CLEARINGHOUSE INFORMATION: A-95 PROCEDURES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Washington, D. C. 20201 NOTICE TO PARTICIPANTS Effective immediately, all applicants for grants under this program are subject to the requirement of the PROJECT NOTIFICATION AND REVIEW SYSTEM The purpose of the system is to facilitate coordination of State, areawide, and local planning and development through the establishment and use of a network of State and areawide clearinghouses. The functions of the clearinghouses are to identify the relationship of any project to Statewide or areawide comprehensive plans and to evaluate the significance of projects to the plans or programs of particular State agencies or local governments. Clearinghouses will also assure public agencies responsible for environmental standards or Civil rights have an opportunity to review and comment upon proposed projects. The system is the means of carrying out the policies and directives of Title IV of the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act of 1968 and the requirements of Section 204 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966. Applicant's Responsibilities 1. As soon as an applicant decides to request support from the Department for a proposed project under this program, the applicant must notify both the State and appropriate areawide clearinghouses of the intent to apply for Federal assistance. The notification must contain sufficient information to enable the clearinghouses to review the proposed activity and to determine those other agencies within the clearinghouse area which would have an interest in the proposed project. The information to be included in the notification and a suggested format for its presentation are shown on the attachment to these instructions. 2. Clearinghouses have 30 days after receipt of notification from the applicant in which to disseminate the information in the notification to other appropriate State, areawide, or local agencies, and in which to make their own review of the information. Within this 30-day period the clearinghouse(s) should also arrange with the applicant conferences or consultations on any issues raised on the proposed project. 3. If by the end of 30 days the applicant receives no request 4. During this 30-day period, and if necessary, the ensueing period during which the application is being written, the applicant must confer with the clearinghouse(s) or other appropriate agencies when so requested to discuss any issues which the proposes project may have raised. An effort should be made to resolve issues in such a way that the application can be appropriately modified before it is submitted to the Federal agency (or to a State agency if the State agency is responsible for final approval of project applications). 5. If issues raised are not resolved through discussion, the 6. Finally, the applicant must include with the application, when submitted to the Department (or to the State agency), either: 7. a. Any comments and recommendations made by or through b. A statement that the procedures outlined in this section have been followed and that no comments or recommendations have been received. Applicants who intend to apply for a construction grant which Submission of Application The notification to the clearinghouses, discussion to resolve issues while the application is under preparation, and the receipt of comments on the completed application (when necessary) are all actions to be completed before the application is submitted. Applications *Construction grants are not accepted by the Administration on Aging. received which have not been processed through the project notification and review system in accordance with these instructions will be returned to the applicant as incomplete. Addresses of Clearinghouses A Directory of Clearinghouses is maintained in each DHEW Regional Office. Applicants should request the names and addresses of the clearinghouses to which they must submit the Notification. The areawide clearinghouse to which the Notification is sent is the clearinghouse which has responsibility for the geographic area in which the proposed activity will take place. If the proposed activity extends into two geographic areas or into two States, the clearinghouses in both areas must be notified. Applicants can also obtain the names and addresses of the pertinent clearinghouses from the program office in Washington. NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE Note to Applicant: Check first with the appropriate clearinghouse to determine if the clearinghouse has prescribed a form and procedure to be followed in making notification. Follow clearinghouse instructions where available. In all other cases, the information to be submitted should cover the items listed below in the order and detail indicated. |