Health, Department of

Aging Division

Chapter 5: Grant Applications, contracts under the Old Americans Act

Effective Date: 07/25/1994 to 09/22/1995

Rule Type: Superceded Rules & Regulations

Reference Number: 048.0003.5.07251994

CHAPTER V

GRANT APPLICATIONS/CONTRACTS UNDER THE OLDER AMERICANS ACT

Section 1. Public Notice to Accept Grant Applications/Contracts.

(a) The Division will provide written notice on the process for accepting grants/contracts applications funded under the Older Americans Act covering a project period beginning October 1, through September 30, of the following year, which shall include:

(i) Thirty (30) days public notice of the process in at least one newspaper with statewide distribution.

(ii) Information regarding the submission of a letter of intent to make application through a grant or contract.

(A) Letters of Intent are to be postmarked no later than May 30, of each year prior to the project period.

(iii) The name, address and telephone number of the Director of the Division.

Section 2. Letters of Intent.

(a) Letters of intent will include at a minimum:

(i) types of proposed services to be provided;

(ii) type of funding source requested;

(iii) board chairman's signature

(b) Letters of intent are to be postmarked no later than May 30 of each year prior to the project period.

Section 3. Grant Applications.

(a) Grant applications must include at a minimum:

(i) The state approved grant format with original notarized signature of the project Board Chairman on the cover page of each application.

(ii) Supporting budget pages and budget breakout which will be completed according to the instructions provided by the Division in the Financial Management and Accounting System Manual.

(iii) Project Narrative.

(A) Description and history of applicant Agency, and description of physical facilities to be used at each site.

(B) Operation of project including a list of services to be provided and an outline of services that will be coordinated through other agencies.

(C) Administration of project which includes description of the staffing patterns (including the role of volunteers), and the role and responsibilities of the Board of Directors.

(D) Project area including:

(I) a description of the geographic area;

(II) a description of the demographics in the project area, including the:

(1.) number of persons in the geographic area;

(2.) number of elderly in geographic area;

(3.) number of low income elderly in geographic area;

(4.) number of minority elderly in geographic area;

(5.) number of socially disadvantaged elderly in geographic area.

(iv) Objectives will be completed according to the instructions provided by the Division in the Financial Management and Accounting System Manual.

(v) Appendices to the grant application shall include

(A) signed original contracts;

(B) an organizational chart of grantee/contractor agency;

(C) a list of Board of Directors with address and telephone numbers;

(D) a map of proposed service area;

(E) hearings appeals process for participants with dated signature of chairman

(F) signed assurances as prescribed in the Financial Management and Accounting System of the Division.

(I) compliance with 42 U.S.C. 2000a (1964).

(II) compliance with these rules.

(G) letters of support from local government agencies;

(H) a job description of each paid and volunt position;

(I) copy of public notice and minutes of public hearings on the proposed grant;

(J) list of the holidays the grantee/contractor will observe.

(K) Proposed method of providing meals not served due to holiday closure.

Section 4. Approval or Denial of Grant Applications.

(a) Grant applications will be received by the Division from June 15, through July 30, of each year, to be processed for the project period.

(i) Grants postmarked after July 30, will not be accepted.

(b) Each application will be reviewed by the Division according to the following criteria:

(i) the grant must be complete and accurate;

(ii) the grant meets the needs of the elderly in the proposed service area.

(c) If approved, the grant will be processed and a Notification of Grant Award will be issued.

(d) If denied, the applicant agency will be informed of its right to a hearing under Chapter II, Section 5.

Section 5. Amendments to Grant Applications.

(a) Any proposed amendments to an approved grant will be submitted in writing by the applicant agency. If the amendment is approved, the Division will issue a revised Notification of Grant Award and the amendments shall be deemed incorporated into and become a part of the terms of the grant.

Section 6. Contract Application.

(a) Contracts must include, at a minimum:

(i) applicant's incorporation papers;

(ii) geographical and/or service area proposed to be served by the applicant;

(iii) hearing appeals process;

(iv) assurances regarding provision of service, under Section 3(a)(v)(F);

(v) definition of service units;

(vi) per unit of service and total costs of contract;

(vii) responsibilities of both parties;

(viii) beginning and ending dates of the contract; (ix) termination clause;

(x) severability clause.

(b) Approval or denial of contracts.

(i) Contracts will be received by the Division from June 15, through July 30, of each year to be processed for the project period beginning October 1, through September 30, of the following year.

(ii) The contracts will be reviewed by the Division by the following criteria:

(A) contract is complete and accurate;

(B) the contractor is the most appropriate provider for those service(s) in terms of:

(I) cost effectiveness;

(II) access to the client;

(III) quality of services provided.

(C) approval by the Wyoming Department of Administration and Fiscal Control;

(D) approval by the Governor.

(iii) If approved, contract will be processed and the contractor notified by the Division.

(vi) If denied, the contractor will be informed to its right to a hearing under Chapter II, Section 5.

(v) Any proposed amendments to an approved contract will be submitted, in writing, by the contractor. If approved, the Division will notify the contractor and the amendments shall be deemed incorporated into and become a part of the terms of the contract.

Section 7. Funding Formula. The Division shall develop and provide information on the anticipated funding level for the project period.

(a) Supportive services will be funded based on, but not limited to such factors as:

(i) the number of elderly persons the grantee/contractor has served in the previous project period;

(ii) the number of elderly persons residing in the service area;

(iii) the percentage of federal funds with which the geographic area was provided in the previous project period.

(b) Nutrition services will be funded based on but not limited to, such factors as:

(i) the number of elderly meals served per site/ per day in the previous project period;

(c) Supplemental grants will not be considered as part of the funding formula, but will be funded on but not limited to, such factors as:

(i) availability of funding;

(ii) priority of services to be funded;

(d) Discretionary grants will not be considered as a part of the funding formula, but will be funded on, but not limited to, such factors as:

(i) availability of funding;

(ii) approval of program and/or services to be provided.

Section 8. Match Requirements.

(a) In each grant/contract application, at least twenty five percent (25%) of the non-federal share, as prescribed in the Older Americans Act, shall be in the form of allowable costs to the state and local public agencies or in the form of allowable third party contributions from local public agencies.

(i) at least five percent (5%) of the non-federal share must be in the form of allowable costs to the state;

(ii) at least twenty percent of the non-federal share must be in the form of allowable costs to local public agencies.

(iii) third party, in-kind contributions shall count toward satisfying this matching requirement only, if the party receiving the contributions were to pay for them, the payments would be allowable costs.

Section 9. Program Income Projections.

(a) Program income shall be estimated based on the amount of income reported in the previous project period

(b) In the case of a new project, estimated program income will be determined by the Division.

Section 10. Equipment.

(a) Anticipated equipment will be considered in funding for supportive and nutrition services and shall be discussed with the Division prior to including the cost of the equipment into the grant/contract application.

(i) The funding of this equipment shall be based on the availability of funds.

(b) Emergency equipment will be considered as the need arises during the project period by the following:

(i) if the grantee/contractor has raised more local funding than was approved in the grant/contract application, the grantee/contractor may request approval to purchase the equipment with these funds in accordance with Section 10 (c).

(ii) if the grantee/contractor does not have the necessary funding for the equipment, that grantee/contractor may request emergency funds with which to purchase equipment.

(A) The funding of this equipment shall be based on the availability of funds.

(c) Requesting equipment.

(i) Any equipment purchase must have prior approval from the Division:

(A) all equipment requests shall be made in writing to the Division;

(B) all equipment requests shall be accompanied by three written bids in accordance with Section 11;

(C) the grantee/contractor shall indicate how the equipment purchase is to be funded:

(I) line item transfer; or,

(II) part of an original grant application;

or, (III) emergency fund.

(D) The Division will provide a written response within seven (7) working days of the request for approval/denial of the equipment purchase.

Section 11. Bid Process. The grantee/contractor shall follow these bid processes:

(a) equipment items costing over $500.00;

(i) advertising for bids, at a minimum must include:

(A) the specifications for the equipment to be purchased;

(B) a specific date and time at which the bidding will be closed.

(C) a specific date and time at which the bid will be opened.

(ii) bids shall be received in sealed packages or envelopes and remain sealed until the time and date specified for opening and accepting a bid.

(iii) no preference will be given to in-state (as opposed to out-of-state) bids.

(iv) The low bid must be accepted unless the low bidder has not met the specifications and/or stipulations stated in the call for the bid, which can include, but need not be limited to,

(A) quantity;

(B) quality;

(C) delivery date;

(D) inability to service product in the state

(I) Bids will not be rejected for the above reasons as an 'after the fact' judgment.

(b) All other services.

(i) Advertisement for bids for all other services must include:

(A) specifications for the services to be purchased, including:

(I) public notice of the call for the bid;

(II) applicant's incorporation papers;

(III) geographical and/or service area proposed to be served by the applicant;

(IV) hearings appeals process;

(V) assurances regarding provisions of services under Section 3(a)(v)(F);

(VI) definition of service units;

(VII) per unit of service and total cost of the bid;

(VIII) responsibilities of both parties;

(IX) beginning and ending dates of the service provision;

(X) termination clause;

(XI) severability clause.

(B) Specific time and date bidding will be closed.

(ii) No preference will be given to in-state (as opposed to out-of-state) bids.

(iii) The low bid must be accepted unless the low bidder has not met the specifications and/or stipulations stated in the bid.

(iv) The accepted bid shall be submitted to the Division for review.

(v) Criteria for acceptance/denial of bids shall be developed by the grantee/contractor with the approval of the Division.