[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 32 (Friday, February 15, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8935-8938]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-2933]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Fund Availability Under the VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per 
Diem Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs is announcing the 
availability of

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funds for applications for assistance under the ``Per Diem Only'' 
component of VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program. This 
Notice contains information concerning the program, funding priorities, 
application process, and amount of funding available.

DATES: An original completed and collated grant application (plus three 
completed collated copies) for assistance under the VA's Homeless 
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program must be received in the Grant and 
Per Diem Field Office, by 4:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, April 9, 
2008. Applications may not be sent by facsimile (FAX). In the interest 
of fairness to all competing applicants, this deadline is firm as to 
date and hour, and VA will treat as ineligible for consideration any 
application that is received after the deadline. Applicants should take 
this practice into account and make early submission of their material 
to avoid the risk of loss of eligibility due to unanticipated delays or 
other delivery-related problems.
    For a Copy of the Application Package: Download directly from VA's 
Grant and Per Diem Program Web page at: http://www.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=3 or call the Grant and Per Diem Program Office at (toll-
free) 1-877-332-0334. In this package is information on Grants.gov 
submissions. For a document relating to the VA Homeless Providers Grant 
and Per Diem Program, see the Final Rule published in the Federal 
Register on September 26, 2003.
    Submission of Application: An original completed and collated grant 
application (plus three copies) must be submitted to the following 
address: VA Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Field Office, 10770 
N. 46th Street, Suite C-200, Tampa, Florida 33617. Applications must be 
received in the Grant and Per Diem Field office by the application 
deadline. This includes applications submitted through Grants.gov. 
Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials arriving 
separately will not be included in the application package for 
consideration and may result in the application being rejected or not 
funded.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Chelsea Watson, VA Homeless 
Providers Grant and Per Diem Program, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
10770 North 46th Street, Suite C-200, Tampa, Florida 33617; or you may 
call (toll-free) 1-877-332-0334 for further information.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This Notice announces the availability of 
funds for assistance under VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem 
Program for eligible programs that have not previously applied for or 
received per diem in connection with a grant (see 38 CFR 61.1 through 
61.82). Funding applied for under this Notice is authorized by Public 
Law 109-461, Sec.  703, known as the Veterans Benefit, Health Care and 
Information Technology Act of 2006, and by 38 U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2061, 
2064, and may be used for aid for supportive housing. Service Centers 
will not be funded in this NOFA. Funding will be in the form of per 
diem payments issued to eligible entities from the date of award and 
will continue subject to availability of funds and the recipients' 
compliance with 38 CFR 61.1 through 61.82. For eligibility criteria 
please refer to Final Rule published in the Federal Register on 
September 26, 2003, 38 CFR 61.30, 61.31, and 61.32.
    VA expects that it will take no longer than 90 days from the date 
of award for projects to be inspected and become operational. Failure 
to meet the 90 day milestone may result in the per diem award being 
terminated.
    Capital grant recipients who received capital grant funding under 
VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program in years 1994 
through 2007 for acquisition, renovation or new construction should not 
respond to this NOFA. Per diem payments for those portions of their 
programs that were created with capital grant funds is requested in the 
capital grant application and paid at the time of capital grant project 
completion and inspection.
    Previous ``Per Diem Only'' recipients that renewed their PDO grants 
in 2005 or 2007 need not reapply to continue these projects.
    VA is pleased to issue this Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA) for 
the Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program as a part of the 
effort to end chronic homelessness among our Nation's veterans. The 
Department expects to create approximately 1000 beds under this NOFA.
    Funding available under this NOFA is being offered to help offset 
the operating expenses of existing state and local governments, Indian 
Tribal Governments, faith-based, and community-based organizations that 
are capable of providing supported housing and supportive services for 
homeless veterans. The District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, may be 
considered eligible entities under the definition of ``State'' in the 
38 CFR 61.1 Definitions. It should be noted that VA payment is limited 
to the applicant's cost of care per eligible veteran minus other 
sources of payments to the applicant for furnishing services to 
homeless veterans up to the per day rate VA pays for State Home 
Domiciliary care. Awardees will be required to support their request 
for per diem payment with adequate fiscal documentation as to program 
income and expenses.
    Interested organizations should know that the vast majority of 
homeless veterans in this country suffer from mental illness or 
substance abuse disorders or are dually diagnosed with both mental 
illness and substance abuse disorders. In addition, many homeless 
veterans have serious medical problems. The recent events associated 
with the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) coupled with the Nation's 
returning OIF/OEF veterans further emphasizes the need for 
collaboration with VA medical centers, VA community-based outpatient 
clinics or other health care providers as well as with VA and other 
benefit providers as an important aspect of ensuring that homeless 
veterans have access to appropriate health care services. VA considers 
this program an important part of our effort to end chronic 
homelessness among all veterans.
    It is important to be aware that VA places great emphasis on 
responsibility and accountability. VA has procedures in place to 
monitor services provided to homeless veterans and outcomes associated 
with the services provided in grant and per diem-funded programs. VA is 
also implementing new procedures to further this effort. Applicants 
should be aware of the following:
    All awardees that are conditionally selected in response to this 
NOFA must meet the Life Safety Code of the National Fire and Protection 
Association as it relates to their specific facility. Applicants should 
note that all facilities are to be sprinkled unless they are 
specifically exempted under the Life Safety Code and make consideration 
of this when submitting their grant applications as no additional funds 
will be made available for capital improvements under this per diem 
only NOFA. VA will conduct an inspection prior to awardees being able 
to submit request for payment to ensure this requirement is met.
    Each per diem-funded program will have a liaison appointed from a 
nearby VA medical facility to provide oversight and monitor services 
provided to homeless veterans in the per diem-funded program.
    Monitoring will include at least an annual review of each per diem

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program's progress toward meeting internal goals and objectives in 
helping veterans attain housing stability, adequate income support, and 
self sufficiency as identified in each per diem program's original 
application. Monitoring will also include a review of the agency's 
income and expenses as they relate to this project to ensure per diem 
payment is accurate.
    Each per diem-funded program will participate in VA's national 
program monitoring and evaluation system administered by VA's Northeast 
Program Evaluation Center (NEPEC). It is the intention of VA to develop 
specific performance targets with respect to housing for homeless 
veterans. NEPEC's monitoring procedures will be used to determine 
successful accomplishment of these housing outcomes for each per diem-
funded program.
    VA encourages all eligible and interested entities to review this 
NOFA and consider applying for funds to provide service for homeless 
veterans.
    Authority: VA's Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program is 
authorized by Public Law 109-461, Sec.  703, known as the Veterans 
Benefit, Health Care and Information Technology Act of 2006, and by 38 
U.S.C. 2011, 2012, 2061, 2064. The program is implemented by the final 
rule codified at 38 CFR part 61.0. The final rule was published in the 
Federal Register on September 26, 2003, the regulations can be found in 
their entirety in 38 CFR, Sec. 61.0 through 61.82. Funds made available 
under this Notice are subject to the requirements of those regulations.
    Allocation: Approximately $12 million annually is available for the 
per diem only award component of this program. This funding subject to 
the availability of funds and will be available so long as recipients 
meet the requirements of 38 CFR 61.1 through 61.82.
    Funding Priorities: VA is offering to eligible applicants funding 
priorities for transitional housing and services to; (1) Serve women, 
women with care of dependent children, (2) serve all veterans in the 
States of Vermont, Nebraska, and Alaska and, (3) Indian Tribal 
Governments. Additionally, VA is encouraging interested state and local 
governments, Indian Tribal Governments, and faith-based and community-
based organizations to apply for funding under this NOFA. In this round 
of capital grant funding, VA expects to award funding to create 
approximately 1000 community-based supported housing beds.
    Funding priority 1. VA is offering the opportunity for providers 
who are willing to create new projects specifically for women and women 
with care of dependent children only, which are 30 beds or less. Of 
those eligible entities in the first funding priority, that are legally 
fundable, the highest scoring applicants will be funded first until 
approximately 150 beds are awarded. Applicants not funded in this 
priority will be considered in the fourth funding priority. Should not 
enough eligible projects be funded under the first funding priority, 
beds not awarded in this priority will fall to the fourth funding 
priority.
    Funding priority 2. VA is offering the opportunity for providers 
who are willing to create new or expand existing projects for homeless 
veterans in the States of Vermont, Nebraska, and Alaska. Applicants 
whose projects are physically located in these states will be 
considered in the second funding priority. Of those eligible entities 
in the second funding priority, that are legally fundable, the highest 
scoring applicants will be funded first until approximately 100 beds 
are awarded. Applicants not funded in this priority will be placed in 
the fourth funding priority. Should not enough eligible projects be 
funded under the second funding priority, beds in this priority will 
fall to the fourth funding priority.
    Funding priority 3. VA is offering the opportunity to Indian Tribal 
Governments or non-profit agencies that will provide transitional 
housing and services on Indian Tribal Property to apply for funding 
under this NOFA to create transitional housing and services for 
homeless veterans. Eligible entities that are Indian Tribal Governments 
or non-profit agencies willing to provide transitional housing and 
services on Indian Tribal Property will be considered in the third 
funding priority as applicable. Of those eligible entities in the third 
funding priority, that are legally fundable, the highest scoring 
applicants will be funded first until approximately 100 beds are 
awarded. Applicants not funded in this priority will be placed in the 
fourth funding priority. Should not enough eligible projects be funded 
under the third funding priority, beds in this priority will fall to 
the fourth funding priority. Note: Non-profit agencies who apply under 
this priority will be required to provide a letter of assurance from 
the Indian Tribal Government that if funded the provision of service 
will occur on Indian Tribal Property.
    Funding priority 4. VA is encouraging interested, state and local 
governments, Indian Tribal Governments, faith-based and community-based 
organizations, as well as eligible entities located in The District of 
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territory or 
possession of the United States, to apply for funding under this NOFA 
to create transitional housing and services for all homeless veterans. 
Eligible entities that are state and local governments, Indian Tribal 
Governments, faith-based, and community-based organizations, or any 
territory or possession of the United States, will be considered in the 
fourth funding priority as applicable. Of those eligible entities that 
are legally fundable, the highest-ranked applications for which funding 
is available, will be conditionally selected for eligibility to receive 
a per diem only award in accordance with their ranked order until 
funding is expended (approximately 650 beds).
    Methodology: VA will review all non-capital grant recipients in 
response to this notice of funding availability. VA will then group the 
applicants into the funding priorities categories. Applicants will then 
be ranked within their respective funding category based on score and 
any ranking criteria set forth in that funding category only if the 
applicant scores at least 500 cumulative points from paragraphs (b) (c) 
(d) (e) and (i) of 38 CFR 61.13.
    The highest-ranked application for which funding is available, 
within the highest funding category, will be conditionally selected for 
eligibility to receive per diem payment in accordance with their ranked 
order until VA reaches the projected bed totals for each category. If 
funds are still available after selection of those applications in the 
highest priority group VA will continue to conditionally select 
applicants in lower priority categories in accordance with the 
selection method set forth in the final rule Section 61.32.
    Application Requirements: Applicants must include a cover letter 
clearly stating under which funding priority they wish to be 
considered. Non-profit agencies who apply under funding priority three 
are required to provide a letter of assurance from the Indian Tribal 
Government that if funded, the provision of service will occur on 
Indian Tribal property. The specific grant application requirements 
will be specified in the application package. The package includes all 
required forms and certifications. Selections will be made based on 
criteria described in the application, Final Rule, and NOFA. Applicants 
who are selected will be notified of any additional information needed 
to confirm or clarify information provided

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in the application. Applicants will then be notified of the deadline to 
submit such information. If an applicant is unable to meet any 
conditions for grant award within the specified time frame, VA reserves 
the right to not award funds and to use the funds available for other 
grant and per diem applicants.

    Dated: February 1, 2008.
Gordon H. Mansfield,
Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. E8-2933 Filed 2-14-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P