition,

or new construction, or establish, revise or provide for standards for

construction or construction materials, manufactured housing, or

occupancy. Accordingly, under 24 CFR 50.19(c)(1), this SuperNOFA is

categorically excluded from environmental review under the National

Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321).

(B) Federalism, Executive Order 12612

The General Counsel, as the Designated Official under section 6(a)

of Executive Order 12612, Federalism, has determined that the policies

contained in this National SuperNOFA will not have substantial direct

effects on States or their political subdivisions, or on the

relationship between the Federal Government and the States, or on the

distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of

government. Specifically, the National SuperNOFA solicits applicants to

implement nationwide information, outreach and education activities,

and does not impinge upon the relationships between the Federal

government and State and local governments. As a result, the National

SuperNOFA is not subject to review under the Order.

(C) Prohibition Against Lobbying Activities

Applicants for funding under this National SuperNOFA are subject to

the provisions of section 319 of the Department of Interior and Related

Agencies Appropriation Act for Fiscal Year 1991, 31 U.S.C. 1352 (the

Byrd Amendment), which prohibits recipients of Federal contracts,

grants, or loans from using appropriated funds for lobbying the

executive or legislative branches of the Federal Government in

connection with a specific contract, grant, or loan. Applicants are

required to certify, using the certification found at Appendix A to 24

CFR part 87, that they will not, and have not, used appropriated funds

for any prohibited lobbying activities. In addition, applicants must

disclose, using Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities,'' any funds, other than Federally appropriated funds, that

will be or have been used to influence Federal employees, members of

Congress, and congressional staff regarding specific grants or

contracts. (Tribes and tribally designated housing entities (THDEs)

established by an Indian tribe as a result of the exercise of the

tribe's sovereign power are excluded from coverage of the Byrd

Amendment, but tribes and TDHEs established under State law are not

excluded from the statute's coverage.)

(D) Section 102 of the HUD Reform Act; Documentation and Public Access

Requirements

Section 102 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development

Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3545) (HUD Reform Act) and the

regulations codified in 24 CFR part 4, subpart A, contain a number of

provisions that are designed to ensure greater accountability and

integrity in the provision of certain types of assistance administered

by HUD. On January 14, 1992 (57 FR 1942), HUD published a notice that

also provides information on the implementation of section 102. The

documentation, public access, and disclosure requirements of section

102 apply to assistance awarded under this National SuperNOFA as

follows:

[[Page 23967]]

(1) Documentation and public access requirements. HUD will ensure

that documentation and other information regarding each application

submitted pursuant to this National SuperNOFA are sufficient to

indicate the basis upon which assistance was provided or denied. This

material, including any letters of support, will be made available for

public inspection for a 5-year period beginning not less than 30 days

after the award of the assistance. Material will be made available in

accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's

implementing regulations in 24 CFR part 15.

(2) Disclosures. HUD will make available to the public for 5 years

all applicant disclosure reports (HUD Form 2880) submitted in

connection with this National SuperNOFA. Update reports (also Form

2880) will be made available along with the applicant disclosure

reports, but in no case for a period less than 3 years. All reports--

both applicant disclosures and updates--will be made available in

accordance with the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552) and HUD's

implementing regulations at 24 CFR part 15.

(3) Publication of Recipients of HUD Funding. HUD's regulations at

24 CFR 4.7 provide that HUD will publish a notice in the Federal

Register on at least a quarterly basis to notify the public of all

decisions made by the Department to provide:

(i) Assistance subject to section 102(a) of the HUD Reform Act; or

(ii) Assistance that is provided through grants or cooperative

agreements on a discretionary (non-formula, non-demand) basis, but that

is not provided on the basis of a competition.

(E) Section 103 HUD Reform Act

HUD's regulations implementing section 103 of the Department of

Housing and Urban Development Reform Act of 1989 (42 U.S.C. 3537a),

codified in 24 CFR part 4, apply to this funding competition. The

regulations continue to apply until the announcement of the selection

of successful applicants. HUD employees involved in the review of

applications and in the making of funding decisions are limited by the

regulations from providing advance information to any person (other

than an authorized employee of HUD) concerning funding decisions, or

from otherwise giving any applicant an unfair competitive advantage.

Persons who apply for assistance in this competition should confine

their inquiries to the subject areas permitted under 24 CFR part 4.

Applicants or employees who have ethics related questions should

contact the HUD Ethics Law Division at (202) 708-3815. (This is not a

toll-free number.) For HUD employees who have specific program

questions, the employee should contact the appropriate field office

counsel, or Headquarters counsel for the program to which the question

pertains.

VII. The FY 1998 National SuperNOFA Process and Future HUD Funding

Processes

In FY 1997, Secretary Cuomo took the first step at changing HUD's

funding process to better promote comprehensive, coordinated approaches

to housing and community development. In FY 1997, the Department

published related NOFAs on the same day or within a few days of each

other. In the individual NOFAs published in FY 1997, HUD advised that

additional steps on NOFA coordination may be considered for FY 1998.

The SuperNOFAs published for FY 1998 represent the additional step

taken by HUD to improve HUD's funding process and assist communities to

make better use of available resources through a coordinated approach.

This new SuperNOFA process was developed based on comments received

from HUD clients and the Department believes it represents a

significant improvement over HUD's approach to the funding process in

prior years. For FY 1999, HUD may take even further steps to enhance

this process. HUD welcomes comments from applicants and other members

of the public on this process, and how it may be improved in future

years.

The description of program funding available under this first

National SuperNOFA to implement information, outreach and education

activities on a nationwide scale follows.

Dated: April 23, 1998.

Saul N. Ramirez, Jr.,

Acting Deputy Secretary.

BILLING CODE 4210-32-P

Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 1998 /

Notices

[[Page 23969]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN30AP98.015

BILLING CODE 4210-32-C

Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 83 / Thursday, April 30, 1998 /

Notices

[[Page 23971]]

Funding Availability for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program,

National Focus Education and Outreach

Program Description: Approximately $3,500,000 is available for the

National Focus Education and Outreach Initiative under the Fair Housing

Initiatives Program (FHIP). This program assists projects and

activities designed to enforce and enhance compliance with the Fair

Housing Act and substantially equivalent State and local fair housing

laws. Under this competition, projects that have a national focus will

be funded under the Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) as follows:

(1) Nationwide Education Project. Activities funded must provide a

coordinated national education campaign which provides fair housing

information to the public. Efforts must include targeting such

information toward educating all persons about their fair housing

rights, including groups historically underserved, such as new

immigrant groups as well as other protected classes under the Fair

Housing Act about their fair housing rights.

(2) Community Tensions Project. Funded activities must be used to

develop and implement national methodologies that can be used

nationwide as a model for both preventing and responding to the

community tensions that arise from persons exercising their rights of

equal housing choice and opportunity as guaranteed by the Fair Housing

Act (nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,

familial status, national origin, and disability). Implementation of

these methodologies must involve sending facilitators to work with

groups in HUD-selected communities to prevent or respond to the

emergence of such community tensions.

Application Due Date: Completed applications must be submitted no

later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at HUD

Headquarters. See the General Section of this National SuperNOFA for

specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g.,

mailed applications, express mail, overnight delivery, or hand

carried).

Address for Submitting Applications: Completed applications (one

original and five copies) must be submitted to: FHIP/FHAP Support

Division, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of

Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street, SW, Room 5234,

Washington, DC 20410, by mail or hand delivery. When submitting your

application, please refer to FHIP National Focus, and include your

name, mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number

(including area code).

For Application Kits, Further Information, and Technical

Assistance: For Application Kits. For an application kit and

supplemental information please call the HUD SuperNOFA Information

Clearinghouse at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with hearing or speech

impairments may call the Center's TTY at 1-800-HUD-2209. The

application kit also will be available on the Internet at: http://

www.HUD.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to FHIP

National Focus, and provide your name, address (including zip code),

and telephone number (including area code).

For Further Information. For answers to your questions, you have

several options. You may contact Ivy Davis, Director, FHIP/FHAP Support

Division at 202-708-0800 (this is not a toll-free number). Persons who

use a text telephone (TTY) may call 1-800-290-1617.

Additional Information

I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility

(A) Authority

Section 561 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1987,

42 U.S.C. 3616 note, established the Fair Housing Initiatives Program

(FHIP). The FHIP regulations are found at 24 CFR part 125.

(B) Purpose

In September 1997, HUD announced a ``crackdown on housing

discrimination'' and pledged to double its enforcement actions. The

projects funded under the FHIP in FY 98 are expected to contribute to

the accomplishment of this goal.

In keeping with the announced crackdown on discrimination, HUD

believes that educating immigrants about fair housing rights and

ensuring enforcement mechanisms to address the specific types of

discrimination they and other underserved populations encounter is

necessary if we are to expand housing opportunities in communities

across this nation. Additionally, HUD continues to move aggressively to

expand opportunities in housing into communities which have not

historically served persons who are most likely to be the victims of

unlawful discrimination. HUD recognizes that community tensions often

arise whenever there are changes or proposed changes in the local

housing market caused by the entry or the departure of persons from a

community or neighborhood. For example, such tensions may be prompted

by a rise in the numbers of a particular immigrant population,

proposals to establish group homes for persons with disabilities, or

persons moving or attempting to move into neighborhoods where persons

of their race or ethnicity have not previously lived or have been

underrepresented. Recognizing that dealing with existing community

tensions as well as working to prevent their development is an

important element of ensuring equal housing opportunity, the Department

seeks to fund a single entity that can (a) develop national

methodologies for both preventing and responding to community tensions

that are related to persons exercising their Fair Housing Act rights

and moving into communities where members of their protected class

either have not previously lived or have been underrepresented, and (b)

respond to or attempt to prevent the emergence of community tensions in

communities that HUD identifies as experiencing high levels of

community tensions or showing a strong likelihood that such tensions

may build up without intervention or preventive measures.

(C) Amount Allocated

The FY 1998 HUD Appropriations Act appropriated $15 million for

activities pursuant to section 561, the Fair Housing Initiatives

Program. Of the $4,500,000 allocated to the EOI, $3,500,000 is being

used for this competition under the EOI for the following projects:

(1) Nationwide Education Project. Of the $3,500,000, $2,000,000 is

available for a single 18-month national EOI project, of which at least

$200,000 will be for activities related to Fair Housing Month.

(2) Community Tensions Project. A total of $1,500,000 will be used

to fund a single 24-month project that will address tensions that arise

in local communities as persons protected under the Fair Housing Act

seek to expand their housing choices.

The remaining funding under this initiative was made available

through the SuperNOFA published on March 31, 1998, which solicited

applications that are regional/local in scope.

The full cost of FY 1998 multi-year awards under the FHIP will be

funded from FY 1998 funds. HUD retains the right to transfer funds

between the FHIP projects listed below, within statutorily prescribed

limitations. The amounts included in this notice are subject to change

based on the availability of funds.

[[Page 23972]]

(D) Eligible Applicants

(1) Nationwide Education Project.

(a) The following organizations are eligible to receive funding

under the EOI--Nationwide Education Project:

(i) Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (QFHOs)

(ii) Fair Housing Enforcement Organizations (FHOs), and

(iii) Other non-profit organizations representing groups of persons

protected under the Fair Housing Act.

(b) In addition to meeting the eligible applicant requirement, all

applicants under the EOI--Nationwide Education Project must include as

part of their proposal a subcontract with an established media/

advertising organization which has experience in conducting national

media campaigns. Applicants that fail to include such subcontract

arrangements in their proposals will be ineligible for funding.

(2) Community-Tensions Project. Eligible applicants that have the

organizational infrastructure of affiliate chapters, branch members or

other outreach arms that can be utilized to provide national coverage

and facilitate involvement at the local level in communities to be

selected throughout the nation, and that possess familiarity with local

circumstances and issues in diverse communities, are particularly

encouraged to apply. Applicants that do not have affiliates or the

organizational structure to call upon should describe plans to partner

with other groups or organizations to provide national coverage. In

addition, the Department particularly encourages the submission of

applications from traditional civil rights organizations. The

organizations that are eligible to receive funding under the EOI--

Community-Tensions Project are:

(a) QFHOs;

(b) FHOs;

(c) Public or private non-profit organizations or institutions and

other public or private entities that are formulating or carrying out

programs to prevent or eliminate discriminatory housing practices;

(d) State or local governments; and

(e) FHAP Agencies.

(E) Eligible Activities

(1) Nationwide Education Project. Activities eligible to be funded

under the Nationwide Education Project must provide a centralized,

coordinated effort for the development and implementation of a fair

housing media campaign designed to educate the public of their fair

housing rights. Applications must address at least one of the following

statutory objectives: demonstrated cooperation with real estate

industry organizations; and/or dissemination of educational information

and technical assistance to support compliance with the housing

adaptability and accessibility guidelines contained in the Fair Housing

Amendments Act of 1988. HUD encourages applicants to provide materials

developed under this program to housing counseling agencies and service

providers. HUD anticipates that products will be available in at least

3 languages other than English. Deliverables must include Public

Service Announcements (PSAs) for radio and television, and posters and

other graphic materials. Graphic materials may include, but are not

limited to, enlarged reproductions of several print public service

announcements, separately produced and printed posters for public

dissemination, and the development of ad slicks to market in newspapers

and magazines nationwide. The applicant should plan on using a clipping

service or other appropriate means to collect information on frequency

and scope of the placement of ads.

Applications must include development and dissemination of media

products in languages other than English and a discussion of the

applicant's and/or subcontractors' expertise in languages other than

English and in reaching the informational needs of such non-English

speaking audiences. Applicants should also utilize media targeted to

the outreach group, e.g., minority newspapers.

A minimum of $200,000 in the Nationwide Education Project must be

budgeted for activities and materials developed for future Fair Housing

Month activities, and budgets must clearly break out funds relating to

those activities that support conformity with this requirement.

(2) Community Tensions Project. Activities funded as a community

tensions project must be designed to meet the following objectives:

(a) Prevent the emergence of community tensions that may occur when

persons who are members of classes (race, color, religion, sex,

familial status, and disability) protected by the Fair Housing Act

exercise their right of equal housing opportunity and move into

communities where members of their protected class have not previously

lived or have been underrepresented, and

(b) Respond through interventions when such community tensions

emerge and create volatile situations which harm, or threaten to harm,

those who are exercising their rights to equal housing opportunity.

The applicant would be required to develop a menu of strategies

that communities can use to reduce or prevent tensions within a

community due to protected classes exercising their fair housing

choices and to increase the referral of individuals to file complaints

with HUD when they believe they have been victims of discriminatory

housing practices.

In its community response and preventive work, the applicant should

solicit participation from, and work with, a diverse group of local

organizations and community representatives (such as local elected

officials, schools, police departments, faith-based community groups,

civil rights organizations, community service organizations, FHAP

agencies). It is anticipated that the community response and preventive

work will implement some of the developed strategies and address not

only immediate problems or problems anticipated at that time, but also

the underlying issues which make the existence or prospect of community

tensions a long-term problem. While the application must be submitted

by a single entity, the application can propose a partnership of

multiple organizations, consisting of the applicant and its

subrecipients or subcontractors, in order to accomplish the objectives

of this project.

II. Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements listed in the General

Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following

program requirements:

(A) Definitions

The additional definitions that apply to this program section of

the National SuperNOFA are as follows:

(1) Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP) Agencies means State and

local agencies funded by the Fair Housing Assistance Program (FHAP), as

described in 24 CFR 115.

(2) Fair housing enforcement organization (FHO) means an

organization engaged in fair housing activities as defined at 24 CFR

125.103.

(3) Qualified Fair Housing Enforcement Organization (QFHO) means an

organization engaged in fair housing activities as defined at 24 CFR

125.103.

(4) Traditional Civil Rights Organizations means private, non-

profit organizations or institutions and/or private entities that are

formulating or carrying out programs to prevent or

[[Page 23973]]

eliminate discriminatory housing practices and which have a history and

primary mission of engaging in programs designed to secure civil rights

protections for groups and individuals.

(B) Additional Requirements

The following requirements are applicable to all applications:

(1) All projects must address or have relevance to housing

discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability,

familial status, or national origin.

(2) Applications that request FHIP funding in excess of the award

cap will be ineligible.

(3) Projects aimed solely or primarily at research or dependent

upon such data gathering, including but not limited to surveys and

questionnaires, will not be eligible under this program section of the

National SuperNOFA.

(4) All proposals must contain a description of how the activities

or the final products of the projects can be used by other agencies and

organizations and what modifications, if any, would be necessary for

that purpose.

(5) Every Community Tensions Project application must include as

one of its activities a procedure for referring persons with fair

housing complaints to HUD for further enforcement processing. Every

Nationwide Education Project must propose to use HUD toll free Housing

Discrimination Hotline numbers for voice and TTY.

(6) In accordance with 24 CFR 125.104(f), no recipient of

assistance under the FHIP may use any funds provided by the Department

for the payment of expenses in connection with litigation against the

United States.

(7) Applicants Limited to a Single Award. Applicants may apply for

funding for more than one project or activity under one or more

Initiatives. However, applicants are limited to one award under this

program section of the National SuperNOFA. If more than one eligible

application is submitted by an applicant for the program section of the

National SuperNOFA and both are within funding range, the Department

will select the application which the applicant has indicated as its

preference for award.

(8) Independence of Applications. There are no limits on the number

of applications that can be submitted by a single applicant for this

National SuperNOFA. However, each project or activity proposed in an

application must be independent and capable of being implemented

without reliance on the selection of other applications submitted by

the applicant or other applicants. This provision does not preclude an

applicant from submitting a proposal which includes other organizations

as subcontractors to the proposed project or activity.

(9) Project Starting Period. The Department has determined that all

applications must propose that the project will begin immediately upon

issuance of an award.

(10) Page Limitation. Applicants will be limited to 10 pages of

narrative responses for each of the selection factors (this does not

include forms or documents which are required under each factor).

Brochures, news articles, PSAs, posters, and other materials submitted

to document capability will be considered in the evaluation process and

will not count towards the page limitation. Applicants that exceed the

10-page limit for each factor will only have the first 10 pages

evaluated for each factor. Failure to provide narrative responses to

all selection factors will result in an application being ineligible.

(11) Training. All applications must include a training set-aside

of $3,000 for single-year projects and $6,000 (total) for multi-year

projects in all project budgets. HUD will permit grantees to use these

funds to attend both HUD-sponsored and HUD-approved training.

(12) Accessibility Requirements.

All activities funded by FHIP must be accessible to persons with

disabilities and materials must be available in accessible formats.

III. Application Selection Process

(A) Rating and Ranking

(1) General. The selection process is structured to achieve the

objectives set forth in section I.(B) of this program section of the

National SuperNOFA. Awards will be made in rank order, except that the

additional procedures described below will be followed to make awards

out of rank order to achieve the goals outlined below.

Each application for funding will be evaluated competitively. Upon

receipt, the applications will be sorted into two categories: EOI-

Nationwide Education Project and EOI--Community Tensions Project. Then,

in each category, they will be awarded points and assigned a score

based on the Rating Factors identified in section III.(C) of the

General Section of the National SuperNOFA. After eligible applications

are evaluated against the factors for award and assigned a score, they

will be organized by rank order. Awards for each category listed above

will be funded in rank order until all available funds have been

obligated, or until there are no acceptable applications, with the

exception described in section III.(A)(2), immediately below. The final

decision rests with the Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal

Opportunity or designee.

(2) Tie breaking. When there is a tie in the overall total score

and insufficient funding is available to fund all applications with the

tied score, the award will be made to the applicant that has the higher

score under Rating Factor 3 (Soundness of Approach). If these

applications are equal in this respect, the application that receives a

total higher number of points under Rating Factor 1 (Capacity of the

Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience) will receive the

award.

(3) Applicant Notification and Award Procedures.

(a) Notification. No information will be available to applicants

during the period of HUD evaluation, approximately 90 days, except for

notification in writing or by telephone to those applicants that are

determined to be ineligible or that have technical deficiencies in

their applications that may be corrected. Selectees will be announced

by HUD upon completion of the evaluation process, subject to final

negotiations and award.

(b) Negotiations. After HUD has ranked the applications and

provided notifications to applicants whose scores are within the

funding range, HUD will require that applicants in this group

participate in negotiations to determine the specific terms of the

cooperative agreement. HUD will follow the negotiation procedures

described in Section III.(D) of the General Section of this National

SuperNOFA.

(c) Funding Instrument. HUD expects to award a cost reimbursable

cooperative agreement to each successful applicant. HUD reserves the

right, however, to use the form of assistance agreement determined to

be most appropriate after negotiation with the applicant.

(d) Reduction of Requested Grant Amounts and Special Conditions. As

provided in Section III.(E) of the General Section of this National

SuperNOFA, HUD may approve an application for an amount lower than the

amount requested, fund only portions of an application, withhold funds

after approval, and/or require the grantee to comply with special

conditions added to the grant agreement.

(e) Performance Sanctions. A recipient failing to comply with the

procedures set forth in its grant agreement will be liable for such

sanctions as may be authorized by law, including repayment of

improperly used funds, termination of further

[[Page 23974]]

participation in the FHIP, and denial of further participation in

programs of the Department or of any Federal agency.

(B) Factors for Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications

The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points

for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section

of this National SuperNOFA.

IV. Application Submission Requirements

In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in

Section II.(E) of the General Section of this National SuperNOFA, all

applications must, at a minimum, also contain the items listed in

Section IV. of the General Section.

V. Corrections to Deficient Applications

The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the

procedures for corrections to deficient applications.

VI. Environmental Requirements

In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9) and (12) of the HUD

regulations, activities assisted under this program are categorically

excluded from the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act

of 1969 and are not subject to environmental review under the related

laws and authorities.

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Funding Availability for the National Housing Counseling Training

Program

Program Description: Approximately $550,000 in housing counseling

funds is available for the Housing Counseling Training (HCT) Program to

train housing counselors of local HUD-approved counseling agencies

nationwide. HUD's HCT Program will cover basic to advanced

comprehensive counseling.

Application Due Date: Completed applications must be received no

later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at HUD

Headquarters. See the General Section of this National SuperNOFA for

specific procedures governing the form of application submission (e.g.,

mailed applications, express mail or overnight delivery, or hand

carried).

Address for Submitting Applications: Completed application (one

original and two copies) must be submitted to: The Director, Marketing

and Outreach Division, Office of Single Family Housing, Department of

Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW, Room 9166,

Washington, DC 20410. When submitting your application, please refer to

the National Housing Counseling Training Program, and include your

name, mailing address (including zip code) and telephone number

(including area code).

For Application Kits, Further Information and Technical Assistance:

For Application Kits. For an application kit and supplemental

information, please call the SuperNOFA Information Center at 1-800-HUD-

8929. Persons with hearing or speech impairments may call the Center's

TTY number at 1-800-HUD-2209. The application kit also will be

available on the Internet through the HUD web site at http://

www.HUD.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to the

National Housing Counseling Training Program.

For Further Information and Technical Assistance. You may call the

Marketing and Outreach Division at HUD Headquarters at 202-708-0317.

Before the application deadline, HUD Headquarters staff will be

available to provide general guidance.

Additional Information

I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility

(A) Authority

HUD's Housing Counseling Program is authorized by section 106 of

the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 (12 U.S.C. 1701x), and is

generally governed by HUD Handbook 7610.1, REV-4, dated August 9, 1995.

(B) Purpose

Section 106 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968

authorizes HUD to provide counseling and advice to tenants and

homeowners with respect to property maintenance, financial management,

and such other matters as may be appropriate to assist tenants and

homeowners in improving their housing conditions and meeting the

responsibilities of tenancy and homeownership.

This includes housing counseling training for housing counselors of

local HUD-approved counseling agencies nationwide to assure that the

counseling being provided is current and accurate. To achieve this

purpose, the training must include instructions to the housing

counselors on (1) how to conduct community outreach to potential first-

time homebuyers, and (2) how to provide counseling to individuals with

the objective of increasing awareness of homeownership opportunities

and improving access of low and moderate income households to sources

of mortgage credit. HUD believes that this training is key to providing

effective counseling which will support the revitalization and

stabilization of low income and minority neighborhoods.

In FY 1998, HUD is requiring applicants to include in their

proposed training, counseling for:

(1) First-time homebuyers by offering Homebuyer Education and

Learning Program (HELP) training sessions;

(2) Eligible persons 62 or older who desire to use the Home Equity

Conversion Mortgage (HECM) in order to convert their equity into a lump

sum payment or an income stream that can be used for such purposes as

home improvements, medical costs, and/or pay living expenses.

(3) Other homebuyers, homeowners and renters.

(C) Amount Allocated

Under this National SuperNOFA program, approximately $550,000 is

available for eligible non-profits or public entities to provide

technical training under the HUD Housing Counseling program, fundable

for a period from twelve (12) to eighteen (18) calendar months. This

funding is available from unused Housing Counseling funds appropriated

in FY 1997. The funding period may begin from the date that the award

is executed by HUD.

(D) Eligible Applicants

(1) Applicants must be public or private non-profit organizations

that are HUD-approved housing counseling agencies with at least 2 years

of relevant training experience. Applicants may propose to provide all,

or a portion of, the eligible activities specified in section I.(E) of

this program section of the National SuperNOFA, below.

(2) Number of Applicants To Be Selected. One or more training

applicants will be selected who are experienced in delivering housing

counseling training on a nationwide basis; receive a high score based

upon the Rating Factors in Section III.(C) of the General Section of

this National SuperNOFA; and satisfy all other criteria in this

National SuperNOFA. They include the following: a HUD-approved local

housing counseling agency; a HUD-approved national, regional, or multi-

state housing counseling intermediary, or affiliate; or, a State

housing finance agency, or affiliate.

(E) Eligible Activities

The applicant(s) funded under this National SuperNOFA program will

deliver comprehensive housing counseling training, or a portion of such

training, which may be conducted on-site, through satellite broadcast,

or by means of CD-ROM computer training software, to cover the

following components:

(1) Homebuyer Education Programs, including HUD's Homebuyer

Education and Learning Program (HELP) and similar programs may be used

in sessions that consist of approximately sixteen (16) hours of

training. Completion of the training may allow graduates to receive

first-time homebuyer incentives, such as the reduction in the FHA

insurance premium. Marketing and outreach personnel at each HUD

Homeownership Center will be available to assist agencies in this

endeavor.

(2) Pre-purchase Homeownership Counseling covering such issues as

purchase procedures, mortgage financing, down payment/closing cost fund

accumulation, accessibility requirements of the property, and if

appropriate, credit improvement, and debt consolidation.

(3) Post-purchase Counseling, including such issues as property

maintenance, and personal money management.

(4) Mortgage delinquency and default resolution counseling

including restructuring debt, arrangement of reinstatement plans, loan

forbearance, and loss mitigation.

(5) Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) counseling that assists

clients, who are 62 years old or older, with the complexity of

converting the equity in

[[Page 23978]]

their home to income that is used to pay such items as living expenses

or medical expenses.

(6) Loss Mitigation Counseling for clients who may be facing

default and foreclosure, and need mortgage default resolution and

foreclosure avoidance counseling.

(7) Outreach Initiatives including providing general information

about housing opportunities within the community and providing

appropriate information to persons with disabilities.

(8) Renter Assistance including information about rent subsidy

programs, rights and responsibilities of tenants, and lease and rental

agreements.

(9) Fair housing counseling that identifies rights, obligations and

requirements under the Fair Housing Act.

(F) Eligible Costs

In addition to the budget items required under the application

submission requirements in Section IV. of the General Section of this

National SuperNOFA, the following costs are eligible:

(1) Equipment Needed At Training. Training sites must have the

equipment necessary for conducting the training, such as overhead

projectors, and microphones. The training program must provide for

training sites, information services, and materials accessible to all

persons, including those with a wide range of disabilities. These costs

must be included in the budget submitted by applicants.

(2) Cost of Training Facilities. The cost is to be included in the

budget unless provided without charge by the hotels or other training

sites.

II. Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements listed in the General

Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following

program requirements:

(A) Requirements Applicable to Religious Organizations.

Where the applicant is a religious organization, or a wholly

secular organization established by a primarily religious organization,

to provide training, the organization must undertake its

responsibilities under the counseling training program in accordance

with the following principles:

(1) It will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for

employment under the program on the basis of religion and will not

limit employment or give preference in employment to persons on the

basis of religion;

(2) It will not discriminate against any person applying for

counseling under the program on the basis of religion and will not

limit such assistance or give preference to persons on the basis of

religion; and

(3) It will provide no religious instruction or religious

counseling, conduct no religious services or worship, engage in no

religious proselytizing, and exert no other religious influence in the

provision of assistance under the Housing Counseling Program.

(B) On-Site Training

(1) Number of Training Sites. If applying for on-site training,

include the following locations: District of Columbia, San Francisco,

Atlanta, Chicago, and New Orleans.

(2) Number of Workshops at Each Site. There will be one to three

workshops at each site. Approximately 40 to 50 participants will attend

each workshop which will cover approximately from two to three days.

(3) Total Number of Participants. It is estimated that the total

number of participants will vary from an estimated 700 to 1000

participants.

(4) Eligible Participants. Housing counselors on the staff of local

HUD-approved housing counseling agencies may participate. At least one

housing counselor from each local HUD-approved counseling agency will

be invited to attend the training. In some instances, two participants

may participate in the workshop particularly where there is a high

turnover of housing counseling staff and an agency has recently become

HUD-approved. On a case by case basis, agencies applying for HUD-

approval may be authorized by the Government Technical Representative

(GTR) to send staff housing counselors to the workshop. There are

approximately 1250 HUD-approved local housing counseling agencies with

branch offices. One or more housing counselors from the staff of each

may be invited to attend the training.

(C) Reimbursement to Participants

Participants will not be reimbursed for their travel, hotel and

food costs by the grantee. There will be no charge to the participants

for attending the workshop, for the training manual and other materials

and handouts. However, the participants may be reimbursed for their

travel and/or hotel costs by their agencies.

(D) Applicants will use the HUD grant to undertake any of the

eligible housing counseling activities described in this National

Housing Counseling Training Program as included in their proposed

training activities. To the maximum extent possible, applicants may

provide in-kind contributions and seek other private and public sources

of funding for housing counseling training to supplement HUD funding.

(E) Training Manual

The selected grantee(s) will use existing materials from HUD and

other acceptable sources to prepare training materials. The grantee(s)

will be required to update this information and incorporate the updated

material within a training manual. HUD will print and distribute the

training manual to the training sites. In the case of CD-ROM training,

the training manual shall be incorporated on the CD-ROM. In the case of

satellite training, the training manual must be available in text

format via the Internet.

(1) Cost of Packaging, Reproducing, and Mailing to Training Sites.

These costs will be borne by HUD outside of the grant amount.

(2) Use of Color or Black and White for Training Manual. There will

be several programs included in the training manual, including,

Comprehensive Housing Counseling, Risk Loss Mitigation Counseling, and

Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Counseling. The training manual

must separate sections of the manual to allow trainees to easily

identify each section.

(F) Training Level

The training to be provided under this program is designated

``Basic to Advanced.'' It will include participants from beginners to

experienced.

(G) Training Content

Training will include housing counseling basics: initial interview;

intake and family history; recordkeeping; how to write-up a case; use

of the computer; referrals and follow-ups; and reporting, such as form

HUD-9902; and Housing Counseling Agency Fiscal Year Activity Report.

Intermediate and advanced training will include complex problem solving

covering the counseling components.

(H) In-kind Contributions

Applicant may provide such benefits.

III. Application Selection Process

(A) General

Applications will be evaluated competitively, and ranked against

all other applicants that have applied for the HCT program. However,

after

[[Page 23979]]

selection, the actual amount funded is subject to negotiation and

adjustment as described in the General Section of this National

SuperNOFA.

(B) Factors for Award Used To Evaluate and Rate Applications

The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points

for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section

of this National SuperNOFA.

IV. Application Submission Requirements

In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in

Section II.(E) of the General Section, all applications must, at a

minimum, also contain the items listed in Section IV of the General

Section.V. Corrections to Deficient Applications.

The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the

procedures for corrections to deficient applications.

VI. Environmental Requirements

In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(9) of the HUD regulations,

activities assisted under this program are categorically excluded from

the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and are not

subject to environmental review under the related laws and authorities.

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Funding Availability for the National Lead Hazard Awareness

Campaign

Program Description: Approximately $1,000,000 is available to fund

this grant program for a national media campaign to market ``The

Campaign for a Lead-Safe America,'' as well as increase overall lead

awareness on a national scale. Efforts must include developing and

marketing several public service announcements, assisting activities

funded under the Local Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign grant to develop

the infrastructure needed to implement media strategies to successfully

market ``The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America,'' as well as identifying

and implementing media strategies to use print, radio and television to

increase awareness about the dangers of lead-based paint nationally. Up

to $1 million will be awarded on a competitive basis to eligible

organizations with grant awards ranging between $50,000-$1 million.

Application Due Date: Completed applications must be submitted no

later than 12:00 midnight, Eastern time on July 7, 1998, at the address

shown below. HUD reserves the right to republish this program section

of the National SuperNOFA and announce additional due dates, or to make

no awards at all, if proposals are deficient.

Address for Submitting Applications: Completed applications (one

original and two copies) must be submitted to: U.S. Department of

Housing and Urban Development, Office of Lead Hazard Control, 451 7th

Street, SW, B-133, Washington, DC 20410, by mail or hand delivery. When

submitting your application, please refer to the National Lead Hazard

Awareness Campaign, and include your name, mailing address (including

zip code) and telephone number (including area code).

For Application Kits, Further Information, and Technical

Assistance: For Application Kits. For an application kit and

supplemental information please call the HUD SuperNOFA Information

Clearinghouse at 1-800-HUD-8929. Persons with hearing or speech

impairments may call the Center's TTY at 1-800-HUD-2209. The

application kit also will be available on the Internet at: http://

www.HUD.gov. When requesting an application kit, please refer to

National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign grant, and provide your name,

address (including zip code), and telephone number (including area

code).

For Further Information and Technical Assistance. Dolline Hatchett,

Community Outreach Officer, Office of Lead Hazard Control, 202-755-

1785, extension 114 (this is not a toll-free number).

Additional Information

I. Authority; Purpose; Amount Allocated; and Eligibility

(A) Authority

The National Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign is authorized under

Title X, The Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992

of the Housing and Community Development Act 1992, Pub.L. 102-550,

section 1011(g)(1).

(B) Purpose

The Federal government has launched a national public education and

outreach campaign to protect America's children from the health hazards

of lead-based paint. The Campaign for a Lead-Safe America was announced

by Mrs. Tipper Gore, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban

Development and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at a White

House press conference on November 17, 1997. The National Lead Hazard

Awareness Campaign funding under this program section of the National

SuperNOFA will be awarded to conduct a national media campaign to

market ``The Campaign for a Lead-Safe America''; increase lead hazard

awareness through the use of radio, newspaper, and television public

service announcements; and identify and maximize opportunities to raise

visibility of the lead hazard issue among the general public.

In keeping with the announced public awareness campaign, the

Department has developed partnerships with major national hardware

retailers to display posters in their paint sections and to otherwise

educate consumers about lead hazards. Public service advertisements

have also been developed for various publications throughout the

nation. In addition, Mrs. Tipper Gore has taped two video public

service announcements for the Department to use as part of the Campaign

for A Lead-Safe America under the slogan, ``Take the Lead on Lead.''

The purpose of the campaign is: (1) to identify and maximize

opportunities to raise visibility of the lead issue among the general

public, and invigorate the efforts in both the public and private

sectors to help eradicate the problem, and (2) to increase lead hazard

awareness through education and outreach activities to specific high

risk communities, and other identified audiences such as parents,

caretakers, pediatricians, children, pregnant women, building owners,

and renovation and maintenance personnel.

(C) Amount Allocated

Up to $1 million will be made available on a competitive basis to

eligible organizations with grant awards ranging between $50,000--$1

million. The funding selections will be based on the Rating Factors

described in the General Section of the National SuperNOFA. The amounts

included in this program section of the National SuperNOFA are subject

to change based on funds availability.

(D) Eligible Applicants

The types of organizations listed below are eligible to receive

funding under this program section of the National SuperNOFA.

Partnerships are encouraged, although the application must be made by a

single entity.

(a) Public Relation Firms (PRFs)--For profit firms may not include

a fee or profit in their budget or costs;

(b) Marketing/Advertising Companies (MACs); and

(c) Non-profit organizations--must submit proof of non-profit

status.

(E) Eligible Activities

Eligible activities to be funded under this program section of the

National SuperNOFA shall include but not be limited to developing and

conducting a national media campaign to increase lead awareness on a

national scale to market ``The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America.''

Activities must also work cooperatively with those funded under the

Local Lead Hazard Awareness Campaign NOFA to assist in the development

of the infrastructure needed to implement media strategies to

successfully market ``The Campaign for A Lead-Safe America,'' as well

as conduct public education and outreach for lead awareness in specific

localities. In addition, applicants are encouraged to focus on

innovative methods of marketing several public service announcements,

and using well-known public figures as spokespersons for the campaign,

as well as identifying and implementing media strategies using print,

radio and television to increase awareness about the dangers of lead-

based paint nationally. Eligible activities will also include work with

major national hardware retailers to identify and coordinate

opportunities to increase lead awareness among consumers. Activities

may also include the preparation of additional graphics needed to

maintain store inventories of lead related posters and educational

information. Graphic materials may include, but are not limited to,

enlarged reproductions of several print public service announcements,

separately

[[Page 23984]]

produced and printed posters for public dissemination, and the

development of ad slicks to market in newspapers and magazines

nationwide. The applicant should plan on using a clipping service or

other appropriate means to collect information on frequency and scope

of the placement of ads. Applications which include development and

dissemination of media products in languages other than English must

include a discussion of the applicant's and/or subcontractors'

expertise in languages other than English and in reaching the

informational needs of such non-English speaking audiences. Applicants

should also utilize minority media in an effort to achieve diversity in

its outreach efforts.

The performance measures and deliverables will be negotiated

between the grantee and HUD as part of the executed grant agreement and

will be based upon the applicant's proposal.

II. Program Requirements

In addition to the program requirements listed in the General

Section of this National SuperNOFA, grantees must meet the following

program requirements:

(A) Applicants Limited to a Single Award

Applicants are limited to one FY 1998 award under this program. If

more than one eligible application is submitted by an applicant and

both have an adequate score, the Department will select the application

which the applicant has indicated as its preference for award.

(B) Independence of Applications

There are no limits on the number of applications that can be

submitted by a single applicant. However, each application must be

independent and capable of being implemented without reliance on the

selection of other applications submitted by the applicant or other

applicants. This provision does not preclude an applicant from

submitting a proposal which includes other organizations as

subcontractors to the proposed project or activity.

(C) Project Starting Period

The period of performance will be up to 2 years. The applicant must

be able to commence work immediately.

(D) Page Limitation

Applicants will be limited to 10 pages of narrative responses for

each of the rating factors for a total of no more than 50 pages (this

does not include forms or documents which are required under each

factor). Items such as brochures and news articles or similar items

included in the application will be considered in the evaluation

process and will not count towards the page limitation. Applicants that

exceed the 10-page limit for each factor will only have the first 10

pages evaluated for each factor. Failure to provide narrative responses

to all selection criteria will result in an application being

ineligible.

(E) Payment Contingent on Completion

Payment to grantees will be contingent on the satisfactory

completion of each project activity.

(F) Accessibility Requirements

All activities and materials funded by the grant must be accessible

to persons with disabilities.

(G) Type of Award

HUD reserves the right to award a cooperative agreement that is

cost reimbursable or fixed price.

(H) Funding Requests

Applications that request funding in excess of the stated maximum

award will be ineligible.

(I) Ineligible Projects

Projects aimed primarily at research or data gathering, including

but not limited to surveys and questionnaires, will not be eligible

under this program section of the National SuperNOFA.

(J) Interagency Cooperation and Coordination

All proposals must contain a description of how the activities or

the final products of the projects can be used by other agencies and

organizations and what modifications, if any, are needed to achieve

that purpose.

(K) Minimum Application Score

In order to be funded applicants must have a score of 80 points or

better. If applicants score less than 80 points, they may apply again

later under the republished program section of this National SuperNOFA,

if funds remain available. Not all applicants with scores above 80 will

necessarily receive awards.

(L) Definitions

The definitions that apply to this program section of the National

SuperNOFA are as follows:

High Risk Communities refers to communities which consist of

housing built before 1978.

Media/Advertising Companies (MACs) means private companies that

develop, advertise and market ideas using media strategies to increase

awareness and better understanding about a product, method, idea, or

campaign.

Public Relations Firms (PRFs) means private organizations that

develop and implement public awareness methods by using print,

broadcast and electronic media, or other communication tools to

influence public opinion.

III. Application Selection Process

(A) Rating and Ranking

(1) General. The selection process is structured to achieve the

purpose set forth in Section I(B) of this program section of the

National SuperNOFA. Awards will be made in rank order.

Each application for funding will be evaluated competitively, and

the applicant will be assigned a score based on the Rating Factors used

to evaluate and rate applications identified in Section III.(C) of the

General Section of this National SuperNOFA. After eligible applications

are evaluated based upon the factors for award and assigned a score,

they will be organized by rank order.

(2) Tie breaking. When there is a tie in the overall total score

and insufficient funding is available to fund all applications with the

tied score, the the award will be made to the applicant that has the

higher score under Rating Factor 3 (Soundness of Approach). If these

applications are equal in this respect, the application that receives a

total higher number of points under Rating Factor 1 (Capacity of the

Applicant and Relevant Organizational Experience) will receive the

award.

(B) Factors For Award Used To Evaluate and Rate National Lead

Hazard Awareness Campaign

The factors for rating and ranking applicants, and maximum points

for each factor, are provided in Section III.(C) of the General Section

of this National SuperNOFA.

(C) Applicant Notification and Award Procedures

(1) Notification. No information will be available to applicants

during the period of HUD evaluation of proposals, which is

approximately 90 days, except for HUD notification in writing or by

telephone to those applicants that are determined to be ineligible or

that have technical deficiencies in their applications that may be

corrected. Selectees will be announced by HUD upon completion of the

evaluation process, subject to final negotiations and award.

(2) Funding Instrument. HUD expects to award a fixed price or cost

reimbursable cooperative agreement to each successful applicant. HUD

reserves

[[Page 23985]]

the right, however, to use the form of assistance determined to be most

appropriate after negotiation with the applicant.

(3) Performance Sanctions. A recipient failing to comply with the

procedures set forth in its grant agreement will be liable for such

sanctions as may be authorized by law, including repayment of

improperly used funds, termination of further participation in the

program, and denial of further participation in programs of the

Department or of any Federal agency.

IV. Application Submission Requirements

In addition to the forms, certifications and assurances listed in

Section II.(E) of the General Section, all applications must, at a

minimum, also contain the items listed in Section IV of the General

Section.

V. Corrections to Deficient Applications

The General Section of this National SuperNOFA provides the

procedures for corrections to deficient applications.

VI. Environmental Requirements

In accordance with 24 CFR 50.19(b)(2), (9) and (12) of the HUD

regulations, the assistance provided under this program relates only to

information services, technical assistance and supportive services and

therefore is categorically excluded from the requirements of the

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and is not subject to

environmental review under the related laws and authorities. This

determination is based on the ineligibility of real property

acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, conversion, leasing or

repair for HUD assistance under this program.

[FR Doc. 98-11388 Filed 4-29-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4210-32-P