The Indian Health Service (IHS) announced in the attached June 24, 2013, FEDERAL REGISTER two notices regarding the availability of FY 2013 cooperative agreements for planning and negotiation under the Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP). These competitive grant programs are authorized by Title V, Tribal Self-Governance Amendments of 2000, of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, PL 93-638, as amended. The TSGP is designed to promote self-determination by allowing tribes to assume more control of IHS programs and services through compacts negotiated with the IHS. Applications are due by July 31, 2013.
Planning Applications. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to provide planning resources to tribes interested in participating in the TSGP. These cooperative agreements allow, among other things, tribes to conduct legal and budget research that leads to a greater understanding of which programs, functions, activities and services they may want to assume and any organizational changes that may be necessary to do so, and help identify programmatic alternatives that will better meet tribal needs. Receipt of a planning grant is not a pre-requisite to enter the TSGP.
There is $600,000 available to fund up to five tribes to enter the TSGP planning process for compacts. Accepted tribes would be awarded a maximum of $120,000 for a 12-month project period.
Negotiation Applications. The purpose of this cooperative agreement is intended to cover some of the costs tribes incur in preparing for and negotiating the compacts and funding agreements. A tribe is not required to have had a negotiation grant in order to enter the TSGP.
There is $240,000 available to fund up to five tribes to enter the TSGP negotiation process for compacts. Accepted tribes would be awarded a maximum of $48,000 for a 12-month project period.
Eligibility. To be eligible for either the planning or negotiation cooperative agreement, the applicant tribe must, at a minimum, be a federally recognized tribe, request participation in the TSGP through a resolution from its governing body, demonstrate financial stability and management capability by having had no significant and material audit exceptions for three previous fiscal years, and submit copies of audits for the three previous fiscal years. However, Alaska Native Villages or Village Corporations are not eligible to apply for this funding if they are located within an area served by an Alaska Native regional health entity (including Native Village of Eyak, Eastern Aleutian Tribes, and the Council for Athabascan Tribal Governments) already participating in the Alaska Tribal Health Compact in 1998. Additional eligibility requirements are noted in the attachment.
Deadline. As noted above, applications are due July 31, 2013, and are to be submitted electronically via www.Grants.gov. If a tribe/organization needs to submit a hardcopy/paper application, they must obtain a waiver from the IHS and a copy of the approved waiver must be submitted with the application. The earliest anticipated project start date for recipients of the cooperative agreements is August 30, 2013. Detailed application criteria and contact information are contained in the attached notices.
Please contact us if we may provide further information or assistance regarding the IHS FY 2013 Tribal Self-Governance Program planning and/or negotiation cooperative agreements.
