[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 130 (Friday, July 5, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35518-35546]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16558]



[[Page 35517]]


_______________________________________________________________________

Part IV





Department of Health and Human Services





Administration for Children and Families



_______________________________________________________________________



Request for REACH Plans Under the Office of Community Services FY 1996 
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Residential Energy 
Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) Program; Notice

Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 130 / Friday, July 5, 1996 / 
Notices

[[Page 35518]]



DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families
[Program Announcement No. OCS-96-08]


Request for REACH Plans Under the Office of Community Services FY 
1996 Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Residential Energy 
Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) Program

AGENCY: Office of Community Services, ACF, DHHS.

ACTION: Announcement of availability of funds and request for REACH 
plans under the Office of Community Services Residential Energy 
Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) Program.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Office of 
Community Services (OCS) announces that, based on availability of 
funds, REACH Plans will be accepted for grants pursuant to the 
Secretary's authority under Section 2607B(b) of the Low-Income Home 
Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.

CLOSING DATES: The closing date and time for receipt of REACH 
applications is 4:30 p.m., eastern time zone, on September 3, 1996. 
Applications received after 4:30 p.m. on that day will be classified as 
late. Postmarks and other similar documents do not establish receipt of 
an application. Detailed application submission instructions including 
the addresses where applications must be received are found in Part VI 
B, Application Submission.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Community Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Division of Community 
Demonstration Programs, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, S.W., Fifth Floor, 
Washington, D. C. 20447. Attention: Richard Saul--(202) 401-9341; Anna 
Guidery--(202) 401-5318.
    This Notice is accessible on the OCS Electronic Bulletin Board for 
downloading through your computer modem by calling 1-800-627-8886. For 
assistance in accessing the Bulletin Board, a Guide to Accessing and 
Downloading is available from Ms. Minnie Landry at (202) 401-5309.

    The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for this 
program is 93.568.

Table of Contents

Part I--Introduction

A. Legislative Authority
B. Definition of Terms
C. Purpose

Part II--Background Information

A. Program Priority Areas
B. Project Periods and Budget Periods
C. Availability of Funds and Grant Amounts
D. Program Participants/Beneficiaries
E. Prohibition and Restrictions on the Use of Funds
F. Multiple Submittals and Multiple Grants
G. Maintenance of Effort

Part III--Reach Priority Areas and Program Requirements

A. Program Requirements for Priority Area 1.0
    1. Eligible Applicants for Priority Area 1.0
    2. Program Focus
    3. Economic Development Strategy and Mobilization of Resources
    4. Scope of the Priority Area 1.0 REACH Plan
    5. Low-Income Citizen Participation
    6. Third-Party Project Evaluation
    7. Consistency With LIHEAP Legislation
    8. Dissemination of Project Results.
B. Special Program Requirements for Priority Area 2.0
    1. Eligible Applicants for Priority Area 2.0
    2. Program Focus
    3. Economic Development strategy
    4. Scope of the Priority Area 2.0 REACH Plan
    5. Low-Income Citizen Participation
    6. Third Party Project Evaluation
    7. Consistency With LIHEAP Legislation
    8. Dissemination of Project Results

Part IV--Reach Plan Elements and Review Criteria

A. Program Elements, Review and Assessment Criteria for REACH Plans 
Under Priority Area 1.0
B. Special Program Elements, Review and Assessment Criteria for 
REACH Plans Under Priority Area 2.0

Part V--Quality Standards for Energy Efficiency Education Services 
Plans

A. Purpose
B. Target Population
C. Needs Assessment and Project Design Process
D. Service Delivery
E. Relation of Services to Changes, of Changes to Outcomes, and of 
Outcomes to Goals (a ``Logic Model'')
F. Evaluation

Part VI--Application Procedures

A. Availability of Forms
B. Application Submission
C. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
D. Application Consideration
E. Criteria for Screening Applications

Part VII--Instructions for Completing Application Forms

A. SF-424--Application for Federal Assistance
B. SF-424A--Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs
C. SF-424B--Assurances--Non-Construction

Part VIII--Contents of Reach Plan

Part IX--Post-Award Information and Reporting Requirements

A. Notification of Grant Award
B. Attendance at Workshops
C. Reporting Requirements
D. Audit Requirements
E. Prohibitions and Requirements with regard to Lobbying
F. Applicable Federal Regulations

Part I. Introduction

A. Legislative Authority

    Section 2607B(b) of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 
1981, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq., authorizes the creation of 
the Residential Energy Assistance Challenge Option (REACH) Program, to 
be funded for the first time in FY 1996. REACH is designed to provide 
services through local community-based agencies to help LIHEAP eligible 
households reduce their energy vulnerability.
    The Secretary is authorized to make incentive grants to States, 
Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and certain Insular Areas that submit 
qualifying Plans, hereinafter referred to as REACH Plans, that are 
approved by the Secretary as REACH initiatives. Successful applicants 
are to use such grants for the costs of planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the initiative.
    The Secretary must also reserve from any funds allocated under the 
REACH initiative, funds to make additional payments to REACH programs 
that (a) have energy efficiency education services plans that meet 
quality standards established by the Secretary in consultation with the 
Secretary of Energy; and (b) have the potential for being replicable 
model designs for other programs.
    This Announcement is requesting competitive REACH Plans from 
eligible applicants which are consistent with the information, 
requirements, and program elements and review criteria outlined in 
Parts II, III, IV, and V, below.

B. Definition of Terms

    For purposes of this Program Announcement, the following 
definitions apply [Definitions marked with an asterisk(*) are the 
definitions found in Section 2603 of the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act, as amended, (42 U.S.C. 8622) and apply to the REACH 
Initiative]:

--Budget Period: The term ``budget period'' refers to the interval of 
time into which a multi-year period of assistance (project period) is 
usually divided for budgetary and funding purposes.

[[Page 35519]]

--Community-based, nonprofit: A corporation or association whose 
profits may not lawfully accrue to the benefit of any shareholder or 
individual, and whose goals, objectives and activities are established 
and carried out through a process involving the participation of 
residents of the community or local area being served, including low-
income residents.
--Community-Based Organization Recipient (CBO Recipient): The 
Community-based nonprofit entity through which State REACH Project 
services shall be delivered in the applicant State under Priority Area 
1.0.
--Energy burden* means the expenditures of the household for home 
energy divided by the income of the household.
--Energy crisis* means weather-related and supply shortage emergencies 
and other household energy-related emergencies.
--Highest home energy needs* means the home energy requirements of a 
household determined by taking into account both the energy burden of 
such household and the unique situation of such household that results 
from having members of vulnerable populations, including very young 
children, individuals with disabilities, and frail older individuals.
--Home energy* means a source of heating or cooling in residential 
dwellings.
--Household* means any individual or group of individuals who are 
living together as one economic unit for whom residential energy is 
customarily purchased in common or who make undesignated payments for 
energy in the form of rent.
--Innovative project: One that departs from or significantly modifies 
past program practices and tests (a) new approach(es).
--Intervention: Any planned activity within a project that is intended 
to produce changes in the target population or the environment, and can 
be formally evaluated.
--Nonprofit Organization: A corporation or association whose profits 
may not lawfully accrue to the benefit of any shareholder or individual 
(and through which REACH Project services may be delivered under 
Priority Area 2.0).
--Outcome evaluation: An assessment of measured results designed to 
provide a valid determination of the net effects attributable to the 
intervention. An outcome evaluation will produce and interpret findings 
related to whether the intervention produced desirable changes and its 
potential for replicability. It should answer the question, ``Did this 
program work?''
--Poverty level* means, with respect to a household in any State, the 
income poverty line as prescribed and revised at least annually 
pursuant to section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act, 
as applicable to such State. (See Attachment A.)
--Process evaluation: Descriptive information that is gathered on the 
development and implementation of a program/intervention that may serve 
as a document for replicating the program elsewhere. The evaluation 
should also identify problems that occurred and how they were dealt 
with and recommend improved means of future implementation. It should 
answer the question: ``How was the program carried out?'' In concert 
with the outcome evaluation, it should also help explain, ``Why did 
this program work/not work?''
--Project period: The term ``project period'' refers to the total time 
for which a project is approved for support, including any extensions.
--Secretary* means the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
--State* means each of the several States and the District of Columbia.
--State median income* means the State median income promulgated by the 
Secretary in accordance with procedures established under section 
2002(a)(6) of the Social Security Act (as such procedures were in 
effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act) and 
adjusted, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, 
to take into account the number of individuals in the household.

C. Purpose

    As described in the authorizing legislation, the purpose of the 
REACH Program is to--
    (1) minimize health and safety risks that result from high energy 
burdens on low-income Americans;
    (2) prevent homelessness as a result of inability to pay energy 
bills;
    (3) increase efficiency of energy usage by low-income families; and
    (4) target energy assistance to individuals who are most in need.
    In keeping with this broad mandate, OCS will support a limited 
number of innovative Pilot Projects that seek to demonstrate the long 
term cost effectiveness of supplementing energy assistance payments 
with non-monetary benefits that can increase the ability of eligible 
households to meet energy costs and help them to achieve energy self-
sufficiency.

Part II. Background Information

A. Program Priority Areas

    The REACH Program will have two Priority Areas: Priority Area 1.0, 
for which eligible applicants are States, the District of Columbia and 
Puerto Rico; and Priority Area 2.0, for which eligible applicants are 
Tribes, Tribal Organizations, and certain Insular Areas which are 
LIHEAP grantees that use LIHEAP funds to implement a LIHEAP Program.

B. Project Periods and Budget Periods

(See Part I, B, Definition of Terms)
    The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 authorizes a 
block grant program of which the REACH Program is a part, and to which 
45 CFR Parts 74 and 92 and OMB Circulars do not apply. However, 45 CFR 
Part 96 does apply to REACH funds. Grantees must obligate REACH funds 
within the Fiscal Year following the Fiscal Year in which the REACH 
grant was awarded by OCS.
    1. Project Periods. Project periods will be 36 months for all REACH 
projects under Priority Area 1.0 and for projects under Priority Area 
2.0 when the applicant elects to delegate the project to a non-profit 
organization as described below.
    States under Priority Area 1.0 and applicants under Priority Area 
2.0 with thirty-six month Project Periods are encouraged to provide for 
completion of the planning and consummation of awards to sub-recipients 
within a time frame that will allow for adequate start-up and an 
implementation period of at least two years, followed by a phase-out 
period that will permit completion of the required evaluation under 
Priority Area 1.0 and reporting under Priority Area 2.0.
    Project periods will be 12 months under Priority Area 2.0 where 
applicants elect to operate projects directly, as described below.
    2. Budget Periods. Budget Periods for all REACH Projects in 
Priority Areas 1.0 and 2.0 will be twelve months (one year).
    (a) In the case of projects under Priority Area 1.0, States will 
receive grants for the full amount of the three-year Project Period, 
and will award REACH funds to CBO Recipients for total project budgets 
covering the full Project Period as described above, and should solicit 
and/or design local projects accordingly. Applicants under Priority 
Area 1.0 may include in the REACH Initiative budget an amount up

[[Page 35520]]

ten percent (10%) of the total REACH grant for planning, 
administration, and coordinating costs at the State level, and for 
contracting with a third party evaluator as defined in Part IV-A, 
Element VI, below, and discussed in Part III-A.6., during the first 
project year (the first twelve month budget period) of the REACH 
Initiative. States may apply for continued funding for such costs for 
each of the second and third project years (budget periods) on a non-
competitive basis, for an amount each year of up to two and one-half 
percent (2.5%) of the original grant, subject to the availability of 
funds, satisfactory progress of the grantee, and determination that 
this would be in the best interest of the government.
    (b) In the case of REACH Projects under Priority Area 2.0, where 
applicants elect to operate REACH projects through non-profit 
organizations, grants awarded pursuant to this announcement will 
likewise be for the full amount of the three year Project Period, and 
applicants will in like manner award REACH funds to sub-recipients for 
total project budgets covering the full Project Period as described in 
the preceding paragraph (a). Such applicants may include up to five 
percent (5%) of the total REACH grant for planning, administration and 
coordinating costs of the first year, which may be continued for years 
two and three on the same terms as described in preceding paragraph 
(a).
    (c) Where applicants under Priority Area 2.0 elect to operate REACH 
programs themselves, as described below, grants awarded pursuant to 
this announcement will be for 12-month (one year) Project and Budget 
Periods only.

C. Availability of Funds and Grant Amounts

    The total amount expected to be available for REACH Initiative 
grants pursuant to this announcement is approximately $5,000,000. The 
Office of Community Services expects to award up to eight competitive 
grants under Priority Area 1.0 for General Pilot Projects of $500,000 
to $1,500,000 each for the planning, implementation and evaluation of 
REACH Initiatives; but the total amount awarded under Priority Area 1.0 
will not exceed $4,000,000, except as provided under Priority Area 2.0. 
OCS expects to award up to eight grants under Priority Area 2.0 for 
smaller Pilot Projects of $50,000 to $150,000 each to Indian Tribes and 
Tribal Organizations for a total of up to $400,000. Any funds not 
awarded under Priority Area 2.0 will be available for funding under 
Priority Area 1.0. Pursuant to the legislative mandate, an additional 
$600,000 has been reserved by the Secretary to make additional payments 
of up to $100,000 each to qualifying funded REACH Initiatives under 
Priority Area 1.0, and payments of up to $25,000 each under Priority 
Area 2.0, for implementation and evaluation of Energy Efficiency 
Education Services Plans which meet the Quality Standards established 
in consultation with the Secretary of Energy which are set forth in 
Part V of this Announcement, and have the potential for being 
replicable model designs for other programs. Where any funded REACH 
Initiatives do not qualify for such payments, available reserved funds 
may be distributed among the applicants that do qualify, at the 
discretion of OCS and through negotiation with the qualifying 
applicants.

D. Program Participants/Beneficiaries

    Projects proposed for funding under this announcement must result 
in direct benefits to low-income individuals and families who are 
eligible for LIHEAP benefits under the applicant's LIHEAP program, 
pursuant to Section 2605(b)(2) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance 
Act of 1981, as amended. However, not all LIHEAP recipients and/or 
eligible households must be provided REACH services. Applicants may 
target a portion of the LIHEAP-eligible population for REACH services.
    Attachment A to this announcement is an excerpt from the Poverty 
Income Guidelines currently in effect. Annual revisions of these 
guidelines are normally published in the Federal Register in February 
or early March of each year. Where relevant to REACH eligibility 
criteria, grantees will be required to apply the most recent guidelines 
throughout the project period. These revised guidelines also may be 
obtained at public libraries, Congressional offices, or by writing the 
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, 
Washington, D.C. 20402. They also are accessible on the OCS Electronic 
Bulletin Board for reading and/or downloading. (See For Further 
Information at beginning of this announcement.)
    Consistent with the legislative purpose of the REACH Initiative 
``to target energy assistance to individuals who are most in need'', 
projects proposed for funding under this Announcement may further 
restrict eligibility to lower income individuals and families within 
the LIHEAP eligible universe.
    Under the authorizing legislation applicants may designate all or 
part of the State or all or part of the client population as a focus of 
its REACH Initiative. The Secretary has determined that in order best 
to compare the cost effective outcomes of REACH benefits with those of 
LIHEAP payment benefits alone, the geographic/client focus of the REACH 
program should be one which results in REACH expenditures bearing a 
reasonable relationship to the LIHEAP payment benefits available to the 
same target population. For example, if the target population of the 
REACH Project were to receive REACH benefits costing ten times the 
amounts they received in LIHEAP payments, it would be difficult to 
compare the long-term cost effectiveness of these benefits with those 
of LIHEAP payments alone. Consequently, REACH Project expenditures 
should not be less than one-half nor more than twice the amount of 
LIHEAP benefits paid within the REACH service area to REACH eligible 
households over two years, under the current appropriation. In other 
words, if LIHEAP financial assistance to a REACH target population 
totals $100,000 over two years, the applicant should plan to provide 
between $50,000 and $200,000 in REACH services to that target 
population area.

E. Prohibition and Restrictions on the Use of Funds

    The use of funds for the purchase or construction of real property 
is prohibited. Costs incurred for rearrangement and alteration of 
facilities required specifically for the funded program are allowable 
when specifically approved by ACF in writing. However, in keeping with 
the legislative mandate to include in REACH Project activities energy 
related residential repair and energy efficiency improvements, such 
activities will not be considered to be violative of these prohibitions 
or restrictions.
    If the applicant is proposing a project which will affect a 
property listed in, or eligible for inclusion in the National Register 
of Historic Places, it must identify this property in the narrative and 
explain how it has complied with the provisions of section 106 of the 
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended. If there is any 
question as to whether the property is listed in or eligible for 
inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places, the applicant 
should consult with the State Historic Preservation Officer. (See 
Attachment D: SF-424B, Item 13 for additional guidelines.) The 
applicant should contact OCS early in the

[[Page 35521]]

development of its application for instructions regarding compliance 
with the Act and data required to be submitted to the Department of 
Health and Human Services. Failure to comply with the cited Act will 
result in the application being ineligible for funding consideration.

F. Multiple Submittals and Multiple Grants

    Due to the limited number of grants that will be made under this 
program, only one application from any one eligible applicant will be 
funded by OCS from FY 1996 REACH funds. (This does not preclude 
applicants under Priority Area 1.0 from including more than one local 
REACH Project/CBO Recipient in their REACH plans.)

G. Maintenance of Effort

    The activities funded under this program announcement must be in 
addition to, and not in substitution for, activities previously carried 
on without Federal assistance. Also, the benefits and services provided 
eligible participants in the REACH Project must be provided in addition 
to and in coordination with benefit payments and services provided 
under the applicant's regular LIHEAP Program. A signed certificate of 
Maintenance of Effort must be included with the application (see 
Attachment J).

Part III. Reach Priority Areas and Program Requirements

A. Program Requirements for Priority Area 1.0

    1. Eligible Applicants for Priority Area 1.0. Eligible applicants 
for these grants under Priority Area 1.0 are the fifty States, the 
District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. They must deliver REACH services, 
in one or more specific projects, through community-based, nonprofit 
organizations, hereinafter referred to as CBO Recipients, by awarding 
grants to or entering into contracts with such CBO Recipients for the 
purpose of providing such services and payments directly to individuals 
eligible for benefits. If a State makes LIHEAP payments directly to 
eligible individuals or energy suppliers, the State must enter into 
contract(s) with such CBO Recipients to administer such programs, 
including (i) determining eligibility, (ii) providing outreach 
services, and (iii) providing benefits other than payments.
    In awarding grants or entering into contracts to carry out its 
REACH Initiative, the State must give priority to eligible entities, as 
defined in Section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 
U.S.C. 9902(1)) except where significant geographic portions of the 
State are not served by such entities, that (1) have a record of 
successfully providing services under the Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program (as determined by DHHS), and (2) receive funds under 
the Department of Energy's Low Income Weatherization Assistance 
Program. The State may not require any such entity to operate a REACH 
Project.
    2. Program Focus.
    The goals of a Priority 1.0 funded REACH Plan over the project 
period must include:
    (1) a reduction in energy costs of participating low-income 
households;
    (2) an increase in the regularity of home energy bill payments by 
participating households; and
    (3) an increase in energy vendor contributions towards reducing 
energy burdens of eligible households.
    As noted above, so that the cost effective outcomes of REACH 
benefits may best be compared with those of LIHEAP benefits alone, an 
Applicant, in designating the REACH service area or segment of the 
eligible population to be served by the proposed REACH Plan, should 
seek to define (an) area(s) or population segment(s) whose allocation 
under the LIHEAP program bears a reasonable relationship to the 
resources available to the REACH Project. That is, REACH Project 
expenditures should not be less than one-half or more than twice the 
amount of LIHEAP benefits paid within the REACH service area to REACH 
eligible households over two years, under the current appropriation. In 
this regard, the applicant should consider the totality of resources 
that will be available to support the REACH Project's implementation 
and the level of benefit and/or services reasonably required to achieve 
the Project's goals and objectives. This will be a function, in part, 
of the specific interventions that will go to make up the ``benefits 
and services'' in the particular Project design; and an objective of 
every REACH Plan should be to measure the success of such interventions 
in achieving more cost-effective long-term outcomes than energy payment 
benefits alone. Thus OCS is interested in REACH Plans that propose 
testing innovative approaches to helping low-income families achieve 
energy self-sufficiency, and ultimate independence from energy 
assistance payments.
    3. Economic Development Strategy and Mobilization of Resources. OCS 
is interested in having Applicants approach the energy needs of low-
income families within a holistic context of the economic, social, 
physical, and environmental barriers to achieving self-sufficiency. 
Thus applicants should include in their REACH Plan an explanation of 
how the proposed project(s) will be integrated with and support a 
larger economic development strategy within the target community or 
communities.
    REACH grantees are not required to match REACH grant awards with 
either cash or in-kind contributions of goods and services. However, in 
keeping with this holistic integration of REACH Projects within the 
community, they are expected to be closely coordinated with other 
public and private sector programs involved with community 
revitalization, housing rehabilitation and weatherization, and family 
development; and OCS will give favorable consideration in the 
application review process to applicants who mobilize third-party cash 
and/or in-kind contributions for direct use in the REACH Project. Even 
though there is no matching requirement for the REACH Program, grantees 
will be held accountable for any match, cash or in-kind contribution 
proposed or pledged as part of an approved application. (See Part IV, 
Element III.)
    If the REACH service area or portion thereof is covered by a 
comprehensive community-based strategic plan, such as that required for 
applying for Empowerment Zone/-Enterprise Community (EZ/EC) status, to 
achieve both economic and human development in an integrated manner, 
applicants should document how they and/or the designated CBO 
Recipient(s) were involved in the preparation and implementation of the 
plan, and how the proposed REACH project(s) will support the goals of 
that plan. (See Part IV-A, Element VIII.)
    4. Scope of the Priority Area 1.0 REACH Plan. A State may submit a 
REACH Plan which proposes one local REACH Project to be implemented by 
one CBO Recipient; it may submit a Plan in which the same project is 
proposed to be implemented in several localities by separate CBO 
Recipients; or it may submit a plan proposing two or more different and 
distinct Projects, each to be implemented through a separate CBO 
Recipient. Where a State proposes different and distinct REACH Projects 
to be carried out by more than one CBO Recipient, the REACH Plan should 
include, for each of these projects/CBO Recipients, a separate 
narrative section, no more than ten pages in length, covering Element I 
(with three Sub-Elements), explaining the project Theory, Design and 
Plan of the proposed project, as explained in Part IV, and designated 
as Segment One

[[Page 35522]]

of the Project Narrative; and a Budget Justification as described in 
Element II, covering Project Budget Appropriateness. As set forth in 
Part IV, ``Segment One'' of the Project Narrative should describe the 
concept of the proposed REACH Project, describing the goals or outcomes 
that the project seeks to achieve; the needs of the target population 
that the project seeks to address, and the assumptions about how those 
needs can be met; and the activities or interventions that the project 
will undertake to meet the needs and achieve the goals and outcomes of 
the project.
    Where a REACH Plan proposes only one distinct project, to be 
implemented either in one locality or in several, by either one or more 
than one CBO Recipient, then the Plan need include only one Segment One 
narrative.
    Each Priority Area 1.0 REACH Plan must also include the 
designation, in accordance with the priorities described in Section A. 
1., above, of the CBO Recipient(s) through which the proposed 
project(s) will be implemented. With each Priority Area 1.0 REACH Plan 
there must be included a Letter of Agreement from each designated CBO 
Recipient subscribing to the project concept as described in the 
appropriate Segment One narrative section of the Plan and agreeing to 
operate the REACH project as proposed. The Letter of Agreement must 
also commit the CBO Recipient(s) to a process of Low-Income Citizen 
Participation in the establishment of the local REACH Project, as 
described in Section A. 5., below.
    The REACH Plan must include a description of the methodology the 
State and local agencies will use to determine--
    (i) which households will receive one or more forms of benefits 
under the REACH Initiative;
    (ii) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to provide 
more cost-effective long-term outcomes than payment benefits alone; and
    (iii) the amount of such benefits required to meet the goals of the 
program.
    The Plan must also include a method to be used for targeting REACH 
nonmonetary benefits. It should further provide that the State will 
award the grant(s) or contract(s) for implementation of the REACH 
Project within a time frame that will allow for adequate start-up and 
an implementation period of at least two years, followed by a phase-out 
period that will permit completion of the required evaluation. (See 
Part II-B. 1., Project Periods, and Part IV-A, Sub-Element I(c))
    Finally, the REACH Plan must include:
    (A) a brief description of the crisis and emergency assistance 
activities the State will undertake that are designed to:
    (1) discourage family energy crises;
    (2) encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior; and
    (3) provide only financial incentives that encourage household 
payment; (See Part IV-A, Sub-Element I(b))
    (B) a brief description of the activities the State will undertake 
to--
    (1) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay home 
energy costs; and
    (2) provide incentives to vendors to help reduce the energy burdens 
of recipients of assistance.
    (C) an assurance that, subject to the methodologies described 
above, each CBO Recipient will provide a variety of services and 
benefits, including--
    (i) payments to, or on behalf of, individuals eligible for 
residential energy assistance services and benefits under Section 
2605(b) for home energy costs;
    (ii) energy efficiency education;
    (iii) residential energy demand management services, including any 
other energy related residential repair and energy efficiency 
improvements in coordination with, or delivered by, Department of 
Energy weatherization assistance programs at the discretion of the 
State;
    (iv) family services, such as counseling and needs assessment, 
related to energy budget management, payment plans, and related 
services; and
    (v) negotiation with home energy suppliers on behalf of households 
eligible for REACH services and benefits. (See Part IV-A, Sub-Element 
I(b)). Project activities should be closely coordinated with the 
applicant's LIHEAP Program and with Empowerment Zone/-Enterprise 
Community Initiatives where applicable; (See Part IV-A, Element VIII) 
and,
    (D) an assurance that no regulated utility covered by the plan will 
be required to act in a manner that is inconsistent with applicable 
regulatory requirements. (See Part IV-A, Element VII.)
    5. Low-Income Citizen Participation. To be considered for funding a 
REACH Plan must include provision for the systematic and regularized 
solicitation, by the designated CBO Recipient(s), of the views of 
eligible low-income individuals in the community; and for the 
assurance, by means of an advisory board or similar process, that such 
organization(s) will be responsive to such views in the development and 
implementation of the local Project. Assurance for compliance with 
these requirements may be accomplished through the Letter of Agreement 
required in Paragraph 4, above. (See Part IV-A, Sub-Element I(a))
    6. Third-Party Project Evaluation. REACH Plans must include 
provision for an independent, methodologically sound evaluation of the 
effectiveness of the activities carried out with the grant and their 
efficacy in achieving stated project goals related to reducing 
participant home energy costs and increasing the ability of 
participants to meet such costs independent of payment subsidy, 
including, specifically, the performance goals set out above at the 
opening of Section A. 2., Program Focus, above.
    The Plan should include a well thought through outline of an 
evaluation plan for the proposed project(s). The outline should explain 
how the applicant proposes to answer the key questions about how 
effectively the project is being/was implemented (the Process 
Evaluation) and whether and why/why not the project activities or 
interventions achieved the expected outcomes and goals of the 
project(s) (the Outcome Evaluation). (See Part I, Section B for 
definitions of Process and Outcome Evaluations.) Applicants may propose 
a single evaluation for their overall REACH Initiative, or separate 
evaluations for individual projects, as and where appropriate.
    In addition to the performance goals mentioned above, the outline 
should include a description of the indicators that will be used by the 
State (and the CBO Recipient(s)) to measure whether the goals have been 
achieved.
    The evaluation must be conducted by an independent, third-party 
evaluator, i.e., a person with recognized evaluation skills who has 
experience with social programs and is organizationally distinct from, 
and not under the control of, the applicant or the local 
organization(s) implementing the REACH Project. It is important that 
each successful applicant have a third-party evaluator selected, and 
performing at the very latest by the time the work program of the 
project is begun, and if possible before that time so that he or she 
can participate in the final design of the program, in order to assure 
that data necessary for the evaluation will be collected and available.
    7. Consistency With LIHEAP Legislation. To be funded, a REACH Plan 
must include a demonstration that

[[Page 35523]]

it is consistent with the following Sections of the Low Income Home 
Energy Assistance Act, as amended: Section 2603; paragraphs (2), (3), 
(4), (5), (7), (10), (11), (12), (13), and (14) of Section 2605(b); 
Subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) of Section 2605; and 
Section 2606.
    The definitions in Section 2603 have been incorporated into the 
definitions in Part I, Section B of this Announcement and will apply to 
the REACH Initiative. The rest of the cited sections, subsections and 
paragraphs are set forth in Attachment K to this Announcement.
    8. Dissemination of Project Results. REACH Plans should include 
provision for disseminating the results of the project. Applicants may 
budget up to $5,000 for dissemination purposes.

B. Special Program Requirements for Priority Area 2.0

    1. Eligible Applicants for Priority Area 2.0. Eligible Applicants 
for these grants under Priority Area 2.0 are Indian Tribes and Tribal 
Organizations which are current grantees of the LIHEAP Program; and the 
Insular Areas of American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam, provided they are LIHEAP 
grantees that use LIHEAP funds to implement a LIHEAP Program. In 
accordance with 45 CFR 96.42(a), the Secretary has determined that 
inasmuch as these applicants are generally representative of and close 
to their communities, which with few exceptions are relatively small; 
and inasmuch as they generally implement their LIHEAP programs and 
other social service programs directly; that therefore the requirements 
of Section 2607B(e)(2) (A) and (B) are not applicable to eligible 
applicants under Priority Area 2.0; and that consequently REACH 
grantees under Priority Area 2.0 may implement REACH programs directly, 
without delegation to CBO Recipients. However, as explained in Part II 
B, Budget Periods, above, applicants electing to implement their REACH 
Projects directly will be limited to projects of one year duration 
(Project and Budget Periods of one year only).
    Applicants under Priority Area 2.0 may also elect to operate their 
projects through grants or contracts to non-profit organizations. 
However, in such cases the non-profit organization does not have to be 
a community based organization (CBO) as defined Part I. If they choose 
to operate their projects through non-profit organizations, the Project 
and Budget Periods applicable to Priority Area 1.0 will apply.
    2. Program Focus. The Program Focus for Priority Area 2.0 REACH 
projects should be the same as for Priority Area 1.0, described above 
in Section A.2.
    3. Economic Development Strategy. Although OCS is interested in 
having applicants under Priority Area 2.0 approach the energy needs of 
low-income families within a holistic context of the economic, social, 
physical, and environmental barriers to achieving self-sufficiency, 
applicants under Priority Area 2.0 will not be required to include a 
specific Economic Development Strategy in their REACH Plan.
    4. Scope of the Priority Area 2.0 REACH Plan. The Priority 2.0 
REACH Plan should describe the concept of the proposed REACH Project, 
describing the goals or outcomes that the project seeks to achieve; the 
needs of the target population that the project seeks to address, and 
the assumptions about how those needs can be met; and the activities or 
interventions that the project will undertake to meet the needs and 
achieve the goals and outcomes of the project.
    The REACH Plan must include a description of the methodology the 
State and local agencies will use to determine--
    (i) which households will receive one or more forms of benefits 
under the REACH Initiative;
    (ii) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to provide 
more cost-effective long-term outcomes than payment benefits alone; and
    (iii) the amount of such benefits required to meet the goals of the 
program;
    The Plan must also include a method to be used for targeting REACH 
nonmonetary benefits.
    Finally, the REACH Plan must include:
    (A) a brief description of the crisis and emergency assistance 
activities the applicant will undertake that are designed to:
    (1) discourage family energy crises;
    (2) encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior; and
    (3) provide only financial incentives that encourage household 
payment;
    (B) a brief description of the activities the applicant will 
undertake to--
    (1) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay home 
energy costs; and
    (2) provide incentives to vendors to help reduce the energy burdens 
of recipients of assistance.
    (C) an assurance that, subject to the methodologies described 
above, each applicant or nonprofit sub-recipient, as appropriate, will 
provide a variety of services and benefits, including at least two of 
the following--
    (i) payments to, or on behalf of, individuals eligible for 
residential energy assistance services and benefits under Section 
2605(b) for home energy costs;
    (ii) energy efficiency education;
    (iii) residential energy demand management services, including any 
other energy related residential repair and energy efficiency 
improvements in coordination with, or delivered by, Department of 
Energy weatherization assistance programs at the discretion of the 
State;
    (iv) family services, such as counseling and needs assessment, 
related to energy budget management, payment plans, and related 
services; and
    (v) negotiation with home energy suppliers on behalf of households 
eligible for REACH services and benefits. (See Part IV-B, Sub-Element 
I(b)).
    Given the size of most tribal and small insular territory LIHEAP 
programs, the Secretary has determined, in accordance with 45 CFR 
96.42(a), that REACH applications from tribal and small insular area 
LIHEAP grantees under Priority Area 2.0 do not have to provide all of 
the above services.
    Project activities should be closely coordinated with the 
applicant's LIHEAP Program.
    and
    (D) an assurance that no regulated utility covered by the plan will 
be required to act in a manner that is inconsistent with applicable 
regulatory requirements. (See Part IV-B, Element VI)
    5. Low-Income Citizen Participation. To be considered for funding, 
a REACH Plan must include provision for the systematic and regularized 
solicitation by the grantee of the views of eligible low-income 
individuals in the community. (See Part IV-B, Sub-Element I(a))
    6. Third-Party Project Evaluation. As noted above, the Priority 
Area 1.0 requirement for a third party evaluation does not apply out to 
Priority Area 2.0 grantees. However, Priority Area 2.0 REACH Plans must 
describe the indicators they will use to measure whether their 
performance goals have been achieved, and they must submit a report 
summarizing these results at the end of the grant period.
    7. Consistency With LIHEAP Legislation. To be funded, a REACH Plan 
under Priority Area 2.0 must include a demonstration that it is 
consistent with the following Sections of the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act, as amended: Section 2603; paragraphs (2), (3), (4), 
(5), (7),

[[Page 35524]]

(10), (11), (12), (13), and (14) of Section 2605(b); Subsections (d), 
(e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) of Section 2605; and Section 2606.
    The definitions in Section 2603 have been incorporated into the 
definitions in Part I, Section B of this Announcement and will apply to 
the REACH Initiative. The rest of the cited sections, subsections and 
paragraphs are set forth in Attachment K to this Announcement.
    8. Dissemination of Project Results. Applicants under Priority 2.0 
may budget up to $1,000 for dissemination of project results.

Part IV. Reach Plan Elements and Review Criteria

    The ultimate goals of the projects to be funded under the REACH 
Program are to realize significant improvements in the ability of 
eligible households to meet energy costs and pay home energy bills with 
regularity, through innovative project interventions which will reduce 
energy costs and increase the capability of low-income participants to 
pay; in the case of REACH Projects under Priority Area 1.0, to evaluate 
the effectiveness of these interventions and of the project design 
through which they were implemented; and thus to make possible the 
replication of successful programs. OCS intends to make the awards of 
all the above grants on the basis of brief, concise REACH Plans. The 
elements and format of these plans, along with the review criteria that 
will be used to judge them, will be outlined in this Part.
    The competitive review of REACH Plans will be based on the degree 
to which applicants:
    (1) incorporate each of the Elements and Sub-Elements below into 
their plans, so as to describe convincingly a project that will develop 
and implement new and innovative approaches to address critical energy 
needs or problems of the poor;
    (2) include the required assurances and program activities set 
forth in Part III, above; and,
    (3) in the case of applications under Priority Area 1.0; test and 
evaluate such approaches and activities so as to make possible 
replication of a successful program.

A. Program Elements, Review and Assessment Criteria for REACH Plans 
under Priority Area 1.0

    This Section has been divided into Two Segments: Segment One made 
up of Element I (with three Sub-Elements) which should be completed for 
each different and distinct local REACH Project to be carried out by a 
CBO Recipient, and must not be more than ten pages in length; and 
Segment Two made up of Elements II through VIII, which should be 
completed only once for the applicant's entire REACH Initiative, and 
must not be more than twenty pages in length. As explained in Part III-
A. 4., Scope of REACH Plan, a State may submit a REACH Plan which 
proposes one local REACH Project to be implemented by one CBO 
Recipient; it may submit a Plan in which the same project is proposed 
to be implemented in several localities by separate CBO Recipients; or 
it may submit a plan proposing two or more different and distinct 
Projects, each to be implemented through a separate CBO Recipient. 
Where a State proposes different and distinct REACH Projects to be 
carried out by more than one CBO Recipient, the REACH Plan should 
include, for each of these projects/CBO Recipients a separate Segment 
One Narrative; where a REACH Plan proposes only one distinct project, 
to be implemented either in one locality or in several, by either one 
or more than one CBO Recipient, then the Plan need include only one 
Segment One narrative.
    In order to simplify the application preparation and review 
process, OCS seeks to keep applications cogent and brief. For each of 
the Project Elements or Sub-Elements below there is at the end of the 
discussion a suggested number of pages to be devoted to the particular 
element or sub-element. These are suggestions only; but the applicant 
must remember that each Narrative Segment One cannot be more than ten 
pages in length, and that the single Project Narrative Segment Two, 
covering Program Elements II through VIII for the overall REACH 
Initiative, cannot be more than 20 pages in length.
    REACH Plans with project narratives (excluding appendices) that 
exceed these limits will not be reviewed for funding. Project 
narratives should be on letter-sized pages in 12 c.p.i. type or 
equivalent on a single side. Applicants should prepare and assemble 
their project description using the following outline of required 
project elements. They should, furthermore, build their project 
concept, plans, and project description upon the guidelines set forth 
for each of the project elements.
    In reviewing REACH Plans for funding, where Plans include more than 
one narrative Segment One describing a local Project/CBO Recipient, OCS 
reserves the right to consider each such Project/CBO Recipient on its 
own merits, and where review scores and other considerations merit, may 
choose not to fund a particular local Project/CBO Recipient. In such a 
case, OCS will negotiate an appropriate budget for the applicant's 
overall REACH Initiative.
Segment One
[Priority Area 1.0 applicants to complete for each local Project/CBO 
Recipient; each completed Segment (1) limited to ten pages in length]
    Element I. Project Theory, Design, and Plan. (Total Weight of 0-30 
points in application review.) OCS seeks to learn from the application 
why and how the project as proposed is expected to lead to significant 
improvements in individual and family energy self-sufficiency.
    Applicants are urged to design and present their project in terms 
of a conceptual cause-effect framework. In the following paragraphs a 
logic model or framework is described, that suggests a way to present a 
project so as to show the logic of the cause-effect relations between 
project activities and project results. Applicants don't have to use 
the exact logic model language described; but it is important to 
present the project in a way that makes clear the cause-effect 
relationship between what the project plans to do and the results it 
expects to achieve.
    Applicants are reminded that Part III-A, Section 4, Scope of the 
REACH Plan under Priority Area 1.0, includes a discussion of those 
activities which should be included in this element of their REACH 
Plan.
    Sub-Element I(a). Description of Target Population, Analysis of 
Need, and Project Assumptions. (Weight of 0-10 points in application 
review.) The logic model begins with identifying the underlying 
assumptions about the program. These are the beliefs on which the 
proposed program is built: the assumptions about the needs of the 
client population to be served; about the current services available to 
those clients, and where and how they fail to meet their needs; about 
why the services or interventions proposed in the REACH Plan are 
appropriate, and will meet those needs; and about the impact the 
proposed interventions will have on the clients.
    In other words, the underlying assumptions of the program are the 
applicant's analysis of the needs and problems to be addressed by the 
project, and the applicant's theory of how its proposed interventions 
will address those needs and problems to achieve the desired result. 
Thus a strong application is based upon a clear description of the 
needs and problems to be addressed and a persuasive understanding of 
the causes of those problems.
    In this sub-element of the REACH Plan the applicant should 
precisely

[[Page 35525]]

identify the target population to be served. The geographic area to be 
impacted should then be briefly highlighted, selectively emphasizing 
the socioeconomic/poverty and other data that are relevant to the 
project design. This sub-element to the REACH Plan, might include, for 
instance, data on the building type, condition, and age of low-income 
housing; the predominant fuel used for home heating; the number and 
percent of utility shut-offs among low-income energy consumers; 
climatic conditions; unemployment statistics for the area; the price of 
fuels; and the demand management services offered by local utilities.
    The needs of this target population should then be clearly defined, 
and the applicant should state its underlying assumptions about how 
these needs can be addressed by the proposed project.
    Applicants must include in this element a brief description of the 
provision that has been and will be made for the systematic and regular 
solicitation by CBO Recipients of the views of eligible low-income 
individuals in the community on the design and implementation of the 
REACH Project, and the mechanism(s) that will be employed by the 
applicant and the CBO Recipients to assure their responsiveness to such 
views in the establishment of the REACH Project. (See Part III-A, 
Section 5.)
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
narrative sub-element.
    Sub-Element I(b). Project Strategy and Design Framework: 
Interventions, Outcomes, and Goals. (Weight of 0-10 points in 
application review.) To continue with the ``logic model'':
    The underlying assumptions concerning client needs and the theory 
of how they can be effectively addressed, which are discussed above, 
lead in the project design to the conduct of a variety of project 
activities or interventions, each of which is assumed to result in 
immediate changes, or outcomes.
    The immediate changes lead to intermediate outcomes; and the 
intermediate outcomes lead to attainment of the final project goals.
    So in this sub-element the applicant should describe the major 
activities, or interventions, which are to be carried out to address 
the needs and problems identified in the previous sub-element. And it 
should discuss the immediate changes, or outcomes, which are expected 
to result. These are the results expected from each service or 
intervention immediately after it is provided. For example, a survey of 
home furnaces for safety and efficiency might be expected to result in 
identification of repairs and retrofits that could increase efficiency 
and lower costs. Or providing energy efficiency education to families 
in the low income community might be expected to result in modifying 
behavior of family members so that they would dress more warmly to be 
more comfortable at a lower thermostat setting, would not leave doors 
or windows open, would hang curtains over windows, and would use hot 
water more conservatively, by, for example, installing low-flow shower 
heads, etc.
    At the next level are the intermediate outcomes which result from 
these immediate changes. Often an intermediate project outcome is the 
result of several immediate changes resulting from a number of related 
interventions such as repairs and education. Intermediate project 
outcomes should be expressed in measurable changes in knowledge, 
attitudes, behavior, or status/condition. In the above examples, the 
immediate changes achieved by the home energy survey program could be 
expected to lead to intermediate outcomes of furnace retrofits and home 
weatherization. The acquisition of energy conservation skills, coupled 
with the availability of energy saving devices such as efficient light 
bulbs or low-flow shower heads, could result in the actual installation 
of these devices in the home.
    Finally, the REACH Plan should describe how the achievement of 
these intermediate outcomes will be expected to lead to the attainment 
of the project goals: energy efficient and healthy housing, energy 
consumption at a level which is affordable for the household, a 
successful community fuel cooperative that lowers fuel prices, new 
demand management services, or whatever they may be.
    Applicants don't have to use the exact ``logic model'' terminology 
described above, but it is important to describe the project in a way 
that makes clear the expected cause-and-effect relationship between 
what the project plans to do--the activities or interventions, the 
changes that are expected to result, and how those changes will lead to 
achievement of the project goals of greater energy self-sufficiency.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
design section of the REACH Plan.
    Sub-Element I(c), Work Plan. (Weight of 0-10 points in the 
application review.) Once the project strategy and design framework are 
established, the applicant should present the highlights of a work plan 
for the project. The plan should explicitly tie into the project design 
framework and should be feasible, i.e., capable of being accomplished 
with the resources, time, staff, and partners available. The plan 
should briefly describe the key project tasks, and show the timelines 
and major milestones for their implementation. Critical issues or 
potential problems that might affect the achievement of project 
objectives should be explicitly addressed, with an explanation of how 
they would be overcome, and how the objectives will be achieved 
notwithstanding any such problems. The plan should be presented in such 
a way that it can be correlated with the Budget Justification included 
in the application following the budget forms. (See Element V.)
    Applicant may be able to use a simple Gantt or time line chart to 
convey the work plan in minimal space.
    It is suggested that the applicant use no more than 2 pages for 
this Sub-Element.
Segment Two
[Priority Area 1.0 applicants to complete once for overall REACH Plan; 
Segment Two limited to twenty pages in length.]
    Element II. Organizational Experience and Capability. (Weight of 0 
to 10 points in application review.) Applicants should cite the 
capability and relevant experience of each of the community-based 
organizations (CBO Recipients) designated to implement the proposed 
REACH Project in developing and operating programs which deal with 
poverty problems similar to those to be addressed by the proposed 
project. Applicants should explain how in their designation they have 
given priority, as required by the authorizing legislation, to eligible 
entities described in Section 673 of the Community Services Block Grant 
Act which have a record of successfully providing service under LIHEAP 
and which receive funds from the Department of Energy's Weatherization 
Assistance Program. (See Part III-A, Section I, Eligible Applicants for 
Priority Area 1.0) The applicant should also cite each such 
organization's experience in collaborative programming and operations 
which involve evaluations and data collection. The designated CBO 
Recipient(s)' capabilities and status in these regards should be 
established by a letter of certification to that effect by the 
Applicant, and by the State CSBG Director or the State LIHEAP or 
Weatherization Program administering agency(ies) where they are not the 
same. While the proposed project management team will be identified and 
described elsewhere in the application, applicants

[[Page 35526]]

should identify agency executive leadership in this section and briefly 
describe their involvement in the proposed project and provide 
assurance of their commitment to its successful implementation.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
element.
    Element III. Economic Development Strategies, Mobilization of 
Resources, and Project Innovations. (Weight of 0 to 10 points in the 
application review.) Applicants should in this Element explain how its 
REACH Initiative approaches the energy needs of low-income families 
within a holistic context of the economic, social, physical, and 
environmental barriers to achieving self-sufficiency. This should 
include an explanation of how the proposed project(s) will be 
integrated with and support a larger economic development strategy 
within the target community or communities.
    Thus REACH Initiatives are expected to be closely coordinated with 
other public and private sector programs involved with community 
revitalization, housing rehabilitation and weatherization, and family 
development; and OCS will give favorable consideration in the 
application review process to applicants who mobilize cash and/or 
third-party in-kind contributions for direct use in the REACH Project. 
Even though there is no matching requirement for the REACH Program, 
grantees will be held accountable for any match, cash or in-kind 
contribution proposed or pledged as part of an approved application. 
(See Part III-A, Section 4(C))
    Within the context of this holistic and coordinated plan, applicant 
should highlight the ways in which the proposed project represents a 
new and innovative approach or approaches to provide for greater energy 
self-sufficiency of the poor and/or to deal with particularly critical 
energy needs or problems of the poor that are common to a number of 
communities. Innovation can be in the characteristics of the target 
population to be served, or the needs to be addressed; the kinds of 
activities, or interventions, that will be carried out; the ways in 
which they will be carried out; new and different combinations of 
activities or interventions that will be implemented; or in the 
settings in which the project will function: e.g., new and innovative 
types of technologies or institutions in which the project will 
function.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
element.
    Element IV. Project Management and Organization. (Weight of 0 to 10 
points in the application review.) While the experience of agency 
leadership is important to project success, the caliber of day-to-day 
project management is critical. Applicants should identify the State 
Project Coordinator, and key staff including the Project Director(s) in 
CBO Recipient(s) that will be implementing the project at the local 
level, and any other staff they feel are especially important to the 
success of the project, and include resumes as an Appendix to the REACH 
Plan. Where the staff have not been identified, a position description 
should be included in the Appendix. The REACH Plan should describe the 
staff's relevant capabilities for managing this multi-faceted project, 
with emphasis placed on successful management experience in directing 
both on-budget and leveraged resources to create community conditions 
capable of supporting effective interventions and transforming lives. 
REACH Plans will be assessed, for this element, on the relevant 
experience, capabilities, commitment and planned level of effort of the 
Project Coordinator and key staff members as described in the Plan.
    Applicants should also, in this section, describe (and diagram if 
necessary) the organization of the project. The relationships among the 
State and the participating community-based organizations, the Project 
Coordinator and the key officials in those organizations, and any other 
partnering organizations should be depicted, and the project-related 
responsibilities of these key actors should be made clear.
    This element should include a brief description of the crisis and 
emergency assistance activities the applicant will undertake that are 
designed to: (1) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay 
home energy costs, and (2) provide incentives to vendors to help reduce 
the energy burdens of recipients of assistance. (See Part III-A, 
Section 4 (B))
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
element (not counting the resumes and/or position descriptions, which 
should be in an Appendix).
    Element V. Project Budget Appropriateness. (Weight of 0-10 points 
in the application review.) Applicants will be required to submit 
Federal forms with their REACH Plans to provide basic applicant and 
project information (SF 424) and information about how Federal and 
other project funds will be used (SF 424A). In addition to and 
immediately following the completed Federal budget forms, applicants 
must submit a Budget Justification, or explanatory budget information. 
This Budget Justification is not considered a part of the Project 
Narrative, and does not count as within the limitation on number of 
pages; but rather is to be included in the application following the 
budget forms. Each Applicant must submit one SF 424, one SF 424A, and 
one Budget Justification in its own name, which cover the entire REACH 
Initiative, and one SF 424A and Budget Justification for each local CBO 
Recipient.
    The Budget Narrative should briefly explain the adequacy of the 
Federal funds and other mobilized resources to accomplish project 
purposes, should explain the source and nature of mobilized resources, 
and should identify and briefly explain any imbalances between the 
level of activities undertaken and project funds expended.
    Applicants under Priority Area 1.0 may include in the REACH 
Initiative budget an amount up ten percent (10%) of the total REACH 
grant for planning, administration, and coordinating costs at the State 
level during the first project year of the REACH Initiative, and for 
contracting with a third-party evaluator as defined under Element VI, 
below, and discussed in Part III-A.6.
    Applicants should include funds in the project budget for travel by 
State and CBO Recipient Project Directors and Chief Evaluators to 
attend two national evaluation workshops in Washington, D.C., and are 
encouraged to seek agreement from CBO Recipients to attend also. (See 
Part IX-B, Attendance at Workshops.)

    Note: None of the costs of providing service or benefits under 
the REACH Program shall be considered to be an administrative cost 
or function for purposes of any limitation on administrative costs 
or functions contained in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act 
of 1981, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.

    Element VI. Project Evaluation. (Weight of 0-15 points in the 
application review.) Sound evaluations are essential to the REACH 
Program. Applicants are required to include in their applications a 
well thought through outline of an evaluation plan for their project. 
The outline should explain how the applicant proposes to answer the key 
questions about how effectively the project is being/was implemented 
(the Process Evaluation) and whether and why/why not the project 
activities, or interventions, achieved the expected outcomes and goals 
of the project (the Outcome Evaluation). (See Part I, Section B for 
definitions of process and outcome evaluation, and Part III-A.6. for a 
discussion of evaluation requirements.)

[[Page 35527]]

    OCS plans to engage an Evaluation Technical Assistance Contractor 
which will assist REACH Priority Area 1.0 Grantees and CBO Recipients 
in the finalization of Evaluation Plans, the establishment of data 
collection systems, the preparation of Evaluation Reports, and other 
aspects of project evaluation so as to assure that project evaluations 
will provide accurate and useful information to those interested in 
replication.
    Applicants are not being asked to submit a complete and final 
Evaluation Plan as part of their REACH Plan; but they must include:
    (1) A well thought through outline of an evaluation plan which 
identifies the principal cause-and-effect relationships to be tested, 
and which demonstrates the applicant's understanding of the role and 
purpose of both Process and Outcome Evaluations (see previous 
paragraph);
    (2) the identity and qualifications of the proposed third party 
evaluator, or if not selected, the qualifications which will be sought 
in choosing an evaluator, which must include successful experience in 
evaluating social service delivery programs, and the planning and/or 
evaluation of programs designed to foster energy self-sufficiency in 
low income populations; and
    (3) a commitment to the selection of a third-party evaluator 
approved by OCS, and to completion of a final evaluation design and 
plan, in collaboration with the approved evaluator and the OCS 
Evaluation Technical Assistance Contractor during the first six-months 
of the project, if funded.
    Applicants should ensure, above all, that the evaluation outline 
presented is consistent with their project design. A clear project 
framework of the type recommended earlier identifies the key project 
assumptions about the target populations and their needs, and the 
hypotheses, or expected cause-effect relationships to be tested in the 
project: that the proposed project activities, or interventions, will 
address those needs in ways that will lead to the achievement of the 
project goals of energy self-sufficiency. It also identifies in advance 
the most important process and outcome measures that will be used to 
identify performance success and expected changes in individual 
participants, the grantee organization, the CBO Recipient(s), and the 
community.
    For these reasons, the evaluator that the applicant expects to work 
with should be involved--at least briefly but substantively--in the 
development of the project design and proposal.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 4 pages for this 
element, plus the Resume or Position Description for the evaluator, 
which should be in an Appendix.
    Element VII. Significant and Beneficial Impact. (Weight of 0-10 
points in the application review.) OCS seeks, with the REACH Program, 
to support innovative approaches that will create significant benefits 
for low-income energy consumers, their families, and their communities. 
Accordingly, it intends to make grants that have a strong likelihood of 
creating beneficial impacts both within the project communities and, 
through wide dissemination of useful project results and findings, in 
other communities facing similar challenges.
    The proposed project is expected to lead to tangible achievements 
toward reducing household energy burdens on the poor and increasing 
their ability to pay for the household energy they need. As a result, 
the project should lead to verifiable reductions in homelessness and 
health and safety risks associated with high energy costs that are 
beyond the resources of low income families in the targeted 
community(ies). Applicants should summarize, in this section, the 
beneficial impacts that they propose to make in that community, their 
expectations for the continuation of those benefits beyond the 
project's life, and the kind of information that they expect to share 
with OCS and the social service/community development fields from their 
pilot project. Project proposals will be assessed, for this element, on 
the likely value of the project to the target community over time--
given the proposed outcomes and the likelihood that they will be 
realized--and to the larger community of LIHEAP and CSBG grantees 
across the nation.
    Applicants should include in this element a brief assurance that no 
regulated utility covered by the REACH Plan will be required to act in 
a manner that is inconsistent with applicable regulatory requirements. 
(See Part III-A, Section 4(D))
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 2 pages for this 
element. The score for this element will be based to some extent on the 
coherence and feasibility of the entire REACH Plan.
    Element VIII. Community Empowerment Consideration. (Weight of 0-5 
points in application review.) Special consideration will be given to 
applicants whose proposed REACH Projects will be located in areas which 
are characterized by severe poverty and other indicators of socio-
economic distress such as a poverty rate of at least 20%, designation 
as an Empowerment Zone or Enterprise Community, high levels of 
unemployment, and a high incidence of violence, gang activity, crime, 
or drug use. If such is the case, applicants should document that they 
or their proposed CBO Recipients were involved in the preparation and 
planned implementation of a comprehensive community-based strategic 
plan to achieve both economic and human development in an integrated 
manner and how the proposed project supports the goal(s) of that plan. 
(See Part III-A, Section 3 and Section 4(C))
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 2 pages for this 
element.

B. Special Program Elements, Review and Assessment Criteria for REACH 
Plans Under Priority Area 2.0

    In order to simplify the application preparation and review 
process, OCS seeks to keep grant applications cogent and brief. For 
each of the Project Elements or Sub-Elements below there is at the end 
of the discussion a suggested number of pages to be devoted to the 
particular element or sub-element. These are suggestions only; but the 
applicant must remember that Project Narratives must not be more than 
twenty (20) pages in length.
    REACH Plans with project narratives (excluding appendices) that 
exceed these limits will not be reviewed for funding. Project 
narratives should be on letter-sized pages in 12 c.p.i. type or 
equivalent on a single side. Applicants should prepare and assemble 
their project description using the following outline of required REACH 
Plan elements. They should, furthermore, build their project concept, 
plans, and project description upon the guidelines set forth for each 
of the elements.
    Element I. Project Theory, Design, and Plan. (Total Weight of 0 to 
50 points in application review.) OCS seeks to learn from the 
application why and how the project as proposed is expected to lead to 
significant improvements in individual and family energy self-
sufficiency.
    Applicants are urged to design and present their project in terms 
of a conceptual cause-effect framework. In the following paragraphs a 
logic model, or framework, is described that suggests a way to present 
a project so as to show the logic of the cause-effect relations between 
project activities and project results. Applicants don't have to use 
the exact logic model language described; but it is important to 
present the project in a way that makes clear the cause-effect 
relationship between what the project plans to do and the results it 
expects to achieve.

[[Page 35528]]

    Applicants under Priority Area 2.0 are not required to carry out 
REACH activities through community-based organizations (CBO 
Recipients), but may implement REACH Plans directly themselves. 
However, as explained in Part II B, Budget Periods, above, applicants 
electing to implement their REACH Projects directly will be limited to 
projects of one year duration (Project and Budget Periods of one year 
only). Applicants under Priority Area 2.0 may also elect to operate 
their projects through grants or contracts to nonprofit organizations. 
In such cases the nonprofit organization does not have to be a 
community based organization (CBO) as defined in Part I. If they choose 
to operate their projects through nonprofit organizations, the Project 
and Budget Periods applicable to Priority Area 1.0 will apply. Note 
also that applicants under Priority 2.0 need only include two of the 
REACH Program activities listed in Part III B. Section 4.(C) under 
Scope of the Priority Area 2.0 REACH Plan.
    Sub-Element I(a). Description of Target Population, Analysis of 
Need, and Project Assumptions. (Weight of 0 to 20 points in application 
review.) This sub-element should be the same as under Priority Area 1.0 
and it suggested that it take no more than 4 pages of the Project 
Narrative.
    Sub-Element I(b). Project Strategy and Design Framework: 
Interventions, Outcomes, and Goals. (Weight of 0 to 20 points in 
application review.) This sub-element should be the same as under 
Priority Area 1.0 and it is suggested that it take no more than 4 pages 
of the Project Narrative.
    Sub-Element I(c), Work Plan. (Weight of 0 to 10 points in the 
application review.) This sub-element should be the same as under 
Priority Area 1.0 and it is suggested that it take no more than 2 pages 
of the Project Narrative.
    Element II. Organizational Experience and Capability. (Weight of 0 
to 10 points in application review.) Applicants should cite their 
capability and relevant experience in developing and operating programs 
which deal with energy and poverty problems similar to those to be 
addressed by the proposed project. While the proposed project 
management team will be identified and described below in Element III, 
applicants should identify organization executive leadership in this 
section and briefly describe their involvement in the proposed project 
and provide assurance of their commitment to its successful 
implementation.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 2 pages for this 
element.
    Element III. Project Management and Organization. (Weight of 0 to 
10 points in the application review.) While the experience of agency 
leadership is important to project success, the caliber of day-to-day 
project management is critical. Applicants should identify key staff, 
including the Project Director, who will be implementing the project, 
and any other staff they feel are especially important to the success 
of the project. Resumes should be included as an Appendix to the REACH 
Plan. Where the staff have not been identified, a position description 
should be included in the Appendix. REACH Plans will be assessed, for 
this element, on the relevant experience, capabilities, commitment and 
planned level of effort to the project of the Project Director and key 
staff members as described in the Plan.
    It is suggested that applicants use no more than 2 pages for this 
element (plus the resumes and/or position descriptions which should be 
in an Appendix).
    Element IV. Project Budget Appropriateness. (Weight of 0-10 points 
in the application review.) Applicants will be required to submit 
Federal forms with their REACH Plans to provide basic applicant and 
project information (SF-424) and information about how Federal and 
other project funds will be used (SF-424A). Where Priority Area 2.0 
applicants elect to have REACH services provided through a nonprofit 
organization sub-recipient, an SF-424A must be completed for the 
applicant, and another SF-424A must be completed for the nonprofit 
organization sub-recipient. The sub-recipient SF-424A should include 
budget information for all three years of the project period, divided 
into three separate budget periods as explained in Part VII and the 
instructions accompanying the forms. In addition to and immediately 
following the completed Federal budget forms, applicants must submit a 
Budget Justification, or explanatory budget information for the first 
12-month budget period. Again, where a Priority Area 2.0 applicant 
elects to implement the REACH project services through a nonprofit sub-
recipient, a Budget Justification should be included for the sub-
recipient, covering the full three year project budget. The Budget 
Justification is not considered a part of the Project Narrative, and 
does not count as part of the twenty page limit; but rather is included 
in the application following the budget forms.
    The Budget Justification should briefly explain the adequacy of the 
Federal funds and other mobilized resources to accomplish project 
purposes, should explain the source and nature of any mobilized 
resources.
    Applicants should include funds in the project budget for travel by 
the Project Director to attend an orientation workshop in Washington, 
D.C.

    Note: None of the costs of providing service or benefits under 
the REACH Program shall be considered to be an administrative cost 
or function for purposes of any limitation on administrative costs 
or functions contained in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act 
of 1981, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.

    Element V. Project Evaluation. (Weight of 0-10 points in the 
application review.) As noted in Part III above, REACH grantees under 
Priority Area 2.0 will not be required to carry out a third-party 
evaluation of their projects. However, their REACH Plans must describe 
the indicators they will use to measure whether the performance goals 
of their project have been achieved. It is suggested that applicant use 
no more than 1 page for this Element.
    Element VI. Significant and Beneficial Impact. (Weight of 0-10 
points in the application review.) This element should be the same as 
under Priority Area 1.0 and it is suggested that it take no more than 3 
pages of the Application Narrative.

Part V--Quality Standards for Energy Efficiency Education Services 
Plans

    The REACH authorizing legislation includes a section which 
describes a separate Energy Efficiency Education Services program which 
applicants may include in their REACH Initiative. Those applicants 
which include this program in their REACH Initiative must submit 
separate Energy Efficiency Education Services Plans; and if they meet 
the quality standards set forth below, and have the potential for being 
replicable model designs for other programs, are eligible for 
supplemental payments as outlined in Part II C. This Part sets out the 
Quality Standards for Energy Efficiency Education Services Plans.
    Section 2607B(b)(2) of the REACH authorizing legislation provides 
for a reservation of funds by the Secretary to make additional payments 
to qualifying REACH applicants that have energy efficiency education 
services plans that meet quality standards established in consultation 
with the Secretary of Energy, and have the potential for being 
replicable model designs for other programs. This Part sets forth those 
standards. As explained in Part II above, those REACH applicants under 
Priority Area 1.0 that are selected to receive

[[Page 35529]]

REACH grants will receive an additional amount of $100,000, and REACH 
applicants under Priority Area 2.0 will receive an additional $25,000, 
for the same project and budget periods, if they have submitted, as an 
appendix to their REACH Plans, an Energy Efficiency Education (EEE) 
Services Plan that has the potential for being a replicable model 
design for other programs and meets the following quality standards:

A. Purpose

    The Plan should state the purpose of the proposed EEE services, 
which should be generally consistent with and include the following 
goals: to assist low-income households, especially those with high 
energy burdens, to use energy efficiently, to reduce their home energy 
costs, to minimize health and safety risks within their homes, to 
increase their indoor comfort level, and to maintain their highest 
possible level of energy self-sufficiency.

B. Target Population

    The Plan should identify a target population for the EEE services 
which includes LIHEAP recipients and at least some who have received 
services from the Weatherization Assistance Program, and others 
consistent with the stated purpose and goals of the program. The Plan 
should include assurances that the defined target population is one 
from whom data on energy usage and costs before and after receipt of 
the EEE services will be available, and should indicate how such data 
will be collected.

C. Needs Assessment and Project Design Process

    The Plan should describe the needs assessment that the applicant 
has undertaken or will undertake among the target population, how the 
design of the EEE Services Program will respond to the needs identified 
(see Paragraph D, below), and how the EEE Program priorities have been 
or will be determined by the needs discovered.

D. Service Delivery

    (1) Setting: the Plan should indicate the setting or settings--in-
office instruction (e.g. at time of initial intake), workshops, or home 
visits--in which the EEE services will be delivered, and project the 
number of service units planned for each.
    (2) Services: the Plan should identify the types of services to be 
delivered and how--whether by lecture, audio-visual media, written 
materials, hands on experience, or other educational technique--and if 
appropriate, which services are planned to be used in which of the 
identified settings.

E. Relation of Services to Changes, of Changes to Outcomes, and of 
Outcomes to Goals (a ``Logic Model'')

    The Plan should briefly set forth each EEE service planned (e.g. a 
demonstration and discussion on air infiltration), the immediate 
changes expected to result from delivery of the service (e.g. a better 
understanding of the importance of stopping infiltration), the 
intermediate outcomes expected to result from the changes (e.g. action 
by the client to stop infiltration in their dwelling), and how these 
changes and outcomes will be expected to achieve a program goal (e.g. 
reduced energy consumption). This exact terminology need not be used in 
the Plan; but the cause and effect relationship between the EEE 
services planned and the achievement of program goals should be briefly 
explained. This part of the Plan should include provision for the 
development with EEE service recipients of an Action Plan through which 
the recipient will make a commitment to take actions based on the EEE 
information received; and it should also include a provision for 
reinforcement of the commitment through follow-up activities by the 
grantee or other ``interventions''.

F. Evaluation

    The EEE Services Plan submitted by applicants under Priority Area 
1.0 should provide for the inclusion of an Evaluation of the Energy 
Efficiency Education Services Program as a part of the Evaluation Plan 
Outline for the overall REACH Initiative. It should provide for Process 
and Outcome Evaluations, and should describe what data will be 
collected and how it will relate to the achievement of EEE program 
goals. The EEE portion of the evaluation plan outline should make 
specific provision for consumer evaluation of the EEE service program 
interventions; and should conclude with a commitment from the grantee 
to revise and improve its EEE program in response to the overall 
evaluation where appropriate.
    For applicants under Priority Area 2.0, the EEE Services Plan 
should provide assurances that the applicant will: (1) provide for 
consumer evaluation of the EEE Services program, and (2) revise and 
improve its EEE program in response to such evaluation, where 
appropriate.
    The EEE Services Plan, if included, should be an Appendix to the 
Applicant's REACH Plan, and should not exceed ten pages in length.

Part VI. Application Procedures

A. Availability of Forms

    Attachments B through J contain all of the standard forms necessary 
for the application for awards under this OCS program. These 
attachments and Parts VI and VII of this Notice contain all the 
instructions required for submittal of applications.
    Additional copies of this Notice may be obtained by writing or 
telephoning the office listed under the section entitled FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT at the beginning of this announcement. In addition, 
this Notice is accessible on the OCS Electronic Bulletin Board for 
downloading through your computer modem by calling 1-800-627-8886. For 
assistance in accessing the Bulletin Board, a Guide to Accessing and 
Downloading is available from Ms. Minnie Landry at (202) 401-5309.

B. Application Submission

    1. Number of Copies Required. One signed original REACH Plan and 
four copies should be submitted. Applicants have the option to omit 
from copies to be made available to non-Federal reviewers the specific 
salary rates or amounts for individuals identified in the application 
budget. Rather, only summary information is required in these copies.
    2. Acknowledgment of Receipt. All applicants will receive an 
acknowledgement with an assigned identification number. Applicants are 
requested to supply a self-addressed mailing label with their State 
Plan which can be attached to this acknowledgement. The assigned 
identification number, along with any other identifying codes, must be 
referenced in all subsequent communications concerning the State Plan. 
If an acknowledgement is not received within three weeks after the 
deadline date, please notify ACF by telephone at (202) 401-9365.
    3. Deadline: Mailed applications shall be considered as meeting an 
announced deadline if they are received on or before the deadline time 
and date at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 
Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, 
Division of Community Demonstration Programs, 370 L Enfant Promenade, 
S.W., Washington, D.C. 20447; Attention: Application for REACH Program. 
Applicants are responsible for mailing applications well in advance, 
when using all mail services, to ensure that the applications are 
received on or before the deadline time and date.

[[Page 35530]]

    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 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., at DHHS, Administration 
for Children and Families, Office of Community Services, Division of 
Community Demonstration Programs, Mail Room, 2nd Floor Loading Dock, 
Aerospace Center, 901 D Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 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.
    4. Late applications: Applications which do not meet the criteria 
above are considered late applications. ACF will notify each late 
applicant that its application will not be considered in the current 
competition.
    5. Extension of deadline: ACF may extend the deadline for all 
applicants because of acts of God such as floods, hurricanes, etc., or 
when there is widespread disruption of the mails. However, if ACF does 
not extend the deadline for all applicants, it may not waive or extend 
the deadline for any applicants.

C. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995

    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, as 
amended, the Department is required to submit to OMB for review and 
approval any reporting and record keeping requirements in regulations, 
including program announcements. This program announcement does not 
contain information collection requirements beyond those approved for 
ACF grant applications under OMB Control Number 0970-0139.

D. Application Consideration

    Applications which meet the screening requirements in Section E 
below will be reviewed competitively. Such applications will be 
referred to reviewers for a numerical score and explanatory comments 
based solely on responsiveness to the Legislative Authority, the 
Requirements outlined in Part III, and the Application Elements and 
Review Criteria set forth in Part IV of this Announcement.
    The results of these reviews will assist the Director and OCS 
program staff in considering competing applications. Reviewers' scores 
will weigh heavily in funding decisions but will not be the only 
factors considered. Applications will be considered in rank order of 
the averaged scores. However, highly ranked applications are not 
guaranteed funding since other factors are taken into consideration, 
including, but not limited to: the timely and proper completion of 
projects funded with OCS funds granted in the last (5) years; comments 
of reviewers and government officials; staff evaluation and input; 
geographic distribution; previous program performance of applicants; 
compliance with grant terms under previous DHHS grants; audit reports; 
investigative reports; and applicant's progress in resolving any final 
audit disallowances on OCS or other Federal agency grants.
    OCS reserves the right to discuss applications with other Federal 
or non-Federal funding sources to determine the applicant's performance 
record.

E. Criteria for Screening Applications

    All applications that meet the published deadline for submission 
will be screened to determine completeness and conformity to the 
requirements of this announcement. Only those applications meeting the 
following requirements will be reviewed and evaluated competitively:
    1. Eligibility: The applicant must be an ``eligible applicant'' as 
defined in Part III-A, Section 1 or Part III-B, Section 1. Applicants 
must also be aware that the applicant's legal name as required on the 
SF-424 (Item 5) must match that listed as corresponding to the Employer 
Identification Number (Item 6).
    2. The application must contain a Standard Form 424 ``Application 
for Federal Assistance'' (SF-424), signed by an official of the 
organization applying for the grant who has authority to obligate the 
organization legally; one budget form (SF-424A) covering the entire 
REACH Project, and one SF-424A for each CBO Recipient (or nonprofit 
sub-recipient in the case of Priority Area 2.0 applicants electing to 
delegate their REACH Projects) and signed ``Assurances'' (SF-424B) 
completed according to instructions published in Part VII and 
Attachment D to this Announcement.
    3. A project narrative must also accompany the standard forms, and, 
for Priority Area 1.0, must be limited to no more than ten (10) pages 
for Narrative Segment One and twenty (20) pages for Narrative Segment 
Two; and for Priority Area 2.0, must be limited to no more than twenty 
(20) pages. Narratives must be typewritten on one side of the paper 
only, in type no smaller than 12 c.p.i., 11 point, or equivalent, with 
margins no less than one inch. Charts, exhibits, letters of support, 
cooperative agreements, resumes and position descriptions are not 
counted against this page limit and should be included in the 
appendices to the proposal. It is strongly recommended that applicants 
follow the format for the narrative discussed in Part IV, REACH Plan 
Elements and Review Criteria.

Part VII--Instructions for Completing Application Forms

    The standard forms attached to this announcement shall be used to 
apply for funds under this program announcement.
    It is suggested that you reproduce single-sided copies of the SF-
424 and SF-424A, and type your application on the copies. Please 
prepare your application in accordance with instructions provided on 
the forms (Attachments B and C) as modified by the OCS specific 
instructions set forth below:

A. SF-424--Application for Federal Assistance

    One SF-424 to be completed by applicant. Top of Page. Where the 
applicant is a previous Department of Health and Human Services 
grantee, enter the Central Registry System Employee Identification 
Number (CRS/EIN) and the Payment Identifying Number, if one has been 
assigned, in the Block entitled Federal Identifier located at the top 
right hand corner of the form (third line from the top).
    Item 1. For the purposes of this announcement, all projects are 
considered Applications; there are no Pre-Applications.
    Item 7. Enter ``A'' in the box for State. If applicant is an Indian 
Tribe enter ``K'' in the box for Indian Tribe.
    Item 9. Name of Federal Agency - Enter DHHS-ACF/OCS.
    Item 10. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number for OCS 
programs covered under this announcement is 93.568. The title is 
``LIHEAP/REACH''.
    Item 11. Enter a brief descriptive title of the project.
    Item 13. Proposed Project--The project start date must begin on or 
before September 30, 1996; the ending date should be calculated on the 
basis of a 12-month or 36-month Project Period, whichever is 
applicable.
    Item 15a. This amount should be no greater than $1,500,000 for 
applications under Priority Area 1.0; no greater than

[[Page 35531]]

$150,000 for applications under Priority Area 2.0.
    Item 15b-e. These items should reflect both cash and third-party, 
in-kind contributions for the Project Period.

B. SF-424A--Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs

    One SF-424A completed for applicant, covering entire REACH Project, 
and one SF-424A to be completed for each CBO Recipient (or nonprofit 
sub-recipient in the case of Priority Area 2.0 applicants electing to 
delegate their REACH Projects).
    In completing these sections, the Federal Funds budget entries will 
relate to the requested OCS funds only, and Non-Federal will include 
mobilized funds from all other sources--applicant, state, local, and 
other. Federal funds other than requested OCS funding should be 
included in Non-Federal entries.
    Sections A, B, and C of SF-424A should reflect budget estimates for 
each year of the Project Period.
    Section A--Budget Summary. You need only fill in lines 1 and 5 
(with the same amounts)
    Col. (a): Enter ``LIHEAP/REACH.''
    Col. (b): Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 93.568.
    Col. (c) and (d): not relevant to this program.
    Column (e)-(g): enter the appropriate amounts (column e should not 
be more than $1,500,000 for applications under Priority Area 1.0; or 
more than $150,000 for applications under Priority Area 2.0.
    Section B--Budget Categories. (1) For applicants, a single SF-424A 
covering entire REACH Project: complete a one-year budget in accordance 
with the instructions provided, entering the amount of grant or 
contract to CBO Recipient(s) or nonprofit sub-recipient under the 
Object Class Category ``Contractual''.
    (2) For CBO Recipients (or nonprofit sub-recipients in the case of 
Priority Area 2.0 applicants), an SF-424A to be completed for each, 
covering the full three year project as follows:

(Note that the following information supersedes the instructions 
provided with the Form in Attachment C.)
    Columns (1)-(5): For each of the relevant Object Class Categories:
    Column 1: Enter the OCS grant funds for the first year.
    Column 2: Enter the OCS grant funds for the second year.
    Column 3: Enter the OCS grant funds for the third year.
    Column 4: Leave blank.
    Column 5: Enter the total federal OCS grant funds for the three 
year budget by Class Categories, showing a total budget of not more 
than $1,500,000.

    Note: With regard to Class Categories, only out-of-town travel 
should be entered under Category c. Travel. Local travel costs 
should be entered under Category h. Other. Costs of supplies should 
be included under Category e. ``Supplies'' is tangible personal 
property other than ``equipment''. ``Equipment'' means an article of 
nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of 
more than one year and an acquisition cost which equals or exceeds 
the lesser of (a) the capitalization level established by the 
organization for financial statement purposes, or (b) $5,000. (ref.: 
OMB Circular A-87) In other words, unless the level established 
under (a) is less than $5,000, equipment costing less than $5,000 
should be included in Category e. Supplies.

    Section C--Non Federal Resources should be completed in accordance 
with the instructions provided, remembering that ``all non-OCS funds'' 
fall in this category.
    Sections D, E, and F may be left blank.
    As previously noted in Part IV, a supporting Budget Justification 
must be submitted providing details of expenditures under each budget 
category, and justification of dollar amounts which relate the proposed 
expenditures to the work program and goals of the project.
    C. SF-424B Assurances-Non-Construction
    One SF-424B to be submitted by applicant. Applicants requesting 
financial assistance for a non- construction project must file the 
Standard Form 424B, ``Assurances: Non-Construction Programs.''
    Applicants must sign and return the Standard Form 424B with their 
applications.
    Applicants must provide a certification concerning Lobbying. Prior 
to receiving an award in excess of $100,000, applicants shall furnish 
an executed copy of the lobbying certification. Applicants must sign 
and return the certification with their applications. Applicants should 
note that the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 has simplified the 
lobbying information required to be disclosed under 31 USC 1352 (The 
Byrd Amendment).
    Applicants must make the appropriate certification on their 
compliance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 and the Pro-
Children Act of 1994 (Certification Regarding Smoke Free Environment). 
By signing and submitting the applications, applicants are providing 
the certification and need not mail back the certification with the 
applications.
    Applicants must make the appropriate certification that they are 
not presently debarred, suspended or otherwise ineligible for award. By 
signing and submitting the applications, applicants are providing the 
certification and need not mail back the certification with the 
applications.
    Copies of the certifications and assurances are located at the end 
of this announcement.

Part VIII--Contents of Reach Plan

    Application pages should be numbered sequentially throughout the 
application package, beginning with an Abstract of the Plan as page 
number one, and each REACH Plan must include all of the following, in 
the order listed below:
    1. An Abstract of the plan--very brief, not to exceed 250 words, 
that would be suitable for use in an announcement that the application 
has been selected for a grant award; which identifies the type of 
project(s), the target population, the CBO Recipient(s) (in the case of 
Priority Area 1.0 applicants), and the nonprofit organization sub-
recipient (in the case of Priority Area 2.0 applicants electing to 
delegate their REACH Project), and the major elements of the work 
plan(s).
    2. Table of Contents;
    3. A completed Standard Form 424 which has been signed by an 
official of the organization applying for the grant who has authority 
to obligate the organization legally.

    [Note: The original SF-424 must bear the original signature of 
the authorizing representative of the applicant organization].

    4. A single Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) 
for the applicant, covering the entire REACH Project; and separate SF-
424A forms for each CBO Recipient or nonprofit sub-recipient as 
appropriate;
    5. A narrative budget justification for each object class category 
included under Section B, for each SF-424A;
    6. Filled out, signed and dated Assurances--Non-Construction 
Programs (SF-424B), Attachment D;
    7. Restrictions on Lobbying--Certification for Contracts, Grants, 
Loans, and Cooperative Agreements: fill out, sign and date form found 
at Attachment G;
    8. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, SF-LLL: Fill out, sign and 
date form found at Attachment H, if appropriate (omit Items 11-15 on 
the SF LLL and ignore references to continuation sheet SF-LLL-A)
    9. A project narrative, limited to the number of pages specified 
below, which includes all of the required elements described in Part 
IV; [Specific information/data required under each

[[Page 35532]]

component is described in Part IV Application Elements and Review 
Criteria].
    For Plans submitted under Priority Area 1.0, the total number of 
pages for Segment One of the Project Narrative(s) dealing with Element 
I, Project Theory, Design, and Plan, must not exceed 10 pages for each 
such narrative submitted for a specific local project; and Segment Two 
of the narrative dealing with Elements II through VII must not exceed 
20 pages, excluding Appendices. The Project Narratives for Plans 
submitted under Priority Area 2.0 must not exceed 20 pages in length. 
Plans for supplemental EEE Services should not exceed 10 pages in 
length. (See Part V) Plans must be typewritten on one side of the paper 
only, in type no smaller than 12 c.p.i., 11 point, or equivalent, with 
margins no less than one inch. Pages should be numbered sequentially 
throughout the application package, excluding Appendices, beginning 
with the Abstract as Page #1.
    10. Appendices, including Maintenance of Effort Certification (See 
Attachment J); Letter(s) of Agreement from designated CBO Recipients 
(or nonprofit sub-recipients, as appropriate) through which project 
will be implemented; resumes and/or position descriptions (see Program 
Element IV); Certification Regarding Lobbying, if appropriate; and any 
letters from cooperating or partnering agencies in target communities. 
Such letters are not part of the narrative and should be included in 
the Appendices. These letters are, therefore, not counted against the 
page limitations.
    REACH Plans must be uniform in composition since OCS may find it 
necessary to duplicate them for review purposes. Therefore, 
applications must be submitted on white 8\1/2\  x  11 inch paper only. 
They must not include colored, oversized or folded materials. Do not 
include organizational brochures or other promotional materials, 
slides, films, clips, etc. in the proposal. They will be discarded if 
included. The applications should be two-hole punched at the top center 
and fastened separately with a compressor slide paper fastener, or a 
binder clip. The submission of bound plans, or plans enclosed in 
binders is specifically discouraged.
    Attachment M provides a checklist to applicants in preparing a 
complete application package.

Part IX--Post-Award Information and Reporting Requirements

A. Notification of Grant Award

    Following approval of the REACH Plans selected for funding, notice 
of project approval and authority to draw down project funds will be 
made in writing. The official award document is the Financial 
Assistance Award which provides the amount of Federal funds approved 
for use in the project, the project and budget periods for which 
support is provided, the terms and conditions of the award, the total 
project period for which support is contemplated, and the total 
required grantee financial participation, if any.

B. Attendance at Workshops

    Project coordinators, Project Directors at the local CBO 
Recipient(s), and chief evaluators (in the case of REACH Initiatives 
funded under Priority Area 1.0) and Project Directors (in the case of 
REACH Initiatives funded under Priority Area 2.0) are encouraged to 
attend a national REACH Orientation workshop in Washington, D.C. 
scheduled during the first six months of the Project Period. They are 
also encouraged to attend, as presenters, a workshop on utilization and 
dissemination to be held at the end of the project period. Project 
budgets should include funds for travel to and attendance at these 
workshops. (See Part IV, Element V, Budget Appropriateness)

C. Reporting Requirements

    Grantees will be required to submit semi-annual program progress 
and financial reports (SF 269) throughout the project period, as well 
as a final program and financial report within 90 days of the 
termination of the project. For REACH Projects under Priority Area 1.0 
an interim evaluation report, along with the written policies and 
procedures resulting from the process evaluation, will be due 30 days 
after the first eighteen months of the project period and a final 
evaluation report will be due 90 days after the expiration of the 
grant. These reports will be submitted in accordance with instructions 
to be provided by OCS, and will be the basis for the dissemination 
effort to be conducted by the Office of Community Services.

D. Audit Requirements

    Grantees are subject to the audit requirements in Section 2605B(10) 
of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as amended, 42 
U.S.C. 8621 et seq.

E. Prohibitions and Requirements With Regard to Lobbying

    Section 1352 of Public Law 101-121, signed into law on October 23, 
1989, imposes prohibitions and requirements for disclosure and 
certification related to lobbying on recipients of Federal contracts, 
grants, cooperative agreements, and loans. It provides exemptions for 
Indian tribes and tribal organizations. Current and prospective 
recipients (and their subtier contractors and/or grantees) are 
prohibited from using Federal funds, other than profits from a Federal 
contract, for lobbying Congress or any Federal agency in connection 
with the award of a contract, grant, cooperative agreement or loan. In 
addition, for each award action in excess of $100,000 (or $150,000 for 
loans) the law requires recipients and their subtier contractors and/or 
subgrantees (1) to certify that they have neither used nor will use any 
appropriated funds for payment to lobbyists; (2) to disclose the name, 
address, payment details, and purpose of any agreements with lobbyists 
whom recipients or their subtier contractors or subgrantees will pay 
with profits or nonappropriated funds on or after December 22, 1989 and 
(3) to file quarterly up-dates about the use of lobbyists if material 
changes occur in their use. The law establishes civil penalties for 
noncompliance. See Attachments H and I for certification and disclosure 
forms to be submitted with the applications for this program.

F. Applicable Federal Regulations

    Attachment L indicates the regulations which apply to all 
applicants/grantees under the REACH Program.

    Dated: June 19, 1996.
Donald Sykes,
Director, Office of Community Services.

 Attachment A--1996 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and 
                        the District of Columbia                        
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Povery 
                     Size of family unit                       guideline
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................................     $7,740
2............................................................     10,360
3............................................................     12,980
4............................................................     15,600
5............................................................     18,220
6............................................................     20,840
7............................................................     23,460
8............................................................     26,080

[[Page 35533]]

                                                                        
  For family units with more than 8 members, add $2,226 for each        
additional member. (The same increment applies to smaller family sizes  
also, as can be seen in the figures above.)                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------



                   1996 Poverty Guidelines for Alaska                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Povery 
                     Size of family unit                       guideline
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................................     $9,660
2............................................................     12,940
3............................................................     16,220
4............................................................     19,500
5............................................................     22,780
6............................................................     26,060
7............................................................     29,340
8............................................................     32,620
  For family units with more than 8 members, add $3,280 for each        
additional member. (The same increment applies to smaller family sizes  
also, as can be seen in the figures above.)                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------


                   1996 Poverty Guidelines for Hawaii                   
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Povery 
                     Size of family unit                       guideline
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................................     $8,910
2............................................................     11,920
3............................................................     14,930
4............................................................     17,940
5............................................................     20,950
6............................................................     23,960
7............................................................     26,970
8............................................................     29,980
  For family units with more than 8 members, add $3,010 for each        
additional member. (The same increment applies to smaller family sizes  
also, as can be seen in the figures above.)                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------


BILLING CODE 4184-01-P
      

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BILLING CODE 4184-01-C

[[Page 35535]]

Instructions for the SF 424

    This is a standard form used by applicants as a required 
facesheet for preapplications and applications submitted for Federal 
assistance. It will be used by Federal agencies to obtain applicant 
certification that States which have established a review and 
comment procedure in response to Executive Order 12372 and have 
selected the program to be included in their process, have been 
given an opportunity to review the applicant's submission.

Item and Entry

    1. Self-explanatory.
    2. Date application submitted to Federal agency (or State if 
applicable) & applicant's control number (if applicable).
    3. State use only (if applicable).
    4. If this application is to continue or revise an existing 
award, enter present Federal identifier number. If for a new 
project, leave blank.
    5. Legal name of applicant, name of primary organizational unit 
which will undertake the assistance activity, complete address of 
the applicant, and name and telephone number of the person to 
contact on matters related to this application.
    6. Enter Employer Identification Number (EIN) as assigned by the 
Internal Revenue Service.
    7. Enter the appropriate letter in the space provided.
    8. Check appropriate box and enter appropriate letter(s) in the 
space(s) provided:

--``New'' means a new assistance award.
--``Continuation'' means an extension for an additional funding/
budget period for a project with a projected completion date.
--``Revision'' means any change in the Federal Government's 
financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing 
obligation.

    9. Name of Federal agency from which assistance is being 
requested with this application.
    10. Use the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and 
title of the program under which assistance is requested.
    11. Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. If more than 
one program is involved, you should append an explanation on a 
separate sheet. If appropriate (e.g., construction or real property 
projects), attach a map showing project location. For 
preapplications, use a separate sheet to provide a summary 
description of this project.
    12. List only the largest political entities affected (e.g., 
State, counties, cities).
    13. Self-explanatory.
    14. List the applicant's Congressional District and any 
District(s) affected by the program or project.
    15. Amount requested or to be contributed during the first 
funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in-kind 
contributions should be included on appropriate lines as applicable. 
If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, 
indicate only the amount of the change. For decreases, enclose the 
amounts in parentheses. If both basic and supplemental amounts are 
included, show breakdown on an attached sheet. for multiple program 
funding, use totals and show breakdown using same categories as item 
15.
    16. Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact 
(SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the 
application is subject to the State intergovernmental review 
process.
    17. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the 
person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of 
debt include delinquent audit disallowances, loans and taxes.
    18. To be signed by the authorized representative of the 
applicant. A copy of the governing body's authorization for you to 
sign this application as official representative must be on file in 
the applicant's office. (Certain Federal agencies may require that 
this authorization be submitted as part of the application.)

BILLING CODE 4184-01-P

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BILLING CODE 4184-01-C

[[Page 35538]]

Instructions for the SF-424A

General Instructions

    This form is designed so that application can be made for funds 
from one or more grant programs. In preparing the budget, adhere to 
any existing Federal grantor agency guidelines which prescribe how 
and whether budgeted amounts should be separately shown for 
different functions or activities within the program. For some 
programs, grantor agencies may require budgets to be separately 
shown by function or activity. For other programs, grantor agencies 
may require a breakdown by function or activity. Sections A,B,C, and 
D should include budget estimates for the whole project except when 
applying for assistance which requires Federal authorization in 
annual or other funding period increments. In the latter case, 
Sections A,B,C, and D should provide the budget for the first budget 
period (usually a year) and Section E should present the need for 
Federal assistance in the subsequent budget periods. All 
applications should contain a breakdown by the object class 
categories shown in Lines a-k of Section B.

Section A. Budget Summary

Lines 1-4, Columns (a) and (b)

    For applications pertaining to a single Federal grant program 
(Federal Domestic Assistance Catalog number) and not requiring a 
functional or activity breakdown, enter on Line 1 under Column (a) 
the catalog program title and the catalog number in Column (b).
    For applications pertaining to a single program requiring budget 
amounts by multiple functions or activities, enter the name of each 
activity or function on each line in Column (a), and enter the 
catalog number in Column (b). For applications pertaining to 
multiple programs where none of the programs require a breakdown by 
function or activity enter the catalog program title on each line in 
Column (a) and the respective catalog number on each line in Column 
(b).
    For applications pertaining to multiple program where one or 
more programs require a breakdown by function or activity, prepare a 
separate sheet for each program requiring the breakdown. Additional 
sheets should be used when one form does not provide adequate space 
for all breakdown of data required. However, when more than one 
sheet is used, the first page should provide the summary totals by 
programs.

Lines 1-4, Columns (c) Through (g.)

    For new applications, leave Columns (c) and (d) blank. For each 
line entry in Columns (a) and (b), enter in Columns (e), (f), and 
(g) the appropriate amounts of funds needed to support the project 
for the first funding period (usually a year).
    For continuing grant program applications, submit these forms 
before the end of each funding period as required by the grantor 
agency. Enter in Columns (c) and (d) the estimated amounts of funds 
which will remain unobligated at the end of the grant funding period 
only if the Federal grantor agency instructions provide for this. 
Otherwise, leave these columns blank. Enter in columns (e) and (f) 
the amounts of funds needed for the upcoming period. The amount(s) 
in Column (g) should be the sum of amounts in Columns (e) and (f).
    For supplemental grants and changes to existing grants, do not 
use Columns (c) and (d). Enter in Column (e) the amount of the 
increase or decrease of Federal funds and enter in Column (f) the 
amount of the increases or decrease of non-Federal funds. In Column 
(g) enter the new total budgeted amount (Federal and non-Federal) 
which includes the total previous authorized budgeted amounts plus 
or minus, as appropriate, the amounts shown in Columns (e) and (f). 
The amount(s) in Column (g) should not equal the sum of amounts in 
Columns (e) and (f).
    Line 5--Show the totals for all columns used.

Section B. Budget Categories

    In the column headings (1) through (4), enter the titles of the 
same programs, functions, and activities shown on Lines 1-4, Column 
(a), Section A. When additional sheets are prepared for Section A, 
provide similar column headings on each sheet. For each program, 
function or activity, fill in the total requirements for funds (both 
Federal and non-Federal) by object class categories.
    Lines 6a-i--Show the totals of Lines 6a to 6h in each column.
    Line 6j--Show the amount of indirect cost.
    Line 6k--Enter the total of amounts on Lines 6i and 6j. For all 
applications for new grants and continuation grants the total amount 
in column (5), Line 6k, should be the same as the total amount shown 
in Section A, Column (g), Line 5. For supplemental grants and 
changes to grants, the total amount of the increase or decrease as 
shown in columns (1)-(4), Line 6k should be the same as the sum of 
the amounts in Section A, Columns (e) and (f) on Line 5.
    Line 7--Enter the estimated amount of income, if any, expected 
to be generated from this project. Do not add or subtract this 
amount from the total project amount. Show under the program 
narrative statement the nature and source of income. The estimated 
amount of program income may be considered by the federal grantor 
agency in determining the total amount of the grant.

Section C. Non-Federal Resources

    Lines 8-11--Enter amounts of non-Federal resources that will be 
used on the grant. If in-kind contributions are included, provide a 
brief explanation on a separate sheet.
    Column (a)--Enter the program titles identical to Column (a), 
Section A. A breakdown by function or activity is not necessary.
    Column (b)--Enter the contribution to be made by the applicant.
    Column (c)--Enter the amount of the State's cash and in-kind 
contributions if the applicant is not a State or State agency. 
Applicants which are a State or State agencies should leave this 
column blank.
    Column (d)--Enter the amount of cash and in-kind contributions 
to be made from all other sources.
    Column (e)--Enter totals of Columns (b), (c), and (d).
    Line 12--Enter the total for each of Columns (b)-(e). The amount 
in Column (e) should be equal to the amount on Line 5, Column (f), 
Section A.

Section D. Forecasted Cash Needs

    Line 13--Enter the amount of cash needed by quarter from the 
grantor agency during the first year.
    Line 14--Enter the amount of cash from all other sources needed 
by quarter during the first year.
    Line 15--Enter the totals of amounts of Lines 13 and 14.

Section E. Budget Estimates of Federal Funds Needed for Balance of 
the Project

    Lines 16-19--Enter in Column (a) the same grant program titles 
shown in Column (a), Section A. A breakdown by function or activity 
is not necessary. For new applications and continuation grant 
applications, enter in the proper columns amounts of Federal funds 
which will be needed to complete the program or project over the 
succeeding funding periods (usually in years). This section need not 
be completed for revisions (amendments, changes, or supplements) to 
funds for the current year of existing grants.
    If more than four lines are needed to list the program titles, 
submit additional schedules as necessary.
    Line 20--Enter the total for each of the Columns (b)-(e). When 
additional schedules are prepared for this Section, annotate 
accordingly and show the overall totals on this line.

Section F. Other Budget Information

    Line 21--Use this space to explain amounts for individual direct 
object-class cost categories that may appear to be out of the 
ordinary or to explain the details as required by the Federal 
grantor agency.
    Line 22--Enter the type of indirect rate (provisional, 
predetermined, final or fixed) that will be in effect during the 
funding period, the estimated amount of the base to which the rate 
is applied, and the total indirect expense.
    Line 23--Provide any other explanations or comments deemed 
necessary.

Attachment D--Assurances--Non-Construction Programs

    Note: Certain of these assurances may not be applicable to your 
project or program. If you have questions, please contact the 
awarding agency. Further, certain Federal awarding agencies may 
require applicants to certify to additional assurances. If such is 
the case, you will be notified.

    As the duly authorized representative of the applicant I certify 
that the applicant:
    1. Has the legal authority to apply for Federal assistance, and 
the institutional, managerial and financial capability (including 
funds sufficient to pay the non-Federal share of project costs) to 
ensure proper planning, management and completion of the project 
described in this application.
    2. Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the 
United States, and if appropriate, the State, through any authorized 
representative, access to and the right to examine all records, 
books, papers,

[[Page 35539]]

or documents related to the award; and will establish a proper 
accounting system in accordance with generally accepted accounting 
standards or agency directives.
    3. Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using 
their positions for a purpose that constitutes or presents the 
appearance of personal or organizational conflict of interest, or 
personal gain.
    4. Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable 
time frame after receipt of approval of the awarding agency.
    5. Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 
(42 U.S.C. Secs. 4728-4763) relating to prescribed standards for 
merit systems for programs funded under one of the nineteen statutes 
or regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM's Standards for a 
Merit System of Personnel Administration (5 C.F.R. 900, Subpart F).
    6. Will comply with all Federal statutes relating to 
nondiscrimination. These include but are not limited to: (a) Title 
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which prohibits 
discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin; (b) 
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 
Secs. 1681-1683, and 1685-1686), which prohibits discrimination on 
the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794), which prohibits discrimination on 
the basis of handicaps; (d) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as 
amended (42 U.S.C Secs. 6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination 
on the basis of age;
    (e) the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-
255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug 
abuse; (f) the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 
Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), 
as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol 
abuse or alcoholism; (g) Secs. 523 and 527 of the Public Health 
Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C. 290 dd-3 and 290 ee-3), as amended, 
relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient 
records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 
Sec. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the 
sale, rental or financing of housing; (i) any other 
nondiscrimination provisions in the specific statute(s) under which 
application for Federal assistance is being made; and (j) the 
requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may 
apply to the application.
    7. Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements 
of Titles II and III of the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real 
Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-646) which 
provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or 
whose property is acquired as a result of Federal or federally 
assisted programs. These requirements apply to all interests in real 
property acquired for project purposes regardless of Federal 
participation in purchases.
    8. Will comply with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 
Secs. 1501-1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities 
of employees whose principal employment activities are funded in 
whole or in part with Federal funds.
    9. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis-
Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. Secs. 276a to 276a-7), the Copeland Act (40 
U.S.C. Sec. 276c and 18 U.S.C. Secs. 874), and the Contract Work 
Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. Secs. 327-333), regarding 
labor standards for federally assisted construction subagreements.
    10. Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase 
requirements of Section 102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act 
of 1973 (P.L. 93-234) which requires recipients in a special flood 
hazard area to participate in the program and to purchase flood 
insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and 
acquisition is $10,000 or more.
    11. Will comply with environmental standards which may be 
prescribed pursuant to the following: (a) institution of 
environmental quality control measures under the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order 
(EO) 11514; (b) notification of violating facilities pursuant to EO 
11738; (c) protection of wetlands pursuant to EO 11990; (d) 
evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance with EO 
1988; (e) assurances of project consistency with the approved State 
management program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act 
of 1972 (16 U.S.C. Secs. 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of Federal 
actions to State (Clear Air) Implementation Plans under Section 
176(c) of the Clear Air Act of 1955, as amended (42 U.S.C. Sec. 7401 
et seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of drinking water 
under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended, (P.L. 93-
523); and (h) protection of endangered species under the Endangered 
Species Act of 1973, as amended, (P.L. 93-205).
    12. Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 
U.S.C. Secs. 1271 et seq.) related to protecting components or 
potential components of the national wild and scenic rivers system.
    13. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with 
Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 
amended (16 U.S.C. 470), EO 11593 (identification and protection of 
historic properties), and the Archaeological and Historic 
Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1 et seq.).
    14. Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of 
human subjects involved in research, development, and related 
activities supported by this award of assistance.
    15. Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 
(P.L. 89-544. as amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the 
care, handling, and treatment of warm blooded animals held for 
research, teaching, or other activities supported by this award of 
assistance.
    16. Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention 
Act (42 U.S.C. Secs. 4801 et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead 
based paint in construction or rehabilitation of residence 
structures.
    17. Will cause to be performed the required financial and 
compliance audits in accordance with the Single Audit Act of 1984.
    18. Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other 
Federal laws, executive orders, regulations and policies governing 
this program.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Signature of authorized certifying official

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Title

Applicant organization

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date submitted

BILLING CODE 4184-01-P

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[[Page 35541]]

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BILLING CODE 4184-01-C

[[Page 35542]]

Attachment F--Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions

    By signing and submitting this proposal, the applicant, defined 
as the primary participant in accordance with 45 CFR Part 76, 
certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that it and its 
principals:
    (a) are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for 
debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered 
transactions by any Federal Department or agency;
    (b) have not within a 3-year period preceding this proposal been 
convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for 
obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, 
State, or local) transaction or contract under a public transaction; 
violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes or commission of 
embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction 
of records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property.
    (c) are not presently indicated or otherwise criminally or 
civilly charged by a governmental entity (Federal, State or local) 
with commission of any of the offenses enumerated in paragraph 
(1)(b) of this certification; and
    (d) have not within a 3-year period preceding this application/
proposal had one or more public transactions (Federal, State or 
local) terminated for cause or default.
    The inability of a person to provide the certification required 
above will not necessarily result in denial of participation in this 
covered transaction. If necessary, the prospective participant shall 
submit an explanation of why it cannot provide the certification. 
The certification or explanation will be considered in connection 
with the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) 
determination whether to enter into this transaction. However, 
failure of the prospective primary participant to furnish a 
certification or an explanation shall disqualify such person from 
participation in this transaction.
    The prospective primary participant agrees that by submitting 
this proposal, it will include the clause entitled ``Certification 
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and Voluntary 
Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions'' provided below without 
modification in all lower tier covered transactions and in all 
solicitations for lower tier covered transactions.

Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and 
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions

(To Be Supplied to Lower Tier Participants)
    By signing and submitting this lower tier proposal, the 
prospective lower tier participant, as defined in 45 CFR Part 76, 
certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that it and its 
principals:
    (a) are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for 
debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from 
participation in this transaction by any federal department or 
agency.
    (b) where the prospective lower tier participant is unable to 
certify to any of the above, such prospective participant shall 
attach an explanation to this proposal.
    The prospective lower tier participant further agrees by 
submitting this proposal that it will include this clause entitled 
``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility, and 
Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions'' without 
modification in all lower tier covered transactions and in all 
solicitations for lower tier covered transactions.

Attachment G--Certification Regarding Lobbying

Certification for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements

    The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge 
and belief, that:
    (1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be 
paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for 
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or 
an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding 
of any Federal contract, the making of any Federal grant, the making 
of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, 
and the extension continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification 
of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
    (2) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been 
paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to 
influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of 
Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a 
Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, 
loan or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and 
submit Standard Form-LLL, ``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in 
accordance with its instructions.
    (3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this 
certification be included in the award documents for all subawards 
at all tiers (including subcontracts, subgrants, and contracts under 
grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all 
subrecipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.
    This certification is a material representation of fact upon 
which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered 
into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making 
or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, 
U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification 
shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not 
more than $100,000 for each such failure.

State for Loan Guarantee and Loan Insurance

    The undersigned states, to the best of his or her knowledge and 
belief, that:
    If any funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for 
influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any 
agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or 
an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this 
commitment providing for the United States to insure or guarantee a 
loan, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL 
``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' in accordance with its 
instructions.
    Submission of this statement is a prerequisite for making or 
entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, 
U.S. Code. Any person who fails to file the required statement shall 
be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more 
than $100,000 for each such failure.

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BILLING CODE 4184-01-P

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[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN05JY96.005



BILLING CODE 4184-01-C

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Attachment I--Certification Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke

    Public Law 103-227, Part C--Environmental Tobacco Smoke, also 
known as the Pro-Children Act of 1994 (Act), requires that smoking 
not be permitted in any portion of any indoor facility owned or 
leased or contracted for by an entity and used routinely or 
regularly for the provision of health, day care, education, or 
library services to children under the age of 18, if the services 
are funded by Federal programs either directly or through State or 
local governments, by Federal grant, contract, loan, or loan 
guarantee. The law does not apply to children's services provided in 
private residences, facilities funded solely by Medicare or Medicaid 
funds, and portions of facilities used for inpatient drug or alcohol 
treatment. Failure to comply with the provisions of the law may 
result in the imposition of a civil monetary penalty of up to $1,000 
per day and/or the imposition of an administrative compliance order 
on the responsible entity.
    By signing and submitting this application the applicant/grantee 
certifies that it will comply with the requirements of the Act. The 
applicant/grantee further agrees that it will require the language 
of this certification be included in any subawards which contain 
provisions for children's services and that all subgrantees shall 
certify accordingly.

Attachment J--Certification Regarding Maintenance of Effort

    The undersigned certifies that:
    (1) activities funded under this program announcement are in 
addition to, and not in substitution for, activities previously 
carried on without Federal assistance.
    (2) funds or other resources currently devoted to activities 
designed to meet the needs of the poor within a community, area, or 
State have not been reduced in order to provide the required 
matching contributions.
    When legislation for a particular block grant permits the use of 
its funds as match, the applicant must show that it has received a 
real increase in its block grant allotment and must certify that 
other anti-poverty programs will not be scaled back to provide the 
match required for this project.

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Attachment K--Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, Omnibus 
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981

[Public Law 97-35, August 13, 1981, as amended (95 Stat. 357)]
* * * * *

Title XXVI--Low-Income Home Energy Assistance

Short Title

Sec. 2601

    This title may be cited as the ``Low-Income Home Energy 
Assistance Act of 1981''

Applications and Requirements

Sec. 2605

* * * * *
    (b) As part of the annual application required by subsection 
(a), the chief executive officer of each State shall certify that 
the State agrees to--
* * * * *
    (2) make payments under this title only with respect to--
    (A) households in which 1 or more individuals are receiving--
    (i) aid to families with dependent children under the State's 
plan approved under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act 
(other than such aid in the form of foster care in accordance with 
section 408 of such Act);
    (ii) supplemental security income payments under title XVI of 
the Social Security Act;
    (iii) food stamps under the Food Stamp Act of 1977; or
    (iv) payments under section 415, 521, 541, or 542 of title 38, 
United States Code, or under section 306 of the Veterans' and 
Survivors' Pension Improvement Act of 1978; or
    (B) households with incomes which do not exceed the greater of--
    (i) an amount equal to 150 percent of the poverty level for such 
State; or
    (ii) an amount equal to 60 percent of the State median income;

except that a State may not exclude a household from eligibility in 
a fiscal year solely on the basis of household income if such income 
is less than 110 percent of the poverty level for such State, but 
the State may give priority to those households with the highest 
home energy costs or needs in relation to household income;
    (3) conduct outreach activities designed to assure that eligible 
households, especially households with elderly individuals or 
disabled individuals, or both, and households with high home energy 
burdens, are made aware of the assistance available under this 
title, and any similar energy-related assistance available under 
subtitle B of title VI (relating to community services block grant 
program) or under any other provision of law which carries out 
programs which were administered under the Economic Opportunity Act 
of 1964 before the date of the enactment of this Act;
    (4) coordinate its activities under this title with similar and 
related programs administered by the Federal Government and such 
State, particularly low-income energy-related programs under 
subtitle B of title VI (relating to community services block grant 
program), under the supplemental security income program, under part 
A of title IV of the Social Security Act, under title XX of the 
Social Security Act, under the low-income weatherization assistance 
program under title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production 
Act, or under any other provision of law which carries out programs 
which were administered under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 
before the date of the enactment of this Act;
    (5) provide, in a timely manner, that the highest level of 
assistance will be furnished to those households which have the 
lowest incomes and the highest energy costs or needs in relation to 
income, taking into account family size, except that the State may 
not differentiate in implementing this section between the 
households described in clauses (2)(A) and (2)(B) of this 
subsection;
    (6) if the State chooses to pay home energy suppliers directly, 
establish procedures to--
    (A) notify each participating household of the amount of 
assistance paid on its behalf;
    (B) assure that the home energy supplier will charge the 
eligible household, in the normal billing process, the difference 
between the actual cost of the home energy and the amount of the 
payment made by the State under this title;
    (C) assure that the home energy supplier will provide assurances 
that any agreement entered into with a home energy supplier under 
this paragraph will contain provisions to assure that no household 
receiving assistance under this title will be treated adversely 
because of such assistance under applicable provisions of State law 
or public regulatory requirements; and
    (D) ensure that the provision of vendored payments remains at 
the option of the State in consultation with local grantees and may 
be contingent on unregulated vendors taking appropriate measures to 
alleviate the energy burdens of eligible households, including 
providing for agreements between suppliers and individuals eligible 
for benefits under this Act that seek to reduce home energy crisis, 
and encourage regular payments by individuals receiving financial 
assistance for home energy costs;
    (10) provide that such fiscal control and fund accounting 
procedures will be established as may be necessary to assure the 
proper disbursal of and accounting for Federal funds paid to the 
State under this title, including procedures for monitoring the 
assistance provided under this title, and provide that the State 
will comply with the provisions of chapter 75 of title 31, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ``Single Audit Act'');
    (11) permit and cooperate with Federal investigations undertaken 
in accordance with section 2608;
    (12) provide for timely and meaningful public participation in 
the development of the plan described in subsection (c);
    (13) provide an opportunity for a fair administrative hearing to 
individuals whose claims for assistance under the plan described in 
subsection (c) are denied or are not acted upon with reasonable 
promptness;
    (14) cooperate with the Secretary with respect to data 
collecting and reporting under section 2610;
* * * * *
    (d) The State shall expend funds in accordance with the State 
plan under this title or in accordance with revisions applicable to 
such plan.
    (e) Each State shall, in carrying out the requirements of 
subsection (b)(10), obtain

[[Page 35545]]

financial and compliance audits of any funds which the State 
receives under this title. Such audits shall be made public within 
the State on a timely basis. The audits shall be conducted in 
accordance with chapter 75 of title 31, United States Code.
    (f)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law unless enacted 
in express limitation of this paragraph, the amount of any home 
energy assistance payments or allowances provided directly to, or 
indirectly for the benefit of, an eligible household under this 
title shall not be considered income or resources of such household 
(or any member thereof) for any purpose under any Federal or State 
law, including any law relating to taxation, food stamps, public 
assistance, or welfare programs.
    (2) For purposes of paragraph (1) of this subsection and for 
purposes of determining any excess shelter expense deduction under 
section (5)(e) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2014(e))--
    (A) the full amount of such payments or allowances shall be 
deemed to be expended by such household for heating or cooling 
expenses, without regard to whether such payments or allowances are 
provided directly to, or indirectly for the benefit of, such 
household; and
    (B) no distinction may be made among households on the basis of 
whether such payments or allowances are provided directly to, or 
indirectly for the benefit of, any of such households.
    (g) The State shall repay to the United States amounts found not 
to have been expended in accordance with this title or the Secretary 
may offset such amounts against any other amount to which the State 
is or may become entitled under this title.
    (h) The Comptroller General of the United States shall, from 
time to time (but not less frequently than every three years), 
evaluate the expenditures by States of grant under this title in 
order to assure that expenditures are consistent with the provisions 
of this title and to determine the effectiveness of the State in 
accomplishing the purposes of this title.
    (i) A household which is described in subsection (b)(2)(A) 
solely by reason of clause (ii) thereof shall not be treated as a 
household described in subsection (b)(2) if the eligibility of the 
household is dependent upon--
    (1) an individual whose annual supplemental security income 
benefit rate is reduced pursuant to section 1611(e)(1) of the Social 
Security Act by reason of being in an institution receiving payments 
under title XIX of the Social Security Act with respect to such 
individual;
    (2) an individual to whom the reduction specified in section 
1612(a)(2)(A)(1) of the Social Security Act applies; or
    (3) a child described in section 1614(f)(2) of the Social 
Security Act who is living together with a parent, or the spouse of 
a parent, of the child.
    (j) In verifying income eligibility for purposes of subsection 
(b)(2)(B), the State may apply procedures and policies consistent 
with procedures and policies used by the State agency administering 
programs under part A of title IV of the Social Security Act, under 
title XX of the Social Security Act, under subtitle B of title VI of 
this Act (relating to community services block grant program), under 
any other provision of law which carries out programs which were 
administered under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 before the 
date of the enactment of this Act, or under other income assistance 
or service programs (as determined by the State).

Nondiscrimination Provisions

Sec. 2606

    (a) No person shall on the ground of race, color, national 
origin, or sex be excluded from participation in, be denied the 
benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under, any program or 
activity funded in whole or in part with funds made available under 
this title. Any prohibition against discrimination on the basis of 
age under the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 or with respect to an 
otherwise qualified handicapped individual as provided in section 
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 also shall apply to any such 
program or activity.
    (b) Whenever the Secretary determines that a State that has 
received a payment under this title has failed to comply with 
subsection (a) or an applicable regulation, he shall notify the 
chief executive officer of the State and shall request him to secure 
compliance. If within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 90 
days, the chief executive officer fails or refuses to secure 
compliance, the Secretary is authorized to (1) refer the matter to 
the Attorney General with a recommendation that an appropriate civil 
action be instituted; (2) exercise the powers and functions provided 
by title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination 
Act of 1975, or section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
may be applicable; or (3) take such other action as may be provided 
by law.
    (c) When a matter is referred to the Attorney General pursuant 
to subsection (b), or whenever he has reason to believe that the 
State is engaged in a pattern or practice in violation of the 
provisions of this section, the Attorney General may bring a civil 
action in any appropriate United States district court for such 
relief as may be appropriate, including injunctive relief.

(42 U.S.C. 8625)

PART 96--BLOCK GRANTS

Subpart A--Introduction

Sec.
96.1  Scope.
96.2  Definitions.
96.3  Information collection approval numbers.

Subpart B--General Procedures

96.10  Prerequisites to obtain block grant funds.
96.11  Basis of award to the States.
96.12  Grant payment.
96.13  Reallotments.
96.14  Time period for obligation and expenditure of grant funds.
96.15  Waivers.
96.16  Applicability of Title XVII of the Reconciliation Act (31 
U.S.C. 7301-7305).
96.17  Annual and biennial reporting deadlines.

Subpart C--Financial Management

96.30  Fiscal and administrative requirements.
96.31  Audits.
96.32  Financial settlement.
96.33  Referral of cases to the Inspector General.
Subpart D--Direct Funding of Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations
96.40  Scope.
96.41  General determination.
96.42  General procedures and requirements.
96.43  Procedures during FY 1982.
96.44  Community services.
96.45  Preventive health and health services.
96.46  Alcohol and drug abuse and mental health services.
96.47  Primary care.
96.48  Low-income home energy assistance.

Subpart E--Enforcement

96.50  Complaints.
96.51  Hearings.
96.52  Appeals.

Subpart F--Hearing Procedure

96.60  Scope.
96.61  Initiation of hearing.
96.62  Presiding officer.
96.63  Communications to presiding officer.
96.64  Intervention.
96.65  Discovery.
96.66  Hearing procedure.
96.67  Right to counsel.

Subpart G--Social Services Block Grants

96.70  Scope.
96.71  Definitions.
96.72  Transferability of funds.
96.73  Sterilization.
Subpart H--Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
96.80  Scope.
96.81  Reallotment report.
96.82  Required report.
96.83  Increase in maximum amount that may be used for 
weatherization and other energy related home repair.
96.84  Miscellaneous.
96.85  Exemption from requirement for additional outreach and intake 
services.
96.86  Exemption from requirement for additional outreach and intake 
services.
96.87  Leveraging incentive program.
96.88  Administrative costs.
96.89  Exemptions from standards for providing energy crisis 
intervention assistance.

Attachment M

    In view of the numerous legislative requirements of the REACH 
Program as to elements and assurances in the REACH Plan, the 
following ``REACH Plan Elements and Assurances Checklist'' has been 
prepared as Attachment L, for the assistance of applicants under 
Priority Areas 1.0 and 2.0.

[[Page 35546]]

REACH Plan Elements and Assurances Checklist

    A. Service delivery through community-based nonprofit entity. 
(For applicants under Priority Area 1.0 only.)

[Include in Plan Elements I, II, and IV]
    B. Priority given to CSBG eligible entities that are successful 
LIHEAP service providers and receive Weatherization Assistance 
Program funds from the Department of Energy. (For applicants under 
Priority Area 1.0 only.)

[Include in Plan Element II and attach letter(s) of certification as 
described therein]
    C. Each CBO Recipient to provide a variety of services, to 
include:
    (i) payments to, or on behalf of, individuals eligible for 
residential energy assistance services and benefits under section 
2605(b) for home energy costs;
    (ii) energy efficiency education;
    (iii) residential energy demand management services, including 
any other energy related residential repair and energy efficiency 
improvements in coordination with, or delivered by, Department of 
Energy weatherization assistance programs at the discretion of the 
State;
    (iv) family services, such as counseling and needs assessment, 
related to energy budget management, payment plans, and related 
services; and
    (v) negotiation with home energy suppliers on behalf of 
households eligible for REACH services and benefits;

[Include in Plan Element I, and for applicants under Priority Area 
1.0, Element III also, as appropriate]
    D. a description of the methodology the State and local agencies 
will use to determine--
    (i) which households will receive one or more forms of benefits 
under the State REACH initiative;
    (ii) the cases in which nonmonetary benefits are likely to 
provide more cost-effective long-term outcomes than payment benefits 
alone; and
    (iii) the amount of such benefit required to meet the goals of 
the program;

[Include in Elements I(b), I(c), and for applicants under Priority 
Area 1.0, Elements III and VI also, as appropriate]
    E. (F.) a method for targeting nonmonetary benefits;

[Include in Elements I(a), I(b), IV (under Priority Area 1.0), and 
III, (under Priority Area 2.0)]
    G. a description of the crisis and emergency assistance 
activities the State will undertake are designed to--
    (i) discourage family energy crises;
    (ii) encourage responsible vendor and consumer behavior; and
    (iii) provide only financial incentives that encourage household 
payment;

[Include in Element I and, under Priority Area 1.0, Element III 
also, as appropriate]
    H. a description of the activities the State will undertake to--
    (i) provide incentives for recipients of assistance to pay home 
energy costs; and
    (ii) provide incentives for vendors to help reduce the energy 
burdens of recipients of assistance;

[Include as appropriate in Element I and, under Priority Area 1.0, 
Elements III and IV also, as appropriate]
    I. an assurance that the State will require each entity that 
receives a grant or enters into a contract under this section to 
solicit and be responsive to the views of individuals who are 
financially eligible for benefits and services under this section in 
establishing its local program;

[Include in Elements I(a) and I(c)]
    J. a description of performance goals for the State REACH 
initiative including--
    (i) a reduction in the energy costs on participating households 
over one or more fiscal years;
    (ii) an increase in the regularity of home energy bill payments 
by eligible households; and
    (iii) an increase in energy vendor contributions towards 
reducing energy burdens of eligible households;

[Include in Element I(b) and, under Program Area 1.0, Element VI 
also]
    K. a description of the indicators that will be used by the 
State to measure whether the performance goals have been achieved;

[Include in Element VI]
    L. a demonstration that the plan is consistent with Section 
paragraphs (2), (3), (4), (5), (7), (10), (11), (12), (13), and (14) 
of section 2605(b) of the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 
1981, as amended; subsections (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i), and (j) 
of section 2605; and section 2606 of this title;

[See Attachment K for texts of these Sections and subsections; 
include as appropriate in Elements I, III, IV, and VII]
    M. an assurance that benefits and services will be provided in 
addition to other benefit payments and services provided under this 
title and in coordination with such benefit payments and services;

[Include in Element I]
    N. an assurance that no regulated utility covered by the plan 
will be required to act in a manner that is inconsistent with 
applicable regulatory requirements.

[Include in Element VII]

[FR Doc. 96-16558 Filed 7-2-96; 12:02 pm]
BILLING CODE 4184-01-P-M