Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2012 / Notices 12647 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor, and a person is not required to 

respond to, a collection of information 

unless the collection of information 

displays a valid OMB control number. 

Books or records relating to a collection 

of information must be retained as long 

as their contents may become material 

in the administration of any internal 

revenue law. Generally, tax returns and 

tax return information are confidential, 

as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103. 

Request for Comments: Comments 

submitted in response to this notice will 

be summarized and/or included in the 

request for OMB approval. All 

comments will become a matter of 

public record. Comments are invited on: 

(a) Whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether the 

information shall have practical utility; 

(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate 

of the burden of the collection of 

information; (c) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; (d) ways to 

minimize the burden of the collection of 

information on respondents, including 

through the use of automated collection 

techniques or other forms of information 

technology; and (e) estimates of capital 

or start-up costs and costs of operation, 

maintenance, and purchase of services 

to provide information. 

Approved: February 22, 2012. 

Yvette Lawrence, 

IRS Reports Clearance Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4906 Filed 2–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Fund Availability Under VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans 

Affairs (VA) is announcing the 

availability of funds for applications for 

assistance under the Per Diem Only 

component of VA’s Homeless Providers 

Grant and Per Diem Program. This 

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) 

includes funding priorities for those 

applicants who will serve specific 

homeless veteran populations that are 

identified in this NOFA, or implement 

a new ‘‘transition in place’’ housing 

model to facilitate housing stabilization. 

This Notice contains information 

concerning the program, funding 

priorities, application process, and 

amount of funding available. 

DATES: Applications must be received in 

accordance with this NOFA no later 

than 4 p.m. Eastern Time on 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Chelsea Watson, VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 10770 

North 46th Street, Suite C–200, Tampa, 

Florida, 33617; (toll-free) (877) 332– 

0334. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

Notice announces the availability of per 

diem funds for assistance under VA’s 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 

Program for eligible entities. VA will 

award only one application for funding 

per nonprofit organization per state. For 

example: If a nonprofit organization has 

several entities in a state that are a part 

of their overall organization, whether or 

not those entities are separately 

incorporated, only one of these entities 

would be eligible for a grant award. 

Please refer to 38 CFR part 61 for 

detailed program information. 

A. Purpose 

VA is pleased to issue this NOFA for 

VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Program as a part of the effort to 

end homelessness among our Nation’s 

veterans. VA expects to fund 

approximately 450 beds over a 3-year 

period under this NOFA for Funding 

Priority 1 (see section E., below, for 

explanation of funding priorities). The 

maximum award of $1.2 million will 

support an average of 25 beds per night, 

per project, at the current maximum per 

diem rate of $38.90; taking into 

consideration that the maximum per 

diem rate may increase in future years. 

VA expects to fund approximately 150 

beds under Funding Priorities 2–4 for as 

long as the grantee meets the program 

requirements under 38 CFR part 61. 

B. Definitions, Regulations, and 

Authority 

Funding applied for under this NOFA 

is authorized by 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 

2013, 2061, and 2064. For definitions of 

terms that appear in this NOFA, and 

regulations governing VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, 

see 38 CFR part 61. 

C. Submission of Application 

No later than 4 p.m. Eastern Time on 

Wednesday, May 30, 2012, applicant 

must either: 

1. Submit complete application to 

www.Grants.gov by 4 p.m. Eastern Time 

on Wednesday, May 30, 2012; or 

2. Submit an original, completed, and 

collated grant application (plus three 

completed collated copies) to the VA 

Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 

Program Office, 10770 North 46th 

Street, Suite C–200, Tampa, Florida, 

33617. 

Applications may not be sent by 

facsimile (FAX). In the interest of 

fairness to all competing applicants, this 

deadline is firm as to date and hour, and 

VA will not consider any application 

that is received after the deadline. 

Applicants should consider submitting 

early to avoid any risk of loss of 

eligibility brought about by 

unanticipated delays, computer service 

outages (in the case of Grants.gov), or 

other delivery-related problems. 

For a copy of the application package: 

Download directly from VA’s Homeless 

Providers Grant and Per Diem Program 

Web site at http://www.va.gov/ 

HOMELESS/GPD.asp; or obtain a copy 

from http://www.grants.gov. Questions 

should be referred to the Grant and Per 

Diem Program at (toll-free) (877) 332– 

0334. For additional information on 

VA’s Homeless Providers Grant and Per 

Diem Program, see 38 CFR part 61. 

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 or not funded. Applicants 

should ensure that the items listed in 

the ‘‘application requirements’’ section 

K of this NOFA are addressed in their 

application. 

D. Allocation 

Under funding priority 1 

approximately $20 million is available 

for per diem only awards under this 

NOFA for a period beginning on the 

date that the grant is awarded and 

ending on or about September 30, 2015. 

The maximum amount of the per diem 

award under Funding Priority 1 for any 

awardee may not exceed $1.2 million 

for the entire grant period. Funding for 

the entire grant period will be obligated 

at the time of the award and available 

for draw down by the grantee over the 

grant period. Monthly reimbursements 

will be issued for bed days of care 

provided based upon the project’s 

approved per diem rate. VA will not 

award more than $48,000.00 per bed 

over the entire grant period based on the 

average number of beds to be provided 

as stated in the grant application. VA 

payment is limited to the applicant’s 

cost of care per eligible veteran minus 

other sources of payments to the 

applicant for furnishing services to 

homeless veterans up to the per day rate 

established by the Grant and Per Diem 

Program Office, which is currently 

$38.90 per occupied bed day of care 

provided. Grantees will be required to 

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12648 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2012 / Notices 

support their request for per diem 

payment with adequate fiscal 

documentation as to program income 

and expenses. 

Under funding priorities 2 through 4 

approximately $2 million dollars per 

year is available for funding in the form 

of per diem payments issued to the 

grantee subject to availability of funds 

and the grantee’s compliance with 38 

CFR 61.1–61.82. 

E. Award Period 

For the purposes of this NOFA under 

Funding Priority 1, the award period 

will end on or about September 30, 

2015, a period of at least 3 years 

depending on the exact date of the 

award. By way of example, a grant 

awarded on August 1, 2012, and ending 

on September 30, 2015, would 

constitute an award lasting 3 years and 

2 months. The final award period will 

be established in the award letter. For 

the purpose of this NOFA under 

Funding Priorities 2 through 4, the 

award period will be from the date of 

award and will continue subject to 

availability of funds and the grantee’s 

compliance with 38 CFR 61.1–61.82. 

F. Implementation Timeline 

All projects within all funding 

priorities are expected to pass 

inspection and become operational 

within 90 days from the date of award. 

Failure to meet the 90-day milestone 

may result in the per diem award being 

terminated. 

G. Funding Priorities 

All applicants must submit a cover 

letter with their application indicating 

under which funding priority the 

application is to be considered. 

Applicants may not request more than 

one funding priority per application. 

Failure to identify a funding priority in 

a cover letter or requesting more than 

one funding priority will result in the 

application being placed in Funding 

Priority 4. Funding priorities for this 

NOFA are as follows: 

1. Funding Priority 1—In an effort to 

promote increased housing stabilization 

VA is encouraging eligible entities to 

use the following ‘‘Transition in Place’’ 

housing model to aid in VA’s efforts to 

end homelessness among veterans. 

The ‘‘Transition in Place’’ housing 

model offers residents housing in which 

support services transition out of the 

residence over time, rather than the 

resident. This leaves the resident in 

place at the residence and not forced to 

find other housing in 24 months or less. 

This model does not support discharge 

planning that would have the veteran 

transition in place to HUD–VASH as the 

HUD–VASH program targets a veteran 

population in need of specialized case 

management. The concept of 

‘‘Transition in Place’’ under this NOFA 

is for eligible entities to identify or 

convert existing suitable apartment-style 

housing where homeless veteran 

participants would receive time-limited 

supportive services optimally for a 

period of 6–12 months, but not to 

exceed 24 months. Upon completion, 

the veteran must be able to ‘‘transition 

in place’’ by assuming the lease or other 

long-term agreement which enables the 

unit in which he or she resides to be 

considered the veteran’s permanent 

housing. 

Grantees are expected to replace units 

as they are converted to permanent 

housing in order to maintain the average 

number of bed days as stated in the 

application during the entire grant 

period. Once the veteran assumes the 

lease or other long-term agreement, VA 

will no longer provide funding for the 

unit under this NOFA. For example, 

each time a veteran assumes the lease or 

other long-term agreement for the 

apartment, the grantee must identify a 

new unit in which to place another 

veteran. By program design, transition 

to permanent housing should occur as 

rapidly as possible, and grantees should 

continually be acquiring and 

coordinating with VA on the inspection 

of new units so as to maintain a steady 

number of veterans served. 

Applicants applying under Funding 

Priority 1 must own or lease apartments 

intended as permanent housing for an 

individual or single family. Apartments 

must meet the inspection standards 

outlined at 38 CFR 61.80, and have the 

following characteristics: 

i. Private access without unauthorized 

passage through another dwelling unit 

or private property; 

ii. Sanitary facilities within the unit; 

iii. Basic furnishings; and 

iv. Suitable space and equipment 

within the unit to store, prepare, and 

serve food in a sanitary manner 

(including, at a minimum, a refrigerator, 

freezer, sink, and stove). Note: 

Microwave ovens, hot plates, or similar 

items are not suitable substitutes for an 

operational stove. 

VA offers current grantees the ability 

to convert existing per diem only 

projects to this model. Current capital 

grantees should contact the GPD 

Program Office to determine eligibility 

due to recapture and disposition 

requirements that may apply to their 

capital grants. 

Of those eligible entities that are 

legally fundable in Funding Priority 1, 

the highest-ranked applications for 

which funding is available will be 

conditionally selected for eligibility to 

receive a per diem only award in 

accordance with their ranked order until 

funding is expended (approximately $20 

million). The Department places special 

emphasis on addressing the needs of 

underserved populations, including 

homeless women veterans with or 

without the care of dependent children. 

2. Funding Priority 2—VA is offering 

the opportunity to rural applicants 

whose project sites have a Rural-Urban 

Commuting Area Code (RUCA) of 10.0 

to 10.6, to apply for funding under this 

NOFA to create transitional housing and 

services for homeless veterans not to 

exceed 20 beds per project. To 

determine if your project’s RUCA code 

qualifies for this priority, potential 

applicants should go to www.va.gov/ 

homeless/gpd.asp. 

If your project has more than one 

location, all must have a RUCA code of 

10.0 to 10.6. 

The project site address(es) and zip 

code(s) must be clearly stated in the 

application in order to determine 

eligibility under this funding priority. If 

eligibility cannot be determined, the 

application will be placed in Funding 

Priority 4. 

Of those eligible entities in the second 

funding priority that are legally 

fundable, the highest scoring applicants 

will be funded first until approximately 

50 beds are awarded. 

3. Funding Priority 3—VA is offering 

the opportunity to Indian Tribal 

Governments or non-profit agencies that 

will provide transitional housing and 

services on Indian Tribal Property to 

apply for funding under this NOFA to 

create transitional housing and services 

for homeless veterans not to exceed 20 

beds per project. Eligible entities that 

are Indian Tribal Governments or nonprofit agencies willing to provide 

transitional housing and services on 

Indian Tribal Property will be 

considered in the third funding priority. 

Of those eligible entities in the third 

funding priority that are legally 

fundable, the highest-scoring applicants 

will be funded first until approximately 

50 beds are awarded. Note: Non-profit 

agencies that apply under this priority 

will be required to provide a letter of 

assurance from the Indian Tribal 

Government that, if funded, the 

provision of service will occur on 

Indian Tribal Property. 

4. Funding Priority 4—VA is 

encouraging interested state and local 

governments, faith-based and 

community-based organizations, as well 

as eligible entities located in the District 

of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 

Puerto Rico, or any territory or 

possession of the United States, to apply 

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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2012 / Notices 12649 

for funding under this NOFA to create 

transitional housing and services not to 

exceed 20 beds per project. Applicants 

should be aware of the needs of justiceinvolved homeless veterans (i.e., 

veterans who are not incarcerated but 

are involved in the criminal justice 

system). Eligible entities will be 

considered in the fourth funding 

priority as applicable. Of those eligible 

entities that are legally fundable, the 

highest-ranked application for which 

funding is available will be 

conditionally selected for eligibility to 

receive a per diem only award in 

accordance with their ranked order until 

approximately 50 beds are awarded. 

H. Inspections and Monitoring 

Requirements 

VA places a great deal of emphasis on 

the responsibility and accountability of 

grantees. VA has procedures in place to 

monitor services provided to homeless 

veterans and outcomes associated with 

the services provided in grant and per 

diem-funded programs. VA is also 

implementing new procedures to further 

this effort. Applicants should be aware 

of the following: 

1. All grantees are required to ensure 

that facilities used under this NOFA 

meet the Life Safety Code of the 

National Fire and Protection 

Association. Please note, typically the 

Life Safety Code is more stringent than 

local or state codes. No additional funds 

will be made available for capital 

improvements under this per diem only 

NOFA. Applicants also should note that 

all facilities, unless they are specifically 

exempted under the Life Safety Code, 

are required to have an operational 

sprinkler system. VA will conduct an 

inspection that grantee sites must pass 

prior to grantees being able to submit a 

request for per diem payment to ensure 

this requirement is met. Applicants 

should take into consideration the 

logistics associated with conducting 

inspections and providing regular case 

management involved with numerous 

site locations and/or sites that are 

significantly dispersed from each other. 

2. Each per diem-funded program will 

have a liaison appointed from a nearby 

VA medical facility to provide oversight 

and monitor services provided to 

homeless veterans in the per diemfunded program. Monitoring will 

include at least an annual review of 

each per diem program’s progress 

toward meeting internal goals and 

objectives in helping veterans attain 

housing stability, adequate income 

support, and self-sufficiency as 

identified in each per diem program’s 

original application. Monitoring will 

also include a review of the agency’s 

income and expenses as they relate to 

this project to ensure per diem payment 

is accurate. 

3. Each per diem-funded program will 

participate in VA’s national program 

monitoring and evaluation system. It is 

the intent of VA to develop specific 

performance targets with respect to 

housing for homeless veterans. VA’s 

monitoring procedures will be used to 

determine successful accomplishment 

of these housing outcomes for each per 

diem-funded program. 

4. Grantees will be expected to enter 

data into a Homeless Management 

Information System (HMIS) web-based 

software application and bed totals in 

the Homeless Inventory Count. This 

data will consist of information on the 

veterans served and types of supportive 

services provided by grantees. Grantees 

must treat the data for activities funded 

by the Grant and Per Diem Program 

separate from that of activities funded 

by other programs. Grantees will be 

required to export client-level data for 

activities funded by the Grant and Per 

Diem Program to VA on a regular basis. 

I. Payments 

Under this NOFA, VA will make per 

diem payments in a method consistent 

with VA policy. Per diem will be paid 

only for eligible veterans (i.e., Veterans 

whom VA refers to the grantee, or for 

whom VA authorizes the provision of 

services) and will be available for the 

periods of awards specified in Section E 

of this NOFA. All payment specifics 

will be given to the grantee at the time 

of award. At no time may grantees draw 

more than the maximum approved per 

diem rate as authorized by VA’s Grant 

and Per Diem Program Office. All costs 

charged to the per diem grant must be 

allowable under the applicable OMB 

Circulars for Grants Management 

(codified at 2 CFR parts 225 and 230). 

J. Application Selection 

VA will review all per diem only 

grant applications in response to this 

NOFA. Applicants will then be ranked 

based on score and any ranking criteria 

set forth in this NOFA only if the 

applicant scores at least 500 cumulative 

points from paragraphs (b) (c) (d) (e) and 

(i) of 38 CFR 61.13. The highest-ranked 

application for which funding is 

available, within the highest funding 

priority, will be selected for eligibility to 

receive per diem payment in accordance 

with their ranked order until VA 

expends all the funds. 

K. Application Requirements 

Applicants must address the 

following within the application: 

Targeting—Section 6, Question C1, 

pg. 10: Describe your agency’s 

admission criteria for veterans that 

would be appropriate for this project. 

Targeting—Section 6, question C3, pg. 

11: VA is placing emphasis on serving 

those homeless veterans who do not 

currently have a stable housing situation 

(i.e., not currently in another Grant and 

Per Diem Program or VA-sponsored 

housing program). In this section, please 

identify where your organization will 

target its outreach efforts to identify 

appropriate veterans for this program. 

Project Plan—Section 7, area 1 (1a), 

pg. 15: What is the percentage of 

veterans that will successfully transition 

to permanent housing? 

Project Plan—Section 7, area 1 (2a), 

pg. 17: What is the percentage of 

veterans served that will be employed or 

receiving benefits at the conclusion of 

the transitional housing? 

Project Plan—Section 7, area 2, pg. 21: 

Address how your agency will facilitate 

the provision of nutritional meals for 

the veterans. Be sure to describe how 

veterans with little or no income will be 

assisted. 

Project Plan—Section 7, area 6, pg. 25: 

VA places great emphasis on placing 

veterans in the most appropriate 

housing situation as rapidly as possible. 

In this section, provide a timetable and 

the specific services to include followup that supports housing stabilization. 

Include evidence of coordination of 

transition services with which your 

agency expects to have for veterans. 

Project Plan—Section 7, area 7, pg. 26: 

For Funding Priority 1 applicants only, 

describe in this section how your 

agency will manage the conversion of 

the dwelling unit and the services 

provided to the participant from 

transitional phase to permanent housing 

and what follow-up services will be 

provided to the veteran once converted 

to permanent housing. Additionally, 

describe the instrument that will be 

used (lease, program agreement, 

memorandum of understanding, etc) to 

ensure the veteran’s permanent 

occupancy once unit has converted. 

Moreover, include how this will 

enhance housing outcomes leading to 

more timely access to permanent 

housing. 

Ability—Section 8, question A, pg. 28: 

In addition to the one page resume and/ 

or job description for key personnel, 

provide a staffing plan that outlines how 

your organization will carry out this 

proposal (i.e., a full-time housing 

specialist). 

Site Description—Section 10, 

question C, pg. 34: For Funding Priority 

1 applicants only, describe the 

availability of current housing stock in 

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12650 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 41 / Thursday, March 1, 2012 / Notices 

your community that would be 

appropriate for this program and would 

meet the standards required by Life 

Safety Code and 38 CFR 61.1—61.82. 

Application for Federal Assistance 

(SF 424)—Applicants for Funding 

Priority 1—in block 15a, Federal; 

identify the total amount of per diem 

funding your agency is requesting for 

operation under the entire grant award 

period of this NOFA (this number may 

not exceed $48,000 per bed over the 

entire grant period or $1.2 million total). 

Applicants should be careful to 

complete the proper application 

package. Submission of an incorrect or 

incomplete application package will 

result in the application being rejected 

at threshold. Application packages must 

include all required forms and 

certifications. Selections will be made 

based on criteria described in the 

application, Final Rule, and NOFA. 

Applicants who are conditionally 

selected will be notified of any 

additional information needed to 

confirm or clarify information provided 

in the application. Applicants will then 

be notified of the deadline to submit 

such information. If an applicant is 

unable to meet any conditions for grant 

award within the specified time frame, 

VA reserves the right to not award funds 

and to use the funds available for other 

grant and per diem applicants. 

Dated: February 16, 2012. 

John R. Gingrich, 

Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4880 Filed 2–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Notice of Intent To Grant an Exclusive 

License 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs, 

Office of Research and Development. 

ACTION: Notice of intent. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that 

the Department of Veterans Affairs, 

Office of Research and Development, 

intends to grant to Somahlution, Inc., 

3401 Fiechtner Drive, Fargo, North 

Dakota 58103, USA, an exclusive 

license to practice the following: U.S. 

Patent No. 7,981,596 (Tissue 

preservation with a salt solution 

isotonic with interstitial fluid) issued 

July 19, 2011. 

DATES: Comments must be received 

March 16, 2012. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be 

submitted through www.regulations.gov; 

by mail or hand-delivery to the Director, 

Regulations Management (02REG), 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW., Room 1068, 

Washington, DC 20420; or by fax to 

(202) 273–9026. Copies of comments 

received will be available for public 

inspection in the Office of Regulation 

Policy and Management, Room 1063B, 

between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 

p.m., Monday through Friday (except 

holidays). Call (202) 461–4902 for an 

appointment (This is not a toll-free 

number). In addition, during the 

comment period, comments may be 

viewed online through the Federal 

Docket Management System at http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Amy E., Centanni, Director of 

Technology Transfer, Office of Research 

and Development (10P9TT), Department 

of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 

Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, 

(202) 443–5640 (This is not a toll-free 

number). Copies of the published patent 

applications may be obtained from the 

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at 

www.uspto.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: It is in the 

public interest to so license these 

inventions, as Somahlution, Inc., 

submitted a complete and sufficient 

application for a license. The 

prospective exclusive license will be 

royalty-bearing and will comply with 

the terms and conditions of 35 U.S.C. 

209 and 37 CFR 404.7. The prospective 

exclusive license may be granted unless, 

within 15 days from the date of this 

published Notice, the Department of 

Veterans Affairs Office of Research and 

Development receives written evidence 

and argument which establishes that the 

grant of the license would not be 

consistent with the requirements of 35 

U.S.C. 209 and 37 CFR 404.7. 

Dated: February 23, 2012. 

John R. Gingrich, 

Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs. 

[FR Doc. 2012–4885 Filed 2–29–12; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

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