OHA Fiscal Biennium 2014-2015 Grants

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA), Resource Management – Transitional Assistance Program (TAP) proudly announces its exciting new Community Grants Program (CGP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014.

Our purpose is to provide, via community partnerships and grants, access to social services and financial services through loans to Native Hawaiians so they can transition toward economic security and stabilize their lives.  As stewards who follow in the footsteps of our Hawaiian ancestors, we strive to achieve our priorities of Mauli Ola (Health), Hoʻonaʻauao (Education), Hoʻokahua Waiwai (Economic Self-Sufficiency), Ea (Governance), ʻAina (Land & Water), and Moʻomeheu (Culture).

REQUEST FOR SOLICITATIONS FOR STATE FISCAL BIENNIUM (FY) 2014 – 2015

OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT – TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Notice is hereby given of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ solicitation of community grant requests from qualified applicants pursuant to Hawai’i Revised Statutes, Chapter 10-17, and its administrative rules, to provide the following service activities for the fiscal biennium funding period from July 1, 2013, through June 30, 2015. Applications and solicitation details will be available at www.oha.org on November 21, 2012. Preliminary funding availability and orientation sessions for each solicitation are:

Programmatic Grant Funding

Grant Number Service Activity Titles Grant Amount*
OHA- 14-01 Housing Services for Native Hawaiians
Friday, December 7, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $900,000
OHA 14-02 Employment Core and Career Support Services for Native Hawaiians
Monday, December , 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $1,250,000
OHA 14-03 Obesity and Physical Health Improvements in Native Hawaiians
Wednesday, December 5, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $2,000,000
OHA 14-04 Improving Middle and High School Testing Scores of Native Hawaiians
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $600,000
OHA 14-05 Perpetuating Hawaiian Culture
Thursday, December 6, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $1,400,000
OHA 14-05 Pae ‘Aina Sustainability
Thursday, December 6, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon		 $1,400,000
OHA 14-05 Prenatal Services for Native Hawaiians
Wednesday, December 5, 2012 from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.		 $1,000,000

Community Event Funding

Grant Number Service Activity Titles Grant Amount*
OHA 14-0 8
‘Ahahui Event Grants		 (FY 15 Dates to be announced later)
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, July 25, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.		 $400,000

*All funding amounts subject to availability.  Source(s) of funding are subject to change.  TAP reserves the right to reallocate funding amounts within or between solicitations based on the best interests of the State and/or actual proposal applications received.

OHA will conduct the above orientation sessions at its office located at 711 Kapi‘olani Blvd, Suite 500, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813.  All prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend the appropriate session(s).

Handouts will be provided, will outline the application requirements of each solicitation, and will include the following:  administrative requirements, service specifications, proposal applications, budget instructions, and other reference material.  Prior to application submittal, it is imperative that the applicants closely review all information and follow detailed instructions provided.

Programmatic Grant Funding

If applying for programmatic grants, the deadline for submission of written questions is 4:00 p.m. Hawai’i Standard Time (HST) on Friday, January 4, 2013. OHA will address all written questions with a written response by Friday, January 11, 2013. Written questions may be submitted to OHA by facsimile or e-mail. However, all applicants who submit written questions by facsimile or e-mail bears the full and exclusive responsibility for assuring the complete, correctly formatted, and timely transmission of their questions.

All applicants must submit (1) original proposal PLUS (4) copies to OHA on or before 4:00 p.m. HST, Wednesday, January 16, 2013 to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, 711 Kapi’olani Blvd, Suite 500, Honolulu, HI, 96813. Any proposals received after the deadline, but with a postmark date of January 16, 2013 or prior will be considered timely received. As of November 21, 2012, proposal forms, specifications and special provisions can be obtained:

If this solicitation was downloaded from the website, each applicant must provide contact information to the Sole Point of Contact for this solicitation to be notified of any changes. Any questions or inquiries regarding each specific solicitation should be directed to the Sole Point of Contact listed in Section 2 of each individual solicitation, by mail, or e-mail or by telephone.

Proposals delivered by facsimile transmission, e-mail, hand-delivered, or postmarked after 4:00 p.m. HST on January 16, 2013, will be considered late and rejected. There will be no exceptions.

All applicants will be notified in writing regarding OHA’s decision on his/her proposal(s) in late March-early April 2013. Agreements are expected to be in effect from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2015.

Community Event Funding

OHA has established two deadlines for the FY 2014 ‘Ahahui Grant program for eligible events occurring during the 2014 fiscal year, and the date of the proposed event will determine which application deadline to follow. ‘Ahahui Grant applicants must submit (1) original proposal PLUS (3) copies to OHA on or before 4:00 p.m. HST, Friday, May 3, 2013, or Friday, September 13, 2013. Guidelines on submitting an ‘Ahahui application should be done in the same manner as OHA’s programmatic grants described above.

OHA reserves the right to amend the terms of any and all solicitations, issue addenda, or to withdraw a solicitation at any time. OHA shall not be responsible for any missing addenda, attachments or other information regarding the solicitation if a proposal is submitted from an incomplete solicitation.

The Solicitation

  • General instructions for formatting and completing the proposal application
  • Clear, concise, solicitation template organized into five sections
  • Required forms all included in one place – Section 5 Attachments
  • Sole point of contact for solicitation
  • Optional orientation sessions replace mandatory month-long workshops
  • Single procurement timetable includes all important dates
  • Detailed and definitive service specifications
  • More emphasis on relevant and verifiable program experience
  • Standardized cost principles to promote uniform purchasing practices
  • Continues to emphasize the importance of leveraging other funds with OHA monies

The Application

  • Requests two “organization-wide” and “program organizational” flowcharts
  • Requires written quality assurance and evaluation plans
  • Requires service provider demonstrating ability to track and document program outputs and outcomes
  • Requires line item budgets to clearly track expenditures
  • Requires performance output and outcome measures table ~ Applicant tells OHA how it will administer program “best practices” to ensure delivery of services
  • Requests audit and management letter, as applicable

The Evaluation

  • Weighted evaluation criteria open, transparent and fair
  • Automated score sheet eliminates calculation errors
  • Experienced, knowledgeable evaluation committee members agree to composite (averaging) and ranking scores resulting in standardized evaluation process.  It is preferable that OHA staff members serve as evaluation committee members.  The solicitation funds are OHA monies, and OHA staff share a fiduciary responsibility to oversee and administer these funds.
  • Program overview not scored.  The program overview simply introduces the applicant to OHA and gives a concise program summary.  This was seen as just giving free meaningless points away.  Points should be reserved for items that really count and make a difference.

The Contract

  • All contracts standardized and simplified to streamline OHA contracting process
  • All contracts incorporate output and outcome performance measures
  • All contracts aligned to strategic priorities and results
  • All contracts include enforceable contract terms and conditions
  • All contracts incorporate line-item budgets and reimbursements
  • All moving toward performance-based contracting

The FY 2013 Grants Program will give TAP the opportunity to create and implement performance-driven, culturally-sensitive services.  Working together, we can make a difference to ensure the perpetuation of culture, protect the entitlements of Native Hawaiians, and build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and nation.  Aʻohe hana nui ke alu ʻia – No task is too big when done together by all.

We hope you will agree these changes will enable Resource Management – Transitional Assistance Program to put forth worthy solicitations that focus on OHA’s resources, deliver needed services, and are in the best interests of its Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.  We sincerely look forward to working with you this coming fiscal year in being a catalyst for positive change for you, your family, your community, and your nation.

Dr. Keith Yabusaki
Transitional Assistance Program Manager