Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 20 / Wednesday, January 30, 2019 / Notices 501 

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION 

[Disaster Declaration #15853 and #15854; 

Louisiana Disaster Number LA–00087] 

Administrative Declaration of a 

Disaster for the State of Louisiana 

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business 

Administration. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a notice of an 

Administrative declaration of a disaster 

for the State of LOUISIANA dated 

01/23/2019. 

Incident: Severe Weather and 

Flooding. 

Incident Period: 12/26/2018 and 

continuing. 

DATES: Issued on 01/23/2019. 

Physical Loan Application Deadline 

Date: 03/25/2019. 

Economic Injury (EIDL) Loan 

Application Deadline Date: 10/23/2019. 

ADDRESSES: Submit completed loan 

applications to: U.S. Small Business 

Administration, Processing and 

Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport 

Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. 

Escobar, Office of Disaster Assistance, 

U.S. Small Business Administration, 

409 3rd Street SW, Suite 6050, 

Washington, DC 20416, (202) 205–6734. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice is 

hereby given that as a result of the 

Administrator’s disaster declaration, 

applications for disaster loans may be 

filed at the address listed above or other 

locally announced locations. 

The following areas have been 

determined to be adversely affected by 

the disaster: 

Primary Parishes: Washington. 

Contiguous Parishes/Counties: 

Louisiana: Saint Tammany, 

Tangipahoa. 

Mississippi: Marion, Pearl River, Pike, 

Walthall. 

The Interest Rates are: 

Percent 

For Physical Damage: 

Homeowners with Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 4.000 

Homeowners without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 2.000 

Businesses with Credit Available Elsewhere ...................... 7.480 

Businesses without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 3.740 

Non-Profit Organizations with 

Credit Available Elsewhere ... 2.750 

Non-Profit Organizations without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 2.750 

For Economic Injury: 

Businesses & Small Agricultural 

Cooperatives without Credit 

Available Elsewhere .............. 3.740 

Percent 

Non-Profit Organizations without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 2.750 

The number assigned to this disaster 

for physical damage is 15853 6 and for 

economic injury is 15854 0. 

The States which received an EIDL 

Declaration # are Louisiana, Mississippi. 

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number 59008) 

Dated: January 23, 2019. 

Linda E. McMahon, 

Administrator. 

[FR Doc. 2019–00313 Filed 1–29–19; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8025–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Loan Guaranty: Specially Adapted 

Housing Assistive Technology Grant 

Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is announcing the 

availability of funds for the Specially 

Adapted Housing Assistive Technology 

(SAHAT) Grant Program for Fiscal Year 

(FY) 2019. The objective of the grant is 

to encourage the development of new 

assistive technologies for specially 

adapted housing. This notice is 

intended to provide applicants with the 

information necessary to apply for the 

SAHAT Grant Program. VA strongly 

recommends referring to the Specially 

Adapted Housing Assistive Technology 

Grant Program regulation in conjunction 

with this notice. The registration 

process described in this notice applies 

only to applicants who will register to 

submit project applications for FY 2019 

SAHAT Grant Program funds. 

DATES: Applications for the SAHAT 

Grant Program must be submitted via 

www.Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern 

Standard Time on March 3, 2019. 

Awards made for the SAHAT Grant 

Program will fund operations for FY 

2019. The SAHAT Grant Program 

application package for funding 

opportunity VA–SAHAT–19–04 is 

available through www.Grants.gov and 

is listed as VA-Specially Adapted 

Housing Assistive Technology Grant 

Program. Applications may not be sent 

by mail, email, or facsimile. All 

application materials must be in a 

format compatible with the 

www.Grants.gov application submission 

tool. Applications must arrive as a 

complete package. Materials arriving 

separately will not be included in the 

application package for consideration 

and may result in the application being 

rejected. Technical assistance with the 

preparation of an initial SAHAT Grant 

Program application is available by 

contacting the program official listed 

below. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Jason Latona (Program Manager), 

Specially Adapted Housing Program 

(262), Veterans Benefits Administration, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 

20420, Jason.Latona@va.gov, (202) 632– 

8862. (This is not a toll-free number.) 

Dated: January 30, 2019. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice is divided into eight sections. 

Section I provides a summary of and 

background information on the SAHAT 

Grant Program as well as the statutory 

authority, desired outcomes, funding 

priorities, definitions, and delegation of 

authority. Section II provides award 

information, including funding 

availability, and the anticipated start 

date of the SAHAT Grant Program. 

Section III provides detailed 

information on eligibility and the 

threshold criteria for submitting an 

application. Section IV provides 

detailed application and submission 

information, including how to request 

an application, application content, and 

submission dates and times. Section V 

describes the review process, scoring 

criteria, and selection process. Section 

VI provides award administration 

information such as award notices and 

reporting requirements. Section VII 

provides agency contacts. Section VIII 

provides additional information related 

to the SAHAT Grant Program. This 

notice includes citations from 38 Code 

of Federal Regulations Part 36, which 

applicants and stakeholders are 

expected to read to increase their 

knowledge and understanding of the 

SAHAT Grant Program. 

I. Program Description 

A. Summary 

Pursuant to the Veterans’ Benefits Act 

of 2010 (Pub. L.) 111–275, § 203, 124 

Stat. 2864), the Secretary of Veterans 

Affairs (Secretary), through the Loan 

Guaranty Service (LGY) of the Veterans 

Benefits Administration (VBA), is 

authorized to provide grants of financial 

assistance to develop new assistive 

technology. The objective of the SAHAT 

Grant Program is to encourage the 

development of new assistive 

technologies for adapted housing. 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
502 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 20 / Wednesday, January 30, 2019 / Notices 

B. Background 

LGY currently administers the 

SAHAT Grant Program. Through this 

program, LGY provides funds to eligible 

veterans and servicemembers with 

certain service-connected disabilities to 

help purchase or construct an adapted 

home, or modify an existing home, to 

allow them to live more independently. 

Please see 38 United States Code 

(U.S.C.) 2101(a)(2)(B) and (C) and 38 

U.S.C. 2101(b)(2) for a list of qualifying 

service-connected disabilities. 

Currently, most SAHAT adaptations 

involve structural modifications such as 

ramps, wider hallways and doorways, 

and roll-in showers and other accessible 

bathroom features, etc. For more 

information about the SAHAT Grant 

Program, please visit: http://

www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/ 

adaptedhousing.asp. 

VA acknowledges there are many 

emerging technologies and 

improvements in building materials that 

could improve home adaptions or 

otherwise enhance a veteran’s or 

servicemember’s ability to live 

independently. Therefore, in 38 Code of 

Federal Regulations (CFR) 36.4412(b)(2), 

VA has defined ‘‘new assistive 

technology’’ as an advancement that the 

Secretary determines could aid or 

enhance the ability of an eligible 

individual, as defined in 38 CFR 

36.4401, to live in an adapted home. 

SAHAT funding will support the 

creation of assistive technologies that 

veterans and servicemembers can use in 

order to facilitate optimal independence 

in their homes. 

Please Note: SAHAT funding does not 

support the construction or modification of 

residential dwellings for accessibility. 

Veterans and servicemembers interested in 

receiving assistance to adapt a home are 

encouraged to review the following factsheet: 

http://www.prosthetics.va.gov/factsheet/ 

PSAS-FactSheet-Housing-AdaptationPrograms.pdf to identify Home Adaptation 

programs offered by VA. 

C. Statutory Authority 

Public Law 111–275, the Veterans’ 

Benefits Act of 2010 (the Act), was 

enacted on October 13, 2010. Section 

203 of the Act added 38 U.S.C. 2108 to 

establish the SAHAT Grant Program. 

The Act authorized VA to provide 

grants of up to $200,000 per fiscal year, 

through September 30, 2016, to a 

‘‘person or entity’’ for the development 

of specially adapted housing assistive 

technologies. The Act limited the 

aggregate amount of such grants VA may 

award in any fiscal year to $1 million. 

On September 29, 2018, the Department 

of Veterans Affairs Expiring Authorities 

Act of 2018 was enacted. Public Law 

115–251, § 122, 132 Stat. 3166, 3169. 

Section 122 of Public Law 115–251 

extended the authority for VA to 

provide grants in the manner listed 

above through September 30, 2020. See 

38 U.S.C. 2108 and 38 CFR 36.4412. 

D. Desired Outcomes and Funding 

Priorities 

Grantees will be expected to leverage 

grant funds to develop new assistive 

technologies for specially adapted 

housing. In 38 CFR 36.4412(f)(2), VA set 

out the scoring criteria and the 

maximum points allowed for each 

criterion. As explained in the preambles 

to both the proposed and final rules, 

while the scoring framework is set out 

in the regulation text, each notice will 

address the scoring priorities for that 

particular grant cycle. 79 FR 53146, 

53148, Sept. 8, 2014; 80 FR 55763, 

55764, Sept. 17, 2014. For FY 2019, the 

Secretary has established innovation 

and unmet needs, as described in 

scoring criteria 1 and 2 contained in 

Section V(A) of this notice, as top 

priorities. Additional information 

regarding how these priorities will be 

scored is contained in Section V(A) of 

this notice. 

E. Definitions 

Definitions of terms used in the 

SAHAT Grant Program are found at 38 

CFR 36.4412(b). 

F. Delegation of Authority 

Pursuant to 38 CFR 36.4412(i), certain 

VA employees appointed to or lawfully 

fulfilling specific positions within VBA 

are delegated authority, within the 

limitations and conditions prescribed by 

law, to exercise the powers and 

functions of the Secretary with respect 

to the SAHAT Grant Program authorized 

by 38 U.S.C. 2108. 

II. Award Information 

A. Funding Availability 

The aggregate amount of assistance 

VA may award in any fiscal year is 

limited to $1 million. This funding will 

be provided as an assistance agreement 

in the form of grants. The number of 

assistance agreements VA will fund as 

a result of this notice will be based on 

the quality of the technology grant 

applications received and the 

availability of funding. However, the 

maximum amount of assistance a 

technology grant applicant may receive 

in any fiscal year is limited to $200,000. 

B. Additional Funding Information 

Funding for these projects is not 

guaranteed and is subject to the 

availability of funds and the evaluation 

of technology grant applications based 

on the criteria in this announcement. In 

appropriate circumstances, VA reserves 

the right to partially fund technology 

grant applications by funding discrete 

portions or phases of proposed projects 

that relate to adapted housing. Award of 

funding through this competition is not 

a guarantee of future funding. The 

SAHAT Grant Program is administered 

annually and does not guarantee 

subsequent awards. Renewal grants to 

provide new assistive technology will 

not be considered under this 

announcement. 

C. Start and Close-Out Date 

The anticipated start date of grants 

funded under this announcement is 

April 1, 2019. The funding period will 

not exceed 15 months from the start 

date, to be followed by a 90-day period 

for closeout. Grant projects must be 

closed out by September 30, 2020. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Eligible Applicants 

As authorized by 38 U.S.C. 2108, the 

Secretary may provide a grant to a 

‘‘person or entity’’ for the development 

of specially adapted housing assistive 

technologies. 

B. Cost Sharing or Matching 

There is no cost sharing, matching, or 

cost participation for the SAHAT Grant 

Program. However, leveraged resources 

will be considered as an evaluation 

criterion during the application review 

process (see scoring criterion 6 in 

Section V of this announcement). 

Leveraged resources are not included in 

the approved budget (outlined in the 

Standard Form 424A—BUDGET 

INFORMATION—Non-Construction 

Programs) for the project and need not 

be an eligible and allowable cost under 

the grant. Any form of proposed 

leveraging that is evaluated under 

Section V scoring criteria must be 

included in the application, and the 

application must describe how the 

technology grant applicant will obtain 

the leveraged resources and what role 

VA funding will play in the overall 

project. 

C. Threshold Criteria 

All technology grant applicants and 

applications must meet the threshold 

criteria set forth below. Failure to meet 

any of the following threshold criteria in 

the application will result in the 

automatic disqualification for funding 

consideration. Ineligible participants 

will be notified within 30 days of the 

finding of disqualification for award 

consideration based on the following 

threshold criteria: 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 20 / Wednesday, January 30, 2019 / Notices 503 

1. Projects funded under this notice 

must involve new assistive technologies 

that the Secretary determines could aid 

or enhance the ability of a veteran or 

servicemember to live in an adapted 

home. 

2. Projects funded under this notice 

must not be used for the completion of 

work which was to have been 

completed under a prior grant. 

3. Applications in which the 

technology grant applicant is requesting 

assistance funds in excess of $200,000 

will not be reviewed. 

4. Applications that do not comply 

with the application and submission 

information requirements provided in 

Section IV of this notice will be rejected. 

5. Applications submitted via mail, 

email, or facsimile will not be reviewed. 

6. Applications must be received 

through www.Grants.gov, as specified in 

Section IV of this announcement, on or 

before the application deadline, March 

3, 2019. Applications received through 

www.Grants.gov after the application 

deadline will be considered late and 

will not be reviewed. 

7. Technology grant applicants that 

have an outstanding obligation that is in 

arrears to the Federal Government or 

have an overdue or unsatisfactory 

response to an audit will be deemed 

ineligible. 

8. Technology grant applicants in 

default by failing to meet the 

requirements for any previous Federal 

assistance will be deemed ineligible. 

9. Applications submitted by entities 

deemed ineligible will not be reviewed. 

10. Applications with project dates 

that extend past June 30, 2020 (this 

period does not include the 90-day 

closeout period), will not be reviewed. 

All technology grant recipients, 

including individuals and entities 

formed as for-profit entities, will be 

subject to the rules on Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost 

Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards, as found at 2 CFR part 

200. See 2 CFR 200.101(a). Where the 

Secretary determines that 2 CFR part 

200 is not applicable or where the 

Secretary determines that additional 

requirements are necessary due to the 

uniqueness of a situation, the Secretary 

will apply the same standard applicable 

to exceptions under 2 CFR 200.102. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

A. Address To Request Application 

Package 

Technology grant applicants may 

download the application package from 

www.Grants.gov. Questions regarding 

the application process should be 

referred to the program official: Jason 

Latona (Program Manager), Specially 

Adapted Housing Program, 

Jason.Latona@va.gov, (202) 632–8862. 

(This is not a toll-free number.) 

B. Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

The SAHAT Grant Program 

application package provided at 

www.Grants.gov (Funding Opportunity 

Number: VA–SAHAT–19–04) contains 

electronic versions of the application 

forms that are required. Additional 

attachments to satisfy the required 

application information may be 

provided; however, letters of support 

included with the application will not 

be reviewed. All technology grant 

applications must consist of the 

following: 

1. Standard Forms (SF) 424, 424A and 

424B: The SF–424, SF–424A, and SF– 

424B require general information about 

the applicant and proposed project. The 

project budget should be described in 

SF–424A. Please do not include 

leveraged resources in SF–424A. 

2. VA Form 26–0967: Certification 

Regarding Debarment, Suspension, 

Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion. 

3. VA Form 26–0967a: Scoring 

Criteria for SAHAT Grants. 

4. Applications: In addition to the 

forms listed above, each technology 

grant application must include the 

following information: 

a. A project description, including the 

goals and objectives of the project, what 

the project is expected to achieve, and 

how the project will benefit veterans 

and servicemembers. 

b. An estimated schedule including 

the length of time (not to extend past 

June 30, 2020) needed to accomplish 

tasks and objectives for the project. 

c. A description of what the project 

proposes to demonstrate and how this 

new technology will aid or enhance the 

ability of veterans and servicemembers 

to live in an adapted home. The 

following link has additional 

information regarding adapted homes: 

http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/ 

adaptedhousing.asp. 

d. Each technology grant applicant is 

responsible for ensuring that the 

application addresses each of the 

scoring criteria listed in Section V(A) of 

this notice. 

C. Dun and Bradstreet Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) and System 

for Award Management (SAM) 

Each technology grant applicant, 

unless the applicant is an individual or 

Federal awarding agency that is 

excepted from these requirements under 

2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an 

exception approved by VA under 2 CFR 

25.110(d), is required to: 

1. Be registered in SAM prior to 

submitting an application; 

2. Provide a valid DUNS number in 

the application; and 

3. Continue to maintain an active 

SAM registration with current 

information at all times during which 

the technology grant applicant has an 

active Federal award or an application 

under consideration by VA. 

VA will not make an award to an 

applicant until the applicant has 

complied with all applicable DUNS and 

SAM requirements, and if the applicant 

has not fully complied with the 

requirements by the time VA is ready to 

make an award, VA will determine the 

applicant is not qualified to receive a 

Federal award and will use this 

determination as a basis for making the 

award to another applicant. 

D. Submission Dates and Times 

Applications for the SAHAT Grant 

Program must be submitted via 

www.Grants.gov to be transmitted to VA 

by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 

March 3, 2019. Submissions received 

after this application deadline will be 

considered late and will not be 

reviewed or considered. Submissions 

via email, mail, or fax will not be 

accepted. 

Applications submitted via 

www.Grants.gov must be submitted by 

an individual registered with 

www.Grants.gov and authorized to sign 

applications for Federal assistance. For 

more information and to complete the 

registration process, visit 

www.Grants.gov. Technology grant 

applicants are responsible for ensuring 

that the registration process does not 

hinder timely submission of the 

application. 

It is the responsibility of grant 

applicants to ensure a complete 

application is submitted via 

www.Grants.gov. Applicants are 

encouraged to periodically review the 

‘‘Version History Tab’’ of the funding 

opportunity announcement in 

www.Grants.gov to identify if any 

modifications have been made to the 

funding announcement and/or 

opportunity package. Upon initial 

download of the funding opportunity 

package, applicants will be asked to 

provide an email address that will allow 

www.Grants.gov to send the applicant 

an email message in the event this 

funding opportunity package is changed 

and/or republished on www.Grants.gov 

prior to the posted closing date. 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
504 Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 20 / Wednesday, January 30, 2019 / Notices 

E. Confidential Business Information 

It is recommended that confidential 

business information (CBI) not be 

included in the application. However, if 

CBI is included in an application, 

applicants should clearly indicate 

which portion(s) of their application 

they are claiming as CBI. See 2 CFR 

200.333–200.337 (addressing access to a 

non-Federal entity’s records pertinent to 

a Federal award). 

F. Intergovernmental Review 

This section is not applicable to the 

SAHAT Grant Program. 

G. Funding Restrictions 

The SAHAT Grant Program does not 

allow reimbursement of pre-award 

costs. 

V. Application Review Information 

Each eligible proposal (based on the 

Section III threshold eligibility review) 

will be evaluated according to the 

criteria established by the Secretary and 

provided below in Section A. 

A. Scoring Criteria 

The Secretary will score technology 

grant applications based on the scoring 

criteria listed below. As indicated in 

Section I of this notice, the Secretary is 

placing the greatest emphasis on criteria 

1 and 2. The establishment of priorities 

does not establish new scoring criteria, 

but is designed to assist technology 

grant applicants in understanding how 

scores will be weighted. A technology 

grant application must receive a 

minimum aggregate score of 70. 

Instructions for completion of the 

scoring criteria are listed on VA Form 

26–0967a. This form is included in the 

application package materials on 

www.Grants.gov. The scoring criteria 

and maximum points are as follows: 

1. A description of how the new 

assistive technology is innovative (up to 

50 points); 

2. An explanation of how the new 

assistive technology will meet a 

specific, unmet need among eligible 

individuals (up to 50 points); 

3. An explanation of how the new 

assistive technology is specifically 

designed to promote the ability of 

eligible individuals to live more 

independently (up to 30 points); 

4. A description of the new assistive 

technology’s concept, size, and scope 

(up to 30 points); 

5. An implementation plan with 

major milestones for bringing the new 

assistive technology into production 

and to the market. Such milestones 

must be meaningful and achievable 

within a specific timeframe (up to 30 

points); and 

6. An explanation of what uniquely 

positions the technology grant applicant 

in the marketplace. This can include a 

focus on characteristics such as the 

economic reliability of the technology 

grant applicant, the technology grant 

applicant’s status as a minority or 

veteran-owned business, or other 

characteristics that the technology grant 

applicant wants to include to show how 

it will help protect the interests of, or 

further the mission of, VA and the 

program (up to 20 points). 

B. Review and Selection Process 

Eligible applications will be evaluated 

by a five-person review panel comprised 

of VA employees. The review panel will 

score applications using the scoring 

criteria provided in Section V(A), with 

the greatest emphasis being placed on 

scoring criteria 1 and 2. The review 

panel will then rank those applications 

that receive a minimum aggregate score 

of 70 in order from highest to lowest. 

The delegated official will select the 

highest ranked application(s) based on, 

and subject to, the availability of funds. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

Although subject to change, the 

SAHAT Grant Program Office expects to 

announce grant recipients by April 1, 

2019. Prior to executing any funding 

agreement, VA will contact successful 

applicants, make known the amount of 

proposed funding, and verify the 

applicant’s desire to receive the 

funding. Any communication between 

the SAHAT Grant Program Office and 

successful applicants prior to the 

issuance of an award notice is not 

authorization to begin project activities. 

Once VA verifies that the grant 

applicant is still seeking funding, VA 

will issue a signed and dated award 

notice. The award notice will be sent by 

U.S. Mail to the organization listed on 

the SF–424. All applicants will be 

notified by letter, sent by U.S. Mail to 

the address listed on the SF–424. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

This section is not applicable to the 

SAHAT Grant Program. 

C. Reporting 

VA places great emphasis on the 

responsibility and accountability of 

grantees. Grantees must agree to 

cooperate with any Federal evaluation 

of the program and provide the 

following: 

1. Quarterly Progress Reports: These 

reports will be submitted electronically 

and outline how grant funds were used, 

describe program progress, and describe 

any barriers and measurable outcomes. 

Grantees will utilize the Research 

Performance Progress Report for 

quarterly reporting purposes. 

2. Quarterly Financial Reports: These 

reports will be submitted electronically 

using the SF–425—Federal Financial 

Report. 

3. Grantee Closeout Report: This final 

report will be submitted electronically 

and will detail the assistive technology 

developed. The Closeout Report must be 

submitted to the SAHAT Grant Program 

Office not later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern 

Standard Time, September 30, 2020. 

VII. Agency Contact(s) 

For additional general information 

about this announcement contact the 

program official: Jason Latona (Program 

Manager), Specially Adapted Housing 

Program, Jason.Latona@va.gov, (202) 

632–8862 (This is not a toll-free 

number.) 

Mailed correspondence, which should 

not include application material, should 

be sent to: Loan Guaranty Service, VA 

Central Office, Attn: Jason Latona (262), 

810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, 

DC 20420. 

All correspondence with VA 

concerning this announcement should 

reference the funding opportunity title 

and funding opportunity number listed 

at the top of this solicitation. Once the 

announcement deadline has passed, VA 

staff may not discuss this competition 

with applicants until the application 

review process has been completed. 

VIII. Other Information 

Section 2108 authorizes VA to 

provide grants for the development of 

new assistive technologies through 

September 30, 2020. Additional 

information related to the SAHAT Grant 

Program administered by LGY is 

available at: http://www.benefits.va.gov/ 

homeloans/adaptedhousing.asp. 

The SAHAT Grant is not a veterans’ 

benefit. As such, the decisions of the 

Secretary are final and not subject to the 

same appeal rights as decisions related 

to veterans’ benefits. The Secretary does 

not have a duty to assist technology 

grant applicants in obtaining a grant. 

Grantees will receive payments 

electronically through the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human 

Services Payment Management System 

(PMS). All grant recipients should 

adhere to PMS user policies. 

Signing Authority 

The Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

approved this document and authorized 

the undersigned to sign and submit the 

document to the Office of the Federal 

Register for publication electronically as 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1
Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 20 / Wednesday, January 30, 2019 / Notices 505 

an official document of the Department 

of Veterans Affairs. Robert L. Wilkie, 

Secretary, Department of Veterans 

Affairs, approved this document on 

January 18, 2019, for publication. 

Dated: January 18, 2019. 

Jeffrey M. Martin, 

Assistant Director, Office of Regulation Policy 

& Management, Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2019–00266 Filed 1–29–19; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 


amozie on DSK3GDR082PROD with NOTICES1