Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) Program

AGENCY:

Health Resources and Services Administration, HHS.

ACTION:

Notice of Non-competitive Replacement Award.

SUMMARY:

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is issuing a non-competitive replacement award to the Orange County Health Department, Orlando, Florida, that will ensure continuity of Part C, Early Intervention Services (EIS), HIV/AIDS care and treatment services to women, infants, and children without disruption from Orlando Health Incorporated's HUG-ME Program, in Orange County and the surrounding areas.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Intended Recipient of the Award: Orange County Health Department, Orlando, Florida.

Amount of the Award: $303,018.00.

Period of Support: The period of the supplemental support is from October 1, 2009, through March 31, 2010.

Authority: This activity is under the authority of the Public Health Service Act as amended, Section 2651 and 2693 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended (2 USC 300ff-51 and 42 USC 300ff-121 ). The authority for the exception to competition is HHS Grants Policy Directive 2.04, Awarding Grants.

Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 93.918.

Justification for the Exception to Competition: Critical funding for HIV/AIDS care and treatment to the target populations in Orange County, Orlando, Florida, and surrounding areas will be continued through a temporary, non-competitive replacement award to the Orange County Health Department as the new recipient. This temporary award is needed because the former grantee, Orlando Health, Incorporated, has relinquished, effective September 30, 2009, the HUG ME Program and the HRSA Grant award supporting it (original Project Period April 1, 2008, through March 31, 2010). The Orange County Health Department is known Statewide as an exceptional site for HIV/AIDS care and treatment services. It has administered its own HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C EIS Grant for the past 9 years and is well suited to undertake operations of the HUG-ME Program under the previously approved scope of project activities. Additionally, this organization has a thorough understanding of the characteristics and needs of HIV/AIDS- infected populations. The HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) and its Division of Community Based Programs are not aware of any other organization that could provide good quality care and treatment services to the impacted service populations without additional time and resources being devoted to bringing that organization's service capacity up to the level needed under the project scope of this award. This non-competitive replacement award will permit the new recipient to ensure continuity of services to the HIV/AIDS- infected populations. The supplemental funding will provide support for 6 months. Additional funding beyond March 31, 2010, will be provided through a limited service area competition that will be announced in the future.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Deborah Parham Hopson, Associate Administrator, HRSA/HAB, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, Maryland 20857; phone 301-443-1993; DParham@hrsa.gov.