[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 95 (Monday, May 18, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27306-27315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13099]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Refugee Resettlement Program: Availability of FY 1998 Targeted 
Assistance and Social Services Discretionary Funding

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability of FY 1998 Targeted Assistance 
discretionary funds to States and of the availability of FY 1998 Social 
Services discretionary funds for services to refugees.

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SUMMARY: This program announcement governs the availability of and 
award procedures for $9,900,000 in FY 1998 Targeted Assistance 
discretionary grants (TAG) for services to refugees.<SUP>1</SUP> 
Further, this announcement governs the availability of, and award 
procedures for approximately $1,300,000 in FY 1998 Social Services 
discretionary funds for the Community and Family Strengthening (CFS) 
Program.
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    \1\In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 
400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,'' 
eligibility for targeted assistance includes: (1) Cuban and Haitian 
entrants, under section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act 
of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422); (2) certain Amerasians from Vietnam who 
are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants under section 584 of the 
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs 
Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing 
Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202); and (3) certain Amerasians from 
Vietnam, including U.S. citizens, under title II of the Foreign 
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations 
Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. 
L. 101-513). For convenience, the term ``refugee'' is used in this 
notice to encompass all such eligible persons unless the specific 
context indicates otherwise.
    Refugees admitted to the U.S. under admissions numbers set aside 
for private-sector-initiative admissions are not eligible to be 
served under the targeted assistance program (or under other 
programs supported by Federal refugee funds) during their period of 
coverage under their sponsoring agency's agreement with the 
Department of State--usually two years from their date of arrival or 
until they obtain permanent resident alien status, whichever comes 
first.
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    Applicants may request a project period of up to two years, with an 
initial budget period of one year. Where awards are for multiple-year 
project periods, applications for continuation grants will be 
entertained in subsequent years on a non-competitive basis, subject to 
the availability of funds, successful progress of the project, and 
ACF's determination that this would be in the best interest of the 
government.
    The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) will accept competing 
applications for grants pursuant to the Director's discretionary 
authority under section 412(c)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (INA), as amended by section 311 of the Refugee Act of 1980 (Pub. 
L. 96-212), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education 
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note, insofar as 
it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and Haitian entrants 
the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by 
section 412(c) of the INA, as cited above; and the Refugee Assistance 
Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99-605).
    This Program Announcement consists of three parts:
    Part I covers supplemental information on available funds, 
legislative authorities, eligible applicants, and the priority areas to 
be considered.
    Part II, Priority Areas Under Which Grants and Cooperative 
Agreements Will Be Awarded, describes the four priority areas under 
which ORR is requesting applications. Grants and cooperative agreements 
will be awarded for the purposes described below under TAG and under 
the Social Services CFS program. ORR will make awards in the following 
priority areas:

(1) Targeted assistance
(2) Microenterprise development
(3) Self-sufficiency services to offset the impact of large refugee 
families on local communities
(4) Refugee community and family strengthening social services.

    Each Priority Area below includes the following sections which 
provide area-specific information to be used to develop an application 
for ORR funds: A. Purpose, B. Allowable Activities, and C. Review 
Criteria.
    Part III, General Application Information and Guidance, describes 
application procedures for Priority Areas 1 through 4 and should be 
consulted in developing an application for any of the priority areas. 
It also contains information on the availability of forms, where and 
how to submit an application, instructions for completing the SF-424, 
the intergovernmental review, and reporting requirements.

CLOSING DATE: The closing date for submission of applications is July 
10, 1998. Applications postmarked after the closing date will be 
classified as late and will not be considered in the current 
competition.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT, CONTACT: Kathy Do, 
TAG Program Manager, at (202) 401-4579 for information regarding 
Priority Areas 1, and 3; for Priority Area 2, please contact Marta 
Brenden, Refugee Microenterprise Program Manager, at (202-205-3589) or 
e-mail: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ee838c9c8b808a8b80ae8f8d88c08a86869dc0898198"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b0ddd2c2d5ded4d5def0d1d3d69ed4d8d8c39ed7dfc6">[email protected]</span></a>; and for Priority Area 4, contact Anna 
Mary Portz, CFS Program Manager, telephone (202) 401-1196, or e-mail: 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c4a5b4abb6b0be84a5a7a2eaa0acacb7eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c1a0b1aeb3b5bb81a0a2a7efa5a9a9b2efa6aeb7">[email protected]</span></a>. You may address correspondence to the contact 
person as follows: Administration for Children and Families, ORR/
Division of Community Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW, 6th 
Floor, Washington, DC 20447.

Part I

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Legislative Authority

    Targeted assistance discretionary grants are awarded under the 
authority of section 412(c)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(INA), as amended by the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. 
L. 99-605), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education 
Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note, insofar as 
it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and Haitian entrants 
the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by 
section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above; section 584(c) of the 
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs

[[Page 27307]]

Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing 
Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202), insofar as it incorporates by reference 
with respect to certain Amerasians from Vietnam the authorities 
pertaining to assistance for refugees established by section 412(c)(2) 
of the INA, as cited above, including certain Amerasians from Vietnam 
who are U.S. citizens, as provided under title II of the Foreign 
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 
1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), 1991 (Pub. L. 101-513), 
and 1998 (Pub. L. 105-118).

Background

    Section 412(c)(1)(A) of the INA authorizes the Director of ORR ``to 
make grants to, and enter into contracts with, public or private 
nonprofit agencies for projects specifically designed--(i) to assist 
refugees in obtaining the skills which are necessary for economic self-
sufficiency, including projects for job training, employment services, 
day care, professional refresher training, and other recertification 
services; (ii) to provide training in English where necessary 
(regardless of whether the refugees are employed or receiving cash or 
other assistance); and (iii) to provide where specific needs have been 
shown and recognized by the Director * * * health, social adjustment 
services, social services, educational and other services.''
    The targeted assistance discretionary program reflects the 
requirements of section 412(c)(2)(A) of the INA, which provides 
authority for the Director of ORR ``to make grants to States for 
assistance to counties and similar areas in the States where, because 
of factors such as unusually large refugee populations (including 
secondary migration), high refugee concentrations, and high use of 
public assistance by refugees, there exists and can be demonstrated a 
specific need for supplementation of available resources for services 
to refugees.'' Paragraph (2)(B) states, ``Grants shall be made 
available * * * (ii) in a manner that does not supplant other refugee 
program funds and that assures that not less than 95 percent of the 
amount of the grant award is made available to the county or other 
local entity.''
    The Department's FY 1998 Appropriation (Pub. L. 104-134) provides 
$415,000,000 for refugee and entrant assistance activities to be 
distributed by formula and through discretionary grants for special 
projects.
    The Office of Refugee Resettlement has available an additional 
$5,000,000 in FY 1998 funds for the targeted assistance discretionary 
program through the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related 
Programs Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 104-107). These funds are to 
augment the discretionary program for localities most impacted by the 
influx of refugees such as Laotian Hmong, Cambodians and Soviet 
Pentecostals, and are included in this announcement.
Services Provided Through ORR Discretionary Programs Are Not Restricted 
to Refugees Arriving Within the Last Five Years

Availability of Funds

    Approximately $11.2 million will be awarded in FY 1998 through this 
Announcement. ORR expects to award approximately $4,300,000 in FY 1998 
TAG discretionary funds in Priority Area 1: Targeted Assistance Grants 
(TAG), through 15-20 grants and cooperative agreements ranging from 
$150,000 to $300,000 per budget period. In Priority Area 2: 
Microenterprise, ORR anticipates making three individual new awards 
ranging from $150,000 to $250,000 and totaling approximately $600,000 
from TAG funds. In Priority Area 3: Self-Sufficiency Services for 
Impacted Communities, ORR expects to make approximately 5 awards 
totaling $5 million, with no single grant or cooperative agreement 
exceeding $3,500,000. ORR expects to award a total of $1,300,000 in FY 
1998 Social Services discretionary funds in Priority Area 4: Community 
Family Strengthening (CFS), to approximately 10 projects ranging from 
$80,000 to $250,000.
The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number Assigned to 
This Announcement is 93.576
    The Director reserves the right to award less, or more, than the 
funds described, in the absence of worthy applications, or under such 
other circumstances as may be deemed to be in the best interest of the 
government. Applicants may be required to reduce the scope of selected 
projects to accommodate the amount of the approved grant award. Where 
ORR anticipates substantial involvement with the grantee during the 
performance of the project, the award action will include a cooperative 
agreement.
    A State may not budget or retain for State administration more than 
5% of a TAG discretionary grant award. Where the State chooses to 
implement the projects by awarding funds through county governments, 
States and counties may each retain a maximum of 5% of the funds 
awarded for administration.
    Eligible State applicants may apply for more than one of Priority 
Areas 1-4 as described above; however each State should submit one 
application (e.g. a single SF 424A) with a full component description 
labeled by Priority Area including a budget justification and narrative 
for each distinct project. In addition, component budgets should be 
individually detailed on the SF 424B and the aggregate Total should 
correlate to the Estimated Funding on the SF 424A. Applicants applying 
for microenterprise development activities under Priority Areas 1 or 3 
are referred to Priority 2 of this announcement for guidance in the 
preparation of the relevant section of their application.

Eligible Applicants and Grantees

    States are the eligible recipients of TAG funds. Therefore, 
applications in Priority Areas 1-3 described below are restricted to 
States or their representatives. Applications will be considered from 
all States, regardless of whether any communities in the State qualify 
for funding under the formula TAP grant program.
    Eligible TAG applicants are (a) those agencies of State governments 
which are responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5, and 
(b) an agency which has State-wide responsibility for an alternative to 
the State-administered program in lieu of the State under a Wilson/Fish 
grant.

Eligible Applicants for Priority Area 4 Are any Public or Private, 
Nonprofit Organization

    Current CFS grantees whose projects end by September 30, 1998 are 
encouraged to participate under Priority Areas 1, 2, 3 or 4, as 
appropriate.
    Coalitions--Refugee programs and local organizations, which have 
not already done so, are encouraged to build coalitions for the purpose 
of providing services funded under this announcement. The activities 
funded by these grants are intended to serve as a catalyst to bring the 
community together to address the economic and social problems of 
refugee families and the refugee community. The goal in all cases 
should be to build and strengthen the community's capacity to serve its 
members in improving the quality of life and standard of living for 
refugee families.
    ORR strongly encourages single applications from partnerships or 
consortia of three or more eligible organizations. Applicants must 
demonstrate that wherever potential

[[Page 27308]]

partners for collaboration exist, the applicant, at a minimum, has 
planned the proposed activities in collaboration with these potential 
partners. Partners may be in the refugee services provider community of 
organizations and institutions or in mainstream services organizations, 
e.g., adult basic education providers, child care coalitions, women's 
shelters. Collaboration might also include the Mayor's office, school 
parent-teacher groups, local police departments, and other mainstream 
community service organizations.
    The process of coalition-building is key to strengthening 
cooperation and coordination among the local service providers, 
community leaders, Mutual Assistance Associations, voluntary agencies, 
churches, and other public and private organizations involved in 
refugee resettlement or community service. ORR intends that this 
process will be part of local efforts to build strategic partnerships 
among these groups to expand their capacity to serve the social and 
economic needs of refugees and to give support and direction to ethnic 
communities facing problems in economic independence and social 
adjustment.
    In this context, ORR is defining partnership as a formal negotiated 
arrangement among organizations that provides for a substantive 
collaborative role for each of the partners in the planning and conduct 
of the project. Applications which represent a coalition of providers 
should include a signed partnership agreement stating a commitment or 
an intent to commit or receive resources from the prospective 
partner(s) contingent upon receipt of ORR funds. The agreement should 
state how the partnership arrangement relates to the objectives of the 
project. The applicant should also include: Supporting documentation 
identifying the resources, experience, and expertise of the partner(s); 
evidence that the partner(s) has been involved in the planning of the 
project; and a discussion of the role of the partner(s) in the 
implementation and conduct of the project.

Part I Priority Areas Under Which Grants and Cooperative Agreements 
Will Be Awarded

PRIORITY AREA 1: Targeted Assistance Grants (TAG)

A. Purpose
    The purpose of funding for TAG grants is to encourage States to 
address special services needs which cannot be met with the formula 
social services or targeted assistance grants.
    The objective of the activities proposed should be self-sufficiency 
for refugees and refugee families. A project may include a combination 
of outcomes designed to assist families to increase income and/or to 
avoid or end reliance on public assistance. Services should be 
linguistically and culturally appropriate and service providers should 
demonstrate staff capacity in this regard.
    ORR is particularly interested in projects which propose to serve 
special refugee populations including youth, women, and Former 
Political Prisoners.
B. Allowable Activities
    Listed below are examples of services. They are not intended to 
limit potential applicants in their consultation with the refugee 
communities to plan and design projects. Where projects include ELT 
technical assistance services, for example, ORR would anticipate 
substantial Federal involvement in the selection of service-recipient 
agencies and programs and in the selection of materials and subjects 
for the Internet web-site.
    Applicants may propose all or some combination of the following or 
may propose other strategies to address refugee self-sufficiency:
Specialized English Language Training (ELT)
    --Specialized classes for specific industries in conjunction with 
employers.
    --Specialized instruction in pre-employment competency-based ELT 
for targeted groups, e.g., limited English speaking individuals with 
non-transferrable job skills, homebound women, pre-literate refugees, 
and the elderly.
    --Occupational and vocational English language training, 
particularly in collaboration with specific employers and with their 
active participation; ELT at sites of employment; ELT as part of an 
integrated employment program (e.g., one stop services).
Specialized Training and Employment-Related Activities
    --Training specific to the employment job opportunities through an 
employer or industry in the community. These activities should be 
jointly designed with the employer and show employer contribution and 
commitment to employing the trainees, e.g., training of bilingual 
education aides for the school system, training of health aides for 
placement in the health care system.
    --On-the-job training and short-term skills training targeted to 
the local job market;
    --Incentives for refugees to seek and maintain employment and to 
avoid welfare;
    --Job placement and post-placement services to help refugees retain 
employment or sustain self-sufficiency. Examples include supportive 
services, such as transportation, interpreter assistance, access to 
childcare resources (e.g. kinship day care or care of dependents in the 
household), and job upgrades.
    --Income generation through self-employment projects including 
assistance in small business creation or expansion, business training 
and technical assistance, credit in the form of microloans, and the 
administrative costs of managing a microloan fund.
Community Education
    --Classes in parenting skills, including information about U.S. 
cultural and legal issues, e.g., corporal punishment, generational 
conflict, and child abuse.
    --Assistance to parents in connecting with the school system and 
other local community organizations.
    --Orientation to health care and assistance for accessing low-cost 
health service, including orientation on health insurance, health 
maintenance organizations, preventive health measures, and the 
availability of health services for low income families.
Community Centers and Organizing
    --Assistance to refugee communities to enhance their ability to 
assimilate and acculturate to their new life in the U.S.
    --Mentoring and Peer Support Programs, such as, pairing participant 
individuals or families with community volunteers. Programs should 
target refugees who are not otherwise receiving core services, and 
mentoring should target identified needs and provide peer support for 
resolution of problems. The purposes are to solve individual, family, 
and community problems with the support of peers and to solve common 
problems through group action.
    --Operating community centers for the delivery of services to 
refugee individuals and families. Centers may also be used for 
recreation, child care, information and referral services, and 
community gatherings. (Costs related to construction or renovation will 
not be considered, and costs for food or beverages are not allowable).
Combating Violence in Families
    --Information and training in preventing domestic violence, child 
abuse, sexual harassment and coercion,

[[Page 27309]]

roles of men and women in U.S. culture, and techniques for protection.
    --Linkages to mainstream service-providers to ensure access to 
culturally appropriate services
    --Training and providing bi-lingual staff for women's shelters.
Crime Prevention/Victimization
    --Activities designed to improve relations between refugees and the 
law enforcement communities: (a) Public service officers or community 
liaisons; (b) neighborhood storefronts and/or watch programs; (c) 
refugee business watch program; (d) cross cultural training for the law 
enforcement community (police departments, court system, mediation/
dispute resolution centers).

    Note: Law enforcement activities, such as hiring sworn police 
officers (except those who are public service officers or community 
liaison officers), fingerprinting, incarceration, etc., are outside 
the scope of allowable services under the Refugee Act and will not 
be considered for funding. Other unallowable activities are those 
limited to, or principally focused on, parole counseling, court 
advocacy, and child protection services.
English Language Training (ELT) Technical Assistance
    --For programs and teachers to assess and improve employment-
related ELT and curriculum, or to develop programs (e.g., work-site 
ELT, performance-based ELT, family literacy).
    --Training for ELT teachers in identifying issues of cultural and 
social adjustment, learning disabilities, and mental health, and in 
developing appropriate curricula to accommodate learning needs of the 
students.
    --Multi-site consultation and information sharing training sessions 
where similar agencies and/or agencies serving similar groups of 
refugees can share experiences. This might include a component designed 
to bring together ELT providers and employment specialists, case 
managers, voluntary agency staff, and public health professionals, for 
the purpose of developing strategies for effective working 
relationships.
    --Management of an ELT resource center including an Internet web-
site.
    All services should be planned around the refugees' availability 
(i.e., evening hours or other times not in conflict with work hours).
C. Priority 1--Applications Review Criteria
    Each application in Priority 1, regardless of the number of 
projects therein, will be rated and scored by an independent review 
panel using the following criteria.
1. Target Population and Strategies (10 points)
    Description of the targeted refugee population and its impact on 
the overall community.
    The description of the target refugee population(s) includes their 
number, national origin, year of arrival, and other pertinent 
information. A comparison of the size of the target refugee population 
in relation to the size of the general population in the community is 
included.
2. Project Design and Approach (25 points)
    Quality, appropriateness, and anticipated impact of proposed 
services. Rationale for the proposed activities as an effective 
approach in addressing the problem described.
    The applicant clearly describes the services that will be provided 
and documents the extent to which other sources of funding, including 
TAP formula funds and other Federal, State, or local funding, are not 
sufficient or available to address the impact. The proposal adequately 
discusses how requested funds and proposed activities will relate to 
other funded services.
3. Timeline and Expected Outcomes (25 points)
    Extent to which the timeline and expected outcomes of the project 
are appropriate and reasonable in relation to the funding cycle and the 
proposed activities.
    The applicant has clear projected outcomes, e.g., if employment 
services are proposed, the number of refugee active participants, 
number expected to enter employment, the expected average hourly wage 
at employment entry, the number of jobs with health benefits, and the 
number who are employed 90 days following employment entry.
4. Organizational's Capability (25 points)
    Demonstrated organizational experience, track record, and project 
management capability. Staff resumes or job descriptions are included. 
Organizational charts depict agency and staff roles and 
responsibilities.
5. Cost Effectiveness  (15 points)
    Reasonableness of budget proposed. Detailed budget and narrative 
justification, including State and/or local government administration. 
Unit costs for project services and expected outcomes are justified and 
reasonable.

Priority Area 2: Microenterprise Development

A. Purpose
    The purpose of this program is to use microenterprise development 
to assist refugees in becoming economically independent and to help 
refugee communities in developing employment and capital resources.
    State applicants will be expected to have identified local agencies 
interested in providing services under this Priority Area, prior to 
submitting requests for microenterprise development funds.
    Successful grantees and subgrantees will be expected to coordinate 
their policies and procedures for developing and administering refugee 
microenterprise projects with the existing refugee microenterprise 
services network.
B. Allowable Activities
    Microenterprise applicants may request funds to provide business 
technical assistance, business training, credit in the form of 
microloans, and administrative costs for managing a microloan fund to 
assist refugees to start or expand microbusinesses. Business targets 
may be start-ups, expansions, or both.
    Microloans consist of small amounts of credit, generally in sums 
less than $10,000, extended to low-income entrepreneurs for start-up or 
very small microentreprises. Typically, refugee borrowers should have 
few personal assets or savings and should not qualify for commercial 
loans.
    Applicants should be familiar with and describe a profile of the 
refugee participants including employment and welfare status, length of 
time in the United States, interest in microbusinesses and English 
language proficiency. Applicants should be familiar with the capital 
needs and capital market gaps for refugee entrepreneurs and demonstrate 
how they will gain access to credit through this project.
    States intending to subgrant activities under this category must 
require the submission of the following documents for each subgrantee 
prior to the award of a subgrant:
    a. A copy of the IRS Tax Exemption Certificate and identification 
of IRS code citation of tax exempt status (nonprofit agencies only).
    b. Copies of the last two fiscal year financial statements, 
including balance sheets and income statements.
    c. A monthly cash flow chart for the loan fund for the three year 
period beginning October 1, 1998.

[[Page 27310]]

    In addition to the above, States intending to continue 
microenterprise development in agencies which previously were funded 
for this purpose by ORR should include past microenterprise outcomes, 
such as business starts, business survivability, loan default rates, 
reductions in clients' welfare utilization, job creation, reported 
business income, and business expertise acquired through the project's 
intervention.
C. Priority 2--Application Review Criteria
    Each project component in Priority 2 will be rated and scored by an 
independent review panel using the following criteria.
    1. Quality of the description of the prospective refugee 
participants' profile with respect to welfare utilization, English 
language proficiency, length of time in the U.S., interest in 
microbusinesses, and the description of local capital needs and capital 
market gaps for refugee microentrepreneurs. (20 points)
    2. Adequacy and appropriateness of the planning process and 
resulting program approach or design: project goals and structure 
(policies, procedures, activities); training and technical assistance; 
loan fund and lending criteria and fees, if included in the design; 
whether the business targets are start-ups, expansions, or both; 
affiliate agencies; and credit enhancements, such as loan loss 
reserves. (30 points)
    3. Demonstrated organizational and management capacity, and 
experience serving refugees and other economically disadvantaged 
populations; description of experience in management of loan funds, 
collaboration with the specific refugee community(ies) and coalition 
building among refugee and non-refugee service providers. (20 points)
    4. Extent to which the expected outcomes and unit costs of the 
project are appropriate, consistent with reported nationwide 
performance in microenterprise projects, and reasonable in relation to 
the proposed activities; the impact of loan funds, business income, and 
business assets on clients' welfare status, if applicable. Projected 
outcomes for business income, business survivability and reductions in 
welfare utilization. (20 points)
    5. Appropriateness and reasonableness of the proposed budget, 
including the relative distribution of funds for administrative costs, 
training or technical assistance, and loan capital. Application should 
include project timelines and a narrative justification supporting each 
budget line item. (20 points)

Priority Area 3: Self-Sufficiency Services to Offset the Impact of 
Large Refugee Families on Local Communities

A. Purpose
    The purpose of this priority area is to promote services which 
enhance the ability of large refugee families to gain increases in 
household incomes significantly above the poverty level, and to reduce 
or offset the impact of refugee populations on local communities in 
States most heavily impacted by the influx of Laotian Hmong, Cambodian 
or Soviet Pentecostal refugees. To be competitive under this section, 
States must demonstrate and document a significant impact on local 
communities by the presence of a very large number of refugees in one 
of these three populations. That number is expected to exceed 15,000 
refugees for a State to be able to substantiate its evidence of local 
impact. States may also document a significantly high proportion of 
refugees in one of these three groups relative to the area's non-
refugee population.
    A State that intends to apply for funds must also present evidence 
in its application of the severity of the impact by this population on 
a local community, (e.g., on local school districts, child care 
facilities, or family counseling services).
    No State will be awarded more than $3.5 million for these projects. 
The application should present a plan for the provision of services 
designed to assist refugee households in generating income and 
alleviating poverty. Funding decisions will be based on the quality of 
the plan and the evidence presented for likely success in achieving 
measurable goals, as well as on the determination of need in such areas 
as refugee impact on community services and documentation of refugee 
welfare dependency.
B. Allowable Activities
    The types of projects which ORR may fund under this competitive 
area include, but are not limited to, the following:
    <bullet> Employment services, such as job development, placement, 
and post-placement services. Projects may target the non-primary wage 
earner of families in a coordinated strategy to achieve a combined 
family income in excess of the poverty level.
    <bullet> Vocational English Language Training, on-the-job-training, 
and skills training. Services may target assisting hard-to-place 
refugees, such as those over the age of 50, or non-primary wage earners 
to gain skills as child care providers, recreational aides, health care 
aides, etc.
    <bullet> Services to assist refugees in the generation of income 
apart from employment, such as self-employment. Projects may include 
assistance in small business creation and expansion, business training 
and technical assistance, credit in the form of microloans, and the 
administrative costs of managing a microloan fund.
    <bullet> Projects which enhance the relationships between refugee 
households and services such as school-to-work programs, teen pregnancy 
prevention, domestic violence intervention, day care development, 
parenting, and youth-at-risk programs.
    All services must be culturally and linguistically compatible and 
be planned around refugees' ability to attend activities (e.g. evening 
hours or other times not in conflict with work hours).
C. Priority 3--Application Review Criteria
    Applications for this priority area will be reviewed and ranked 
against the following criteria:
    1. Purpose and Extent of Impact on Local Community (40 points)
    The description of the purposes for which funding is needed is 
sufficiently detailed and appropriate to this priority area.
    Level, extent, and nature of the impact of Laotian Hmong, 
Cambodians and Soviet Pentecostal refugees on the State or local 
community targeted and description of the targeted population.
    A description of the extent of the impact in the State and/or 
community for which the project is targeted. For purposes of this 
Priority Area only, and consistent with the purpose described above, 
discussions of impact must be limited to the impact of large 
populations of Laotian Hmong, Cambodians and Soviet Pentecostals. This 
impact statement must include a description of the target refugee 
population, including the numbers, national origins, and other 
pertinent information, and geographic location(s) for which funding is 
requested. It should also describe the extent to which refugees have 
significantly changed aspects of community life, with implications for 
long-term adjustment.
2. Project Design, Methodology, Timeline (20 points)
    Appropriateness of the project design, methods of service delivery, 
and projected timelines to the needs of the targeted community(ies). 
Clear

[[Page 27311]]

description of the activities proposed to address the impact on local 
communities.
    Projects which are expected to build new, or make use of existing, 
partnerships with other government or nonprofit agencies should 
describe the partnerships, as well as the partner agencies and their 
qualifications for participation in this program (e.g., history of 
outcomes in similar programs).
3. Project Outcomes (20 points)
    The extent to which the expected outcomes and unit costs of the 
project are appropriate and reasonable in relation to the proposed 
activities and budget. A description of expected project outcomes and 
the estimated unit costs of the services are provided. This should 
focus on measurable outcomes, such as increases in household income, 
welfare grant terminations, etc., rather than on process outcomes, 
e.g., numbers of people to be served, number of sessions to be 
conducted.
    If funding is to be used to expand or continue an existing project, 
discuss the outcomes to date of that project.
14. Budget (20 points)
    Reasonableness of budget proposed. An estimated line-item budget 
and narrative justification, including State and/or local government 
administration.

Priority Area 4) Community and Family Strengthening (CFS)

A. Purpose
    While employment and economic independence continue to be ORR's 
primary concern and the focus of the formula social services and 
targeted assistance funding, this Priority Area provides an opportunity 
for States and nonprofit organizations to request funding for 
activities which supplement and complement employment-related services 
by strengthening refugee families and communities.
    ORR views the participation of the target population as 
particularly important. Project designing must include representatives 
of the target population. For example, a project designed to assist 
single mothers needs to be designed in consultation with single 
mothers.
    Cultural and Linguistic Compatibility. All applicants should 
demonstrate existing refugee community support for their agency and 
their proposed project. If the applicant works in an area where no 
other organizations work with refugees, and a coalition with other 
organizations is not possible, this should be explained and documented. 
Applicants and all private partners should provide evidence that their 
governing bodies, boards of directors, or advisory bodies are 
representative of the refugee communities being served, and have both 
male and female representation.
    In all cases, regardless of the nature of the organization proposed 
to provide services or conduct activities funded under this 
announcement, the services/activities must be conducted by staff 
linguistically and culturally compatible with the refugee families or 
communities to be served. In addition, the applicant must describe how 
proposed providers will have access to the families and to the 
community to be served. If interpreters are proposed in the first 
budget period, applicant must demonstrate how these staff will be used 
and whether they will be trained to become bi-lingual service providers 
during the project period.
    Cost-sharing. This announcement is intended to encourage service 
planners and providers to consider the various unmet needs of refugee 
families and communities relative to existing services, the capacity of 
the service-providing network, and ultimately the community's capacity 
to continue the activity without additional ORR resources beyond the 
three-year project period of this announcement. Long-range viability 
may depend on: Linkages to activities funded by other sources, the 
availability of expertise in the community, the relatedness of proposed 
activities to existing activities, the willingness of the community to 
participate actively in assuring the success of the activity--including 
volunteer commitment, and the likelihood of tangible results.
    Because funding under this program announcement is limited, 
applicants are urged to plan for the use of these funds in conjunction 
with other Federal, State, and private funds available to assist the 
target populations and to carry out similar programs and activities 
(cost-sharing). To this end, successful applicants will propose and 
commit to a minimum cost-sharing of 10% of the original budget period 
(first year) costs. In subsequent year continuation applications, the 
grantee will be asked to document receipt of non-Federal funds from 
other sources. The requirement will be not less than 25% of the full 
budget for the second year award. For example, if the original budget 
is $150,000, the federal share for that year may be $135,000 (90%). The 
second year the federal award might be $112,500 and the grantee would 
be required to provide at a minimum cost-sharing of $37,500, 25% of the 
full budget, in cash or in-kind support. Only in unusual circumstances 
will the Director of ORR entertain a request from the grantee to reduce 
or waive the cost-sharing requirement.
B. Allowable Activities
    ORR will consider applications for services which an applicant 
justifies, based on an analysis of service needs and available 
resources, as necessary to address the social and economic problems of 
refugee families and of the refugee community. It should be clear how 
the proposed activity fits into the existing network of services; how 
it responds to the particular needs of families in that community or to 
a broader need of the community of families; who is committed to do 
what in order to accomplish this goal; and what is the goal or expected 
outcome of the activity.
    The specific services proposed may be as diverse as the refugee 
populations and the resettlement communities themselves. Some examples 
follow which are not intended to be a comprehensive list but are 
intended to stimulate planning and community discussion. It will be the 
task of the local planning processes to determine what is needed to 
address the economic and social adjustment needs of families and the 
community. Activities and services proposed should be planned in 
conjunction with existing services and should supplement and complement 
these services. Special attention should be given in the planning 
process to the services available to all citizens, including community 
institutions which serve the elderly, youth and special needs 
populations.
    Non-Allowable Activities: Funds will not be awarded to applicants 
who propose to engage in activities of a distinctly political nature or 
which are designed primarily to promote the preservation of cultural 
heritage, or which have an international objective. ORR supports 
refugee community efforts to preserve cultural heritage, but believes 
these are activities which communities should conduct without recourse 
to ORR resources.
SOME EXAMPLES OF ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES:
Community Education
    --Activities designed to inform the refugee community about issues 
essential to effective participation in the new society.
    --Classes in parenting skills, including information about U.S. 
cultural and legal issues, e.g., corporal punishment, generational 
conflict, and child abuse.

[[Page 27312]]

    --Assistance to parents in connecting with the school system and 
other local community organizations.
    --Orientation to health care and assistance for accessing low-cost 
health service, including orientation on health insurance, health 
maintenance organizations, preventive health measures, and the 
availability of health services for low income families.
Specialized English Language Training
    --Specialized classes for specific industries in conjunction with 
employers.
    --Specialized classes for groups outside the regular classes, e.g., 
homebound women, elderly. Use of volunteers is encouraged. 
Accessibility of site and time is important.
Mentoring Programs and Peer Support
    --Pairing participant individuals or families with community 
volunteers. Programs should target refugees who are not otherwise 
receiving core services, and mentoring should target needs they 
identify.
    --Assisting subgroups to form a common bond for resolution of peer-
specific problems. The purposes are to solve individual, family, and 
community problems with the support of peers and to solve common 
problems through group action.
Combating Violence in Families
    --Information and training against domestic violence, child abuse, 
sexual harassment and coercion, roles of men and women in U.S. culture, 
and techniques for protection.
    --Linkages to mainstream service-providers to ensure access to 
culturally appropriate services.
    --Training and/or bi-lingual staff for women's shelters.
Crime Prevention/Victimization
    --Activities designed to improve relations between refugees and the 
law enforcement communities: (a) Public service officers or community 
liaisons; (b) neighborhood storefronts and/or watch programs; (c) 
refugee business watch programs; (d) cross cultural training for the 
law enforcement community (police departments, court system, mediation 
or dispute management centers).

    Note: Law enforcement activities, such as hiring sworn police 
officers (except those who are public service officers or community 
liaison officers), fingerprinting, incarceration, etc., are outside 
the scope of allowable services under the Refugee Act and will not 
be considered for funding. Other unallowable activities are those 
limited to, or principally focused on, parole counseling, court 
advocacy, and child protection services.
Refugee Community Centers and Organizing
    --Operating community centers for the delivery of services to 
refugee individuals and families. Centers may also be used for 
recreation, information and referral services, childcare, and community 
gatherings. (Costs related to construction or renovation will not be 
considered, and costs for food or beverages are not allowable).
    --Communities might be organized for housing cooperatives, for 
youth activities, for services to elderly, for volunteer mentoring 
services, for crime prevention.
    The above are only examples of services. They are not intended to 
limit potential applicants in community planning.
    These examples are listed and generically described without regard 
to the population to be served. It will be necessary in the application 
to describe more specifically the target population. For example, one 
activity might be appropriately designed to serve only homebound women. 
Another might be designed for teenagers and their parents. Another 
might be for elderly. Some might be targeted for all members of the 
family. Applications should correlate a planned activity with specific 
target audiences and discuss the relationship between the proposed 
activities and the target population.
C. Application Review Criteria
    1. Need and Scope (25 points)
    Profile of refugee community and target population by geographic 
area or ethnic group of the refugee community to be served, including 
numbers, ethnicity, welfare utilization pattern, number of refugee 
families in the community, family characteristics, and an assessment of 
attitudes of the refugees and the general community toward each other. 
Clarity of description and soundness of rationale for selection of 
targeted community or population.
    Adequacy and quality of data provided and quality of the analysis 
of data provided in the application with special regard to ethnic 
group, refugee families, women, youth, or the aged.
    Clarity and comprehensiveness of needs identification and problem 
statement and of the description of the local context in which grant 
activities are proposed.
    Comprehensiveness of description of existing services and community 
network and explanation of how the proposed services complement what is 
already in place.
    Evidence of consultation with target population.
2. Proposed Strategy and Program Design (30 points)
    Soundness of strategy and program design for meeting identified 
needs.
    Identification of projected performance outcomes and proposed 
milestones measuring progress, as appropriate to the services proposed 
by the end of the first budget period and over the entire requested 
project period. (ORR encourages applicants, to the extent possible, to 
develop innovative quantifiable measures related to the desired service 
impact for purposes of monitoring and project assessment.)
    The quality of the outcomes proposed and the potential for 
achieving the outcomes within the grant's project period. The potential 
of the project to have a positive impact on the quality of the lives of 
refugee families and communities.
    Adequate detail in the description of linkages with other providers 
and roles of collaborating agencies in project implementation.
    Extent to which the need described is expected to be met and/or to 
which the services will be augmented, supplemented, or integrated with 
existing services.
    The extent to which the award is projected to be augmented or 
supplemented by other funding during and beyond (i.e., in the second 
and any subsequent year of) the grant period, or can be integrated into 
other existing service systems.
3. Applicant/Coalition Capability  (25 points)
    Validity and reasonableness of the proposed coalition arrangement 
to perform the proposed activities. Commitment of coalition partners in 
implementing the activities as demonstrated by letters or the terms of 
the signed agreement among participants. (Where potential coalition 
partners are documented to be unavailable, the applicant will not be 
penalized under this criteria. However, the applicant should describe 
any consultation efforts undertaken and consultation with the refugee 
community.)
    Experience of the applicant coalition in performing the proposed 
services.
    Adequacy of gender balance and constituent representatives of board 
members of participant organizations or of the proposed project's 
advisory board.
    Adequacy of assurance that proposed services will be delivered by 
staff linguistically and culturally appropriate to the target 
population.
    Qualifications of the individual organization staff and any 
volunteers.

[[Page 27313]]

Detailed description of the administrative and management features of 
the project including a plan for fiscal and programmatic management of 
each activity, proposed start-up times, ongoing timelines, major 
milestones or benchmarks, a component/project organization chart, and a 
staffing chart.
    A description of information collection (participant and outcome 
data) and monitoring proposed.
4. Budget and Financial Management (20 points)
    Reasonableness of budget and narrative justification in relation to 
the proposed activities and anticipated results.
    Adequacy of proposed monitoring and information collection.
    Realistic plan for the continuation of services with a phase-out of 
ORR grant funding over the multi-year project period. Extent to which 
the application makes provision for cost-sharing (e.g. leveraging ORR 
funds with non-Federal funds or in-kind support) to maintain the full 
budget during the overall project. If available, the value of such 
leveraged funds or in-kind support and any preliminary commitments.

Part III. General Application Information and Guidance Forms and 
Certifications

    Applicants for financial assistance under this announcement must 
file the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance; 
SF-424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; SF-424B, 
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs. The forms may be reproduced for 
use in submitting applications. An application with an original 
signature and two copies is required.
    If an application represents a consortium (that is, the applicant 
includes other types of agencies among its membership), the single 
organization identified as applicant by the Authorized Representative's 
signature on the SF-424, Box 18.d, will be the grant recipient and will 
have primary administrative and fiscal responsibilities. An applicant 
entity must be a public or private nonprofit organization.
    All applications which meet the stipulated deadline and other 
requirements will be reviewed competitively and scored by an 
independent review panel of experts in accordance with ACF grants 
policy and the criteria stated above. The results of the independent 
review panel scores and explanatory comments will assist the Director 
of ORR in considering competing applications. Reviewers' scores will 
weigh heavily in funding decisions but will not be the only factors 
considered. Applications generally will be considered in order of the 
average scores assigned by the reviewers. Highly ranked applications 
are not guaranteed funding since other factors are taken into 
consideration, including: Comments of reviewers and of ACF/ORR 
officials; previous program performance of applicants; compliance with 
grant terms under previous DHHS grants; audit reports; and 
investigative reports. Final funding decisions will be made by the 
Director of ORR.

Availability of Forms and Certifications

    ORR published a copy of the Standard Form 424 with instructions for 
submitting an Application for Federal Assistance in the Federal 
Register, December 9, 1997 (FR Vol. 62, No. 236, pgs. 64870-64883). 
Copies of the Federal Register are available on the Internet and at 
most local libraries and Congressional District Offices for 
reproduction. The SF424 is also available through the ACF Internet at 
http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/ (at ``Select a Topic,'' choose ``Grant Related 
Forms and Documents,'' then click on ``Go'').
    If copies are not available at these sources, they may be obtained 
by sending a written or faxed request to the following: Office of 
Refugee Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW., Washington, DC 20447, 
Telephone: (202) 401-9251, Fax: (202) 401-5487.

Budget and Budget Justification

    Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each project 
budget by object class identified on the Budget Information form. 
Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit 
costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the 
calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a 
breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Provide a narrative budget justification with each project that 
describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, 
reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs.
General
    The following guidelines are for preparing the budget and budget 
justification. Both Federal and non-Federal resources shall be detailed 
and justified in the budget and narrative justification. According to 
the instructions for completing the SF-424A and the preparation of the 
budget and budget justification, ``Federal resources'' refers only to 
the ACF/ORR grant for which you are applying. Non-Federal resources are 
all other Federal and non-Federal resources. It is suggested that 
budget amounts and computations be presented in a columnar format: 
First column, object class categories; second column, Federal budget; 
next column(s), non-Federal budget(s), and last column, total budget. 
The budget justification should be a narrative.
    Personnel: Costs of employee salaries and wages. Justification--
Identify the project director and for each staff person, provide the 
title, time commitment to the project (in months), time commitment to 
the project (as a percentage or full-time equivalent), annual salary, 
grant salary, wage rates, etc. Do not include the costs of consultants 
or personnel costs of delegate agencies.
    Fringe Benefits: Costs of employee fringe benefits unless treated 
as part of approved indirect cost rate. Justification--Provide a 
breakdown of the amounts and percentages that comprise fringe benefit 
costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement insurance, taxes, etc.
    Travel: Costs of project-related travel by employees of the 
applicant organization (does not include costs of consultant travel). 
Justification--For each trip, show the total number of traveler(s), 
travel destination, duration of trip, per diem, mileage allowances, if 
privately owned vehicles will be used, and other transportation costs 
and subsistence allowances. Travel costs for key staff to attend ACF/
ORR-sponsored meetings should be detailed in the budget.
    Equipment: Costs of tangible, non-expendable, personal property, 
having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of 
$5,000 or more per unit. Justification--For each type of equipment 
requested, provide a description of the equipment, the cost per unit, 
the number of units, the total cost, and a plan for use on the project, 
as well as use or disposal of the equipment after the project ends.
    Supplies: Costs of all tangible personal property other than that 
included under the Equipment category. Justification--Specify general 
categories of supplies and their costs. Show computations and provide 
other information which supports the amount requested.
    Contractual: Costs of all contracts for services and goods except 
for those which belong under other categories such as equipment, 
supplies, etc. Contracts with secondary recipient organizations, 
including delegate

[[Page 27314]]

agencies (if applicable), should be included under this category.
    Justification--All procurement transactions shall be conducted in a 
manner to provide, to the maximum extent practical, open and free 
competition. If procurement competitions were held or if procurement 
without competition is being proposed, attach a list of proposed 
contractors, indicating the names of the organizations, the purposes of 
the contracts, the estimated dollar amounts, and the award selection 
process. Justify any anticipated procurement action that is expected to 
be awarded without competition and to exceed the simplified acquisition 
threshold fixed at 41 USC 403(11). Recipients might be required to make 
available to ACF pre-award review and procurement documents, such as 
requests for proposal or invitations for bids, independent cost 
estimates, etc.

    Note: Whenever the applicant intends to delegate part of the 
project to another agency, the applicant must provide a detailed 
budget and budget narrative for each delegate agency, by agency 
title, along with the required supporting information referred to in 
these instructions.

    Other: Enter the total of all other costs. Such costs, where 
applicable and appropriate, may include but are not limited to 
insurance, professional services costs, space and equipment rentals, 
printing and publication, computer use, training costs, such as tuition 
and stipends, staff development, and administrative costs.
    Justification--Provide computations, a narrative description and a 
justification for each cost under this category.
    Indirect Costs: This category should be used only when the 
applicant currently has an indirect cost rate approved by the 
Department of Health and Human Services or another cognizant Federal 
agency.
    Justification--An applicant proposing to charge indirect costs to 
the grant must enclose a copy of the current rate agreement. If the 
applicant organization is in the process of initially developing or 
renegotiating a rate, it should immediately upon notification that an 
award will be made, develop a tentative indirect cost rate proposal 
based on its most recently completed fiscal year in accordance with the 
principles set forth in the cognizant agency's guidelines for 
establishing indirect cost rates, and submit it to the cognizant 
agency. Applicants awaiting approval of their indirect cost proposals 
may also request indirect costs. It should be noted that when an 
indirect cost rate is requested, those costs included in the indirect 
cost pool should not also be charged as direct costs to the grant. 
Also, if the applicant is requesting a rate which is less than what is 
allowed under the agreement, the authorized representative of the 
applicant organization must submit a signed acknowledgement that the 
applicant is accepting a lower rate than allowed.
    Program Income: The estimated amount of income, if any, expected to 
be generated from this project.
    Justification--Describe the nature, source and anticipated use of 
program income in the budget or refer to the pages in the application 
which contain this information.
    Non-Federal Resources: Amounts of non-Federal resources that will 
be used to support the project as identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.
    Justification--The firm commitment of these resources must be 
documented and submitted with the application in order to be given 
credit in the review process. A detailed budget must be prepared for 
each funding source.

Certifications

    Applicants must provide the following certifications.
    a. Certification regarding lobbying if anticipated award exceeds 
$100,000.
    b. Certification regarding environmental tobacco smoke. By signing 
and submitting the applications, applicant provides certification that 
they will comply with the requirements of the Pro-Children Act of 1994 
(Pub. L. 103-227, Part C-Environmental Tobacco Smoke) and need not mail 
back the certification with the application.
    c. Certification regarding debarment, suspension, and other 
Ineligibility. By signing and submitting the applications, applicant 
provides certification that they are not presently debarred, suspended 
or otherwise ineligible for this award and therefore need not mail back 
the certification with the application.
    d. Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.

Deadline

    1. Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting this 
announced deadline if they are sent on or before the deadline date and 
received by ORR in time for the independent review. Applications should 
be mailed to: Office of Refugee Resettlement, Administration for 
Children and Families, Division of Community Resettlement, 370 L'Enfant 
Promenade, SW., Sixth Floor, Washington, DC. 20447, Attention: TAG/CFS.
    Applicants must ensure that a legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 
postmark, or a legibly dated, machine produced postmark of a commercial 
mail service appears on the envelope/package containing the 
application(s). An acceptable postmark from a commercial carrier is one 
which includes the carrier's logo/emblem and shows the date the package 
was received by the commercial mail service. Private metered postmarks 
shall not be acceptable as proof of timely mailing.
    Applications hand-carried by applicants, applicant couriers, or by 
overnight/express mail couriers shall be considered as meeting an 
announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline date, 
between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at the Administration for 
Children and Families, Office of Refugee Resettlement, 901 D Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20024, between Monday and Friday (excluding Federal 
holidays). (Applicants are cautioned that express/overnight mail 
services do not always deliver as agreed.)
    ACF cannot accommodate transmission of applications by fax or 
through other electronic media. Therefore, applications transmitted to 
ACF electronically will not be accepted regardless of date or time of 
submission and time of receipt.
    2. Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
above are considered late applications. ACF shall notify each late 
applicant that its application will not be considered in the current 
competition.
    3. Extension of deadlines: ACF may extend the deadline for 
applicants affected by acts of God such as floods and hurricanes, or 
when there is widespread disruption of the mails. A determination to 
waive or extend deadline requirements rests with the Chief Grants 
Management Officer.
    4. Once an application has been submitted, it is considered as 
final and no additional materials will be accepted by ACF.

Nonprofit Status

    Applicants other than public agencies must provide evidence of 
their nonprofit status with their applications. Either of the following 
is acceptable evidence: (1) A copy of the applicant organization's 
listing in the Internal Revenue Service's most recent list of tax-
exempt organizations described in section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code; or 
(2) a copy of the currently valid IRS tax exemption certificate.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' and 45 CFR part 100,

[[Page 27315]]

``Intergovernmental Review of Department of Health and Human Services 
Programs and Activities.''
    As of June 15, 1997, the following jurisdictions have elected not 
to participate in the Executive Order process. Applicants from these 
jurisdictions need take no action in regard to E.O. 12372: Alabama, 
Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, 
Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, 
Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, 
Virginia, Washington, American Samoa, and Palau.
    All remaining jurisdictions participate in the E.O. process and 
have established Single Points of Contact (SPOCs).
    Applicants from participating jurisdictions should contact their 
SPOCs as soon as possible to alert them to the prospective applications 
and receive instructions. Applicants must submit any required material 
to the SPOCs as soon as possible so that ORR can obtain and review SPOC 
comments as part of the award process. The applicant must submit all 
required materials, if any, to the SPOC and indicate the date of this 
submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on the 
Standard Form 424, item 16a.
    Under 45 CFR 100.8(a)(2), a SPOC has 60 days from the application 
deadline to comment on proposed new or competing continuation awards. 
SPOCs are encouraged to eliminate the submission of routine 
endorsements as official recommendations.
    Additionally, SPOCs are requested to clearly differentiate between 
mere advisory comments and those official State process recommendations 
which may trigger the ``accommodate or explain'' rule. When comments 
are submitted directly to ACF, they should be addressed to: Department 
of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, 
Office of Refugee Resettlement, Division of Community Resettlement, 6th 
Floor, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC. 20447.

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

    All information collections within this Program Announcement are 
approved under the following currently valid OMB control numbers: 424 
(0348-0043); 424A (0348-0044); 424B (0348-0040); Disclosure of Lobbying 
Activities (0348-0046); Uniform Project Description (0970-0139) Expires 
10/31/00.
    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is 
estimated to average 80 hours per response, including the time for 
reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and 
reviewing the collection of information.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number.

Applicable Regulations

    Applicable DHHS regulations can be found in 45 CFR part 74 or 92.

Reporting Requirements

    Grantees are required to file the Financial Status Report (SF-269) 
semi-annually and Quarterly Program Performance Reports (OMB Approval 
No. 0970-0036). Funds issued under these awards must be accounted for 
and reported upon separately from all other grant activities.
    Although ORR does not expect the proposed components/projects to 
include evaluation activities, it does expect grantees to maintain 
adequate records to track and report on project outcomes and 
expenditures by budget line item.
    The official receipt point for all reports and correspondence is 
the ORR Division of Community Resettlement. An original and one copy of 
each report shall be submitted within 30 days of the end of each 
reporting period directly to the Project Officer named in the award 
letter. The mailing address is: ORR, 370 L'Enfant Promenade SW, Sixth 
Floor, Washington, DC 20447.
    A final Financial and Program Report shall be due 90 days after the 
budget expiration date or termination of grant support.

    Dated: May 6, 1998.
Lavinia Limon,
Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement.
[FR Doc. 98-13099 Filed 5-15-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P


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