Grants and cooperative agreements; availability, etc.: Refugees in local areas of high need; State allocations for targeted assistance,

[Federal Register: June 17, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 116)]

[Notices]

[Page 35265-35277]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr17jn05-77]

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families

Proposed Notice for FY 2005 Formula Allocation for Targeted Assistance Grants to States for Services to Refugees

AGENCY: Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), ACF, HHS.

ACTION: Proposed notice of availability of allocations for FY 2005 targeted assistance grants to States for services to refugees \1\ in local areas of high need.

\1\ In addition to persons who meet all requirements of 45 CFR 400.43, ``Requirements for documentation of refugee status,'' eligibility for targeted assistance includes refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants, certain Amerasians from Viet Nam who are admitted to the U.S. as immigrants, certain Amerasians from Viet Nam who are U.S. citizens and victims of a severe form of trafficking who receive certification or eligibility letters from ORR, and certain other specified family members of trafficking victims. See Section II of this notice on ``Authorization,'' and refer to 45 CFR 400.43 and the ORR State Letter 01-13 on the Trafficking Victims Protection Act dated May 3, 2001, as modified by ORR State Letter 02-01, January 4, 2002, and ORR State Letter 04-12, June 18, 2004. The term ``refugee,'' used in this notice for convenience, is intended to encompass such additional persons who are eligible to participate in refugee program services, including the targeted assistance program.

[CFDA No. 93.584, Refugee and Entrant Assistance--Targeted Assistance Grants]

SUMMARY: This proposed notice announces the availability of funds and award procedures for FY 2005 Targeted Assistance Program (TAP) grants to States for services to refugees under the Refugee Resettlement Program (RRP). These grants are for service provision in localities with large refugee populations, high refugee concentrations, and where specific needs exist for supplementation of currently available resources.

Qualification of counties for eligibility for targeted assistance program grants is determined once every three years as stated in the FY 1999 Notice of Proposed Availability of Targeted Assistance Allocations to States which was published in the Federal Register on March 10, 1999 (64 FR 11927). The FY 2002-FY 2004 three-year project cycle has expired. FY 2005 is the year for the re-qualification of counties for

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the three-year project cycle, FY 2005, FY 2006, and FY 2007 for TAP funds. This notice proposes that the qualification of counties be based on the arrivals of refugees (see Footnote 1, eligible population) during the 5-year period from FY 2000 through FY 2004, and on the concentration of the arrivals population as a percentage of the general population. Counties that could potentially qualify for TAP FY 2005 funds on the basis of the most current 5-year population are listed in this proposed notice in Table 1, Table 2, Table 4, and Table 6.

Under this qualification proposal, a total of 47 counties (Table 1) would qualify for targeted assistance grants. Of these, 6 new counties (Table 2) would qualify for targeted assistance grants, and 11 counties (Table 3) which previously received targeted assistance grants would no longer qualify for targeted assistance program funding.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by July 18, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Address written comments, in duplicate, to: Kathy Do, Administration for Children and Families, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, DC 20447. Due to potential delays in mail delivery to Federal offices, a copy of comments should also be faxed to Kathy Do at: (202) 401-4719.

Application Deadline: The deadline for applications will be established by the final notice. Applications should not be sent in response to this notice of proposed allocations.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathy Do, Division of Budget, Policy and Data Analysis (DBPDA), (202) 401-4579; e-mail: kdo@acf.hhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. Purpose and Scope

   This notice announces the proposed availability of Fiscal Year 2005 funds for targeted assistance grants for services to refugees (see Footnote 1 for eligible population) in counties where, because of factors such as unusually large refugee populations and high refugee concentrations, there exists and can be demonstrated a specific need for supplementation of resources for services to this population.

   The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) has available $49,081,000 in FY 2005 funds for the targeted assistance program (TAP) as part of the FY 2005 appropriation under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005, (Pub. L. 108-447).

   The Director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) proposes to use the $49,081,000 in targeted assistance funds as follows:

   $44,172,900 will be allocated to States under the 5-year population formula, as set forth in this proposed notice.

   $4,908,100 (10% of the total) will be used to award discretionary grants to States under continuation grant awards.

   The purpose of targeted assistance grants is to provide, through a process of local planning and implementation, direct services intended to result in the economic self-sufficiency and reduced welfare dependency of refugees through job placements.

   The targeted assistance program reflects the requirements of section 412(c)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which provides that targeted assistance grants shall be made available ``(i) primarily for the purpose of facilitating refugee employment and achievement of self-sufficiency, (ii) in a manner that does not supplant other refugee program funds and that assures that not less than 95 percent of the amount of the grant award is made available to the county or other local entity.''

2. Authorization

   Targeted assistance projects are funded under the authority of section 412(c)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), as amended by the Refugee Assistance Extension Act of 1986 (Pub. L. 99- 605), 8 U.S.C. 1522(c)(2); section 501(a) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub. L. 96-422), 8 U.S.C. 1522 note, insofar as it incorporates by reference with respect to Cuban and Haitian entrants the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above; section 584(c) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988, as included in the FY 1988 Continuing Resolution (Pub. L. 100-202), insofar as it incorporates by reference with respect to certain Amerasians from Viet Nam the authorities pertaining to assistance for refugees established by section 412(c)(2) of the INA, as cited above, including certain Amerasians from Viet Nam who are U.S. citizens, as provided under title II of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Acts, 1989 (Pub. L. 100-461), 1990 (Pub. L. 101-167), and 1991 (Pub. L. 101- 513); section 107(b)(1)(A) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-386), and as amended by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (Pub. L. 108-193), insofar as it states that a victim of a severe form of trafficking and certain other specified family members shall be eligible for federally funded or administered benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee.

3. Client and Service Priorities

   Targeted assistance funding must be used to assist refugee families to achieve economic independence. To this end, States and counties are required to ensure that a coherent family self-sufficiency plan (FSSP), employment development plan (EDP), or individual employability plan (IEP) is developed for each eligible family that addresses the family's needs from time of arrival until attainment of economic independence. (See 45 CFR 400.79, 400.156(g), and 400.317). Each family self- sufficiency plan or employment development plan should address a family's needs for both employment-related services and other needed social services. The plan must include: (1) A determination of the income level a family would have to earn to exceed its cash grant and move into self-support without suffering a monetary penalty; (2) a strategy and timetable for obtaining that level of family income through the placement in employment of sufficient numbers of employable family members at sufficient wage levels; (3) employability plans for every employable member of the family; and (4) a plan to address the family's social services needs that may be barriers to self- sufficiency. In local jurisdictions that have targeted assistance and refugee social services programs, one family self-sufficiency plan may be developed for a family that incorporates both targeted assistance and refugee social services.

   Services funded through the targeted assistance program are required to focus primarily on those refugees who, either because of their protracted use of public assistance or difficulty in securing employment, continue to need services beyond the initial years of resettlement. States may not provide services funded under this notice, except for referral and interpreter services, to refugees who have been in the United States for more than 60 months (5 years). (See 45 CFR 400.315).

   In accordance with 45 CFR 400.314, States are required to provide targeted assistance services to refugees in the following order of priority, except in certain individual extreme circumstances: (a) Refugees who are cash assistance recipients, particularly long-term recipients; (b) unemployed refugees who are not receiving cash assistance; and (c) employed refugees in need of services to retain employment or to attain economic independence.

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   In addition to the statutory requirement that TAP funds be used ``primarily for the purpose of facilitating refugee employment'' (section 412(c)(2)(B)(i) of the INA), funds awarded under this program are intended to help fulfill the congressional intent that ``employable refugees should be placed on jobs as soon as possible after their arrival in the United States'' (section 412(a)(1)(B)(i) of the INA). Therefore, in accordance with 45 CFR 400.313, targeted assistance funds must be used primarily for employability services designed to enable refugees to obtain jobs with less than one year's participation in the targeted assistance program in order to achieve economic self- sufficiency as soon as possible. Targeted assistance services may continue to be provided after a refugee has entered a job to help the refugee retain employment or move to a better job. Targeted assistance funds may not be used for long-term training programs such as vocational training that last for more than a year or educational programs that are not intended to lead to employment within a year.

   In accordance with 45 CFR 400.317, if targeted assistance funds are used for the provision of English language training, such training must be provided in a concurrent, rather than sequential, time period with employment or with other employment-related activities.

   A portion of a local area's allocation may be used for services that are not directed toward the achievement of a specific employment objective in less than one year but that are essential to the adjustment of refugees in the community, provided such needs are clearly demonstrated and such use is approved by the State. (See 45 CFR 400.316).

   Reflecting section 412(a)(1)(A)(iv) of the INA, States must ``ensure that women have the same opportunities as men to participate in training and instruction.'' Additionally, in accordance with 45 CFR 400.317, services must be provided to the maximum extent feasible in a manner that includes the use of bilingual/bicultural women on service agency staff to ensure adequate service access by refugee women. The Director, ORR, also strongly encourages the inclusion of refugee women in management and board positions in agencies that serve refugees. In order to facilitate refugee self-support, the Director also expects States to implement strategies which address simultaneously the employment potential of both male and female wage earners in a family unit. States and counties are expected to make every effort to obtain child care services, preferably subsidized child care, for children in order to allow women with children the opportunity to participate in employment services or to accept or retain employment. To accomplish this, child care may be treated as an employment-related service under the targeted assistance program. Refugees who are participating in targeted assistance-funded or social services-funded employment services or have accepted employment are eligible for child care services for children. States and counties are expected to use child care funding from other publicly-administered programs such as child care services funded under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) as a primary resource. States and counties are encouraged to work with service providers to ensure mainstream access for refugees to other publicly funded resources for child care. For an employed refugee, targeted assistance-funded child care should be limited to situations in which no other publicly funded child care funding is available. In these cases, child care services funded by targeted assistance should be limited to one year after the refugee becomes employed.

   In accordance with 45 CFR 400.317, targeted assistance services must be provided in a manner that is culturally and linguistically compatible with a refugee's language and cultural background, to the maximum extent feasible. In light of the increasingly diverse population of refugees who are resettling in this country, refugee service agencies will need to develop practical ways of providing culturally and linguistically appropriate services to a changing ethnic population. Services funded under this notice must be refugee-specific services that are designed specifically to meet refugee needs and are in keeping with the rules and objectives of the refugee program. Short- term vocational or job-skills training, on-the-job training (OJT), or English language training (ELT), however, need not be refugee-specific.

   ORR strongly encourages States and counties when contracting for targeted assistance services, including employment services, to give consideration to the special strengths of mutual assistance associations (MAAs), whenever contract bidders are otherwise equally qualified, provided that the MAA has the capability to deliver services in a manner that is culturally and linguistically compatible with the background of the target population to be served. ORR also strongly encourages MAAs to ensure that their management and board composition reflect the major target populations to be served.

   ORR defines MAAs as organizations with the following qualifications:

   1. The organization is legally incorporated as a nonprofit organization; and

   2. Not less than 51% of the composition of the Board of Directors or governing board of the mutual assistance association is comprised of refugees or former refugees, including both refugee men and women.

   Finally, in order to provide culturally and linguistically compatible services in as cost-efficient a manner as possible in time of limited resources, ORR strongly encourages States and counties to promote and give special consideration to the provision of services through coalitions of refugee service organizations, such as coalitions of MAAs, voluntary resettlement agencies, or a variety of service providers. ORR believes it is essential for refugee-serving organizations to form close partnerships in the provision of services to refugees in order to be able to respond adequately to a changing refugee environment. States and counties are encouraged to consider as eligible for TAP funds entities that are public or private non-profit agencies which may include faith-based, refugee or community-based organizations. Additionally, coalition-building and consolidation of providers is particularly important in communities with multiple service providers in order to ensure better coordination of services and maximum use of funding for services by minimizing the funds used for multiple administrative overhead costs.

   The award of funds to States under this proposed notice will be contingent upon the completeness of a State's application as described in section IX, below.

4. {Reserved for Discussion of Comments in the Final Notice{time}

5. Eligible Grantees

   Eligible grantees are: 1. Agencies of State governments that are responsible for the refugee program under 45 CFR 400.5 in States containing counties which qualify for FY 2005 targeted assistance awards; and 2. non-State agencies funded under the Wilson-Fish program which administer, in lieu of a State, a statewide refugee assistance program containing counties which qualify for FY 2005 targeted assistance formula funds. All such grantees will hereinafter be referred to as ``the State''.

   The Director of ORR proposes to determine the eligibility of counties for

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   inclusion in the FY 2005 targeted assistance program on the basis of the method described in section VI of this notice.

   The use of targeted assistance funds for services to Cuban and Haitian entrants is limited to States which have an approved State plan under the Cuban/Haitian Entrant Program (CHEP).

   The State agency will submit a single application to ORR on behalf of all county governments of the qualified counties in that State. Subsequent to the approval of the State's agency application by ORR, local targeted assistance plans will be developed by the county government or other designated entity and submitted to the State agency.

   A State with more than one qualified county is permitted, but not required, to determine the allocation amount for each qualified county within the State. However, if a State chooses to determine county allocations differently from those set forth in the final notice, in accordance with 45 CFR 400.319, the FY 2005 allocations proposed by the State must be based on the State's population of refugees who arrived in the U.S. during the most recent 5-year period. A State may use welfare data as an additional factor in the allocation of its targeted assistance funds if it so chooses; however, a State may not assign a greater weight to welfare data than it has assigned to population data in its allocation formula. In addition, if a State chooses to allocate its FY 2005 targeted assistance funds in a manner different from the formula set forth in the final notice, the FY 2005 allocations and methodology proposed by the State must be included in the State's application for ORR review and approval.

   Applications submitted in response to the final notice are not subject to review by State and area wide clearinghouses under Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

6. Qualification and Allocation

   For FY 2005, ORR proposes to continue using the formula which bases allocation of targeted assistance funds on the most current 5-year arrivals data on refugees (See Footnote 1, eligible population). Targeted assistance services are limited to the arrival population residing in qualified counties who have been in the U.S. five years or less. As stated in the FY 1999 notice of proposed availability of targeted assistance allocations to States which was published on March 10, 1999 (64 FR 11927), the Director of ORR proposes to determine the qualification of counties for targeted assistance once every three years. The FY 2002-FY 2004 three-year project cycle has expired. ORR is currently re-qualifying counties for the FY 2005-FY 2007 three-year project cycle for TAP funds. Counties that could potentially qualify for TAP FY 2005 funds on the basis of the most current 5-year (10/1/99- 9/30/04) population are listed in Tables 1, 2, 4, and 6 in this proposed notice.

   1. Qualifying Counties

      In order to qualify for application for FY 2005 targeted assistance funds, a county (or group of adjacent counties with the same Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area, or SMSA) or Independent city, would be required to: rank above a selected cut-off point of jurisdictions for which data were reviewed, based on two criteria: (a) the number of refugee arrivals placed in the county during the most recent 5-year period (FY 2000-FY 2004); and (b) the 5-year refugee arrival population as a percent of the county overall population.

      With regards to the first qualification criteria, each county would be ranked on the basis of its 5-year refugee arrival population and its concentration of refugees, with a relative weighting of 2 to 1 respectively, because we believe that large numbers of arrivals (see Footnote 1, eligible population) into a county create a significant impact, regardless of the ratio of refugees to the county general population.

      Each county would then be ranked in terms of the sum of a county's rank on refugee arrivals and its rank on concentration. To qualify for targeted assistance based on rank, a county would have to rank within the top 47 counties. ORR has decided to limit the number of qualified counties based on ranking order to the top 47 counties (Table 1) in order to target a sufficient level of funding to the most impacted counties.

      ORR has screened data on all counties that have received awards for targeted assistance since FY 1983, and on all other counties that could potentially qualify for TAP funds based on the criteria proposed in this notice. Analysis of these data indicates that: (a) Forty-seven (47) counties qualify for targeted assistance funds, Table 1; (b) eleven (11) counties which have previously received targeted assistance would no longer qualify, Table 3; and (c) six (6) new counties qualify for FY 2005 targeted assistance funds, Table 2.

      The proposed counties listed in this notice as qualified to apply for FY 2005 TAP funding would remain qualified for TAP funding through FY 2007. ORR does not plan to consider the eligibility of additional counties for TAP funding until FY 2008, when ORR will again review data on all counties that could potentially qualify for TAP funds based on the criteria contained in this proposed notice. It is believed that a more frequent re-determination of county qualification for targeted assistance would not provide qualifying counties a sufficient period of time within a stable funding climate to adequately address the refugee impact in their counties, while a less frequent re-determination of county qualification would pose the risk of not considering new population impacts in a timely manner.

   2. Allocation Formula

      Of the funds available for FY 2005 for targeted assistance, $44,172,900 would be allocated by formula to States for qualified counties based on the initial placements in these counties during the 5-year period from FYs 2000 through 2004 (October 1, 1999-September 30, 2004). Data from the ORR Refugee Arrivals Data System (RADS) is used for the proposed allocation of funds for targeted assistance. This includes the total number of refugees, Cuban/Haitian entrants, parolees, and Amerasians from Viet Nam. Data on victims of severe forms of trafficking is from the certification and eligibility letters issued by ORR. Trafficking victims have been eligible for services since October 2000 and their family members since December 2003. Data on the number of asylees who have been served in FYS 2000 through 2004 through the refugee resettlement program or social service system are provided by States. For FYs 2000 through 2004, Havana parolees were derived from actual data.

      Consistent with States' request, in FY 2005 ORR implemented a new voluntary process for data submission by States on the number of asylees, entrants, or trafficking victims prior to issuance of the proposed allocations notice--in an effort to minimize adjustments of final allocations. Prior to the publication of this proposed notice, the request for voluntary data submission was sent to States via e-mail on December 20, 2004 with a due date of February 8, 2005. States were requested to follow the standardized EXCEL format suggested by ORR to submit the data on asylees, entrants, and/or victims of a severe form of trafficking served during the 5-year period from FYs 2000 through 2004 (October 1, 1999-September 30, 2004). Data for each population group was to be submitted separately on an EXCEL spreadsheet. The spreadsheet(s) was due

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      at ORR on February 8, 2005, as an attachment to an e-mail to: lbussert@acf.hhs.gov. States that did not respond to the December 20, 2004 request are hereby notified that ORR will accept data from States in response to this proposed notice for targeted assistance program funds. Data submitted will be verified by ORR against the ORR arrivals database (RADS), and as a result of this process, adjustments may be included in the final notice for FY 2005 allocations for targeted assistance funds. The deadline for submission of data to ORR is 30 days from the date of publication of this proposed notice. This is the final opportunity for States to submit data on the number of asylees and entrants served in FYs 2000 through 2004, victims of a severe form of trafficking served in FYs 2001 through 2004 and certain other specified family members of trafficking victims served in FY 2004. The EXCEL format for data submission is available from Kathy Do by email at kdo@acf.hhs.gov.

      A county that does not agree with the ORR refugee population estimate for the 2005 proposed targeted assistance eligible population (see Footnote 1, eligible population), and believes that its 5-year population for FYs 2000-2004 was undercounted, must submit to ORR a letter from each local voluntary agency that resettled refugees in the county that attests to the fact that the targeted assistance eligible population listed in an attachment to the letter were resettled as initial placements during the 5-year period from FYs 2000-2004 in the county making the claim.

      Documentation must include the name of state, name of county, name of refugee (see Footnote 1, eligible population), alien number, date of birth and date of arrival in the U.S. for each of the eligible population claimed for targeted assistance funding. Listings of refugees who are not identified by their alien numbers will not be considered. Counties should submit such evidence separately from comments they may have in response to this proposed notice. Evidence must be submitted no later than 30 days from the date of publication of this proposed notice by e-mail as an attachment in a separate Excel spreadsheet for each group of population to: lbussert@acf.hhs.gov or via overnight mail to: Loren Bussert, Division of Budget, Policy and Data Analysis, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Sixth Floor East, Washington, DC 20447, telephone: (202) 401-4732. Failure to submit the required documentation in the specified format within the required time period will result in forfeiture of consideration.

      As indicated above, counties which have served asylees should submit the data according to the data format sent to States from ORR on December 20, 2004. At a minimum, counties need to submit the following information in order to have their population estimate adjusted to include those asylees whose asylum was granted within the 60 month period ending September 30, 2004: 1. Alien number (do not include hyphens within the A); 2. date of birth; 3. asylum grant date; 4. asylee full name; 5. name of state; and 6. name of county.

      With regards to the data on trafficking victims, any State that disagrees with the number of trafficking victims shown in Table 4 is requested to contact Loren Bussert at (202) 401-4732 or by e-mail to: LBussert@acf.hhs.gov.

7. Allocations

   Table 1 lists the 47 proposed qualifying counties, the State, the number of refugee arrivals (see Footnote 1, eligible population) in those counties during the 5-year period from October 1, 1999-September 30, 2004, the concentration percent to the county overall population, the sum of ranks population, and each county's rank, based on the qualification formula described above.

   Table 2 lists the 6 proposed new eligible counties that qualify under the targeted assistance criteria.

   Table 3 lists the 11 counties which would no longer qualify for TAP funds based upon the qualification formula.

   Table 4 lists the proposed allocations by county for FY 2005.

   Table 5 lists the proposed allocations by State for FY 2005.

   Table 6 lists the targeted assistance areas.

8. Application and Implementation Process

   Under the FY 2005 targeted assistance program, States may apply for and receive grant awards on behalf of qualified counties in the State. A single allocation will be made to each State by ORR on the basis of an approved State application. The State agency will, in turn, receive, review, and determine the acceptability of individual county targeted assistance plans.

   Pursuant to 45 CFR 400.210(b), FY 2005 targeted assistance funds must be obligated by the State agency no later than one year after the end of the Federal fiscal year in which the Department awarded the grant. Funds must be liquidated within two years after the end of the Federal fiscal year in which the Department awarded the grant. A State's final financial report on targeted assistance expenditures must be received no later than ninety days after the end of the two-year expenditure period. If final reports are not received on time, the Department will de-obligate any unexpended funds, including any un- liquidated obligations, on the basis of the State's last filed report.

   The requirements regarding the discretionary portion of the targeted assistance program will be addressed under separate continuation grant awards. Continuation applications for these funds are therefore not subject to provisions contained in this notice but to other requirements which will be conveyed separately.

9. Application Requirements

   In applying for targeted assistance funds, a State agency is required to provide the following:

   1. Assurance that the targeted assistance funds will be used in accordance with the requirements for grants in 45 CFR Part 400.

   2. Assurance that the targeted assistance funds will be used in compliance with the administrative requirements for grants in 45 CFR Part 92.

   3. Assurance that targeted assistance funds will be used primarily for the provision of services which are designed to enable refugees to obtain jobs with less than one year's participation in the targeted assistance program. States must indicate what percentage of FY 2005 targeted assistance formula allocation funds that are used for services will be allocated for employment services.

   4. Assurance that targeted assistance funds will not be used to offset funding otherwise available to counties or local jurisdictions from the State agency in its administration of other refugee programs, such as social services, cash and medical assistance.

   5. The name of the local agency administering the funds, the name and telephone number of the responsible person, if administered locally.

   6. The amount of funds to be awarded to the targeted county or counties. In instances where a State receives targeted assistance funding for impacted counties contained in a standard metropolitan statistical area (SMSA) that includes a county or counties located in a neighboring State, the State receiving those funds must provide a description of coordination and planning activities undertaken with the State Refugee Coordinator of the neighboring State in which the impacted county or counties are located. These planning and coordination activities should result in a proposed

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      allocation plan for the equitable distribution of targeted assistance funds by county based on the distribution of the eligible population by county within the SMSA. The proposed allocation plan must be included in the State's application to ORR.

   7. Assurance that county targeted assistance plans will include:

      1. A description of the local planning process for determining targeted assistance priorities and services, taking into consideration all other ORR-funded services available to the refugee population, including formula social services.

      2. Identification of refugee/entrant populations to be served by targeted assistance projects, including approximate numbers of clients to be served, and a description of characteristics and needs of targeted populations. (As per 45 CFR 400.314).

      3. Description of specific strategies and services to meet the needs of targeted populations.

      4. The relationship of targeted assistance services to other services available to refugees/entrants in the county including formula allocated ORR social services to States/Wilson-Fish agencies.

      5. Analysis of available employment opportunities in the local community. Examples of acceptable analysis of employment opportunities might include surveys of employers or potential employers of refugee clients, surveys of presently effective employment service providers, review of studies on employment opportunities/forecasts which would be appropriate to the refugee populations.

      6. Description of the monitoring and oversight responsibilities to be carried out by the county or qualifying local jurisdiction.

   8. Assurance that the local administrative budget will not exceed 15% of the local allocation. Targeted assistance grants are cost-based awards. Neither a State nor a county is entitled to a certain amount for administrative costs. Rather, administrative cost requests should be based on projections of actual needs. All TAP counties will be allowed to spend up to 15% of their allocation on TAP administrative costs, as need requires. However, States and counties are strongly encouraged to limit administrative costs to the extent possible to maximize available funding for services to refugees.

1. For any State that administers the program directly or otherwise provides direct services to the refugee/entrant/asylee population in a qualified county (with the concurrence of the county), the State must have the same information contained in a county plan prior to issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for services. States that administer the TAG program directly may spend no more than 5% of the total allocation, and up to 10% of the county's allocation, on administrative costs that are reasonable, allocable, and necessary.

   10. A description of the State's plan for conducting fiscal and programmatic monitoring and evaluations of the targeted assistance program, including frequency of on-site monitoring.

   11. A line item budget and justification for State administrative costs limited to a maximum of 5% of the total award to the State. Assurance that the State will make available to the county or designated local entity not less than 95% of the amount of its formula allocation for purposes of implementing the activities proposed in its plan. As stated previously, States that administer the program directly in lieu of the county (through a mutual agreement with the qualifying county), may spend no more than 5% of the total award, and up to 10% of the county's TAG allocation on administrative costs. The administrative costs must be reasonable, allocable, and necessary. Allocable costs for State contracting and monitoring for targeted assistance, if charged, must be charged to the targeted assistance grant and not to general State administration.

10. Results or Benefits Expected

    All applicants must establish proposed targeted assistance performance goals for each of the six ORR performance outcome measures for each impacted county's proposed service contract(s) or sub-grants for the next contracting cycle. Proposed performance goals must be included in the application for each performance measure. The six ORR performance measures are: Entered employments, cash assistance reductions due to employment, cash assistance terminations due to employment, 90-day employment retentions, average wage at placement, and job placements with available health benefits. Targeted assistance program activity and progress achieved toward meeting performance outcome goals are to be reported quarterly on the ORR-6, the ``Quarterly Performance Report.''

    States that are currently grantees for targeted assistance funds should base projected annual outcome goals on past performance. Current grantees should have adequate baseline data for all of the six ORR performance outcome measures based on a history of targeted assistance program experience.

    States identified as new eligible targeted assistance grantees are also required to set proposed outcome goals for each of the six ORR performance outcome measures. New grantees may use baseline data, as available, and current data as reported on the ORR-6 for social services program activity to assist them in the goal-setting process.

    New qualifying counties within States that are current grantees are also required to set proposed outcome goals for each of the six ORR performance outcome measures. New counties may use baseline data, as available, and current data as reported on the ORR-6 for social services program activity to assist them in the goal-setting process.

    Proposed targeted assistance outcome goals should reflect improvement over past performance and strive for continuous improvement during the project period from one year to another.

    Final targeted assistance outcome goals are due on November 15, 2005, in conjunction with the ORR Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) cycle.

11. Budget and Budget Justification

    Provide line item detail and detailed calculations for each budget object class identified on the Budget Information form (424A). Detailed calculations must include estimation methods, quantities, unit costs, and other similar quantitative detail sufficient for the calculation to be duplicated. The detailed budget must also include a breakout by the funding sources identified in Block 15 of the SF-424.

    Provide a narrative budget justification that describes how the categorical costs are derived. Discuss the necessity, reasonableness, and allocability of the proposed costs. The Office of Refugee Resettlement is particularly interested in the following:

    A line item budget and justification for State administrative costs limited to a maximum of 5% of the total award to the State. Each total budget period funding amount requested must be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to the project. States that administer the program locally in lieu of the county, through a mutual agreement with the qualifying county, may request administrative costs that add up to, but may not exceed, 10% of the county's TAP allocation to the State's administrative budget.

12. Reporting Requirements

    States are required to submit quarterly reports on the outcomes of the targeted assistance program, using Schedule A and Schedule C of the ORR-6 Quarterly Performance Report (0970-0036).

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13. The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13)

    All information collections within this program notice are approved under the following valid OMB control numbers: 424 (0348-0043); 424A (0348-0044); 424B (0348-0040); Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (0348- 0046); Financial Status Report (SF-269) (0348-0039) and ORR Quarterly Performance Report (0970-0036).

    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

    Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and reviewing the collection of information.

    Dated: June 10, 2005. Nguyen Van Hanh, Director, Office of Refugee Resettlement. BILLING CODE 4184-01-P

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    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JN05.000

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    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JN05.001

    [[Page 35274]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JN05.002

    [[Page 35275]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JN05.003

    [[Page 35276]]

    [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN17JN05.004

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    [FR Doc. 05-11919 Filed 6-16-05; 8:45 am]

    BILLING CODE 4184-01-C