Announcement of Availability of Grants for Family Planning General Training and Technical Assistance Projects

SUMMARY: The Office of Family Planning (OFP) of the Office of

Population Affairs requests applications for grants under the Family

Planning Service Training Program authorized under section 1003 of the

Public Health Service (PHS) Act. Funds are available both to train

family planning personnel and to provide specialized technical

assistance in order to maintain the high level of performance of family

planning service projects funded under Title X of the PHS Act. Training

will be provided under this announcement by general training centers in

the ten Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) regions.

DATES: Applications must be received, or postmarked and received in

time for submission to the review committee, no later than April 30,

1999.

ADDRESSES: Application kits may be requested by fax at (214) 767-3425.

Application kits may also be obtained from and applications must be

submitted to: Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services,

1301 Young Street, Suite 766, Dallas, Texas 75202.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Program Requirements

Regional Program Consultants (RPCs) or Regional Project Officers

for Family Planning: Region I, Jim Sliker--(617) 565-1060; Region II,

Lucille Katz--(212) 264-2535; Region III, Louis Belmonte--(215) 861-

4641; Cristino Rodriguez--(404) 562-7900; Region V, Janice Ely--(312)

886-3864; Region VI, Evelyn Glass--(214) 767-3088; Region VII,

Elizabeth Curtis--(816) 426-2924; Region VIII, John McCarthy--(303)

844-6163, Extension 399; Region IX, Nadine Simons--(415) 437-7984;

Region X, Janet Wildeboor--(206) 615-2776.

Administrative and Budgetary Requirements

Maudeen Pickett, Grants Management Officer, Office of Grants

Management for Family Planning Services--214/767-3401.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title X of the PHS Act, 42 U.S.C. 300, et

seq., authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award

grants for projects to provide training for family planning service

personnel. (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 93.260). This

notice announces the availability of approximately $3,200,000 in

funding and solicits applications for general training and technical

assistance projects to assist in the establishment and operation of

regional training centers in the ten PHS regions. Grants will be funded

within certain ranges as set out below. Funding of individual grants

within each funding range will be based on the RHA's assessment of such

factors as the training and technical assistance needs within the

region and the cost and availability of personnel for the project.

Competing grant applications are invited for training and technical

assistance projects as follows:

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Region States Funding range

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I....................... CN, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT.. $226,000-$256,000

II...................... NJ, NY, PR, VI.......... 359,000-389,000

III..................... DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV.. 373,000-403,000

IV...................... KY, MS, NC, TN, AL, FL, 436,000-466,000

GA, SC.

V....................... IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI.. 377,000-407,000

VI...................... AR, KA, NM, OK, TX...... 352,000-382,000

VII..................... IA, KS, MO, NE.......... 225,000-255,000

VIII.................... CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY.. 219,000-249,000

IX...................... AZ, CA, HI, and 6 US 314,000-344,000

Associated Pacific

Jurisdictions.

X....................... AK, ID, OR, WA.......... 219,000-249,000

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Additional information may be obtained from the appropriate

Regional Health Administrator (RHA) at the address below:

Region I: DHHS/PHS Region, I, John F. Kennedy Federal Building,

Government Center, Room 2100, Boston, MA 02203;

Region II: DHHS/PHS Region II, 26 Federal Plaza, Room 3337, New York,

NY 10278;

Region III: DHHS/PHS Region III, 150 S. Independence Mall West,

Philadelphia, PA 19106;

Region IV: DHHS/PHS Region IV, 61 Forsyth Street, Rm. 5B95, Atlanta, GA

30303;

Region V: DHHS/PHS Region V, 105 West Adams Street, 17th Floor,

Chicago, IL 60603;

Region VI: DHHS/PHS Region VI, 1301 Young Street, Suite 1124, Dallas,

TX 75202;

Region VII: DHHS/PHS Region VII, 601 East 12th Street, Room 210, Kansas

City, MO 64016;

Region VIII: DHHS/PHS Region VIII, 1961 Stout Street, Room 498, Denver,

CO 80294;

Region IX: DHHS/PHS Region IX, 50 United Nations Plaza, Room 327, San

Francisco, CA 94102;

Region X: DHHS/PHS Region X, Blanchard Plaza, 2201 Sixth Avenue, M/S

RX-29, Seattle 98121.

Statutory and Regulatory Background

Title X of the PHS Act, enacted Pub. L. 91-572, authorizes grants

for projects to provide family planning services to persons from low-

income families and others. Section 1001 of the Act, as amended,

authorizes grants ``to assist in the establishment of operation and of

voluntary family planning projects which shall offer a broad range of

acceptable and effective family planning methods and services

(including natural family planning methods, infertility services and

services for adolescents).'' Section 1003 of the Act, as amended,

authorizes the Secretary to make grants to entities to provide the

training for personnel to carry out the family planning service

programs.

The regulations set out at 42 CFR part 59, subpart C, govern grants

to provide training for family planning service providers. Prospective

applicants should refer to the regulations in their entirety.

Role and Operation of the Training and Technical Assistance Program

The regulations set out at 42 CFR, Part 59, subpart C, define

``training'' as ``job-specific skill development, the purpose of which

is to promote and improve the delivery of family planning services.''

The purpose of the general training program is to ensure that entities

that

[[Page 10091]]

provide family planning services have the skills, knowledge and

attitudes necessary for the effective delivery of family planning

services.

General training programs funded under this announcement are

focused on the provision of specialized information that is science-

based and that will enhance the ability of family planning providers to

deliver high quality family planning services. Successful applicants

will be responsible for the overall management of the general training

program within the geographic area for which the grant is awarded. The

PHS Project Officer will have final approval for all training plans and

plans for the use of resources. Grantee plans must provide for

flexibility in resource utilization, including training plan design.

The applicant should demonstrate an awareness of electronic

technologies and new training delivery techniques. The grantee will be

required to work closely with other federal, state or local government

entities, family planning providers and other community-based

organizations in achieving program objectives.

Applicants should be familiar with public health initiatives and

programs, such as Healthy People 2000 health promotion and disease

prevention objectives for family planning, as well as Title X program

regulations. In responding to the Request for Applications (RFA), the

applicant must be familiar with the Title X program priorities and key

issues impacting family planning identified below:

Title X Program Priorities

Expansion and enhancement of the quality of clinical

reproductive health services through partnerships with entities that

have related interests and that work with similar priority populations;

Increased emphasis on services to adolescents, including

emphasis on postponement of sexual activity and more accessible

provision of contraceptive counseling and services;

Increased services to hard-to-reach populations by

partnering with community-based organizations and others that have a

stake in the prevention of unintended pregnancy;

Expansion of comprehensiveness of reproduction health

services, including STD and cancer screening and prevention, HIV

prevention, education and counseling, and substance abuse screening and

referral;

Increased services to males, emphasizing shared

responsibility for preventing unintended pregnancy and STD/HIV

infection.

Key Issues

Other key issues are impacting the current and future delivery of

family planning services and will require significant specialized

training efforts. These issues include:

Medicaid waivers and managed care;

Implications of welfare reform and other issues that are

affecting family planning services, such as Temporary Assistance to

Needy Families (TANF) and the Children's Health Insurance Program

(CHIP) as well as other Federal and State initiatives;

Electronic technology;

Research findings;

Legislative mandates, such as counseling teens on

involving families and avoiding coercive sexual relationships.

Specifically, the applicant will have expertise and the ability to

train in areas of information, education and communication; management;

and clinical activities. Within each of these areas, at a minimum, the

grantee will be expected to provide training that includes the

following:

Information, Education and Communication

Assist grantees with designing, implementing and

evaluating information, education and communication strategies;

Train grantee staff on how to utilize research findings

and data reports in project operations;

Train grantee staff in the use of print and mass media to

achieve program goals and objectives.

Management

Improve the management skills of family planning grantee

staff;

Increase the ability of family planning grantee staff to

assess their requirements for the design and utilization of management

information systems;

Increase the ability of family planning grantee staff to

utilize computer and other electronic technologies;

Assist grantee to structure financial systems to monitor,

record and control financial resources;

Assist grantees in implementing income generating

activities and creating cost recovery mechanisms.

Clinical Activities

Provide training to improve the performance of clinical

staff involved in health care delivery;

Convene an annual regional clinical conference for health

care providers where continuing education units are provided.

Successful applicants will also need to demonstrate that they have

the capacity for facilitating the provision of regional technical

assistance. Technical assistance generally consists of specialized or

highly skilled assistance that is usually provided to a single

organization, such as the Regional Office or a grantee or clinic. The

objective of this assistance is to provide projects with the technical

resources needed to address Title X priorities and key issues impacting

family planning. In facilitating the provision of technical assistance,

the PHS Project Officer will work with the successful applicant to

develop a system for providing technical assistance. All forms required

for reporting and tracking technical assistance will be provided by the

Project Officer. All technical assistance must have prior approval of

the PHS Project Officer. The successful applicant will be responsible

for identifying qualified and competent consultants who will be able to

effectively address highly technical and often specialized issues that

are relevant in providing family planning services. The grantee is

responsible for making all necessary arrangements (transportation, per

diem, fees, etc.), with consultants in association with approved

requests for technical assistance. A separate budget for technical

assistance will be developed between the Project Officer and the

successful applicant after the training grant is awarded.

Application Requirements: Applications must be submitted on the

forms supplied (PHS-5161-1, Revised 5/96) (OMB Approval No. 0937-0189)

and in the manner prescribed in the application kits available from the

Office of Grants Management for Family Planning Services at Dallas, TX.

Applicants are required to submit an application signed by an

individual authorized to act for the applicant agency or organization

and to assume for the organization the obligations imposed by the terms

and conditions of the grant award. Applicants are required to submit an

original application and two copies.

Applicants should ensure that they submit their applications in

accordance with the deadline requirements of this announcement. A

legibly dated receipt from a commercial carrier or U.S. Postal Service

will be accepted in lieu of a postmark. Private metered postmarks will

not be accepted as proof of timely mailing. Applications which are

postmarked or delivered to the Grants Management Office later than

April 30, 1999 will be judged late and will not be

[[Page 10092]]

accepted for review. Applicants which do not conform to the

requirements of the program announcement or meet the applicable

requirements of 42 CFR part 59, subpart C, will not be accepted for

review. Applicants will be notified, and applications will be returned.

Any public or private nonprofit organization or agency is eligible

to apply for a grant. It is not required that an entity applying for a

grant be physically located in the region to be served by the proposed

project. Awards will be made only to those organizations or agencies

which demonstrate the capability of providing the proposed services and

which have met all applicable requirements.

A copy of the legislation and regulations governing this program

will be sent to applicants as part of the application kit package.

Applicants should use the legislation, regulations, and information

included in this announcement to guide them in developing their

applications. Applications should be limited to 60 double-spaced pages,

not including appendices, which may provide a roster of consultants,

curriculum vitae, or statements of organizational capabilities.

Application Consideration and Assessment: Eligible competing grant

applications will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary panel of

independent reviewers and assessed according to the following criteria:

1. The extent to which the proposed training and technical

assistance program promises to fulfill the family planning services

delivery needs of the area to be served, as evidenced by the

applicant's ability to address the requirements set out under ``Role

and Operation of the Training and Technical Assistance Program'' above

and the factors set out at 42 CFR 59.206(a)(2)(i)-(iv) (35 Points);

2. The extent to which the application includes evidence of the

capacity of the applicant to make rapid and effective use of the grant

assistance, including evidence of flexibility in the utilization of

resources and training plan design (25 Points);

3. The competence of the project staff, including qualifications

and experience, in relation to the services to be provided, including

the extent to which the applicant demonstrates an effective system for

identifying qualified and competent consultants as necessary to address

highly technical and specialized issues related to the delivery of

family planning services (15 points);

4. The extent to which the application reflects:

(a) The administrative and management capability and competence of

the applicant, including diversity of training experience, as evidenced

by other training grants and/or contracts;

(b) That the project plan adequately provides for the requirements

set forth in 42 CFR 59.205; and

(c) That the proposed training and technical assistance program

will increase the delivery of services to people (particularly low-

income groups, with a high percentage of unmet needs for family

planning services).

Total consideration for the sum of sections 4(a)-(c): (25 Points).

In making grant award decisions, the RHA will fund those projects

which will, in his or her judgment, best promote the purposes of

sections 1001 and 1003 of the Act, within the limits of funds available

for such projects.

Grants will be available for project periods of up to three years.

Grants are funded in annual increments (budget periods). Funding for

all approved budget periods beyond the first year of the grant is

contingent upon satisfactory progress of the project, efficient and

effective use of grant funds provided, and availability of funds.

Review Under Executive Order 12372

Applicants under this announcement are subject to the requirements

of Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Department of

Health and Human Services Programs and Activities, as implemented by 45

CFR part 100. As soon as possible, the applicant should discuss the

project with the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for each state in

the area to be served. The application kit contains the currently

available listing of the SPOCs which have elected to be informed of the

submission of applications. For those states not represented on the

listing, further inquiries should be made by the applicant regarding

the submission of the relevant SPOC. The SPOC's comment(s) should be

forwarded to the Office of Grants Management for Family Planning

Services, 1301 Young Street, Suite 766, Dallas, Texas 75202. To be

considered, such comments should be received by the Office of Grants

Management for Family Planning Services within 60 days of the closing

date listed under ``Dates'' above.

When final funding decisions have been made, each applicant will be

notified by letter of the outcome. The official document notifying an

applicant that a project applicant has been approved for funding is the

Notice of Grant Award, which specifies to the grantee the amount of

money awarded, the purposes of the grant, and terms and conditions of

the grant award.

Authority: 42 U.S.C. 300a-1(a).

Dated: February 18, 1999.

Denese O. Shervington,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.

[FR Doc. 99-4869 Filed 2-26-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4160-17-M