On February 18, 2015, the Indian Health Service (IHS) published in the FEDERAL REGISTER a notice of the availability of FY 2015 cooperative agreements for negotiation under the Tribal Self-Governance Program (TSGP). This competitive grant program is 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. A copy of the notice is available here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-02-18/pdf/2015-03235.pdf Applications are due by June 3, 2015.
The purpose of the negotiation cooperative agreement is to defray some of the costs tribes incur in preparing for and negotiating 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 approximately five tribes to enter the TSGP negotiation process for compacts. Awards are expected to be $48,000 each for a 12-month project period.
To be eligible for a negotiation cooperative agreement, the applicant must be a tribe, tribal organization or inter-tribal consortium; request participation in the TSGP through a resolution from its governing body; and demonstrate financial stability and management capability by having had no significant and material audit exceptions for three previous fiscal years. 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 which are deemed Alaska Native regional health entities) already participating in the Alaska Tribal Health Compact in 1998.
Applications 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. The earliest anticipated project start date for recipients of the cooperative agreements is July 1, 2015. Detailed eligibility, application criteria and contact information are contained in the notice.
Please contact us if we may provide further information or assistance regarding the IHS
FY 2015 Tribal Self-Governance Program negotiation cooperative agreements.
