Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers Program (93.718)

Program

93.718 Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers Program

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Office of the Secretary

Authorization

Section 3012(c) of the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), as added by Section 13301 within Title XIII in Division A of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5 (ARRA).

Program Number

93.718

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

Establish Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers to identify and disseminate best practices and provide technical assistance supporting the adoption and meaningful use of health IT to improve care quality while protecting patient privacy. The statutory objective of the regional centers is to enhance and promote the adoption of health information technology through means specified in PHSA 3012(c)(3).

Types of Assistance

Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)

Uses and Use Restrictions

Funds may be used for the initial and operating expenses incurred in establishing and operating a regional center that provides technical assistance services to providers seeking to adopt, implement, and/or effectively use certified electronic health records (EHR) technology. The assistance supported under this health information technology extension program, and carried out by regional centers, is technical assistance and consulting service to providers, and does not include funding to the providers.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

None

Beneficiary Eligibility

None

Credentials/Documentation

No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applications are solicited by a program announcement. The availability of this announcement will be broadly published, including by posting on www.grants.gov.

Award Procedure

Following objective review of applications, those applicants whose applications have been selected by the Secretary of HHS (or designee) for funding will receive a Notice of Award signed by an HHS Grants Management Officer. The Notice of Award, which is sent to the applicant�s Authorized Organizational Representative, is the only official notification of award. Unsuccessful applicants will be advised by letter.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

From 60 to 90 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Not Applicable.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: PHSA 3012(c)(5) states that the Secretary may not provide more than 50 percent of the capital and annual operating and maintenance funds required to create and maintain such a center, except in an instance of national economic conditions which would render this cost-share requirement detrimental to the program and upon notification to Congress as to the justification to waive the cost-share requirements.

The Secretary has determined that a 50 percent cost-share requirement on an annual basis is not in the best interest of the program. Instead, the Secretary has structured a funding partnership between HHS and recipients, as indicated in the Program Announcement.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

PHSA 3012(c)(5), as added by ARRA, specifies that the Secretary may provide financial support to any regional center created under PHSA 3012(c) for a period not to exceed 4 years. Awards are expected to be for two, 2-year budget periods and a four year project period. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Subject to meeting performance requirements.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Program report requirements, if applicable, will be identified in the Program Announcement. Cash report requirements, if applicable, will be identified in the Program Announcement. Recipients of Federal awards from funds authorized under Division A of the ARRA must comply with all requirements specified in Division A of the ARRA (Public Law 111-5), including reporting requirements outlined in Section 1512 of the Act. ARRA reports will be required quarterly. For purposes of reporting, ARRA recipients must also report on ARRA sub-recipient (sub-grantees and sub-contractors under the cooperative agreement) activities. Reporting requirements will be detailed in the program announcement and included in award notices.

The frequency of interim progress reports and financial status reports will be identified in the program announcement and will be submitted no later than 30 days following the end of the reporting period to which they pertain. The final progress report and final financial status report are due no later than 90 days after the end of the project period. ARRA reporting and agency programmatic reporting provisions will require awardees to evaluate performance in view of stated objectives.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), �Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations,� nonfederal entities that expend $500,000 or more in Federal awards annually are required to have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from the OMB Circular A-133 audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for a minimum of 3 years from the submission date of the final financial report. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the record has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until the 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.

Program Accomplishments

Not Applicable.

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0130-0-1-551.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements (Discretionary Grants)) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $0; FY 10 est $598,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Awards for regional centers are expected to average $8.5M.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR part 74 and the HHS Grants Policy Statement located at: http://www.hhs.gov/grantsnet/adminis/gpd/index.htm. There are no program regulations.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

Rachel Nelson 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Suite 729D, Washington , District of Columbia 20201 Email: regional-center-applications@hhs.gov Phone: (202) 690-7151

Web Site Address

http://healthit.hhs.gov

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Specific, detailed criteria for determining merit of applications will be made available in the program announcement(s ) for this program. In general, all applicants are required to demonstrate capability to achieve the goals, purposes, and objectives of the program consistent with applicable statutory provisions.