Epidemiology Program

 

The purpose of this program is to fund Tribes, Tribal and urban Indian organizations, and intertribal consortia to provide epidemiological support for the American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) population served by IHS. Tribal Epidemiology Center (TEC) activities should include, but are not limited to, enhancement of surveillance for disease conditions; research, prevention and control of disease, injury, or disability; assessment of the effectiveness of AI/AN public health programs; epidemiologic analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of surveillance data; investigation of disease outbreaks; development and implementation of epidemiologic studies; development and implementation of disease control and prevention programs; and coordination of activities with other public health authorities in the region. It is the intent of IHS to fund several TECs that will serve Tribes and urban Indian communities in all 12 IHS Administrative Areas. Additionally, this program will fund awards under Native Public Health Resilience (NPHR) and Native Public Health Resilience Planning (NPHRP) announcements to allow Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian Organizations to enhance their capacity in implementing core Public Health functions, services, and activities, and to further develop and improve their Public Health Management capabilities. This program will be funded through two funding opportunities: NPHRP will assist recipients in establishing goals and performance measures, assessing their current management capacity, and determining if developing a Public Health program is practicable; NPHR will fund recipients efforts in implementing such plans.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Active
Program Number
93.231
Federal Agency/Office
Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
B - Project Grants
Program Accomplishments
Not applicable.
Authorization
Indian Health Care Improvement Act, Public Law 94-437, 25 U.S.C. 1621m
American Rescue Plan Act, Public Law 117-2
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
AI/AN Tribes, Tribal organizations, and eligible intertribal consortia or urban Indian organizations as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(e) may be eligible for a TEC cooperative agreement. Such entities must represent or serve a population of at least 60,000 AI/AN to be eligible as demonstrated by Tribal resolutions or the equivalent documentation from urban Indian clinic directors/Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). Applicants must describe the population of AI/ANs and Tribes that will be represented. The number of AI/ANs served must be substantiated by documentation describing IHS user populations, United States Census Bureau data, clinical catchment data, or any method that is scientifically and epidemiologically valid. An intertribal consortium or urban Indian organization is eligible to receive a cooperative agreement if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving AI/AN health, and represents the Tribes, AN villages, or urban Indian communities in which it is located. Resolutions from each Tribe, AN village and equivalent documentation from each urban Indian community represented must be included in the application package. Collaborations with IHS Areas, Federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State, academic institutions or other organizations are encouraged (letters of support and collaboration should be included in the application). AI/AN Tribes, Tribal organizations, and eligible intertribal consortia or urban Indian organizations as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(e) may be eligible for Native Public Health Resilience awards and Native Public Health Resilience Planning awards. Applicants must describe the population of AI/ANs and Tribes that will be represented. An intertribal consortium or urban Indian organization is eligible to receive an award if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving AI/AN health, and represents the Tribes, AN villages, or urban Indian communities in which it is located. Resolutions from each Tribe, AN village and equivalent documentation from each urban Indian community represented must be included in the application package.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Federally-recognized Indian Tribes will benefit from the Tribal Epidemiology Centers. Federally-recognized Indian Tribe means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or group or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. ? 1601, et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. 25 U.S.C. ?1603 (d). Tribal organization means the elected governing body of any Indian Tribe or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled by one or more such bodies or by a board of directors elected or selected by one or more such bodies or elected by the Indian population to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities. 25 U.S.C. ?1603(e). Urban Indian organization means a non-profit corporate body situated in an urban center governed by an urban Indian controlled board of directors, and providing for the maximum participation of all interested Indian groups and individuals, which body is capable of legally cooperating with other public and private entities for the purpose of performing the activities. 25 U.S.C. ?1603(h).
Credentials/Documentation
The applicant must provide documentation of: (1) Nonprofit status; (2) tribal resolution(s); and (3) letters of support and collaboration with regional IHS, State, or university organizations. Costs will be determined in accordance with 2 CFR 230 Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations, and applicable grant administration regulations 45 CFR 75.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Application Procedure
2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The preferred method for receipt of applications is electronic submission through Grants.gov. However, should any technical problems arise regarding the submission, please contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. The Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except for Federal holidays). Requests for waivers from the electronic process must be made at least fifteen days prior to the application deadline, in writingc to the Indian Health Service, as outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. To submit an application electronically, please use the http://www.Grants.gov apply site. You may not e-mail an electronic copy of a grant application to IHS.
Award Procedure
These awards are issued under a competitive grant process.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
From 60 to 90 days.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
How are proposals selected?
Selection criteria for the TEC awards are introduction, current capacity and project objectives, approach and results and benefits, project evaluation, organization capabilities and qualifications, and budget. Consideration will be given to applicants demonstrating evidence of past and current epidemiological activities. Selection criteria for NPHR and NPHRP awards are introduction and need, project plan, proposed evaluation methods, current capacity and qualifications, and budget.
How may assistance be used?
Cooperative agreement funds for TEC awards may be used to develop and conduct activities to achieve at least one epidemiology program in each of the 12 Areas of Indian country. The recipient activities will coordinate and participate in projects, investigations, or studies of national scope; and share surveillance and other data collected. IHS activities will convene workshops/meetings; provide technical assistance and consultation; provide training; conduct site visits; and coordinate all epidemiological activities on a national basis. Grant funds for NPHR and NPHRP may be used for planning and implementation of public health activities as described under the 10 Essential Public Health Services on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site, Public Health Professionals Gateway (https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/publichealthservices/essentialhealthservices.html).
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
Performance Reports: IHS grants are monitored by the Division of Grants Management for financial compliance and by the IHS Program Staff for programmatic compliance.
Auditing
Not applicable.
Records
DHHS and the Comptroller General of the United States or any of their authorized representatives, shall have the right of access to any books, documents, papers, or other records of a grantee, subgrantee, contractor, or subcontractor, which are pertinent to the grant in order to make audits, examinations, excerpts, and transcripts. Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for 3 years after the end of a budget period. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the records has been started before the expiration of the 3 year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3 year period, whichever is later.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Cooperative agreements and grants will be awarded for project periods of up 5 years. Within the project period, a continuation application must be submitted via GrantSolutions.gov annually on a non- competitive basis for each year of support. Additional support is subject to availability of funds. annually.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
Program Contact: Lisa Neel, MPH; Division of Epidemiology and Disease Prevention, Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E10-D, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-4305. Grants Management Contact: Ms. Marsha Brookins, Director, Division of Grants Management, Indian Health Service, 5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop 09E70, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-5204.
Headquarters Office
Division of Grants Management
5600 Fishers Lane, Mail Stop: 09E70
Rockville, MD 20857 US
DGM@ihs.gov
Phone: 301-443-5204
Website Address
http://www.ihs.gov/DGM
Financial Information
Account Identification
75-0390-0-1-551
Obligations
(Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$30,753,999.00; FY 23 est $34,921,500.00; FY 24 est $34,921,500.00; FY 21$34,311,379.00; FY 20$22,308,380.00; FY 19$22,358,379.00; FY 17$7,603,660.00; FY 18 est $4,466,000.00; FY 16$9,546,420.00; - Obligations for the Tribal Epidemiology Centers(Project Grants) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $3,600,000.00; - Obligations for the Native Public Health Resiliency Planning program.(Project Grants) FY 22$0.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $6,000,000.00; - Obligations for the Native Public Health Resiliency program.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
$565,475 to $1,322,125; average award $795,535.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
Public Law 94-437, Section 214(a)(1), as amended by Public Law 102-573; 45 CFR 75; authorizes the cooperative agreement grant awards. HHS Grants Policy Statement, January 2007.
Examples of Funded Projects
Not applicable.

 



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